Hebrews 4:15-16 NKJV
15) For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as were are, yet without sin.
16) Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
NLT
15) This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same temptations we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it.
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Jesus is my High Priest. Jesus is my mediator. (1 Timothy 2:5). In Jesus and through faith in Him I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Ephesians 3:12). Jesus is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that I ask, or think, according to the power that works in me (Ephesians 3:20).
I can, by the mercies of God, present my body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is my reasonable service and not be conformed to this world but be transformed by choosing to renew my mind and then be able to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:1-2).
Today, Father, I just want to come to You and thank You for Jesus! Thank You, Jesus, that You gave it all for me, that You endured all that You did for me and that through that and Your drawing me to Yourself I do not have to go to anyone other than You for forgiveness, for grace and mercy because You are my High Priest, the One who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Thank You that because of You Jesus, I have salvation and the opportunity for an intimate relationship with God. Forgive me for so often taking You and this incredible relationship for granted. Thank You for interceding for me, Jesus. For leaving Your Holy Spirit to live within me. Forgive me for grieving and quenching Him with my attitude, therefore sin in my life. May I chose to come to You to obtain mercy and find grace to help me in my time of need. May I also chose to come boldly, not in my own strength, but bolding in the truth of Your finished work on the cross and Your love for me. Thank You, Jesus for being able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that I ask or think according to Your power that works in me. Me! May I submit. May I present my body, my mind, my spirit, my will to You moment by moment. Truly after all You have done for me and continue to do this is reasonable! May I be willing and when I am unwilling may You change my heart and my thinking. Help me to not get sucked into the traps of this world and not conform but be transformed through the renewing of my mind. As You know, Jesus, this is the area where I struggle the most, in my mind. Change my mind, renew my mind, transform my mind into the Mind of Christ...I know I already have been given Your mind (1 Corinthians 3:16b), so help me to live like it... Forgive me for the impatience I exhibit in wanting to be more like You and thus forfeiting being like You in the very want to by my impatience and my own will. Help me to be able to 'prove' or live that which is good and acceptable and Your will instead of taking off so often in my own strength and spending so much time analyzing rather than obeying. Jesus help me to trust You and that Your Word is true for me. Forgive me for my unbelief and my doubt, may I grow in Your ways. Help me to learn to be content where You have me and to face head on what You have for me. May I be thankful for this season of wait, of the unknown and know that it is not unknown to You and that in Your time You will reveal what You have for me. Thank You for Your Word...most specifically today I thank You for Your 'throne of grace' and that I can obtain mercy and find grace to help me - I need only come to You.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Thursday, November 6, 2014
The Battle of WAIT
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
1) To everything there is a season, A time from every purpose under heaven:
2) A time to be born. And a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted;
3) A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to break down. And a time to build up;
4) A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5) A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones A time to embrace, and a time to refrain
from embracing.
6) A time to gain, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
7) A time to tear, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8) A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of war, and a time of peace.
I have been thinking a lot about seasons and purpose and I must admit that some seasons are easier to walk through than others. I have mentioned this before and it seems to be a constant refrain for me, but I am in a season called, WAIT.
WAIT: STAY (PUT), REMAIN, REST, STOP, HALT, PAUSE, LINGER.
I find that I am not a very good 'wait-er.' To be. I am struggling here greatly. I am recognizing that I am and have been a do-er not a be-er or a wait-er. Now to be a do-er is not wrong as long as I am doing according to what God is leading and doing it with all my strength for Him.
God is reminding me that my job is to 'know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor -- it is the gift of God.' (Ecclesiastes 3:12-13)
I am not content where I am and I am struggling with thankfulness, though I have much to be thankful for. I do not know what God is trying to teach me other than TRUST IN HIM and WAIT ON HIM. I need to be thankful, I want to be thankful but deep inside I hurt and I wonder and therefore I am not very thankful, not really. I compare myself to what I have been and where and I find that while knowing I should not do this I do it and this then breed discontent and a struggle to wait. I know the answers and I know the should(s) but I am having a hard time applying them.
Psalm 25:4-5
4) Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths.
5) Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.
Psalm 32:8, I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.
Psalm 119:133, Guide my steps by Your Word, so I will not be overcome by any evil.
John 8:32, And you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free.
I want to be set free and I want to walk on His path for me and yet I say that and I do not like this path He has me on right now... just saying. I want more. I feel like Solomon as he struggled through the question of what matters and what is meaningless. God is making me face all those things that I pushed aside to get married and raise my kids and now I am back to me...who I am and what is my purpose. I am just being honest with you about the struggle and is it a struggle that just seems to keep going on and on.
So is studying Ecclesiastes I have found that I must set my mind to rejoicing - to being thankful...moment by moment and even for the 'wait' maybe even especially for the wait. I don't understand it, I don't like it and I worry about what others think as well; however still I must wait. This is my battle and this is my season.
Father God, I need Your forgiveness for the lack of thankfulness in my heart. You have so blessed me and yet rather than be thankful and rejoice in You I dwell on the struggle, forgive me. Change my heart and bring about lasting change in my attitude. I understand that You want me to wait, that You want me to be; however truthfully I do not understand what it needs to look like and therefore this is the agony. Give me eyes to see You and ears to hear. You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom (Ps. 51:6). Make me hear joy and gladness again. (Ps. 51:8) Lord, please create in me a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Ps. 51:10). God, change my mind and the way that I think. May I submit to You and rest in You. I know that I am making 'this' so hard and yet I do not know how to be any other way. Please God show me Your truth and set me free. Forgive me for giving in to the cares of this world and worrying over things that You have already handled. Help me to give up all ideas of 'control' and be willing to really truly know You and Your peace, joy and hope in my daily life. I am sorry that I can't seem to learn what You are teaching me and I thank You for Your faithfulness to never ever give up on me. Show me Your ways in the moment by moment and give me Your strength to obey.
1) To everything there is a season, A time from every purpose under heaven:
2) A time to be born. And a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted;
3) A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to break down. And a time to build up;
4) A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5) A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones A time to embrace, and a time to refrain
from embracing.
6) A time to gain, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
7) A time to tear, and a time to sew; A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8) A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of war, and a time of peace.
I have been thinking a lot about seasons and purpose and I must admit that some seasons are easier to walk through than others. I have mentioned this before and it seems to be a constant refrain for me, but I am in a season called, WAIT.
WAIT: STAY (PUT), REMAIN, REST, STOP, HALT, PAUSE, LINGER.
I find that I am not a very good 'wait-er.' To be. I am struggling here greatly. I am recognizing that I am and have been a do-er not a be-er or a wait-er. Now to be a do-er is not wrong as long as I am doing according to what God is leading and doing it with all my strength for Him.
God is reminding me that my job is to 'know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor -- it is the gift of God.' (Ecclesiastes 3:12-13)
I am not content where I am and I am struggling with thankfulness, though I have much to be thankful for. I do not know what God is trying to teach me other than TRUST IN HIM and WAIT ON HIM. I need to be thankful, I want to be thankful but deep inside I hurt and I wonder and therefore I am not very thankful, not really. I compare myself to what I have been and where and I find that while knowing I should not do this I do it and this then breed discontent and a struggle to wait. I know the answers and I know the should(s) but I am having a hard time applying them.
Psalm 25:4-5
4) Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths.
5) Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.
Psalm 32:8, I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.
Psalm 119:133, Guide my steps by Your Word, so I will not be overcome by any evil.
John 8:32, And you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free.
I want to be set free and I want to walk on His path for me and yet I say that and I do not like this path He has me on right now... just saying. I want more. I feel like Solomon as he struggled through the question of what matters and what is meaningless. God is making me face all those things that I pushed aside to get married and raise my kids and now I am back to me...who I am and what is my purpose. I am just being honest with you about the struggle and is it a struggle that just seems to keep going on and on.
So is studying Ecclesiastes I have found that I must set my mind to rejoicing - to being thankful...moment by moment and even for the 'wait' maybe even especially for the wait. I don't understand it, I don't like it and I worry about what others think as well; however still I must wait. This is my battle and this is my season.
Father God, I need Your forgiveness for the lack of thankfulness in my heart. You have so blessed me and yet rather than be thankful and rejoice in You I dwell on the struggle, forgive me. Change my heart and bring about lasting change in my attitude. I understand that You want me to wait, that You want me to be; however truthfully I do not understand what it needs to look like and therefore this is the agony. Give me eyes to see You and ears to hear. You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom (Ps. 51:6). Make me hear joy and gladness again. (Ps. 51:8) Lord, please create in me a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Ps. 51:10). God, change my mind and the way that I think. May I submit to You and rest in You. I know that I am making 'this' so hard and yet I do not know how to be any other way. Please God show me Your truth and set me free. Forgive me for giving in to the cares of this world and worrying over things that You have already handled. Help me to give up all ideas of 'control' and be willing to really truly know You and Your peace, joy and hope in my daily life. I am sorry that I can't seem to learn what You are teaching me and I thank You for Your faithfulness to never ever give up on me. Show me Your ways in the moment by moment and give me Your strength to obey.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Lord, help me to follow along...
The line to a song jumped out at me the other day..."You are gonna move, how You are gonna move today, help me to follow along."
Absolutely! Exactly! God is at work and I want to join Him in His work not try to make my own work. Much easier said than done, I know, trust me.
Psalm 25:4-5, "Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me. For You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day."
LORD: SHOW ME...TEACH ME...LEAD ME..TEACH ME...I WAIT.
YOUR WAYS...YOUR PATHS...YOUR TRUTH...YOU ARE GOD...MY SALVATION...ON YOU...ALL THE DAY!
I so want to be shown His ways, taught His paths and to be lead in His truth - He is the God of my salvation and I will wait on Him. Father, while I want to be shown Your ways, increase my 'want-er', please. Help me to truly be teachable and to learn Your Word so that I can be lead in Your truth. I praise You that You are the God, the LORD and master of my salvation! I declare that I will wait on You all the day - and I ask that when I forget to wait or I try to take control once again (I know myself;) that You, Father with get my attention and again show me Your ways, teach me Your paths, lead me in Your truth and make me teachable.
Psalm 143:8, "Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You."
Father, I know the ability to hear Your lovingkindness comes from You so I ask that You would cause me to be able to hear loud and clear. Please remove from my mind the typical distractions that I fight with and enable me to trust You, fully trust You. Cause, make it so, me to know the way in which I should walk...for I do lift my soul up to You. Cleanse me and purify me, make me whole and give me ears to hear. I thank You for the promise of Your Word and Your ability to keep Your promises.
I think about the word lovingkindness. A compound word of two words, loving and kindness. It is mind blowing really to think about. God's love is beyond loving and it is kind as well and His kindness is beyond kind it is loving as well! Am I the only one who is consistently blown away by the fact that God is always above and beyond in EVERYTHING??? And by the mere fact that He allows me to experience Him personally...to have an intimate relationship where He is enabling me to know Him! He is so good!!! Isn't He!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Psalm 32:8, "I will instruct You and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye."
Isaiah 30:21, "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left."
Isaiah 58:11, "The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones, you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail."
John 16:13, "When He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come."
John 14:8, "Jesus said, 'I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'"
John 8:32, "You shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Look at the Truth of His Word...
He takes the responsibility to instruct me and lead me where I should go. The LORD Who Sees knows where to guide me - all the time.
He says my ears will hear a word behind me telling me which way to walk. He will straighten out my paths when I go to the right or the left.
He promises to guide me CONTINUALLY and beyond that to satisfy my soul and strengthen my bones. When I am in drought (when I feel like I cannot go on) He will satisfy my soul (not necessarily change my circumstances), strengthen my bones to the point that I am like a watered garden and even more a spring whose waters never fail! Think about that! He renews me from the inside out until I am bubbling over like a never-ending spring! Oh, God, I so want the truth of this in my life! Forgive me for relying on me, not listening to You and not allowing You to satisfy my soul because I am too focused on trying to hear!!! You do not say that I have to work hard to hear but that You will allow me to hear!!!
Thank You for Your Holy Spirit who lives inside of me! Thank You that He will guide me into all Truth! Thank You for revealing Yourself to me as the Way, the Truth and the Life so that I can have a personal, intimate relationship with You! Help me to know Your Truth and be set free! Give me ears to hear (Matthew 11:15). I do pray that I will be obedient and walk in Your ways. I know You are at work, help me to join You where You are and not worry about the rest. I praise You and thank You for Your plans and Your purposes for me. You know every detail and You are fully in control. Increase my trust, Father, in the dailyness of my life. May I quietly wait on Your salvation, Your direction for my days and be still and know that You are my God. I declare that You are who You say You are and that what You say about me is true! I am loved. I am accepted. I am forgiven. Thank You for Your faithfulness, that is Great! I praise You because You alone are worthy to be praised. May I praise You with my actions as well as my Words. Use me, however You chose...
