A Little Devotional

THE GOSPEL OF Mark (4)

    So, here I am, chamomile tea in hand (well, sitting on the table because I OBVIOUSLY can't be holding a coffee mug and typing at the same time unless I had a third arm or something...or unless it was in LEVI'S hand while he was letting me sip its hot goodness. lol) Anyways, do you know how you can read something hundreds of times and still get something different each time? Well, that's how the Word of God is. It is the same, but our revelations are continually waiting for us to see! Here are just some observations I made while reading this chapter. I was just too excited to keep these treasured nuggets to myself, so ENJOY if you can! (Hey, it's the Word...I hope you can. lol)

Vs. 1-20
Overview:
Jesus and His disciples just encountered a terrible storm at sea that almost sent them into the depths of the ocean had it not been for the remarkable power of Jesus to stop the wind and waves, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" They went to the other side of the sea to Geransenes where a demoniac lived and roamed among the tombs. This man was pure crazy. I can't misuse that word again. Anyone who LIVES in TOMBS, can break free from CHAINS and SHACKLES, screamed all the time, and cut himself....boy, that is insane! Please, I'll bury my deceased loved ones somewhere else ... we will creamate! anyways He encounters JESUS which will change His entire life and I'm pretty sure lives of many other people. Let's take a closer look:
(vs. 7-9) "...and shouting with a loud vice, he said 'What business do we have with each other Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, [do not torment me!]'"
Okay, wow. There is a lot in just this verse. First, a demon KNOWS who Jesus is (the Son of the Most High God). How come we still don't know who He is? Secondly, He was afraid. Even the demons tremble at the name of Jesus. Why? HE is HOLY! He is God. Third, He implored Him by God not to torment Him. I wonder what His idea of torment would have been? Jesus revealing truth to Him...being made to serve Jesus...I dunno but his fear is something to be grasped. I wonder how it will be for those who die and are not saved or those who vehemently denied Jesus as their Lord and Savior. How scared will they be on that day when Jesus asks them if He ever knew them? WOW. How heart-wrenching and heartbreaking is this revelation. All the more reason to share the Gospel.
     So, He cast out the "legion" of demons inside this man and they were sent into a herd of swine who rushed into the sea. The people, not interested in this man who was delivered inasmuch as their swine that just ran of the cliff. Wow. I know we worry about our lives but Jesus said we had to "lose our lives" if we want to save it...Profit over People. How interesting...still runs true today. WE aren't worried about them. We are worried about ourselves. Selfish fools we are!
     Then, this man wants to travel with Jesus and His disciples. I would too. THey are pretty cool and oh, the miracles they will get to see! But Jesus says instead,
"Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you and HOW He had MERCY on you." (19) And the man went away and told everyone what the Lord did for Him. I'm pretty sure many were saved! Hallelujah. Notice, we all have different functions, different roles...we all can't be in the front. We all can't try to do the same thing...nothing will get accomplished. GO! Just go. That's all we have to do. I personally have a lot to do in that area.
     Moving on to later in the chapter, it is the story of the woman with the issue of blood. This woman had been stricken with this disease for 12 long years. What a nightmare. Nothing worked. Noone could help her. None but Jesus. She knew that if ONLY she touched His garment, she would be healed. Now try to picture this, Jesus is rushing through a crowded street trying to save a young girl's life and He is sandwiched from people on every side and His disciples trying to get Him through the crowd. Fists, bows, and every body part is probably touching Him...but what did He say, "Who touched ME?" It's no wonder the disciples were a little confused. This woman hadn't even touched His body, just His robe! She didn't just touch that robe...she touched His soul. Not only did He feel that tug, He felt her- He was moved by the power of her faith. WOW! Only He truly knows the innermost parts of our being. She was healed. What hope we have in Jesus! Not that He will grant us healing from sickness or bless us with material possessions, or make life easy...He knows us. Kinda scary though, right? Wrong. If He knows us this well, it should be so easy for us to be transparent before Him. He can do anything and even if He doesn't, isn't the love enough for us to be propelled into love for Him and others? revelation. Truth is convicting. It breaks me. I'm thankful for this. Now I have some work to attend to. I hope you do too.

