Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Joy source
I keep thinking about Corrie ten Boom's words in her book "The Hiding Place". It was obvious that the Bible & God-time were their source of nourishment!! And as they continually received it, they continually gave it to others, and reaped excesses of joy. It's truly astonishing!
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
God gives love & Joy!!
Corrie & Betsie were in the German extermination camp & it was time for roll call outside the barracks. Tens of thousands of women lined up in rows of 10 & groups of hundreds; the temperature was frigid. They were in line freezing as gusts of wind easily penetrated their clothing, & a mentally handicapped girl soiled herself. The female guards started running toward her shouting for her to stop. When they reached her they brutally beat her. Corrie said she felt so sorry for them, speaking of the mentally handicapped prisoners. Her sister Betsie agreed that she felt so sad for "them" but she was referring to the guards. Later she said it was so sad that all they knew was hate, but searched for opportunities to give them God's Love!!! After the war Corrie opened homes to help all the people, both prisoners AND Nazis find the Love of Christ!!
While still in the extermination camp, she said that the worse the conditions got the more she & her sister were filled with the Love & Joy of Christ!!!They were constantly reading scripture, seeing women saved... when they became tenants of barracks 28 they led the way to Jesus and the hundreds of other women who lived there went from Fighting against each other because of the cramped, awful conditions to loving each other & treating others nicely. Lives changed because of the love & joy God freely gives.
While still in the extermination camp, she said that the worse the conditions got the more she & her sister were filled with the Love & Joy of Christ!!!They were constantly reading scripture, seeing women saved... when they became tenants of barracks 28 they led the way to Jesus and the hundreds of other women who lived there went from Fighting against each other because of the cramped, awful conditions to loving each other & treating others nicely. Lives changed because of the love & joy God freely gives.
Monday, October 29, 2012
The Hiding Place
I am gaining proper perspective on what the power of the Holy Spirit can do in a person's heart amidst terrible heartache. HE, that is God-- the Holy Spirit-- can & does the impossible in our hearts when we give ourselves up to Him. Gaining proper perspective on what is truly horrible!! Most of us... surely there's that small percentage that doesn't... but most of us we use words like horrible or what someone did to us was 'serious'... we're a nation of exaggerators.
I'm reading this book about people-- this family-- who were really good people. They were the kind that I've not ever heard of in my life. I know people who do good things here and there... I myself have been recipient of delicious meals brought to me at the birth of a new baby or during illness... sometimes I tease those friends and ask them what I should do next to get some of their delicious home-made cooking. :) In all seriousness though... I'm reading this book about people who made it their lives work to give hospitably to the poor, not even recognizing their own poverty. Who were in the kitchen day in and day out delivering home-made foods, mailing heartwarming encouraging letters to others, people who when other impeded on them only confronted the other as a friend, people who tirelessly served others & regarded everyone as someone to love... Corrie ten Boom taught a church service for mentally handicapped people... Their family took in foster children constantly... And when the love of her life showed up on her door step with his new fiance' she sought God and He gave her the power to forgive Him and Love him as Jesus does, releasing him romantically. ... They were arrested during WW2 for helping Jews find food ration cards, fake IDs, safe shelter to hide from Nazis, they hid up to 12 in their home at one time because no one else would take them because they were a higher risk to being found out. In the Nazi prison they found out who "sold them out" and Corrie's sister Betsie only felt sorry for the man and committed to pray God's blessing over him-- and Corrie, she writes of her prayer of forgiveness to this man, because when she found out she wanted nothing more than to kill him. As I read this book I see the evidence of the Holy Spirit over everything that they sought to do; His provision, protection amidst horror, & giving the power to forgive and seek to give the Love of God over to others. Corrie even shares that she thought Betsie was just as happy there sharing the Love of Christ as she was at home... I'm still reading... I think they are going in to Germany now, to the concentration camp, and I think It gets worse. These women are in their 50s & 60s after their arrest.... and Corrie had a really bad case of the flu when she was arrested and beaten... she was sick for months-- coughing blood and fever ridden.
These words... terrible, horrible, even serious are definitely applicable here. I'm learning this. I'm sure there are those reading who could most assuredly apply these words to their lives. Abuse is horrible-- from parents, from teachers, from classmates, from strangers, and from Nazis. And Nazi concentration camps take horrible to a whole new level of terror. Makes me more aware of my right to vote as leaders have a profound affect & effect on the state of our world. Regardless of who is in power, Jesus is King and He is always good-- just read what the women locked up by Nazis have to say.
This book, aside from the Bible, is the most life changing book I've ever read!!
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. click here to purchase on amazon.
I'm reading this book about people-- this family-- who were really good people. They were the kind that I've not ever heard of in my life. I know people who do good things here and there... I myself have been recipient of delicious meals brought to me at the birth of a new baby or during illness... sometimes I tease those friends and ask them what I should do next to get some of their delicious home-made cooking. :) In all seriousness though... I'm reading this book about people who made it their lives work to give hospitably to the poor, not even recognizing their own poverty. Who were in the kitchen day in and day out delivering home-made foods, mailing heartwarming encouraging letters to others, people who when other impeded on them only confronted the other as a friend, people who tirelessly served others & regarded everyone as someone to love... Corrie ten Boom taught a church service for mentally handicapped people... Their family took in foster children constantly... And when the love of her life showed up on her door step with his new fiance' she sought God and He gave her the power to forgive Him and Love him as Jesus does, releasing him romantically. ... They were arrested during WW2 for helping Jews find food ration cards, fake IDs, safe shelter to hide from Nazis, they hid up to 12 in their home at one time because no one else would take them because they were a higher risk to being found out. In the Nazi prison they found out who "sold them out" and Corrie's sister Betsie only felt sorry for the man and committed to pray God's blessing over him-- and Corrie, she writes of her prayer of forgiveness to this man, because when she found out she wanted nothing more than to kill him. As I read this book I see the evidence of the Holy Spirit over everything that they sought to do; His provision, protection amidst horror, & giving the power to forgive and seek to give the Love of God over to others. Corrie even shares that she thought Betsie was just as happy there sharing the Love of Christ as she was at home... I'm still reading... I think they are going in to Germany now, to the concentration camp, and I think It gets worse. These women are in their 50s & 60s after their arrest.... and Corrie had a really bad case of the flu when she was arrested and beaten... she was sick for months-- coughing blood and fever ridden.
