Who are you?

When I hear this question: Who are you? I have a tendency to start sharing facts about myself like: where I live, who I am married to, what I do, how many children I have, where they live and what they do, etc. How about you? What is your tendency?

As I was reading John 1 this morning, verse 15 made me pause and reflect. "Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"

So I ask you: Who are YOU? Matthew West says it best for me in his song HELLO, MY NAME IS :

"Hello, my name is child of the one true King

I've been save, I've been changed, I have been set free

"Amazing Grace" is the song I sing"

My prayer is that my life is a testimony to Him. It is not only what comes out of my mouth that demonstrates who I am but what I DO. 

What does Jesus look like on you?

Pressure Washing

I spent most of the morning pressure washing our patio. Mildew settles on it when it stays damp and in the shade. It looked pretty nasty. We had noticed it getting worse and worse but had not made it a priority to clean it. Since the weather had cooled off some this morning, we decided it would be a good day to tackle this project.

As I worked diligently to clean it, I noticed how the mildew had settled in all the tiny cracks and crevices. It wasn't a matter of just quickly moving the sprayer back and forth. I had to hold the sprayer close to the concrete and move it slowly back and forth. If you have ever used a pressure washer, you know that it does exactly what the name of it is - it dispenses tremendous pressure so that it will dislodge the slime and the grunge. If you move it quickly, you miss some of the grunge. So you have go slow.

The Lord reminded me as I was cleaning that our lives are like this too. Stuff settles in our mind and heart that can cause us to look, think and act grungy. It is not a pretty picture. He doesn't like what he sees so He has to do some "pressure washing". He convicts our spirit of those things in our life that are dark and slimy. It might be a slow process and it might hurt, but He wants to dislodge our mind and heart of those things that are keeping us from being all that we can be for Him.

This reminded me of a sweet praise song that we use to sing:
"Create in me a clean heart, Oh God
And renew a right spirit within me.
Create in me a clean heart, Oh God
And renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Thy presence, oh Lord
Take not they Holy Spirit from me
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation
And renew a right spirit within me."

A Condition of the Heart

It was four weeks ago yesterday that my Daddy went to be with the Lord. I know he is safe now and healed and I know that he is dancing with my Mama. One of the treasures that I was able to have was growing up listening to my daddy play the piano. I'm not sure that he ever took lessons for very long but was blessed with the gift of being able to play by ear. I took piano lessons and enjoy playing but never ever able to put that little extra touch to the music like my daddy.

I now have my Daddy's piano. It is a beautiful piece of furniture and has a beautiful tone. This morning I sat down to play and got out one of my older hymnals. I enjoyed just flipping from page to page and playing some of the hymns. 

I am not what you call an "accomplished musician" by any stretch of the imagination and I do not sing very well but I love to play and I love to sing praises to my precious heavenly Father. I know over the years there has been lots of changes in Christian music. I still love the "oldie goldies" from my Cokesbury Hymnal and I love the new "Praise" music that we listen to on the radio.

As I typed the word "Praise" music, my thoughts were that the Christian music we sing to our heavenly Father from our heart praising him for who He is, what He has done and what He is going to do is pleasing unto to Him. It is not a matter of how old or new the music is as long as my heart is in tune with His Spirit.

So this morning as I prepare to assemble with a group of people who proclaim Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and God as our Abba Father, I pray for my heart to be attuned to His heart.

Each One Reach One

As I am following the reading schedule for the book of John we have for the next several weeks at the Adel Assembly of God, I keep going back to John 1. I am reminded how fresh His word is each day even if I were to read the same scripture every day.

Here are my stand out verses for today:

John 1:33 "I would not have known him, EXCEPT that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me . . ."

John 1:41 "The FIRST thing Andrew did was find his brother Simon and tell him, 'We have found the Messiah' (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus."

John 1:45 "Philip FOUND Nathanael and told him . . ."

Jesus shared with John, John shared with Andrew, Andrew shared with his brother Simon (Peter) and BROUGHT him to Jesus, Andrew FOUND Nathanael and shared with him . . .

Look at Andrew's priorities once he heard what John the Baptist shared with him. He was a man convicted, convinced and committed. WOW! He is not one that I generally focus on when I have read this scripture. 

He was a man of action and a man on a mission. Got me to thinking: Who have I shared Jesus with lately and more importantly who have I brought to Jesus lately? How about you?

Who Are You?

Have you ever really thought about that - "Who are You"? As I read John 1:22 "Finally they said, "Who are you? . . ." I paused and reflected on how I would answer that question?

I can give all kinds of facts about me: where and when I was born, where I have lived, places I have been, schools I have attended, jobs I have had . . .

But in my soul, in my most inner being, in my heart - who am I? I guess some have battles within themselves as to who they are. Others are still searching. But I have a peace about who I am and whose I am.

I am a child of the one true King! There is not a doubt in my mind or in my heart who I am. This song by Matthew West says it best:

"Hello, my name is child of the one true King.

I've been save, I've been changed, I have been set free.

"Amazing Grace" is the song I sing. . . ."

How about you?

Who are you? Or I guess a better question is ~ WHOSE are you?

Put On Jesus

Romans 13:14 "Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desire of the flesh."

What does Jesus on you look like today?

Is He kind? Is He loving? Is He compassionate? Is He thoughtful? Does He have a smile on His face and joy in His heart?

Put on Jesus today and see if it doesn't make a difference in your life and all those that you see.

NOT GUILTY

For me Romans 8 is probably one of the most powerful chapters in Paul's writings. After writing so much about our sinful nature, he begins with a WOWSER statement. Romans 8: 1-2 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS because through Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death."

VERDICT: I am judged NOT guilty, I am set free.

The key to this verdict is a life in Jesus with the leading of the Holy Spirit - which is another discussion all unto its self. So I will save that for later as I meditate on my NOT GUILTY verdict because of my hope in Jesus.