Just a thought by coppi

Just a thought by coppi – written in 2015

A light house does not blow fog horns but it only shines.  

When I read the above I thought of our walk as Christians.  Does our life reflect the light  of Jesus.  St Mark 4:21: and he said unto them, is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? And not to be set on a candlestick?  A candle beams its flickering light so we may find our way in the dark as does the Lighthouse.  As Christians we should let our light shine & walk in the light of Christ.  We need not blow fog horns but just shine & let the Holy Spirit beam through us.  Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord……i grew up in a very legalistic religion & if we did have a little light, it was totally blown out with dos & don’ts & lots of fear. 1 John 4:7: Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God….10: herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us & sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4 is filled with scriptures of love.  The pendulum swings both ways but should be in balance.  I guess my desire is not to be a fog horn but a flickering light for our Lord.

“We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭1:8-9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Have you ever come to the end of yourself and thought “I can’t handle this trial/suffering/heartache anymore” then you are among the many prophets in the Bible. Example:  I was reading about Gideon this morning and his struggles of inadequacies, “When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, & said, ‘The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.”  (Judges 6:12).  Gideon didn’t think he was a “mighty anything” but the Lord was not looking at Gideon’s inferiorities but what he could do through Gideon if he would turn his fears, etc over to the Lord and let him handle it.  When Gideon finally relinquished it to the Lord, he became the mighty warrior, the name given by the Lord.  

Just a thought by Coppi 

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Romans 12:2 NLT

Romans 2:29…….and true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a changed of heart  produced by the spirit & a person with a a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from man.

As I read this scripture written by Paul, who used to be Saul.  A devout Jew who was out to destroy the people of the way…followers of Jesus.  But it was not until he met this Jesus on the road to Damascus whom he was out to destroy did he have a heart change produced by the Spirit so much so that the rest of his days, he spent spreading the good news of the Kingdom.  When I try to make changes in my life by natural means, it is nothing but hard work with no results….it is not until I come to Jesus & say “I can’t but you can – I turn it over to you.” Relinquishment is what I think it’s called.

“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37:4-5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭143:8‬ ‭

There are times when a new day arises and I arise feeling frumpy, tired, and useless.  I want to crawl back in bed, pull the covers over my head, and not face the day. That was today.  I know I need to focus on gratitude, thankfulness, and to change the direction of my gloom, but the effort alludes me at the time.  I want to be pitiful Pearl and stay in the pit and feel sorry for myself.  But in Romans 12:2 it states “be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind”. So…I start with a prayer of gratitude:

Dear God, 

Thank you for your amazing power and work in our lives, thank you for your goodness and for your blessings over us. Thank you that you are able to bring hope through even the toughest of times, strengthening us for your purposes. Thank you for your great love and care. Thank you for your mercy and grace. Thank you that you are always with us and will never leave us. Thank you for your incredible sacrifice so that we might have freedom and life. Forgive us for when we don’t thank you enough, for who you are, for all that you do, for all that you’ve given. Help us to set our eyes and our hearts on you afresh. Renew our spirits, fill us with your peace and joy. We love you and we need you, this day and every day. We give you praise and thanks, for You alone are worthy!

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”  Col 3:15

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Ps: 118:24

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 

1st Thes 5:18

Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice!

It’s amazing how my spirit is lifted when I focus on scriptures of joy, I can feel the sun (son) is erasing all the gloom and nothingness from my soul.  I am now ready to start a new day soaked in gratitude, thankfulness, and love.  Because I know “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”  Ps 119:105.

“Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.  John 21:6 – NIV version

I remember many years ago I was facing a test that I was frightened to have because I feared it was cancer.  I opened my Bible to see if I could find a scripture to ease my fear.  I don’t know why but the above scripture seemed to give me peace.  The disciples were fishing and their nets were empty.  They were about to give up when they heard Jesus say “cast your nets on the right side of the boat and you will find some”.   They did and their nets were filled to the brim.  I kept saying to myself, ‘Jesus cares about all things in my life’.  If He cared abut the disciples having empty nets after fishing all day, He cares about my fears – everyone of them.  Even the fear I have for this test tomorrow.  I went into the hospital the next morning  to have my test with my basket empty but when I awakened from the test, I found it wasn’t empty but filled with many ‘fish’, named hope, peace, joy, and love.  I was fine.  

“Evangelist Gypsy Smith once said, “There are five Gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the Christian, and some people will never read the first four.” In other words, the message is seen before it is heard. 