These words... terrible, horrible, even serious are definitely applicable here. I'm learning this. I'm sure there are those reading who could most assuredly apply these words to their lives. Abuse is horrible-- from parents, from teachers, from classmates, from strangers, and from Nazis. And Nazi concentration camps take horrible to a whole new level of terror. Makes me more aware of my right to vote as leaders have a profound affect & effect on the state of our world. Regardless of who is in power, Jesus is King and He is always good-- just read what the women locked up by Nazis have to say.
This book, aside from the Bible, is the most life changing book I've ever read!!
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. click here to purchase on amazon.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
I'm so frustrated
The things that frustrate us about other people are most often the exact things that frustrate us about ourselves. It's true even if and especially when we don't necessarily recognize it. Not always, but most often!!!
It is also true that if we aren't welcoming Gods grace in our lives then we're not giving it either. Opening ourselves up to God's love, forgiveness-- His grace to us in our imperfection-- also opens us to giveHis grace out to those who fail like us.
Of course frustration does come when we don't understand how someone else is struggling, because we don't relate at all. We can still open to give them the grace that God has given us because all of us are broken & fallen people.
I also get frustrated when my children aren't moving out the door as fast as I want them to,or behaving the way I want them to, or when they embarrass me in front of others somehow. See how all that frustration is really about me?? We all do that; the other person doesn't have to be your child, it could be anyone.
I've been frustrated a lot lately... Mostly with myself!! And the more frustrated I am with me, the more I'm frustrated with others... Sigh. If I'm truly accepting God's love & forgiveness--His grace, then I give it more freely. And hateful things don't jump out of my mouth so freely.
Accepting grace.
It is also true that if we aren't welcoming Gods grace in our lives then we're not giving it either. Opening ourselves up to God's love, forgiveness-- His grace to us in our imperfection-- also opens us to giveHis grace out to those who fail like us.
Of course frustration does come when we don't understand how someone else is struggling, because we don't relate at all. We can still open to give them the grace that God has given us because all of us are broken & fallen people.
I also get frustrated when my children aren't moving out the door as fast as I want them to,or behaving the way I want them to, or when they embarrass me in front of others somehow. See how all that frustration is really about me?? We all do that; the other person doesn't have to be your child, it could be anyone.
I've been frustrated a lot lately... Mostly with myself!! And the more frustrated I am with me, the more I'm frustrated with others... Sigh. If I'm truly accepting God's love & forgiveness--His grace, then I give it more freely. And hateful things don't jump out of my mouth so freely.
Accepting grace.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
time and purpose
Time. It's the essence of life. Sometimes it seems as if every second lasts hours and other times hours pass like minutes. And in the end we all ask, "where did the time go?" How I've spent my time for a number of years now... this hole in my couch with fictional characters and weight gain... it is what/who I spend my time with that comforts me and gives me rest at the end of a long day- long life.
And if I continue to give my time away to this-- this idol-- I will miss my entire purpose of where God is leading me. This blessing of ministry that He is giving me-- the responsibility -- I'll lose it before I fully have it. The Lord spoke this to my heart yesterday. A friend shared with me what He showed her in prayer the day before: Like Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden; God told them they could have anything in the garden they wanted, but not to eat of this 1 particular tree. God is telling us to look around at all the blessings He is giving us and for some reason we can't keep our eyes off of what He's told us no to. Why is that? But here's my paradigm shift: If my eyes stay on the thing that God is saying no to, I will miss so many wonderful things He is trying to bless me with.
There is this weird short lived jolt to changing how I spend a great deal of my day. This jolt it's like getting out of a warm shower or bath and stepping out into a cool air-conditioned room. That cool home mid summer is a wonderful blessing, but in that moment we have this urge to just sink back into the warm water. But in the analogy of spending my time in a way that is going to rob me of a life of God-blessings that warm bath water is like a stagnant pond... the longer I stay the more I'll smell of death.
But Jesus Gives Life.
"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly".
John 10:9-11
Also, God wants to be the ONE-- the only one-- to give us rest!!
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" Matthew 11:28.
How are you spending your time? Is it full-filling your purpose or robbing you of it?
And if I continue to give my time away to this-- this idol-- I will miss my entire purpose of where God is leading me. This blessing of ministry that He is giving me-- the responsibility -- I'll lose it before I fully have it. The Lord spoke this to my heart yesterday. A friend shared with me what He showed her in prayer the day before: Like Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden; God told them they could have anything in the garden they wanted, but not to eat of this 1 particular tree. God is telling us to look around at all the blessings He is giving us and for some reason we can't keep our eyes off of what He's told us no to. Why is that? But here's my paradigm shift: If my eyes stay on the thing that God is saying no to, I will miss so many wonderful things He is trying to bless me with.
There is this weird short lived jolt to changing how I spend a great deal of my day. This jolt it's like getting out of a warm shower or bath and stepping out into a cool air-conditioned room. That cool home mid summer is a wonderful blessing, but in that moment we have this urge to just sink back into the warm water. But in the analogy of spending my time in a way that is going to rob me of a life of God-blessings that warm bath water is like a stagnant pond... the longer I stay the more I'll smell of death.
But Jesus Gives Life.
"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly".
John 10:9-11
Also, God wants to be the ONE-- the only one-- to give us rest!!
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" Matthew 11:28.
How are you spending your time? Is it full-filling your purpose or robbing you of it?
Friday, October 26, 2012
adding to my favs :)
Adding to my list of favs. :)
I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Psalm 16:8
I get this picture of standing toe to toe with God, following as He leads an intricate dance... and since I don't know the dance I'm standing on His toes like a small child and her Daddy. He is so mighty that I won't stumble in the dance since I am right there with Him.
<3
I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Psalm 16:8
I get this picture of standing toe to toe with God, following as He leads an intricate dance... and since I don't know the dance I'm standing on His toes like a small child and her Daddy. He is so mighty that I won't stumble in the dance since I am right there with Him.
<3
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Nathan's ER trip today.
