And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.--1 Peter 1:17-20
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,
This passage both comforts me and strengthens my faith. God's plan of sending His Son into the world to die for our sins was NOT set into motion because the world somehow spun out of our God's control. Nope. Jesus was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. God knows all things and in His foreknowledge He knew that man, when He created him, would fail and make the wrong choices. He knew that the price of our redemption would be the shed blood of His Son on a cross. And yet, God created us...you and me...to have a meaningful, intimate relationship with Him anyway. That is and has always been His desire. Wow!! Despite the cost!! That should stop you in your tracks and drop you down to your knees in worship. God desires a relationship with you! With me!
God gave man the capacity to choose because without choice man becomes a robot. How much fun is it to have a relationship with a robot. It will obey you...but..you know...it has to. Think on the meaningful relationships in your lives. How much depth is there because you know they want to be with you...it is their desire to know you and spend time with you. You cannot have this kind of relationship with a robot....in fact, you really can't have a relationship with a robot at all.
Our relationships in this world are shadows of the relationship our God wants to have with us. I loved my Grandmother with all my heart. I had a significant relationship with her. I remember waiting in front of the living room window as a child looking down the street waiting to see my "Nana" become a speck on the horizon. When she appeared...there was such joy in my heart. Why...because I knew she was coming...walking from her house a few miles away to be with me...to spend time with me....because she loved me. God wants to have that kind of relationship with us. He wants us to want to spend time with Him. He wants nothing from us that reeks of obligation. He wants our hearts desire to be for Him. He wants our obedience to Him to be freely given not compelled.
My grandmother had the choice to love me or not. She had the choice to forge the relationship or not. She did not come and see me because she had to...she came to see me because she wanted to. I carry that with me always. I was important to her. My relationship with my God is the same way...I sit with Him and His word in the morning...I wait for His direction and guidance. I look to Him in everything and trust Him with my very life. He died for me when I was still a sinner...I can trust Him to see me through my journey here on earth. Here is what it says in Romans 8.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword--Romans 8:31-35
We are so important to God that He redeemed us with the precious blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. You can choose to love God or hate God. Some even choose to pretend to love Him...but that also involves a choice. He is waiting for you to choose...His desire is for you to be in fellowship with Him now and for all eternity. Your choice.
Love
Mom
Ephesians 1: 3-14 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Thinking Highly of Yourself...
Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,
I have got lots of self-esteem...it is humility I need. This is the heart attitude that one has that is totally given over to God as a living sacrifice. It makes sense...If I have given everything I have over to God than I have nothing left of me. I have abandoned all of "me" for Him. I so need to be reminded that whatever gifts I have are gifts from Him to be used to honor and glorify Him...I cannot take credit for them. Certainly, we should recognize the gifts that God has given us, exercise them in faith but then move on. Don't think much on them...just do what the Lord has called you to do. There is nothing in the bible to encourage a superiority complex. We are here as His servants...our gifts are to be used for His glory not for our own. I love where Paul says to be sober about our gifts...not to think arrogantly or vainly about them but to think "sanely" about them...or be in your right mind thinking on them. Hahah...no delusional thinking allowed.
1 Corinthians 4:7 says: "For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? "
Don't overvalue or undervalue yourself. Listen to what Paul says about Himself in 1 Corinthians 15:10:
"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."
We should also not be envious of the gifts God has blessed others with. We are all members of the same body and each person is uniquely made in the image of God, gifted and created specifically for the works that God prepared for him to walk in. That is such a beautiful way for us to see it. Each one of us is important to the Lord...for there is no partiality with God.
Whatever gift we have, our Lord has measured it to us. In fact what do we have that we have not been given. It is all from Him. .Our life then is a stewardship. Do you see how important it is to give yourself totally to Him. Never concern yourself with all the extraneous details in life...the most important thing...the most needful thing you can do to have all the fullness that Colossians says is in Him, is commit yourself to Him: soul, body, mind and will...to live out Romans 12:1-2. Everything else is detail...His job. Seek first the kingdom of heaven and all else will be added. He's given you a gift to use for His glory to advance His Kingdom. You will not see all that God can do with that gift unless you become a living sacrifice. Present yourself to Him. He will use it...It is His gift...He will do exceedingly abundantly above all that you can ask or think.
Be content with what the Lord has for you as a member of His body. Be faithful to do it. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
1Peter 4:11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Love
Mom
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,
I have got lots of self-esteem...it is humility I need. This is the heart attitude that one has that is totally given over to God as a living sacrifice. It makes sense...If I have given everything I have over to God than I have nothing left of me. I have abandoned all of "me" for Him. I so need to be reminded that whatever gifts I have are gifts from Him to be used to honor and glorify Him...I cannot take credit for them. Certainly, we should recognize the gifts that God has given us, exercise them in faith but then move on. Don't think much on them...just do what the Lord has called you to do. There is nothing in the bible to encourage a superiority complex. We are here as His servants...our gifts are to be used for His glory not for our own. I love where Paul says to be sober about our gifts...not to think arrogantly or vainly about them but to think "sanely" about them...or be in your right mind thinking on them. Hahah...no delusional thinking allowed.
1 Corinthians 4:7 says: "For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? "
Don't overvalue or undervalue yourself. Listen to what Paul says about Himself in 1 Corinthians 15:10:
"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."
We should also not be envious of the gifts God has blessed others with. We are all members of the same body and each person is uniquely made in the image of God, gifted and created specifically for the works that God prepared for him to walk in. That is such a beautiful way for us to see it. Each one of us is important to the Lord...for there is no partiality with God.
Whatever gift we have, our Lord has measured it to us. In fact what do we have that we have not been given. It is all from Him. .Our life then is a stewardship. Do you see how important it is to give yourself totally to Him. Never concern yourself with all the extraneous details in life...the most important thing...the most needful thing you can do to have all the fullness that Colossians says is in Him, is commit yourself to Him: soul, body, mind and will...to live out Romans 12:1-2. Everything else is detail...His job. Seek first the kingdom of heaven and all else will be added. He's given you a gift to use for His glory to advance His Kingdom. You will not see all that God can do with that gift unless you become a living sacrifice. Present yourself to Him. He will use it...It is His gift...He will do exceedingly abundantly above all that you can ask or think.
Be content with what the Lord has for you as a member of His body. Be faithful to do it. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
1Peter 4:11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Love
Mom
Friday, January 7, 2011
Anxiety and Worry
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; --1Peter 1:13
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,
I love this verse...it is so helpful for me when my thoughts become anxious to picture what Peter was conveying here. Gird up the loins of your mind...WHAT??? Long robes were worn by men in the days that 1 Peter was written. Now you really can't get anywhere fast with a long robe. Your legs just cannot stretch as far as you would like them, to get up any speed at all and the prospect of tripping increases dramatically. The picture is of a robed man tucking his skirt under his belt so he could run. What it means in terms of your mind is to simply pull your thoughts together. Pull up the loose ends of your thinking and recenter them on what is important. Christ. Discipline your mind and return your focus to the right place. The hope that is ours in Him. Be sober. Think on the right things and rest your hope fully on the promises in His Word. We as believers, girls, live in the present and act in the present based on the future hope we have in Him. We live in the expectation of His return. The verse that comes to mind here is Hebrews 12:1-2.
"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Put aside every weight...all those things that encumber and take our focus off our Lord and His power, sovereignty, mercy and grace..and on to those things that are of the world and unimportant in the light of His return. There is such simplicity in being a follower of Jesus and walking the path that He has laid out for us. When we gird up the loins of our minds, lay aside the weights and look up, the things of this world truly do fade away. His glory and His grace remain and our focus once again is in proper perspective. Our actions and decisions are again governed by our future Hope.
Read about Abraham in Hebrews 11:8-16. He exemplified living in the light of a future hope so well. Abraham's eyes looked to the heavenly city and all his decisions were made in light of the promises God had given him.
Thinking soberly is thinking calmly...it is being self-controlled. It is not letting thoughts that are not helpful get the best of you. By God's grace, I do not suffer from anxiety much, but when I do I hate it!! Worry is really the opposite of girding up the loins or loose ends of your mind. I picture a Dr. Seuss character with all kinds of strings flowing from his head and as he moves about they get longer as his worry increases. Eventually they get caught on things and he is pulled in different directions and eventually pulled apart.
The only antidote for worry is to immerse yourself in the word of God. Our flesh in the midst of difficulty tends toward carnality. We give up and give in and in our hearts we say, "Oh, what's the use." Resist the temptations of your flesh and choose instead in the midst of your difficulty to think rightly...to renew your mind with His word. When you find yourself having anxious thoughts...the opposite of really thinking...having thoughts that just go round and round...find a verse or two and recite it and as you recite it, meditate on it. It may take time to combat, but God's word will have its effect. It will guard your mind and His peace will begin to fill it. There is nothing like it...nothing. It will bring you into His presence and even in your darkest times fill you with His joy and His assurance.
Colossians 3:2-4 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Love
Mom
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,
I love this verse...it is so helpful for me when my thoughts become anxious to picture what Peter was conveying here. Gird up the loins of your mind...WHAT??? Long robes were worn by men in the days that 1 Peter was written. Now you really can't get anywhere fast with a long robe. Your legs just cannot stretch as far as you would like them, to get up any speed at all and the prospect of tripping increases dramatically. The picture is of a robed man tucking his skirt under his belt so he could run. What it means in terms of your mind is to simply pull your thoughts together. Pull up the loose ends of your thinking and recenter them on what is important. Christ. Discipline your mind and return your focus to the right place. The hope that is ours in Him. Be sober. Think on the right things and rest your hope fully on the promises in His Word. We as believers, girls, live in the present and act in the present based on the future hope we have in Him. We live in the expectation of His return. The verse that comes to mind here is Hebrews 12:1-2.
