"But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." Romans: 6: 17-18
In 2014, chocolate is harvested by slave labor. Yes, in most of the world, real slaves cut and prepared the chocolate from the cocoa plant. There are more slaves in the world today, than in the plantation south of the pre-Civil War era. And, we can be slaves to chocolate in another way, with a craving for the elixir of the gods. But, is it the gods we worship, or the one true God? These are two points for today:
1. When you are shopping for chocolate treats for Easter baskets, look for the symbol,
"Rainforest Alliance Certified." Chocolate in these packages was harvested by non-slave/free laborers. Watch carefully since not all candy companies have slave-free chocolate in all of their products. I checked very quickly through the candy aisle and found two companies with similar shaped chocolate pieces that had the "Rainforest Alliance Certified" green label on them. Try not to support companies who hold their young workers in slavery in order to meet my desire for chocolate, while gaining huge profits for themselves.
2. Also, from our scripture above, during this blessed Lent season, know that we have been set free from the things that enslave us. This frees us to be willing and eager to turn our lives over to God, the lover and creator of our hearts and souls. Being a "slave of righteousness" is - acting in accord with divine or moral law - free from guilt or sin. What a wonderful freedom to be enslaved to!
Our willingness to be enslaved to Christ is not the same as the unwillingness of being enslaved by others. Let us remember those who are not free to work, to live their own lives and free to choose their own way as we give thanks for all that we have and all whom we love. Let us pray:
"Father God, you knitted me together with the words that you spoke, setting creation into forward motion when life was begun. Holy is your name and the love you used as the energy to set the world spinning. I stand amazed by your glory. May my heart open wide enough for you to reveal your kingdom all around me. May this be the day when I wake up, aware that I have been freed from sin and am able to willingly rest in you. Forgive me for the times I have put out my hand to you and then withdrew it in fear - fear that I would lose too much of me. Today, I give you all of me, to gain all of you. While I praise you for my freedom to receive, I also lift up those around the world who are not free. May my desire for "things" not be the reason for their enslavement. In the name of Jesus, your son and my savior, I pray. Amen"
Doris
"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine."
Copyright 2014 Doris Gaines Rapp
If you are in Louisville, KY the evening of Thursday, April 24, drop into Barnes & Noble Summit, 4110 Summit Plaza Dr. where I will be signing, Escape from the Belfry.
Website: www.dorisgainesrapp.com
Monday, April 7, 2014
Monday, March 31, 2014
UPLOAD YOUR LIFE
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just
to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John
1:9
I just uploaded my book, Smoke from Distant Fires, to my distributor. I nearly have a stroke when I have to do that kind of detail. Will I make a mistake? Is the manuscript perfect? I’d rather sit down and rewrite the whole book, than upload it so it can be offered to readers, in “Click” stores and “Brick” stores.
“Holy Father, God
of us all, we bow before your precious name. The very mention of your name has
power and healing and love in its sound. May your kingdom come into my life
that I may dwell with you even now. May this be the day when I upload my life
to your cloud, where you can input your plan and use me to fulfill your purpose.
Forgive me when I try to control you by jerking back my life once I lay it at
your feet. You are my all-in-all and I thank you for being my life. In the name
of Jesus Christ, your son, I pray. Amen”
Copyright 2014 Doris Gaines Rapp
Smoke from Distant Fires – available soon
Website: www.dorisgainesrapp.com
I just uploaded my book, Smoke from Distant Fires, to my distributor. I nearly have a stroke when I have to do that kind of detail. Will I make a mistake? Is the manuscript perfect? I’d rather sit down and rewrite the whole book, than upload it so it can be offered to readers, in “Click” stores and “Brick” stores.
And then I
thought, it’s just words on paper.
The true miracle is that God lets us upload our lives anew each and every day!
We just need to confess our sins, that we stress out to the stratosphere rather
than trust Him to make His work through us a blessing to others. God’s love and
patience and forgiveness and grace are the greatest gifts of all?!!
What part of your
life do you need to re-load or upload? He is waiting to help you and bless you.
Will it be the picture perfect plan YOU had for your life? What a surprise!
Probably not! But, it will be the perfect plan of His - for your life. Are you
ready to lay down your demands and accept the miracles He has for you? Don’t
miss the adventure! Let us pray:
Doris
"God gives us stories that
testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”Copyright 2014 Doris Gaines Rapp
Smoke from Distant Fires – available soon
Website: www.dorisgainesrapp.com
Monday, March 24, 2014
FINGERPRINTS OF GOD
"For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." Romans 12: 4-5
Saturday, I wanted a few boxes of remaining Girl Scout cookies. I placed my little notebook and purse on the cookie table in front of Huntington, Indiana’s Wal-Mart to pay for them. Then I went shopping - but wait - No, my grocery list, A.K.A. the little notebook, was missing.