Gaining motivation to organize my life back to functioning today and got a little done. After a while, I took a break to take my 3 yo boy to the hospital for his first set of stitches. :/ He fell and put a hole through the place just below his bottom lip-- straight through. As soon as I found out I was pregnant with a boy I knew that I'd be taking trips to the ER for injuries far more than I would have otherwise; nevertheless, it scared the bajeebas out of me to see so much blood coming from his mouth. 2 trips to the ER in 5 days-- good times. This kid who takes my breath away with just a look fell asleep on the way to the ER even with a hole in his face. Can we say pain tolerance? He didn't really cry much once he got a little ice on it and we cleaned up the blood... Mommies can give their children a certain peace that even when in pain everything will be okay.
God is capable of giving us peace in that when we come crying to Him in pain, He will wipe away the tears and kiss the "booboos" away... and when He kisses them away real healing happens.
When the Dr saw us he said Nathan could use stitches but because of the placement of the wound that "glue" would work just as well as long as I wasn't concerned about a scar. I figured the boy will like telling some crazy tale about his first scar in the next few years... But the Dr said since he is so young there will likely be no long term scarring... sorry buddy. ;) Yay! for NO STITCHES after all!! I'm certain he would've screamed through that. Praise the Lord!! <3
God is capable of giving us peace in that when we come crying to Him in pain, He will wipe away the tears and kiss the "booboos" away... and when He kisses them away real healing happens.
"He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken" Isaiah 25:8.
When the Dr saw us he said Nathan could use stitches but because of the placement of the wound that "glue" would work just as well as long as I wasn't concerned about a scar. I figured the boy will like telling some crazy tale about his first scar in the next few years... But the Dr said since he is so young there will likely be no long term scarring... sorry buddy. ;) Yay! for NO STITCHES after all!! I'm certain he would've screamed through that. Praise the Lord!! <3
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
I've Got a Busted Heart
and for some reason I'm having a hard time putting the clip of "Proof of Your Love" on here, but if you're interested do a quick youtube search. The band's name is "for King and Country" <3
Monday, October 22, 2012
joy & peace.
I woke up this morning more behind than I already was 4 days ago. I did not want to get out of bed to face it. When I sat up my sinuses filled and a new cold set in within seconds. I was intent on forging ahead, even when my husband was attempting to convince me to clear my schedule for the day and rest. It took a couple hours for me to make peace with his pleas. I spent most of the day on the couch... I have no idea how I'm going to get caught up. That is I have ideas, but so far they haven't been able to come about. It's frustrating which is a distraction set up to rob me of my joy & peace. But according to scripture I can 'take joy' that is we can choose it. Our joy is in Christ & is where I want to stay. I just have to grab Him-- our life preserver-- & stop drowning in frustration, self-doubt, & insecurity. --- Workin' on it.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Amelia's Hospital Visit
On Friday, Amelia was having trouble breathing and she ended up being admitted in to the pediatric ward of the hospital. She is ok now. She had to have blood tests, breathing treatments, & slept in an oxygen tent over night. The next day her oxygen levels stayed in the good range without a mask so she was allowed to go home. From what I gathered from the Dr.s she had an asthmatic episode at the onset of a cold. She is petrified of doctors so she screamed over stethoscopes, oxygen masks, & all the actual painful stuff.
I used to think that if God loves me then life should be like a dream come true all the time. Of course life just isn't that way; if we can't breathe we need a Doctor and treatment. God is the "Great Physician", He heals us when we need healing... When we're going through something hard He wants to be there for us and to give us what we need-- He knows what that is. Sometimes it may be a good time to give us something fun and exciting and other times we may need an iv and an oxygen mask-- spiritually speaking that is. We can trust Him, because He loves us and desires to do good to us-- He is what Love is.
I used to think that if God loves me then life should be like a dream come true all the time. Of course life just isn't that way; if we can't breathe we need a Doctor and treatment. God is the "Great Physician", He heals us when we need healing... When we're going through something hard He wants to be there for us and to give us what we need-- He knows what that is. Sometimes it may be a good time to give us something fun and exciting and other times we may need an iv and an oxygen mask-- spiritually speaking that is. We can trust Him, because He loves us and desires to do good to us-- He is what Love is.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Loving
When we open His gift of Love we are then able to love Him in return while at the same time gaining all these fruits of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Gentleness, & Self-Control. Who wouldn't want these things in their life? And we keep getting closer to Him & at any given point, we wake up one day meaning every word to a song like this one...
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
sabotaging love & joy
The goal is to go to bed earlier, get up earlier to start the day intentionally walking into it rather than stumbling broken into it. This is just one thing on the list of goals that don't get accomplished lately. And when I spill my tired body into bed at night I instantly feel like a failure simply because I'm in bed later than I would've liked. The loop begins again in the morning with waking up later than I wanted and many of the goals get backwashed... more failing.
It robs me of joy, which is a fruit of the Spirit. My choice to sabotage my God-following intention kills the chance of victory, which in turn begins to rot the fruit of Agape Love in my heart. Choosing-- it's all about choice. Choice to let God love me, then choice to love Him in return; having done that my desire to obey Him grows... and He grows the fruit in my life by cutting off what isn't. This pruning is necessary to gain fruit... right now I'm being pruned to grow the fruits Love & Joy.
It robs me of joy, which is a fruit of the Spirit. My choice to sabotage my God-following intention kills the chance of victory, which in turn begins to rot the fruit of Agape Love in my heart. Choosing-- it's all about choice. Choice to let God love me, then choice to love Him in return; having done that my desire to obey Him grows... and He grows the fruit in my life by cutting off what isn't. This pruning is necessary to gain fruit... right now I'm being pruned to grow the fruits Love & Joy.
John 15: 1-4, Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain
in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it
must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain
in me."
passage to joy & love
“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails...” (1 Corinthians 13--NASB).
Today I met this man in line at Target, he asked me if the 4 children with me were all mine. Yep. He commended me and said he was impressed because he's the "full-time" Dad to 2 girls who are 2 and under!! What?!? Further, his wife is living in the psych ward in the hospital because she still has post-pardum depression on top of a fairly new diagnosis of being bi-polar. Wow! No sir, you are the one who is to be commended; if I had 9 children I still also have the help of a spouse. The single parent has the more challenging job. Plus--- I'm spoiled rotten by my husband. The more of his story he told the more I see that he is not seeking his own... he is seeking the best for his family. Hoping that his wife "comes back" in an emotionally responsive way and home soon after. Hoping he can just make it through another day. I don't know anything else about his life, though I did ask him about his relationship with Jesus. In this area of his life --family-- he is seeking what he hopes is the best for his children & wife; and he is living this getting absolutely nothing in return.
