All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others

Christine's Blog (2,736)

Where is God in our pain?

Note: If you haven't listened to a podcast, this would be a good day to 'give it a go'-- you will need to sign up for itunes, which is free, and then you will be able click on the icon and play each day's podcast. Today's podcast includes a moving, inspirational song.

GOD’S PRESENCE IN OUR PAIN

So, if “Immanuel,” (meaning “God with us”), was one of the names given Jesus, and Scripture promises believers he will never leave us or forsake us. . . well then, how do we come to… Continue

Added by Christine on December 20, 2009 at 10:13pm — No Comments

Are there things I do that silence God's presence?

ARE THERE THINGS YOU DO THAT SILENCE GOD’S PRESENCE?

Jesus Christ, our Immanuel, God with us. . .

Yesterday, I discussed how to feel God’s presence in and around you, but today I ask the question: Are there things I do, or might do, that would silence his presence?

I think so. . . while he will not go away necessarily, your ability to feel him will be dimmed. So, what can you do?

Refrain from activities that would “grieve” Him~

To grieve God is to hurt… Continue

Added by Christine on December 17, 2009 at 9:37pm — 3 Comments

How do you feel God's presence?

HOW DO YOU FEEL GOD’S PRESENCE? At Christmas time, or any time!

“The Lord himself will give you a sign:

The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,

and will call him Immanuel,”

spoken by Isaiah some 700 years before the birth of Christ. Isn’t that amazing?

Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus Christ includes the angel’s announcement to Joseph that his betrothed, Mary, was to bear a son. This was a fulfillment of the above… Continue

Added by Christine on December 16, 2009 at 7:56pm — No Comments

The old familiar story - Luke 2

Good Morning, dear ones~

The day we celebrate our Lord's birth draws nigh . . .

He was born in an obscure village, the child of a simple peasant woman. He grew up in another obscure village, where He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher. He never had a family. He never owned a home. He never set foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born, and where he did go he usually… Continue

Added by Christine on December 15, 2009 at 9:38pm — No Comments

Cognitive Dissonance

COGNITIVE DISSONANCE

Sometimes as I am simply ‘doing life,’ I am aware of a dissonance, though not fully cognizant of just what I am seeing, until I mentally unpack it at a later time. Permit me to do that just now. . .

The first visual struck me late on a Thursday night, as my husband and I quickly strode past Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. Within just a few feet on our left was the beautiful, historic church . . . her steps filled with homeless people, trying… Continue

Added by Christine on December 14, 2009 at 9:58pm — No Comments

Ready . . . action! 2 Thessalonians 2.13 - 3.5

READY . . . Action! 2 Thessalonians 2.13-3.5

Good Day, Friends.

Everywhere we look in this passage, the verbs steal the action. God made the first move by loving us and choosing us to be his children . . . okay, how great is that? We were not born out of wedlock, so to speak, or by accident, but he deliberately chose us by name to be his children. The other day when we talked about ‘personal brand’, when you thought of the list of synonyms to describe yourself, was… Continue

Added by Christine on December 13, 2009 at 9:00pm — No Comments

What can I give him?

Isaiah 9.6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given...

And He will be called Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Merry Christmas, Friends.

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,

Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;

Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,

In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, heaven… Continue

Added by Christine on December 10, 2009 at 9:39pm — No Comments

Is Obama the Antichrist? 2 Thessalonians 2

IS OBAMA THE ANTICHRIST? 2 Thessalonians 2.1-12

Good Morning ~ Here we are . . . back to talking about the coming of the Lord . . . a little more on the topic Paul had discussed in 1 Thessalonians, chapters 4 and 5. If you would like to reread the associated briefings, go to www.pastorwoman.com, Morning Briefings, “A Hope Like No Other,” and “Can You Tell Me the Date?”

But first – “Dear Lord, Please help us understand the… Continue

Added by Christine on December 9, 2009 at 10:14pm — 1 Comment

Remember . . . Remain 1 Thessalonians 1.1-12

REMEMBER. . . REMAIN 2 Thessalonians 1.1-12

Good Day~

Almost as soon as Paul closes his first letter to the Thessalonians, he begins another—even as he continued to minister with Silas and Timothy in the city of Corinth. In his opening words, he endeavors to bolster the faith of the Thessalonian believers—through reminding them of how God had answered their earlier prayers (1 Thess. 3.10, 12), for increased love and tenacity in their faith—now, both were evident—that is to… Continue

Added by Christine on December 8, 2009 at 9:44pm — No Comments

Window Woman and the Scripture

WINDOW WOMAN and SCRIPTURE.

