risks Archives - Growing Through God's Word

Are You Living Life to the Full?

Hebrews 12:1

Last week I talked about the book I am reading, Your God is Too Safe, by Mark Buchanan. I have taken it with me on my trip to Poland and hopefully will have finished it while travelling.

Little words in the Bible are very important. Words like – therefore, since, but, because, yet. Do you notice them?

Check this out:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1, NIV).

We are told that therefore, since … because we know what we know, and if we know what we know, we must throw off encumbrances that will impede our journey.

Mark talks about the characters in The Secret Garden (one of my favourite childhood books). Colin is an invalid; he does not go outside; he has been told that he will get sick if he does any exercise or get fresh air. Mary doesn’t believe that; she pushes, she prods, she yells but she gets Colin outside into the garden and the fresh air. She takes him from the safety of the dark dreary little room into the world.

Mary knew all along he [Colin] was made for life to the full (Your God is Too Safe, Mark Buchanan).

You can read The Secret Garden online following the link above. Here is a description of Colin when he first enters the garden.

He looked so strange and different because a pink glow of colour had actually crept all over him, ivory face and neck and hands and all.

And what does Colin say?

I shall get well! I shall get well! …I shall live forever and ever!

Isn’t that what happens when we meet Jesus?

Let us live life to the full. (tweet this)

Prayer:

Let us see the power in Jesus. Let us go where God leads us. May we have clear eyes to see where God is working and go there in the power of Jesus. In Jesus’ Name. AMEN.

Is Your God Too Safe?

Do you trust Him?

Can you follow Him?

We are still in Poland as of this date.

Please pray for us while we are gone that we will be His Light and shine for Jesus.

Please follow me on Twitter – Author Janis Cox, Facebook – Author Janis Cox and Pinterest – Author Janis Cox.

Janis Cox, a retired public school teacher and small business owner, found a new passion in writing in her retirement. A writer since 2003, Janis co-ordinates a group blog called Under the Cover of Prayer. She is also a contributor to a group blog called Family and Faith Matters.

Janis is the author of the award winning children’s book, Tadeo Turtle, published by Word Alive Press. She is the author and watercolour illustrator. For more information visit Janis on her website He Cares for You. She is a member of The Word Guild and Inscribe Writers Fellowship.

Am I Straining at the Oars? (underthecoverofprayer.wordpress.com)
How To Learn to Pray through the Scriptures (underthecoverofprayer.wordpress.com)
Is Your Spiritual Life Overgrown? (familyandfaithmatters.wordpress.com)

Are You Avoiding the World?

by Janis Cox

One of my mission trips to Poland – 2011 – with Czarek and a fellow missionary.

By the time you are reading this my husband and I should be in Warsaw, Poland. We are heading there as tourists for ten days. I have travelled to Poland as a missionary four times with International Messengers. This trip is a holiday and my husband is coming with me. We hope to meet some of the people I have met before in Poland.

I have been reading Mark Buchanan’s book, Your God is Too Safe. I am on Chapter 11. This statement struck me today:

If anything, an ethic that sends us out into the world, with all its dangers, toils, and snares, makes us more prayerful and prepared (Your God is Too Safe, Mark Buchanan).

In his book, Mark talks about risks. Jesus tells us to go into the world NOT to avoid it. Some take the quote, “not of this world” to mean that we can sit back and avoid the world all together. Mark challenges us that we are not following Christ by avoiding the world. We can be in this world, living with God in us. God is with us. We are not alone.

But we need not avoid the world. Once again – awareness – he says:

we are called to live with new eyes, grace-healed eyes … seeing every moment.

Our lives are not to be ones of the least involvement but instead:

we’re to enter the marketplace looking for ways to bring God’s Kingdom, light, healing into it.

Come – to Jesus

Go – into the world

We will be praying every step of the way for awareness of what God wants us to see and do.

Prayer:

As we travel from our comfort zone please keep us close to You. Help us to see the world through Your eyes. Help us to be Your hands and feet. Praying in Jesus’ name. AMEN.

Please pray for us while we are gone that we will be His Light and shine for Jesus.

Please follow me on Twitter – Author Janis Cox, Facebook – Author Janis Cox and Pinterest – Author Janis Cox.