Love "does not seek its own" also means that we must seek God first! Jesus said concerning God, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" Matthew 6:33. Read all of Matthew 6 by clicking here. The more we press in to God, seeking Him, the less self-seeking we'll be. Seeking God is the key to being worry-free:
Today I met this man in line at Target, he asked me if the 4 children with me were all mine. Yep. He commended me and said he was impressed because he's the "full-time" Dad to 2 girls who are 2 and under!! What?!? Further, his wife is living in the psych ward in the hospital because she still has post-pardum depression on top of a fairly new diagnosis of being bi-polar. Wow! No sir, you are the one who is to be commended; if I had 9 children I still also have the help of a spouse. The single parent has the more challenging job. Plus--- I'm spoiled rotten by my husband. The more of his story he told the more I see that he is not seeking his own... he is seeking the best for his family. Hoping that his wife "comes back" in an emotionally responsive way and home soon after. Hoping he can just make it through another day. I don't know anything else about his life, though I did ask him about his relationship with Jesus. In this area of his life --family-- he is seeking what he hopes is the best for his children & wife; and he is living this getting absolutely nothing in return.
Love "does not seek its own" also means that we must seek God first! Jesus said concerning God, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" Matthew 6:33. Read all of Matthew 6 by clicking here. The more we press in to God, seeking Him, the less self-seeking we'll be. Seeking God is the key to being worry-free:
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is
not life more important than food, and the body more important than
clothes? Look
at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in
barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more
valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If
that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and
tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you,
O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Seems to be the way to both Joy and Love. <3
Monday, October 15, 2012
Persevere is what Love does.
It's been a long day. When I woke up the very thought of getting out of bed made me feel like I was breaking in half. Why????
Remember what happened when I prayed for patience as a young Christian? I had no idea what would happen and things that should've been super easy were somehow extremely frustrating. I was earning patience. It was a lot of work. Now... I've prayed for Love. Godly Love...
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."from 1 Corinthians 13.
In the greek Love means benevolent, that is "it want to do good to someone"!! and the verse above says that Love never fails!! It is always victorious. God Loves us like this, it wants to do good to us and He wants us to be victorious-- He is helping us to that end. So I was confident in my praying because God wants me (and you) to be victorious. Today He was helping me to be victorious in perseverance.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
growing Love
Bible study at my house today was on Love and how it grows in our lives as a fruit of the Spirit.
No matter what the fruit, when God grows things in our lives we have to cut off the opposites for the fruit to grow in it's place. For example: Part of earning "Agape Love" is cutting off un-forgiveness (holding a grudge/ holding something against someone) and forgiveness grows in it's place. But it's a choice... a choice to surrender the urge to hold something against someone to Christ. The give the urge to Christ. Pray through it asking for the help to forgive as He has forgiven us and once we forgive Love grows in us. It's not a one time choice either, it's a little at a time as the unforgiveness shrinks and the forgiveness grows... choosing to forgive in the moment as each moment arises... whether it's to forgive the guy who cut you off in traffic-- I mean really do I need to call him an idiot for making a mistake on the road? I do it all the time. - forgiveness. I don't have a mother-in-law, but oh the stories-- and we have to forgive them too if we don't want the love in our lives to die. Obviously, some forgiveness will be a complete act of the Holy Spirit through us; whether it's for our parents, in-laws, or a drunk driver who broad-sided our car taking a life... Forgiveness grows Love.
This is a video about Matthew West's song "Forgiveness", the story behind it is amazing and then you'll hear the song at the end. <3
No matter what the fruit, when God grows things in our lives we have to cut off the opposites for the fruit to grow in it's place. For example: Part of earning "Agape Love" is cutting off un-forgiveness (holding a grudge/ holding something against someone) and forgiveness grows in it's place. But it's a choice... a choice to surrender the urge to hold something against someone to Christ. The give the urge to Christ. Pray through it asking for the help to forgive as He has forgiven us and once we forgive Love grows in us. It's not a one time choice either, it's a little at a time as the unforgiveness shrinks and the forgiveness grows... choosing to forgive in the moment as each moment arises... whether it's to forgive the guy who cut you off in traffic-- I mean really do I need to call him an idiot for making a mistake on the road? I do it all the time. - forgiveness. I don't have a mother-in-law, but oh the stories-- and we have to forgive them too if we don't want the love in our lives to die. Obviously, some forgiveness will be a complete act of the Holy Spirit through us; whether it's for our parents, in-laws, or a drunk driver who broad-sided our car taking a life... Forgiveness grows Love.
straws
Today Amelia is trying to drink out of a straw, she can do it, but she has this tendency to turn the cup up. When she turns it up a bunch of juice spills all over her from the shirt, so I kept trying to show her to hold the cup down so she could sip the juice up. She yelled, I tipped the cup down anyway, she yelled again and I let her spill it all over herself to show her what would happen.
Scott said, 'God does that with us.'
The way up is down.
like...
"Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Scott said, 'God does that with us.'
The way up is down.
like...
"Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
just thinkin'
thinking a little philosophically about what born again means.
when we're conceived & born physically we are conceived into eternity but when we're born again we are born into Christ.
just tossing around word pictures for it to make sense. Any thoughts?
also, thoughts on "hearing God" He lives in me and I can sense Him talking to me. It's comparable to our consciences that we're born with, but there is a distinguishable difference that can't exactly be explained... much like explaining what it's like to be pregnant; the first flutters feel a little like gas and (as hearing from God sounds like the conscience) and as pregnancy progresses it's more and more obvious what the difference is, as it is the more we get to know God the more obvious the difference.
when we're conceived & born physically we are conceived into eternity but when we're born again we are born into Christ.
just tossing around word pictures for it to make sense. Any thoughts?
also, thoughts on "hearing God" He lives in me and I can sense Him talking to me. It's comparable to our consciences that we're born with, but there is a distinguishable difference that can't exactly be explained... much like explaining what it's like to be pregnant; the first flutters feel a little like gas and (as hearing from God sounds like the conscience) and as pregnancy progresses it's more and more obvious what the difference is, as it is the more we get to know God the more obvious the difference.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Why is this a political issue?
