This morning my devotions took me to one of my favourite chapters in the Bible: Romans 8. This chapter is packed full of encouragement! I love it and usually walk away from it thoroughly encouraged ready to take on whatever the Lord has in mind for me, hopefully in His strength.
But this morning a portion of it caught my eye and it's right in the middle of the last part where it talks about not being separated from the love of God. In verse 36 there is a quotation from the Old Testament, Psalm 44:22:
"For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
Do you see what that says? WE ARE KILLED ALL DAY LONG - WE ARE... SHEEP FOR THE SLAUGHTER!
Let me go back a little. Verse 35 says,
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"
I went slowly through this verse and I realized each thing was getting a little worse than the one before. But then you go on to the next verse. I am supposed to be willing to die every day for His sake. Living in North America I don't "see that need." I have all the freedoms I want, especially the freedoms of worshipping Who I want to worship, when I want to worship and where.
Why would He put that there? Because I need to be willing to die for His sake. Die to this world, die to me, and if need be, litterally let my life be taken for Him. Because His love is worth it. In this same chapter He tells us that we have NOT received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the Spirit of adoption so that I can call Him my Daddy.
This chapter IS full of encouragement, but it also tells me the road is not easy. I shouldn't expect an easy life. I was not born for that. But I was born to be His child and NOTHING can separate me from His love. So when the hard times come, and they do (and in fact are here now), I can rest in His love and be at peace tho the world around me is in chaos and my body itself is failing. He is faithful! And He loves me!
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Monday, December 9, 2013
Apply the Blood
I know that sounds really gruesome for a title but it's really applicable for me this morning, and actually every day.
Recently the Lord has been taking me through a time of pointing out my sins. It has NOT been a pleasant time. Each morning in my inbox I receive a devotional entitled Tozer on Christian Leadership. It's excellent and I usually enjoy them, but almost always find them very challenging. Recently we went through a series entitled Spiritual Warfare And Sin. It was VERY CONVICTING.
On top of that I have been reading a book by Jerry Bridges entitled, Respectable Sins. Another book that touches too close to home.
Then to top it off is the Word of God. Yesterday, He had me in 1 Corinthians, particularly chapter 13.
As I began to read through the "love is..." and "love is not...", greater conviction fell. I felt like I was drowning in my own sinfulness. It's so easy to say I don't do the big sins: Murder, Adultery, Stealing, Lying, etc. but what about the other ones... Ungodliness, Anxiety, Frustrations, Discontentment, Unthankfulness, etc. (Thank you very much, Jerry Bridges!)? Or this statement, "Every man is as close to God as he wants to be; he is as holy and as full of the Spirit as he wills to be...." (Thank you, Mr. Tozer). And finally,
"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love
does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not
behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked,
thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices
in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes
all things, endures all things. Love never fails."
I felt like had failed my friends, my family, my God. I could never live up to being the woman He wants me to be. My own sinfulness, my flesh, is keeping me from it. I can see now why Paul wrote in Romans 7,
O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from
this body of death?
Yet God is SOOOOOOOOO faithful! This morning in Let's Take a Walk Together I was on Day 129 - Apply the Blood. Eunice Free has a way of writing that I feel she's right there with me. As I read through it, she reminded me of the blood Jesus shed. She came right out and asked, "Have you applied the blood of Jesus Christ to your own sinful heart?"
I know I have trusted Jesus Christ as my Saviour; I did that as a girl of 9. BUT I still wrestle with this sinful flesh and I will continue to do so until He takes me home. But there is hope (1John 1:7):
... and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses
us from all sin.
The thing is: I NEED TO CONFESS AND REMEMBER JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR ALL OF THOSE SINS - BIG AND SMALL, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE SINS. I cannot live a holy life on my own, but it's only by His grace and strength that I can. Paul could go on to say,
I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
I can too!
Recently the Lord has been taking me through a time of pointing out my sins. It has NOT been a pleasant time. Each morning in my inbox I receive a devotional entitled Tozer on Christian Leadership. It's excellent and I usually enjoy them, but almost always find them very challenging. Recently we went through a series entitled Spiritual Warfare And Sin. It was VERY CONVICTING.
On top of that I have been reading a book by Jerry Bridges entitled, Respectable Sins. Another book that touches too close to home.
Then to top it off is the Word of God. Yesterday, He had me in 1 Corinthians, particularly chapter 13.
As I began to read through the "love is..." and "love is not...", greater conviction fell. I felt like I was drowning in my own sinfulness. It's so easy to say I don't do the big sins: Murder, Adultery, Stealing, Lying, etc. but what about the other ones... Ungodliness, Anxiety, Frustrations, Discontentment, Unthankfulness, etc. (Thank you very much, Jerry Bridges!)? Or this statement, "Every man is as close to God as he wants to be; he is as holy and as full of the Spirit as he wills to be...." (Thank you, Mr. Tozer). And finally,
"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love
does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not
behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked,
thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices
in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes
all things, endures all things. Love never fails."
I felt like had failed my friends, my family, my God. I could never live up to being the woman He wants me to be. My own sinfulness, my flesh, is keeping me from it. I can see now why Paul wrote in Romans 7,
O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from
this body of death?
Yet God is SOOOOOOOOO faithful! This morning in Let's Take a Walk Together I was on Day 129 - Apply the Blood. Eunice Free has a way of writing that I feel she's right there with me. As I read through it, she reminded me of the blood Jesus shed. She came right out and asked, "Have you applied the blood of Jesus Christ to your own sinful heart?"
I know I have trusted Jesus Christ as my Saviour; I did that as a girl of 9. BUT I still wrestle with this sinful flesh and I will continue to do so until He takes me home. But there is hope (1John 1:7):
... and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses
us from all sin.
The thing is: I NEED TO CONFESS AND REMEMBER JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR ALL OF THOSE SINS - BIG AND SMALL, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE SINS. I cannot live a holy life on my own, but it's only by His grace and strength that I can. Paul could go on to say,
I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
I can too!
Friday, October 11, 2013
BRING IT ON
M
and I are travelling through the States on our way to a conference.
As we're driving we're listening to some of our older CDs. We just
heard the song Bring It On
by Steve Camp. As I listened to the words, I began to wonder if Steve
would have written them knowing what he and his family would face
years later.
Here is the chorus:
Bring it on
Let the lightning flash, let the thunder roll,
let the storm winds blow
Bring it on
Let the trouble come, let the hard rain fall, let it make me strong
Bring it on
For those of you who don't know just a few years ago the Chapman family lost one of their children in a car accident. She was only 5 years old.
Sometimes I think, LORD, I'm willing to go through whatever you want me to go through. BUT don't take my family through hard times. Don't let my children suffer. Don't let them know hard times. Let my husband, M, not struggle. Let their path be of peace and no pain. This is what I want, but I realize this is not what is good.
Christ has said, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” It's very interesting to me that when He said this to His disciples, He had not yet been crucified. What must they have thought? To follow Christ, they had to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Him. They were familiar with crucifixion. The Romans had seen to that. I don't think we'll ever know the extent of the severity of the pain, suffering and humiliation that went on as a person died on a cross. Our age has nothing to compare with it.
Yet to this is what Christ called them and us. “Deny self and take up your cross.” We can never know the full extent of what the cross entails until we take it up ourselves. My cross will differ from yours in that my strength, my weaknesses are different from yours. Yet Christ does not leave us alone to carry it by ourselves.
He has also said, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” He never meant for us to carry it by ourselves. He wants us to rely upon His strength. The whole point is to acknowledge that I can't carry it. Only He can walk me through it.
What Steve and his family went through, he would never wish on anyone. Yet they have come through it. Two portions of the song Bring It On are:
'Cause I know I've got an enemy waiting
Who wants to bring me pain
But what he never seems to remember
What he means for evil God works for good
So I will not retreat or surrender
Now, I don't want to sound like some hero
'Cause it's God alone that my hope is in
But I'm not gonna run from the very things
That would drive me closer to Him
So bring it on
THE VERY THINGS THAT WOULD DRIVE ME CLOSER TO HIM...
Do we realize that? The cross that we carry drives me closer to Him. It literally chases me into His arms where I can cry and learn of His peace, and receive the rest and contentment that only He can give in those times.
LORD, I can't do it on my own, but whatever You've got planned, bring it on.
Here is the chorus:
Bring it on
Let the lightning flash, let the thunder roll,
let the storm winds blow
Bring it on
Let the trouble come, let the hard rain fall, let it make me strong
Bring it on
For those of you who don't know just a few years ago the Chapman family lost one of their children in a car accident. She was only 5 years old.
Sometimes I think, LORD, I'm willing to go through whatever you want me to go through. BUT don't take my family through hard times. Don't let my children suffer. Don't let them know hard times. Let my husband, M, not struggle. Let their path be of peace and no pain. This is what I want, but I realize this is not what is good.
Christ has said, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” It's very interesting to me that when He said this to His disciples, He had not yet been crucified. What must they have thought? To follow Christ, they had to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Him. They were familiar with crucifixion. The Romans had seen to that. I don't think we'll ever know the extent of the severity of the pain, suffering and humiliation that went on as a person died on a cross. Our age has nothing to compare with it.
Yet to this is what Christ called them and us. “Deny self and take up your cross.” We can never know the full extent of what the cross entails until we take it up ourselves. My cross will differ from yours in that my strength, my weaknesses are different from yours. Yet Christ does not leave us alone to carry it by ourselves.
He has also said, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” He never meant for us to carry it by ourselves. He wants us to rely upon His strength. The whole point is to acknowledge that I can't carry it. Only He can walk me through it.