Absolutely! Exactly! God is at work and I want to join Him in His work not try to make my own work. Much easier said than done, I know, trust me.
Psalm 25:4-5, "Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me. For You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day."
LORD: SHOW ME...TEACH ME...LEAD ME..TEACH ME...I WAIT.
YOUR WAYS...YOUR PATHS...YOUR TRUTH...YOU ARE GOD...MY SALVATION...ON YOU...ALL THE DAY!
I so want to be shown His ways, taught His paths and to be lead in His truth - He is the God of my salvation and I will wait on Him. Father, while I want to be shown Your ways, increase my 'want-er', please. Help me to truly be teachable and to learn Your Word so that I can be lead in Your truth. I praise You that You are the God, the LORD and master of my salvation! I declare that I will wait on You all the day - and I ask that when I forget to wait or I try to take control once again (I know myself;) that You, Father with get my attention and again show me Your ways, teach me Your paths, lead me in Your truth and make me teachable.
Psalm 143:8, "Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You."
Father, I know the ability to hear Your lovingkindness comes from You so I ask that You would cause me to be able to hear loud and clear. Please remove from my mind the typical distractions that I fight with and enable me to trust You, fully trust You. Cause, make it so, me to know the way in which I should walk...for I do lift my soul up to You. Cleanse me and purify me, make me whole and give me ears to hear. I thank You for the promise of Your Word and Your ability to keep Your promises.
I think about the word lovingkindness. A compound word of two words, loving and kindness. It is mind blowing really to think about. God's love is beyond loving and it is kind as well and His kindness is beyond kind it is loving as well! Am I the only one who is consistently blown away by the fact that God is always above and beyond in EVERYTHING??? And by the mere fact that He allows me to experience Him personally...to have an intimate relationship where He is enabling me to know Him! He is so good!!! Isn't He!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Psalm 32:8, "I will instruct You and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye."
Isaiah 30:21, "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left."
Isaiah 58:11, "The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones, you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail."
John 16:13, "When He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come."
John 14:8, "Jesus said, 'I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'"
John 8:32, "You shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Look at the Truth of His Word...
He takes the responsibility to instruct me and lead me where I should go. The LORD Who Sees knows where to guide me - all the time.
He says my ears will hear a word behind me telling me which way to walk. He will straighten out my paths when I go to the right or the left.
He promises to guide me CONTINUALLY and beyond that to satisfy my soul and strengthen my bones. When I am in drought (when I feel like I cannot go on) He will satisfy my soul (not necessarily change my circumstances), strengthen my bones to the point that I am like a watered garden and even more a spring whose waters never fail! Think about that! He renews me from the inside out until I am bubbling over like a never-ending spring! Oh, God, I so want the truth of this in my life! Forgive me for relying on me, not listening to You and not allowing You to satisfy my soul because I am too focused on trying to hear!!! You do not say that I have to work hard to hear but that You will allow me to hear!!!
Thank You for Your Holy Spirit who lives inside of me! Thank You that He will guide me into all Truth! Thank You for revealing Yourself to me as the Way, the Truth and the Life so that I can have a personal, intimate relationship with You! Help me to know Your Truth and be set free! Give me ears to hear (Matthew 11:15). I do pray that I will be obedient and walk in Your ways. I know You are at work, help me to join You where You are and not worry about the rest. I praise You and thank You for Your plans and Your purposes for me. You know every detail and You are fully in control. Increase my trust, Father, in the dailyness of my life. May I quietly wait on Your salvation, Your direction for my days and be still and know that You are my God. I declare that You are who You say You are and that what You say about me is true! I am loved. I am accepted. I am forgiven. Thank You for Your faithfulness, that is Great! I praise You because You alone are worthy to be praised. May I praise You with my actions as well as my Words. Use me, however You chose...
Friday, October 24, 2014
"Epiphany"
Epiphany - a moment of sudden revelation or insight
What a great word! I have had such a moment...the epiphanies that I experience however while sudden in their revelation have come often after months or even years of agonizing. I am in such a place today. God is so good to continually work and reveal to me what it is I need.
Yesterday, at the advice of a friend I watch a documentary and throughout this viewing, God revealed Himself to me as well as revealing myself to me. I sat through it and realized at one point that I am normal. Really??? My emotions, my feelings and my need to express them or the fact that I am at times overwhelmed by them simply means I am human and I am normal. I know, you probably know this already and while I do not know how you think, I know that I often try to hold myself to a standard of perfection (completely understanding that I am not perfect I still expect it) and I spend a whole lot of time beating myself up for things such as sadness, hurt or a mistake that I have made. I would not begin to expect you to not be sad or hurt or to not make mistakes but I do expect myself to just get over things or not be moved by them so when I am I would often be devastated by these feelings.
Okay here is one example. All three of my kids actually moved away this year - at the same time. I have been a stay-at-home mom and homeschool mom most of their growing up years. Now, while I am excited for them, while I know it is what God has for them, I have fought the emotions that this change of season has brought for me. I felt like I needed to just be happy, and while I have felt relieved over some of the change in my responsibilities I have not truly allowed myself to feel the emotions of sadness or the fact that I am overwhelmed with where all the time has gone, what is my purpose now, etc. Make any sense at all? I have instead analyzed myself, berated myself and focused on myself for other things avoiding the true reason for my emotion and in so doing made myself worse than if I would just take the time to be honest with myself and take it to the Lord. Why I do this is rooted in some coping mechanisms that I have spent years 'perfecting' and honestly they have failed me more than once!
Why? Because I have been asking God for years to change me from the inside out and to do this He must reveal to me all the things that I have been relying on rather than Him.
Here is another piece of hard, crusty clay He chipped off yesterday and is continuing to work on today (and beyond I am sure) - self-reliance or control. He revealed to me that I have been sitting and souring in sin. The sins of fear and anxiety, of self-reliance, of false expectations and beyond... Allowing sadness (for many reasons not just the one listed above) to become sin because I am sitting and soaking in it rather than casting it upon God and leaving it there. Oh, I am casting all right, but I continually find that I pick it back up - therefore; apparently I have some trust issues, huh? Yep, I do.
God has graciously revealed to me where I have once again bought the enemy's subtle lies and allowed them to become part of the fabric of my days. While I have 'depressive' tendencies and the label of ADHD this is not who I am. I had begun to believe it was. Foolishness, I know and boy, does it make me mad to realize how I have fallen for the tricks once again. The thing is I realize it again and I will not stay here in this place because God has revealed it and He will give me the strength to walk from it. Everything else is simply an excuse. I am really good at making excuses. Thankfully, God knows the truth and He does not accept my excuses and He knows that truly I want to be delivered and changed!
As I realized yesterday some of the sin that I had allowed myself to sit in, today God has shown me how to specifically stay away from it - to fight against it. I am not messed up or broken any more than anyone else is (I am simply human) and the fact is I AM REDEEMED and this is where I need to live and breathe!
In the book "The Grace of God" by Andy Stanley, he has been teaching on Rahab and her choices. The way she was able to walk away from her labels (In the book of Joshua). It is a process, a journey. I am on the same journey she was on, and I need to continually walk away from who I was before Christ and walk in the truth of who I am in Christ. The enemy does not want this. He wants to trap me in my 'stinking' thinking and make me believe that I am nothing, that I am not who God says I am.
Andy Stanley suggests this prayer as a way to continually renew our minds and recognize the truth of God in our lives daily... "Heavenly Father, I believe that Your grace is more powerful than my label. I believe that Christ died to pay the penalty for the sin my label represents. I believe You are offering me a new label. FORGIVEN. ACCEPTED. LOVED. Today I declare that what You say about me is true. I am forgiven. I am accepted. I am loved. Teach me to live my life in accordance with who You say I am. Amen."
Slowly, but surely God is changing me! Each epiphany gets me just that much further along in this Journey His Way. Truly, I want to walk it His way. I must admit. I must submit. I must commit.
Join me please...His Journey is the best journey!
Father God, I have said so much today already, but I find I still have words in me ;) Thank You for getting my attention and for releasing this burden and restoring my hope. Thank You that You love me so much that You are unwilling to leave me at anytime for any reason no matter how hard I push or how much I fight. Thank You for softening my heart and opening my eyes. May I walk in the truth of Your Word...that You forgive me, You accept me and You love me!!! God, I cannot say thank You enough. Please God continue to change my thinking and please continue to get my attention when I stray from Your truth. Thank You for Your provision. Your sufficiency. Thank You for You.
What a great word! I have had such a moment...the epiphanies that I experience however while sudden in their revelation have come often after months or even years of agonizing. I am in such a place today. God is so good to continually work and reveal to me what it is I need.
Yesterday, at the advice of a friend I watch a documentary and throughout this viewing, God revealed Himself to me as well as revealing myself to me. I sat through it and realized at one point that I am normal. Really??? My emotions, my feelings and my need to express them or the fact that I am at times overwhelmed by them simply means I am human and I am normal. I know, you probably know this already and while I do not know how you think, I know that I often try to hold myself to a standard of perfection (completely understanding that I am not perfect I still expect it) and I spend a whole lot of time beating myself up for things such as sadness, hurt or a mistake that I have made. I would not begin to expect you to not be sad or hurt or to not make mistakes but I do expect myself to just get over things or not be moved by them so when I am I would often be devastated by these feelings.
Okay here is one example. All three of my kids actually moved away this year - at the same time. I have been a stay-at-home mom and homeschool mom most of their growing up years. Now, while I am excited for them, while I know it is what God has for them, I have fought the emotions that this change of season has brought for me. I felt like I needed to just be happy, and while I have felt relieved over some of the change in my responsibilities I have not truly allowed myself to feel the emotions of sadness or the fact that I am overwhelmed with where all the time has gone, what is my purpose now, etc. Make any sense at all? I have instead analyzed myself, berated myself and focused on myself for other things avoiding the true reason for my emotion and in so doing made myself worse than if I would just take the time to be honest with myself and take it to the Lord. Why I do this is rooted in some coping mechanisms that I have spent years 'perfecting' and honestly they have failed me more than once!
Why? Because I have been asking God for years to change me from the inside out and to do this He must reveal to me all the things that I have been relying on rather than Him.
Here is another piece of hard, crusty clay He chipped off yesterday and is continuing to work on today (and beyond I am sure) - self-reliance or control. He revealed to me that I have been sitting and souring in sin. The sins of fear and anxiety, of self-reliance, of false expectations and beyond... Allowing sadness (for many reasons not just the one listed above) to become sin because I am sitting and soaking in it rather than casting it upon God and leaving it there. Oh, I am casting all right, but I continually find that I pick it back up - therefore; apparently I have some trust issues, huh? Yep, I do.
God has graciously revealed to me where I have once again bought the enemy's subtle lies and allowed them to become part of the fabric of my days. While I have 'depressive' tendencies and the label of ADHD this is not who I am. I had begun to believe it was. Foolishness, I know and boy, does it make me mad to realize how I have fallen for the tricks once again. The thing is I realize it again and I will not stay here in this place because God has revealed it and He will give me the strength to walk from it. Everything else is simply an excuse. I am really good at making excuses. Thankfully, God knows the truth and He does not accept my excuses and He knows that truly I want to be delivered and changed!
As I realized yesterday some of the sin that I had allowed myself to sit in, today God has shown me how to specifically stay away from it - to fight against it. I am not messed up or broken any more than anyone else is (I am simply human) and the fact is I AM REDEEMED and this is where I need to live and breathe!
In the book "The Grace of God" by Andy Stanley, he has been teaching on Rahab and her choices. The way she was able to walk away from her labels (In the book of Joshua). It is a process, a journey. I am on the same journey she was on, and I need to continually walk away from who I was before Christ and walk in the truth of who I am in Christ. The enemy does not want this. He wants to trap me in my 'stinking' thinking and make me believe that I am nothing, that I am not who God says I am.
Andy Stanley suggests this prayer as a way to continually renew our minds and recognize the truth of God in our lives daily... "Heavenly Father, I believe that Your grace is more powerful than my label. I believe that Christ died to pay the penalty for the sin my label represents. I believe You are offering me a new label. FORGIVEN. ACCEPTED. LOVED. Today I declare that what You say about me is true. I am forgiven. I am accepted. I am loved. Teach me to live my life in accordance with who You say I am. Amen."
