Monday, September 28, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
Brokenness And Glory, Part 2
Taken from You Are Blessed In The Names Of God, page 72, © 2008 by Sylvia Gunter. Available at http://www.thefathersbusiness.com
"Our son Charley's family were Hurricane Ivan refugees whom we took in. The hurricane and its accompanying tornadoes passed right over his house in south Alabama. The next day he left his family here to go check on their home. As he left, choking back emotion, with me in tears, he said to me, "It'll be all right. And if it's not all right, it'll still be all right." That is a man profoundly at peace in the providence of God.
In your Bible read 1 Peter 1:3-9 slowly, allowing your spirit to connect with the Spirit of truth in this passage. Then continue with this devotional, verse by verse.
1 Peter 1:7. "These have come so that your faith- of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."
Jesus is pleased because he already sees your life as the pure gold he is refining. He sees the real you, the true you, the person he has in mind as he is making you shine like precious gold. You shine to reflect him, not to do for yourself the best that you can do and grit your teeth and merely survive. The walls you build against harsh realities keep your life from being opened up and transformed. God is doing for you something that is more wonderful. He is displaying his praise, glory, and honor in Jesus in you.
God is making eternal precious gold. Look into his face to reflect him. Keep God-referenced, God-oriented. If you lose your connection with his face, you lose your orientation. He is your true north. In finding out where you are and where you are going, orientation is everything. God has written the treasure map of your life, the way to the gold, so let him be the marker that says "You are here." At times that may be all he will give you, just the witness that "I am here." He won't let you see the whole map, but he knows the place in time meant only for you and found by you only at that moment. He inhabits that place and that moment. Wait on him to interpret it and lead you there. Be blessed with real faith that has been tested and proved genuine. Be blessed with faith made strong by Jesus the author and finisher of your faith. Be blessed with the riches of faith that is worth more than pure gold.
1 Peter 1:8-9. "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
Be blessed with trusting love that is certain that God is fulfilling his good purposes when you don't know what he's doing. Be blessed with love that is fully satisfied that he is keeping his faithful word to you, no matter how long it takes or how contrary your circumstances look. Be thrilled with inexpressible and unspeakable joy now, and be blessed with glorious joy that sees you to the other side of your difficult circumstances. Be blessed in the name of the faithful One who is totally worthy of your love and trust. Be blessed with the faith, love, and joy beyond words that believing him brings.
Be blessed in the love of the Onewho engraved you on the palms of his handsfrom beginning to end, whole and complete (Isa. 49:16)."
"Our son Charley's family were Hurricane Ivan refugees whom we took in. The hurricane and its accompanying tornadoes passed right over his house in south Alabama. The next day he left his family here to go check on their home. As he left, choking back emotion, with me in tears, he said to me, "It'll be all right. And if it's not all right, it'll still be all right." That is a man profoundly at peace in the providence of God.
In your Bible read 1 Peter 1:3-9 slowly, allowing your spirit to connect with the Spirit of truth in this passage. Then continue with this devotional, verse by verse.
1 Peter 1:7. "These have come so that your faith- of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."
Jesus is pleased because he already sees your life as the pure gold he is refining. He sees the real you, the true you, the person he has in mind as he is making you shine like precious gold. You shine to reflect him, not to do for yourself the best that you can do and grit your teeth and merely survive. The walls you build against harsh realities keep your life from being opened up and transformed. God is doing for you something that is more wonderful. He is displaying his praise, glory, and honor in Jesus in you.
God is making eternal precious gold. Look into his face to reflect him. Keep God-referenced, God-oriented. If you lose your connection with his face, you lose your orientation. He is your true north. In finding out where you are and where you are going, orientation is everything. God has written the treasure map of your life, the way to the gold, so let him be the marker that says "You are here." At times that may be all he will give you, just the witness that "I am here." He won't let you see the whole map, but he knows the place in time meant only for you and found by you only at that moment. He inhabits that place and that moment. Wait on him to interpret it and lead you there. Be blessed with real faith that has been tested and proved genuine. Be blessed with faith made strong by Jesus the author and finisher of your faith. Be blessed with the riches of faith that is worth more than pure gold.