"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Put aside every weight...all those things that encumber and take our focus off our Lord and His power, sovereignty, mercy and grace..and on to those things that are of the world and unimportant in the light of His return. There is such simplicity in being a follower of Jesus and walking the path that He has laid out for us. When we gird up the loins of our minds, lay aside the weights and look up, the things of this world truly do fade away. His glory and His grace remain and our focus once again is in proper perspective. Our actions and decisions are again governed by our future Hope.
Read about Abraham in Hebrews 11:8-16. He exemplified living in the light of a future hope so well. Abraham's eyes looked to the heavenly city and all his decisions were made in light of the promises God had given him.
Thinking soberly is thinking calmly...it is being self-controlled. It is not letting thoughts that are not helpful get the best of you. By God's grace, I do not suffer from anxiety much, but when I do I hate it!! Worry is really the opposite of girding up the loins or loose ends of your mind. I picture a Dr. Seuss character with all kinds of strings flowing from his head and as he moves about they get longer as his worry increases. Eventually they get caught on things and he is pulled in different directions and eventually pulled apart.
The only antidote for worry is to immerse yourself in the word of God. Our flesh in the midst of difficulty tends toward carnality. We give up and give in and in our hearts we say, "Oh, what's the use." Resist the temptations of your flesh and choose instead in the midst of your difficulty to think rightly...to renew your mind with His word. When you find yourself having anxious thoughts...the opposite of really thinking...having thoughts that just go round and round...find a verse or two and recite it and as you recite it, meditate on it. It may take time to combat, but God's word will have its effect. It will guard your mind and His peace will begin to fill it. There is nothing like it...nothing. It will bring you into His presence and even in your darkest times fill you with His joy and His assurance.
Colossians 3:2-4 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Love
Mom
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Presenting Our Will...Romans 12:2
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.--Romans 12:1-2
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,
Here we are at the last offering. What are we to offer to God...our wills. This "will" not take long and in explaining I will review the others....cause I should have said something in the very first study that I did not say.
Before we give our bodies, or our minds or our wills to God we must give Him our soul. Nothing else can be offered to God if the soul hasn't been offered first. Giving God your soul occurs at the moment of sincere belief/repentance...the moment of conversion An unsaved person cannot give God his body for service, cannot give God his mind, and cannot give God his will. In fact, He cannot respond to God at all. 1 Corinthians 2 says, that the natural man can't even understand the things of God. They're utter foolishness. Dedication of the body, mind and will to God does not occur unless spiritual rebirth has occurred first.Whatever an unregenerate man offers God will not please God because without faith, the bible says, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
With that said, finally, we are to present our will to God. Now because we have presented the soul, the body, and the mind to Him already this part comes...this part is the fruit. Because we have saturated ourselves in His word and allowed it to transform us and control our thinking, we will approve or know what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. God's will is in His word. We will surrender our will and align it with His. Why...because we delight in Him..we delight in His Word...we know that His will is good and perfect and acceptable. You will say Lord...I want what You want. Nothing else matters...I want what You want for me...You know best. Here is what John MacArthur says that I think sums it all up:
"A renewed mind will be expressed in a submissive will and in a body presented as a living sacrifice. It all comes in one package. You can't present your body unless you have a renewed mind because you won't have the will to do that."
This is not something you do once but something you do moment by moment throughout your Christian walk...you surrender...because in surrender is victory. You moment by moment take yourself off the throne of your heart and surrender the control to Him. This is done by the work of the Spirit in your heart using the Word of God. As we renew our minds we begin to think the way God thinks as revealed to us in His word. His word literally becomes a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths. We see that His will is not hard, but good and acceptable and perfect.
Girls, allow the Lord to renew your minds...stay in His word. As you abide in His word, God will renew your mind so you can walk in His will which will take sacrifice. The payoff...being holy and acceptable to God. No greater goal than that...none.
Love
Mom
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,
Here we are at the last offering. What are we to offer to God...our wills. This "will" not take long and in explaining I will review the others....cause I should have said something in the very first study that I did not say.
Before we give our bodies, or our minds or our wills to God we must give Him our soul. Nothing else can be offered to God if the soul hasn't been offered first. Giving God your soul occurs at the moment of sincere belief/repentance...the moment of conversion An unsaved person cannot give God his body for service, cannot give God his mind, and cannot give God his will. In fact, He cannot respond to God at all. 1 Corinthians 2 says, that the natural man can't even understand the things of God. They're utter foolishness. Dedication of the body, mind and will to God does not occur unless spiritual rebirth has occurred first.Whatever an unregenerate man offers God will not please God because without faith, the bible says, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
With that said, finally, we are to present our will to God. Now because we have presented the soul, the body, and the mind to Him already this part comes...this part is the fruit. Because we have saturated ourselves in His word and allowed it to transform us and control our thinking, we will approve or know what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. God's will is in His word. We will surrender our will and align it with His. Why...because we delight in Him..we delight in His Word...we know that His will is good and perfect and acceptable. You will say Lord...I want what You want. Nothing else matters...I want what You want for me...You know best. Here is what John MacArthur says that I think sums it all up:
"A renewed mind will be expressed in a submissive will and in a body presented as a living sacrifice. It all comes in one package. You can't present your body unless you have a renewed mind because you won't have the will to do that."
This is not something you do once but something you do moment by moment throughout your Christian walk...you surrender...because in surrender is victory. You moment by moment take yourself off the throne of your heart and surrender the control to Him. This is done by the work of the Spirit in your heart using the Word of God. As we renew our minds we begin to think the way God thinks as revealed to us in His word. His word literally becomes a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths. We see that His will is not hard, but good and acceptable and perfect.
Girls, allow the Lord to renew your minds...stay in His word. As you abide in His word, God will renew your mind so you can walk in His will which will take sacrifice. The payoff...being holy and acceptable to God. No greater goal than that...none.
Love
Mom
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Hi Dad...I'm Home
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time--1 Peter 1:3-5
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,
Wow! Look at all God has done for us. Look at the hope that is ours. As I was reading this chapter early this morning I could not get past these verses. Look at what He has done for us, His children. He sent His Son to die for our sins. He sent His Spirit by which we may be born again. He has given us an inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled and reserved for us in heaven. Finally, He is keeping us by His power. The verse that is coming to mind here is this one and I think it is perfect.
Psalm 57:2 I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me
What is left for us to do but say..."Hi Dad, I am home." That is our job...we have to accept His gift, and make no mistake, it is a gift, and walk through the door. He does the rest. We just need to come.
Think also on the phrase "who are kept by the power of God." Kept...is a military term meaning guarded or shielded and the tense of the verb reveals that we are constantly being guarded by God, assuring us that we shall safely arrive in heaven. Girls...each one of you knows how special you are to me. My heart wants to see each of you walk in truth without compromise. I can't hold your hand anymore and walk you through the difficult times but HE DOES AND HE NEVER LETS GO! I can't keep you from making the wrong moves, but I do know that you are kept by the power of God. You are kept by His faithfulness. You are constantly guarded and my heart is filled with gratitude to Him because I KNOW you will arrive safely in heaven. Why? Because He is committed to seeing you through til the end of your journey here. All you need do is believe.
The last point I will make about this passage is that as I contemplated our living Hope that is Christ and His resurrection from the dead, I realized that when we walk through salvation's door eternal life begins. We do not have to wait til we get to heaven to see it that way. He is reserving and watching our inheritance and He is keeping us by His power. We are as good as there. Be encouraged. The battle was won at the cross. We fight from a position of victory. We truly are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Love
Mom
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,
Wow! Look at all God has done for us. Look at the hope that is ours. As I was reading this chapter early this morning I could not get past these verses. Look at what He has done for us, His children. He sent His Son to die for our sins. He sent His Spirit by which we may be born again. He has given us an inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled and reserved for us in heaven. Finally, He is keeping us by His power. The verse that is coming to mind here is this one and I think it is perfect.
Psalm 57:2 I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me
What is left for us to do but say..."Hi Dad, I am home." That is our job...we have to accept His gift, and make no mistake, it is a gift, and walk through the door. He does the rest. We just need to come.
Think also on the phrase "who are kept by the power of God." Kept...is a military term meaning guarded or shielded and the tense of the verb reveals that we are constantly being guarded by God, assuring us that we shall safely arrive in heaven. Girls...each one of you knows how special you are to me. My heart wants to see each of you walk in truth without compromise. I can't hold your hand anymore and walk you through the difficult times but HE DOES AND HE NEVER LETS GO! I can't keep you from making the wrong moves, but I do know that you are kept by the power of God. You are kept by His faithfulness. You are constantly guarded and my heart is filled with gratitude to Him because I KNOW you will arrive safely in heaven. Why? Because He is committed to seeing you through til the end of your journey here. All you need do is believe.
The last point I will make about this passage is that as I contemplated our living Hope that is Christ and His resurrection from the dead, I realized that when we walk through salvation's door eternal life begins. We do not have to wait til we get to heaven to see it that way. He is reserving and watching our inheritance and He is keeping us by His power. We are as good as there. Be encouraged. The battle was won at the cross. We fight from a position of victory. We truly are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Love
Mom
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Surrounded with His Favor
But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You. For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous: With favor You will surround him as with a shield.--Psalm 5:11-12
Dear Girls,
I read these verses this morning. What comfort we have in our Lord. He may deal with others in judgment but we who hope in Him can ever shout for joy because He defends us. He protects us. He covers us. He is our refuge...strong and sure. We can be joyful in Him , because He blesses us and surrounds us with His favor like a shield. We are bullet proof. God has got our back! He is on our side. He is near...for in Him we live and move and have our beings. There is nothing to fear or be anxious about...what can man do to us? Maybe they can kill the body but when we awake...we awake in His likeness! He knows we are weak and remembers that we are dust. He has no illusions about us and yet He surrounds us with His favor like a shield. We can depend on Him to make our way straight before His face. We can depend on His grace, goodness strength and mercy which is always with us for the journey that lies ahead...and when we look to Him, we are radiant and our faces are not ashamed.