A topic like this is really difficult to post, but it seems as though I can't not post it. So here is what I wrote last night after the debate and am posting now after sitting on it for 24.
Life begins at conception. Why is this a political issue?
This is a tender subject for so many and my intention is not to cause anyone more emotional pain, Jesus saves us from and forgives us for the things we do-- like aborting a baby. I know several people who range in closeness to me who have made this decision and I know that God can and does set us free from the guilt & shame these type decisions produce. Also, I have no judgement toward anyone about this, especially being that our education, political, & entertainment systems make abortion appear to be something that is the only choice to make when we don’t want a baby for any given reason. Having said that...
Life does begin at conception and even if I disagreed on every other point a presidential candidate had except for being pro-life, I would still vote for him hands down. But the people who run that I agree the most with about political matters are always also pro-life. What I want to say here has less to do with presidential candidates and more to do with God’s view...
Psalm 139: 13, the Psalmist prays to God "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb."
Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you..."
God knows us before we’re born-- we are knowable before we’re born, thus life!! That’s how significant we are to Him!! His Love for us is immeasurable.
Ok, so let’s think on this outside of “religion” for a moment.
Say, education for instance represents pregnancy & finishing said education through a bachelor's degree is birth... Once I’m done I can ‘theoretically’ go get a job, so that bachelor’s degree is alive up walking around, it is among us. If I don’t have that piece of paper... am I any less educated? no. That education gives the ability to read, write, work mathematical problems...
When babies are born they are among us, we see their lives at use... but if they aren’t born, were they any less a person? no. Live Cells merge together to create a person (Kindergarten), A heart develops very quickly (Elementary), all organs begin to function (HighSchool) & the baby can feel, grasp, and begins to have every function of a baby outside the womb & could even survive outside if he/she came too early but fought really hard(Bachelor’s)...
This idea made sense to me and I know that so many people try to leave out what God has to say on issues like this, but we could all use a little perspective whether we’re believers or not. This is something we should all be thinking and praying about, rather than arguing about!!
Back to what God thinks about this...Infant sacrifice was a huge issue that caused God to remove His blessing from an entire country. Is America guilty of the same thing, as we’re sacrificing our unborn infants to our personal agendas? Sacrifice to the idol of self is what it is.
Again, I urge anyone who is living in guilt over making a decision like this to ask for forgiveness from the One who yearns to give it!! God forgives and cleanses us completely of our guilt and shame!! And that’s all He wanted from the people in the Old Testament who were offering infant sacrifice to idols-- heart felt repentance, receiving His LOVE, & loving Him rather than the idol. He is desperate for us to live life in a LOVING relationship with Him.
Life begins at conception. Why is this a political issue?
This is a tender subject for so many and my intention is not to cause anyone more emotional pain, Jesus saves us from and forgives us for the things we do-- like aborting a baby. I know several people who range in closeness to me who have made this decision and I know that God can and does set us free from the guilt & shame these type decisions produce. Also, I have no judgement toward anyone about this, especially being that our education, political, & entertainment systems make abortion appear to be something that is the only choice to make when we don’t want a baby for any given reason. Having said that...
Life does begin at conception and even if I disagreed on every other point a presidential candidate had except for being pro-life, I would still vote for him hands down. But the people who run that I agree the most with about political matters are always also pro-life. What I want to say here has less to do with presidential candidates and more to do with God’s view...
Psalm 139: 13, the Psalmist prays to God "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb."
Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you..."
God knows us before we’re born-- we are knowable before we’re born, thus life!! That’s how significant we are to Him!! His Love for us is immeasurable.
Ok, so let’s think on this outside of “religion” for a moment.
Say, education for instance represents pregnancy & finishing said education through a bachelor's degree is birth... Once I’m done I can ‘theoretically’ go get a job, so that bachelor’s degree is alive up walking around, it is among us. If I don’t have that piece of paper... am I any less educated? no. That education gives the ability to read, write, work mathematical problems...
When babies are born they are among us, we see their lives at use... but if they aren’t born, were they any less a person? no. Live Cells merge together to create a person (Kindergarten), A heart develops very quickly (Elementary), all organs begin to function (HighSchool) & the baby can feel, grasp, and begins to have every function of a baby outside the womb & could even survive outside if he/she came too early but fought really hard(Bachelor’s)...
This idea made sense to me and I know that so many people try to leave out what God has to say on issues like this, but we could all use a little perspective whether we’re believers or not. This is something we should all be thinking and praying about, rather than arguing about!!
Back to what God thinks about this...Infant sacrifice was a huge issue that caused God to remove His blessing from an entire country. Is America guilty of the same thing, as we’re sacrificing our unborn infants to our personal agendas? Sacrifice to the idol of self is what it is.
Again, I urge anyone who is living in guilt over making a decision like this to ask for forgiveness from the One who yearns to give it!! God forgives and cleanses us completely of our guilt and shame!! And that’s all He wanted from the people in the Old Testament who were offering infant sacrifice to idols-- heart felt repentance, receiving His LOVE, & loving Him rather than the idol. He is desperate for us to live life in a LOVING relationship with Him.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
little gentleman
My 3 year old son, Nathan, loves to run to a door to open it for whoever is coming behind him to go through. Tonight at church he ran to open 2 different doors that were a little "out of his league" and as I walked up behind him I pushed the door with him while he was pushing with all his might...
Isn't that just a beautiful picture of how God works? We push while He is right there with us making things happen through us. = in Christ. The impossible happens with the might of God.
<3
Isn't that just a beautiful picture of how God works? We push while He is right there with us making things happen through us. = in Christ. The impossible happens with the might of God.
<3
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
a break from myself
Does anyone else ever get all discombobulated with life only to be left feeling like you need just 1 day away from yourself to put things right again???
I'm totally there.
I used to think that I was a pretty spontaneous kind of person. Really, the thought is laughable! I'm actually pretty boring, I do the same things everyday and thrive on it. At this point my life is full of responsibility and I'm lagging with this weird urge to shake it all off and just do what I want (which would be a whole lot of nothing).
Aha!!!
I typed those words and then the Lord speaks the word "persevere" to me. I'm studying Love-- Agape Love, which is godly love and 1 Corinthians 13 says that love endures through every circumstance... it perseveres through every inch of our lives!! That is God's love for us perseveres through every inch of our lives. When the Lord grows it in us as a fruit of the Spirit we can then persevere through each day and every circumstance!