1 Peter 1:8-9. "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
Be blessed with trusting love that is certain that God is fulfilling his good purposes when you don't know what he's doing. Be blessed with love that is fully satisfied that he is keeping his faithful word to you, no matter how long it takes or how contrary your circumstances look. Be thrilled with inexpressible and unspeakable joy now, and be blessed with glorious joy that sees you to the other side of your difficult circumstances. Be blessed in the name of the faithful One who is totally worthy of your love and trust. Be blessed with the faith, love, and joy beyond words that believing him brings.
Be blessed in the love of the Onewho engraved you on the palms of his handsfrom beginning to end, whole and complete (Isa. 49:16)."
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
my dream last night
This morning I woke up with my dream very clear and strong in my mind. As I went through my morning routine it occured to me that this dream actually has significance. So here it is (well a portion of it):
I was with a bunch of women in a crowded place. There was a hostess at the entrance of the room and two women were giving a sort of sales pitch to the captive audience. Their product at first seemed appealing and benign - something that everyone wanted and could use. When I decided that it I wasn't going to buy in and instead move along with my day, they came up and pressed me against the wall agressively saying to not show my resistence and began threatening me in a smooth-talking sort of way in order to get me to comply.
In that moment, I was shocked and I looked up at the other women and the host as if to say, "can you believe this? Are you going to sit back and let these women treat me this way? I can't get them off by myself! Aren't they just some salesladies that we aren't obligated to at all?" When no one did anything, I finally yelled out for people to help me. The hostess waved me off as if to say, "oh, you'll be fine, don't worry." Some other women intervened, but only to tell these saleswomen to continue with their pitch. Then there was a distraction with another woman becoming ill in the room. The saleswomen dug around in their bag and pulled out some crack cocaine, but it was as though I was the only one in the room that knew this was a very addictive and harmful drug. All the women looked at my opposition to this "cure" like I was crazy and hateful to not want to give this medication to the sick lady from these "intelligent, prepared, and generous" saleswomen.
In disgust, I got up to leave. I had decided there was nothing I could do to change the situation since I had tried and no one listened. This action started a string of other attacks coming my way to keep me trapped in the room and unable to walk outside in freedom. I called out for the women to help me and it was useless. It seemed like these salesladies were really not about their products at all, they were about control.
All they wanted was for the women not to think for themselves, but to comply with whatever they placed in front of them. Opposition or even questioning made them lash out in violent anger and fury. This rage was now being channeled towards me as I tried to escape and fight my way to freedom. It seemed like at every turn, they were there - haunting me, mocking me, insulting me with lies, tormenting my mind, trying to injure me, but for some reason they couldn't touch me.... but they knew that they could try to affect my thoughts, my emotions, and my perseverance, so that I would give up and give in. The more they pressed though, the more it made me want to fight because I despised their hate for me and the other women. All I knew was that I had to break free.
Somehow I made it outside the building but I decided to hide just in case they came looking for me. Of course, they did but now that I was outside, I realized that they were demons. It was as though I was watching this dream, and for a moment it paused, and my spirit realized that this "Cristina" in the dream did not know God or the power in the name of Jesus. So, in that pause, somehow that "Cristina" acknowledged her need for a Saviour and that Jesus Christ is that One person who could deliver her from the enemy, but even beyond deliverance from evil, Jesus was the one who was offering her freedom to exist in God's kingdom (which was outside the building where there was light and exposure).
When the dream played on, the new "Cristina" commanded the demons to flee in Jesus' name and they fled. I woke up.
So, maybe this hits you in one of several different ways.
Maybe you feel like the pusued Cristina that is tormented, shot at with tons of lies, you are weary, tired, feeling like no one is truly helping you get out of the dark, stuffy place your heart feels like it is in right now. There's no peace or rest. Maybe you feel a little suffocated - even by your own thoughts or emotions - or like you can't get to real, true safety (and not just physical safety, but emotional, spiritual, mental or even social safety). You may or may not know Jesus Christ personally, but I want to encourage you to call out to him in honesty from your heart with how you feel. Acknowledge that he is the Son of God and the Saviour that is the only one who can set you free. Ask him to deliver you and truly trust that Jesus will. Ask him to fill you with the Holy Spirit to guide you and help you as you take each step.