What Steve and his family went through, he would never wish on anyone. Yet they have come through it. Two portions of the song Bring It On are:
'Cause I know I've got an enemy waiting
Who wants to bring me pain
But what he never seems to remember
What he means for evil God works for good
So I will not retreat or surrender
Now, I don't want to sound like some hero
'Cause it's God alone that my hope is in
But I'm not gonna run from the very things
That would drive me closer to Him
So bring it on
THE VERY THINGS THAT WOULD DRIVE ME CLOSER TO HIM...
Do we realize that? The cross that we carry drives me closer to Him. It literally chases me into His arms where I can cry and learn of His peace, and receive the rest and contentment that only He can give in those times.
LORD, I can't do it on my own, but whatever You've got planned, bring it on.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Mom
This post is a little different than usual. Yes, God is still teaching me, but in a different way today.
Today my mom would have turned 70 years old. I try to imagine what she would have looked like as a 70 year old, but then it's not to hard, because she was diagnosed with scleroderma at the age of 43 and died at the age of 45 because of this disease. In those two years it aged her body about 30 years.
Because she swelled up so much from the disease, she wasn't able to use her hands a lot and it was difficult to walk. She couldn't really reach her feet so she had to wear shoes that she could slip into. Buttons and zippers became to difficult for her hands, so pants and skirts with elastic waistbands and shirts that could easily be pulled over her head became her wardrobe.
Looking back on her life, I see many things. Her parents got saved later in life and her dad became a minister. She made a profession at the age of 14. Life was good.
At the age of 17 she met a man she fell in love with, Frank, my dad. But he was Catholic and she was not. So they decided to leave religion out of their lives. She turned her back on God. The only concession they both made was that all the boys would be baptized into the Catholic Church and all the girls would be baptized into her church. I was the only girl; there were three boys.
Years went by and my mom just wasn't comfortable with us not going to church. So when I was about 8 years old we started going to different churches, what I called "church hopping". Dad wouldn't go, so mom took me and my two brothers (the youngest didn't arrive for another year). My brothers and I disliked all the churches we attended: too many rules, to boring, no kids we knew. There was always an excuse. She finally gave up.
About a year later my cousins invited me to a little chapel. They were trying to win a Sunday School contest by bringing the most friends. So I went. This church was different. They didn't ask for money. They had cool snacks before Sunday School - DONUTS! and everyone was really nice. It was there that I heard for the first time the true Gospel. I understood being a sinner, and I heard how Jesus Christ, God, had come to this earth to take my punishment and die for me. I prayed a simple prayer believing this and was saved.
Why take this time to tell you about me when I'm writing about my mom? Because it's an important part of my mom's life. You see, those folks would come and pick me and my brothers up and take us to church. They loved us and my parents but never put pressure on my parents or on us to come. They just loved us.
I began to change and my mom began to see the changes in me and the way these people loved us. She eventually started attending. When I was 18, I was teaching a small Sunday School class, but was leaving for a year's mission trip and needed someone to take over my class. I asked my mom. I remember she said she didn't feel capable of doing it, but decided to do it anyway. It changed her life.
When I came back that was "her" class. She had also begun to meet with some of the other women for a Bible study. She began to grow in leaps and bounds. She strove to get out of debt because she felt she was dishonoring her LORD by being in debt. She stayed home from church for a whole year, because my dad told her not to go. She felt she needed to submit to him because that's what the LORD said in his Word. She continued to have the ladies Bible study in her home which was okay with my dad, he just didn't want her going to church. At the end of the year he told her she could go back because by her staying home, he knew she loved him.
When she first began to get sick, she was confused and tried to figure out what God was doing. But she eventually saw this as part of God's plan for her life. Because of the aging of her body, she was now able to relate to the senior women in a very special way. She understood their struggles, their aches, their disappointments. A whole new world had opened up to her.
Though there were opportunities for ministry, there were also very hard times. I remember seeing her at the dining room table just crying because of the pain. But she would begin to pray and her face would change. I knew the pain had not gone away but her eyes were not on her anymore, but on the One she truly loved.
Her last month of life was spent in the hospital in Intensive Care. Her internal organs were shutting down and there was nothing the doctors could do for her. The last time I saw her she was in a coma. She had been that way for three days. I was the last one to talk to her. I told her it was okay; she could leave us now. God would take care of us. That was at 9:00 pm; she went to be with her LORD at 2:00 am.
Through the years I've wondered why the LORD took her when He did. She was so young. She only got to see 3 of her 10 grandchildren. One of my sister-in-laws got saved because of my mom. But after mom died, she and my brother divorced. I often thought, "If mom had been here, they probably wouldn't have divorced. She would have encouraged them to stick it out."
But then I realize it's very easy to rely upon a person and put the burden on them. God doesn't want us to do that. He has to be our Burden-Bearer. My family has gone through lots of ups and downs since Mom has been gone. We definitely miss her. But God has done amazing things without her here.
My dad got saved. I didn't think it would ever happen, but it did. Actually right before she died. And he's growing in the LORD. It's been hard for him, but he's gone on, he's found a lovely woman and married her. They will be celebrating their 9th anniversary this year. He sent T a card the other day that was so spiritually encouraging about God being in control and His timing. I was so surprised, humbled and so very, very thankful.
All three of my brothers made professions as children, but the youngest has really made a commitment to the LORD. He and his wife were baptized and are really striving to raise their children in the "admonition of the LORD." The other two are reading their Bibles and no, they are not where "I" would like them to be, but God is in control of them and for that I'm thankful.
Though I have missed my mom and wished she could be here to have seen so many things and people, like all three of my children (she only saw J until he was 6 months old), I know that she will see each one of them in perfection with no flaws. She now has met one of her great-grandchildren whom I haven't even met. I would not take her away from her First Love. But I am so thankful for her example: for the way she lived her life in loving her LORD, her husband, her family, fellow believers and the lost as well (because of her witness her neighbor got saved - a "hardened feminist" - the neighbor's words for herself, not mine :) ).
I miss my mom, but I look forward to the day when I will see her again. But then she'll have to wait, because there's Somebody Else I want to see first.
Today my mom would have turned 70 years old. I try to imagine what she would have looked like as a 70 year old, but then it's not to hard, because she was diagnosed with scleroderma at the age of 43 and died at the age of 45 because of this disease. In those two years it aged her body about 30 years.
Because she swelled up so much from the disease, she wasn't able to use her hands a lot and it was difficult to walk. She couldn't really reach her feet so she had to wear shoes that she could slip into. Buttons and zippers became to difficult for her hands, so pants and skirts with elastic waistbands and shirts that could easily be pulled over her head became her wardrobe.
Looking back on her life, I see many things. Her parents got saved later in life and her dad became a minister. She made a profession at the age of 14. Life was good.
At the age of 17 she met a man she fell in love with, Frank, my dad. But he was Catholic and she was not. So they decided to leave religion out of their lives. She turned her back on God. The only concession they both made was that all the boys would be baptized into the Catholic Church and all the girls would be baptized into her church. I was the only girl; there were three boys.
Years went by and my mom just wasn't comfortable with us not going to church. So when I was about 8 years old we started going to different churches, what I called "church hopping". Dad wouldn't go, so mom took me and my two brothers (the youngest didn't arrive for another year). My brothers and I disliked all the churches we attended: too many rules, to boring, no kids we knew. There was always an excuse. She finally gave up.
About a year later my cousins invited me to a little chapel. They were trying to win a Sunday School contest by bringing the most friends. So I went. This church was different. They didn't ask for money. They had cool snacks before Sunday School - DONUTS! and everyone was really nice. It was there that I heard for the first time the true Gospel. I understood being a sinner, and I heard how Jesus Christ, God, had come to this earth to take my punishment and die for me. I prayed a simple prayer believing this and was saved.
Why take this time to tell you about me when I'm writing about my mom? Because it's an important part of my mom's life. You see, those folks would come and pick me and my brothers up and take us to church. They loved us and my parents but never put pressure on my parents or on us to come. They just loved us.
I began to change and my mom began to see the changes in me and the way these people loved us. She eventually started attending. When I was 18, I was teaching a small Sunday School class, but was leaving for a year's mission trip and needed someone to take over my class. I asked my mom. I remember she said she didn't feel capable of doing it, but decided to do it anyway. It changed her life.
When I came back that was "her" class. She had also begun to meet with some of the other women for a Bible study. She began to grow in leaps and bounds. She strove to get out of debt because she felt she was dishonoring her LORD by being in debt. She stayed home from church for a whole year, because my dad told her not to go. She felt she needed to submit to him because that's what the LORD said in his Word. She continued to have the ladies Bible study in her home which was okay with my dad, he just didn't want her going to church. At the end of the year he told her she could go back because by her staying home, he knew she loved him.
When she first began to get sick, she was confused and tried to figure out what God was doing. But she eventually saw this as part of God's plan for her life. Because of the aging of her body, she was now able to relate to the senior women in a very special way. She understood their struggles, their aches, their disappointments. A whole new world had opened up to her.
Though there were opportunities for ministry, there were also very hard times. I remember seeing her at the dining room table just crying because of the pain. But she would begin to pray and her face would change. I knew the pain had not gone away but her eyes were not on her anymore, but on the One she truly loved.
Her last month of life was spent in the hospital in Intensive Care. Her internal organs were shutting down and there was nothing the doctors could do for her. The last time I saw her she was in a coma. She had been that way for three days. I was the last one to talk to her. I told her it was okay; she could leave us now. God would take care of us. That was at 9:00 pm; she went to be with her LORD at 2:00 am.
Through the years I've wondered why the LORD took her when He did. She was so young. She only got to see 3 of her 10 grandchildren. One of my sister-in-laws got saved because of my mom. But after mom died, she and my brother divorced. I often thought, "If mom had been here, they probably wouldn't have divorced. She would have encouraged them to stick it out."
But then I realize it's very easy to rely upon a person and put the burden on them. God doesn't want us to do that. He has to be our Burden-Bearer. My family has gone through lots of ups and downs since Mom has been gone. We definitely miss her. But God has done amazing things without her here.