Slowly, but surely God is changing me! Each epiphany gets me just that much further along in this Journey His Way. Truly, I want to walk it His way. I must admit. I must submit. I must commit.
Join me please...His Journey is the best journey!
Father God, I have said so much today already, but I find I still have words in me ;) Thank You for getting my attention and for releasing this burden and restoring my hope. Thank You that You love me so much that You are unwilling to leave me at anytime for any reason no matter how hard I push or how much I fight. Thank You for softening my heart and opening my eyes. May I walk in the truth of Your Word...that You forgive me, You accept me and You love me!!! God, I cannot say thank You enough. Please God continue to change my thinking and please continue to get my attention when I stray from Your truth. Thank You for Your provision. Your sufficiency. Thank You for You.
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Becoming Steadfast in Faith..
A statement 'hit' me this morning in "Jesus Calling" for October 22, "Start talking with Me about whatever is on your mind. Rejoice in the fact that I understand you perfectly, and I know exactly what you are experiencing."
Have you experienced this? I have and when I do it is glorious! Just talking with God and having the assurance that He knows me and He gets me. I wish I had this experience all of the time, I do not. In fact, more often than not I am wondering if He really gets me then why am I experiencing what I am experiencing? But, when I go to Him and ask Him those questions ultimately He gets through to me. Sometimes it takes longer than other times, it all depends upon my willingness to listen. Usually I would rather talk or only want to hear what I want to hear. Do you ever have this experience?
Recently in listening to a few Andy Stanley sermons from his "Twisted" series, I learned that though we often ask why, the answer is found in the general knowledge that the world is broken by sin and thus we are decaying from the moment we are born so difficulties come, disease is a part of this world, etc. In fact the why is not often answered specifically for us but often generally as being just part of this corrupt and evil world that we live in where the enemy is in charge but will ultimately lose. He also pointed out that any answers we receive as to why are often emotionally unsatisfying - I find this to often be true. My focus needs to be on Christ not on the whys.
The fact is this earth is not my home. His Word tells me in 1 Peter 5:9-11, "Resist him (Satan, the father of this world), steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever."
All I know is that God can handle my questions, my pain, my joys, my hope, my doubt, my failings, in fact, He knows them better than I do myself. I am thankful that He gives me His strength to come to Him. He allows me to talk it all over with Him and if I will listen He has much to say. The hardest part for me is in the waiting for Him to say what it is that He wants me to know. I find that I want, as in most relationships, instant feedback and I prefer that someone agree with me :-/ so in my relationship with the Lord I am often the same way. He knows this, He made me after all; however He is also patient with me and willing to continually bring me around to the point that I am willing to listen, to truly listen. And remind me that ultimately, in heaven all will be perfect!
I cannot resist the enemy without the Lord's strength, nor be steadfast in faith. He is in me and He is consistently providing what I need if I am willing to receive it from Him! Why would I not want to receive it from Him? Sin. Straight up sin. I mean I call it attitude. I call it fear and anxiety. I call it fighting for what is right. I call 'it' many things, but it is sin in my life when I try to exist in my own strength and give in to the sufferings of this life rather than recognize that this suffering is to perfect, establish, strengthen and settle me and most importantly to bring Him glory. His grace is about relationship with me, not rules to follow. The 'rules' are there to protect me and remind me that I am already in relationship with Him not that I must earn that relationship.
I don't know, Lord, I have so much running through my mind that I am not sure that it makes sense to anyone but You. Thank You that I can talk to You about anything, the good, the bad, the ugly and You will listen with compassion and understanding and beyond that You will help. Whether it be to bring conviction and change my thinking or with assurance that You understand and You love me, period. God, You are so good to me. I do want to rejoice in You and I know that You even go so far as to provide that want to. Forgive me for being so changeable. At one point I am fussing and railing and yet if I am bringing it to You then You are faithful, in Your timing, not mine, to bring me around to rejoicing and thankfulness. Help me to continue to bring my questions, my hurts, my hopes etc. to You...may I do my part and chose to trust You for each detail and yet even in this You provide my ability to trust. Thank You, Father. Thank You that You have a purpose behind, in and through all that touches my life and that You are not bothered, confused or stressed by any of it. Forgive me for giving in more often to my feelings than standing in faith upon the Truth of Your Word and Who You Are. Thank You, Jesus for making a way for me to have a relationship with my Father. Help me to learn to be steadfast in faith. God, forgive me for more often falling to the temptation to isolate and quit than to persevere and trust in You. Again, You tell me to wait, to be still...God forgive me for being so frustrated with that answer and for constantly trying to figure out what I am waiting for rather than simply obeying. I mean I know I am to wait for You to rescue me and to direct me but most of the time I forget I know it and begin to compare myself to what I 'used to do' or 'used to be' or what You have others doing instead of being confident that You have me and You are not late. Transform me from the inside out, Lord. May I truly be willing to change my thinking particularly about myself. Forgive me for getting stuck there so many times. May You have Your way in me and may I learn this lesson that You are trying to teach me...
Have you experienced this? I have and when I do it is glorious! Just talking with God and having the assurance that He knows me and He gets me. I wish I had this experience all of the time, I do not. In fact, more often than not I am wondering if He really gets me then why am I experiencing what I am experiencing? But, when I go to Him and ask Him those questions ultimately He gets through to me. Sometimes it takes longer than other times, it all depends upon my willingness to listen. Usually I would rather talk or only want to hear what I want to hear. Do you ever have this experience?
Recently in listening to a few Andy Stanley sermons from his "Twisted" series, I learned that though we often ask why, the answer is found in the general knowledge that the world is broken by sin and thus we are decaying from the moment we are born so difficulties come, disease is a part of this world, etc. In fact the why is not often answered specifically for us but often generally as being just part of this corrupt and evil world that we live in where the enemy is in charge but will ultimately lose. He also pointed out that any answers we receive as to why are often emotionally unsatisfying - I find this to often be true. My focus needs to be on Christ not on the whys.
The fact is this earth is not my home. His Word tells me in 1 Peter 5:9-11, "Resist him (Satan, the father of this world), steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever."
All I know is that God can handle my questions, my pain, my joys, my hope, my doubt, my failings, in fact, He knows them better than I do myself. I am thankful that He gives me His strength to come to Him. He allows me to talk it all over with Him and if I will listen He has much to say. The hardest part for me is in the waiting for Him to say what it is that He wants me to know. I find that I want, as in most relationships, instant feedback and I prefer that someone agree with me :-/ so in my relationship with the Lord I am often the same way. He knows this, He made me after all; however He is also patient with me and willing to continually bring me around to the point that I am willing to listen, to truly listen. And remind me that ultimately, in heaven all will be perfect!
I cannot resist the enemy without the Lord's strength, nor be steadfast in faith. He is in me and He is consistently providing what I need if I am willing to receive it from Him! Why would I not want to receive it from Him? Sin. Straight up sin. I mean I call it attitude. I call it fear and anxiety. I call it fighting for what is right. I call 'it' many things, but it is sin in my life when I try to exist in my own strength and give in to the sufferings of this life rather than recognize that this suffering is to perfect, establish, strengthen and settle me and most importantly to bring Him glory. His grace is about relationship with me, not rules to follow. The 'rules' are there to protect me and remind me that I am already in relationship with Him not that I must earn that relationship.
I don't know, Lord, I have so much running through my mind that I am not sure that it makes sense to anyone but You. Thank You that I can talk to You about anything, the good, the bad, the ugly and You will listen with compassion and understanding and beyond that You will help. Whether it be to bring conviction and change my thinking or with assurance that You understand and You love me, period. God, You are so good to me. I do want to rejoice in You and I know that You even go so far as to provide that want to. Forgive me for being so changeable. At one point I am fussing and railing and yet if I am bringing it to You then You are faithful, in Your timing, not mine, to bring me around to rejoicing and thankfulness. Help me to continue to bring my questions, my hurts, my hopes etc. to You...may I do my part and chose to trust You for each detail and yet even in this You provide my ability to trust. Thank You, Father. Thank You that You have a purpose behind, in and through all that touches my life and that You are not bothered, confused or stressed by any of it. Forgive me for giving in more often to my feelings than standing in faith upon the Truth of Your Word and Who You Are. Thank You, Jesus for making a way for me to have a relationship with my Father. Help me to learn to be steadfast in faith. God, forgive me for more often falling to the temptation to isolate and quit than to persevere and trust in You. Again, You tell me to wait, to be still...God forgive me for being so frustrated with that answer and for constantly trying to figure out what I am waiting for rather than simply obeying. I mean I know I am to wait for You to rescue me and to direct me but most of the time I forget I know it and begin to compare myself to what I 'used to do' or 'used to be' or what You have others doing instead of being confident that You have me and You are not late. Transform me from the inside out, Lord. May I truly be willing to change my thinking particularly about myself. Forgive me for getting stuck there so many times. May You have Your way in me and may I learn this lesson that You are trying to teach me...
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
A battle for contentment
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
9) He (Jesus) said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10) Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
GRACE - God's unmerited favor; receiving what we do not deserve; to be in favor or find favor.
Weakness, check. Infirmities (physical or mental weaknesses), check. Take pleasure in my weaknesses, uh, no check. Take pleasure in reproaches, needs, persecutions, distresses for Christ's sake, uh, again, no check. Hmmm. This is a cause for pondering for me. I seem to be all about saying "Oh, yes, God I am weak, please take my weaknesses and make me strong with Your strength." But when it comes to taking 'pleasure' in my weaknesses etc... I am far from the mark.
I do not know about you but I find myself often angry and frustrated with myself because of my weaknesses and distresses. Now I know it says for Christ's sake and in thinking about it other than times when perhaps I am being deliberately disobedient wouldn't my life and all that it entails be for Christ's sake, as I am Christ's? So I am convicted this morning. I do not take pleasure or enjoyment out of anything that I consider negative, which is where I would have always placed the words and therefore the experiences of infirmities, reproaches, needs, persecutions, and distresses. Honestly, have I really wanted or do I want to be strong with the power of Christ? I would have said a quick and unqualified, 'Of course!' and yet when I look at these verses perhaps not. Well, definitely not, at least not on a regular basis.
How much have I and do I want the power of Christ to rest on me? Have I or do I want to experience His sufficient grace by acknowledging my weaknesses. Wait, I think I acknowledge my weaknesses it is the fact that I don't move on to His sufficiency that is the problem. Most often I still lean on my own understanding and my own strength. I fight to be strong rather than recognize that I am weak. I fight to be healthy rather than to recognize my infirmities. I fight to not be needy but to meet the needs of others. And on and on. I am wrong. I am disobedient. I am missing out on His sufficiency. I have experienced His grace over and over and His sufficiency in my salvation, but often in the throes of daily living it seems I am missing out mainly because of my lack of obedience.
Going along with this is, Philippians 4:11b , "For I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content." Content - a state of satisfaction, of peaceful happiness, pleased. Uh, again, no I am not content. I am often too worried about my weaknesses, what others think, my distresses, my needs, etc.
Father God, forgive me for wanting to experience Your sufficient grace, but not being willing, not truly willing to obey You when it comes to being content where You have me, to being okay with my weakness in that they are a platform for Your strength and Your power to be revealed for Your sake and for Your glory. I mean sometimes I am maybe but mostly I am just really wanting to be strong, to not be needy or have distress or experience these other things that thus far I have seen as a negative. Change my heart and my attitude, Lord. May I be thankful and glad that through my weakness You can reveal Yourself. Show me what You want from me and help me to get my eyes off of myself and onto You. I am not pleased, most often I am down on myself and frustrated and I am tired of it, but I need You to change me and help me to do my part. I am most often weary and unthankful. I find that to get through each day is a chore rather than a blessing from You and I am in need of Your strength to be renewed and to be restored. I know that I do not have to rejoice in the actual weaknesses, but rather rejoice in You and the fact that You will work through them; however I do need to be thankful that I am weak. I am struggling, here as I have said, Father. I am not thankful to be weak I am still fighting and trying to figure out what You want from me and You continually say 'Be still and know that I am God' and 'wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord'. I am struggling with both of these. Forgive me and help me to submit. I am struggling with thankfulness and contentment and yet I do not know what else to do other than to come to You and be honest about it. You know it and I trust that You are at work and You want me to let go of this striving. I get it, intellectually, but emotionally and practically I find myself right back in this same battle. Please God, have Your way. Please God, soften my heart. Please God, allow me to hear Your voice and obey and let all the rest go. I pray that You can You these ramblings for Your glory and to benefit someone else. Protect them from anything that I could say or do that would be confusing and draw them to Yourself.