Last Thursday, on my cross-country flight from Newport Beach, California, to New York, on one leg of the trip I had the aisle seat, and wonder of wonders, the middle seat was open, and then the window seat was filled by a jolly woman. She no sooner sat down than she began prattling about first one thing and then another. So I put my studying away, got out my knitting, and decided to make a new friend of my fellow traveler.

It wasn’t long until… Continue

Added by Christine on December 7, 2009 at 10:36pm — 1 Comment

Christmas gift ~ for your consideration

CHRISTMAS GIFT for your consideration. 12.3.09

Good Day~

Today it feels like winter outside—at least as winter-y as Southern California gets.

The calendar page has been flipped from November to December; my tree has already been up a week, covered in beautiful white lights, and Sarah Machlachlan is crooning “What Child is This?” on my kitchen CD player. ‘Love this time of year. Last week or so, I mentioned giving a gift to the Christ Child, contemplating what that… Continue

Added by Christine on December 3, 2009 at 6:26am — 2 Comments

What did you learn? 1 Thessalonians 5.23-28

WHAT DID YOU LEARN?

1 Thessalonians 5.23-28

“May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.

Beloved, pray for us.

Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss.

I solemnly command you by the Lord that this letter be read to all of them.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with… Continue

Added by Christine on December 2, 2009 at 9:25pm — 1 Comment

Lessons for Living ~ 1 Thessalonians 5.12-22

LESSONS FOR LIVING~ a summary ~ 1 Thessalonians 5.12-22

Good Day!

Paul is wrapping up his letter to the Thessalonians, and he summarizes proper behavior, which can almost be divided into areas of responsible living. (In the following, the Scripture will be underlined, and the explanation will follow it.)

Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love… Continue

Added by Christine on December 1, 2009 at 10:15pm — No Comments

Can you tell me the date? 1 Thessalonians 5.1-11

CAN YOU TELL ME THE DATE?

1 Thessalonians 5.1-11

Now, Brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of… Continue

Added by Christine on November 30, 2009 at 9:45pm — 1 Comment

A Hope Like No Other ~ 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18

Today, we look at "A HOPE LIKE NO OTHER" - for the new folks joining us, we are toward the end of Paul's first letter to the young believers in Thessalonica. . . in which he addresses the subject of Jesus' return.

Good Morning.

I went to high school in the 70s, which was the decade in between . . . in between the radical movement of the 60s and the upwardly mobility of the 80s. It was then that I also developed a view of the second coming of Jesus that was also ‘in… Continue

Added by Christine on November 29, 2009 at 8:41pm — No Comments

Thank you, God

A prayer~

Good Morning, Father.

It is the day before Thanksgiving, and I should like to get out of the maelstrom of activity in and around me, and say ‘thank you.’ Oh, God, how easy, how normal it is to concern myself more with what is around me, than a ready awareness of your greatness. As I open the psalms, David’s words elevate my thinking: "The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and is armed with strength"1

Teach me how to rightly… Continue

Added by Christine on November 25, 2009 at 10:12pm — No Comments

The holidays . . . no more rucksacks

THE HOLIDAYS. . . no more rucksacks

I love this time of year. Some people get really stressed out by the holidays—not me—heck, I’ve been playing Christmas music since the day after Halloween. The only thing is, when Thanksgiving Day gets here, it goes so fast! When Christmas Day finally gets here, it is over far too quickly for me. I’ve been thinking that maybe both of those are so because I don’t really prepare my heart all that well in advance.

I should like to give Christ a… Continue

Added by Christine on November 24, 2009 at 8:53pm — No Comments

Get intentional ~ 1 Thessalonians 4.11-12

GET INTENTIONAL

11Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12so that your daily live may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. 1 Thessalonians 4.11-12, NIV

Good Day~

From a reader in Amman, Jordan, to an aspiring actor in New York, to my super-busy advertising art director neighbor, the scourge of busy-ness really hit home with folks last week.… Continue

Added by Christine on November 23, 2009 at 9:22pm — No Comments

Love, and the Traveling Pants ~ 1 Thessalonians 4.9-10

Love, and the Traveling Pants

9Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. 1 Thessalonians 4.9-10

Good Morning.

There are so many ideas about love, aren’t there? The Greek word for love Paul uses here speaks of brotherly love, of kinship. It appears that the Thessalonians had… Continue

Added by Christine on November 22, 2009 at 9:48pm — 3 Comments

DO this. . . DON'T DO this. . . sex - 1 Thessalonians 4.1-8

DO this. . . DON’T DO this. . . Sex

"Finally, brothers we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality, that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in… Continue

Added by Christine on November 19, 2009 at 8:57pm — No Comments