My dad got saved. I didn't think it would ever happen, but it did. Actually right before she died. And he's growing in the LORD. It's been hard for him, but he's gone on, he's found a lovely woman and married her. They will be celebrating their 9th anniversary this year. He sent T a card the other day that was so spiritually encouraging about God being in control and His timing. I was so surprised, humbled and so very, very thankful.
All three of my brothers made professions as children, but the youngest has really made a commitment to the LORD. He and his wife were baptized and are really striving to raise their children in the "admonition of the LORD." The other two are reading their Bibles and no, they are not where "I" would like them to be, but God is in control of them and for that I'm thankful.
Though I have missed my mom and wished she could be here to have seen so many things and people, like all three of my children (she only saw J until he was 6 months old), I know that she will see each one of them in perfection with no flaws. She now has met one of her great-grandchildren whom I haven't even met. I would not take her away from her First Love. But I am so thankful for her example: for the way she lived her life in loving her LORD, her husband, her family, fellow believers and the lost as well (because of her witness her neighbor got saved - a "hardened feminist" - the neighbor's words for herself, not mine :) ).
I miss my mom, but I look forward to the day when I will see her again. But then she'll have to wait, because there's Somebody Else I want to see first.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Because I was crushed by their adulterous heart... a portion of Ezekiel 6:9
Last Sunday it was my joy to teach the last Summer Sunday School class. They had been going through the 10 Commandments. We covered the 10th commandment and then played Jeopardy to review all of the Commandments.
The 7th Commandment is, “You shall not commit adultery.” Trying to teach this to children ages 3-14 would be hard, but the point that was conveyed was be committed to one another. Makes sense. But this morning this Commandment has taken on a new meaning for me.
I've always been taught that we should not commit adultery because this would be harmful to your marriage and this is not what God wants. Both of these statements are true. Adultery is terribly harmful to any marriage. And God does not want this. But I'm beginning to see it goes beyond that.
Throughout Scripture God uses pictures of things to convey ideas to His people. I'm reading in Ezekiel right now and the things God has Ezekiel doing to show what He will do to His people is terrifying. I can't understand why they didn't repent. But then I remember me. Oh yeah. They are a lot like me.
Anyway, I came across this phrase in Ezekiel 6:
Because I was crushed by their adulterous heart.
I was stopped cold. The LORD is speaking.
I was crushed by their adulterous heart.
The LORD was crushed. He had been crushed by their unfaithfulness to Him in worshipping other idols. The relationship God has with a person is personal; it's one-on-one. He has to be first place in their lives because there is no second place for God. It's all or nothing. He desires this for each human being.
With Israel He had made it abundantly clear and had made the way clear. He knew they couldn't keep all the commandments, but His desire was for them to see that they couldn't and look to Him to trust Him to help them, for them to serve Him and Him only.
When God gave that 7th Commandment, it wasn't only for our benefit for marriage or because He wanted us to do that, but because it was a picture of what a true relationship with Him should be: One-on-one, faithfulness to Him as He is faithful to us.
The 7th Commandment is, “You shall not commit adultery.” Trying to teach this to children ages 3-14 would be hard, but the point that was conveyed was be committed to one another. Makes sense. But this morning this Commandment has taken on a new meaning for me.
I've always been taught that we should not commit adultery because this would be harmful to your marriage and this is not what God wants. Both of these statements are true. Adultery is terribly harmful to any marriage. And God does not want this. But I'm beginning to see it goes beyond that.
Throughout Scripture God uses pictures of things to convey ideas to His people. I'm reading in Ezekiel right now and the things God has Ezekiel doing to show what He will do to His people is terrifying. I can't understand why they didn't repent. But then I remember me. Oh yeah. They are a lot like me.
Anyway, I came across this phrase in Ezekiel 6:
Because I was crushed by their adulterous heart.
I was stopped cold. The LORD is speaking.
I was crushed by their adulterous heart.
The LORD was crushed. He had been crushed by their unfaithfulness to Him in worshipping other idols. The relationship God has with a person is personal; it's one-on-one. He has to be first place in their lives because there is no second place for God. It's all or nothing. He desires this for each human being.
With Israel He had made it abundantly clear and had made the way clear. He knew they couldn't keep all the commandments, but His desire was for them to see that they couldn't and look to Him to trust Him to help them, for them to serve Him and Him only.
When God gave that 7th Commandment, it wasn't only for our benefit for marriage or because He wanted us to do that, but because it was a picture of what a true relationship with Him should be: One-on-one, faithfulness to Him as He is faithful to us.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
God the Father and God the Son
It's 11:17 on a Thursday night and I can' t sleep due to some FM pain in one leg. So I got up from bed and decided to read my devotionals which I didn't have time for this morning. One of them talked about the Father turning away from the Son while He was suffering on the cross.
My youngest, C, knows the Bible fairly well. So I asked him, "Do you know of any place in the Bible where it talks about God the Father turning His back on the Son?" He said he couldn't think of a specific verse but he said God can't look on sin. So...
Not good enough for me so I started searching for any references about turning away in the Scriptures. There are a number of them but none having to do with Christ on the cross. So I looked up Matthew 27:46
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud
voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is,
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Using Strong's Concordance, "sabachthani" means, "you have left me." It doesn't say turned your back; it could mean that but I don't think so. At least not any more.
Have you ever been in a situation with your child where you wish more than anything you could get them out of it, take them away from it, never let them feel the pain or hurt that they are feeling, but you you are helpless and there is nothing you can do? If you read one of my previous posts, you know that I've been going through that with J & A. There's nothing I can do to take it away.
Now, am I saying that God the Father was incapable of taking the cross and the pain away. No, He could have, but the payment for sin and death would never have been made. Christ Himself could have come down off of the cross, but again the payment would not have made.
I do believe the Father was there, facing the cross with His Precious Son on it carrying our debt. I wonder if tears flowed from His eyes knowing that the sacrifice had to be made, the payment for sin carried through. Scripture tells us that the sun was darkened for 3 hours. I believe it was a private time for the Father and the Son. The rest of us were not allowed to look on; even creation couldn't.
This brings great comfort to me because again I'm reminded that God our Father and our Precious Saviour know our sorrows. They understand the tears that we shed. My God can comfort me and all others because He has known sorrow and has come through it.
When Christ was on the cross, one of the last things He said was, "It is finished." This is an accounting term. The debt has been paid in full - there is no more payment needed. Jesus Christ, dying on the cross, taking your and my debt for sin, has paid for it. By believing in Him and what He has done, I know there will come a day when I will meet that little one who is gone from this earth. I know J & A will meet the special one as well as the rest of my family.
The question for you is: Will You Meet Them? If the answer is yes, that is great! But if it is no or "I'm not sure," believe on the LORD Jesus Christ today. Know that He has paid the debt for your sins and you do not have to face the eternal punishment that will come to those who reject Him.
And to all who believe, what a great reminder that our God truly is the God of all Comfort because He has been there.
My youngest, C, knows the Bible fairly well. So I asked him, "Do you know of any place in the Bible where it talks about God the Father turning His back on the Son?" He said he couldn't think of a specific verse but he said God can't look on sin. So...
Not good enough for me so I started searching for any references about turning away in the Scriptures. There are a number of them but none having to do with Christ on the cross. So I looked up Matthew 27:46
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud
voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is,
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Using Strong's Concordance, "sabachthani" means, "you have left me." It doesn't say turned your back; it could mean that but I don't think so. At least not any more.
Have you ever been in a situation with your child where you wish more than anything you could get them out of it, take them away from it, never let them feel the pain or hurt that they are feeling, but you you are helpless and there is nothing you can do? If you read one of my previous posts, you know that I've been going through that with J & A. There's nothing I can do to take it away.
Now, am I saying that God the Father was incapable of taking the cross and the pain away. No, He could have, but the payment for sin and death would never have been made. Christ Himself could have come down off of the cross, but again the payment would not have made.
I do believe the Father was there, facing the cross with His Precious Son on it carrying our debt. I wonder if tears flowed from His eyes knowing that the sacrifice had to be made, the payment for sin carried through. Scripture tells us that the sun was darkened for 3 hours. I believe it was a private time for the Father and the Son. The rest of us were not allowed to look on; even creation couldn't.
This brings great comfort to me because again I'm reminded that God our Father and our Precious Saviour know our sorrows. They understand the tears that we shed. My God can comfort me and all others because He has known sorrow and has come through it.
When Christ was on the cross, one of the last things He said was, "It is finished." This is an accounting term. The debt has been paid in full - there is no more payment needed. Jesus Christ, dying on the cross, taking your and my debt for sin, has paid for it. By believing in Him and what He has done, I know there will come a day when I will meet that little one who is gone from this earth. I know J & A will meet the special one as well as the rest of my family.
The question for you is: Will You Meet Them? If the answer is yes, that is great! But if it is no or "I'm not sure," believe on the LORD Jesus Christ today. Know that He has paid the debt for your sins and you do not have to face the eternal punishment that will come to those who reject Him.
And to all who believe, what a great reminder that our God truly is the God of all Comfort because He has been there.
Monday, August 26, 2013
The Wind
This morning my reading was in the book of Jeremiah. It's a hard book to read as it deals with the destruction of Judah for not obeying the word of the LORD. Jeremiah minces no bones and deals straight forth with the sin, though it is hard for him and he struggles with all of it. He is known as the Weeping Prophet.
He brings the wind out of His treasuries. Jeremiah 10:13
But in the midst of all this, I found the above statement. Now as for me the wind is usually troublesome. It blows things away that I want. It can be so severe it knocks over trees or light poles and causes immense damage. It can keep a person up during the night from the howling it makes. There are times when it is so hot that a gentle breeze is welcome, but most of the time, I can do without it. BUT
He brings the wind of out of His treasuries.
