Isa 40:12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

Of all the things I learned in bible college, (both biblical and otherwise haha) this one lesson we had one morning in Old Testament  class.........this one verse of scripture sticks out to me. I will never forget that class that ended with everyone sobbing and worshipping as the power of God came down on us, sitting at our desks.

Think about this.

The Pacific ocean covers 6,378,000 square miles.  It contains 4 spots over 6 miles deep. It covers almost 1/2 the globe.  70% of the earth's surface is covered in water. 

Who has measured the water in the hollow of His hand????

Think about this.

The milky way is approximately 100 000 light years across.  A light year is the distance travelled by light in a year at a speed of 186282 miles per second.  We cannot even comprehend the size of the milky way. 

Who has meted out the heavens with a span?  A span is from thumb outstretched to baby finger.

Think about this.

30% of the earth's surface is land.  Yet he comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure. In a measure! A measure is between two fingers and a thumb.

Mt. Ararat is 18 000 ft high.  Mt. Everest is 29 028 ft. high.  1/5 of the earths surface is mountainous. Yet he weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance! God perfectly balanced the world.

Are you visualizing it yet? Do you SEE how big our God is? Are you getting a picture in your mind? He is AWESOME.  And this same God who is so big and so powerful has made himself available and merciful, and personal to each of us individually!  This same God who could say........"Let there be light..." could forgive sins.  My sins. Your sins.  How can I not worship a God like that?

How does one get more humble?

I know this may seem like a really dumb question, but this is one my heart has been pondering all week.  God has been working on my heart in this area.  Amazing that my pastor then taught about this last night, and tied it all together neatly for me.

1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

When you get what you want as you struggle for self
And the world makes you queen for a day,
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what THAT woman has to say.
For it isn't your father or mother or husband
Who judgement upon you must pass.
The person whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass

She's the person to please, never mind all the rest,
For she's with you clear up to the end.
And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the woman in the glass is your friend
You may fool the whole world down the pathway of life,
And get pats on your back as you pass.
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you've cheated the woman in the glass.
by Archibald Hart

For so many years I have based my identity and my self image on what other people think of me.  I have craved words of affirmation in nearly everything I do.  It's not that I seek praise. I  simply want to know........ Did I do a good job? Am I good enough?  Every sunday that I lead worship, I ask my husband........"did I do a good job? did I do ok?"   When I bake something, I want to know..."Is it good? Did you enjoy it?"  but the underlying question is "Am I a good wife/mother/friend? Am I pleasing you?"

But no matter how many times somebody tells me I'm doing a good job, it is never enough to quench that question of my heart.  Am I good enough?  Sure, words of affirmation from other people make me happy for a little while, but I am so very harsh and critical of myself that I really struggle to believe them deep down.  Nobody has said or thought such cruel words about me as I have about myself.  I look in the mirror and tell that girl she's ugly and she's fat.  I look around my house and see mess, and I tell that girl she's a lazy slob.  I lose my patience, or my temper and I tell that girl in the mirror that she's out of control, she's crazy, and she's a horrible person and corrupt in the very core of her soul.  I am constantly reminding myself that I do not measure up.

The devil is the biggest identity thief there ever was.  He wants to rob us of knowing who we are in Christ!!! Yes we are sinners, and yes the heart is deceitfully wicked as the Bible says, and in ourselves we are nothing, but when we get ahold of WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST, we have a solid foundation to build our identity.
If I base my identity on what others think of me, I am giving them far too much power over me.  For one thing, are their perceptions even accurate?  If I base my identity on unrealistic standards I have set for myself, or based on my appearance, or based on things I possess, or how much money I have, or how much education I have.... I am going to constantly ride a roller coaster for those are shaky foundations to base your identity.

To build a healthy self esteem, first we need to belong and know that we are wanted, accepted, cared for and enjoyed for who we are.  God created us to fellowship with Him. He enjoys being with us. He cares about us. When we are born again, we are adopted in His family and we belong to Him!

