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.
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