I have NEVER looked at the wind as being a part of the treasuries of God. It's a rainy day in our little town today and the wind has been blowing, not hard, but enough to get a breeze going through the house. This is a part of the treasuries of God.
My devotional reading from Let's Take a Walk Together said this about God:
Just as parents protect and defend their own children, nothing can reach the
child of God without having to first pass through our Almighty Defender
and then through our Advocate. Parents comfort and reassure; the Holy
Comforter works from within, settling our fears and re-routing our mis-
guided thoughts.
Our God works in our lives for our good, but ultimately for His glory. He cares for me as a child, and yet I find myself rebellious and stubborn. How much of the treasuries of God am I missing because I am so focused on me?
He brings the wind out of His treasuries.
As I watch the wind gently moving the leaves in the trees, I am struck that He did this for me... out of His treasuries... for my blessing... so that I might praise Him.
He brings the wind out of His treasuries. Jeremiah 10:13
But in the midst of all this, I found the above statement. Now as for me the wind is usually troublesome. It blows things away that I want. It can be so severe it knocks over trees or light poles and causes immense damage. It can keep a person up during the night from the howling it makes. There are times when it is so hot that a gentle breeze is welcome, but most of the time, I can do without it. BUT
He brings the wind of out of His treasuries.
I have NEVER looked at the wind as being a part of the treasuries of God. It's a rainy day in our little town today and the wind has been blowing, not hard, but enough to get a breeze going through the house. This is a part of the treasuries of God.
My devotional reading from Let's Take a Walk Together said this about God:
Just as parents protect and defend their own children, nothing can reach the
child of God without having to first pass through our Almighty Defender
and then through our Advocate. Parents comfort and reassure; the Holy
Comforter works from within, settling our fears and re-routing our mis-
guided thoughts.
Our God works in our lives for our good, but ultimately for His glory. He cares for me as a child, and yet I find myself rebellious and stubborn. How much of the treasuries of God am I missing because I am so focused on me?
He brings the wind out of His treasuries.
As I watch the wind gently moving the leaves in the trees, I am struck that He did this for me... out of His treasuries... for my blessing... so that I might praise Him.
Perfection
This morning in Grace for the Moment
by Max Lucado, he said, “God doesn't improve (us); He perfects.”
And it hit me that's what God is trying to do with me. He doesn't
want better, He wants perfection. But I can't do perfection. And
that's okay, because He knows I can't. What He wants is for me to
admit that and let Him work through me to bring about that
perfection.
He sees me in His Son, the LORD Jesus Christ. I am covered in His righteousness. My reading in Zephaniah said this about the LORD:
The LORD is righteous in her midst,
He will do no unrighteousness.
The her He is referring to is Israel, but it's apropos for this morning. The LORD will never do any unrighteousness. He lives in me. His desire for me is only perfection and that is for His glory.
On my screen-saver as I was reading my devotions was the photo with me sitting at a Rockies game with me pregnant expecting our 3rd child and the older two, almost 3 and almost 5, next to me. Right now those three are ages 20, 23, and almost 25.
As I looked at each of them, it occurred to me that God is dealing with each one in a very unique way. Our oldest (J) is married to a beautiful young woman (A). We still can't get over how God has blessed us by bringing her into our lives. Well, they are suffering right now experiencing their first miscarriage. They are looking to our Heavenly Father and relying upon Him and trying not to be bitter. They are finding it hard when they look around them and see people who don't follow the LORD and have babies out of wedlock with no problems. But they have also found joy in this – their child got to meet the LORD Jesus before they did. Hard Times
Our second child (T) has had the great opportunity to serve the LORD overseas in a difficult land for 3 months. She loved her time there. She wants to return for a year to serve Him in working with a foster mom who works with handicapped children. But it seems no matter which way she turns the answer is wait. She now has a temp job until January as a nanny. She's hoping at the end of that time that the LORD will say yes. Waiting Times.
Our youngest (C) has a flare for drama. He's hoping to attend a conservatory. He's made application and auditioned but is awaiting word of his acceptance. And though we believe this is where the LORD wants him, he's doing nothing else. He had a job but was let go because of laziness and there really wasn't enough work to keep him on. Since then he's not done anything except sit around and play his video games. Do I believe this is where the LORD wants him? No. Do I encourage him to look for work and do other things? Yes. Can I make him? No. Times of Going My Own Way.
As I look at each of my children, I realize that God has allowed me to go through each of those times and will probably again in the future. And even in the times where He allows me to do what I want by going my own way instead of what He wants, I am realizing He still uses this for my good and His glory. I am struck by how amazing God is in that He can use all of these times to perfect us. I am humbled this morning by what He is doing in my life and so thankful that He is also doing the same thing in each one of my children's lives, no matter where they are. His goal is perfection.
(written 8-23-13)
He sees me in His Son, the LORD Jesus Christ. I am covered in His righteousness. My reading in Zephaniah said this about the LORD:
The LORD is righteous in her midst,
He will do no unrighteousness.
The her He is referring to is Israel, but it's apropos for this morning. The LORD will never do any unrighteousness. He lives in me. His desire for me is only perfection and that is for His glory.
On my screen-saver as I was reading my devotions was the photo with me sitting at a Rockies game with me pregnant expecting our 3rd child and the older two, almost 3 and almost 5, next to me. Right now those three are ages 20, 23, and almost 25.
As I looked at each of them, it occurred to me that God is dealing with each one in a very unique way. Our oldest (J) is married to a beautiful young woman (A). We still can't get over how God has blessed us by bringing her into our lives. Well, they are suffering right now experiencing their first miscarriage. They are looking to our Heavenly Father and relying upon Him and trying not to be bitter. They are finding it hard when they look around them and see people who don't follow the LORD and have babies out of wedlock with no problems. But they have also found joy in this – their child got to meet the LORD Jesus before they did. Hard Times
Our second child (T) has had the great opportunity to serve the LORD overseas in a difficult land for 3 months. She loved her time there. She wants to return for a year to serve Him in working with a foster mom who works with handicapped children. But it seems no matter which way she turns the answer is wait. She now has a temp job until January as a nanny. She's hoping at the end of that time that the LORD will say yes. Waiting Times.
Our youngest (C) has a flare for drama. He's hoping to attend a conservatory. He's made application and auditioned but is awaiting word of his acceptance. And though we believe this is where the LORD wants him, he's doing nothing else. He had a job but was let go because of laziness and there really wasn't enough work to keep him on. Since then he's not done anything except sit around and play his video games. Do I believe this is where the LORD wants him? No. Do I encourage him to look for work and do other things? Yes. Can I make him? No. Times of Going My Own Way.
As I look at each of my children, I realize that God has allowed me to go through each of those times and will probably again in the future. And even in the times where He allows me to do what I want by going my own way instead of what He wants, I am realizing He still uses this for my good and His glory. I am struck by how amazing God is in that He can use all of these times to perfect us. I am humbled this morning by what He is doing in my life and so thankful that He is also doing the same thing in each one of my children's lives, no matter where they are. His goal is perfection.
(written 8-23-13)
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Knowing Him
My readings were in 2nd Kings this morning and a line caught my eye:
... Him you shall fear, Him you shall worship
and to Him you shall offer sacrifice. (2 Kings 17:36)
As one who has trusted the LORD Jesus Christ, I know my sins are forgiven and I am no longer under the law. But I feel that as believers in this time period we have lost something. We have lost the fear of the Lord.
It's interesting to me that God ordained that the children of Israel were first to fear Him. Why fear? Why not sacrifice first or even worship first? Why fear?
Could it be that in order to truly fear God you have to know Him. And what kind of fear is this talking about? I decided to look it up at dictionary.com. Here's what it said:
1. a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc.,
whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of
being afraid.
2. a specific instance of or propensity for such a feeling: an abnormal
fear of heights.
3. concern or anxiety; solicitude: a fear for someone's safety.
4. reverential awe, especially toward God: the fear of God.
5. something that causes feelings of dread or apprehension; something a
person is afraid of: Cancer is a common fear.
I believe it is definition number 4 that applies here: a reverential awe. We don't know how to fear God. We don't know what it means to be in reverential awe of Him. We are willing to talk of His love; we like that part of Him. But to be in awe of Him.
He is the God Who created this world out of nothing by just saying the words. He is the One Who brought judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah for not honouring Him. He is the One Who brought the widow's son back to life. He is the One Who can cause a young couple who have just learned that their baby has been miscarried to say, "It is for God's glory."
Do we know Him enough to fear Him? I know I don't, at least not the way I should. My hearts prayer is that I may learn of Him more so that I may truly fear Him. Then I can worship Him in the way that He ought to be worshipped. Then I can offer my life as that living and holy sacrifice which is holy and acceptable to Him.
It is step by step. As He shows me more of Himself, then I can stand in fear of Him... a little more, then worship Him... a little more, then offer myself to Him... a little more. But I have to start in knowing Him.
... Him you shall fear, Him you shall worship
and to Him you shall offer sacrifice. (2 Kings 17:36)
As one who has trusted the LORD Jesus Christ, I know my sins are forgiven and I am no longer under the law. But I feel that as believers in this time period we have lost something. We have lost the fear of the Lord.
It's interesting to me that God ordained that the children of Israel were first to fear Him. Why fear? Why not sacrifice first or even worship first? Why fear?
Could it be that in order to truly fear God you have to know Him. And what kind of fear is this talking about? I decided to look it up at dictionary.com. Here's what it said:
1. a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc.,
whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of
being afraid.
2. a specific instance of or propensity for such a feeling: an abnormal
fear of heights.
3. concern or anxiety; solicitude: a fear for someone's safety.
4. reverential awe, especially toward God: the fear of God.