Mahatma Gandhi – as a young man, he practiced law in South Africa and faced much discrimination.  What he saw of racism in those days drove him away from the Christian faith, because he mistakenly judged a profession of a faith as being the substance of that faith.  The truth is, you don’t judge a belief by its abuse.  So fortunately, he later qualified the difference:  “I like their Christ; I don’t like their Christian.”  (Ravi Zacharias in Just Thinking)

Of all people in the world, the Christian should lead the way in loving people of all nations because we all are ultimately created in God’s image.  (Ravi Zacharias)

(All of the above quotes, I gleaned from reading Just Thinking by Ravi Zacharias)

I heard many times through my life, “You are the hands, feet, mouth, eyes, etc of Jesus and you are the only Bible someone may read”.  Gee, I thought that is a big responsibility and I certainly am not capable of that task.  Then I read 1 John 4:12 NLT

“No one has seen God.  But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.”   It’s His love in this vessel that does the work.  I just need to be available for him to use me to express himself through me.  God is love.

“I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.”

Ephesians 1:19-20 NLT

And this is God’s plan:  Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children.  Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promises of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.  (Eph 3:6)

I don’t know if I was envious or I lacked understanding of the Bible and it’s prophecies of the blessings to come to all people who believe in the promise of a Savior forthcoming to restore equally in the riches inherited by God’s children.  I knew from reading scriptures that God chose the Jewish people to keep the oracles of his word alive among the nations of unbelief until the time of the Savior, Jesus Christ.  He continued to bless them for obedience to his word, but also correct them If they deviated from his path of guidance.  The Jewish race has been attacked by evil since the beginning of time, but through it all God has restored them with blessings.  They are doctors, lawyers. authors, movie actors, etc., and maybe that is why I felt envy of God blessing them.  Yes, I know the Gentiles have excelled in these areas too, but I guess my belief is based on what I was reading in the Bible and how God protected them and blessed them throughout the Old Testament if they obeyed Him.  And, when I came upon the two above scriptures they became a ‘bright light’ glowing in my spirit.  Both, Jews and Gentiles share equally in the blessings of God.  These words were spoken by Saul, once a Jewish zealot for the people of the way (Christianity), but when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he became Paul zealot of the Good News, Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. 

Just a thought by coppi

John 13:12 says, “When he had finished washing their feet. . .” Please note; Jesus finished washing their feet. That means he left no one out. Why is that important? Because that means he washed the feet of Judas. Jesus washed the feet of his betrayer. That’s not to say it was easy for Jesus. That’s not to say it’s easy for you. But that is to say, God will never call you to do what he hasn’t already done!  (Max Lucado 12/27/2017 on Forgiveness)

Jesus is our trailblazer – He never asks us to do anything that he has not already done.  When I read Max Lucado’s words about Jesus washing THEIR feet meaning Judah’s feet also, I realized as often as I read John 13:12 I never grasped that Jesus washed Judah’s feet too.  Jesus knew Judah would betray him yet he washed his feet and dried them.  Forgiveness is a word in the Bible that I would like to skip over as asking forgiveness is not always easy.  I remember years ago, sitting on my bed with a pen and pad in my hand asking Jesus to bring to my mind ones that I needed to ask forgiveness.  Several of the names I rebelled and said “they were the ones who hurt me…they should ask my forgiveness”.  Silence.  “Okay I will make an attempt to contact them either by a note or via telephone but please Jesus be my mouth piece”.

I did.  It’s important to me not to harbor anything that would break my relationship with God, I want to make it right even if I feel I was the one wronged.  I don’t think I want to go wash their feet as Jesus did for Judah, but come to think of it, it might be easier than the other way.

Tebow quote:  “we never become who God created us to be by trying to be like everybody else”.

If you are a people pleaser, as I am, (I am better at this as in years passed) but gee what a road to grind.  I am a gypsy at heart – the more I can hang on me the better I feel.  Many have tried to change that part of me…be more classic, you look better.  I am an artist & have always leaned to expressionistic work.  Again, be a realist. More people like realism than expressionistic art.  I grew up in a very legalistic religion, I wanted to be free from the dos & don’ts & prayed diligently to God to set me free so I could set others free.  People under legalism will try & cage you.  When I would take one step forward, I would meet up with someone who would confront me with “I like you better the way you were”.  So many encounters of have, have not, should, should not, do, don’t, be, on & on it went.   Being accepted & loved by others & not loving yourself can cause one to leave behind the one God fearfully & wonderfully made.  Through lots of great counseling, lots of prayer & reading what Jesus said in the Bible. Inch by inch I gradually inched my way out to be me….the snow flake God created…not like anyone else just me.  It was a fight &, still is to some degree, to stay on the path of healing but I am so glad I started this process many years ago……..being me was worth the fight.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my follows of Just A Thought by Coppi.

I am grateful for all of you, and may my thoughts of my own struggles in life as well as blessings bring a glimmer of light into your path.