Today's Blog with Wood

meh..

I recently came to the defense of one of my children against my pastor and his wife. They were good friends of mine, best friends. I miss that relationship. I know that God is sending me new friends and I am grateful. I sometimes feel very alone, but I know that He is with me always and that helps me to get through it.

stand alone

I have been there many times..I look around for one of Lord's children when I realize that I am all alone I run to the shelter of the Almighty. Like gideon I want to hide but the Lord always to me "you are not alone I am here. Peace be still." then all the anxiety leaves and I stand.

March 19, 2008

Don't you just feel awful when something happens that it appears you could have prevented? When someone is falsely accused and you don't step forward to defend them? When it's within your power to attest to someone innocence. How does that affect you? 
 
We talked today on the radio about Pontius Pilate. He knew Jesus wasn't guilty. He had no proof of Jesus' guilt and every reason to release this innocent man. Still, he didn't have the backbone to do the right thing. 
 
What does it take down deep in your soul to know what's right and then to do it? What if you know what's right but don't have the courage to do something about it? Where does that leave you?

March 19, 2008

Hi, to know that a person suffered punishment for nothing and I knew he was innocent and could have prevented it, I would just feel so loooow, and wished I had stepped up to defend him. Especially if I claim to be a Christian. I would never forgive myself, and I wouldn't blame the person if he stayed away from me. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

March 18, 2008

Don't you just feel awful when something happens that it appears you could have prevented? When someone is falsely accused and you don't step forward to defend them? When it's within your power to attest to someone innocence. How does that affect you? 
 
We talked today on the radio about Pontius Pilate. He knew Jesus wasn't guilty. He had no proof of Jesus' guilt and every reason to release this innocent man. Still, he didn't have the backbone to do the right thing. 
 
What does it take down deep in your soul to know what's right and then to do it? What if you know what's right but don't have the courage to do something about it? Where does that leave you?

March 18, 2008

Being a nurse the word study you mentioned regarding Golgotha and Calvary caught my attention. I had always thought it appropriate to mean "the skull" inferring "death". However when you said skull or cranium that put a new twist on it for me. I thought, yes, that is where Jesus is still being crucified today in the place that houses our brain/intellect!

immediate prayer for direction

go into prayer immediately just like the prophets of old did..take nothing for granted go the Lord first for direction..wisdom..courage do nothing in haste. He will direct you and sustain you in the matter. DO NOT TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED

March 17, 2008

Have you ever been in that awkward situation where you knew something was God's will, but you weren't all that happy about doing it? You knew what was right, but doing what was right was going to cost you. Well, no one knew that feeling better than Jesus on the night just before He was betrayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. The crowds were at home. The disciples were asleep. It was just the Father and the Son. 
 
I've had my share of arguments with God, and I haven't always been pleased with my response. But you have to be pleased with Jesus' response. He knew He had a job to do and that would take Him to Calvary. Still, "not my will but your will." Those are tough words to say; even tougher to mean.

The Master is in control

I struggle with allowing God to be in control and not I. As I read in His Holy Word, His plan for my life is by far greater. Do we listen? I have to shake my head at myself and laugh when I ask this question. javascript:ac_smilie('')  
I am so grateful that we have a wonderful Savior that we serve. His loving patience, kindness just waiting for us to say, oh Lord, you're in control I give up. God wants us to come to Him with a broken heart and a willing heart. To stand up and be counted, to do our part for his Kingdom.

March 14, 2008

Boldness is not a quality all of us have. As we talked about on the program today, a certain amount of boldness is required if we're to make a difference in the world. 
 
So, if you're not very bold naturally, how do you become bold? Ask God for help. Some of the boldest people for the Lord weren't born that way (look up the story of Gideon when you get a chance). But they were people empowered by God to do what they could never have done without Him. 
 
How has your opinion of serving God changed as a result of this week of programs? I'd love to hear about it.

Boldness for God.

What I realize from your program this week is that you don't become bold by just deciding I will become bold. I may become bold in the sense of what the world calls bold. Being bold, starts with understanding that God wants me to have a boldness that will lead me to doing what is right. I need to be Bold for God because it will allow me to not live by my feelings so much, though I will live to obey God. I was going to say if, I am going to change that to When I pray to God for Boldness, Boldness is expecting that I will be bold in every situation that God wants me to be. That I will live my life not by my feelings, though with a conviction to follow God. AS I look at my Bible. I look at Luke 9:23 and it challenges me, If I want to be A Disciple of Jesus I must be Bold and take up my cross and follow him daily. Boldness is being able and asking God for the strenth to do this. Praying on my decisions and when God gives me the answer, not ignoring it but acknowledging it and Obeying. With a Boldness for God life will get challenging, exciting and full of adventure.

Boldness for God.

I think God would prefer to use a "clean vessel" to carry out the work of the Holy Spirit in a less capable person because that person is more likely to receive God's sufficiency to accomplish the work required. If I practice being responsible by remaining pure in my daily walk, then I will be better able to hear God's voice, discern the message and be willing to let the Holy Spirit take charge. Also there will be fewer targets for the enemy to attack because God's spirit fills my heart 
Getting to that "pure" place is difficult after years of neglect but possible.

March 14, 2008

I like the idea of being bold, but I'm afraid at work to go too far because of repercussions. If an opening in the conversation comes up, I might say something. I wonder how I can have more boldness at work.

