Question to think about: Do you have a hero's mind?
Heroes have a mindset . . . they think beyond themselves.
One hero had to
move her children to safety.
It was tough and necessary.
Her husband, the father of her children, consistently made harmful choices. He created an unsafe environment for their children as he literally drank himself to death.
She moved from their home, created a new home, worked hard, and provided for the needs of her children. The children were protected as they weathered the storm of their father's mistakes.
Then it happened . . . he became ill from the effects of alcohol toxicity.
One lonely, stormy night, she struggled with a question: “Should I help him?” Thoughts of his destructive behavior overwhelmed her with fear.
She focused on God. In the midst of the stormy night, she knew God was present . . . love won out.
Peace came with the decision to help him.
The hero reached out without blame, demands, or expectation . . . leaning into God moment to moment.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJV)
He died with the hero by his side; the fatherless children were left with the legacy of love.
What transformed the mind of hurt to become heroic?
Her mind was transformed by the presence and power of God.
Jesus explained the greatest life-law to live by:
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (Matthew 22:36-37, NASB)
We love God with our whole heart . . . all of our being . . . and soul . . . and mind.
The whole mind includes our deepest thoughts where we synthesize, analyze, and conclude how to live.
Become one of God’s heroes.
Surrender your mind to God.
Love God with all of your mind.
Lean into God rather than your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge God and God will direct your pathways.
Learning with you to love God with all of the mind,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2009 All Rights Reserved)
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Recharged
Question to think about: How is it possible to be recharged?
Life had become boring. It wasn't that they weren't busy . . . they were extremely busy . . .
jobs . . .
kids . . .
household chores . . .
sports . . .
committees . . .
kept them constantly running from one place to another. Perhaps busyness was the initial problem; however, when I had a chance to talk with them . . . they described their life as empty and . . . purposeless.
From the outside, their life looked good . . . actually it looked like a great life. Even so, they did not see their life as good and certainly not great. There did not seem to be much to savor, except for their kids.
Boredom . . . emptiness . . . purposelessness . . . are all land mines in the landscape of our lives. If we fail to pay attention to the land mines . . . our lives will blow up.
Jesus explained the whole crux to life:
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul . . . (Matthew 22:36-37b, NASB)
We love God with our whole heart . . . all of our being . . . and soul.
The soul can be defined as our emotions, attitude, and will.
1. Emotions--If, we filter our love for God through our emotions, then, we discover that our emotions are guided by the love for God. One thing is for sure . . . we can't have hate for an individual while we are loving God.
2. Attitude--Managing our response to life is guided by our attitude. Those that center their attitude on loving God will experience gratefulness . . . and other God-directed attitudes.
3. Will--Loving God produces a surrendered spirit. As the Apostle Paul said, "Not I, but Christ." (Galatians 2:20, NKJV)
Our response of love to the presence of God in our soul recharges our life . . . allowing us to see that life is Christ at the front and center of life.
Meditate on
Matthew 22:36-37,
Galatians 2:20,
and
Philippians 1:3-6.
How does loving God with all of your soul . . . emotions, attitude, and will . . . shift the way you live?
Determine to live in love with God.
Love God with all your soul.
Surrender your emotions, attitude, and will.
Learning with you to love God with all of the soul,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2009 All Rights Reserved)
Life had become boring. It wasn't that they weren't busy . . . they were extremely busy . . .
jobs . . .
kids . . .
household chores . . .
sports . . .
committees . . .
kept them constantly running from one place to another. Perhaps busyness was the initial problem; however, when I had a chance to talk with them . . . they described their life as empty and . . . purposeless.
From the outside, their life looked good . . . actually it looked like a great life. Even so, they did not see their life as good and certainly not great. There did not seem to be much to savor, except for their kids.
How do we get so far away from living with passion and purpose or from seeing life as great?
Boredom . . . emptiness . . . purposelessness . . . are all land mines in the landscape of our lives. If we fail to pay attention to the land mines . . . our lives will blow up.
How do we clear out the land mines?
Jesus explained the whole crux to life:
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul . . . (Matthew 22:36-37b, NASB)
We love God with our whole heart . . . all of our being . . . and soul.
The soul can be defined as our emotions, attitude, and will.
1. Emotions--If, we filter our love for God through our emotions, then, we discover that our emotions are guided by the love for God. One thing is for sure . . . we can't have hate for an individual while we are loving God.
2. Attitude--Managing our response to life is guided by our attitude. Those that center their attitude on loving God will experience gratefulness . . . and other God-directed attitudes.
3. Will--Loving God produces a surrendered spirit. As the Apostle Paul said, "Not I, but Christ." (Galatians 2:20, NKJV)
Our response of love to the presence of God in our soul recharges our life . . . allowing us to see that life is Christ at the front and center of life.
Meditate on
Matthew 22:36-37,
Galatians 2:20,
and
Philippians 1:3-6.
How does loving God with all of your soul . . . emotions, attitude, and will . . . shift the way you live?
Determine to live in love with God.
Love God with all your soul.
Surrender your emotions, attitude, and will.
