Shirlee Abbott

Flesh (Thursday)

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Shirlee Abbott

The word “flesh” brings to mind temptation. Hebrews 4:15 states that Jesus “in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (ESV).

Me: I’m just too tired for my morning devotions, I’m going back to sleep.

Jesus: Been there, didn’t do it.

Me: I don’t need the calories, but I can’t possibly pass up that dessert.

Jesus: Been there, didn’t do it.

Me: I’m so mad at him–I’ll get even when I have the chance.

Jesus: Been there, didn’t do it.

I know that Jesus got up early to pray, fasted from more than dessert and blessed his enemies. And it makes a difference.

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Flesh (Wednesday)

Posted on December 11, 2013 by Shirlee Abbott

For over 40 years, thousands of people gathered every Sunday to hear Charles Haddon Spurgeon preach. His message wasn’t just relevant to the late 1800s. His words still ring true:

“‘The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.’ Note that word ‘flesh.’ It doth not say, ‘The Word was made man’: it means that, but the use of the word ‘flesh’ brings the Lord Jesus still closer to us, and shows that He took on Him the very nature and substance of manhood: He did not merely assume the name and notion, and appearance, of manhood, but the reality: the weakness, the suffering, the mortality of our manhood.”
from The True Tabernacle, and Its Glory of Grace and Peace, preached 9/27/1885
You can read the whole sermon here

Jesus, King of heaven and Prince of peace, in the flesh. Wow!

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Flesh (Tuesday)

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Shirlee Abbott

John 1:14 (AMP)
And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) . . .

Incarnate comes from the same base as carnivore (meat-eating), and conveys the concept of flesh and blood. This brings to mind the familiar verses read at the communion service:

1 Corinthians 11:23-25 (NIV)
The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Whenever we eat the bread and drink the cup, we remember that
the Word became flesh.

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Flesh (Monday)

Posted on December 9, 2013 by Shirlee Abbott

Flesh? An odd thought for Christmas?

Those sneaky extra pounds
Red cheeks from the cold
Turkey meat falling off the bones . . . yum!

Actually, it’s not an odd Christmas topic; “flesh” is the foundation of Christmas.

John 1:14 (NIV)
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Where would we be without God-in-the-flesh? No Christmas, no Easter, no blood, no salvation. We’d be stuck forever in our trespasses and sin.

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Words (Friday)

Posted on December 6, 2013 by Shirlee Abbott

There are no shortcuts. The disciplined Christian life requires time (a lot of time) spent with the Word of God (the Bible) and the Word (Jesus).

The more I study the Word of God, the more I love the Word. And the more I love the Word, the more I want to study the Word of God.

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Words (Thursday)

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Shirlee Abbott

Max Lucado has a way with words. Here’s a good example:

“The Bible is God’s Word given in man’s language.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

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Words (Wednesday)

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Shirlee Abbott

The phrase the word of the Lord is frequently used in the Old Testament.

We call the Bible the Word of God.

And Christ is called the Word.

John 1:1, 14 (NIV)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

Word doesn’t get any better than that!

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Words (Tuesday)

Posted on December 3, 2013 by Shirlee Abbott

Most of my communication with God is in words .

God used words to create:
Genesis 1:3
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Our use of words sets us above other creatures–they’re called “dumb animals” because they don’t speak, not because they’re stupid.

Is the use of words evidence that we are created in the image of God?

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Words (Monday)

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Shirlee Abbott

What best describes you?

few words
precise words
foot-in-mouth words
lotsa, lotsa words

I used to be lotsa words. This blog is an exercise in few & precise words. Unfortunately, I routinely throw out some foot-in-mouth words. My goal is the right word.

I often fall short of my goal. Not God.

Psalm 33:4 (NIV)
. . . the word of the LORD is right and true.

God is right on target. All the time.

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Good Words (Friday)

Posted on November 29, 2013 by Shirlee Abbott

On the road, I decide to take my own Thursday challenge and bless God–that is, speak good words to God. But that’s pretty much my usual routine. I want my Thanksgiving blessings to be special. I resolve to go beyond the quick praise, to peel off the layers and get to the root of the blessing. For example:

Me: Thank you, Lord, for safe travel. Thank you that I’m dry and toasty here in my car. Thank you for imparting your creativity to the automotive designers who made this vehicle possible. Thank you for the natural resources that went into the metal and plastic and rubber and glass. I praise you for the fossil fuels you programmed in at the creation of the world that now power my travel.

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