Look What the Lord Has Done

Oh, look what the Lord has done.

I love this proclamation. You know why?

Because I have bragging rights. Boasting in a Mighty God who’s done great things.

Do you have bragging rights in a specific career, talent, discovery, invention, award, hobby, or other?

Maybe you’ve heard things like, “She has bragging rights in cooking after winning the bake off.” Or, “My son has bragging rights in basketball as an all-star.”  

And it’s a big deal, Bravo! Way to go!

So it makes me think about our awesome God.

As one of His children, we have bragging rights to what He has done in our lives. What He’s done in the past and will do in the future.

And it’s a big deal, Praise the Lord! You are worthy, God! 

Christians have bragging rights. Boasting in a Mighty God who's done great things. Share on X

Look What the Lord Has Done: Loves and Saves Us

God loved us from our beginning. He even loved us before we were born.

Look what the Lord has done. He lavished His love on us through Jesus Christ His Son. The blood of Christ spilled on Calvary’s Cross for me and for you. Oh, how He loves us to suffer through lashes, pierced by nails, and died an innocent death to take our place for sin and shame. Thank you, Lord.

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (ESV)

“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5 (ESV)

Leads and Shepherds Us

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Blessings of Knowing Jesus as Friend

Do you know Jesus as friend?

Friend is such a wonderful and endearing term. And we all long for friends because they make our lives richer. 

I still keep in touch with friends from high school and college. Also, over the years, the Lord blessed me with new friends. 

You see, we moved a lot when my husband and I were in church ministry. So I prayed for at least one friend in every new town. 

Early in our marriage, we moved to a small farm town in a new state. Our daughter was only eighteen months old at the time. Gracious ladies from the church brought us dinner for a few nights.

Still, I’ll never forget the Sunday when a young woman approached me after a church service. “Do you need anything?” Her sentiments seemed honest and heartfelt. I politely thanked her and continued with: No, we are fine.

But as I started to walk away, I felt the Lord nudging me to turn back around and tell her I needed a friend. With the Lord helping me to be brave, I walked toward her: I thought of something I need, I really need a friend.

And you know what? We formed a wonderful friendship and kept in touch when my family moved again. It was a God-thing.

Created as Relational Beings

The good Lord created us as relational beings, first with Him, then with others. For that reason, it makes sense to not only understand the importance of friends in our lives, but to also celebrate a friendship with Jesus Himself.

But in order to find a friend in Jesus, we must find Jesus as Savior and Lord. I made the decision at sixteen to give my heart and life to Christ. And I found a wonderful friend in Jesus. 

And Scripture has much to say about friendship with the Lord.

Friendship of of the Lord: Jesus as Friend

“The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.” Psalm 25:14 (ESV)

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Idolatry Scoots God Out of the Spotlight

Anything that scoots God out of the spotlight is idolatry in our heart. 

We often convince ourselves that our lives and hearts are free of idolatry.

Because we believe and serve the one true God…God Almighty. 

And maybe our homes are free of graven images we bow to or worship. 

But idols can creep into the sacred spot only meant for the Lord.

So let’s look at how present-day I-D-O-L-S scoot God out of the spotlight in our heart. 

I – Identify areas where God is not my focus.

Certain life seasons may cause us to veer off our focus of God as number one in our heart. Like seeking status, money, dreams, goals, things, people, positions, and more. What about an addiction?

But when we pursue unhindered and unadulterated desire and passion for the one true God above anything else in this world, powerful things take place. Idols fall from their pedestals in our heart. 

Ask the hard questions in our current season of life. Where am I focused on God? In what ways do I focus on something else? 

We convince ourselves that our hearts are free of idolatry. But anything that scoots God out of the spotlight is idolatry in our heart.  Share on X

D – Depend on God alone. 

Is independence an idol in my life where I’m becoming my own “other god”? Because when I solely depend on my own efforts, plans, power, wisdom, and expertise, God is scooted out of the way.

Idolatry in our life is sometimes seen in our own independence or depending on things, people, position, social status, and more.

Culture tells us to strive for independence. God says, depend on Me.

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2 Major Ways We Grow to Resemble Jesus

To resemble Jesus is one of the most important aspects of the Christian life.

But if we miss this, we miss the purest meaning for CHRISTian. A little christ.

My granddaugher, Laney, loves all things princess. She has princess dresses and dolls. And Laney sings Disney princess songs, knowing every lyric. Even to watch Cinderella or Beauty and the Beast with me is pure joy for her. My husband calls her little princess.

Many of her birthday parties have carried a princess theme. But this past July, her theme for her 7th birthday was Jesus and Barbie (so cute and sweet). Because in May, Laney FaceTimed me that she had accepted Jesus into her heart. We were overjoyed.

She has her own Bible and a girls devotional. Her parents are worship leaders at church and both Laney and her brother, Foster, know lyrics to many worship and Christain songs.

Oh, she still loves all things princess. But Laney loves Jesus, too. I pray as she grows, she also grows more and more to resemble Jesus, to become a little christ as much as she likes to be a little princess.

To resemble Jesus is one of the most important aspects of the Christian life. But if we miss this, we miss the purest meaning for CHRISTian. A little christ. Share on X

So let’s look at these 2 major ways we grow to resemble Christ.

(1.) We resemble Jesus as we grow in the aspects of Christ and His likeness.

We are each uniquely formed in the womb. Aren’t you glad God doesn’t create cookie-cutter people? I’m a twin but we are still each unique.

And we are created in the image of God. But our new life in Christ is about growing in His likeness.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) 

The key to growing more each day like Jesus is staying close to Him—knowing Him, being in His presence. We let Him permeate every area of our lives.

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There’s Nothing Better Than Jesus

There really is nothing in this world better than Jesus.

Oh, maybe we’ve tried to find the “better” of something.

Or, we attempt to find satisfaction in people or things.

But we soon realize how Jesus is unmatched.

Have you ever said or thought, I want a better car…a better house…a better _____________ (fill in the blank).

And we hope the good parts of life outweigh the bad.

Like when the world seems half mad and all the sad things that happen because of evil.

Still, what ushers in a well-spring of satisfaction deep in my soul? What in the world feeds the human soul’s hunger and quenches our spirit’s thirst? Jesus.

Sometimes we search for something better or satisfaction in things or people. There really is nothing in this world better than Jesus. Share on X

Fullness of Joy: Better Than Jesus

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11 (ESV)

You see, as the Lord shows us the path of life and we find joy in His presence, we also discover spiritual pleasures in His right hand. And how long do they last? Forevermore.

Eternal Bread and Life

Not only do we feed our bodies to sustain life, but we must also nourish our souls. Something much deeper than feeding our stomachs to be merry and full. Nothing the world offers curbs our spiritual appetites, gives long-lasting satisfaction, or transforms our character. 

“But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14 (ESV)

“It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

Overflowing

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