Sunday afternoon, I opened my email to this message. "I think I have your notebook. We were at Wal-Mart today selling Girl Scout cookies. We discovered the book, but didn’t know who it belonged to. I called Elaine, whose number was in your book, and she gave me your web address. It looked to have some notes that you would really miss! If it’s your notebook, please call me!" - Jennifer
You ask, "Who is Elaine? A relative? A church friends?" No, she is the computer layout person Ingram recommended to upload my book, Length of Days - The Age of Silence, cover and manuscript to their book distribution system. A neighbor? No . . . Jennifer lives ten miles away from me here in Huntington County and Elaine lives in Texas. So, my little notebook took the long way home.
I continue to be amazed by God’s goodness and faithfulness. The notes that were especially important from the pages of my little notebook, were the ISBN numbers I had assigned to two of my newest books, Smoke from Distant Fires and Hiawassee - Child of the Meadow. During my fogging-brained bout of flu a week or so ago, I had already mixed up the numbers with the Library of Congress. But, the Lord God knows me far better than I know myself. He was watching out after my hurried and harried days and selected two other people, twelve-hundred miles apart, to complete the body of Christ needed to keep all my details juggling in the air. Wow, what mighty God we have! When people are willing to help Him help the rest of us, little miracles happen all around us. Blessed be the name of the Lord! Let us pray:
"Father God, Lord of Heaven and earth, we bow before your lavish love. Holy is your name and the name of your son Jesus. May today be the day when I finally yield all to you, so that I may rest in your peace as do the angels in Heaven. You bless me with your fingerprints on my life every day but I am usually too busy to notice. Open my eyes that I may see . . . open my ears that I may hear . . . open my heart that I may love as you love. Forgive me for my elective blindness and self-imposed silence, when you cry out from the far hills, calling me to love. May this be the day when I say ‘yes’ to you. In the name of Jesus, your son and my savior, I pray. Amen"
Doris
"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine."Copyright 2014 Doris Gaines Rapp
Website: www.dorisgainesrapp.com
Saturday, I wanted a few boxes of remaining Girl Scout cookies. I placed my little notebook and purse on the cookie table in front of Huntington, Indiana’s Wal-Mart to pay for them. Then I went shopping - but wait - No, my grocery list, A.K.A. the little notebook, was missing.
Sunday afternoon, I opened my email to this message. "I think I have your notebook. We were at Wal-Mart today selling Girl Scout cookies. We discovered the book, but didn’t know who it belonged to. I called Elaine, whose number was in your book, and she gave me your web address. It looked to have some notes that you would really miss! If it’s your notebook, please call me!" - Jennifer
You ask, "Who is Elaine? A relative? A church friends?" No, she is the computer layout person Ingram recommended to upload my book, Length of Days - The Age of Silence, cover and manuscript to their book distribution system. A neighbor? No . . . Jennifer lives ten miles away from me here in Huntington County and Elaine lives in Texas. So, my little notebook took the long way home.
I continue to be amazed by God’s goodness and faithfulness. The notes that were especially important from the pages of my little notebook, were the ISBN numbers I had assigned to two of my newest books, Smoke from Distant Fires and Hiawassee - Child of the Meadow. During my fogging-brained bout of flu a week or so ago, I had already mixed up the numbers with the Library of Congress. But, the Lord God knows me far better than I know myself. He was watching out after my hurried and harried days and selected two other people, twelve-hundred miles apart, to complete the body of Christ needed to keep all my details juggling in the air. Wow, what mighty God we have! When people are willing to help Him help the rest of us, little miracles happen all around us. Blessed be the name of the Lord! Let us pray:
"Father God, Lord of Heaven and earth, we bow before your lavish love. Holy is your name and the name of your son Jesus. May today be the day when I finally yield all to you, so that I may rest in your peace as do the angels in Heaven. You bless me with your fingerprints on my life every day but I am usually too busy to notice. Open my eyes that I may see . . . open my ears that I may hear . . . open my heart that I may love as you love. Forgive me for my elective blindness and self-imposed silence, when you cry out from the far hills, calling me to love. May this be the day when I say ‘yes’ to you. In the name of Jesus, your son and my savior, I pray. Amen"
Doris
"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine."Copyright 2014 Doris Gaines Rapp
Website: www.dorisgainesrapp.com
Monday, March 17, 2014
And We Make Four
"Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues." 1 Corinthians 12: 27-28 (NIV)
I found a four leafed clover in our son’s farm yard in Muncie, IN a few years ago and another one here in Huntington, IN about a year ago. Someone asked if I look for them. No. While going about my day I see something in the grass that is different about the green that is under my feet. Today, on St. Patrick’s Day, I thought about the extra leaf on the clover.
