Short & Sweet: Me, Myselfie, and I!

What is wrong with these vacation pictures? I asked myself as I was scrolling through the news feed on Facebook a couple of weeks ago.  These vacation pictures don’t seem like vacation pictures. They seem more like … more like selfies.

When I was growing up, we took vacation pictures like every other family—beautiful vistas of Lake Michigan beaches, rolling sand dunes and ancient forests. Sometimes, a few small, barely recognizable people were also captured in the photograph. Lovingly tucked in photo albums, the pictures have faded and yellowed with age and love. Vacation photos were all about where we went, what we did and who we were with. Not anymore.

We live in a selfie world.

Now a days it’s all about how I feel and how I look. Modern vacation pictures are often just another version of a selfie. No longer can we vicariously enjoy the beautiful scenery others capture on their vacations because landscape is just a backdrop for another selfie or a  groupie (is this a word?). Whether you vacay in The Alps, Disney, or CoCoa Beach doesn’t matter. The destination is unrecognizable.  Imagine the money families  could save. Forget the pricey getaway—just take selfies at your local beach or campground. Me, myselfie, and I.

Love your neighbor as yourself-ie.

How does all this selfie-ishness line up with God’s word? It doesn’t. God says the first shall be last. Galatians 5:13 reminds us to “serve one another humbly in love. “Romans 12:1 says,  “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice.” Luke 6:38 states, “Give and it will be given to you.” 1 Peter 4:10 offers this selfie-less advice, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

You see it’s not all about selfie, its about serving. Selfie-ness leads to emptiness. It drains, compresses, and stagnates our heart, soul and mind. As we constantly tend to our every want, need and desire, we become so myopic that eventually we only see our selfies and miss the needs of others.

What can we do to combat selfie-ishness?

1. Plan Think of a current situation in your life. Purposely plan a way you will be unselfie-ish in this situation and serve others.
2. Sacrifice. Today, or whatever day you choose, let everybody else go first, choose the restaurant, set the temperature on the AC, pick the movie, dessert, or activity etc.in everything you do. Ouch.
3. Deny. Give up a favorite food, drink, activity, or dessert etc. for a specified amount of time. Double ouch.
4. Ask. Ask God to change your heart; to give you a heart like His. Ask Him to open the eyes of your heart to your own selfie-ishness and the need of others.
5. Hide. Hide God’s word in your heart. Memorize verses such as the ones posted above and pray them into your life.

Leave me a comment and let me know how you do with your resolutions to lose your selfie-ishness. I will be struggling right along with you.

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One of my constant prayer requests is for God to expand my gifts.

I continually ask Him to gift me greatly so He can use me deeply. Recently I discovered we have a responsibility in growing our gifts—it’s not all up to God. There are two things we can to do to help grow our gifts.

1. Use them.
2. Give them.

While both methods closely related,  they have subtle differences. Using your gifts requires planning and training,  while giving your gifts requires responsiveness and obedience.

Use your gifts.

What happened when the two servants used their gifts?

They were doubled. Wow! Who wouldn’t want to double gifts? I know I do. Imagine being twice as good  teacher/speaker/writer/principal/secretary/designer/builder than you are now.  We can grow our gifts by using them. Saving or burying our gifts and talents keeps us small, dark and cold. Only dead things are buried.

Use or lose.

What about the last servant? He lost what he would not give.

As modern Christians we neglect our gifts when we  bury ourselves in fear, busyness, apathy and laziness.  Don’t wait until you feel ready and don’t give up when the going gets tough. God wants us to push through negative emotions. The start of a new project is very exciting! But bumps in the road are bound to come and discouragement can set in. Set backs do not mean God’s calling has been revoked—quite the opposite is true. When passion and motivation dwindle,  disregard the lassitude  and continue working. Take a step of faith and get busy.

People need what you have to give.

Give and gain!

Feast or Famine.

.

1. Keep gift for self.  Small. Safe. Unfufilled. One person benefits.
2. Give gift to others. Big. Scary. Amazing. Everyone is filled. Leftovers!

If we keep our gifts, others will go hungry.

Give your gifts large or small, no matter the size and watch them grow. Your gifts may be small, but you Savior is huge. Give what you have and watch your gifts grow! Use and give.

