Making the Most of the Light - GUMY Summer Challenge (CATCH UP WEEK: Answers: 1-5)

 

 

 

 

 

It is SUMMER!!!

 

Officially, last Friday, Summer 2013 started.

 

What I love most about summer is how long the days are.

The sun is up before 6AM and doesn't set until nearly 9PM.

There is so much light and so much time.

 

Light makes us feel like we have time to accomplish our goals or tasks for the day.

When darkness rolls in our bodies tend to go into rest mode - time to settle down and veg-out.

 

Although we need rest time each day - it is during the hours of light - during the day - that we are able to move our lives forward.

 

That is the gift that light gives us.

 

Salvation is the gift that God gives us to have eternal life.

Salvation is life moving forward - forward to heaven.

 

Both the light - our simple daylight and the light of God - and salvation help to move our lives forward. They help draw us closer to God - bringing us deeper into relationship with Him.

 

As you begin your next day - remember that each moment of light is a time to draw nearer to God - and a chance to shine in the glory of His gift of salvation. The opportunity to be with Him always:

 

"One thing I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple."

Psalm 27:4

 

Scripture

Psalm 27

 

Quote

Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space. It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe. It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished.

  ~Michael Strassfeld

 

GUMY SUMMER CHALLENGE

 

Hi ALL - This Sunday (June 30th) will be a "catch up" Sunday. No winners - but here's a chance to catch up on all of the clues to date...remember the Clue # and the Clue are important!

 

Clue/Answer #1: "You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship thee"

Clue / Answer #2: "We are UNSTOPPABLE"

Clue / Answer #3: Tell Him

Clue Answer #4: Praise Him

And

CLUE/ ANSWER # 5: JESUS

 

 

 



Giving Your One Thing to God...(GUMY Summer Challenge - Clue # 5/Answer #4)

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

Matthew 11: 27-29 (Jesus speaking)

 

So...what's on your mind today?

 

What is the one thing that has been worrying you?

What is the one thing that keeps rolling around in your head without an answer?

What is the one thing that you are so excited about it can't happen soon enough?

 

Regardless of what your one thing is - have you discussed it with God?

 

You might be thinking, "God doesn't have time for my stuff. He's keeping the world turning - loving everyone on the planet - making sure the sun comes up in the morning and goes down at night (by time zone) - He can't possibly have time for my one thing."

 

But the thing is - God wants your one thing.

He wants to be a part of all of your things - big or small.

 

He wants to carry your burdens and celebrate your wins.
He wants to be in all things with you....
And He wants you to be in all things with Him...not just one thing.

All too often we relegate God to church on Sundays - one hour or maybe a little more per week. We leave Him behind Monday through Saturday when we are living our "real" lives.
We choose not to have Him involved in our various things. Instead we just invite Him in to the one thing we think He would approve of.

How would your life look if you started asking God into your Mondays through Saturdays rather than just leaving Him for the Sundays?
What would change about the one things in your life?

He wants to be there - "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." He knows we are heavy with all of the one things in our lives...but He wants to help ease our burdens...carry our loads.

Give your one thing - good or sad - to God this week and see what a difference Monday - Saturday can have when you get to Sunday....

Scripture
Matthew 11:27-29

Quote:
“Well, I do think someone might have arranged about our meals,” said Digory.
“I'm sure Aslan would have, if you'd asked him,” said Fledge.
“Wouldn't he know without being asked?” said Polly.
“I've no doubt he would,” said the Horse (still with his mouth full). “But I've a sort of idea he likes to be asked.”
C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia

GUMY CHALLENGE Clue # 5
This week's question is simple and hard....Who does Aslan represent in the books "The Chronicles of Narnia"?

For a hint watch this YouTube Clip:
Aslan's Resurrection

ANSWER Clue #4
The answer was: Praise Him

KEEP CHECKING EACH WEEK AND COLLECTING THE ANSWERS....EVEN IN YOU DON'T GET A WEEKLY PRIZE YOU ARE STILL IN THE RUNNING TO GET THE BIG PRIZE IN THE FALL!

 

Giving God More than An 'Atta Boy...(GUMY SUMMER CHALLENGE Clue #4/Answer #3)

 

 

He is my God, and I will praise him,
    my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

Exodus 15:2

 

 

"You are awesome!"

"You did a great job!"

"I love the way you made it!"

"Atta boy!"

 

Praising someone can be genuine and honest - coming straight from your heart.

 

But praise can also be shallow and hollow without any true love or meaning associated with the words.

 

And most people can tell the difference.

 

Recently I had someone praise some of my work.