5. something that causes feelings of dread or apprehension; something a
person is afraid of: Cancer is a common fear.
I believe it is definition number 4 that applies here: a reverential awe. We don't know how to fear God. We don't know what it means to be in reverential awe of Him. We are willing to talk of His love; we like that part of Him. But to be in awe of Him.
He is the God Who created this world out of nothing by just saying the words. He is the One Who brought judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah for not honouring Him. He is the One Who brought the widow's son back to life. He is the One Who can cause a young couple who have just learned that their baby has been miscarried to say, "It is for God's glory."
Do we know Him enough to fear Him? I know I don't, at least not the way I should. My hearts prayer is that I may learn of Him more so that I may truly fear Him. Then I can worship Him in the way that He ought to be worshipped. Then I can offer my life as that living and holy sacrifice which is holy and acceptable to Him.
It is step by step. As He shows me more of Himself, then I can stand in fear of Him... a little more, then worship Him... a little more, then offer myself to Him... a little more. But I have to start in knowing Him.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Another Scary Verse
Is 57:21 “There is no peace,”
Says my God, “for the wicked."
I came across this verse in my reading for yesterday. In this chapter God talks about the way He is dealing with Israel. God talks about the sinner whom He will restore and care for. But the chapter ends with the verse above. There is NO peace for the wicked.
No Peace. No peace with God. No peace of God. No peace at all.
Yesterday had begun to be a good day. My son and I were headed home from his audition at a conservatory. We were talking, had a good lunch at Arby's and had one more stop before we headed for home. I needed to stop and get our monthly groceries at Walmart.
It was 3:00 in the afternoon. We got all of our shopping done in 50 minutes. I was excited! We would make it home in time for dinner. Everything was going as planned until the check-out lane. My Visa card was declined - TWICE! I had just used it for lunch. There was no reason this should happen. I panicked. I used a different card, but was confused, frustrated, hurt, embarrassed. This should not have happened.
So we needed gas - same thing again. WHAT IS GOING ON? But instead of turning to the LORD and resting in Him, my anger started, and kept on building. By the time I got home I was furious with the bank. HOW DARE THEY! I hadn't planned on telling on my husband until later because he was speaking and I didn't want to trouble him. But I had gotten so worked up that it was the first thing that poured out of my mouth when I saw him.
I called the bank to find out the problem and they said they couldn't talk to me until I told them my phone password. For the life of me I can't even remember setting up a phone password. They told me my card had fraudulent activity on it. But they could disclose no more details without the password. So I hung up on them, angry and more frustrated than before.
What does all this have to do with the verse "There is no peace for the wicked." Am I saying I am wicked? Is that why all this happened to me?
Whether we like it or not, peace is important to us. Turmoil brings confusion, panic, wrong choices. Peace means I can go through a situation and it doesn't matter what happens, I can rest in it. I am not at battle with the world around me. But this peace starts with being at peace with God.
Jesus said, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace."
By trusting the LORD Jesus as my Saviour, I can have peace. But it has to start there. Nothing on my own can bring peace into my life. I can never be strong enough, or smart enough to have peace in everything. Only in Jesus Christ can I know true peace.
That's where being at peace with God starts. But having the peace of God - well that's letting Him RULE in my heart.
I'm very good at have a daily quiet time - spending time with God, reading His Word, reading devotional books. BUT my tendency is to do these all on a daily basis, but then go on my own way. To walk with Him moment by moment - that's a different story. When the clerk told me it had been refused for the second time. I didn't call out to God. I didn't even think of Him. My only thoughts were, "HOW EMBARRASSING! The clerk knows it's been declined and so does the person behind me as well as my own son!" My thoughts were NOT, "God has allowed this into my life for a reason and I must trust Him!"
Am I a wicked person? Yes, I am. And it comes through at times that I would rather it not. The thing is I forget that I am. BUT I have been redeemed. I don't have to live that way. But it's learning to live moment by moment, second by second, relying on the LORD and His strength, not my own.
When I first started writing today, I thought this was going to be about the wicked of the earth, those without Christ. But as I wrote, God showed me that my walking without Him, means there is no peace for me. I need to walk with Him moment by moment. That's the only way I can have true peace continuously.
Says my God, “for the wicked."
I came across this verse in my reading for yesterday. In this chapter God talks about the way He is dealing with Israel. God talks about the sinner whom He will restore and care for. But the chapter ends with the verse above. There is NO peace for the wicked.
No Peace. No peace with God. No peace of God. No peace at all.
Yesterday had begun to be a good day. My son and I were headed home from his audition at a conservatory. We were talking, had a good lunch at Arby's and had one more stop before we headed for home. I needed to stop and get our monthly groceries at Walmart.
It was 3:00 in the afternoon. We got all of our shopping done in 50 minutes. I was excited! We would make it home in time for dinner. Everything was going as planned until the check-out lane. My Visa card was declined - TWICE! I had just used it for lunch. There was no reason this should happen. I panicked. I used a different card, but was confused, frustrated, hurt, embarrassed. This should not have happened.
So we needed gas - same thing again. WHAT IS GOING ON? But instead of turning to the LORD and resting in Him, my anger started, and kept on building. By the time I got home I was furious with the bank. HOW DARE THEY! I hadn't planned on telling on my husband until later because he was speaking and I didn't want to trouble him. But I had gotten so worked up that it was the first thing that poured out of my mouth when I saw him.
I called the bank to find out the problem and they said they couldn't talk to me until I told them my phone password. For the life of me I can't even remember setting up a phone password. They told me my card had fraudulent activity on it. But they could disclose no more details without the password. So I hung up on them, angry and more frustrated than before.
What does all this have to do with the verse "There is no peace for the wicked." Am I saying I am wicked? Is that why all this happened to me?
Whether we like it or not, peace is important to us. Turmoil brings confusion, panic, wrong choices. Peace means I can go through a situation and it doesn't matter what happens, I can rest in it. I am not at battle with the world around me. But this peace starts with being at peace with God.
Jesus said, "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace."
By trusting the LORD Jesus as my Saviour, I can have peace. But it has to start there. Nothing on my own can bring peace into my life. I can never be strong enough, or smart enough to have peace in everything. Only in Jesus Christ can I know true peace.
That's where being at peace with God starts. But having the peace of God - well that's letting Him RULE in my heart.
I'm very good at have a daily quiet time - spending time with God, reading His Word, reading devotional books. BUT my tendency is to do these all on a daily basis, but then go on my own way. To walk with Him moment by moment - that's a different story. When the clerk told me it had been refused for the second time. I didn't call out to God. I didn't even think of Him. My only thoughts were, "HOW EMBARRASSING! The clerk knows it's been declined and so does the person behind me as well as my own son!" My thoughts were NOT, "God has allowed this into my life for a reason and I must trust Him!"
Am I a wicked person? Yes, I am. And it comes through at times that I would rather it not. The thing is I forget that I am. BUT I have been redeemed. I don't have to live that way. But it's learning to live moment by moment, second by second, relying on the LORD and His strength, not my own.
When I first started writing today, I thought this was going to be about the wicked of the earth, those without Christ. But as I wrote, God showed me that my walking without Him, means there is no peace for me. I need to walk with Him moment by moment. That's the only way I can have true peace continuously.
Friday, August 2, 2013
Control
Last night and this morning, I have been struggling with my body, getting very frustrated. Let's be honest here. I'm overweight. I don't follow the exercises my chiropractor has given me for my back. I struggle to exercise on a daily basis so as to keep healthy. And my body is giving me problems that I think I shouldn't be having.
So my first thought this morning was, "I need to get in control!" And then it hit me - nope! To take charge would be the obvious answer. That's the wrong answer. I need to give up control.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all
these hings shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)
The LORD is so gracious and though I couldn't put my finger on it, this was the idea He was hinting at to me. I need to seek His kingdom and His righteousness first. When Matthew wrote these words, he was talking about being not concerned with what you eat, or your body what you will put on. (Matt 6:25) But I believe the principle still applies.
Now I know there's some things I cannot control with my FM. BUT there are ways that I can keep my self from adding to it - diet and stress. These are big factors with my FM and I know that I think I can keep these in control. My problem is I don't talk to God about these factors. I figure I can manage these. WRONG!
As I was contemplating writing this, I opened my emails and there was my devotional from Jim & Elizabeth George. The title of this devotional is: Finding Strength in Weakness. (Who says things are coincidences? Not me.) She talked about the passage in 2 Corinthians 12 where Paul had been given a thorn in the flesh to keep him humble. He prayed 3 times for God to take it away, but God's answer was no. His grace was sufficient for Paul. When Paul realized this, he could then write, "Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest on me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Cor. 12:9-10 emphasis mine).
It is all for His sake and glory that I go through my life. Do I bring things on myself? Of course, but He allows this to happen so that I might bring Him glory.
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. For whom
He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His
Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
(Romans 8:28-29)
He wants us to be conformed to the image of His Son so that we might bring Him glory. Do I believe it? Absolutely! Do I remember it and act accordingly? Very rarely.
One other verse that came to mind this morning is 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
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? For you
were both at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your
spirit which are God's.
I do not own this body; it is NOT mine. It is the temple of God and as such He has granted me permission to care for it. If I truly seek Him and His glory, there will be problems, but they won't be uncontrollable because He will be the One controlling. If I can get a grip on all of this, most of the battle will be won.
So my first thought this morning was, "I need to get in control!" And then it hit me - nope! To take charge would be the obvious answer. That's the wrong answer. I need to give up control.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all
these hings shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)
The LORD is so gracious and though I couldn't put my finger on it, this was the idea He was hinting at to me. I need to seek His kingdom and His righteousness first. When Matthew wrote these words, he was talking about being not concerned with what you eat, or your body what you will put on. (Matt 6:25) But I believe the principle still applies.