I prayed for Love the other day, to see what would happen! Kinda like I did for patience 16 years ago, click here to read about it. Agape Love has several different and interesting facets that I did not expect!! Endurance is apparently one of them, as I read tonight with fresh insight. Days like today I really wish I could get away from myself for a bit, but what I really need is to give my distractions (all things that are woeing me away from the Lord & my responsibilities) to the Lord-- walking with Him daily. I've been very distracted lately. :/
I'm totally there.
I used to think that I was a pretty spontaneous kind of person. Really, the thought is laughable! I'm actually pretty boring, I do the same things everyday and thrive on it. At this point my life is full of responsibility and I'm lagging with this weird urge to shake it all off and just do what I want (which would be a whole lot of nothing).
Aha!!!
I typed those words and then the Lord speaks the word "persevere" to me. I'm studying Love-- Agape Love, which is godly love and 1 Corinthians 13 says that love endures through every circumstance... it perseveres through every inch of our lives!! That is God's love for us perseveres through every inch of our lives. When the Lord grows it in us as a fruit of the Spirit we can then persevere through each day and every circumstance!
I prayed for Love the other day, to see what would happen! Kinda like I did for patience 16 years ago, click here to read about it. Agape Love has several different and interesting facets that I did not expect!! Endurance is apparently one of them, as I read tonight with fresh insight. Days like today I really wish I could get away from myself for a bit, but what I really need is to give my distractions (all things that are woeing me away from the Lord & my responsibilities) to the Lord-- walking with Him daily. I've been very distracted lately. :/
forgive
Something I came across as I've been studying the fruit of the Spirit, Love, is that unforgiveness kills it. I'll go into more about Love on Sunday after our Bible Study group.
I think we all have a good idea of what it is to not forgive someone... like if someone lies to me or wrongs me in some big way, then it's good to forgive. But what if it means more?-- forgiving, that is. There are people, whether we know them well or not, who make fun of us, make us the butt of a joke, jump clear down our throat for no clear reason... Isn't it easy to not like that person/ people because of it? I mean it's not like we hate them, we just don't really like them because of the negative feeling they pulled out of us. Nothing is wrong with that, right?
Holding little or big things against people is un-forgiveness and it's killing the love in our hearts.
When I decided to pray to ask for Love, all kinds of opportunities to forgive started arising. Naturally it's easier to hold someone else's bad attitude against them which is why I need Christ to give my irritated attitude to. It's all part of growing up in Christ--earning the fruit of His Spirit, one of which is Love.
<3
I think we all have a good idea of what it is to not forgive someone... like if someone lies to me or wrongs me in some big way, then it's good to forgive. But what if it means more?-- forgiving, that is. There are people, whether we know them well or not, who make fun of us, make us the butt of a joke, jump clear down our throat for no clear reason... Isn't it easy to not like that person/ people because of it? I mean it's not like we hate them, we just don't really like them because of the negative feeling they pulled out of us. Nothing is wrong with that, right?
Holding little or big things against people is un-forgiveness and it's killing the love in our hearts.
When I decided to pray to ask for Love, all kinds of opportunities to forgive started arising. Naturally it's easier to hold someone else's bad attitude against them which is why I need Christ to give my irritated attitude to. It's all part of growing up in Christ--earning the fruit of His Spirit, one of which is Love.
<3
Monday, October 8, 2012
Redeem Myself??
One of my favorite things to watch on tv is "Once Upon a Time", it's the story of Snow White and her Evil Step Mother. The Queen puts a curse over the Enchanted Forest so that all the fairy tale would be swept into our world to live.. but no one knows (or knew) who they were... Anyway... one of the lines that the Evil Step Mother/ Queen said to her adopted son (actually Snow White's grandson); she said "I want to redeem myself". I haven't heard that phrase from someone in so long I had forgotten it completely.
It's knowing you've done something wrong and when apologizing for it, saying "I want to redeem myself." I remember that what is meant by that is that the person wants to change and prove that he/ she can change. ... Here's the thing:
There is not one person on this earth who can be as good as God. It is impossible. It is why Jesus Christ came... so we could be with God even though we couldn't do it on our own. The only redeeming that is at all possible is the redemption through Jesus Christ-- I cannot change apart from Him. I've proven that to myself over and over. But God is faithful and serious about redeeming us; it is what He wants most and all we have to do is give in to His all consuming Love.
I just don't know... I would never make it without Him-- through the days... and when I was running from Him I really just wanted to die. I wasn't happy, I just lived and breathed in and out... and as I'm getting closer and closer to Him now, I have more and more joy. I love life, because I love Him. I love Him, because I received His Love that He has freely given. Some days I live depending totally on Him and others I'm distracted and suddenly feel the fading away... He didn't move; I did. But He is faithful, He lives in me and helps me to stay walking side by side with Him provoking my attention when I'm giving it to something else.
Is it obvious that I'm really seeking God on what it means to be "in Christ"??
Thank You God for loving us! <3
It's knowing you've done something wrong and when apologizing for it, saying "I want to redeem myself." I remember that what is meant by that is that the person wants to change and prove that he/ she can change. ... Here's the thing:
There is not one person on this earth who can be as good as God. It is impossible. It is why Jesus Christ came... so we could be with God even though we couldn't do it on our own. The only redeeming that is at all possible is the redemption through Jesus Christ-- I cannot change apart from Him. I've proven that to myself over and over. But God is faithful and serious about redeeming us; it is what He wants most and all we have to do is give in to His all consuming Love.
I just don't know... I would never make it without Him-- through the days... and when I was running from Him I really just wanted to die. I wasn't happy, I just lived and breathed in and out... and as I'm getting closer and closer to Him now, I have more and more joy. I love life, because I love Him. I love Him, because I received His Love that He has freely given. Some days I live depending totally on Him and others I'm distracted and suddenly feel the fading away... He didn't move; I did. But He is faithful, He lives in me and helps me to stay walking side by side with Him provoking my attention when I'm giving it to something else.
Is it obvious that I'm really seeking God on what it means to be "in Christ"??