The words were complimentary and encouraging - not overly generous - but they seemed genuine.

A few weeks later, the same person trashed the work.

The reversal of the message - from praise to criticism - left me feeling hurt and angry. 

 

And with the change - I began to question the praise others had given of the same work and myself.

 

Words are a very powerful tool.

They can build up or they can tear down.

 

And they are a tool each one of us possesses.

 

When we set out to worship God at the center of true worship is a spirit of praise.

And that praise should be filled with honesty, generosity, and a genuine love for the God who created you.

If it isn't....if your praise is shallow and hollow - following the motions of everyone else - God will know.

 

would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart?

Psalm 44:21

 

God knows what is truly in your heart.

He knows if the praise you have for Him is true or false.

 

He only wants your praise if it is given from a heart that loves Him.

Authentic praise is what you were created to do.

 

But, your heart may be badly broken and torn apart.

You may have suffered pain and anguish that may cloud your ability to praise God with honesty - but He wants you to try.

 

Even in the midst of a cloudy day we have the great gift of seeing a ray of sun or a beautiful flower. Allow your praise for God to be the sun shining through your dark hours and you will find that as you focus your praise on Him your burdens will seem lighter as He takes them on as His own - Freeing you to praise Him more.

 

Give God more than an , "Atta Boy..."

 

Praise Him...Praise Him...

Sing of His excellent glory goodness and wonder.

Praise Him forever more,

 

Try it...You just might like it.

 

Scripture

Exodus15:1-3

 

Quote

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”

 

Oprah Winfrey

 

GUMY SUMMER CHALLENGE

 

Clue #4: The answer is the title of the 1st Hymn we sang on Sunday June 9th...(HINT...I've written it a BUNCH in this blog....)

 

Answer #3: Tell Him, by Lauren Hill

 

 

 

What is Love? GUMY SUMMER CHALLENGE Clue # 3 (Answer #2)

 

 

 

If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:3

 

 

 

What is love?

 

Paul wrote that love is patient and kind.

It doesn't boast and it isn't rude.

He wrote that it always protects and keeps going - never stops.

He wrote that love doesn't fail.

 

Paul's description of love reads like something inhuman - supernatural.

And it is.

 

To truly love someone - to embody love - means to give up your own wants for another.

Love means seeing someone for who God intends them to be not for who they are to the world.

Love is an emotion that is bigger than this world because it is the only emotion that fully describes God.

 

God created man to be in relationship with Him.

Yes, God loves all of creation, but He created man above the rest of creation because He loves man - you and me - most of all.

 

His love for us is pure.

It reflects all of the facets of the love Paul describes in his first letter to the church at Corinth.

 

And, because we were created to be in relationship with Him, He has given us the capacity to love like Him - at least in glimpses and snippets - in this life.

 

We are imperfect beings who strive toward perfection.

Perfection is loving all others with a pure, unselfish heart.

Loving like God loves each of us.

 

At the end of chapter 13 Paul writes:

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

 

Our experiences with loving others -

 boyfriend or girlfriend, mother or father, friend, sibling -

are limited to our understanding of the things of this world.

The love we know today is clouded by limits -

 the pain, hatred, selfishness, deviousness -

that this world embraces.

 

We are promised that the glorious glimpses of love we have in this world are mere shadows  - smudgy images - of the love that God has for us. The love He is showering upon each of us even at this moment.

 

Our hearts are wounded and untrusting so we choose to not fully experience all of the love God has for us.

 

But we - each of us - have the opportunity to embrace more and more of this overwhelming love each day by opening ourselves up to our great Beloved.

 

God is reaching out with His love.

His love is a constant waterfall of joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control, and faith for you. It is filled with innumerable blessings just for you.

 

But love is a funny thing - it only grows as it is returned and shared.

 

The more you give God's love back to Him the greater portion you shall receive.

 

And you can start getting more love today - just tell Him....

 

Tell Him you love Him.

 

He loves you.

 

Return His love with love of your own.

 

The more you tell Him - the more you will understand how great His love is for you.

 

What is love?

 

Love is knowing - heart, mind, body and soul - your Great Beloved is in love with you.

 

Scripture

1 Corinthians 13

Quote

There is no surprise more magical than the surprise of being loved. It is God's finger on man's shoulder.
Charles Morgan

The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.
Mother Teresa

 

 

GUMY Summer Challenge -Clue #3

Clue #3 - - Lauren Hill Song....what is the title? That is the answer...but listen to the whole song anyway :)

 

SUMMER CHALLENGE: Answer #2:

 

"We are, We are"...UNSTOPPABLE

 

Keep playing .....XOXO