Now I know there's some things I cannot control with my FM. BUT there are ways that I can keep my self from adding to it - diet and stress. These are big factors with my FM and I know that I think I can keep these in control. My problem is I don't talk to God about these factors. I figure I can manage these. WRONG!
As I was contemplating writing this, I opened my emails and there was my devotional from Jim & Elizabeth George. The title of this devotional is: Finding Strength in Weakness. (Who says things are coincidences? Not me.) She talked about the passage in 2 Corinthians 12 where Paul had been given a thorn in the flesh to keep him humble. He prayed 3 times for God to take it away, but God's answer was no. His grace was sufficient for Paul. When Paul realized this, he could then write, "Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest on me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Cor. 12:9-10 emphasis mine).
It is all for His sake and glory that I go through my life. Do I bring things on myself? Of course, but He allows this to happen so that I might bring Him glory.
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. For whom
He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His
Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
(Romans 8:28-29)
He wants us to be conformed to the image of His Son so that we might bring Him glory. Do I believe it? Absolutely! Do I remember it and act accordingly? Very rarely.
One other verse that came to mind this morning is 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
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? For you
were both at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your
spirit which are God's.
I do not own this body; it is NOT mine. It is the temple of God and as such He has granted me permission to care for it. If I truly seek Him and His glory, there will be problems, but they won't be uncontrollable because He will be the One controlling. If I can get a grip on all of this, most of the battle will be won.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Scary
This morning I was reading in Hosea, the last four chapters. I came across this verse:
Ephraim provoked Him to anger most bitterly;
Therefore his LORD will leave the guilt of his bloodshed upon him,
And return his reproach upon him.
(emphasis mine) What a terrifying statement. "His LORD will leave the guilt of his bloodshed upon him."
I struggle as I write this because I'm not sure what I'm trying to get at, I know I'm forgiven because of the grace and mercy of our LORD Jesus Christ because of His dying on the cross and taking my place. Yet I need to see God wholly, for Who He is.
Israel had been chosen by God to be His special people. BUT Israel had chosen to turn away from Him and worship false gods. As I look closer at the verse, I notice the first part now. God was provoked to anger. Why? Because He had been replaced with a golden calf. Jeroboam decided to have it built because he didn't want the people who were following him to go back to Jerusalem to worship because then they might follow Rehoboam.
God had promised Jeroboam that if he followed God, God would bless him - God would be with him, and He would build him a sure house (they would be kings from then on) and God would give him Israel! But Jeroboam couldn't risk it. Even after seeing all the ways that God had blessed Solomon, he couldn't trust Him. So he built his own god and the people he led, followed after him.
When we choose to take the Real God out of our lives, the choices we make reflect it. So do the consequences. Israel wanted to do their own "thing." It led them to do everything that was against God. God let them; but they would suffer for it. Their consequence: For God to leave the guilt upon them... wow!
Guilt is a thing that can kill. It torments and eats at us. We cannot run away from it because it comes from within. There's ways of trying to mask it, but it is still always there.
"Confession is good for the soul." AMEN!!! It surely is! To get right with God and confess that whatever I did that was against God was wrong and to ask His forgiveness through the LORD Jesus, is the only way to be rid of the sin and that guilt.
I am thankful that God has forgiven me through the blood of Jesus Christ. But I am reminded this morning that I serve a Holy God. It cost Him a great deal for my forgiveness. And even though I am forgiven, sometimes the guilt of what I've done takes longer to go away. Thankfully, He does take it away because of His Son and not because of anything I do. I am so thankful He has not left the guilt on me.
Ephraim provoked Him to anger most bitterly;
Therefore his LORD will leave the guilt of his bloodshed upon him,
And return his reproach upon him.
(emphasis mine) What a terrifying statement. "His LORD will leave the guilt of his bloodshed upon him."
I struggle as I write this because I'm not sure what I'm trying to get at, I know I'm forgiven because of the grace and mercy of our LORD Jesus Christ because of His dying on the cross and taking my place. Yet I need to see God wholly, for Who He is.
Israel had been chosen by God to be His special people. BUT Israel had chosen to turn away from Him and worship false gods. As I look closer at the verse, I notice the first part now. God was provoked to anger. Why? Because He had been replaced with a golden calf. Jeroboam decided to have it built because he didn't want the people who were following him to go back to Jerusalem to worship because then they might follow Rehoboam.
God had promised Jeroboam that if he followed God, God would bless him - God would be with him, and He would build him a sure house (they would be kings from then on) and God would give him Israel! But Jeroboam couldn't risk it. Even after seeing all the ways that God had blessed Solomon, he couldn't trust Him. So he built his own god and the people he led, followed after him.
When we choose to take the Real God out of our lives, the choices we make reflect it. So do the consequences. Israel wanted to do their own "thing." It led them to do everything that was against God. God let them; but they would suffer for it. Their consequence: For God to leave the guilt upon them... wow!
Guilt is a thing that can kill. It torments and eats at us. We cannot run away from it because it comes from within. There's ways of trying to mask it, but it is still always there.
"Confession is good for the soul." AMEN!!! It surely is! To get right with God and confess that whatever I did that was against God was wrong and to ask His forgiveness through the LORD Jesus, is the only way to be rid of the sin and that guilt.
I am thankful that God has forgiven me through the blood of Jesus Christ. But I am reminded this morning that I serve a Holy God. It cost Him a great deal for my forgiveness. And even though I am forgiven, sometimes the guilt of what I've done takes longer to go away. Thankfully, He does take it away because of His Son and not because of anything I do. I am so thankful He has not left the guilt on me.
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Wanting
This morning my reading has taken me to Isaiah 2. Two verses popped out at me because they are basically the same, verses 11 and 17. Verse 11 reads:
The lofty looks of man shall be humbled. The haughtiness of man
shall be bowed down, And the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
Verse 17:
The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of
of man shall be brought low; The LORD alone will be exalted in that
day.
The first part of the chapter talks about the LORD's return and ruling on the earth. The next part describes the wickedness of Jacob. The last part is a cry for returning to the LORD for He will judge the earth.
As I read through this chapter, my heart was again pierced by my own sinfulness.
On Thursdays I meet with a dear older friend and we spend time reading the Word and praying. We are also in Isaiah. Our reading for that day was Isaiah 43. We were reminded that He had redeemed us and called us by name (verse 1) and that He "blots out [my] transgressions for [His] own sake; and [He] will not remember [my] sins." (verse 25)
I am so thankful for these verses in Isaiah 43. But daily I wish I wouldn't sin. That is one of my wants. I want to be sinless. I don't want to struggle with it any more. But my main reason for not wanting to do this anymore is I don't want to hurt Him anymore. I long for the day when I can worship Him with a pure and completely thankful heart. When I won't feel the sadness that my sin brings, not only to me, but to Him. I want to glorify Him in everything with no thought of me.
There are many things to look forward to on this earth even though it is damaged by sin. Family, friends, a new grandchild (yes, I'm expecting my first!), being alone with my husband. But more than all of these, I would have to say I truly long for the day when the LORD will rule this earth. To be in His presence is what I want most of all. To see Him as He is. To have Him be the Only One exalted in that day!
Even so come, LORD Jesus, come! Maranatha!
The lofty looks of man shall be humbled. The haughtiness of man
shall be bowed down, And the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
Verse 17:
The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of
of man shall be brought low; The LORD alone will be exalted in that
day.
The first part of the chapter talks about the LORD's return and ruling on the earth. The next part describes the wickedness of Jacob. The last part is a cry for returning to the LORD for He will judge the earth.
As I read through this chapter, my heart was again pierced by my own sinfulness.
On Thursdays I meet with a dear older friend and we spend time reading the Word and praying. We are also in Isaiah. Our reading for that day was Isaiah 43. We were reminded that He had redeemed us and called us by name (verse 1) and that He "blots out [my] transgressions for [His] own sake; and [He] will not remember [my] sins." (verse 25)
I am so thankful for these verses in Isaiah 43. But daily I wish I wouldn't sin. That is one of my wants. I want to be sinless. I don't want to struggle with it any more. But my main reason for not wanting to do this anymore is I don't want to hurt Him anymore. I long for the day when I can worship Him with a pure and completely thankful heart. When I won't feel the sadness that my sin brings, not only to me, but to Him. I want to glorify Him in everything with no thought of me.
There are many things to look forward to on this earth even though it is damaged by sin. Family, friends, a new grandchild (yes, I'm expecting my first!), being alone with my husband. But more than all of these, I would have to say I truly long for the day when the LORD will rule this earth. To be in His presence is what I want most of all. To see Him as He is. To have Him be the Only One exalted in that day!
Even so come, LORD Jesus, come! Maranatha!
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Idols
It never ceases to amaze me how the Lord ties things together.
A couple of days ago my youngest son came to me and asked me if I had heard about what happened to one of actors from the sitcom "Glee". I told him I only heard bits and pieces. He said he died of an overdose. He then went on to ask me which country had the highest suicide rate. I told him the US. He said I was right. He then asked,"Which country is the most affluent?" I said, "The US." We then went on to talk about the idolatry of North America.
I'm reading through chronologically Kings and Chronicles as well as the prophets in my Quiet Time. Each year as I read through these portions, I find myself shocked by the way Israel and Judah turn to worship what the nations around them are worshipping. In fact one king conquered another, took his idols and began to worship them. How crazy is that? He had conquered this kingdom and began to worship THEIR idols? I don't understand.
I am also reading the book The Explicit Gospel, This is what Matt Chandler and Jared Wilson say:
...we were meant to worship, meant to give glory to something greater
than ourselves. So we interact with the earth in such a way that our heart
and minds should always be being stirred up to how good, beautiful, and
gracious God is to us in what He's given, from His creativity in crafting
flavors, to His beneficence in dispensing the warmth of the sun. The
Scriptural testimony is consistently this: God's chief concern is for His
own glory... the main part of the Bible is God's glorious self-regard. There-
fore, the main point of human life ought to be regard of God's glory.