Love
Mom
Read the verses below and extol His holy name!
Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, "Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant." --Psalm 35:27
Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, "The LORD be magnified!" But I am poor and needy; Yet the LORD thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God. --Psalm 40:16-17
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, My servants shall eat, But you shall be hungry; Behold, My servants shall drink, But you shall be thirsty; Behold, My servants shall rejoice, But you shall be ashamed; Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart, But you shall cry for sorrow of heart, And wail for grief of spirit. You shall leave your name as a curse to My chosen; For the Lord GOD will slay you, And call His servants by another name; So that he who blesses himself in the earth Shall bless himself in the God of truth; And he who swears in the earth Shall swear by the God of truth; Because the former troubles are forgotten, And because they are hidden from My eyes. --Isaiah 65:13-16
But as it is written: "EYE HAS NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NOR HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM." --1 Corinthians 2:9
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever. --Psalm 23:6
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. --Romans 8:28
After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her." Again they said, "Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!" And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, "Amen! Alleluia!" Then a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!" And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! --Revelation 19:1-6
Dear Girls,
I read these verses this morning. What comfort we have in our Lord. He may deal with others in judgment but we who hope in Him can ever shout for joy because He defends us. He protects us. He covers us. He is our refuge...strong and sure. We can be joyful in Him , because He blesses us and surrounds us with His favor like a shield. We are bullet proof. God has got our back! He is on our side. He is near...for in Him we live and move and have our beings. There is nothing to fear or be anxious about...what can man do to us? Maybe they can kill the body but when we awake...we awake in His likeness! He knows we are weak and remembers that we are dust. He has no illusions about us and yet He surrounds us with His favor like a shield. We can depend on Him to make our way straight before His face. We can depend on His grace, goodness strength and mercy which is always with us for the journey that lies ahead...and when we look to Him, we are radiant and our faces are not ashamed.
Love
Mom
Read the verses below and extol His holy name!
Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, "Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant." --Psalm 35:27
Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, "The LORD be magnified!" But I am poor and needy; Yet the LORD thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God. --Psalm 40:16-17
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, My servants shall eat, But you shall be hungry; Behold, My servants shall drink, But you shall be thirsty; Behold, My servants shall rejoice, But you shall be ashamed; Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart, But you shall cry for sorrow of heart, And wail for grief of spirit. You shall leave your name as a curse to My chosen; For the Lord GOD will slay you, And call His servants by another name; So that he who blesses himself in the earth Shall bless himself in the God of truth; And he who swears in the earth Shall swear by the God of truth; Because the former troubles are forgotten, And because they are hidden from My eyes. --Isaiah 65:13-16
But as it is written: "EYE HAS NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NOR HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM." --1 Corinthians 2:9
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever. --Psalm 23:6
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. --Romans 8:28
After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her." Again they said, "Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!" And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, "Amen! Alleluia!" Then a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!" And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! --Revelation 19:1-6
Monday, January 3, 2011
A Mind Dedicated to God
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.--Romans 12:1-2
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,
We have been looking at the three things Romans 12:1-2 says we are to offer to our God as our reasonable service. The first, our bodies, we discussed in our previous study. The second thing we are to dedicate to our Lord is our minds. It is important to remember here, however, that they all go together. Christ wants all of us...soul, body, mind and will. For the sake of time we are looking at them separately.
Now I can laugh at this because I think why would anyone, especially God, want my mind. Seriously though...God does! He wants our minds set apart to Him and for Him. The world bombards us with different philosophies and stuff that grabs our emotions and bypasses rational thought. It attempts to program our minds in a certain way to conform us into its way of thinking...which really is not about thinking at all...truth is not desired in the world and neither is thinking. The world for the most part does not care if something is right as long as it works and makes them feel good. The word conform here means take on the outer appearance of something. We do not want to look like the world. The Spirit of God lives inside us. We want to be transformed into His image. God wants to give us His wisdom and His mind. He wants to teach us and reason with us. He wants to renew our mind and fill it with His truth, His ways and His will. 2nd Corinthians 3:18 says:
"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."
Whether you like it or not, you are a product of your thinking. The Bible says as a man thinks in his heart so is he. How are you programming your mind to think? What are you putting into it? GIGO...garbage in...garbage out. Word of God in....Word of God out. Fill your mind with the world, and the world will be reflected in your life. Fill your mind with the word of God, and the Spirit of God, who came to live inside you when you became a believer, will use it to transform you from the inside out. You will shine for Him...Your inner man will be renewed daily into His truth and His way of thinking. As you abide in Him your mind will become Spirit-controlled and you will speak psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to those around you. Double-mindedness will decrease and spiritual stability will increase. Your foundation will be strong, and as it says in Ephesians, you will stand!
Fallen, unsaved man's mind, the Bible says, is depraved, blind, futile, foolish, and ignorant. I can give you the references if you need them. Here is what John MacArthur says about the mind of fallen man:
"So depraved it does not choose what is good, so blind it does not know what is good, so useless it does not perform what is good, so ignorant it doesn't even know it's doing all of this and you're left with the only alternative...everything is foolish. That's the mind of man, fallen man"
My mind was all these things and more before coming to the Lord...despite my college degree...despite my good job. My life was in shambles...John MacArthur's quote hits home. Upon acceptance of the Lord, however, the one thing that told me something supernatural had occurred was that I felt like my mind had expanded exponentially. I saw things and understood things with different eyes. Many, many of my beliefs changed at the moment Christ entered my heart and The Spirit of God moved into my thinking. My mind which was once depraved, blind, futile, ignorant and foolish was now different. No, I did not have a new brain, but I did have a new way of thinking. My mind now thought not on the fleshly level but on the Spiritual. Romans 8:5 says this: "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit."
1 Corinthians 1:30 says:
"But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—"
What does Christ become for us....wisdom from God!
Now look at 1 Corinthians 2:10-16. These verses are amazing and would be a blessing to meditate on and memorize!
"But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ."
Wait...what does it say in that last sentence...we have whose mind? The mind of Christ!!
2nd Corinthians 10:3-5 " For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,"
We can bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ...why...because we have His mind. We can strain all the stuff of the world out and allow the Spirit of God to show us what is true.
This is the mind we dedicate to Him...We dedicate by giving it to Him and allowing Him to renew it by His Word. The world, as I stated before, throws so much stuff at us, girls, that our minds become cluttered and dirty. Our minds need regular renewal with the truth of God...His word. Spend time daily reading it, studying it, memorizing it and meditating on it. Allow God to transform your thinking...2nd Timothy 3:16-17 says:
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
Hebrews 4:12 says:
"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
Dedicate your mind to Him by setting it upon the things above and not on the things of the earth. Dedicate your mind to Him by putting on the new man that is renewed in knowledge and let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly." That's how you dedicate and transform your mind. The renewed mind is saturated and controlled by the Word of God.
Love
Mom
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,
We have been looking at the three things Romans 12:1-2 says we are to offer to our God as our reasonable service. The first, our bodies, we discussed in our previous study. The second thing we are to dedicate to our Lord is our minds. It is important to remember here, however, that they all go together. Christ wants all of us...soul, body, mind and will. For the sake of time we are looking at them separately.
Now I can laugh at this because I think why would anyone, especially God, want my mind. Seriously though...God does! He wants our minds set apart to Him and for Him. The world bombards us with different philosophies and stuff that grabs our emotions and bypasses rational thought. It attempts to program our minds in a certain way to conform us into its way of thinking...which really is not about thinking at all...truth is not desired in the world and neither is thinking. The world for the most part does not care if something is right as long as it works and makes them feel good. The word conform here means take on the outer appearance of something. We do not want to look like the world. The Spirit of God lives inside us. We want to be transformed into His image. God wants to give us His wisdom and His mind. He wants to teach us and reason with us. He wants to renew our mind and fill it with His truth, His ways and His will. 2nd Corinthians 3:18 says:
"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."
Whether you like it or not, you are a product of your thinking. The Bible says as a man thinks in his heart so is he. How are you programming your mind to think? What are you putting into it? GIGO...garbage in...garbage out. Word of God in....Word of God out. Fill your mind with the world, and the world will be reflected in your life. Fill your mind with the word of God, and the Spirit of God, who came to live inside you when you became a believer, will use it to transform you from the inside out. You will shine for Him...Your inner man will be renewed daily into His truth and His way of thinking. As you abide in Him your mind will become Spirit-controlled and you will speak psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to those around you. Double-mindedness will decrease and spiritual stability will increase. Your foundation will be strong, and as it says in Ephesians, you will stand!
Fallen, unsaved man's mind, the Bible says, is depraved, blind, futile, foolish, and ignorant. I can give you the references if you need them. Here is what John MacArthur says about the mind of fallen man:
"So depraved it does not choose what is good, so blind it does not know what is good, so useless it does not perform what is good, so ignorant it doesn't even know it's doing all of this and you're left with the only alternative...everything is foolish. That's the mind of man, fallen man"
My mind was all these things and more before coming to the Lord...despite my college degree...despite my good job. My life was in shambles...John MacArthur's quote hits home. Upon acceptance of the Lord, however, the one thing that told me something supernatural had occurred was that I felt like my mind had expanded exponentially. I saw things and understood things with different eyes. Many, many of my beliefs changed at the moment Christ entered my heart and The Spirit of God moved into my thinking. My mind which was once depraved, blind, futile, ignorant and foolish was now different. No, I did not have a new brain, but I did have a new way of thinking. My mind now thought not on the fleshly level but on the Spiritual. Romans 8:5 says this: "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit."