9) He (Jesus) said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10) Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
GRACE - God's unmerited favor; receiving what we do not deserve; to be in favor or find favor.
Weakness, check. Infirmities (physical or mental weaknesses), check. Take pleasure in my weaknesses, uh, no check. Take pleasure in reproaches, needs, persecutions, distresses for Christ's sake, uh, again, no check. Hmmm. This is a cause for pondering for me. I seem to be all about saying "Oh, yes, God I am weak, please take my weaknesses and make me strong with Your strength." But when it comes to taking 'pleasure' in my weaknesses etc... I am far from the mark.
I do not know about you but I find myself often angry and frustrated with myself because of my weaknesses and distresses. Now I know it says for Christ's sake and in thinking about it other than times when perhaps I am being deliberately disobedient wouldn't my life and all that it entails be for Christ's sake, as I am Christ's? So I am convicted this morning. I do not take pleasure or enjoyment out of anything that I consider negative, which is where I would have always placed the words and therefore the experiences of infirmities, reproaches, needs, persecutions, and distresses. Honestly, have I really wanted or do I want to be strong with the power of Christ? I would have said a quick and unqualified, 'Of course!' and yet when I look at these verses perhaps not. Well, definitely not, at least not on a regular basis.
How much have I and do I want the power of Christ to rest on me? Have I or do I want to experience His sufficient grace by acknowledging my weaknesses. Wait, I think I acknowledge my weaknesses it is the fact that I don't move on to His sufficiency that is the problem. Most often I still lean on my own understanding and my own strength. I fight to be strong rather than recognize that I am weak. I fight to be healthy rather than to recognize my infirmities. I fight to not be needy but to meet the needs of others. And on and on. I am wrong. I am disobedient. I am missing out on His sufficiency. I have experienced His grace over and over and His sufficiency in my salvation, but often in the throes of daily living it seems I am missing out mainly because of my lack of obedience.
Going along with this is, Philippians 4:11b , "For I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content." Content - a state of satisfaction, of peaceful happiness, pleased. Uh, again, no I am not content. I am often too worried about my weaknesses, what others think, my distresses, my needs, etc.
Father God, forgive me for wanting to experience Your sufficient grace, but not being willing, not truly willing to obey You when it comes to being content where You have me, to being okay with my weakness in that they are a platform for Your strength and Your power to be revealed for Your sake and for Your glory. I mean sometimes I am maybe but mostly I am just really wanting to be strong, to not be needy or have distress or experience these other things that thus far I have seen as a negative. Change my heart and my attitude, Lord. May I be thankful and glad that through my weakness You can reveal Yourself. Show me what You want from me and help me to get my eyes off of myself and onto You. I am not pleased, most often I am down on myself and frustrated and I am tired of it, but I need You to change me and help me to do my part. I am most often weary and unthankful. I find that to get through each day is a chore rather than a blessing from You and I am in need of Your strength to be renewed and to be restored. I know that I do not have to rejoice in the actual weaknesses, but rather rejoice in You and the fact that You will work through them; however I do need to be thankful that I am weak. I am struggling, here as I have said, Father. I am not thankful to be weak I am still fighting and trying to figure out what You want from me and You continually say 'Be still and know that I am God' and 'wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord'. I am struggling with both of these. Forgive me and help me to submit. I am struggling with thankfulness and contentment and yet I do not know what else to do other than to come to You and be honest about it. You know it and I trust that You are at work and You want me to let go of this striving. I get it, intellectually, but emotionally and practically I find myself right back in this same battle. Please God, have Your way. Please God, soften my heart. Please God, allow me to hear Your voice and obey and let all the rest go. I pray that You can You these ramblings for Your glory and to benefit someone else. Protect them from anything that I could say or do that would be confusing and draw them to Yourself.
Friday, October 10, 2014
Abundance of peace
In this Journey His Way, I am being required to "Be still and know that He is God, that He will be exalted, Psalm 46:10." I am being required to apply Lamentations 3:26, "It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD." Throughout this journey, in particular since August 2013, I have learned just how poorly I am at waiting and specifically waiting quietly. ;-/ As of yet I have not learned what I need to because this is what my Father is still requiring of me.
In looking back at a verse that Mark and I have held dear for our entire 23 years of marriage, Psalm 37:4, I have realized the need to look once again at this verse and the passage in which it is contained.
Psalm 37:3-7a, 11
3) Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on HIs faithfulness.
4) Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.
5) Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.
6) He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.
7) Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him...
11) But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
So I have read this passage many times as I am sure you have and often I focus on verse 4 because that is what I want, the desires of my heart. I mean I am just being honest. I would attempt to or strive to delight in the Lord but my main goal was to get what I want. How immature and man, was I missing out on a lot the Lord has for me.
Look at what is required of me besides just delighting in the Lord (who provides even the ability for me to be able to delight in Him, by the way). Trust - to have confidence in. First and foremost I must trust or have confidence in the LORD, that He is Who He says He is, that He is good, that He is faithful, that He is forgiving, that He extends grace to me, mercy too and on and on. Then out of that trust comes a willingness, a want to, do good. Not just do anything that comes along but to do good. And to me to do good means that I am doing what God has called me to do which is often not what I would expect.
In my case right now (and all the time really), that is to wait patiently and quietly for God to do what He wants. Oh this is so hard for me, because my whole life has been built upon doing not on being. I have talked about being often enough, if you know me at all, but I have yet to learn how to really be...as in be still and know that He is God and be quiet while He works. I mean I am a good helper, He has made me that way!!! But the fact is He does not want or need my help, He wants me to be obedient, period and sometimes that means He allows me to help, but only at His lead is it truly good. So hard, I mean I am obedient at times and then all of the sudden I find myself trying to help in my own strength, you know how it is...trying to give someone I love advice over what they should do because after all I can see it clearly - bosh!!!! I can't even see clearly what I am supposed to do much less what someone else is to do! It often seems I would just rather 'help' them than do what I am supposed to.
Verse 3b says "dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness". That sounds lovely doesn't it? Why do I spend so much time fighting Him then? Because I want my own way; however when I deliberately chose to trust in Him and do good, recognize (dwell) in His presence and feed on who He is then each of these actions become easier to choose and I receive the desires of my heart - which through this process have become the desires He would have for my heart! I do not know about you but I am WAY thankful that this process is necessary because too often I really do not 'want' the desires of my heart - my heart is sinful and what I want is often not best! Thank God that He protects me from myself in His Grace. Also the desires of our heart are not really things but more of Him in our lives!
More... verse 5 says "Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass." Commitment takes ongoing action as does trust, again hanging out with Him, in His Word, gives us the ability to do our part. He always does His! He shall bring it to pass - a life of trust, commitment, fulfilled desires, the ability to feed on His faithfulness, knowing that He will handle our enemy and allow us to shine for Him. We are limited in this because we live in a fallen, sinful world, but we can know it in part and more than we realize.
Here we go... "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him." In his commentary on Psalm 37, Warren Wiersbe says, "The verb rest, means 'be silent, be still.' It describes calm surrender to the Lord (Psalm 62:5, My soul wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.) Unless we learn to wait silently before God, we will never experience His peace." I SO WANT THIS PEACE!!! I find that I have it momentarily, but I am much better at 'helping and talking' than I am at waiting and resting! I am growing and for that I am thankful, but the word patience is also a pretty big issue =} I am very impatient. I just am, no excuse, but a great opportunity for God to work!
Lastly, look at verse 11, "But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Wiersbe also says "'Meekness' does not mean 'weakness.' It means force under the control of faith." Defined meek means: poor, humble, afflicted, lowly. I think it means being aware that I am and have nothing without Christ, that I am a sinner that is saved by grace and I need to remember this when I want to fight for myself instead of wait for the Lord to fight for me and give me the abundance of peace that I so want. At least I say that I so want it, but in all honesty I must want to fight my own battles more and therefore abundant peace is often missing from the dailyness of my life!
Well, LORD, as my LORD AND MASTER, MY SAVIOR, I need You to teach me to trust You, really, and what to do good really looks like, how to dwell in You and feed on Your faithfulness. I want to find delight in You and have my desires be Your very own. Help me to continually commit my ways to You and again trust You. To know that You are at work for my good and that You will defend me, cause me to be Your light and exhibit Your righteousness. Father God, may I truly learn to rest in You more often than I rely on myself. Remind me to wait and in so doing help me to be obedient to wait patiently. "Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips," Psalm 141:3. Especially in my home, Lord. May I stop being so arrogant to think that I know what is best for others and may I learn to look to You for myself and be obedient. Forgive me for being self-righteous and full of pride, for being impatient and trying to control the timing of events myself instead of waiting for You to do Your work. Thank You Holy Spirit for how evident You are. May I not grieve You or quench You. Have Your way in me and help me to be meek and to delight myself in Your abundant peace.
In looking back at a verse that Mark and I have held dear for our entire 23 years of marriage, Psalm 37:4, I have realized the need to look once again at this verse and the passage in which it is contained.
Psalm 37:3-7a, 11
3) Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on HIs faithfulness.
4) Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.
5) Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.
6) He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.
7) Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him...
11) But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
So I have read this passage many times as I am sure you have and often I focus on verse 4 because that is what I want, the desires of my heart. I mean I am just being honest. I would attempt to or strive to delight in the Lord but my main goal was to get what I want. How immature and man, was I missing out on a lot the Lord has for me.
Look at what is required of me besides just delighting in the Lord (who provides even the ability for me to be able to delight in Him, by the way). Trust - to have confidence in. First and foremost I must trust or have confidence in the LORD, that He is Who He says He is, that He is good, that He is faithful, that He is forgiving, that He extends grace to me, mercy too and on and on. Then out of that trust comes a willingness, a want to, do good. Not just do anything that comes along but to do good. And to me to do good means that I am doing what God has called me to do which is often not what I would expect.
In my case right now (and all the time really), that is to wait patiently and quietly for God to do what He wants. Oh this is so hard for me, because my whole life has been built upon doing not on being. I have talked about being often enough, if you know me at all, but I have yet to learn how to really be...as in be still and know that He is God and be quiet while He works. I mean I am a good helper, He has made me that way!!! But the fact is He does not want or need my help, He wants me to be obedient, period and sometimes that means He allows me to help, but only at His lead is it truly good. So hard, I mean I am obedient at times and then all of the sudden I find myself trying to help in my own strength, you know how it is...trying to give someone I love advice over what they should do because after all I can see it clearly - bosh!!!! I can't even see clearly what I am supposed to do much less what someone else is to do! It often seems I would just rather 'help' them than do what I am supposed to.
Verse 3b says "dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness". That sounds lovely doesn't it? Why do I spend so much time fighting Him then? Because I want my own way; however when I deliberately chose to trust in Him and do good, recognize (dwell) in His presence and feed on who He is then each of these actions become easier to choose and I receive the desires of my heart - which through this process have become the desires He would have for my heart! I do not know about you but I am WAY thankful that this process is necessary because too often I really do not 'want' the desires of my heart - my heart is sinful and what I want is often not best! Thank God that He protects me from myself in His Grace. Also the desires of our heart are not really things but more of Him in our lives!
More... verse 5 says "Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass." Commitment takes ongoing action as does trust, again hanging out with Him, in His Word, gives us the ability to do our part. He always does His! He shall bring it to pass - a life of trust, commitment, fulfilled desires, the ability to feed on His faithfulness, knowing that He will handle our enemy and allow us to shine for Him. We are limited in this because we live in a fallen, sinful world, but we can know it in part and more than we realize.
Here we go... "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him." In his commentary on Psalm 37, Warren Wiersbe says, "The verb rest, means 'be silent, be still.' It describes calm surrender to the Lord (Psalm 62:5, My soul wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.) Unless we learn to wait silently before God, we will never experience His peace." I SO WANT THIS PEACE!!! I find that I have it momentarily, but I am much better at 'helping and talking' than I am at waiting and resting! I am growing and for that I am thankful, but the word patience is also a pretty big issue =} I am very impatient. I just am, no excuse, but a great opportunity for God to work!