It is said that St. Patrick taught the people of Ireland about the Holy Trinity by referring to the clover. He said that the three leaves represent the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Since I occasionally see a clover with a fourth leaf, it came to me, that the fourth may represent us, the body of Christ. The first three are the Spiritual aspects of God and the fourth is the connection to us, those upon the path home, serving as we go.
My question for St. Patrick’s Day: are we recognized in the grass among the other three leafed clover and single blades of grass? Are we really the hands and feet, the body of Christ, or are we lost in the maze of other, similar but different, green foliage? Let this be the day, three days before Spring - on St. Patrick’s Day - when we decide not to hide so deeply in the dirt that the glory of God, that shines through His earthly body, cannot be seen. Be bold in your radiance. The reflection of God cannot be hidden, unless we hide our light in the closet, or under a lowly toad stool. Blessed be the name of the Lord, whom we serve. Let us pray:
"Holy God, three-in-one, we bow before your Holy name. May this be the day when your kingdom draws close enough to take us inside its gates. Father God, we want to be your body here on earth. We long to be the fourth leaf on your stem. Forgive us when we have hidden in the tall grass, hoping to live obscure lives of quiet indecision. Fill us with your Holy presence, that the life you offer may flow through us and shine on those around us. In the name of Jesus, the Christ, I pray. Amen"
Doris
"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine." Copyright 2014 Doris Gaines Rapp
Website: www.dorisgainesrapp.com
I found a four leafed clover in our son’s farm yard in Muncie, IN a few years ago and another one here in Huntington, IN about a year ago. Someone asked if I look for them. No. While going about my day I see something in the grass that is different about the green that is under my feet. Today, on St. Patrick’s Day, I thought about the extra leaf on the clover.
It is said that St. Patrick taught the people of Ireland about the Holy Trinity by referring to the clover. He said that the three leaves represent the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Since I occasionally see a clover with a fourth leaf, it came to me, that the fourth may represent us, the body of Christ. The first three are the Spiritual aspects of God and the fourth is the connection to us, those upon the path home, serving as we go.
My question for St. Patrick’s Day: are we recognized in the grass among the other three leafed clover and single blades of grass? Are we really the hands and feet, the body of Christ, or are we lost in the maze of other, similar but different, green foliage? Let this be the day, three days before Spring - on St. Patrick’s Day - when we decide not to hide so deeply in the dirt that the glory of God, that shines through His earthly body, cannot be seen. Be bold in your radiance. The reflection of God cannot be hidden, unless we hide our light in the closet, or under a lowly toad stool. Blessed be the name of the Lord, whom we serve. Let us pray:
"Holy God, three-in-one, we bow before your Holy name. May this be the day when your kingdom draws close enough to take us inside its gates. Father God, we want to be your body here on earth. We long to be the fourth leaf on your stem. Forgive us when we have hidden in the tall grass, hoping to live obscure lives of quiet indecision. Fill us with your Holy presence, that the life you offer may flow through us and shine on those around us. In the name of Jesus, the Christ, I pray. Amen"
Doris
"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine." Copyright 2014 Doris Gaines Rapp
Website: www.dorisgainesrapp.com
Monday, March 10, 2014
Shut In and Lifted Up
He says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 41:10
Wow! How long have I been stuck in this house - coughing and sleeping and coughing some more? Well, however long it has been, it’s been long enough! I guess that restless means I’m getting better. Now that my head is clear and I can dwell on the good things of life around me, I can be still and know that He is my Lord God.
It is amazing how He carries us when we are too ill and fuzzy to know we are leaning on Him. When the fog cleared, I could raise my hand in praise to Him for all His love and care. I can continue to exalt him at home and among the nations where this prayer therapy blog is read every Monday. Even in illness, He is there. Praise to you, Lord God, for you are with me at all times. Let us pray:
"Holy Father, God of all the nations, I lift my hands in praise and exaltation to you. Only you are worthy of praise. May today be the day when I realize you are there - when I can feel your breath on my cheek and feel your hand on my shoulder. Forgive me when I walk ahead of you. It is the desire of my heart to walk with you, serving you each day. Holy, holy, holy the angels sang and continue to sing, for I have heard their songs. May I be humbled so that I can spread your word and not mine. In the name of your son and my savior, Jesus Chris,t I pray. Amen"
Doris
"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine."Copyright 2014 Doris Gaines Rapp
To follow Doris’ author posts and leave a message, go to http://dorisgainesrapp.blogspot.com
Wow! How long have I been stuck in this house - coughing and sleeping and coughing some more? Well, however long it has been, it’s been long enough! I guess that restless means I’m getting better. Now that my head is clear and I can dwell on the good things of life around me, I can be still and know that He is my Lord God.