Learning with you to love God with all of the soul,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2009 All Rights Reserved)
Monday, June 8, 2009
The Shift
Question to think about: How does loving God with all of your heart shift the way you live?
The circumstance seemed impossible.
His health seemed to be failing.
The doctors thought surgery might help.
He realized God had invited him to an ongoing-active-participating relationship.
He focused on his relationship with God.
He communicated with God . . . talking and listening . . . others prayed . . . peace began to overtake his fear as he focused on God.
Then something happened . . . there was a shift . . . . an unexplainable shift . . . a mystery beyond what medicine could do.
He will not have surgery . . . he is better . . . his universe shifted.
Life shifts when we focus on God . . . when love for God takes precedence. Study the shift recorded in Matthew 22.
Jesus, God with us, faced religious leaders. Their life revolved around the 613 plus rules, believing in the rules which defined their life with God. They asked Jesus:
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart (Matthew 22:36-37a, NASB)
Jesus simplified the hundreds of laws into two basic principles . . . and explained the importance of a relationship . . . responding to the love of God through loving God with all of the heart. The heart was considered to be the core and identity of an individual. Thus, Jesus explained that our identity . . . our whole being . . . was to revolve around love for God. At the heart of it life, everything about our life, is to be centered on love for God.
The religious leaders must have stopped breathing for a moment . . . their time and effort was centered on obeying the rules . . . it was a major shift from how they lived.
Study Matthew 22. Underline words that speak to your heart.
Meditate on Matthew 22:36-37.
Focus on your relationship with God and what it means to love God with all of your life.
Learning with you to love God with all of the heart,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2009 All Rights Reserved)
The circumstance seemed impossible.
His health seemed to be failing.
The doctors thought surgery might help.
He realized God had invited him to an ongoing-active-participating relationship.
He focused on his relationship with God.
He communicated with God . . . talking and listening . . . others prayed . . . peace began to overtake his fear as he focused on God.
Then something happened . . . there was a shift . . . . an unexplainable shift . . . a mystery beyond what medicine could do.
He will not have surgery . . . he is better . . . his universe shifted.
Life shifts when we focus on God . . . when love for God takes precedence. Study the shift recorded in Matthew 22.
Jesus, God with us, faced religious leaders. Their life revolved around the 613 plus rules, believing in the rules which defined their life with God. They asked Jesus:
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart (Matthew 22:36-37a, NASB)
Jesus simplified the hundreds of laws into two basic principles . . . and explained the importance of a relationship . . . responding to the love of God through loving God with all of the heart. The heart was considered to be the core and identity of an individual. Thus, Jesus explained that our identity . . . our whole being . . . was to revolve around love for God. At the heart of it life, everything about our life, is to be centered on love for God.
The religious leaders must have stopped breathing for a moment . . . their time and effort was centered on obeying the rules . . . it was a major shift from how they lived.
Study Matthew 22. Underline words that speak to your heart.
Meditate on Matthew 22:36-37.
Focus on your relationship with God and what it means to love God with all of your life.
Learning with you to love God with all of the heart,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2009 All Rights Reserved)
Friday, June 5, 2009
The Storm
Question to think about: How do you manage the storms?
Some of us were caught off guard when a storm blew into our area during the afternoon.
It was an unusual storm for our area.
The skies darkened . . . and rumbled with thunder . . . lightening flashed off and on . . . trees bent as the winds came through . . . hail pelted the ground . . . rain came down sideways.
Tornadoes were sighted . . . roads filled up with water . . . trees came down.
Today is a new day.
The storm is over.
Clean up has begun.
Life goes on . . . just as it does when we experience storms in our personal life.
Christ declared peace to come in the midst of the storm:
On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!” (Mark 4:35-41, NLT)
Meditate on the words of Jesus: “Peace, be still!”
Christ issued peace in a life-threatening storm.
The same peace . . . the peace that calmed the storm . . . can be received today.
Receive the peace of Christ . . . become aware of the power of peace . . . which leads to wholeness and well-being regardless of stormy circumstances.
Learning with you to receive the peace of God in the midst of the storms of life,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2009 All Rights Reserved)
Some of us were caught off guard when a storm blew into our area during the afternoon.
It was an unusual storm for our area.
The skies darkened . . . and rumbled with thunder . . . lightening flashed off and on . . . trees bent as the winds came through . . . hail pelted the ground . . . rain came down sideways.
Tornadoes were sighted . . . roads filled up with water . . . trees came down.
Today is a new day.
The storm is over.
Clean up has begun.
Life goes on . . . just as it does when we experience storms in our personal life.
Christ declared peace to come in the midst of the storm:
On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!” (Mark 4:35-41, NLT)
Meditate on the words of Jesus: “Peace, be still!”
Christ issued peace in a life-threatening storm.
The same peace . . . the peace that calmed the storm . . . can be received today.
Receive the peace of Christ . . . become aware of the power of peace . . . which leads to wholeness and well-being regardless of stormy circumstances.
Learning with you to receive the peace of God in the midst of the storms of life,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2009 All Rights Reserved)
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Do you have a problem?
