lisaepperson.com

Sharing the life-changing love of Christ

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Posted on January 1, 2014 by lisaepperson2013

H- Hoping in our Lord Jesus Christ!

A- Acknowledging His Goodness in our lives!

P- Praising His Glorious Name!

P- Praying for His Will to be accomplished!

Y- Yeshua is the ONLY Way!

N- Needs are met through His Amazing Grace!

E- Every good gift comes from above!

W- Washed in His Atoning and Cleansing Blood!

Y- Yearning for His Return!

E- Eternal Life is a promise from our Heavenly Father!

A- Ask and you will receive!

R- Repentance leads to salvation!

2013 was a year of healing, restoring and refocusing for our family. We are so grateful for the blessings God gave to us and for His peace in our lives. I look forward with great anticipation as to what the Lord will show us and where He will lead us.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blogs this year. I have deeply enjoyed the process of journalling, studying and passing on the nuggets I have learned. I very much appreciate your feedback and pray that the messages that have been shared have blessed you. I wish you a year of deep intimacy with our Lord Jesus Christ. And may His Will be accomplished here on Earth in and through your lives, as it is in Heaven.

Love God and love others,

Lisa

Gleanings from Psalm 119

Posted on December 29, 2013 by lisaepperson2013

This morning I was doing a bible lesson on Psalm 119. It’s a very long chapter so I was assigned to break down just the first 88 verses! LOL! Anyway, from all the things I gleaned from that passage, the most significant to me was this…. Obedience is all about the heart. It’s not about checking things off your ‘religious list’ or your ‘good deeds lists.’ No, God wants a loving and personal relationship with each of us. He wants to spend time with us. He wants our heart more than anything. He loves us so much. And when I trust Him to know what’s best for me, I wholeheartedly obey. (Often though, my pride, selfishness or disbelief gets in the way!) Here are just a few of the observations I jotted down in my journal from Psalm 119…..

May I add that my trust or understanding in the Lord’s love for me is only possible by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit through Christ. I can’t know God the Father apart from the saving power of His Son, Jesus Christ.

The more I embrace His loving grace, the more I want to seek His face!

So, how do I sum up Psalm 119:1-88? In a nutshell, “LEARNING, LOVING AND LIVING OUT GOD’S WORD!”

God Rejoices Over Us with Singing

Posted on November 4, 2013 by lisaepperson2013

This morning, I caught a news clip about a You Tube video that recently went viral. It’s a video of a baby girl tearfully responding to the calming sound of her mother’s singing. It is so touching. I then started thinking about how God sings over us with love. I”m thankful that God doesn’t sing over us ‘heartbreak songs,’ as the video shows, but songs of love, grace and hope!

In my search for this Bible verse, I came across a devotion so beautifully written by Randy Alcorn. I couldn’t have expressed it any better with my own words.

So, here is Randy’s blog entitled, “God Rejoices Over Us with Singing.’ It is my honor to share it with you all.

http://www.epm.org/blog/2007/Jun/30/god-rejoices-over-us-with-singing

And here is the YouTube video that sparked my search this morning. If you have not yet seen it, enjoy. But grab a box of tissues first.

Compelled by Love

Posted on October 22, 2013 by lisaepperson2013

Have you ever had one of those days, that you are so overwhelmed by compassion that you have no other choice but to act upon it- sometimes in the most outrageous ways? You know it’s the Holy Spirit living out through you. You are compelled by the love of God! There’s no other explanation for such behavior!

I’ve had experiences where I just started weeping uncontrollably over someone. “Where did that come from?” And just recently, I was sitting in church next to a sweet, older Asian women who was no more than 4 foot 8 inches tall. The whole service, I just felt ‘compelled’ to give her a hug! I was feeling a bit awkward because that particular Sunday, we didn’t do our regular ‘meet and greet your neighbor’ thing. But I knew the Lord wanted me to express compassion and love to her. So, during one of the concluding worship songs of the service, I just reached over and put my arm around her. When it was time to leave, she leaned over and said, “Thank you for showing such kindness to me!” I didn’t know her and I certainly didn’t know what she was going through. But I was so happy I was obedient and did what God had asked me to do- even though it seemed a bit ‘out there.’ (Not everyone appreciates a hug, you know!)

Or take today. I was shopping for some new autumn decorations in a specialty shop and I saw the most gorgeous painting of a cardinal. Well, you may or may not have read my “I Praise You’ poem that mentions the cardinal (I reposted it below in case you missed it), but today I just felt ‘compelled’ to read it out loud to those lady workers right there in the store! I did ask if they wanted to hear it- as if they’re going to say no, right? And I did purchase the painting so they could listen to my poem! Ha ha! Anyway, the poem is about praising God through all things- more than it is a poem about a cardinal. But it felt amazing to shine a little of heaven into that store. And the lady that was ringing me up quietly thanked me for sharing it. “I’m a Christian, too,” she said. We then further discussed church and other things. You just never know where conversations can lead to when you let the Spirit flow out of you!

But I kindly ask one thing of you…. please don’t run the other way when you see me coming. I don’t always feel compelled to hug! But if you need a hug, I will be more than happy to give you one!

‘For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.’ (2 Cor 5:14-15)

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)

My Favorite Nickname

Posted on May 31, 2013 by lisaepperson2013

I’ve had many nicknames over my lifetime. My maiden name is McCrady, so I’ve been referred to as Lisa Mac, Little Mac, (my brother was Big Mac!), and McCrazy Legs (something to do with my sloppy gymnastics, I’m sure!). But my favorite, and most endearing nickname, that only my husband is allowed to call me, is (his) ‘rib.’ (Hey, maybe I should be called ‘McRib!’ Now, that’s funny!)