It is amazing how He carries us when we are too ill and fuzzy to know we are leaning on Him. When the fog cleared, I could raise my hand in praise to Him for all His love and care. I can continue to exalt him at home and among the nations where this prayer therapy blog is read every Monday. Even in illness, He is there. Praise to you, Lord God, for you are with me at all times. Let us pray:
"Holy Father, God of all the nations, I lift my hands in praise and exaltation to you. Only you are worthy of praise. May today be the day when I realize you are there - when I can feel your breath on my cheek and feel your hand on my shoulder. Forgive me when I walk ahead of you. It is the desire of my heart to walk with you, serving you each day. Holy, holy, holy the angels sang and continue to sing, for I have heard their songs. May I be humbled so that I can spread your word and not mine. In the name of your son and my savior, Jesus Chris,t I pray. Amen"
Doris
"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine."Copyright 2014 Doris Gaines Rapp
To follow Doris’ author posts and leave a message, go to http://dorisgainesrapp.blogspot.com
Monday, March 3, 2014
Do Not Defame the Body of Christ
“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” Ephesians 1:15-16 (NIV)
“But, he is not MY GOD.” These are often the words we hear when there is a discussion of an interpretation of Jesus Christ.
This morning, I read posts and rebut-posts on Facebook about the new movie, “Son of God.” Honestly, I have not seen it, but plan to. The movie is not at the center of this Prayer Therapy devotional. My concern is the need for some to defame the body of Christ, to lift up their own “true and only” understanding of the Lord.
God speaks to each us, revealing himself within the context of our own lives. Each of us sees the Lord and experiences the Holy Spirit, from a unique perspective. Does that mean our small image of Christ is the full picture of the Lord? How arrogant can we be?
A particular movie or book may be just the words and images that someone needs. Does that mean, that vehicle on which the Lord rides into someone’s life is the only superhighway of the King? Give me a break. There is no way any one of us can experience all there is of Jesus. He is so much bigger than we are. An artful interpretation of scripture may not tick-off all the boxes on the scorecard we keep, but if it meets just one person’s need for Him, it is worth it.
Rather than defaming the author’s or producer’s efforts to bring Christ to damaged souls, try lifting up the good that is present. Thank the Lord that there are people, brave enough in our time in history, to introduce Jesus to others. Do not stop giving thanks for their courage and keep them daily in your prayers. Let us pray:
“Holy Father, Abba to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we bow in humility in your presence. May your truth flow into our souls so that we become enablers of your words and not defamers. Let this be the day when we lay aside all self-aggrandizement and acknowledge that you are so much bigger than any of our experiences of you. Forgive us when we fail to lift up those who have the courage to introduce you to a hurting and thirsty world. May thanksgiving for their courage always be in our hearts and prayers for their unique ministry always leave our lips. In the name of Jesus, who continues to seek the lost and wandering, I pray. Amen”
Doris
"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
Copyright 2014 Doris Gaines Rapp
Website: www.dorisgainesrapp.com
“But, he is not MY GOD.” These are often the words we hear when there is a discussion of an interpretation of Jesus Christ.
This morning, I read posts and rebut-posts on Facebook about the new movie, “Son of God.” Honestly, I have not seen it, but plan to. The movie is not at the center of this Prayer Therapy devotional. My concern is the need for some to defame the body of Christ, to lift up their own “true and only” understanding of the Lord.
God speaks to each us, revealing himself within the context of our own lives. Each of us sees the Lord and experiences the Holy Spirit, from a unique perspective. Does that mean our small image of Christ is the full picture of the Lord? How arrogant can we be?
A particular movie or book may be just the words and images that someone needs. Does that mean, that vehicle on which the Lord rides into someone’s life is the only superhighway of the King? Give me a break. There is no way any one of us can experience all there is of Jesus. He is so much bigger than we are. An artful interpretation of scripture may not tick-off all the boxes on the scorecard we keep, but if it meets just one person’s need for Him, it is worth it.
Rather than defaming the author’s or producer’s efforts to bring Christ to damaged souls, try lifting up the good that is present. Thank the Lord that there are people, brave enough in our time in history, to introduce Jesus to others. Do not stop giving thanks for their courage and keep them daily in your prayers. Let us pray:
“Holy Father, Abba to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we bow in humility in your presence. May your truth flow into our souls so that we become enablers of your words and not defamers. Let this be the day when we lay aside all self-aggrandizement and acknowledge that you are so much bigger than any of our experiences of you. Forgive us when we fail to lift up those who have the courage to introduce you to a hurting and thirsty world. May thanksgiving for their courage always be in our hearts and prayers for their unique ministry always leave our lips. In the name of Jesus, who continues to seek the lost and wandering, I pray. Amen”
Doris
"God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
Copyright 2014 Doris Gaines Rapp
Website: www.dorisgainesrapp.com
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