Tiiara

Dallas Love

Moving to Dallas more or less scared the heck out of me. Period.
 New state, new places, new church, new life...new...friends???? In GA, making friends was a difficult and painful task for me. I was severely depressed and distraught about the fact that I had no one to talk to, hang out with, or even be a 'girlfriend' with. How was I going to deal with going through that all over again?? In my darkest moments, there I stood alone. All by myself to deal with all the storms that were destined to drown me. Even after my daugher Azariah was born, I still felt the need to seek friendship elsewhere. I was so desperate and heartbroken. All the relationships I had were gone. No one talked to me anymore...they had lives; they simply moved on to bigger and better things. I was no longer worthy of their time or energy. I'm not trying to sound so depressing but this is how it was. My heart was broken...my soul was yearning, and my spirit was crushed. I didn't see any way out.
Coming to Dallas has been not only a physical but a spiritual battle. We have been faced with so many hardships and challenges since we have been here, one would come to conclude that it was in fact not meant to be. I have even doubted it myself.
Thank God for the people He has placed in my life. Not only have these friends encouraged me, but they have also strengthened me; us. These people go out of their way to help us in so many ways. Just someone who I can be completely transparent and vulnerable with has been a source of therapy. God bless those who have poured out their time, and their love on us! I could not be more thankful, more blessed, and more aware of the need for relationships in this world.
We are not meant to walk this walk alone. Not only do we need Jesus, we need each other; our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are one body. I used to think I could make it on my own, but life proved me wrong!
I dunno why I am really writing this, but I just had to get it off my chest. :) I will never take anyone for granted in my life. I especially have to be thankful to my very bestfriend...Mr. Ferguson. Not only has he stood by me through the lowest of lows, he loves me just the way that I am. It's a comforting thing to know that you can be who you are and that is loved and adored. Why does he love me? I don't have a clue. I think I'm pretty complicated to be honest. But alas, he still calls me beautiful (even when I know I am far from it somedays).
"Just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with everything they have." That's a good quote that I am learning the value of.

"A friend is someone who walks in when everyone else walks out." good one too. I would say though, "a friend is someone who stays when everyone else leaves, and holds the door open for them." haha. so true though. Don't you wish you had someone like that. Who will back you no matter what?

So to those who have shown incredible kindess to me since I have been here. Thank you. You have eternally blessed my soul.

Love you all.

sincerely,

tiiara

wal-mart+azariah dancing in a cart+flat tire=JOY???

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."-James 1:2-4

"Consider it joy" ? what? hummmmmmmm.... I don't know what kind of situations he was talking about. He definitely must not have gone through the things I have been through. How in the world can he tell us to have joy when our nature is to be upset, angry, anxious, frustrated, and even depressed? well, this guy did in fact go through probably more than I will have to. He knew a thing or to about trials and tribulations.
    Wal-Mart was great. We bought some cool stuff: a new rug for our living room, some socks, a backpack, and I got two cool new nail polishes (tahitian green-which i am applying right now, and gray!). It was a pretty good day. Date night (with Azariah) at Olive Garden and we were just hanging out. UGH. Flat tire. What??? What next ? That was my exact first thought. If anyone knows us, you know how unreliable our car has been since we have moved here to the hot state of Dallas. haha. This was just the icing on the cake of what has been a majorly rough start in a new life.
    Why? I ask myself that just about everyday. Levi, Azariah, and myself have experienced so many obstacles, so many hardships already since we have been here. Needless to say we have been discouraged during these times. I even had a severe anxiety attack just this week! For whatever reason it seems we have been attacked on every side! Are we living in sin? Did we do something wrong? Are we just cursed or unlucky? Does God not love us?NO, i don't believe any of those
    "..."For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
   It says nothing. We are caught in God's love-trap and we can't be taken out of it. How amazing is that? Paul said it best,
"...we are afflict in every way, but not crushed; perplexed but not despairing; persecuted but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed..."
     Now if any 'man' knew troubles, it was Paul. How many times did he endure persecution at the hands of the people he was trying to witness to? How many times was he stoned only to get up and do it all over again? How many times was he jailed, and being in man's bondage, was able to still praise the Lord? Who was shipwrecked and THEN bitten by a poisonous snake only to show God's glory. Who was deserted by his own helper. Who was lied about slandered and everything else we can think of. But he pressed on. He kept going. The Lord gave him specific instructions of what he was to do and all the hardships he would face (ACTS 9). And he did it. He walked through the fire for the glory of God. He didn't do it to boast in himself but to boast in the saving grace of Jesus Christ!
     So, I found myself thinking about all these things on the drive back home and all I could remind myself was the word, 'rejoice.' "REJOICE Tiiara because this isn't about you or Levi or all the troubles you've had and all the frustrations you've faced. It's about bringing God glory. You are here for His service in Dallas and His delight is in your praise. SO...praise Him." So right then I just started thanking God for allowing us to go through another obstacle and for His amazing grace that saved me. My heart was full of joy.
     "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice!"
Now I know what the disciples felt as they were enduring hardships and persecutions in the book of Acts.
    It's not easy and I'm definitely not the best person to tell someone else to be 'joyful' in tough times but God is doing a work in me and it was evident tonight. Where usually I would be so upset and burdened with the situation, I actually obeyed God's word and now it's just a medal of His glory in my life. One day He will get all the glory for this testimony! And that alone is freeing! AMEN!
     "And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

Thank you Lord for Your Word that builds character. Make me the person you want me to be.
Goodnight all. Be encouraged.
tiiara