Thank You God for loving us! <3
Saturday
On Saturday, 4 women spoke sharing scripture and testimony of its truth:
First up: Angela Thomas an author and speaker. She was great, she spoke on "running the race" (as the Christian life is described in Philippians) and persevering to the end... as in not quiting... This is how I'm applying what she taught: when we need rest from this world we rest "in Christ", and we don't quit Christ.
Next: Lysa Tyerkhurst also an author and speaker, spoke on the 4 different ways of dealing with anger: exploding, exploding while shaming self, stuffing, and stuffing to build retaliation. She gives testimony of how the Holy Spirit can come in and help us in those seconds before we do one of these things and that is a choice we make in asking Him for help.
Third up, Candace Cameron Bure, the actress who played DJ Tanner in Full House, author, & speaker! Wow! She was great and she hit it home, I know that not one woman walked out of that place knowing that she needed to change something in her marriage. She talked about partnering with the Holy Spirit in honoring our husbands! Treating them the way God intends us to treat them... whether they deserve it or not. The degree that we honor our husbands is the degree to which we honor God. ... and I know that this is impossible without the help of God. Completely partnering with Him, allowing Him to work through us!!
Lastly, Kim & Krickett Carpenter spoke, they are the true story behind the movie "The Vow" with Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams. Here's a video of them:
kinda neat.
First up: Angela Thomas an author and speaker. She was great, she spoke on "running the race" (as the Christian life is described in Philippians) and persevering to the end... as in not quiting... This is how I'm applying what she taught: when we need rest from this world we rest "in Christ", and we don't quit Christ.
Next: Lysa Tyerkhurst also an author and speaker, spoke on the 4 different ways of dealing with anger: exploding, exploding while shaming self, stuffing, and stuffing to build retaliation. She gives testimony of how the Holy Spirit can come in and help us in those seconds before we do one of these things and that is a choice we make in asking Him for help.
Third up, Candace Cameron Bure, the actress who played DJ Tanner in Full House, author, & speaker! Wow! She was great and she hit it home, I know that not one woman walked out of that place knowing that she needed to change something in her marriage. She talked about partnering with the Holy Spirit in honoring our husbands! Treating them the way God intends us to treat them... whether they deserve it or not. The degree that we honor our husbands is the degree to which we honor God. ... and I know that this is impossible without the help of God. Completely partnering with Him, allowing Him to work through us!!
Lastly, Kim & Krickett Carpenter spoke, they are the true story behind the movie "The Vow" with Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams. Here's a video of them:
kinda neat.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Friday
Sorry about the two quiet days. This post is in place of Friday:
Friday night I was at the Extraordinary Women Conference; I got to hear Joe White share the gospel message from the view point of the man who built the cross. It was amazing! Here is a YouTube video of the same type thing from the view point of the men crucified next to Jesus & Jesus Himself. Amazing!
I'm so thankful for Jesus making a way to God for us, because as Romans 7 says, it is impossible for us to completely obey the good and bad of the Bible! Christ made a way for us; in HIM, that we could LIVE a full life with Him. The closer we are to Him...
Then Casting Crown performed (they are a very popular Christian Band)! I know most of their songs, but cried through most of them as the Lord spoke to my heart. Here are a couple videos of amazing songs:
This first one is "The Well" the exact message of being "in Christ" which I wrote about a few days ago!!
The next one I've heard over and over again in the last couple of years. It's one of my favorite songs, and as I listened Friday night, the Lord spoke some new things in my heart. Time to live a life of walking on water as opposed to sinking because of shifted focus from Christ. Walk on Water folks the God who created you, me, & every single planet, sun, & star can and does make the impossible possible in our lives every day. Of course I'm not gonna literally go try to walk on water unless God tells me I can, but you know what I'm saying... what God tells us in scripture is true and when He directs us in certain ways we need to listen to His "Voice of Truth"!!! <3
Friday night I was at the Extraordinary Women Conference; I got to hear Joe White share the gospel message from the view point of the man who built the cross. It was amazing! Here is a YouTube video of the same type thing from the view point of the men crucified next to Jesus & Jesus Himself. Amazing!
I'm so thankful for Jesus making a way to God for us, because as Romans 7 says, it is impossible for us to completely obey the good and bad of the Bible! Christ made a way for us; in HIM, that we could LIVE a full life with Him. The closer we are to Him...
Then Casting Crown performed (they are a very popular Christian Band)! I know most of their songs, but cried through most of them as the Lord spoke to my heart. Here are a couple videos of amazing songs:
This first one is "The Well" the exact message of being "in Christ" which I wrote about a few days ago!!
The next one I've heard over and over again in the last couple of years. It's one of my favorite songs, and as I listened Friday night, the Lord spoke some new things in my heart. Time to live a life of walking on water as opposed to sinking because of shifted focus from Christ. Walk on Water folks the God who created you, me, & every single planet, sun, & star can and does make the impossible possible in our lives every day. Of course I'm not gonna literally go try to walk on water unless God tells me I can, but you know what I'm saying... what God tells us in scripture is true and when He directs us in certain ways we need to listen to His "Voice of Truth"!!! <3
Friday, October 5, 2012
Lyrics
This song describes so well where I am today:
Casting Crown's lyrics to "who am I"
Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours
Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours
I am Yours
Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
'Cause I am Yours
I am Yours
Casting Crown's lyrics to "who am I"
Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours
Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours
I am Yours
Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
'Cause I am Yours
I am Yours
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
2 Tim 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7, NLT.
One to repeat to ourselves.
One to repeat to ourselves.
Steady my heart
Kari Jobe singing what it is to be "inChrist":
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=KmaBhMOXXHg&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DKmaBhMOXXHg
This subject is just staying on my mind this week for some reason.
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=KmaBhMOXXHg&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DKmaBhMOXXHg
This subject is just staying on my mind this week for some reason.
Monday, October 1, 2012
freedom
Thinking more about what it means to be "in Christ", tonight. (continued from yesterday's post)
2 of the scariest things I can ever thinking of happening are Cancer &/or the death of a child (born or unborn). I've experienced neither & I can't say how I'd react... but I know a few people who have been through these situations. The one's who I know and who had a strong relationship with God beforehand--they were in Christ before...-- they are the ones who stay buried in Him through it all, constantly praising God. Yes, they ask Him hard questions. Yes, they fight with Him over the loss or sickness. Yes, they were devastated. Yes, I'm sure they sobbed incessantly for months. Yes and Yes again. But they did not desert God, instead they hurled themselves deeper into Him. And they came out with peace on the other side. My friend who I referenced in my post "Violets" misses her son everyday... gosh there are days that I miss him. I cried my eyes out when Nathan opened his birthday present from her; I miss her little boy who would've been just a couple months younger than mine. I know she doesn't take a breathe without wishing that things couldve been different. And there are somethings on this earth that we will not get answers to. God may not give us the answers we desire, but He does give us the peace we are starving for. Peace that He promises will pass understanding. And when we are "in Christ" we can have that peace.
