Shirlee Abbott

Take Time (Thursday)

Posted on July 10, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

My Quiet Time confession: I don’t give God the time he deserves. But it is astonishing how often I take time to ask him for more time.

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Take Time (Wednesday)

Posted on July 9, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Familiar Bible verses on time:

Genesis 1:1 (NKJV)
In the beginning . . .

Ecclesiastes 3:1
To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven.

Luke 2:1
It came to pass . . .

Galatians 4:4
. . . when the fullness of time had come . . .

We think of time as a diminishing resource, that we are running out of time. God sees it as an ever-flowing gift, filling up, overflowing.

Thank you, Lord, for this glorious gift.

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Take Time (Tuesday)

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

A. W. Tozer, 1897-1963, was a preacher, an editor, a writer. He wrote some of his books on his knees; his writings were extensions of his prayers.

“I am often caused to wish that there were some way to bring modern Christians into a deeper spiritual life painlessly by short, easy lessons: but such wishes are vain. No shortcut exists. God has not bowed to our nervous haste nor embraced the methods of our machine age. It is well that we accept the hard truth now: The man who would know God must give time to Him.”

(from The Pursuit of Man)

Another as-you-sow principle—If you don’t sow the time, you won’t reap the spiritual maturity.

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Take the Time (Monday)

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

I know we’re not supposed to envy, but . . . do you see characteristics in other Christians that you wish you had?

Patience, unruffled willingness to wait
Peace (it passes my understanding)
Powerful prayers
Perfect words of encouragement, gentle correction, truth (in love)

These are the characteristics of a mature Christian, yes. Because they are characteristics of Christ. They come not by focusing on the person you admire, but by focusing on Christ. The more time I spend with Christ, the more I become like Him.

I have a long way to go. But I have lots of time. An eternity, in fact.

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Good Morning, America. And Happy Birthday.

Posted on July 4, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

You’re a big girl, America, all grown up.

Before you were born, America, there was a period dubbed the Great Awakening–religious enthusiasm, profound conviction, joyous redemption. Revival. That’s when you were conceived. God was your Father and the Great Awakening was your mother.

During your life, America, there have been other Awakenings. Spiritual fervor wanes and rises again.

It’s time for another awakening. We pray along with Anne Graham Lotz:

We ask . . . that the church would wake up in its relationship with You and wake up to the urgency of the times in which we live; and that our nation’s attention would once again be so fixed on You that it would return to the faith of our founding fathers.

Good morning, America. Happy birthday.

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Good Morning, America (Thursday)

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Not a familiar passage, but I like it:

2 Kings 13:17 (NIRV)
“Open the east window,” Elisha said. So he did. “Shoot!” Elisha said. So he shot.

“That’s the Lord’s arrow!” Elisha announced. “It means you will win the battle . . .”

Evil king Jeoash takes a break from war and visits the dying Elisha. The east window faces the rising sun, the new day. “Good morning, King,” Elisha says. “Check out the new day. God wins.”

Good morning, America. Check out the coming day . . . God wins!

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Good Morning, America (Wednesday)

Posted on July 2, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

From Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, Jan 22:

“Wake yourself up and look to God. Build your hope on Him. No matter how many things seem to be pressing in on you, be determined to push them aside and look to Him. ‘Look to Me . . . .’ Salvation is yours the moment you look.”

Wake up, America! Hope in God. Good morning, indeed!

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Good Morning, America (Tuesday)

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

God: Good morning, America!

Isaiah 60:1
Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

Me: [yawn] Soon as I finish my coffee . . .

I’m guessing coffee can’t hold a candle to the glory of the Lord!

Posted in other | Tagged Isaiah 60 | 2 Comments

Good Morning, America (Monday)

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

How do you greet the morning?

Snooze alarm, 10 more minutes
Up and at ’em!
Is it coffee yet?.
Do I have to?

I get up, look out my window and think, “The boundaries have fallen out for me in pleasant places (from Psalm 16). Good morning, America!”

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Secular vs Sacred (Friday)

Posted on June 27, 2014 by Shirlee Abbott

Unity:

body-soul-spirit

food-exercise-rest

praise-Bible study-prayer

No division.

Nuff said.

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