March 14, 2008

I came upon these programs by accident during the time I was laid up with the flu this week. I started watching the online video, and I was drawn in. This week covered a subject I have been struggling with for some time, and I have rejoiced that you have been so plain in your explanation. Thank you for allowing God to speak through you do boldly that He got my attention!

March 13, 2008

I don't know if you've noticed it, but hope seems to be in short supply these days. Still Christians are people of hope. Christ has saved us to a "living hope." But hope comes with responsibility. 
 
The chief responsibility for those of us who want to be purveyors of hope is to remain pure and useful to God. In fact, our purity is more important in serving God than any abilities we may think we have. God prefers to use a clean vessel even if He has to pass over a more capable one. 
 
How about you? Have you thought about a "responsibility" being connected to "hope"? Why would this "responsibility" (to remain pure) be so important to God that He would use "clean vessels" who don't have as great a capability for the necessary work rather than those vessels that are more capable but less pure?

March 12, 2008

The verses we talked about on the radio today were 2 Corinthians 3:4-5. The passage reads, "Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God" (ESV). 
 
What does it mean to be sufficient? It means being filled with God's Spirit so that we can do the things God calls us to do. On our own, we will never be sufficient to adequately serve Him. 
 
What are some ways you find your sufficiency in God? How have you seen others (or yourself) try to serve God on their own? What was the outcome?

March 12, 2008

Contentment vs. Confidence  
Recently, Praise God, I've been freed from the trance of contentment where my confidence in what God was calling me to do was almost nonexistant. Slowly, God is opening my eyes and increasing my desire to seek knowledge & wisdom and the whole cycle of spiritual growth. I'm not relying anymore upon my past leadership experiences or encounters with God to make me sufficient for the NEW work. I am excited about this new season in my journey with Christ. Not only is spiritual growth a cycle, but a spiral that keeps expanding and reaching upward.

March 12, 2008

when we finally come to the realization that we can do nothing without Him. and we are nothing without Him. we will experience a beautiful peace inside us : the I can..the I do..the important I will be gone

thanks

I missed yesterday's program and I'll really love to get to hear Dr. Kroll talk about confidence, but today's program sounded like something I needed to hear so that I can make it manifest in my work for God. Thank you Doc and Tami.

March 10, 2008

Misplaced confidence. The phrase reminds me of those old home movies about people testing their flying machines--often no more than a bicycle with wings. And every time would-be flyers rolled off their ramps or small cliffs, they realized they placed too much confidence in something that couldn't support them. 
 
There is nothing more dangerous than misplaced confidence. Ultimately, confidence placed in anything other than Jesus Christ and His redeeming work of salvation is misplaced. You can trust the government, your employer, your bank or your union to a certain extent. But at some point, they will disappoint you. 
 
On a more personal level, we tend to place a lot of confidence in our abilities, our education, our team, our experience, instead of placing confidence in God. But it's God who makes us capable. And He will never disappoint those who put their confidence in Him.

March 10, 2008

I really enjoyed listening to Dr. Kroll on the radio yesterday. The words that were spoken spoke to my spirit. I had been experiencing spiritual ups and downs-wondering what in the world is going on...but God knows just what you need right when you need it..a word spoken in due season, how good it is... I am learning to respond to God's love thru faithful comittment to Him and to others, I believe that there is joy in service to God and to His people....

March 11th

Many people worry about finances. Some people perhaps put too much trust in their own abilities, their work or the government. Perhaps they want to ignore the financial problems. I feel it's good to do our best (prepare for the future and try to save money) but also trust God. God has always supplied work for me.

March 10, 2008

Do you experience spiritual swings as often as some people experience mood swings? Are you tired of the ups and downs in your spiritual life? The days when you feel like a spiritual giant right next to the days when you feel like you fail miserably at being a Christian? I don't think I need to tell you that it's not meant to be that way.  
 
Spiritual growth should be like physical growth--a constant progression from smaller to bigger. One thing leads to another, to something stronger, to something that brings us closer to full maturity as a Christian.  
 
If you can see your spiritual growth as a steady progression leading you ever closer to God, knowing that each day God is giving you the strength to meet the next, you won't experience the constant ups and downs of growing in grace.

March 10, 2008

WK said: Why do you think it's hard for some people to accept what God says is the right thing and the wrong thing to do? 
Sometimes the right thing is harder to do than the wrong thing. But I wonder...could that simply be because we have not practiced doing the right thing? Perhaps, like exercise, it would become easier with the consistent practice.Quote:

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March 7, 2008

 
Are you happy that Jesus Christ is your Savior? Maybe so, 
but are you just as happy that He is your Lord? Do you know what the difference 
is? 
 
 
When Jesus is your Lord, you don't do what you want, you do 
what He wants. But don't make the mistake of thinking that Jesus' Lordship is 
an elected position--He is Lord whether we acknowledge Him as such or not.  
 
 
The difference between Jesus as Savior in your life, and 
Jesus as Lord is a step of maturity. We all start our Christian journey with 
Jesus as our Savior. But the Christians who will have the greatest impact in 
this world are those who know Him as their Lord.  
 
 
How about you? What are the challenges you face in living 
with Jesus as your Lord, and not just your Savior? Let me know what you think, 
and be sure to scroll down and see what others are saying too.