Lastly, look at verse 11, "But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Wiersbe also says "'Meekness' does not mean 'weakness.' It means force under the control of faith." Defined meek means: poor, humble, afflicted, lowly. I think it means being aware that I am and have nothing without Christ, that I am a sinner that is saved by grace and I need to remember this when I want to fight for myself instead of wait for the Lord to fight for me and give me the abundance of peace that I so want. At least I say that I so want it, but in all honesty I must want to fight my own battles more and therefore abundant peace is often missing from the dailyness of my life!
Well, LORD, as my LORD AND MASTER, MY SAVIOR, I need You to teach me to trust You, really, and what to do good really looks like, how to dwell in You and feed on Your faithfulness. I want to find delight in You and have my desires be Your very own. Help me to continually commit my ways to You and again trust You. To know that You are at work for my good and that You will defend me, cause me to be Your light and exhibit Your righteousness. Father God, may I truly learn to rest in You more often than I rely on myself. Remind me to wait and in so doing help me to be obedient to wait patiently. "Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips," Psalm 141:3. Especially in my home, Lord. May I stop being so arrogant to think that I know what is best for others and may I learn to look to You for myself and be obedient. Forgive me for being self-righteous and full of pride, for being impatient and trying to control the timing of events myself instead of waiting for You to do Your work. Thank You Holy Spirit for how evident You are. May I not grieve You or quench You. Have Your way in me and help me to be meek and to delight myself in Your abundant peace.
Monday, September 29, 2014
My Portion, My Hope
Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope. Because of the LORD's great love I am not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, "the LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him". The LORD is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him. It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. Lamentations 3:21-26 NIV
I have said this many times before but I love words. Look at some of the words of these verses with me. Yet.. call... mind... therefore... hope... love (KJV says mercies) ... compassions... new... faithfulness... portion... wait... good... seeks... wait... quietly... salvation... LORD!
Go back and look at some of the phrases... call to mind... therefore I have hope... because of...the LORD's great love...I am not consumed... His compassions never fail... new every morning... Great is YOUR faithfulness... the LORD is my portion... therefore will wait for HIm... The LORD is good... hope is in Him... one who seeks Him... it is good to wait quietly... for the salvation of the LORD.
His Word says it all, huh?!
I am given several jobs in this passage... and for me this is good news because I am always wanting to do something to help...or at least it seems helpful in my mind ;)) Call to mind... what? ... And if I do I get to have hope.... what? THE LORD'S GREAT LOVE!!! Call it to mind, Tammy and you will not be consumed. Consumed by what? Well for me it is consumed by myself, by worry or wondering should I have or should I? etc. For you it might be something different.
So what am I to do first? Call to mind God's great love (FOR ME!) and realize that I will not be consumed whether I 'deserve' to be or not. Wait, what do I mean? Whether I have fallen into the same sin trap again or whether it is just because of my own human weakness... I am not consumed (by sin, by my past, by my flesh, by my current weaknesses) but by His love. WHY??? Because His COMPASSIONS NEVER FAIL!!!
Mind boggling ... but certainly true and where I can get hope! He loves me and He has compassion on me all the time. He, unlike me, never tires or never gives up or in. I praise You God! You are truly amazing and I am thankful for You!
The word/phrase that is jumping out at me today is "The LORD is my portion".
My LORD, my MASTER, my SAVIOR, my BOSS is my portion. Portion? What does that mean exactly?
Looking at my favorite commentator, Warren Wiersbe, he says, "If the Lord is 'our portion' (Psalm 73:26 - My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever); Ps. 142:5 - I cried out to You, O LORD; I said, 'You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living.'"), then we are strengthened by that which cannot be used up or destroyed. God is our eternal source of strength, hope, and blessing (Ps. 46:1 - GOD is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.) Our circumstances change, and so do our feelings about them, but God is always good, loving, merciful, and kind, and He never changes. 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever' (Hebrews 13:8). To build life on that which is always changing is to invite constant unrest and disappointment, but to build on the changeless and the eternal is to have peace and confidence."
So it isn't IF the Lord is my portion, it is THE LORD IS MY PORTION! There is a huge difference in this. I have all I need in Him to have hope and here is the kicker...to wait and not only that but to WAIT QUIETLY! For what? The salvation of the LORD. This is not referring to the eternal salvation of my soul, but to my everyday life and 'salvation' or rescue or help... Oh my... again such a challenge for me, but He is my portion and I can obey when I allow Him to give me the strength to do so! I am so thankful that He does what is right and good despite what I may or may not do or feel!!!
Father God, I thank You that You are my portion and that You allow me to call to mind Your love/mercies, Your faithfulness, Your goodness and that through this recalling You allow me to have hope. Hope not in my own self or my own strength which fails every time and often, but hope in You that You will work, and that You are in charge! I have so much to be grateful for, LORD. Forgive me for often being anything but quiet and not being willing to even be quiet much less wait for You to work. Thank You that You are working anyway! Thank You that You never change! Thank You that You will never ever give up on me! What a great and mighty God You are! Thank You for allowing me to have relationship with You, Father, through Your wonderful Son, Jesus! May You have Your way and when I get in the way may I listen to Your gentle reminders and repent, move and be quiet and wait! Thank You again for what You are doing in me and for me!!! I love You...May I love You more with each passing day!
I have said this many times before but I love words. Look at some of the words of these verses with me. Yet.. call... mind... therefore... hope... love (KJV says mercies) ... compassions... new... faithfulness... portion... wait... good... seeks... wait... quietly... salvation... LORD!
Go back and look at some of the phrases... call to mind... therefore I have hope... because of...the LORD's great love...I am not consumed... His compassions never fail... new every morning... Great is YOUR faithfulness... the LORD is my portion... therefore will wait for HIm... The LORD is good... hope is in Him... one who seeks Him... it is good to wait quietly... for the salvation of the LORD.
His Word says it all, huh?!
I am given several jobs in this passage... and for me this is good news because I am always wanting to do something to help...or at least it seems helpful in my mind ;)) Call to mind... what? ... And if I do I get to have hope.... what? THE LORD'S GREAT LOVE!!! Call it to mind, Tammy and you will not be consumed. Consumed by what? Well for me it is consumed by myself, by worry or wondering should I have or should I? etc. For you it might be something different.
So what am I to do first? Call to mind God's great love (FOR ME!) and realize that I will not be consumed whether I 'deserve' to be or not. Wait, what do I mean? Whether I have fallen into the same sin trap again or whether it is just because of my own human weakness... I am not consumed (by sin, by my past, by my flesh, by my current weaknesses) but by His love. WHY??? Because His COMPASSIONS NEVER FAIL!!!
Mind boggling ... but certainly true and where I can get hope! He loves me and He has compassion on me all the time. He, unlike me, never tires or never gives up or in. I praise You God! You are truly amazing and I am thankful for You!
The word/phrase that is jumping out at me today is "The LORD is my portion".
My LORD, my MASTER, my SAVIOR, my BOSS is my portion. Portion? What does that mean exactly?
Looking at my favorite commentator, Warren Wiersbe, he says, "If the Lord is 'our portion' (Psalm 73:26 - My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever); Ps. 142:5 - I cried out to You, O LORD; I said, 'You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living.'"), then we are strengthened by that which cannot be used up or destroyed. God is our eternal source of strength, hope, and blessing (Ps. 46:1 - GOD is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.) Our circumstances change, and so do our feelings about them, but God is always good, loving, merciful, and kind, and He never changes. 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever' (Hebrews 13:8). To build life on that which is always changing is to invite constant unrest and disappointment, but to build on the changeless and the eternal is to have peace and confidence."
So it isn't IF the Lord is my portion, it is THE LORD IS MY PORTION! There is a huge difference in this. I have all I need in Him to have hope and here is the kicker...to wait and not only that but to WAIT QUIETLY! For what? The salvation of the LORD. This is not referring to the eternal salvation of my soul, but to my everyday life and 'salvation' or rescue or help... Oh my... again such a challenge for me, but He is my portion and I can obey when I allow Him to give me the strength to do so! I am so thankful that He does what is right and good despite what I may or may not do or feel!!!
Father God, I thank You that You are my portion and that You allow me to call to mind Your love/mercies, Your faithfulness, Your goodness and that through this recalling You allow me to have hope. Hope not in my own self or my own strength which fails every time and often, but hope in You that You will work, and that You are in charge! I have so much to be grateful for, LORD. Forgive me for often being anything but quiet and not being willing to even be quiet much less wait for You to work. Thank You that You are working anyway! Thank You that You never change! Thank You that You will never ever give up on me! What a great and mighty God You are! Thank You for allowing me to have relationship with You, Father, through Your wonderful Son, Jesus! May You have Your way and when I get in the way may I listen to Your gentle reminders and repent, move and be quiet and wait! Thank You again for what You are doing in me and for me!!! I love You...May I love You more with each passing day!
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Its a process...
Psalm 73:25-28
25) Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth
that I desire besides You.
26) My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
27) For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have
destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.
28) But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust
in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Your works.
What a great section of the Word in Psalm 73. It is a good place to begin our day or restart it wherever we find ourselves. WHOM have I in heaven? - JESUS & OUR FATHER GOD! This verse reminds me of what (WHO) my priorities need to be. Too often I am more concerned with the things and people of this world rather than focusing my desire heavenward. Oh, I so struggle with my attitude!!!
Look the psalmist says that his flesh and heart fail. Isn't that so good to know? Mine does too as I am sure that yours does and yet our focus does not get to stay there. Remember? It has already been declared that Our Father in Heaven is our desire! Look God even provides the strength of my heart and my portion forever! He is so much more than enough!
However, I spend so much time trying to add to Him in my life. Oh, it looks good on the outside, but I know that on the inside it is often about pride, about fear, about anything else but God.
So, I had to look up what verse 27 was talking about and it refers to the fact that unbelievers are far from Christ, they do don't have Him in heaven and they will perish because they have not turned to Him as their Bridegroom but rather have chosen another, thus the reference to harlotry. (So interesting!!)
Do you see that next word in verse 28? But!!! But it is good for me to draw near to God... do you see all the actions that this section of the Word calls us too? First, and this precludes the fact that You have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and believe that He is able to save you from your sins because He lived, died and was raised again to provide salvation and to redeem you and give you a chance to have a personal, intimate relationship with Him and His Father God in heaven; so if you have made this decision and you belong to Him then you and I must decide, determine, recognize in our minds that we focus on the fact that we have relationship with our Father in heaven. Secondly, we must check our priorities. Is He LORD of my life or am I desiring the things and people of this earth more? Thirdly, gratitude comes into play when we remind ourselves that because of our relationship with our Father in heaven, through Jesus Christ, we will not perish!!!
Finally, once I have decided all of this my actions need to follow! I must draw near to God and to do this is good - for who? Me!!! It seems like so often I will settle for mediocre for myself rather than good! What about you?
I have put my trust in the Lord GOD and I must continue to do so...thus by actively drawing near to Him? How? Through praying, talking and sharing life with Him, praising Him, and reading His Word, taking the part of it 'with' me throughout the day by meditating on it and memorizing it so that when life happens I am not knocked flat! But there is a bigger reason... A reason beyond me and the relationship I have with my Heavenly Father.
What, you ask? THAT I MAY DECLARE ALL HIS WORKS!!! How incredible is that!!! He not only saves us but He allows me to share Him with others!!! What a gift! What a blessing!
When I do my part...focus on Him...desire Him...recognize my failings and look to His strength and provision, and have a grateful heart then I am able to draw near to Him and trust Him in such a way that I may DECLARE ALL HIS WORKS! This is really mind blowing if you think about it! I mean, He provides everything...EVERYTHING... He even helps me with the strength to make the right choice...which is Him. And then He actually allows me to declare Him, to declare His works by my actions and my words, by the drawing near to Him and trusting in Him!
I do not have to make opportunities to share Him, nor do I have to have the words or anything prepared...all the preparation is done by recognizing the fact that I am His and He is mine!!! He makes the relationship possible and He makes it work! Wow!
Father God, thank You for Your Word and all of Your provision. May I chose daily, moment by moment to look to You and follow the natural progression that doing so means. Help me to get over myself, forgive me for the pride that rules so often. I think of myself and how life affects me way more than I consider You. May I consciously remember that I am not going to perish, that this life is just a season but I get to be with You eternally in heaven!!! Help me to live this life with an attitude of thanksgiving rather than entitlement. Forgive me that this is not something that happens with ease but with a great deal of effort. Thank You though for never giving up on me, that failing is expected, but thank You for being the strength of my heart and my portion forever!!! Mind boggling! May I draw near to You and place my trust in You despite the things that seem bigger, or the things that I do not want to wait for You to work out and I try to control them myself. I know they are not bigger and that You are in control forgive me for living otherwise. May I have the opportunity to declare You and all Your works with regularity...may You be seen in me. May this time of 'blogging' just jumpstart me not just be some words that I write. Please God use me for Your glory...may I step out of Your way! Remind me of this plea when I get attitudinal and want my way... Thank You Jesus for saving me and for loving me, period!
25) Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth
that I desire besides You.
26) My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
27) For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have
destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.
28) But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust
in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all Your works.
What a great section of the Word in Psalm 73. It is a good place to begin our day or restart it wherever we find ourselves. WHOM have I in heaven? - JESUS & OUR FATHER GOD! This verse reminds me of what (WHO) my priorities need to be. Too often I am more concerned with the things and people of this world rather than focusing my desire heavenward. Oh, I so struggle with my attitude!!!
Look the psalmist says that his flesh and heart fail. Isn't that so good to know? Mine does too as I am sure that yours does and yet our focus does not get to stay there. Remember? It has already been declared that Our Father in Heaven is our desire! Look God even provides the strength of my heart and my portion forever! He is so much more than enough!
However, I spend so much time trying to add to Him in my life. Oh, it looks good on the outside, but I know that on the inside it is often about pride, about fear, about anything else but God.
So, I had to look up what verse 27 was talking about and it refers to the fact that unbelievers are far from Christ, they do don't have Him in heaven and they will perish because they have not turned to Him as their Bridegroom but rather have chosen another, thus the reference to harlotry. (So interesting!!)
Do you see that next word in verse 28? But!!! But it is good for me to draw near to God... do you see all the actions that this section of the Word calls us too? First, and this precludes the fact that You have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and believe that He is able to save you from your sins because He lived, died and was raised again to provide salvation and to redeem you and give you a chance to have a personal, intimate relationship with Him and His Father God in heaven; so if you have made this decision and you belong to Him then you and I must decide, determine, recognize in our minds that we focus on the fact that we have relationship with our Father in heaven. Secondly, we must check our priorities. Is He LORD of my life or am I desiring the things and people of this earth more? Thirdly, gratitude comes into play when we remind ourselves that because of our relationship with our Father in heaven, through Jesus Christ, we will not perish!!!
Finally, once I have decided all of this my actions need to follow! I must draw near to God and to do this is good - for who? Me!!! It seems like so often I will settle for mediocre for myself rather than good! What about you?
I have put my trust in the Lord GOD and I must continue to do so...thus by actively drawing near to Him? How? Through praying, talking and sharing life with Him, praising Him, and reading His Word, taking the part of it 'with' me throughout the day by meditating on it and memorizing it so that when life happens I am not knocked flat! But there is a bigger reason... A reason beyond me and the relationship I have with my Heavenly Father.
What, you ask? THAT I MAY DECLARE ALL HIS WORKS!!! How incredible is that!!! He not only saves us but He allows me to share Him with others!!! What a gift! What a blessing!
When I do my part...focus on Him...desire Him...recognize my failings and look to His strength and provision, and have a grateful heart then I am able to draw near to Him and trust Him in such a way that I may DECLARE ALL HIS WORKS! This is really mind blowing if you think about it! I mean, He provides everything...EVERYTHING... He even helps me with the strength to make the right choice...which is Him. And then He actually allows me to declare Him, to declare His works by my actions and my words, by the drawing near to Him and trusting in Him!
I do not have to make opportunities to share Him, nor do I have to have the words or anything prepared...all the preparation is done by recognizing the fact that I am His and He is mine!!! He makes the relationship possible and He makes it work! Wow!
Father God, thank You for Your Word and all of Your provision. May I chose daily, moment by moment to look to You and follow the natural progression that doing so means. Help me to get over myself, forgive me for the pride that rules so often. I think of myself and how life affects me way more than I consider You. May I consciously remember that I am not going to perish, that this life is just a season but I get to be with You eternally in heaven!!! Help me to live this life with an attitude of thanksgiving rather than entitlement. Forgive me that this is not something that happens with ease but with a great deal of effort. Thank You though for never giving up on me, that failing is expected, but thank You for being the strength of my heart and my portion forever!!! Mind boggling! May I draw near to You and place my trust in You despite the things that seem bigger, or the things that I do not want to wait for You to work out and I try to control them myself. I know they are not bigger and that You are in control forgive me for living otherwise. May I have the opportunity to declare You and all Your works with regularity...may You be seen in me. May this time of 'blogging' just jumpstart me not just be some words that I write. Please God use me for Your glory...may I step out of Your way! Remind me of this plea when I get attitudinal and want my way... Thank You Jesus for saving me and for loving me, period!
Friday, September 19, 2014
In His Shadow = Rejoicing
Psalm 63:1-8
1) O GOD, You are my God; early will I seek you; my should thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry & thirsty land where there is no water.
2) So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power & Your glory.
3) Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.
4) Thus I will bless You while I live; I will life up my hands in Your name.
5) My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, & my mouth shall praise you with joyful
lips.
6) When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches.
7) Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.
8) My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.
Psalm 6:6
I am weary with my groaning; All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears.
Psalm 69:3
I am weary with my crying; my throat is dry; my eyes fail while I wait for my God.
Isaiah 40:28, 30-31 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints no is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
So Father, I have a bad attitude. I am weary of seeking You, I am weary of wanting to thirst, desiring to long, of looking, of seeing one day and not the next, of needing to praise but not wanting to or at the very least feeling as though I do not have the strength to praise. "Knowing' His lovingkindness is better than life one day and then wondering about it the next. What about remembering, I am tired of remembering, I am tired of trying to be glad that there is life. I am more weary than I can say of hearing myself whine and complain of feeling this way. I am sick of crying or wanting to cry. I am weary of attempting even pretending that I am good when the fact is I am just not okay, I am exhausted and putting one foot in front of the other is more than I even want to do sometimes. I am so weary of thinking that maybe, just maybe I am making progress and then I am not or at least I feel like I am not. Help me God to stop whining and yet truly I am thankful that I can tell You all about it and You love me irregardless. I am so frustrated with myself please help me to take Your Word and allow You to renew my mind, to cast my cares upon You, to be still and know that You are God. May I stop spending the time in frustration at myself and realize that each persons suffering, mine as well, is a vehicle that You can and will use to draw me into Your presence. Forgive me for this bad attitude, for this frustration and help me to look wholly to You and get my eyes off myself. I cannot do it in my own strength, but Your Word promises that You will give me the strength I need Jesus if I come to You.
I heard a profound statement by Andy Stanley yesterday from his "Twisted" sermon series... "Suffering is really the shortest route to God." When I consider that it makes sense and yet who among us wants to 'sign up' for suffering. He went on to say that to have bad days is normal because our lives have been decaying from the beginning when sin entered the world but we have HOPE because Jesus came, He lived, He died and He rose again so that you and I can have salvation from this life of sin and hopelessness. So weakness is normal and it is a mistake to ask what is wrong with me, it is just part of this life that we live until the day we get to heaven. His Scripture passage was in Romans 8:18-32.
(SERIOUSLY, go listen online to the Andy Stanley sermon series, Twisted. This was #3 - I would love to hear your feedback on this entire series).
Andy Stanley also quoted C.S. Lewis, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience but shouts in our pains. It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."
So my attitude needs to change and slowly it is this morning as I gripe to God (with an audience, I guess;) and in realizing that what I go through is His opportunity to show the world Himself...if I submit. Though I grow weary of even being 'used' by Him to reveal Himself, He understands and He renews my strength and restores my hope.
Well, Lord, I do want to submit. I am loving Psalm 63:7 which says, BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN MY HELP, therefore in the SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS I will rejoice. Forgive me for often just wanting my own way not caring what You are accomplishing through it. I pray You would give me eyes to see and ears to hear what You have for me. Thank You for the realization that You have been my help, You are my help and You will continue to be my help and that I can hide in the shadow of Your wings and not only that but I will find Your strength there to rejoice, not in what is going on necessarily or what isn't happening fast enough, etc. but IN YOU and the fact that You are my help and that Your right hand upholds me!!! You do not get weary! You do not let go! You do not tire of me though I regularly tire of myself! You neither faint, nor grow weary, not ever!!! You promise to renew my strength if I will chose to wait on You. You will enable me to not just walk again, but run. Thank You, God, that Your understanding is unsearchable! May I rejoice in You as I go through this day regardless of what my body feels like or my mind tries to say, may I go back to Your Word and the truths that You provide. Thank You that I can come to You in any state: sad, whiny, with a bad attitude and if I pour my heart out to You then You will bring me to a place of resting in You, a place of rejoicing in You for You, God are worthy to be praised!!!! Thank You, Lord for Your lovingkindness, Your steadfastness, Your mercy, Your grace, Your forgiveness and for Your peace and hope that You will provide. I surrender, I submit again and again. Please get my attention when I fall back into the same attitudes and sin...may I repent and look to You. Thank You again for never ever growing weary and for loving me regardless.
1) O GOD, You are my God; early will I seek you; my should thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry & thirsty land where there is no water.
2) So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power & Your glory.
3) Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.
4) Thus I will bless You while I live; I will life up my hands in Your name.
5) My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, & my mouth shall praise you with joyful
lips.
6) When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches.
7) Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.
8) My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.
Psalm 6:6
I am weary with my groaning; All night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears.
Psalm 69:3
I am weary with my crying; my throat is dry; my eyes fail while I wait for my God.
Isaiah 40:28, 30-31 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints no is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
So Father, I have a bad attitude. I am weary of seeking You, I am weary of wanting to thirst, desiring to long, of looking, of seeing one day and not the next, of needing to praise but not wanting to or at the very least feeling as though I do not have the strength to praise. "Knowing' His lovingkindness is better than life one day and then wondering about it the next. What about remembering, I am tired of remembering, I am tired of trying to be glad that there is life. I am more weary than I can say of hearing myself whine and complain of feeling this way. I am sick of crying or wanting to cry. I am weary of attempting even pretending that I am good when the fact is I am just not okay, I am exhausted and putting one foot in front of the other is more than I even want to do sometimes. I am so weary of thinking that maybe, just maybe I am making progress and then I am not or at least I feel like I am not. Help me God to stop whining and yet truly I am thankful that I can tell You all about it and You love me irregardless. I am so frustrated with myself please help me to take Your Word and allow You to renew my mind, to cast my cares upon You, to be still and know that You are God. May I stop spending the time in frustration at myself and realize that each persons suffering, mine as well, is a vehicle that You can and will use to draw me into Your presence. Forgive me for this bad attitude, for this frustration and help me to look wholly to You and get my eyes off myself. I cannot do it in my own strength, but Your Word promises that You will give me the strength I need Jesus if I come to You.
I heard a profound statement by Andy Stanley yesterday from his "Twisted" sermon series... "Suffering is really the shortest route to God." When I consider that it makes sense and yet who among us wants to 'sign up' for suffering. He went on to say that to have bad days is normal because our lives have been decaying from the beginning when sin entered the world but we have HOPE because Jesus came, He lived, He died and He rose again so that you and I can have salvation from this life of sin and hopelessness. So weakness is normal and it is a mistake to ask what is wrong with me, it is just part of this life that we live until the day we get to heaven. His Scripture passage was in Romans 8:18-32.
(SERIOUSLY, go listen online to the Andy Stanley sermon series, Twisted. This was #3 - I would love to hear your feedback on this entire series).
Andy Stanley also quoted C.S. Lewis, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience but shouts in our pains. It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."
So my attitude needs to change and slowly it is this morning as I gripe to God (with an audience, I guess;) and in realizing that what I go through is His opportunity to show the world Himself...if I submit. Though I grow weary of even being 'used' by Him to reveal Himself, He understands and He renews my strength and restores my hope.