1 Corinthians 1:30 says:
"But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—"
What does Christ become for us....wisdom from God!
Now look at 1 Corinthians 2:10-16. These verses are amazing and would be a blessing to meditate on and memorize!
"But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ."
Wait...what does it say in that last sentence...we have whose mind? The mind of Christ!!
2nd Corinthians 10:3-5 " For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,"
We can bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ...why...because we have His mind. We can strain all the stuff of the world out and allow the Spirit of God to show us what is true.
This is the mind we dedicate to Him...We dedicate by giving it to Him and allowing Him to renew it by His Word. The world, as I stated before, throws so much stuff at us, girls, that our minds become cluttered and dirty. Our minds need regular renewal with the truth of God...His word. Spend time daily reading it, studying it, memorizing it and meditating on it. Allow God to transform your thinking...2nd Timothy 3:16-17 says:
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
Hebrews 4:12 says:
"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
Dedicate your mind to Him by setting it upon the things above and not on the things of the earth. Dedicate your mind to Him by putting on the new man that is renewed in knowledge and let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly." That's how you dedicate and transform your mind. The renewed mind is saturated and controlled by the Word of God.
Love
Mom
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Living Sacrifices....
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.--Romans 12:1-2
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,
I memorized Romans 12 many years ago. It has to be one of my most favorite chapters in Scripture because it is so very practical. As a new Christian, I can remember thinking it was gold and truly it is.
Looking at the first two verses we see that we are to offer or present to the Lord three things. The first is our bodies, the second is our minds and the last one is our wills. Let's take them one at a time. For this study we will look at presenting our bodies as living sacrifices.
Paul, starts off this chapter with a therefore. This is the fourth therefore we find in the Book of Romans. The first one is found in Romans 3:20 and is the therefore of condemnation which says that by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight. We are all guilty before God because none of us can keep the law. We all need a Savior. The second is the therefore of justification found in Romans 5:1 which says that we can be justified by faith and have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The third therefore is found in Romans 8:1 and is the therefore of assurance or of "no condemnation" because we are in Christ Jesus. If we are in Christ, we are free from the law of sin and death. The fourth and final one is found here in Romans 12. It is the therefore of commitment or dedication based on the mercies of God...So because of His mercies to us...because of who we are in Him...because of all that we enjoy....because of what the previous 11 chapters in Romans tell us...because of all that....Paul beseeches or pleads with us to commit ourselves to Him in total devotion.
The first thing he says we are to dedicate to Him is our bodies as living sacrifices which is our reasonable service. Offhand, I remember two living sacrifices in the Bible. The first was Isaac, Abraham's son, and the other was the Lord Jesus. Abraham offered Isaac, his son, in obedience to God's command. Isaac willingly placed himself on the altar in obedience to his earthly father's command as unto the Lord. God stopped Abraham before he killed Isaac and provided for Himself a ram for the sacrifice. Jesus some two thousand years later, probably on the same mountain, willingly obeyed His Heavenly Father's command to die for the sins of humanity. Jesus became the Lamb of God that would take away the sins of the world. Are you beginning to fathom what is required in service to the Lord. Do you see why being a living sacrifice is our reasonable service. The Son of God willingly died for us to give us eternal life and an inheritance none of us can even fathom. A serious and thoughtful consideration of the mercies of God can only lead us to the same conclusion that Paul reached....that our reasonable service is to die to our own selfish desires and live our lives for Him alone presenting our bodies to Him as instruments of righteousness to be used in accordance with His will.
I understand what is expected, but I surrender so little. The Lord is good. His plan for me comes from His heart of love and yet I rail and fight at times against Him and complain. I hold on to my flesh and my desires with all I have forgetting that I am His bond servant; forgetting that my "reasonable service" is to give myself to Him completely, utterly and sacrificially. I am to live for Him not only when it is convenient but always.
I am thankful that the Lord performs all things for me. I am also thankful the Lord will be faithful to complete that good work that He began in me until the day of Jesus Christ. Paul says this in Romans 7:
"For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members."
My inner man so wants to surrender completely to my God, but my flesh rebels. For whatever it is worth, here is what I have found helpful. I begin each day by surrendering my body to Him before I even get out of bed. This helps me refocus on Him because the first person I think of when I awake in the morning is me and how I am feeling. It helps me to remember once again what I am always in need of reminding...that it is not about me but it is about Him.
Love
Mom
Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
Romans 6:19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.
1Co 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
1Corinthians 6:20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
2Corinthians 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
2Corinthians 6:9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
Philippians 1:20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Colossians 3:3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,
I memorized Romans 12 many years ago. It has to be one of my most favorite chapters in Scripture because it is so very practical. As a new Christian, I can remember thinking it was gold and truly it is.
Looking at the first two verses we see that we are to offer or present to the Lord three things. The first is our bodies, the second is our minds and the last one is our wills. Let's take them one at a time. For this study we will look at presenting our bodies as living sacrifices.
Paul, starts off this chapter with a therefore. This is the fourth therefore we find in the Book of Romans. The first one is found in Romans 3:20 and is the therefore of condemnation which says that by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight. We are all guilty before God because none of us can keep the law. We all need a Savior. The second is the therefore of justification found in Romans 5:1 which says that we can be justified by faith and have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The third therefore is found in Romans 8:1 and is the therefore of assurance or of "no condemnation" because we are in Christ Jesus. If we are in Christ, we are free from the law of sin and death. The fourth and final one is found here in Romans 12. It is the therefore of commitment or dedication based on the mercies of God...So because of His mercies to us...because of who we are in Him...because of all that we enjoy....because of what the previous 11 chapters in Romans tell us...because of all that....Paul beseeches or pleads with us to commit ourselves to Him in total devotion.
The first thing he says we are to dedicate to Him is our bodies as living sacrifices which is our reasonable service. Offhand, I remember two living sacrifices in the Bible. The first was Isaac, Abraham's son, and the other was the Lord Jesus. Abraham offered Isaac, his son, in obedience to God's command. Isaac willingly placed himself on the altar in obedience to his earthly father's command as unto the Lord. God stopped Abraham before he killed Isaac and provided for Himself a ram for the sacrifice. Jesus some two thousand years later, probably on the same mountain, willingly obeyed His Heavenly Father's command to die for the sins of humanity. Jesus became the Lamb of God that would take away the sins of the world. Are you beginning to fathom what is required in service to the Lord. Do you see why being a living sacrifice is our reasonable service. The Son of God willingly died for us to give us eternal life and an inheritance none of us can even fathom. A serious and thoughtful consideration of the mercies of God can only lead us to the same conclusion that Paul reached....that our reasonable service is to die to our own selfish desires and live our lives for Him alone presenting our bodies to Him as instruments of righteousness to be used in accordance with His will.
I understand what is expected, but I surrender so little. The Lord is good. His plan for me comes from His heart of love and yet I rail and fight at times against Him and complain. I hold on to my flesh and my desires with all I have forgetting that I am His bond servant; forgetting that my "reasonable service" is to give myself to Him completely, utterly and sacrificially. I am to live for Him not only when it is convenient but always.
I am thankful that the Lord performs all things for me. I am also thankful the Lord will be faithful to complete that good work that He began in me until the day of Jesus Christ. Paul says this in Romans 7:
"For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members."
My inner man so wants to surrender completely to my God, but my flesh rebels. For whatever it is worth, here is what I have found helpful. I begin each day by surrendering my body to Him before I even get out of bed. This helps me refocus on Him because the first person I think of when I awake in the morning is me and how I am feeling. It helps me to remember once again what I am always in need of reminding...that it is not about me but it is about Him.
Love
Mom
Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
Romans 6:19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.
1Co 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
1Corinthians 6:20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
2Corinthians 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
2Corinthians 6:9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
Philippians 1:20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Colossians 3:3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Christophobia: Delusions of Righteousness
Christophobia: Delusions of Righteousness: "“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. “Many will s..."
Friday, December 31, 2010
Tentmakers...By Rebecca
“And he [Paul] found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them. So, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers.” ~ Acts 18:2-3
A tentmaker. According to the world, the apostle Paul was a wanderer – constantly being falsely accused, beaten, imprisoned, and driven out of town, at that – who supported himself by the unpretentious profession of tentmaking. Bear in mi...nd that Paul was once Saul of Tarsus, the Hebrew of Hebrews, circumcised on the eighth day, a Pharisee, humanly blameless concerning the Mosaic Law, and so zealous for “God” that he literally breathed threats and murder against believers. (Philippians 3:3-7, Acts 9:1-2) Paul’s credentials are extensive. If anyone could have confidence in the flesh, he wrote in Philippians 3, it would be him. Paul was born a Roman citizen (Acts 22:28), so he was probably from a well-off and possibly wealthy family. He was orthodox to the extreme, “brought up in this city [Jerusalem] at the feet of Gamaliel” (Acts 22:3-5) – a prominent rabbi of the time. Studying Paul’s letters reveals him to be a brilliant logician, writer, and debater. What we know of his life as an unbeliever implies that Paul was politically connected and a rising star in Jerusalem. Before the Damascus Road, this man was well on his way to reaching the absolute height of worldly achievement possible for him to obtain.
But he gave it up for tentmaking?
The world would, at best, view Paul with pity. “What a waste! Think of all he could have had and become!” Some might consider him certifiably insane. Others would hold him in contempt, mocking, scorning, and deriding his choices.