Then in my reading from Let's Take a Walk Together:
As we consider the Holy and the Just One, perhaps we will more readily
tremble at the thought of sin in our own lives. Perhaps we will think just a
moment longer and resolve to be pure and holy rather than allowing our-
selves to just react or to given in to "this one little thing". And perhaps a
reawakening of holiness in our lives will be a stimulus unto the same in the
lives of those around us.
Looking at the Israelites, I don't believe most of them said, "Today I am going to choose to worship a false god." No I believe it began with small things. Like forgetting that God is the Holy and Just One and choosing to give in to a "little thing". We forget to give thanks to God for being so gracious to us in everything that He gives us from the delicious flavours of food to the wonderful warmth of the sunlight. And slowly but surely I replace Him with things.
Unfortunately, it's not hard to do because the biggest idol that I struggle with is myself. I want to be in control. I want to be happy. I want to do things my way. I am not saying that God is a kill-joy or anything like that. It's just that I don't take the time to put Him where He belongs, First Place. I am reminded of Colossians 1 beginning at verse 16.
For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are
on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or
principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and
for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
And He is the Head of the body, the church, Who is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the
preeminence.
Idols are all around me and it's very easy to follow them. What I must remember is that He must have the preeminence in my life.
A couple of days ago my youngest son came to me and asked me if I had heard about what happened to one of actors from the sitcom "Glee". I told him I only heard bits and pieces. He said he died of an overdose. He then went on to ask me which country had the highest suicide rate. I told him the US. He said I was right. He then asked,"Which country is the most affluent?" I said, "The US." We then went on to talk about the idolatry of North America.
I'm reading through chronologically Kings and Chronicles as well as the prophets in my Quiet Time. Each year as I read through these portions, I find myself shocked by the way Israel and Judah turn to worship what the nations around them are worshipping. In fact one king conquered another, took his idols and began to worship them. How crazy is that? He had conquered this kingdom and began to worship THEIR idols? I don't understand.
I am also reading the book The Explicit Gospel, This is what Matt Chandler and Jared Wilson say:
...we were meant to worship, meant to give glory to something greater
than ourselves. So we interact with the earth in such a way that our heart
and minds should always be being stirred up to how good, beautiful, and
gracious God is to us in what He's given, from His creativity in crafting
flavors, to His beneficence in dispensing the warmth of the sun. The
Scriptural testimony is consistently this: God's chief concern is for His
own glory... the main part of the Bible is God's glorious self-regard. There-
fore, the main point of human life ought to be regard of God's glory.
Then in my reading from Let's Take a Walk Together:
As we consider the Holy and the Just One, perhaps we will more readily
tremble at the thought of sin in our own lives. Perhaps we will think just a
moment longer and resolve to be pure and holy rather than allowing our-
selves to just react or to given in to "this one little thing". And perhaps a
reawakening of holiness in our lives will be a stimulus unto the same in the
lives of those around us.
Looking at the Israelites, I don't believe most of them said, "Today I am going to choose to worship a false god." No I believe it began with small things. Like forgetting that God is the Holy and Just One and choosing to give in to a "little thing". We forget to give thanks to God for being so gracious to us in everything that He gives us from the delicious flavours of food to the wonderful warmth of the sunlight. And slowly but surely I replace Him with things.
Unfortunately, it's not hard to do because the biggest idol that I struggle with is myself. I want to be in control. I want to be happy. I want to do things my way. I am not saying that God is a kill-joy or anything like that. It's just that I don't take the time to put Him where He belongs, First Place. I am reminded of Colossians 1 beginning at verse 16.
For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are
on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or
principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and
for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
And He is the Head of the body, the church, Who is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the
preeminence.
Idols are all around me and it's very easy to follow them. What I must remember is that He must have the preeminence in my life.
Friday, July 5, 2013
Bitterness
This morning I was reading through one of Max Lucado's devotionals. It was on bitterness. This is what he said,
Bitterness is its own prison... Step in and look at the prisoners. Victims are
chained to the walls. Victims of betrayal. Victims of abuse.
It is true that there are those who have had serious offenses against them: abuse and betrayal. To work through these ordeals can only be done by the grace of God. And I am so thankful that He is more than willing to love and work for those who have been hurt so badly.
But for a lot of us, thinking of me in particular, we have not experienced these kinds of things. Yet we have bitterness. We are offended over some trivial thing and we won't let it go. The bitterness starts, the foundation. Then the lies start to come in - "They really meant this!" Soon the bitterness has built a wall of lies and there is NO WAY we would deal with that person again. "I mean really - they did that before! Imagine what they are capable of!" The scary thing is we would never say those things, but we would think them. We would believe them. The walls have come up and then we believe them - we become chained to them.
Sometimes we become so bitter and have built the walls of lies so high that we can't even remember why it started, what the foundation for it all is.
Scripture says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9) The LORD challenged me this morning. How can I be bitter against anyone when I have sinned against the God of the universe and He has FORGIVEN me ALL?!?!?!?!? The truth is I shouldn't, but I sometimes still do. But He, in His grace, has reminded me that I am forgiven of every thought and deed that is against Him, The Almighty, Omnipotent, All-Powerful One, through the blood of Jesus Christ. Can I not forgive something so trivial? I can and I pray that I will.
Bitterness is its own prison... Step in and look at the prisoners. Victims are
chained to the walls. Victims of betrayal. Victims of abuse.
It is true that there are those who have had serious offenses against them: abuse and betrayal. To work through these ordeals can only be done by the grace of God. And I am so thankful that He is more than willing to love and work for those who have been hurt so badly.
But for a lot of us, thinking of me in particular, we have not experienced these kinds of things. Yet we have bitterness. We are offended over some trivial thing and we won't let it go. The bitterness starts, the foundation. Then the lies start to come in - "They really meant this!" Soon the bitterness has built a wall of lies and there is NO WAY we would deal with that person again. "I mean really - they did that before! Imagine what they are capable of!" The scary thing is we would never say those things, but we would think them. We would believe them. The walls have come up and then we believe them - we become chained to them.
Sometimes we become so bitter and have built the walls of lies so high that we can't even remember why it started, what the foundation for it all is.
Scripture says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9) The LORD challenged me this morning. How can I be bitter against anyone when I have sinned against the God of the universe and He has FORGIVEN me ALL?!?!?!?!? The truth is I shouldn't, but I sometimes still do. But He, in His grace, has reminded me that I am forgiven of every thought and deed that is against Him, The Almighty, Omnipotent, All-Powerful One, through the blood of Jesus Christ. Can I not forgive something so trivial? I can and I pray that I will.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
"I Will Be Exalted Among the Nations"
This morning a portion of my reading is from Psalm 46. It's a favourite of mine and as I read through the last portion, a part of it really struck me. Verse 10 starts out, "Be still and know that I am God;" . It's a good reminder to me that I need to be still before God. Rest in Who He is. Not run around - not try and fix things - to wait on Him. I love that reminder; I am constantly quoting it to myself. My mind usually stops digesting there.
But this morning I was listening, for a change. The verse actually says, "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." There is a specific reason for me to be still before my God: so that He will be exalted.
When I wait on God, when I am being still and knowing that He is God, He is exalted. That is mind boggling. I am having trouble getting my mind around that. How can God be exalted by my being still before Him? Shouldn't I be up and doing things (ties in with yesterday)? Be still and know that He is God so that He will be exalted.
My ideas have always been that if I am still before Him, I can rest in Him. I get to know Him better. These are both true. I get an assurance of Who He is, a peace of heart and soul by sitting before Him. But Him being exalted by this?
Why? Why would God be exalted by this? Because He can work the way He wants and I won't get in the way. OUCH! I can actually get in the way of God. Do I thwart His plans? Do I change eternity? Yes, I can. Does He allow for that? Yes, He does, but if I am being still and knowing that He is God, He is lifted up. The world can see Him and see what He does. They don't see me any longer; they see Him.
May I be still and know that He is God so that He "will be exalted among the nations."
But this morning I was listening, for a change. The verse actually says, "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." There is a specific reason for me to be still before my God: so that He will be exalted.
When I wait on God, when I am being still and knowing that He is God, He is exalted. That is mind boggling. I am having trouble getting my mind around that. How can God be exalted by my being still before Him? Shouldn't I be up and doing things (ties in with yesterday)? Be still and know that He is God so that He will be exalted.
My ideas have always been that if I am still before Him, I can rest in Him. I get to know Him better. These are both true. I get an assurance of Who He is, a peace of heart and soul by sitting before Him. But Him being exalted by this?
Why? Why would God be exalted by this? Because He can work the way He wants and I won't get in the way. OUCH! I can actually get in the way of God. Do I thwart His plans? Do I change eternity? Yes, I can. Does He allow for that? Yes, He does, but if I am being still and knowing that He is God, He is lifted up. The world can see Him and see what He does. They don't see me any longer; they see Him.
May I be still and know that He is God so that He "will be exalted among the nations."
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
His Grace IS Sufficient
I've started reading a daily devotional written by a dear friend of mine. It's called Let's Take a Walk Together. I am really enjoying it because I feel like I am right there with her as she is sharing her thoughts about God. One of the wonderful things I like about it, is if I miss a day, it's not a problem - it's not dated. So I just pick up where I left off. And the LORD certainly knows that I needed to read what I read today.
It's day 42 and the topic is Law or Love? As I am reading through I begin to weep. She tells the story of a man who hires a housekeeper. He places a list of things on the refrigerator that he requires her to do. She diligently does them every day. As time goes on the two fall in love and are married. After they are married he removes the list, but she continues to do all that was put on it. He asks her why she continues to do all those things though she doesn't have to now that she is married to him. She tells him, "Before I did it for the paycheck, but now I do it because I love you."