Action Points:

1. Risk! Admit it. There is something you’ve been waiting to give, but you think it’s too small. Walk by faith and give it today.
2. Look! See it. Ask God to make you hyper-aware of opportunities to give today. A kind word, $2.00, a single flower, a short note. They are not too small. Do it.
3. Unbury! Face it. You have some buried gifts, dreams, skills that need exhuming. Take a step today to dig them up and use them for God’s glory.

Pray

Father, we give You our talents (Matt. 25),  our widow’s mites (Luke 21), out last drop of oil (1 Kings 17), and our brown-bag lunch (John 6). Please help us to use what You have given us and give what you have entrusted to us so we me greatly impact our world for Christ.

Amen.

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Copyright 2016

i pray

short podcasts to bring the sacred into your everyday

Do you only have a few minutes for prayer today? You’re in the right place! Try one of our new i pray podcasts. A few minutes is all you need to pray God’s word into any situation by interceding for friends, family, and yourself. 

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you  that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord Your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him. For the Lord is your life, and He will give you many years in the land He swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Deuteronomy 30:19-20.

 

Blessings or Curses?

It was a revelation to me when as a young adult I finally realized that I got to choose what I let my mind focus on. Too often I was focusing on depressing thoughts that were dragging me down. I remember thinking, “I am the only one in charge of my thoughts.” It was time for me to choose a life mentality.

How about you? Are you ready to take charge of your thoughts? Stop blaming your spouse, children, your boss, or the state of politics for your bad attitude. Join me in prayer today as we intercede for each other.

Simply click on the arrow below to listen. You can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes!

Wow. The news has been crazy lately.

It seems we have lost our moral compass and the world is going to heck in a hand-basket. Each new day seems to bring a new disaster. Maybe we should all dig a shelter in the back yard and go hole up for the next  decade or so. Crackers. Distilled water. Army issue blankets.

But that is not what God has called us to do. Jesus has told us we are the light of the world; a city of refuge on a hill. Christians are to engage, impact and transform the culture, not cut and run, happy that we have our fire insurance.

Not out, but in.

I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.

16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

John 17:14-19

Verse 15 is kind of rough. Jesus does not pray for God to take us out of the danger and turmoil; He prays for us to be sent in.

Why?

To bring hope. To bring help. To bring Truth. To bring the Gospel. We are the rescue squad. We are of the Word, not the world.

He has placed us here on purpose.

Now read the following verses.

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. – Acts 17:26 (NIV)

The exact times and places. Think about that. You didn’t just happen to live where and when you live. God has placed you on this planet, in your town, in your workplace, in your family, in this time, with your specific skill set for such a time as this. God knew all your days before he fashioned you. When God laid the foundations of the earth, He CHOSE to strategically place you here and now, knowing exactly the conditions in which He created you to live, work and minister. He placed you here because  you have work to do and you can make a difference.

“The restoration of America will not come through our next President– if it happens it will be through people like you.” John Stonestreet

“Christians in the West are living in a grand clarifying moment … In many ways we are in the Thursday evening of Holy Week. The cock has not yet crowed, but the angry crowd who would like to see the end of our Lord in the Western world has already seen and heard enough of our early betrayals to believe that it can count on more, and harry us toward ignominious surrender. So this is no time for cowards, for fence sitters or for those who wish to hedge their bets until they hear the judge’s verdict on the contest.” Os Guiness

 

When hard times hit, take encouragement from the Word of God.

From the pages of Scripture we learn God never sleeps. He is constantly at work behind the scenes, strategically placing His people for “such a time as this.” We may argue what can one believer amid such great opposition? We need only look back and read how God used Joseph, Daniel or Esther.  God only needs ONE willing person to stand in the gap and change the destiny of a nation.

It’s up to you and me. There is  no one else. We are the now generation. Will those who come after us find us faithful? Will we step up? Will we do our part? Will we hold our ground and stand in the gap for this generation?

5 things to do when the world has gone crazy.

1. Speak. Speak up. Speak out. Speak truth. Speak love. We must speak the truth in love about every cultural issue or risk being forever silenced. Yes, we need to pray for wisdom and discernment to speak wisely and in God’s timing. Always pray before you open your mouth. And resolve to NOT  speak in a vulgar manner as we see so much on social media. But, find a way to get involved. Click on the link to get involved: Citizens for Community Values
   
