Abbie Coffey

Luke 5:31 Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." Jesus' response as to why he was eating with "sinners" reiterates his true purpose on earth.  The Pharisees, based out of their own misunderstanding of what the Savior was sent to do, completely missed Jesus' purpose.  The Pharisees, one, did not see a need to be saved because they did not view themselves as sinners as they were perfect observers of the law, and two, they were expecting the Savior to come as an earthly king.  Both of these thoughts caused them to miss the Savior altogether.  Even today, we can get caught in the trap of thinking we are doing pretty well and begin working on our own "health".  These actions cloud our view and we lose sight of the reason for Jesus.  We are sinners and it is His job to save us AND make us fit for heaven.  We can also get lost in our culture of plenty and desire for domination.  We want Jesus to be a king of earth...

James 3:17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. For some reason this spoke to me as a leadership statement.  I suppose because I've been back at work this week, I am focused on my role as a leader.  Wisdom from heaven is what I desire as a leader.  When we are sharing with others and leading them through crucial moments in life, sometimes our tendency is to become the "been there, done that" type of personality.  However, God's wisdom is never condescending toward us.  This hits me personally.  Sometimes I think God must look down on me and my idiocracy and think, "Seriously, Abbie?  Again, we are having this same conversation?"  But God is never exasperated with me (even if I am exasperated with myself).  He is full of mercy and seeks to give me peace.  He doesn't compare me with others.  He loves me and leads m...

Luke 11:9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." This verse comes after the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray and He gives them the Lord's Prayer.  After he says the prayer, he follows it with the parable of the friend in need of bread, which I find interesting.  The friend needing bread will get it, as Jesus says, because of his persistence.  I don't think Jesus was encouraging us to be squeaky wheels in prayer.  I believe Jesus' point in telling the parable on the heels of the Lord's Prayer is that he was simply encouraging the disciples to continually talk to God, no fanciness needed.  In all things by prayer and supplication… We need to be active participants in prayer throughout our day, having little conversations with God as we go.  Prayer is not meant to only be a set time to sit down and talk to God.  We don't need to have the perfect prayer formula either...

2 Corinthians 6:10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. I just really like these words from Paul.  They speak to my soul.  The gain from living life in Resurrection is exactly these words.  The heart may be sad, but the deep joy of Christ is always the still water within.  Making many rich is the gift of Kingdom wealth.  In Kingdom wealth, we are heirs with Jesus.  There is also richness in the relationship Jesus has with God. We can be in communion with God in the same way Jesus was on Earth because of Jesus.  He paid the debt and therefore we are reconnected with God in the way He intended at the very start of all things in the Garden.  Therein is the true richness.  The last little bit is my absolute favorite.  Having nothing, surrendering all.  A resurrection relationship with Jesus Christ is the very definition of having nothing, yet possessing everything....

Ephesians 5:17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. I have been disappointed with my summer.  I had so many plans and none of them came to fruition.  Then, looking forward to the coming year, I was feeling a bit disappointed about that too.  I was trying to understand the will of God in my current circumstances, but I just seemed to be stuck.  Then it hit me.  I have been making all of my life about me.  That is why I have been living in disappointment.  My life is not about me.  My life is Jesus.  God is working out His perfect will in my life to impact others.  My self-pity and disappointment is all related to what I want.  In reality, I want what God wants and I have become foolish enough to lose sight of that.  It's time to recalibrate and get my eyes fixated on Jesus and the Spirit's work in and through my life.  My current circumstances are affecting others for Christ.  It's not...

1 Kings 8:22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven and said: Pray for those who are brought to mind today… When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the Lord, he rose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven. -1 Kings 8:54

1 Kings 8:22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven and said: Pray for the world-wide church...