Well, Lord, I do want to submit. I am loving Psalm 63:7 which says, BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN MY HELP, therefore in the SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS I will rejoice. Forgive me for often just wanting my own way not caring what You are accomplishing through it. I pray You would give me eyes to see and ears to hear what You have for me. Thank You for the realization that You have been my help, You are my help and You will continue to be my help and that I can hide in the shadow of Your wings and not only that but I will find Your strength there to rejoice, not in what is going on necessarily or what isn't happening fast enough, etc. but IN YOU and the fact that You are my help and that Your right hand upholds me!!! You do not get weary! You do not let go! You do not tire of me though I regularly tire of myself! You neither faint, nor grow weary, not ever!!! You promise to renew my strength if I will chose to wait on You. You will enable me to not just walk again, but run. Thank You, God, that Your understanding is unsearchable! May I rejoice in You as I go through this day regardless of what my body feels like or my mind tries to say, may I go back to Your Word and the truths that You provide. Thank You that I can come to You in any state: sad, whiny, with a bad attitude and if I pour my heart out to You then You will bring me to a place of resting in You, a place of rejoicing in You for You, God are worthy to be praised!!!! Thank You, Lord for Your lovingkindness, Your steadfastness, Your mercy, Your grace, Your forgiveness and for Your peace and hope that You will provide. I surrender, I submit again and again. Please get my attention when I fall back into the same attitudes and sin...may I repent and look to You. Thank You again for never ever growing weary and for loving me regardless.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Overwhelmed...
Psalm 38:9-10
Lord, all my desire is before You; and my sighing is not hidden from You. My heart pants, my strength fails me; As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.
Psalm 142:1-3a
I cry out to the LORD with my voice; with my voice to the LORD I make my supplication. I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me. Then You knew my path.
Psalm 30:5b
Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
John 16:33
These things I have spoken to you that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
Revelation 21:4
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain for the former things have passed away.
As I have been reading Daily Light with Anne Graham Lotz and just thinking the last few days I find that I am still in this season of sighing, of mourning, of sadness and truly the light in my eyes has gone from me. I find that I have no expression on my face these days. For some reason one of my 'tribulations' or 'trials' in this life Chronic Recurrent Major Depressive Disorder - I know - what a title, but trust me when I say it is as big as it sounds. I have been in this particular "battle" (and a battle it is -
for well over a year :( Thank the Lord I am not where I was but I am definitely not where I would like to be. I have also been watching Andy Stanley's sermon series "Twisted" - Incredible, you should check it out.
Anyway, as I am reading and listening, God is revealing to me many of the lies I believe and live as well as the fact that I often battle the wrong things. The question is, Am I 'taking up the whole armor of God, that (I) may be able withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand"(Ephesians 6:13)? I am trying but I am also realizing how much I miss the mark, but praise God, He does not!!!
I find that this 'night of weeping' is lasting way longer than I want it to - with new reasons to 'weep' cropping up regularly it seems and yet I trust and I know that joy will come in the morning. How do I know? Because my LORD promises. The thing is I do not get to choose how long my mourning lasts, nor do you; however we do know that we win in the end. I personally cannot wait until the day when there are no more tears and no more pain. I have never been a crier (even in the depression throughout the years) but now ... a crier I am. This frustrates me to no end and yet His Word says in Psalm 56:8b that God "put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?" - so my tears matter to Him. Amazing, isn't He?!
Father God, I find that I have much more to say but I will just take it to You. Thank You for allowing me to have this voice to share Your Word and my journey. Please God, help me to walk this path Your way and not my own. Thank You that though I do not understand the whys You allow me to discuss them with You. Thank You that though I do not like this particular path You have me on that You are trustworthy and true! Thank You that it is okay to cry and that my tears matter to You. I pray that I will not be stuck in my own emotions but rather be overwhelmed by You and Your Word. Help me to do my part but mainly to stand back, to be still and allow You to have Your way, Your will in me. Jesus, thank You for Your sacrifice. Thank You for understanding me and loving me, period. May I have Your joy again. I praise You that despite this 'hormonal imbalance' I do often have Your peace in the midst of the storm. I praise You that You always walk with me, that You never ever leave me or forsake me, no matter what I think or feel, You just cannot because You promise You won't. Please God use Your Word and this opportunity for vulnerability to minister to someone. May they know that they are not alone... You are with them and there are others that walk a similar path to theirs. You are in charge, God. You know the big picture and You know best...thank You.
Lord, all my desire is before You; and my sighing is not hidden from You. My heart pants, my strength fails me; As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.
Psalm 142:1-3a
I cry out to the LORD with my voice; with my voice to the LORD I make my supplication. I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me. Then You knew my path.
Psalm 30:5b
Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
John 16:33
These things I have spoken to you that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
Revelation 21:4
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain for the former things have passed away.
As I have been reading Daily Light with Anne Graham Lotz and just thinking the last few days I find that I am still in this season of sighing, of mourning, of sadness and truly the light in my eyes has gone from me. I find that I have no expression on my face these days. For some reason one of my 'tribulations' or 'trials' in this life Chronic Recurrent Major Depressive Disorder - I know - what a title, but trust me when I say it is as big as it sounds. I have been in this particular "battle" (and a battle it is -
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,fn against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
|
Anyway, as I am reading and listening, God is revealing to me many of the lies I believe and live as well as the fact that I often battle the wrong things. The question is, Am I 'taking up the whole armor of God, that (I) may be able withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand"(Ephesians 6:13)? I am trying but I am also realizing how much I miss the mark, but praise God, He does not!!!
I find that this 'night of weeping' is lasting way longer than I want it to - with new reasons to 'weep' cropping up regularly it seems and yet I trust and I know that joy will come in the morning. How do I know? Because my LORD promises. The thing is I do not get to choose how long my mourning lasts, nor do you; however we do know that we win in the end. I personally cannot wait until the day when there are no more tears and no more pain. I have never been a crier (even in the depression throughout the years) but now ... a crier I am. This frustrates me to no end and yet His Word says in Psalm 56:8b that God "put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?" - so my tears matter to Him. Amazing, isn't He?!
Father God, I find that I have much more to say but I will just take it to You. Thank You for allowing me to have this voice to share Your Word and my journey. Please God, help me to walk this path Your way and not my own. Thank You that though I do not understand the whys You allow me to discuss them with You. Thank You that though I do not like this particular path You have me on that You are trustworthy and true! Thank You that it is okay to cry and that my tears matter to You. I pray that I will not be stuck in my own emotions but rather be overwhelmed by You and Your Word. Help me to do my part but mainly to stand back, to be still and allow You to have Your way, Your will in me. Jesus, thank You for Your sacrifice. Thank You for understanding me and loving me, period. May I have Your joy again. I praise You that despite this 'hormonal imbalance' I do often have Your peace in the midst of the storm. I praise You that You always walk with me, that You never ever leave me or forsake me, no matter what I think or feel, You just cannot because You promise You won't. Please God use Your Word and this opportunity for vulnerability to minister to someone. May they know that they are not alone... You are with them and there are others that walk a similar path to theirs. You are in charge, God. You know the big picture and You know best...thank You.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Pressed, not crushed...
2 Corinthians 4:8-9; 16-18
8) We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair;
9) persecuted but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
16) Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17) for our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weigh of glory,
18) while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
In looking at Ephesians 3:20-21 yesterday and now these verses today with Psalm 139 hovering closely in my mind I realize that first of all no matter what you think is going to be - it is usually not that and secondly that it really does not matter because I am in God's hands, period and He is trustworthy.
I don't need to say this, but I will...LIFE IS HARD. Each of us knows what it is to be hard pressed even to the point of feeling that we will be crushed, perplexed and deeply depressed and yet we do not have to despair. Persecuted? Not so much here outwardly in America and yet I find that the enemy does a pretty doggone good job of persecuting and yet I know that I am not forsaken. Struck down, most definitely struck down, but I am still here so I reckon I am not destroyed.
I love the next passage listed above (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) I do not lose heart because though my outward 'woman' ;) is perishing my inward 'woman' is being renewed day by day or at least I have the option of going to my LORD and allowing Him to renew me inside - in my mind, in my will, in my soul! That is something to be grateful for - the ability to look inward instead of outward at the seemingly impossible circumstances.
I have been wanting a stronger faith, one that does not flow up and down with my emotions but rather is consistently placed on and in the only one worthy - Jesus Christ. I find hope hard so therefore I find faith hard and therefore things not seen are hard, well to see! A stronger faith requires looking for the "substance of things hoped for" or the literal things that we put our hope in - God's goodness, His mercy, His faithfulness, His love, His forgiveness, His deliberate 'forgetfulness' of my sin, His strength and His provision.
So the question for me this morning is... what is the substance of the things I hope for? Have I gone so far as to lose heart and if so would that not be because I am not allowing my Father God to renew me inwardly day by day? The facts are that each of us is hard pressed in some way - welcome to this imperfect world, but we (you or I) do not have to 'live' there. It is so hard not too, I know, but truly we do not have to live there. Again, we focus on HIM and what HE CAN DO and the fact that HE IS ABLE. The hard part is waiting and being still, huh?
Remember that we serve a God who is able to do abundantly exceedingly above all that we ask or think! Let that stir up some hope in you! Please God stir up hope within us! We have a Father God that knows all about us and loves us with an everlasting love anyway! Let's choose to set our minds on things above, not on things on the earth where our life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:2-3). Our life is already hidden with Christ in God and this is our reality, not what we see here on earth! Let's ask Him to "Create in (us) a clean heart, and renew a steadfast spirit within (us)" Psalm 51:10. Let's ask Him to help us to renew our minds (Romans 12:2) and take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5)
Father God, May Your Word be life to us in this daily life that is just hard. You know the struggles that we each go through. I am thankful that You know mine and You care, not only that but You have a plan and a purpose that is for my good. (Jeremiah 29:11). You promise that the work You have begun in me You will complete one day (Philippians 1:6). I am counting on You! Help me to not allow myself to focus on the things that are pressing down on me and mine, threatening to crush us but on the fact that You are in charge no one else and You will not allow any thing to crush us. Thank You that being crushed and being broken are different things. May we be broken and poured out for You. Empty us of our selves and the desires that are contrary to Your will. May we surrender and trust You to mold us as You will. You are the Potter and we are the clay and this molding it hurts, God, but I know that You are faithful l and You will take care of us and give us the strength of Your Son, Jesus, in order that we may endure. Create in me a clean heart, Father, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. May I do my part in renewing my mind and taking each thought captive. Forgive me for making excuses. I praise You for Your Word, for the hope You bring through it. I praise You for Your faithfulness, Your love, Your infinite mercy, Your amazing grace and Your complete forgiveness. Help us, Lord to call upon You and search for You with our whole hearts. May we not spend more time seeking the things of this world than we do seeking You. Help us, Lord.
8) We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair;
9) persecuted but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
16) Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17) for our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weigh of glory,
18) while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
In looking at Ephesians 3:20-21 yesterday and now these verses today with Psalm 139 hovering closely in my mind I realize that first of all no matter what you think is going to be - it is usually not that and secondly that it really does not matter because I am in God's hands, period and He is trustworthy.
I don't need to say this, but I will...LIFE IS HARD. Each of us knows what it is to be hard pressed even to the point of feeling that we will be crushed, perplexed and deeply depressed and yet we do not have to despair. Persecuted? Not so much here outwardly in America and yet I find that the enemy does a pretty doggone good job of persecuting and yet I know that I am not forsaken. Struck down, most definitely struck down, but I am still here so I reckon I am not destroyed.
I love the next passage listed above (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) I do not lose heart because though my outward 'woman' ;) is perishing my inward 'woman' is being renewed day by day or at least I have the option of going to my LORD and allowing Him to renew me inside - in my mind, in my will, in my soul! That is something to be grateful for - the ability to look inward instead of outward at the seemingly impossible circumstances.
I have been wanting a stronger faith, one that does not flow up and down with my emotions but rather is consistently placed on and in the only one worthy - Jesus Christ. I find hope hard so therefore I find faith hard and therefore things not seen are hard, well to see! A stronger faith requires looking for the "substance of things hoped for" or the literal things that we put our hope in - God's goodness, His mercy, His faithfulness, His love, His forgiveness, His deliberate 'forgetfulness' of my sin, His strength and His provision.
So the question for me this morning is... what is the substance of the things I hope for? Have I gone so far as to lose heart and if so would that not be because I am not allowing my Father God to renew me inwardly day by day? The facts are that each of us is hard pressed in some way - welcome to this imperfect world, but we (you or I) do not have to 'live' there. It is so hard not too, I know, but truly we do not have to live there. Again, we focus on HIM and what HE CAN DO and the fact that HE IS ABLE. The hard part is waiting and being still, huh?