I can guarantee you this: Paul could not have cared less what anyone thought. In his own words, found in Philippians 3:7-9, “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him…”
The answer is right there in Paul’s profession: tentmaking. This life is temporary, a passing, fleeting thing; a tent. My flesh is just a tent. This world is a tent that one day the Lord will roll up like a scroll (Isaiah 34:4), and all the things the world values, whether possessions, looks, prestige, power, self, comfort, etc., will perish. They won’t matter. They won’t be beneficial. Paul lived for what mattered: the light of eternity, Jesus Christ.
Does that mean we all need to be low-income, despised wanderers to be living for eternity? No, not necessarily. The Lord has a destiny for each one of His beloved children, specially tailored, and ordained before we were even born. What you are in world is irrelevant; what matters is whether you are following Jesus. Everything that is not done in Him is indeed loss.
This world is not my home. My body is dust – via rib – and to dust it will return. Every breath brings me closer to eternity. What manner of person ought I to be? What mind should I have? Where should my eyes be fixed?
Romans 14:23, “…for whatever is not from faith is sin.”
Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
2 Corinthians 12:9, “And He 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.”
But he gave it up for tentmaking?
The world would, at best, view Paul with pity. “What a waste! Think of all he could have had and become!” Some might consider him certifiably insane. Others would hold him in contempt, mocking, scorning, and deriding his choices.
I can guarantee you this: Paul could not have cared less what anyone thought. In his own words, found in Philippians 3:7-9, “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him…”
The answer is right there in Paul’s profession: tentmaking. This life is temporary, a passing, fleeting thing; a tent. My flesh is just a tent. This world is a tent that one day the Lord will roll up like a scroll (Isaiah 34:4), and all the things the world values, whether possessions, looks, prestige, power, self, comfort, etc., will perish. They won’t matter. They won’t be beneficial. Paul lived for what mattered: the light of eternity, Jesus Christ.
Does that mean we all need to be low-income, despised wanderers to be living for eternity? No, not necessarily. The Lord has a destiny for each one of His beloved children, specially tailored, and ordained before we were even born. What you are in world is irrelevant; what matters is whether you are following Jesus. Everything that is not done in Him is indeed loss.
This world is not my home. My body is dust – via rib – and to dust it will return. Every breath brings me closer to eternity. What manner of person ought I to be? What mind should I have? Where should my eyes be fixed?
Romans 14:23, “…for whatever is not from faith is sin.”
Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
2 Corinthians 12:9, “And He 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.”
The Father's Heart - Jeremiah 36
Now it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, that this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying: 2 “Take a scroll of a book and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel, against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah even to this day. 3 It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the adversities which I purpose to bring upon them, that everyone may turn from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”--Jeremiah 36:1-3
Now the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, with a fire burning on the hearth before him. And it happened, when Jehudi had read three or four columns, that the king cut it with the scribe’s knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. Yet they were not afraid, nor did they tear their garments, the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words. Nevertheless Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah implored the king not to burn the scroll; but he would not listen to them. And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the LORD hid them.--Jeremiah 22-26
Do you hear the Father's heart for His children in the first three verses of Jeremiah 36. His heart so wants them to turn from their sin and come to Him. This brings tears to my eyes. The Lord is so ever ready to forgive. He just wants to hear you say, "I am sorry," and turn so your sin does not destroy you and put you into an eternity without Him. God had Jeremiah write all that He had spoken to His people over the last 22 years in the hopes that Judah would hear and repent. God truly gives us every opportunity to turn and come to Him. . He does everything and anything He can short of violating our free will to bring us into a relationship with Him. He gives us warning after warning and even put stumbling blocks in our paths to prevent us from sinning more egregiously.
Hebrews 10 warns us:
"For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The LORD will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
Reading on in Jeremiah 36, we see an example of someone who thinks he knows better than God. Who truly as it says in Hebrews trampled the Son of God underfoot, the Spirit of God underfoot and burned the Word of God. Fighting against God is so stupid. The king reviled God's word as evidenced by his cutting it with a knife and then burning it in the hearth by his feet. Some people just decide based on no reading nor any evidence to despise the word of God and spend their life doing just that. Maybe the king thought by destroying the word he could keep it from coming to pass. There is no escape from His word. God's word will come to pass. Check out all the prophecies that already have. Check out especially the prophecies about Jesus...the Bible was written by someone outside of time...it is a supernatural book. What He has said He is going to do. You may not believe it...you may ignore it or even trample it underfoot but you will not win...The king tried...but God's word still came to pass. It is now too late for the King to turn...but it is not too late for you.
Jesus spoke about hell more than He spoke of heaven. Most of us know the truth...we know the Gospel. We, however, continue despite that knowledge in our own stubborn, sin filled ways...fighting against God all the way. I know I did it for years until God in His graciousness and kindness to me in Christ Jesus brought me to a point where I could literally not go on without Him. Pride once picked up is a very hard thing to put down. Our Lord brought mine crashing down on my head. It got my attention like nothing else did...and you know...I will be eternally grateful to Him. Don't be eternally sorry...put down your pride...go to Him NOW...no matter what condition you are in...God doesn't care...confess your sin and need...He is looking for an excuse to be gracious to you.
Be blessed both temporally and eternally this new year....
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” -- John 3:14-21
Now the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, with a fire burning on the hearth before him. And it happened, when Jehudi had read three or four columns, that the king cut it with the scribe’s knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. Yet they were not afraid, nor did they tear their garments, the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words. Nevertheless Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah implored the king not to burn the scroll; but he would not listen to them. And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the LORD hid them.--Jeremiah 22-26
Do you hear the Father's heart for His children in the first three verses of Jeremiah 36. His heart so wants them to turn from their sin and come to Him. This brings tears to my eyes. The Lord is so ever ready to forgive. He just wants to hear you say, "I am sorry," and turn so your sin does not destroy you and put you into an eternity without Him. God had Jeremiah write all that He had spoken to His people over the last 22 years in the hopes that Judah would hear and repent. God truly gives us every opportunity to turn and come to Him. . He does everything and anything He can short of violating our free will to bring us into a relationship with Him. He gives us warning after warning and even put stumbling blocks in our paths to prevent us from sinning more egregiously.
Hebrews 10 warns us:
"For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The LORD will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
Reading on in Jeremiah 36, we see an example of someone who thinks he knows better than God. Who truly as it says in Hebrews trampled the Son of God underfoot, the Spirit of God underfoot and burned the Word of God. Fighting against God is so stupid. The king reviled God's word as evidenced by his cutting it with a knife and then burning it in the hearth by his feet. Some people just decide based on no reading nor any evidence to despise the word of God and spend their life doing just that. Maybe the king thought by destroying the word he could keep it from coming to pass. There is no escape from His word. God's word will come to pass. Check out all the prophecies that already have. Check out especially the prophecies about Jesus...the Bible was written by someone outside of time...it is a supernatural book. What He has said He is going to do. You may not believe it...you may ignore it or even trample it underfoot but you will not win...The king tried...but God's word still came to pass. It is now too late for the King to turn...but it is not too late for you.
Jesus spoke about hell more than He spoke of heaven. Most of us know the truth...we know the Gospel. We, however, continue despite that knowledge in our own stubborn, sin filled ways...fighting against God all the way. I know I did it for years until God in His graciousness and kindness to me in Christ Jesus brought me to a point where I could literally not go on without Him. Pride once picked up is a very hard thing to put down. Our Lord brought mine crashing down on my head. It got my attention like nothing else did...and you know...I will be eternally grateful to Him. Don't be eternally sorry...put down your pride...go to Him NOW...no matter what condition you are in...God doesn't care...confess your sin and need...He is looking for an excuse to be gracious to you.
Be blessed both temporally and eternally this new year....
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” -- John 3:14-21
Thursday, December 30, 2010
The Simple Gospel....
But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7 or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’”] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”(that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”--Romans 10:6-13
These are some of the most beautiful verses in Scripture. The gospel message is so simple. You don't have to climb up into heaven or descend into the land of the dead to get it. The word is near you...it is within your reach...it is yours for the taking. There is nothing about it that is difficult to understand. God's salvation is right in front of us. He comes to us...there is no where we can go from His Spirit. All we need do is respond by a simple confession with our mouth acknowledging that Jesus is Lord and believing in our heart that God raised Him from the dead and we are saved.
Now why does it say believe in your heart? The heart is the seat of the will. If you truly believe something with your heart your words and deeds will follow. Your heart needs to line up with what you say as you make Jesus the Lord of your life. Read what Jon Courson says about heart belief.
"Why believe in your heart? Why didn't Paul say believe in your mind? I suggest it is because the Lord is after our heart first. "You shall love the Lord with all your heart and mind and strength and soul" (see Mar_12:30). You see, my mind can be swayed very easily. I'm convinced about something—until I get a new set of facts and change my mind. Or I have an opinion one day and then I flip-flop the next.
But if something is in my heart, I don't change my mind about it daily. For example, at one time in your life, a boyfriend or girlfriend may have turned his or her back on you. Yet your heart was still drawn toward him or her because it's difficult to change your heart. Your mind changes easily, constantly, with every new bit of data. But the heart? It doesn't change so easily. It breaks, but it doesn't change. And so the Lord says, "I want you to believe in Me with your heart—not simply rationally, but emotionally and intimately."
That's it. That is the gospel message. Confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Don't miss the last verses...we are all saved the same way...by grace through faith. There is no difference or distinction between Jew and Greek. the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him...For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. "
Whosoever will come...
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
These are some of the most beautiful verses in Scripture. The gospel message is so simple. You don't have to climb up into heaven or descend into the land of the dead to get it. The word is near you...it is within your reach...it is yours for the taking. There is nothing about it that is difficult to understand. God's salvation is right in front of us. He comes to us...there is no where we can go from His Spirit. All we need do is respond by a simple confession with our mouth acknowledging that Jesus is Lord and believing in our heart that God raised Him from the dead and we are saved.