Second we need to feel worthy.  We must be able to say, "I'm good. I'm all right. I count"  We often only feel worthy when we do something good, or measure up to some standard, but in God's eyes, we don't need to keep striving to be worthy.  None of us are truly "worthy" of what Jesus has done for us, but He has deemed us worthy! He loves us even while we are sinners.  He sees not what we are, but what we can be.  We are a work in progress.  We don't have to be perfect to be worthy of His love.  2Co 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

Thirdly, we need to feel competent.... we need to know that we can do something and cope with life successfully. God declares that we are competent.  Philippians 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

It's time to renew my mind and start believing what God believes about me.  I am tired of letting the devil rob me of my identity!  I am tired of believing his lies.  I am loved.  Though not perfect, through Jesus, I am a good person.  I don't have to earn God's love. He loves me already.  He loved me as a freckle faced little kid.  He loves me when I am angry and rebellious and He loves me when I am walking a straight path.  He is FOR me! He is not waiting and watching for me to fall so He can punish me. He wants me to succeed. Through His strength I can do anything He calls me to do.  I am His child. I am an heir of Christ.  My identity is in Him. 

*This devotion was written by me, but greatly inspired by Chapter 10 of "Always Daddy's Girl" by H. Norman Wright

Have you ever wondered why it is we can receive the Word of God week after week, yet we are not experiencing more victory in our lives?

Author, Beth Moore tells of when seeds are taken to the starving in Africa, often the need is so immediate that they eat the seeds rather than plant them and await the harvest. Many times the Word of God meets our immediate need of hope and encouragement but we still act un-lovely and struggle with the same issues over and over again because we do not DO it!

We KNOW that God has forgiven us, yet we struggle with shame and guilt because we DO NOT let go!

We KNOW that the Bible tells us to go talk to those who have offended us, yet we let bitterness and resentment grow inside us and even division in the body of Christ because we DO NOT go and work it out.

We KNOW we need to forgive those who have hurt us yet we struggle with bitterness and unresolved anger because we DO NOT let go.

We KNOW that we need to think on things that are true and lovely, yet we battle thoughts because we DO NOT put negative thoughts out of our head and replace them with positive ones.

We KNOW we ought not to feed our bodies with junk yet we struggle with weight and health because we DO NOT make a change.

We KNOW we ought to spend time disciplining and training our children yet we cry when they rebel because we DO NOT do what we ought.

We KNOW we are to resist the devil and yet we constantly deal with the ramifications of our sins because we DO NOT want to stay away from the world.

We are so stupid sometimes.  No wonder the Bible refers to us as sheep. We hear the Word.  We read the Word. We KNOW the Word. Yet we struggle with so many things because we do not DO it.  If we will begin to execute the Word of God in our lives there WILL be results!

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 

Jam 1:22-25

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  1 The 5:18

"...Because a thankful heart is a happy heart. I'm glad for what I have. It's an easy way to start. For the love that He shares and He listens to my prayers. That's why I say thanks everyday!!!"  (Veggietales)

So often I catch myself struggling with feelings of discontent which lead to wanting, longing and can even lead to coveting.   I want a bigger house. I want a brand new updated kitchen. I want a fifth wheel camper instead of the one we have.  I want a nissan quest with a dvd player.  I want I want I want...........  It gets tiresome after awhile.  For truly, no matter what we have, or how much we have, there will always be something bigger and better and newer and nicer. 

When will we ever learn to be content with what I have? We live in a very materialistic society.  People are constantly trying to keep up with somebody else.  If an outfit is "so last year!"  they completely discard it, in spite of the fact that it is in perfect condition! People in North America consume and throw away sooo much! I realize that compared to 80% of the world's population I am RICH.  I have food in my belly, shoes on my feet, a roof over my head, and a car to drive.  I am truly blessed!!  Instead of crying about how much I lack I need to start focusing on how much I HAVE!

