change Archives - Simply Gathering Grace

HOW TO OUTWIT OUR GOOD INTENT

January 20, 2016 By Mikki Jo 8 Comments

“One last box and I’ll be done, and my New Year resolution will transform this spare room into a wonderful exercise room! I’m on my way to a healthier and skinnier me!” That’s what I’d said to myself last year. And here I stand in the middle of a once again cluttered room with boxes and bags all around me.

The treadmill was decorated with an old coat, an afghan, a pair of “too small” jeans, and a wooden back-scratcher. (I wondered where that back-scratcher had ran off to.) The weight lifting bench held a pair of boots, a wore out pair of Nikes and a pair of blinged out sandals I couldn’t live without.

Once again, the room was filled with even more clutter AND exercise equipment. And I was still unhealthy, overweight and disappointed in myself. How did I allow this to happen?

I had good intentions but I was never committed.

Good intentions.

There’s more than one sad song about people with good intentions.

Sometimes our spiritual life can get cluttered. The Holy Spirit comes and cleans us out and we fill ourselves right back up with junk. Instead of reading the word of God, we binge watch The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Instead of meeting the Lord in prayer we ease our conscience with a “now I lay me down to sleep” poem. Instead of going to church and being part of a local body of Christ, we watch TBN. And we wonder why we feel so undone and so empty inside.

How do we make a real commitment and a real change?

We need a new heart. Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV) I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

When we make no real commitment to Christ after we accept Him, we are in danger of being filled right back up with things of the world instead of a Christ-like attitude. Luke 11:24 (NIV) “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.” These are some pretty scary words Jesus spoke in this chapter about our spiritual condition.Some people feel they don’t need to commit to a local church body, but God’s word says otherwise. Just like physical exercise strengthens our physical body, spiritual exercise strenghtens our spiritual body. The body of Christ are the church members, and we need each other. We have a responsibility to each other. Hebrews 10:23 (NIV) Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Let us become committed to Jesus Christ and our local church body. We can’t allow ourselves to be cluttered up with junk after we’ve been cleaned out! Be committed! Proverbs 16:3 (NIV) Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

SPRINGTIME BLOSSOM TO LEAVES OF AUTUMN

October 20, 2015 By Mikki Jo 18 Comments

If a maple tree and a rabbit could talk…..

“Why are you crying?” asked Brown Bunny. The Maple tree sighed. “My leaves have turned and will soon fall away,” she said. “Of course Miss Maple. Just like they do every year,” said Brown Bunny as he nibbled on long blades of crunchy grass.

“Well, I wish for once, that I would stay forever green, like Mr. Pine,” said Miss Maple sadly. “Oh but why on earth would you desire to stay forever green?” asked Brown Bunny. “I would be beautiful all year round then Brown Bunny! But instead, I change from green to red. Every. Single. Year. And then, I stand bare all winter long.”

This was the conversation I had with Brown Bunny many years ago, and my life changed forever. This is what I learned.

Every spring I burst forth with newness of life, just like my risen Savior Jesus Christ rose from the dead. We celebrate His resurrection every springtime.

My leaves grow larger until they completely cover my bare branches. Like the grace of God covers man’s sin.

Now with my thick full leaves, you can rest in my shade when the heat of the day gets to be too much. As you also rest in the shadow of the almighty when this world makes your heart heavy.

Then Autumn comes, and God paints my leaves a brilliant red. His glory shines through us.

As my leaves begin to fall and I let all the dead things go, only then can I live again. Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

I now stand bare, all of my weakness and scars can be seen. Then winter time comes and covers them with glistening snow, they sparkle like diamonds. I stand strong in Him, because I allowed my weakness and scars to be seen. He covered me with His grace. 2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Springtime is soon on it’s way, and my branches burst with new life. New green leaves cover my branches, the wind blows and I bow and clap my hands in praise. Isaiah 55:12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Sometimes we focus on the devil’s lies instead of focusing on the truth of God’s word. We become enslaved to the past and the bad things satan is doing instead of enjoying our freedom and the good things God is going to do. We are hurt by someone and we become bitter toward the very person God wants to change. We end up praying against them instead of for them.

We fail to accept the grace of God for our weakness or consider His purpose for the hard times. We fail to let the dead things fall away so God can bring life and newness into our lives. Stand firm in Christ. Galatians 5:1 STAND fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Seasons of life bring difficult changes but the Lord is a constant strength through it all. He is unchanging. Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

WHO WILL YOU BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

October 2, 2015 By Mikki Jo Leave a Comment

Have you met the lady in your mirror yet? If you haven’t, introduce yourself to her. Get to know her. I think you’ll really like her.

My Grandma had an old mirror with beveled edges and intricate white etching that ran along the bottom, she kept it hanging behind her bedroom door. When I was about four years old, Grandma would hold me up and I would look into the mirror. There was always the cutest little brown-eyed girl with golden hair smiling back at me.

Today my grandmother’s mirror hangs behind my own bedroom door. This morning I looked into the old mirror, and the little brown-eyed girl was gone. I could almost see… (continue reading)

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