Now why does it say believe in your heart? The heart is the seat of the will. If you truly believe something with your heart your words and deeds will follow. Your heart needs to line up with what you say as you make Jesus the Lord of your life. Read what Jon Courson says about heart belief.
"Why believe in your heart? Why didn't Paul say believe in your mind? I suggest it is because the Lord is after our heart first. "You shall love the Lord with all your heart and mind and strength and soul" (see Mar_12:30). You see, my mind can be swayed very easily. I'm convinced about something—until I get a new set of facts and change my mind. Or I have an opinion one day and then I flip-flop the next.
But if something is in my heart, I don't change my mind about it daily. For example, at one time in your life, a boyfriend or girlfriend may have turned his or her back on you. Yet your heart was still drawn toward him or her because it's difficult to change your heart. Your mind changes easily, constantly, with every new bit of data. But the heart? It doesn't change so easily. It breaks, but it doesn't change. And so the Lord says, "I want you to believe in Me with your heart—not simply rationally, but emotionally and intimately."
That's it. That is the gospel message. Confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Don't miss the last verses...we are all saved the same way...by grace through faith. There is no difference or distinction between Jew and Greek. the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him...For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. "
Whosoever will come...
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Sacrifice of Praise
Hebrews 13:15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say: “ Praise the LORD of hosts, For the LORD is good, For His mercy endures forever”— and of those who will bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause the captives of the land to return as at the first,’ says the LORD.--Jeremiah 33:11
The sacrifice of praise....the sacrifice of our lips. Luke 6:45 says that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. God is good all the time...His plans for us come from His heart of love for us. God works all things together for good to those who love Him and our praise for Him should be continually on our lips as we go through our day. He makes His goodness follow us and covers our missteps with mercy. Praise Him despite your own fleshly inclinations to complain. Purpose in your heart to praise Him especially during those times when it is the last thing that you want to do. Feelings are fickle. Walk with Him according to the promises in His word, not according to the state of your emotions. Praise Him despite the heartache and tragedy you are facing. Praise Him despite the fact that you are mopping the floor or doing the dishes for the umpteenth time. Do it as an act of faith. His grace will be there and the light of His countenance will be upon you.
How can we praise God and thank Him when we are in the midst of pain and suffering? The answer is all over His word...Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! Truly, you could navigate your way page by page through His word singing His praise, but my focus last night was in 1 John Chapter 1. As I read the chapter I realized that I (ME!) have fellowship with the One in whom there is no darkness at all...only light forever. Me and you, finite humanity, can commune with an infinite God! In fact, I can go boldly to His throne of grace in my time of need to find help. Our God is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent and He DESIRES fellowship with me! (you) Moreover, as we read through His word we find out that this fellowship is the very purpose for our existence and it is what makes our joy full!
Sometimes my life is sad and full of grief and I feel isolated, but that all fades when I remember that my God wants an intimate relationship with me. Through this relationship with Him and fellowship in Him with like-minded believers, I know that I am never alone. Such knowledge brings great joy to my heart! Our God, girls, promises never to leave us nor forsake us. Paul was able to be content no matter what situation or grief he encountered. Why? Because he understood with heart knowledge that the Lord was His Shepherd...He had everything He needed.
Raise your hands and praise the One who has been so faithful in the past, whom you know is working in the present and who will not turn aside but will complete the good work He started in you.
Love
Mom
The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say: “ Praise the LORD of hosts, For the LORD is good, For His mercy endures forever”— and of those who will bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause the captives of the land to return as at the first,’ says the LORD.--Jeremiah 33:11
The sacrifice of praise....the sacrifice of our lips. Luke 6:45 says that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. God is good all the time...His plans for us come from His heart of love for us. God works all things together for good to those who love Him and our praise for Him should be continually on our lips as we go through our day. He makes His goodness follow us and covers our missteps with mercy. Praise Him despite your own fleshly inclinations to complain. Purpose in your heart to praise Him especially during those times when it is the last thing that you want to do. Feelings are fickle. Walk with Him according to the promises in His word, not according to the state of your emotions. Praise Him despite the heartache and tragedy you are facing. Praise Him despite the fact that you are mopping the floor or doing the dishes for the umpteenth time. Do it as an act of faith. His grace will be there and the light of His countenance will be upon you.
How can we praise God and thank Him when we are in the midst of pain and suffering? The answer is all over His word...Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! Truly, you could navigate your way page by page through His word singing His praise, but my focus last night was in 1 John Chapter 1. As I read the chapter I realized that I (ME!) have fellowship with the One in whom there is no darkness at all...only light forever. Me and you, finite humanity, can commune with an infinite God! In fact, I can go boldly to His throne of grace in my time of need to find help. Our God is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent and He DESIRES fellowship with me! (you) Moreover, as we read through His word we find out that this fellowship is the very purpose for our existence and it is what makes our joy full!
Sometimes my life is sad and full of grief and I feel isolated, but that all fades when I remember that my God wants an intimate relationship with me. Through this relationship with Him and fellowship in Him with like-minded believers, I know that I am never alone. Such knowledge brings great joy to my heart! Our God, girls, promises never to leave us nor forsake us. Paul was able to be content no matter what situation or grief he encountered. Why? Because he understood with heart knowledge that the Lord was His Shepherd...He had everything He needed.
Raise your hands and praise the One who has been so faithful in the past, whom you know is working in the present and who will not turn aside but will complete the good work He started in you.
Love
Mom
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
How Great is Our God...
Rom 11:29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,
The first verse of Romans 11 is emphatic when it states that God is not through with His Chosen People. That is so clear, especially today when we look at what is happening with Israel. It is a cup of trembling to the nations all around. Paul's miraculous conversion on the road to Damascus is a foreshadowing of what will happen to the Jewish nation when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Romans 11:15 says that God has cast off His people but this does not mean that He has rejected all of them forever. Paul himself is proof that the casting away is not complete. After all, his credentials as a Jew were impeccable. Verses 2-10 talk about Israel's past history and verse 7 says that God has always kept a believing remnant according to the election of grace and the rest (the majority) were blinded.
Verse 11 goes on to ask, "Have they stumbled that they should fall?" Look at this girls...God's purposes, despite Israel's disobedience, are restorative...not only for the Jew but for the Gentile as well. His purpose is, that as a result of their fall, salvation should come to the Gentiles, thus provoking Israel to jealousy. This jealousy is designed to bring Israel back to God eventually. Look at the next verse...Rom 11:12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! Wow! Wow! Wow! God promised the Gentiles would be saved and He will keep His promise to Israel also. When Israel finally turns to the Lord she will become a channel of blessing for all the nations. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, tells his audience in the next verse that he is not only speaking to them to explain God's grace to them but to provoke his countrymen to jealousy. Ideally, the Jew would look at the spiritual riches of the Gentile believer and want what he had....Christ...the hope of glory!
Paul goes on later to say that concerning the gospel the Jews are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. God's original plan, had the Jews as the instrument of God's blessing to the Gentiles. When the Jews disobeyed or stumbled, God blessed the Gentiles anyway through the Jewish Messiah. His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would still be sure. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. God does not change. Even if we are faithless, He remains faithful. Someday all faithful Jews will share in God's mercy. God's plans will not be thwarted: He will "have mercy on everyone."
Do you see why after reading this chapter several times I was in worship mode. What an encouragement for me and for you. God's gifts and His calling are irrevocable...Malachi 3:6 says, "I am the Lord, I change not” God chose Israel in His grace, not because of any merit that she might have had. Israel is His beloved. We who believe, are His beloved. God will be true to Himself and consistent with His word no matter what we do. What a relief to know it does not depend on me or anything that I do or don't do. Romans 3:3 says shall their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Philippians 1:6 reminds us that He who has begun a good work in us will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
I read the last several verses of Romans 11 and rejoiced along with Paul. Read and.pay special attention to the reason for Paul's hymn of praise at the end.
Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
34 “ For who has known the mind of the LORD?
Or who has become His counselor?”
35 “ Or who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?”
36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
I am amazed at the greatness of our God. His grace and His sovereignty abound. May I never lose sight of the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of our God. His judgments truly are unsearchable and His ways past finding out. I pray that I can meditate on His amazing love in the valleys and the difficult places that I know are coming. Reading this chapter put such joy in my heart and strengthened my faith. Truly God knows what He is doing even when we cannot imagine what that might be. He is the One who works all things together for good in our lives. He is the one who through Israel's fall brought salvation to the Gentiles.
Closing with a quote from Spurgeon that really spoke to my heart...
"Fate says the thing is and must be, so it is decreed. But the true doctrine is--God has appointed this and that, not because it must be, but because it is best that it should be. Fate is blind, but the destiny of Scripture is full of eyes. Fate is stern and adamantine, and has no tears for human sorrow. But the arrangements of providence are kind and good." --Charles Spurgeon
Love
Mom
Here is Romans 11 in its entirety:
7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 8 Just as it is written:
“ God has given them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes that they should not see
And ears that they should not hear,
To this very day.”[d]
9 And David says:
“ Let their table become a snare and a trap,
A stumbling block and a recompense to them.
10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see,
And bow down their back always.”[e]
11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. 15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness,[f] if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved,[g] as it is written:
“ The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27 For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.”[h]
28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
34 “ For who has known the mind of the LORD?
Or who has become His counselor?”[i]
35 “ Or who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?”[j]
36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,
The first verse of Romans 11 is emphatic when it states that God is not through with His Chosen People. That is so clear, especially today when we look at what is happening with Israel. It is a cup of trembling to the nations all around. Paul's miraculous conversion on the road to Damascus is a foreshadowing of what will happen to the Jewish nation when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Romans 11:15 says that God has cast off His people but this does not mean that He has rejected all of them forever. Paul himself is proof that the casting away is not complete. After all, his credentials as a Jew were impeccable. Verses 2-10 talk about Israel's past history and verse 7 says that God has always kept a believing remnant according to the election of grace and the rest (the majority) were blinded.