The way to be content is to cultivate a THANKFUL heart.

Lord, help me to be grateful for what I have instead of continually longing for something more.

Mat 7:9-11 Or what man is there of you, if his son asks a loaf, will he give him a stone?  Or if he asks a fish, will he give him a snake?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him?

Often the relationship we share with our father has a huge impact on our relationship with our heavenly Father.  If your father was distant you may perceive God as being far off in the sky somewhere.  If your father was harsh and critical you may perceive God as always watching for you to make a mistake.  If your father was loving and giving it is easier to see God as loving and giving.  Yet no matter how good our earthly father may have been he was not perfect.  

Yesterday I witnessed a little girl falling and getting hurt.  As her father immediately dropped everything he was doing and RAN to his little one, I watched his face.  I saw concern, but the absolute LOVE on his face nearly moved me to tears.  I will never forget the look on his face.  At that moment in time, I had no doubt that this earthly father loved his child deeply and would do anything in the world for her, to make her happy and to take away her pain.

Perhaps you did not have a loving father.  Maybe he hurt you deep inside your soul.  Perhaps he never told you he loved you.  Perhaps his hands were cruel instead of loving.  Perhaps you have never known the love of your daddy.  Maybe he was just never around.

Our Father God is not like your imperfect earthly father.  He will heal you deep inside your soul.  He loves you.  His touch is kind and loving.  When He touches you, you will never be the same.  He is not harsh and critical of you! He sees you through the blood! He sees beyond the mess you've made.  He sees the potential in you.  He loves you unconditionally. He longs to be close to your heart.   You are special to Him. You are the apple of His eye!

If the father of the hurt child can love his child so deeply, how much more does our heavenly Father love us!  When we fall He will drop everything and come running to pick us up and brush us off and kiss our hurts and dry our tears.

Maybe you can't run to your earthly father, but you can run now to Jesus. His arms are open wide.

Abba Father, How I love You.  How I long to sit on Your lap and let You hold me and dry my tears. I am so blessed to be Your child.  Thank you for loving me, and showing me Your daddy love. Amen.

It seems to me that the absolute worst in people comes out when they are driving.  People who are normally meek and mild tempered can turn into ferocious beasts when they get behind the wheel of a car.

Somebody is in your way. You call them every name in the book. We call them stupid, idiots, morons and  declare that they have no business being on the road. "Use it or lose it", we holler to the air, right in front of our children.  "Come ON!!!"  as we gesture wildly.  If looks could kill....We pound on the steering wheel, and worse, the horn.  I've even seen some people get out of their vehicles and resort to fisticuffs.  This has become so common we have even coined the term 'road rage'

We think it doesn't matter because we'll never see these people again.  We feel safe and anonymous behind our sunglasses and tinted windows. 

But today when I witnessed a bit of road rage, I asked myself the question,  Are we not still Christians even when we're driving?

This question has haunted me, for I was once guilty of what I call "shopping cart rage".  Stepping into Superstore is sure to make my red hair flame.  People are always in my way, and it just gets my goat.  One day as I fumed my way down aisle 8, with my grumpy face intact, ready to ram my cart into the next happy people who were having a family reunion in the middle of the aisle, when the Lord spoke to me and said, "wouldn't you be embarrassed if these people came to church on sunday and saw the grumpy lady from superstore leading worship?"

Wow. Would I ever. 

So I ask myself these questions: What kind of message are you sending? Are you just a Christian at church, or are you a christian when you drive? When you shop? When things get in your way? Do you think Jesus would even want those people to know that you are a Christian by the way you're acting?

Something to think about.

Yes I still get impatient but I try to keep those thoughts in mind..... Last time I went grocery shopping I purposely smiled sweetly at everyone I passed.  People looked at me a little strange, but it was actually a much more peaceful and enjoyable experience, and instead of worrying 'what if they know I'm a Christian?", I hoped they could tell by my actions that I was indeed, a Christian!