‘Rib’ might sound like a very strange nickname, but if you are familiar with the Genesis two chapter story of how and why God created a woman for Adam, it makes perfect sense!

Genesis 2:19-24:

‘The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.’

The marriage union between one man and one woman was created by God, not man. And while our culture may attempt to redefine its definition, God’s Word will not change what God has already established at the time of Creation.

I love this quote by Matthew Henry, a Christian writer in the early 1700’s:

‘Eve was not taken out of Adam’s head to top him, neither out of his feet to be trampled on by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected by him, and near his heart to be loved by him.’

God knew what he was doing when he put a man and woman together. The two sexes compliment each other and marriage is a beautiful picture of Christ and His Bride, the Church. Earthly marriage is never perfect, and at times, it can be the hardest thing to make work! But this relationship is a context in which we learn and live out the virtues of love, forgiveness and the fruit of the Spirit.

I Corinthians 13:4-7

‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.’

Galatians 5:22:

‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.’

I am thankful I have a life partner to take on challenges together. Often, my husband and I pick each other up and ‘watch each other’s back’ when we need a defender or helper. Here’s a simple and whimsical case in point…

Each and every Monday morning, I hear the garbage trucks zoom by and yell in full panic (still in my pj’s, I might add), “Shoot, I forgot to put the trash cans out again!” Then Mike calmly gives me the “I got it” smile.

Yes, in this household, two heads are better than one- especially when someone is married to a scatter-brain like me!

Ecclesiasties 4:9:

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”

Holy Bootcamp, Robin!

Posted on May 6, 2013 by lisaepperson2013

I believe every blogger probably begins with a burning in their soul to share with the world something that is precious to them. What compels our souls to speak out? So much so, that we know if we don’t, the rocks will shout out? Well, I know what it is for me….

In 20-plus years of knowing my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I have stood upon tall mountaintops and have crawled through dark valleys. But in the past five or so years of my walk, complacency began taking a toll on me. I believe God put me through a month-long spiritual bootcamp recently to get me back into proper shape. He needed to bring me to a deeper trust in Him so I could battle through any future life terrain with more strength, endurance and dependence on Him. This ‘bootcamp’ period had followed a long and painful season of trials and emotional fallout. And what preceded that time, was a season of loneliness. I spiraled downward. My marriage was struggling, as well as my relationships with my kids, neighbors and others. I was just discouraged and angry all the time. I was plain lost. I think I actually forgot where I was going. But it didn’t happen all at once. See, once Satan got my eyes off Jesus, my Hiking Guide, just long enough, I started experiencing spiritual vertigo. I couldn’t make sense of direction anymore. My new comfort was hiding my head under my backpack, hoping I could just sit there for awhile…..

Reality set in regarding how off course I really was. It was time to get face to face with the depth of my lostness. And how could I deal with this, while at the same time, I was seeing the fearful holiness of God peaking out behind that mountain? It was almost too much to bear. I wanted to run. But where would I go? I wanted Jesus. But I didn’t know if I could trust that He’d still be there to lead me. I was the one who left Him. I know what you’re thinking…. “Why did you doubt God’s character? He’s forgiving. Why wouldn’t He accept you back this time?” Believe me, I asked myself those questions many times! I had told thousands of people over the years of God’s amazing grace through Jesus Christ. Would He not extend it to me once again, as well? But my hang-up was not really with God. It was with me. I felt hypocritical and I had to trust that His love for me was still more than my own depravity. I didn’t doubt my eternal salvation in Him, but could I really ever get back to where I was before I got lost?

This is where the character of God blows me away. See, I do think God needed me to go to the edge of that mountain just to get a peak at my lostness on that big mountain. Not so I would fall, but to see things the way He saw them. I do know, as scary as it was, God was gripping me tight. And I promise you, I was clinging to Him with all my might! I hated what I saw in my inner being. I hated how I stopped trusting His leadership in my life and willingly turned and went my own way. But all I could do at this point was trust that greater was He that was in me than the sin that so easily entangled me! He knew my heart. He knew my sin, whether in thought or deed. He knew my desperation to get right with Him again. I just had to trust Him.

God knows how I struggle! I am not under any delusion about the ‘potential’ of my sinful nature. God keeps me in check every day about that. No, He doesn’t throw it in my face. It’s just that now I better understand the depth of His Amazing Grace and how absolutely necessary it is for me to never lose sight of my Heavenly Guide!

One more important step I needed to take was to put down my burdensome backpack that was filled with expectations, bitterness, trials and disappointment. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, ‘Come to me, all of you who are tired and are carrying heavy loads. I will give you rest.Become my servants and learn from me. I am gentle and free of pride. You will find rest for your souls. Serving me is easy, and my load is light.’ The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 4:31, ^‘Get rid of all hard feelings, anger and rage. Stop all fighting and lying. Put away every form of hatred. ³²Be kind and tender to one another. Forgive each other, just as God forgave you because of what Christ has done.’

I will end by saying that God did not bring me back to that place I was before my trials set in. No, He launched me up that mountain to a better place than I could ever imagine! God proved that no matter how big my downfall seems to be, He is always BIGGER!!! ‘You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done…’ (Genesis 50:20)

I am so incredibly thankful that He loved me enough to forgive me and refresh me with a bottle of Living Water at that point of spiritual dehydration. So it’s time to climb some more…but in His strength and power, not mine!

^‘I can do all this through him who gives me strength.’ (Philippians 4:13)

‘Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.’ (Ephesians 3:20-21)