I was checked in my spirit. "Why do I do the things I do for God? And why do I feel guilty if I don't?" Don't get me wrong, I do love my LORD and I truly do want to do things for Him. BUT if I don't do them (or what I feel people would have me do) I have great shame. That's not right. Yes, if I sin against Him, I need to confess that and get right with Him, but the doing things for God? He wants me to do them out of love.
I suffer from fybromyalgia (FM). I had been doing fairly well for the past couple of years, but within the past 3 months it's like I've been hit with it all over again. There is severe constant pain and no strength at all. I bring this up now because as I was reading the devotional this morning, it hit me: I felt like God was using the FM as a judgement against me for not being obedient.
As I continued reading, I realized this was a lie. I knew it wasn't true, but I have been living that way. My God does not work that way. All my sins, past, present and future have been taken care of by the Lord Jesus Christ when He died on the cross. I no longer have any judgements coming against me from God. He has forgiven me because of the blood of Jesus Christ.
Will I continue to suffer from FM? Absolutely, but knowing it is not a judgement but something that God has allowed in my life to draw me closer to Him, changes my outlook. I can truly say with the Apostle Paul, "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." (2 Corinthians 12:9)
His love for me is incomprehensible as is His grace. And this has made me thankful. The thing is now to continue to be thankful for what He is doing and rest in His care. I've got to let go of the cares of this world and soley concentrate on Him. He is all that matters.
It's day 42 and the topic is Law or Love? As I am reading through I begin to weep. She tells the story of a man who hires a housekeeper. He places a list of things on the refrigerator that he requires her to do. She diligently does them every day. As time goes on the two fall in love and are married. After they are married he removes the list, but she continues to do all that was put on it. He asks her why she continues to do all those things though she doesn't have to now that she is married to him. She tells him, "Before I did it for the paycheck, but now I do it because I love you."
I was checked in my spirit. "Why do I do the things I do for God? And why do I feel guilty if I don't?" Don't get me wrong, I do love my LORD and I truly do want to do things for Him. BUT if I don't do them (or what I feel people would have me do) I have great shame. That's not right. Yes, if I sin against Him, I need to confess that and get right with Him, but the doing things for God? He wants me to do them out of love.
I suffer from fybromyalgia (FM). I had been doing fairly well for the past couple of years, but within the past 3 months it's like I've been hit with it all over again. There is severe constant pain and no strength at all. I bring this up now because as I was reading the devotional this morning, it hit me: I felt like God was using the FM as a judgement against me for not being obedient.
As I continued reading, I realized this was a lie. I knew it wasn't true, but I have been living that way. My God does not work that way. All my sins, past, present and future have been taken care of by the Lord Jesus Christ when He died on the cross. I no longer have any judgements coming against me from God. He has forgiven me because of the blood of Jesus Christ.
Will I continue to suffer from FM? Absolutely, but knowing it is not a judgement but something that God has allowed in my life to draw me closer to Him, changes my outlook. I can truly say with the Apostle Paul, "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." (2 Corinthians 12:9)
His love for me is incomprehensible as is His grace. And this has made me thankful. The thing is now to continue to be thankful for what He is doing and rest in His care. I've got to let go of the cares of this world and soley concentrate on Him. He is all that matters.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
The King Jeroboam
It's been awhile since I've posted. But this morning's reading caught me. The reading is 1 Kings 13. The story I am familiar with and usually my thoughts are with the young prophet. This morning though, the Lord has taken my thoughts in a different direction.
Two things really stood out to me: the first is Jeroboam calls out for the prophet to be arrested and his hand withers. He pleads with the prophet to pray for his healing for his hand. The prophet does and his hand is restored. The mercy of our God is so unimaginable. Jeroboam was in the middle of worshipping idols and having the true prophet of God arrested for challenging him. God strikes him. He had pointed his hand and suddenly it withers and he cannot pull it back to himself. God Almighty has moved against him! He knows the TRUTH and cries for relief. Our gracious and merciful God answers that prayer. It started me thinking - why? Jeroboam had turned his back on the One, True God and created golden calves to worship. HE DESERVED THAT PUNISHMENT!!! Why should God take away this punishment?
Because our God is a Merciful God. Too many times we cry out "UNFAIR!!" But we wouldn't want God to be fair. If He dealt with me each time according to each of my sins, I would not be alive today. I would have been dead a long time ago. Each moment I fail Him by not giving Him the rightful place He so deserves.
Exodus 20:3 states: You shall have no other gods before Me. With that one commandment I fail; we all fail. Too many times I put myself first before Him. I become my own God. Do I intentionally do it? Yes and no. I don't say, "I will be God," BUT in my thoughts and actions I do not constantly consider what He would have me do and say. My priority is not always, "Father, what would bring You the most glory." I said not always; the truth is it very rarely is.
The second thing that caught my eye was the last two verses of the chapter. 1 Kings 13: 33-34, "After this event Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way... and this thing was the sin of the house of Jeroboam, so as to exterminate and destroy it from the face of the earth. These are TERRIFYING verses!
Jeroboam had seen the mighty hand of God move. God had made him king over Israel (see 1 Kings 11:25-38). God had promised him if he would do all that God commanded, walk in God's ways and do what is right in God's sight, to keep God's statutes and commandments, then God would BE WITH HIM and BUILD HIM A SURE HOUSE and GIVE ISRAEL TO HIM!!!! All he had to do was follow God. Would he fail occasionally? Yes, the Lord knew that but the thing was to CHOOSE to follow Him.
Jeroboam did not WANT to follow God. He was king now and he could do as he pleased and to make sure Israel would not turn back to Rehoboam, he created "new gods." But they weren't really new; we saw them back in Exodus 32:4. It's easier to follow the world than to follow God.
Even after Jeroboam had made these choices, God still showed him mercy by HEALING HIM! If there was ever a time where Jeroboam could have turned around from his evil ways, it was definitely then. He literally saw and felt God be merciful to him! He could have turned right then, but the Scripture is clear, he chose not to turn.
Because he chose not to turn back to the God of Mercy, he AND HIS FAMILY paid the consequences. His "house" was to be exterminated and destroyed from the face of the earth!
I have been challenged again about the place I give God in my life. I am reminded of all the that the Lord Jesus Christ has done on my behalf so that I do NOT have to face the punishment for my sins. He tells me that He must be first in my life, not for my sake, but for His glory. After all He is God.
I am challenged too in how very easily we do not take God at His Word. AND the influence I have on my own family members is so great... do I dare risk them?
Will I fail? Absolutely! But there is the beauty of God: He is merciful and gracious. All I need do is turn to Him and repent.
Two things really stood out to me: the first is Jeroboam calls out for the prophet to be arrested and his hand withers. He pleads with the prophet to pray for his healing for his hand. The prophet does and his hand is restored. The mercy of our God is so unimaginable. Jeroboam was in the middle of worshipping idols and having the true prophet of God arrested for challenging him. God strikes him. He had pointed his hand and suddenly it withers and he cannot pull it back to himself. God Almighty has moved against him! He knows the TRUTH and cries for relief. Our gracious and merciful God answers that prayer. It started me thinking - why? Jeroboam had turned his back on the One, True God and created golden calves to worship. HE DESERVED THAT PUNISHMENT!!! Why should God take away this punishment?
Because our God is a Merciful God. Too many times we cry out "UNFAIR!!" But we wouldn't want God to be fair. If He dealt with me each time according to each of my sins, I would not be alive today. I would have been dead a long time ago. Each moment I fail Him by not giving Him the rightful place He so deserves.
Exodus 20:3 states: You shall have no other gods before Me. With that one commandment I fail; we all fail. Too many times I put myself first before Him. I become my own God. Do I intentionally do it? Yes and no. I don't say, "I will be God," BUT in my thoughts and actions I do not constantly consider what He would have me do and say. My priority is not always, "Father, what would bring You the most glory." I said not always; the truth is it very rarely is.
The second thing that caught my eye was the last two verses of the chapter. 1 Kings 13: 33-34, "After this event Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way... and this thing was the sin of the house of Jeroboam, so as to exterminate and destroy it from the face of the earth. These are TERRIFYING verses!
Jeroboam had seen the mighty hand of God move. God had made him king over Israel (see 1 Kings 11:25-38). God had promised him if he would do all that God commanded, walk in God's ways and do what is right in God's sight, to keep God's statutes and commandments, then God would BE WITH HIM and BUILD HIM A SURE HOUSE and GIVE ISRAEL TO HIM!!!! All he had to do was follow God. Would he fail occasionally? Yes, the Lord knew that but the thing was to CHOOSE to follow Him.
Jeroboam did not WANT to follow God. He was king now and he could do as he pleased and to make sure Israel would not turn back to Rehoboam, he created "new gods." But they weren't really new; we saw them back in Exodus 32:4. It's easier to follow the world than to follow God.
Even after Jeroboam had made these choices, God still showed him mercy by HEALING HIM! If there was ever a time where Jeroboam could have turned around from his evil ways, it was definitely then. He literally saw and felt God be merciful to him! He could have turned right then, but the Scripture is clear, he chose not to turn.
Because he chose not to turn back to the God of Mercy, he AND HIS FAMILY paid the consequences. His "house" was to be exterminated and destroyed from the face of the earth!
I have been challenged again about the place I give God in my life. I am reminded of all the that the Lord Jesus Christ has done on my behalf so that I do NOT have to face the punishment for my sins. He tells me that He must be first in my life, not for my sake, but for His glory. After all He is God.
I am challenged too in how very easily we do not take God at His Word. AND the influence I have on my own family members is so great... do I dare risk them?
Will I fail? Absolutely! But there is the beauty of God: He is merciful and gracious. All I need do is turn to Him and repent.
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