2. Learn. We must become informed about what is happening in our cities, states and nation. We can no longer afford to sit back and let someone else do the right thing. We can no longer ignore what is happening around us. Click on the following link to get educated: Politics and Current Affairs
3. Seek: Seek God with all your heart. The only way you can affect the culture for the kingdom of God is if you know His will. You will only learn the will of God from the word of God. Make a commitment to spend time with Jesus each day. Click on the link and start seeking: Seeking God
4. Pray. Pray about everything. Pray for our government leaders. Pray for wisdom to know how to act and speak. Pray for God to make you willing to take a stand. Keep a prayer journal to help you remember what to pray for and to record answers and thoughts/impressions from God. Don’t wait to get involved until you feel ready. Act today.  Please click on the link the join our latest prayer group: 5 Days to Fast and Pray. Finally …
   
5. Live. I believe God spoke to me in my sleep the other night.  He showed me there is nothing Satan would love more than to shut down the influence of God’s people by scaring them into hiding. Do something beautiful and leave a legacy of hope amid the chaos. Overcome evil with good.  Use your gifts. Read your Bible. Continue to minister. Worship God and thank Him for all the good things He’s given you and your family. Help the hurting. Live your life the way God is calling you to live.

By Mary Kane and Jane Vanosdol

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Copyright 2016

So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.

Ezra 8:23

Prayer and fasting. Powerful stuff. Together they are spiritual dynamite ignited by power of the Spirit. Prayer and fasting are game-changing disciplines for  desperate times.

Can anyone deny times are desperate? Everyday the news reports escalating chaos and violence—brother against brother, religion against religion, and nation against nation. God has called to be His hands, His feet, and His voice to a lost and wounded world.He has anointed us to speak the hope of the Gospel to every tribe, tongue and nation.

Will you answer? Join us August 1-5, for a week of prayer and fasting. Let’s pray for our people, our leaders, and our world to wake up, repent and follow God.

You will need a Facebook account to participate. It’s always free! Follow the link to sign up and get a Facebook account if you don’t have one yet: www.facebook.com

Action Steps:

1. Click on the link below and sign up for 5 Days to Fast and Pray.
2. After you sign up, check your email and accept the invitation to join our 5 Days to Fast and Pray Facebook Group.
3. Decide how you will fast (see below for more info on fasting).
4. Join us each night at 8:30 Eastern Time to pray via Facebook.
5. Invite your friends to join us.

A Word About Fasting

There are many types of fasts. We are trusting that you can determine which type of fast is best for you. Some of you may want to fast from desserts for the week. Some of you may undertake a social media fast. Some may fast from one meal a day. The Holy Spirit will show you if you pray about it. The idea is to replace whatever it it you’re fasting from with a prayer time. The fast gives you a greater focus on God and His agenda, rather than our own.

Sign Up Here

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 Short & Sweet: an old prayer

Our Father who art in heaven …

The unfolding of His word.

God is eternal, therefore His word is eternal—it continuously delivers. Meaning upon meaning, deep upon deep, precept upon precept endlessly opens to those who seek with all their heart. In a recent Bible study, Looking For Lovely by Annie Downs, God downloaded fresh meaning  from the Lord’s Prayer straight to my soul.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.

First, God showed me the heart or key motivation of all prayer. It’s found in verse 10. Read it again.

Thy kingdom come.

How is God’s kingdom established on earth? By prayer. Ponder this for a moment. Prayer establishes God’s kingdom on earth. This leads to a question: What should we be praying for? Not my will. Not your will. God’s will. God’s will and God’s kingdom are connected by prayer. Prayer is not about us being happy, getting our way or being comfortable. The goal of every prayer is for God’s will to happen.

Every prayer. Every time. Period.

1. Food: Our daily bread (physical and spiritual)
2. Forgiveness: Our forgiveness (salvation) and the grace we need to forgive others
3. Focus: Our purpose (keeping our mind focused on Him not our temptations)

When we are not overly consumed with worry about obtaining our daily bread, earning our salvation or creating meaning and purpose for our lives, we can focus on establishing God’s kingdom on earth. God confirms this later in Matthew 6:33,

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 

Action Points:

1. Pray. No matter how little, insignificant or unimportant, take everything to God in prayer. Prayer changes things.
2. Pray God’s will. This one can hurt. No matter how much you want the job, the house, the boyfriend, the car, ask for God to work your situation according to HIS will.
3. Pray for God’s Kingdom. A kingdom is territory ruled by a king. Since the Fall, we have given Satan a foothold on this earth. We take down the enemy and reclaim our schools, neighborhoods and communities one prayer at a time.

His kingdom come. His will be done.

Life is sweet. Pray!

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Copyright 2016