Verse 11 goes on to ask, "Have they stumbled that they should fall?" Look at this girls...God's purposes, despite Israel's disobedience, are restorative...not only for the Jew but for the Gentile as well. His purpose is, that as a result of their fall, salvation should come to the Gentiles, thus provoking Israel to jealousy. This jealousy is designed to bring Israel back to God eventually. Look at the next verse...Rom 11:12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! Wow! Wow! Wow! God promised the Gentiles would be saved and He will keep His promise to Israel also. When Israel finally turns to the Lord she will become a channel of blessing for all the nations. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, tells his audience in the next verse that he is not only speaking to them to explain God's grace to them but to provoke his countrymen to jealousy. Ideally, the Jew would look at the spiritual riches of the Gentile believer and want what he had....Christ...the hope of glory!
Paul goes on later to say that concerning the gospel the Jews are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. God's original plan, had the Jews as the instrument of God's blessing to the Gentiles. When the Jews disobeyed or stumbled, God blessed the Gentiles anyway through the Jewish Messiah. His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would still be sure. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. God does not change. Even if we are faithless, He remains faithful. Someday all faithful Jews will share in God's mercy. God's plans will not be thwarted: He will "have mercy on everyone."
Do you see why after reading this chapter several times I was in worship mode. What an encouragement for me and for you. God's gifts and His calling are irrevocable...Malachi 3:6 says, "I am the Lord, I change not” God chose Israel in His grace, not because of any merit that she might have had. Israel is His beloved. We who believe, are His beloved. God will be true to Himself and consistent with His word no matter what we do. What a relief to know it does not depend on me or anything that I do or don't do. Romans 3:3 says shall their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Philippians 1:6 reminds us that He who has begun a good work in us will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
I read the last several verses of Romans 11 and rejoiced along with Paul. Read and.pay special attention to the reason for Paul's hymn of praise at the end.
Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
34 “ For who has known the mind of the LORD?
Or who has become His counselor?”
35 “ Or who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?”
36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
I am amazed at the greatness of our God. His grace and His sovereignty abound. May I never lose sight of the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of our God. His judgments truly are unsearchable and His ways past finding out. I pray that I can meditate on His amazing love in the valleys and the difficult places that I know are coming. Reading this chapter put such joy in my heart and strengthened my faith. Truly God knows what He is doing even when we cannot imagine what that might be. He is the One who works all things together for good in our lives. He is the one who through Israel's fall brought salvation to the Gentiles.
Closing with a quote from Spurgeon that really spoke to my heart...
"Fate says the thing is and must be, so it is decreed. But the true doctrine is--God has appointed this and that, not because it must be, but because it is best that it should be. Fate is blind, but the destiny of Scripture is full of eyes. Fate is stern and adamantine, and has no tears for human sorrow. But the arrangements of providence are kind and good." --Charles Spurgeon
Love
Mom
Here is Romans 11 in its entirety:
Romans 11
Israel’s Rejection Not Total
1 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 3 “LORD, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”?[a] 4 But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”[b] 5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.[c] But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 8 Just as it is written:
“ God has given them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes that they should not see
And ears that they should not hear,
To this very day.”[d]
9 And David says:
“ Let their table become a snare and a trap,
A stumbling block and a recompense to them.
10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see,
And bow down their back always.”[e]
Israel’s Rejection Not Final
11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. 15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness,[f] if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved,[g] as it is written:
“ The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27 For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.”[h]
28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
34 “ For who has known the mind of the LORD?
Or who has become His counselor?”[i]
35 “ Or who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?”[j]
36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Is There Anything too Hard for the Lord....
Jeremiah 32:16-27
“Now when I had delivered the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to the LORD, saying: 17 ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. 18 You show lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them—the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts. 19 You are great in counsel and mighty in work, for Your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings. 20 You have set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, to this day, and in Israel and among other men; and You have made Yourself a name, as it is this day. 21 You have brought Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and with great terror; 22 You have given them this land, of which You swore to their fathers to give them—“a land flowing with milk and honey.”[b] 23 And they came in and took possession of it, but they have not obeyed Your voice or walked in Your law. They have done nothing of all that You commanded them to do; therefore You have caused all this calamity to come upon them.
24 ‘Look, the siege mounds! They have come to the city to take it; and the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword and famine and pestilence. What You have spoken has happened; there You see it! 25 And You have said to me, O Lord GOD, “Buy the field for money, and take witnesses”!—yet the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’”
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,
Here in Chapter 32 of the Book of Jeremiah God tells the prophet to buy a piece of land located outside of Jerusalem that had been captured by the enemy as an assurance to the people that God would bring them back from Babylon. . Not only is the land under siege and occupied by enemy soldiers, but Jeremiah is also a prisoner in King Zedekiah palace. In fact, he is in prison because of this very prophecy. Now this was obviously not looking like the best investment for Jeremiah to be making. Jeremiah, however, obeyed God and by faith believed the word of the Lord that his countrymen would be brought back into the land from the Babylonian captivity.
It is clear this was not an easy thing for Jeremiah to do. Trusting God at times is not easy. Sometimes after we do something that we know the Lord has asked us to do, especially when it might be viewed as foolish in the eyes of others, we begin to question our judgment and wisdom. This is what is happening here to Jeremiah regarding the land purchase.
So what does Jeremiah do when he is faced with his own fear and doubt. He, by faith, begins to extol and adore His Lord acknowledging Him as the Creator of heaven and earth and the One who can solve any problem. Nothing is too hard for Him. The Lord is righteous and extends grace and judgment perfectly. He is great and works great things. He is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. The Lord is glorious and terrifying and humbling. And yet God's people did not obey Him and therefore God has caused this calamity to come upon them. Look at verses 24 and 25. Here is where Jeremiah finally comes to the real reason for his prayer....to question God's judgment in regard to the land deal. It is not a bad thing to pour your heart out before the Lord and question what he is doing as long as you do not presume you know better. Look at how the Lord answers. Ha! He takes a page out of Jeremiah's book and says, [I'm] the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? Remember how Jeremiah started his prayer? Jeremiah says, "Lord, You are God. There's nothing too hard for You." And God is reminding him of his own words here and says, "Is there anything too hard for Me?" I love the Lord's sense of humor. So often I need to be reminded of the very same thing.
That is the application for me and for you. You know, I say a lot of things that I think come from a heart of faith. In reality, however, most of the time I need God's constant reminder to me of His faithfulness and power. Really, is there anything too hard for the Lord? Jeremiah did the right thing because he sought relief in prayer from his nagging doubts. It helps us when we begin to doubt to focus and meditate on what we know about our Lord. Let's cry out to the Lord like the Dad in the Gospel of Mark 9. "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"
John 13:7 Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this."
Romans 11:33-34 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! "FOR WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD? OR WHO HAS BECOME HIS COUNSELOR?"
When you think your situation is impossible and need to be reminded of who the Lord is, meditate on one or two of these verses.
Genesis 18:14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."
Job 42:2 "I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.
Luke 1:37 For with God nothing will be impossible."
Luke 18:27 But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."
Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me,
Isaiah 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,'
Daniel 2:22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.
Acts 15:18 "Known to God from eternity are all His works.
“Now when I had delivered the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to the LORD, saying: 17 ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. 18 You show lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them—the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts. 19 You are great in counsel and mighty in work, for Your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings. 20 You have set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, to this day, and in Israel and among other men; and You have made Yourself a name, as it is this day. 21 You have brought Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and with great terror; 22 You have given them this land, of which You swore to their fathers to give them—“a land flowing with milk and honey.”[b] 23 And they came in and took possession of it, but they have not obeyed Your voice or walked in Your law. They have done nothing of all that You commanded them to do; therefore You have caused all this calamity to come upon them.
24 ‘Look, the siege mounds! They have come to the city to take it; and the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword and famine and pestilence. What You have spoken has happened; there You see it! 25 And You have said to me, O Lord GOD, “Buy the field for money, and take witnesses”!—yet the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’”
God’s Assurance of the People’s Return
26 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 27 “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,
Here in Chapter 32 of the Book of Jeremiah God tells the prophet to buy a piece of land located outside of Jerusalem that had been captured by the enemy as an assurance to the people that God would bring them back from Babylon. . Not only is the land under siege and occupied by enemy soldiers, but Jeremiah is also a prisoner in King Zedekiah palace. In fact, he is in prison because of this very prophecy. Now this was obviously not looking like the best investment for Jeremiah to be making. Jeremiah, however, obeyed God and by faith believed the word of the Lord that his countrymen would be brought back into the land from the Babylonian captivity.
It is clear this was not an easy thing for Jeremiah to do. Trusting God at times is not easy. Sometimes after we do something that we know the Lord has asked us to do, especially when it might be viewed as foolish in the eyes of others, we begin to question our judgment and wisdom. This is what is happening here to Jeremiah regarding the land purchase.
So what does Jeremiah do when he is faced with his own fear and doubt. He, by faith, begins to extol and adore His Lord acknowledging Him as the Creator of heaven and earth and the One who can solve any problem. Nothing is too hard for Him. The Lord is righteous and extends grace and judgment perfectly. He is great and works great things. He is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. The Lord is glorious and terrifying and humbling. And yet God's people did not obey Him and therefore God has caused this calamity to come upon them. Look at verses 24 and 25. Here is where Jeremiah finally comes to the real reason for his prayer....to question God's judgment in regard to the land deal. It is not a bad thing to pour your heart out before the Lord and question what he is doing as long as you do not presume you know better. Look at how the Lord answers. Ha! He takes a page out of Jeremiah's book and says, [I'm] the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? Remember how Jeremiah started his prayer? Jeremiah says, "Lord, You are God. There's nothing too hard for You." And God is reminding him of his own words here and says, "Is there anything too hard for Me?" I love the Lord's sense of humor. So often I need to be reminded of the very same thing.