Remember that we serve a God who is able to do abundantly exceedingly above all that we ask or think! Let that stir up some hope in you! Please God stir up hope within us! We have a Father God that knows all about us and loves us with an everlasting love anyway! Let's choose to set our minds on things above, not on things on the earth where our life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:2-3). Our life is already hidden with Christ in God and this is our reality, not what we see here on earth! Let's ask Him to "Create in (us) a clean heart, and renew a steadfast spirit within (us)" Psalm 51:10. Let's ask Him to help us to renew our minds (Romans 12:2) and take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5)
Father God, May Your Word be life to us in this daily life that is just hard. You know the struggles that we each go through. I am thankful that You know mine and You care, not only that but You have a plan and a purpose that is for my good. (Jeremiah 29:11). You promise that the work You have begun in me You will complete one day (Philippians 1:6). I am counting on You! Help me to not allow myself to focus on the things that are pressing down on me and mine, threatening to crush us but on the fact that You are in charge no one else and You will not allow any thing to crush us. Thank You that being crushed and being broken are different things. May we be broken and poured out for You. Empty us of our selves and the desires that are contrary to Your will. May we surrender and trust You to mold us as You will. You are the Potter and we are the clay and this molding it hurts, God, but I know that You are faithful l and You will take care of us and give us the strength of Your Son, Jesus, in order that we may endure. Create in me a clean heart, Father, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. May I do my part in renewing my mind and taking each thought captive. Forgive me for making excuses. I praise You for Your Word, for the hope You bring through it. I praise You for Your faithfulness, Your love, Your infinite mercy, Your amazing grace and Your complete forgiveness. Help us, Lord to call upon You and search for You with our whole hearts. May we not spend more time seeking the things of this world than we do seeking You. Help us, Lord.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
To God be the glory
Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
ABLE: having the power, skill, means, or opportunity to do something: having considerable skill, proficiency, or intelligence
EXCEEDINGLY: extremely; to a great extent
ABUNDANTLY:in large quantities; plentifully; extremely
So I could go on and on looking up words in these verses but I will stop here =]
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
ABLE: having the power, skill, means, or opportunity to do something: having considerable skill, proficiency, or intelligence
EXCEEDINGLY: extremely; to a great extent
ABUNDANTLY:in large quantities; plentifully; extremely
So I could go on and on looking up words in these verses but I will stop here =]
Look at this: Now (why now?) Well, look back at verses 14-19; For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge that you may be filled will all the fullness of God!!! YES - I want all of this through Christ, don't you???
Do you see this? According to the riches of His glory - He is what? He is ABLE! Able to do what? Able to do EXCEEDINGLY (extremely, to a great extent); and wait not just EXCEEDINGLY but ABUNDANTLY (in large quantities,;plentifully; extremely).
Did you catch that??? He is ABLE TO DO EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY (Our God always goes above and beyond!!! Always!! He does not stop at adequately, enough or plenty. He goes on to full of plenty, extremely, to a great extent! Wow, when we catch a glimpse of this!!! IT MAKES ME WANT TO SHOUT!!!! (thus all the capital letters - LOL!) As I fall on my knees internally!!!
What is our God able to do according to the riches of His Glory?? (Do we realize that His glory has no limit??? A word study on glory seems to be in the future, maybe? He is ABLE to grant us strength within. Why? That Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith and beyond that so that YOU/I may be rooted and grounded in love - not just any love HIS LOVE!!! And not just rooted and grounded in love, but we will be ABLE to comprehend (understand - really get; personally) WHAT IS THE WIDTH, THE LENGTH, THE DEPTH AND THE HEIGHT of the Love of Christ (for you and for me). TO KNOW THIS LOVE THT PASSES KNOWLEDGE that we may be FILLED WITH ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD!!!
W O W ! ! ! or should I say W H O A ! ! ! !
Here it is... NOW to Him who is ABLE to do EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY above all that we ask or think. How??? According to the power that works in us - the POWER OF GOD THROUGH JESUS IN ALL HIS RICHES, HIS ABUNDANCE, HIS EXCESS, HIS FULLNESS AND HIS LOVE!!!
For what purpose? To make me what to shout praises - nope, that's just a perk. To allow me to experience joy and peace - nope, another perk. You get my drift. TO BRING GOD GLORY BY CHRIST JESUS - as the church - the body of Christ - we are allowed to bring Him glory! How cool is that?
I do not know about You but I am fired up! I know that I know that I know that my God is able! Do I know what He is doing? - No, I do not have a clue. Do I sometimes tremble in fear and anxiety? - You betcha! Do I want to try and take control and figure things out? Absolutely!
The fact is though that God keeps reminding, and by reminding I mean practically moment by moment, that I am not in charge, He is. I need only be still. I need only wait on Him. I need to lay the anxiety, the fear, the control continually at His feet, confessing and surrendering that He is Able! HE IS! Remember, EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY ABLE!!! TO DO WHATEVER HE WANTS!!!
He is continually reminding me of Psalm 139, He knows my lying down, my getting up, my sitting down, my path, my thoughts... He knows EVERYTHING, I don't and nor will I!!! What a relief when I let it be!
Oh, God, thank You for the fact that You are ABLE to take care of me and all that concerns me. Help me to not just write these words and get fired up for a moment but remind me continually that You are EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY ABLE to grant me strength to get through the dailyness and the bigness of things that come in my life, that Your goal is to strengthen me on the inside...may I surrender, may I submit. Please God, have Your way. May I continue to grasp Your love for me to truly KNOW IT! May I be filled with all Your fullness, God...empty me of all that is not of You! May I trust You that You really are going to handle the things in my life that I just sometimes doubt that You are going to handle - forgive me for that doubt; for that unbelief! Thank You that You are so far above me that I cannot even imagine Your glory. Please God, I ask though, that You would allow me to bring You glory...may I step out of Your way and may I point to Christ Jesus!
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Seasons, transitions, change...
"A season is a division of the year, marked by changes in weather, ecology and hours of daylight." (Wikipedia)
Change - to become different (Merriam-Webster)
Transition - movement, passage, or change from one position, state, stage, subject, concept, etc., (Dictionary.com)
I have been thinking a great deal about seasons, transition and change. We are headed into my favorite 'physical' season of Autumn where the air begins to get a wonderful crispness to it and the leaves begin their transformation to such beautiful colors. Yet, change itself the good and the bad variety or somewhere in between can be full of challenges and difficulties.
Numbers 24:19 "God, is not a man that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?"
Malachi 3:6a "For I am the LORD, I do not change;"
James 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the Word of Truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures."
God does not change - He is constant - He is faithful - He is sovereign! Praise His Name!!! These facts of who He is makes gratitude well up within me!!!
Here in Kentucky we are blessed to see nature change her seasons - Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Our lives are much the same; full of the physical changing of seasons as well as the emotional and mental. Sometimes like our seasons of nature I feel like things get a bit confused - one day it feels like Fall and another the heat of Summer. I am so thankful that though our emotions can be big and misleading, helpful and revealing they are not the facts and the fact is that God is in control no matter what our view looks like, and no matter what our season feels like!!!
Back to Psalm 139 - Remember? He knows me; He knows You! He knows our sitting down, rising up, our path, our lying down, our thoughts, our words and all our ways!!! He knows ALL! I love that little word, ALL especially when thinking of my LORD and His provision! Also, let us not forget that He not only knows ALL, He has hedged us behind and before and laid His hand upon us.
Why does He lay His hand upon us? Why hedge us behind and before? Why is He acquainted with all our ways? BECAUSE HE LOVES US UNFAILINGLY!!! Psalm 33:22; 85:7; Jeremiah 31:3; Lamentations 3:22-24; 32. He goes so far beyond knowing all about us - He loves us, He is willing to save us from our sin...We must only do what Romans 10:9 tells us..."Confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
If you have further questions about His glorious salvation look in His Word, the Bible, here... Romans 3:10-12, 23; 6:23; 5:8; 10:9-10, 13; 5:1. Admit you are a sinner in need of a Savior, Believe in Jesus and that He died for your sin and rose again on the 3rd day and finally Commit to yourself to Him, that You trust Him and will follow Him wholeheartedly! Don't worry He has done all the hard work, His Son is His gift to you that you may have eternal life with Him. You do not have to wait until heaven though, the relationship begins now! Trust Him! It is the very best decision you could EVER make. This is the ultimate change in season in your life!
Seasons, transition and change are hard words to consider and they can be even harder to walk through; however knowing that God is faithful, that He is in charge and that through Jesus He will provide the strength to endure makes all the difference. Each season has its positives and its negatives but our trust in God does not have to waiver because remember He stays the same!
Father God, thank You that You are in charge all the time no matter what it looks like or no matter what it feels like! Thank You for Your mercy, Your grace and Your everlasting love! Your faithfulness is great and You alone are in charge. When we are Yours we are safe in the very palm of Your pierced hands! Thank You, Jesus for Your sacrifice, one that is on going as You are even now seated at the right hand of the Father concerned for me, interceding for me, for each of us who belong to You. Thank You Holy Spirit for being willing to live within us. May we not grieve You or quench Your work in our lives but give You full reign. Be our LORD and Master, God, in every part of our lives. May we trust You regardless because You are trustworthy! Thank You for giving us forgiveness, mercy and grace over and over again. Thank You that this is a new day...may we shine for You alone.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
The finishing of Psalm 139 :D
Let's consider something for a moment. So far in this Psalm we have discovered that God not only knows all about me currently but He created me and He knows my future. He even knows what I am going to say and when I am going to say it -- which is a BIG DEAL because over half of the time I have no idea until my mouth opens!!! LOL!!!
We found out that He not only knows all about me but He understands me!!! HUGE! We once again discovered the truth that there is NO HIDING FROM OUR LORD!!! NONE!!! What relief and yet what conviction this truth brings. Then after finding out all of that we learn that He protects us completely and He knew us before we could even be known, plus He handcrafted us with skill and knows the exact number of our days! He is constantly taking care of us.
Then to move on to the last part of the Psalm...I must admit that I often have skipped verses19-22 just not understanding why they are there :-/ I have been attempting to understand (please remember I am not a Biblical scholar and these thoughts are mine, simply mine...I am open to learn and grow. I find myself to be wrong and I do not want to mislead anyone...please seek God and read His Word on your own).
Psalm 139:19-24
Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.
For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain.
Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me int the way everlasting.
It has always seems out of the blue to me as I am reading along in this Psalm and it just really resonates with me and then boom...God would You kill the wicked people and get them away from me as I hate them completely! They are my enemies! Whoa! I haven't gone into the background of David as the writer of the Psalm this time, but you can check it out for yourself in 1 Samuel 17-31 and beyond ;D Remember all that we said has been going on in this Psalm???
God's sovereignty in our lives, His very activity in creating us, providing for us and protecting us. The very fact that nothing we do or say is every hidden from Him, nor are we ourselves. The very fact that we are aware of the 'person' we are "the sinner" that we are means we can recognize the need in others for Jesus to be their LORD (Master, Savior) just as He is for us! We may 'hate the wicked things' that someone does, the very fact that they are against our Father but never them!
We must allow the things that God has done and does for us to make us grateful and in turn give us the desire to share with those who do not know!
In reading Matthew Henry's commentary and thinking about why these verses seem to be thrown in this Psalm I know think it is so cool!!! I mean here is David, called a man after God's own heart, fleeing for his very life and he is singing a song testifying that His God is His LORD and recognizing all He has done for Him thus reminding David that though wicked, evil men are after him to kill him, he is in God's hand and but for the grace of God Himself he could be counted as one of those wicked, evil men!!
Thus, the confession (desire) of his heart was declared: Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24.
WOW!!!! Are God and His Word not amazing??? He is so good to reveal Himself to us in His Word!!!
Father God, I know that I have a whole lot to learn and even more transformation needs to be done to make me more like You, but I am so grateful You have given me the opportunity to be in Your Word and attempt to share what You are showing me. God may You clear up any misconceptions in me or correct me in any area where I am saying the wrong thing...I do not want to mislead any one! I trust You, LORD, to do what You will. Thank You for creating me, for protecting me, and for never ever leaving me or allowing me to leave You and hide. Thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to live inside of me...May He have His way in me! Forgive me for quenching or grieving You, Holy Spirit. Forgive me for thinking highly of myself when the fact is that I am a sinner saved by Your grace alone! Thank You for rescuing me from myself! I, too, ask that You, LORD, would search me...You already know me inside and out, but search me for my benefit that I may be lead in Your way and in Your way alone. May I recognize Your Presence in the daily-ness of my life and may I do my part to praise You and thank You for all You have done, are doing and will do! May I trust You that You are protecting me and guiding me and all those that I love; thank You for holding me with Your right hand and that Your grip is strong and fast! I praise You God because You alone are worthy to be praised!!!
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