By Lysa TerKeurst
"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13 (NIV)
What if someone followed me around with a video camera all day documenting my every move? Catching on camera all of my words, facial expressions, actions, and reactions. And then what if someone packaged it all together and played it on some sort of reality TV show for all the world to see. What would be the glaring message of my life?
I am convicted thinking about this.
You see, if someone were to ask me, what are you all about? I would have some nice sounding answers. But what actually happens during the strains of everyday life can sometimes betray my best intentions.
I want to be a loving wife. Yet I can sometimes be found in a grumpy, selfish mood and view my husband as a business partner that better hold up his end of helping out.
I want to be a wise and patient mom. But my kids know the exact buttons to push that send me into a tailspin of emotion and exhaustion.
I want to be a strong witness for Christ. So why is it that I can read my Bible first thing in the morning and then find myself honking at the person that cuts me off in traffic just an hour later?
I realize there is a place for God’s tender mercies for me in all this. But I also know that while no TV cameras are following me around, my life is speaking a message about what I really believe and I want that message to honor Jesus. I once heard, “Great sermons are not preached, they are lived.” Oh how I long to live a message that speaks loud and clear, “Jesus is true and the principles found in His teachings work!”
Let’s just be honest, it’s tough being a sold out soul for Christ stuck in a flesh-filled body. That’s why it is essential that I view my time with God each morning as a preparation and an invitation. Every verse, devotion and prayer is all part of God’s preparation for me that day. Instead of just using it to quiet my soul for the few minutes of devotion time, I must with allow it His teachings to seep into my heart and mind. Then I must ask God to interrupt my natural flesh response throughout the day the truths He taught me that morning. That’s the preparation part.
The next essential view of my quiet time each morning is the invitation part. Spending time with God first thing invites His presence into my life and acknowledges, “Not my will God, but Yours be done.” So if my husband forgets to do something he promised, or my kids push my buttons, or a person cuts me off in traffic, or one of the other one million things happens that causes my flesh to want to rear up and act ugly… I can say, “Not my will God, but yours be done.”
This slight pause and acknowledgement of God redirects my frustration and replaces it with grace. Then and only then will my life speak to the fact that I have spent time with Jesus.
Dear Lord, please teach me how to reveal more and more of You through the way I live my life. I want to tell the whole world about You using words only when necessary. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?
Visit Lysa TerKeurst’s blog to dialogue with her today about keeping our cool with our kids.
What Happens When Women Walk in Faith by Lysa TerKeurst
Application Steps:
Who is someone today that might have the propensity to push your buttons? What are some Bible verses that you could think on and pray through today to prepare your heart to respond with grace?
What is your typical response when something in life happens that frustrates you? What is a more God honoring response?
Reflections:
Are you having a daily quiet time first thing in the morning?
If not, why not start today. If you need help getting started, click here.
Power Verses:
Hebrews 6:1,3, “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity… and God permitting, we will do so.” (NIV)
Romans 7:21-24, “So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (NIV)
© 2008 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.
"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13 (NIV)
What if someone followed me around with a video camera all day documenting my every move? Catching on camera all of my words, facial expressions, actions, and reactions. And then what if someone packaged it all together and played it on some sort of reality TV show for all the world to see. What would be the glaring message of my life?
I am convicted thinking about this.
You see, if someone were to ask me, what are you all about? I would have some nice sounding answers. But what actually happens during the strains of everyday life can sometimes betray my best intentions.
I want to be a loving wife. Yet I can sometimes be found in a grumpy, selfish mood and view my husband as a business partner that better hold up his end of helping out.
I want to be a wise and patient mom. But my kids know the exact buttons to push that send me into a tailspin of emotion and exhaustion.
I want to be a strong witness for Christ. So why is it that I can read my Bible first thing in the morning and then find myself honking at the person that cuts me off in traffic just an hour later?
I realize there is a place for God’s tender mercies for me in all this. But I also know that while no TV cameras are following me around, my life is speaking a message about what I really believe and I want that message to honor Jesus. I once heard, “Great sermons are not preached, they are lived.” Oh how I long to live a message that speaks loud and clear, “Jesus is true and the principles found in His teachings work!”
Let’s just be honest, it’s tough being a sold out soul for Christ stuck in a flesh-filled body. That’s why it is essential that I view my time with God each morning as a preparation and an invitation. Every verse, devotion and prayer is all part of God’s preparation for me that day. Instead of just using it to quiet my soul for the few minutes of devotion time, I must with allow it His teachings to seep into my heart and mind. Then I must ask God to interrupt my natural flesh response throughout the day the truths He taught me that morning. That’s the preparation part.
The next essential view of my quiet time each morning is the invitation part. Spending time with God first thing invites His presence into my life and acknowledges, “Not my will God, but Yours be done.” So if my husband forgets to do something he promised, or my kids push my buttons, or a person cuts me off in traffic, or one of the other one million things happens that causes my flesh to want to rear up and act ugly… I can say, “Not my will God, but yours be done.”
This slight pause and acknowledgement of God redirects my frustration and replaces it with grace. Then and only then will my life speak to the fact that I have spent time with Jesus.
Dear Lord, please teach me how to reveal more and more of You through the way I live my life. I want to tell the whole world about You using words only when necessary. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?
Visit Lysa TerKeurst’s blog to dialogue with her today about keeping our cool with our kids.
What Happens When Women Walk in Faith by Lysa TerKeurst
Application Steps:
Who is someone today that might have the propensity to push your buttons? What are some Bible verses that you could think on and pray through today to prepare your heart to respond with grace?
What is your typical response when something in life happens that frustrates you? What is a more God honoring response?
Reflections:
Are you having a daily quiet time first thing in the morning?
If not, why not start today. If you need help getting started, click here.
Power Verses:
Hebrews 6:1,3, “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity… and God permitting, we will do so.” (NIV)
Romans 7:21-24, “So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (NIV)
© 2008 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.
3 Comments:
This last year and a half of my life has been one of the most difficult. There have been major changes in my own life and in the lives of my family. As a result, I have learned that I cannot do things the way I have always done them. New members of my family do not see me as I am on the inside. I have been trying too hard to make them like me and not trying hard enough to see where they are coming from. I let my needs override their needs. I have learned through many painful experiences that we don't always see the same things in the same way. Our life experiences and basic personalities make us who we are. I need to be more sensitive to the differences in each of us so that my actions and my words do not harm them in any way. My morning devotionals with you help me so much to stay focused on being Jesus to others in my thoughts, words and actions. Sometimes the best thing to do is nothing...to just 'be'. I am seeing things more clearly and I feel the Holy Spirit ministering me to continue to pray, speak less and continue to get God's Word in my heart so that living the Word will be as natural as breathing.
Oh how true, Lysa. Sometimes I find myself just grumbling under my breath...and not much Jesus is showing in my life...Thank you for the timely reminder to let His light shine through me - every minute of the day...
Be blessed today and always...
Giving praise to God...Hi Lysa. Thanks for your devotional. I had a doc appt. scheduled for this morning. I showed up, filled out the forms and then sat down to be called upon. Pretty soon they called me up to the front desk to inform me that they did not have me on the schedule for today. There was a major biff in the scheduling and there was no way I could be seen today. The gals looked at me w/ fright in their eyes! The Holy Spirit instantly took control and out of my mouth came the sweetest words filled with His grace. *.* Yeah God!! They looked shocked...perplexed...confused...it was actually a fun time for me to see how God can impact a life when my flesh shuts up!! Obviously they were filled w/ gratitude, but so was I. So grateful to Jesus for stepping in and loving them and showing me how to respond.
Definitely a victory for God's kingdom today!
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