That is the application for me and for you. You know, I say a lot of things that I think come from a heart of faith. In reality, however, most of the time I need God's constant reminder to me of His faithfulness and power. Really, is there anything too hard for the Lord? Jeremiah did the right thing because he sought relief in prayer from his nagging doubts. It helps us when we begin to doubt to focus and meditate on what we know about our Lord. Let's cry out to the Lord like the Dad in the Gospel of Mark 9. "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"
John 13:7 Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this."
Romans 11:33-34 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! "FOR WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD? OR WHO HAS BECOME HIS COUNSELOR?"
When you think your situation is impossible and need to be reminded of who the Lord is, meditate on one or two of these verses.
Genesis 18:14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."
Job 42:2 "I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.
Luke 1:37 For with God nothing will be impossible."
Luke 18:27 But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."
Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me,
Isaiah 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,'
Daniel 2:22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.
Acts 15:18 "Known to God from eternity are all His works.
26 Lift up your eyes on high,
And see who has created these things,
Who brings out their host by number;
He calls them all by name,
By the greatness of His might
And the strength of His power;
Not one is missing.
27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
And speak, O Israel:
“ My way is hidden from the LORD,
And my just claim is passed over by my God”?
28 Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the LORD,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 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.
Isaiah 40:26-31
And see who has created these things,
Who brings out their host by number;
He calls them all by name,
By the greatness of His might
And the strength of His power;
Not one is missing.
27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
And speak, O Israel:
“ My way is hidden from the LORD,
And my just claim is passed over by my God”?
28 Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the LORD,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 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.
Isaiah 40:26-31
Love
Mom
Sunday, December 26, 2010
The Night Seasons
Psalm 16:7-8 I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,
Girls, I look back at the many trials I have endured over the past 15 or 16 years and my thoughts always go to these two verses. The Lord truly has been my comfort during those times as well as my counselor. He has instructed me and guided me through each one. Even the night was light about me when I woke up worried and anxious over one thing or another. Why...because I had set Him always before me and He was at my right hand. When I think of the possibility of going through any trial without Him, I literally shudder. Knowing that the Lord is my instructor and guide I can move ahead in His confidence knowing that He is working out His special purpose for my life and is guiding me along the path of life and fullness of joy.
What does it mean to set the Lord always before you? It means exactly what it says it means. He goes before me...He shows me the way in which to walk My job is to follow His lead and obey. "Therefore, He is at my right hand and I shall not be moved." I don't stumble through life. I walk with the God of the Universe pointing me in the direction I need to go. I walk with the God of the Universe's will and purpose in my life unfolding continually. His will is what I want...His desire is what I want. My hope is in Him...it really doesn't matter what happens here...I am His and will be His forever. Where He leads, I will follow. He has my life in His hands and can do with me as seems good to Him.
Girls, this is the best way to live. When the Lord is your Shepherd goodness and mercy will follow. Goodness will surround your footsteps and mercy will cover your missteps. He will work all in your life for good. He will make all the decisions. All you need do is follow. He will be at your right hand....you shall not be moved. Here are just some of the verses from the Psalms that speak of His right hand. They speak of safety, pleasure, power, honor, favor and support. Read them and be encouraged.
Psalm 121:5 The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
Psalm 63:8 My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.
Psalm 73:23 Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand.
Psalm 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand Against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me.
Psalm 139:10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.
Psalm 44:3 For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them; But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, Because You favored them.
I end with some words to one of the first worship songs I ever heard...it is one I sing daily in my heart.
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,
Girls, I look back at the many trials I have endured over the past 15 or 16 years and my thoughts always go to these two verses. The Lord truly has been my comfort during those times as well as my counselor. He has instructed me and guided me through each one. Even the night was light about me when I woke up worried and anxious over one thing or another. Why...because I had set Him always before me and He was at my right hand. When I think of the possibility of going through any trial without Him, I literally shudder. Knowing that the Lord is my instructor and guide I can move ahead in His confidence knowing that He is working out His special purpose for my life and is guiding me along the path of life and fullness of joy.
What does it mean to set the Lord always before you? It means exactly what it says it means. He goes before me...He shows me the way in which to walk My job is to follow His lead and obey. "Therefore, He is at my right hand and I shall not be moved." I don't stumble through life. I walk with the God of the Universe pointing me in the direction I need to go. I walk with the God of the Universe's will and purpose in my life unfolding continually. His will is what I want...His desire is what I want. My hope is in Him...it really doesn't matter what happens here...I am His and will be His forever. Where He leads, I will follow. He has my life in His hands and can do with me as seems good to Him.
Girls, this is the best way to live. When the Lord is your Shepherd goodness and mercy will follow. Goodness will surround your footsteps and mercy will cover your missteps. He will work all in your life for good. He will make all the decisions. All you need do is follow. He will be at your right hand....you shall not be moved. Here are just some of the verses from the Psalms that speak of His right hand. They speak of safety, pleasure, power, honor, favor and support. Read them and be encouraged.
Psalm 121:5 The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand.
Psalm 63:8 My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.
Psalm 73:23 Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand.
Psalm 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand Against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me.
Psalm 139:10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.
Psalm 44:3 For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them; But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, Because You favored them.
I end with some words to one of the first worship songs I ever heard...it is one I sing daily in my heart.
O God, You are my God,
And I will ever praise You
O God, You are my God,
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You’ll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days.
And step by step You’ll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days.
And I will ever praise You
O God, You are my God,
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You’ll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days.
And step by step You’ll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days.
Love
Mom
The Author and Finisher....by my daughter, Rebecca...
It never ceases to amaze me how masterfully and inexhaustibly intricate the Lord is. Look around you! Look at His word! Look at His plan of salvation! The very paths of the stars, from the moment they were flung into existence, declared... His plan for the redemption of His creatures.
By Acts 15, the early church had accepted Gentile believers. Some, however, stipulated that circumcision and the keeping of the Mosaic Law was necessary for their salvation. But the voices of Peter, James, Paul, and Barnabas answered in emphatic unison: No! To believe that salvation was contingent upon the imperfect efforts of man to keep a perfect Law demonstrated a complete misunderstanding of the Lord, His salvation, and His Scriptures. The Law was a temporary means by which man could approach God. It was intended to be a tutor to bring us to Christ, revealing our utter depravity and the inestimable price required to redeem us. A true understanding of that Law would inevitably point to its fulfillment – Jesus Messiah – and its subsequent fading in favor of the glorious New Covenant. There is no inconsistency between Judaism and Christianity. In fact, they are beautifully consistent, even to the point of being musically harmonized. And it is all to the glory of God Most High.
Known to God from eternity are all His works. He is the Author and finisher of our faith, and even more than that, the Author of all that we are and know. The finest, most artfully crafted story cannot compare to the story the Lord wrote in history. From the foundation of the world His plan was in motion. He knew, before Adam and Eve were even created, that they were going to rebel. He knew He was going to curse them so He could save them. He wove each of our life stories and the story of this world together into one marvelous, complex tapestry of His story. From Adam to Noah to Abraham to Moses to David to Daniel to Jesus, and beyond, He knew it all. He planned it all. He is Master over all. His love and His grace, shining through all of human history, so surpass the measure of words that it is overwhelming.
And His story is not even done yet. We’re celebrating Jesus’ birth today – the birth of the One who was born to die, to rise again, and to live in each one of His children. There is greater celebration to come. Jesus is coming back. This world will end. But His story won’t, and we are part of it! This Christmas, I beg you, look to the Lord. Don’t miss your chance to have Him be your shield and your exceedingly great reward.
Acts 1:9-11, “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.’”
Maranatha.
By Acts 15, the early church had accepted Gentile believers. Some, however, stipulated that circumcision and the keeping of the Mosaic Law was necessary for their salvation. But the voices of Peter, James, Paul, and Barnabas answered in emphatic unison: No! To believe that salvation was contingent upon the imperfect efforts of man to keep a perfect Law demonstrated a complete misunderstanding of the Lord, His salvation, and His Scriptures. The Law was a temporary means by which man could approach God. It was intended to be a tutor to bring us to Christ, revealing our utter depravity and the inestimable price required to redeem us. A true understanding of that Law would inevitably point to its fulfillment – Jesus Messiah – and its subsequent fading in favor of the glorious New Covenant. There is no inconsistency between Judaism and Christianity. In fact, they are beautifully consistent, even to the point of being musically harmonized. And it is all to the glory of God Most High.
Known to God from eternity are all His works. He is the Author and finisher of our faith, and even more than that, the Author of all that we are and know. The finest, most artfully crafted story cannot compare to the story the Lord wrote in history. From the foundation of the world His plan was in motion. He knew, before Adam and Eve were even created, that they were going to rebel. He knew He was going to curse them so He could save them. He wove each of our life stories and the story of this world together into one marvelous, complex tapestry of His story. From Adam to Noah to Abraham to Moses to David to Daniel to Jesus, and beyond, He knew it all. He planned it all. He is Master over all. His love and His grace, shining through all of human history, so surpass the measure of words that it is overwhelming.
And His story is not even done yet. We’re celebrating Jesus’ birth today – the birth of the One who was born to die, to rise again, and to live in each one of His children. There is greater celebration to come. Jesus is coming back. This world will end. But His story won’t, and we are part of it! This Christmas, I beg you, look to the Lord. Don’t miss your chance to have Him be your shield and your exceedingly great reward.
Acts 1:9-11, “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.’”
Maranatha.
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