There are other friends who I've known to be extremely strong Christians--in Christ-- and the enemy comes to sift as Jesus warned is the desire of our foe. He will pick us apart if he can just distract us from Christ long enough and we will come up empty. When we are in Christ we have this choice to open our hearts and give Him everything which causes Him to flow through more and more freely the more we give over to Him, but we can shut ourselves off to a certain extent which causes much harm in our hearts. These people, they gradually change and suddenly everyone is wondering what's going on with so and so... I've been this person... more than once. and it is not fun, it is painful and nothing has ever made me feel more empty. Who I was before I gave my life to Christ becomes more evident than the person I became after, and that is the very reason for the empty feeling, even though I'm still technically in Christ, I had cut off the steady streaming flow of Him into my heart and started filling it with all kinds of other things trying to satisfy myself. But nothing satisfies except Him, which is why going back to His Loving embrace is the only answer to the filling feeling of freedom.
2 of the scariest things I can ever thinking of happening are Cancer &/or the death of a child (born or unborn). I've experienced neither & I can't say how I'd react... but I know a few people who have been through these situations. The one's who I know and who had a strong relationship with God beforehand--they were in Christ before...-- they are the ones who stay buried in Him through it all, constantly praising God. Yes, they ask Him hard questions. Yes, they fight with Him over the loss or sickness. Yes, they were devastated. Yes, I'm sure they sobbed incessantly for months. Yes and Yes again. But they did not desert God, instead they hurled themselves deeper into Him. And they came out with peace on the other side. My friend who I referenced in my post "Violets" misses her son everyday... gosh there are days that I miss him. I cried my eyes out when Nathan opened his birthday present from her; I miss her little boy who would've been just a couple months younger than mine. I know she doesn't take a breathe without wishing that things couldve been different. And there are somethings on this earth that we will not get answers to. God may not give us the answers we desire, but He does give us the peace we are starving for. Peace that He promises will pass understanding. And when we are "in Christ" we can have that peace.
There are other friends who I've known to be extremely strong Christians--in Christ-- and the enemy comes to sift as Jesus warned is the desire of our foe. He will pick us apart if he can just distract us from Christ long enough and we will come up empty. When we are in Christ we have this choice to open our hearts and give Him everything which causes Him to flow through more and more freely the more we give over to Him, but we can shut ourselves off to a certain extent which causes much harm in our hearts. These people, they gradually change and suddenly everyone is wondering what's going on with so and so... I've been this person... more than once. and it is not fun, it is painful and nothing has ever made me feel more empty. Who I was before I gave my life to Christ becomes more evident than the person I became after, and that is the very reason for the empty feeling, even though I'm still technically in Christ, I had cut off the steady streaming flow of Him into my heart and started filling it with all kinds of other things trying to satisfy myself. But nothing satisfies except Him, which is why going back to His Loving embrace is the only answer to the filling feeling of freedom.
Redeemed
Read Romans 7:7-25 by clicking here
I'm sure we'd all agree that the second we're told not to do something we desperately want it. I rarely eat PB&J sandwiches but when I spent a little time in a country with out, I couldn't wait to get back to the states to have one! Remember when your Mom told you no cookies til after dinner... when I was grown and could have nothing but cookies for dinner, I did... that is until I realized it made me feel terrible. The very idea of someone--God or man-- telling me 'I can't' do something makes me want to do it. Every time with out fail.
That's what these verses are about... my inability to be good. I mean we can do good if it's to make ourselves feel better about ourselves, it's being good for self. Think about it. Then when I tell myself I can't eat this or that for the sake of a diet... I immediately want to eat those things. And of course we're made with innate morality, which according to C.S. Lewis is proof of the existence of God (read "Mere Christianity"). Let's face it though, no one likes to be told what to do. No one. And our first instinct is to do the opposite of what someone is telling us to do. It's natural to human nature.
Then comes some good news:
Romans 8:1, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
and
Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer life, but by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me, I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
When I gave my life to Christ I suddenly had a choice to live by the natural ways of humanity or by the Spirit of God. My humanity still wants to do what it wants or not listen to what I should do and sometimes it wins... but when I stay in Christ (reading Scripture, praying- staying with Him as He is not in me) doing what I'm supposed to do is possible and it happens. And God redeems my life.
This song just explains it all:
Redeemed by Big Daddy Weeve
Thank you Lord for redeeming me. I love You.
I'm sure we'd all agree that the second we're told not to do something we desperately want it. I rarely eat PB&J sandwiches but when I spent a little time in a country with out, I couldn't wait to get back to the states to have one! Remember when your Mom told you no cookies til after dinner... when I was grown and could have nothing but cookies for dinner, I did... that is until I realized it made me feel terrible. The very idea of someone--God or man-- telling me 'I can't' do something makes me want to do it. Every time with out fail.
That's what these verses are about... my inability to be good. I mean we can do good if it's to make ourselves feel better about ourselves, it's being good for self. Think about it. Then when I tell myself I can't eat this or that for the sake of a diet... I immediately want to eat those things. And of course we're made with innate morality, which according to C.S. Lewis is proof of the existence of God (read "Mere Christianity"). Let's face it though, no one likes to be told what to do. No one. And our first instinct is to do the opposite of what someone is telling us to do. It's natural to human nature.
Then comes some good news:
Romans 8:1, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
and
Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer life, but by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me, I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
When I gave my life to Christ I suddenly had a choice to live by the natural ways of humanity or by the Spirit of God. My humanity still wants to do what it wants or not listen to what I should do and sometimes it wins... but when I stay in Christ (reading Scripture, praying- staying with Him as He is not in me) doing what I'm supposed to do is possible and it happens. And God redeems my life.
This song just explains it all:
Redeemed by Big Daddy Weeve
Thank you Lord for redeeming me. I love You.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)