Question to think about: Do you believe a problem can be a tool?
We watched my nephew graduate last night . . . waiting for the moment that he crossed the threshold from senior to graduate.
While the atmosphere was charged with excitement and celebration,
the graduates were told they would now face one of the toughest times in history.
In my opinion, the sobering words were overshadowed by
the party planned after the ceremony.
The thing is . . . life does not need to hinge on problems but on the plan of God.
God has promised a future of hope rather than problems.
When you get down to it . . . we must decide if we allow problems to define who we are or to be tools on the journey.
The true story is told:
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11, NLT)
The key to living beyond the problem is made clear:
First: In those days when you pray, I will listen. (Jeremiah 29:12, NLT)
Communicating with God is vital. The Creator of the universe promises to listen.
Second: If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. (Jeremiah 29:13, NLT)
Focusing on God changes how we live . . . beyond the constraints and limits of problems . . . because we find God.
Set your mind on the plan of God rather than a problem.
Refuse to be managed by a problem.
Remember that God has a plan with a future of hope.
Communicate . . . God will listen.
Focus on God with your whole heart . . . you will find God . . . transforming all of life.
Learning with you to set my mind on the plan of God,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2009 All Rights Reserved)
We watched my nephew graduate last night . . . waiting for the moment that he crossed the threshold from senior to graduate.
While the atmosphere was charged with excitement and celebration,
the graduates were told they would now face one of the toughest times in history.
In my opinion, the sobering words were overshadowed by
the party planned after the ceremony.
The thing is . . . life does not need to hinge on problems but on the plan of God.
God has promised a future of hope rather than problems.
When you get down to it . . . we must decide if we allow problems to define who we are or to be tools on the journey.
The true story is told:
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11, NLT)
The key to living beyond the problem is made clear:
First: In those days when you pray, I will listen. (Jeremiah 29:12, NLT)
Communicating with God is vital. The Creator of the universe promises to listen.
Second: If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. (Jeremiah 29:13, NLT)
Focusing on God changes how we live . . . beyond the constraints and limits of problems . . . because we find God.
Set your mind on the plan of God rather than a problem.
Refuse to be managed by a problem.
Remember that God has a plan with a future of hope.
Communicate . . . God will listen.
Focus on God with your whole heart . . . you will find God . . . transforming all of life.
Learning with you to set my mind on the plan of God,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2009 All Rights Reserved)
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
What are you thinking?
Question to think about: What is on your mind?
I talked with a doctor about the healing process of a wound. While things can be done to assist the repair of damaged tissue, healing is a built-in process. That said, the wound must be clean to heal. Contaminated tissues will disrupt healing.
It made me think.
In order to have a mindset that is healthy and whole . . . we must clean out the toxic thoughts . . . and the dead-end thinking.
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.(Romans 12:2, NLT)
Pay attention to your thought life.
Surrender your thoughts to God.
Get rid of toxic and dead-end thoughts.
Set your mind to the way God thinks . . . beyond the constraints of this world.
Learning with you to clean out toxic thoughts,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2009 All Rights Reserved)
I talked with a doctor about the healing process of a wound. While things can be done to assist the repair of damaged tissue, healing is a built-in process. That said, the wound must be clean to heal. Contaminated tissues will disrupt healing.
It made me think.
In order to have a mindset that is healthy and whole . . . we must clean out the toxic thoughts . . . and the dead-end thinking.
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.(Romans 12:2, NLT)
Pay attention to your thought life.
Surrender your thoughts to God.
Get rid of toxic and dead-end thoughts.
Set your mind to the way God thinks . . . beyond the constraints of this world.
Learning with you to clean out toxic thoughts,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2009 All Rights Reserved)
Monday, June 1, 2009
Live New
Question to think about: Are you new today?
She had a simple procedure.
Something went wrong.
The family was told she had less than 20% chance to live.
When I visited her a few weeks ago . . . she was on full life support.
And now . . .
she is new . . .
living as if everything is new . . .
and it is.
The past is the past.
New things are declared.
God is making all things new.
Refuse to be stuck.
Yield to the work of God.
Experience the energy and power as all things are made new.
Meditate on what God is doing.
See new,
hear new,
think new,
speak new,
live new.
Learning with you to live new,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2009 All Rights Reserved)
She had a simple procedure.
Something went wrong.
The family was told she had less than 20% chance to live.
When I visited her a few weeks ago . . . she was on full life support.
And now . . .
she is new . . .
living as if everything is new . . .
and it is.
God makes life new.
"Behold,
the former things have come to pass,
Now I declare new things;
Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you." (Isaiah 42:9, NASB)
5And He who sits on the throne said,
"Behold, I am making all things new "
And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."
(Revelations 21:5, NASB)
The past is the past.
New things are declared.
God is making all things new.
Refuse to be stuck.
Yield to the work of God.
Experience the energy and power as all things are made new.
Meditate on what God is doing.
See new,
hear new,
think new,
speak new,
live new.
Learning with you to live new,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2009 All Rights Reserved)
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