The Bible says in Romans 10:9-11 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
If you just took this step, you can also check out these websites:
www.biblegateway.com
www.desiringgod.org
www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/becoming_a_christian.aspx
Or maybe you already know Jesus yet you feel like you are getting bullied around by the enemy and not living "abundantly" like John 10:10 talks about. Maybe you feel like that peace, rest, hope, & joy you once felt somehow evaporated for awhile. I don't know your situation, but may I throw out a few questions & suggestions? They may or may not apply to your life, but here they are anyway:
I was with a bunch of women in a crowded place. There was a hostess at the entrance of the room and two women were giving a sort of sales pitch to the captive audience. Their product at first seemed appealing and benign - something that everyone wanted and could use. When I decided that it I wasn't going to buy in and instead move along with my day, they came up and pressed me against the wall agressively saying to not show my resistence and began threatening me in a smooth-talking sort of way in order to get me to comply.
In that moment, I was shocked and I looked up at the other women and the host as if to say, "can you believe this? Are you going to sit back and let these women treat me this way? I can't get them off by myself! Aren't they just some salesladies that we aren't obligated to at all?" When no one did anything, I finally yelled out for people to help me. The hostess waved me off as if to say, "oh, you'll be fine, don't worry." Some other women intervened, but only to tell these saleswomen to continue with their pitch. Then there was a distraction with another woman becoming ill in the room. The saleswomen dug around in their bag and pulled out some crack cocaine, but it was as though I was the only one in the room that knew this was a very addictive and harmful drug. All the women looked at my opposition to this "cure" like I was crazy and hateful to not want to give this medication to the sick lady from these "intelligent, prepared, and generous" saleswomen.
In disgust, I got up to leave. I had decided there was nothing I could do to change the situation since I had tried and no one listened. This action started a string of other attacks coming my way to keep me trapped in the room and unable to walk outside in freedom. I called out for the women to help me and it was useless. It seemed like these salesladies were really not about their products at all, they were about control.
All they wanted was for the women not to think for themselves, but to comply with whatever they placed in front of them. Opposition or even questioning made them lash out in violent anger and fury. This rage was now being channeled towards me as I tried to escape and fight my way to freedom. It seemed like at every turn, they were there - haunting me, mocking me, insulting me with lies, tormenting my mind, trying to injure me, but for some reason they couldn't touch me.... but they knew that they could try to affect my thoughts, my emotions, and my perseverance, so that I would give up and give in. The more they pressed though, the more it made me want to fight because I despised their hate for me and the other women. All I knew was that I had to break free.
Somehow I made it outside the building but I decided to hide just in case they came looking for me. Of course, they did but now that I was outside, I realized that they were demons. It was as though I was watching this dream, and for a moment it paused, and my spirit realized that this "Cristina" in the dream did not know God or the power in the name of Jesus. So, in that pause, somehow that "Cristina" acknowledged her need for a Saviour and that Jesus Christ is that One person who could deliver her from the enemy, but even beyond deliverance from evil, Jesus was the one who was offering her freedom to exist in God's kingdom (which was outside the building where there was light and exposure).
When the dream played on, the new "Cristina" commanded the demons to flee in Jesus' name and they fled. I woke up.
So, maybe this hits you in one of several different ways.
Maybe you feel like the pusued Cristina that is tormented, shot at with tons of lies, you are weary, tired, feeling like no one is truly helping you get out of the dark, stuffy place your heart feels like it is in right now. There's no peace or rest. Maybe you feel a little suffocated - even by your own thoughts or emotions - or like you can't get to real, true safety (and not just physical safety, but emotional, spiritual, mental or even social safety). You may or may not know Jesus Christ personally, but I want to encourage you to call out to him in honesty from your heart with how you feel. Acknowledge that he is the Son of God and the Saviour that is the only one who can set you free. Ask him to deliver you and truly trust that Jesus will. Ask him to fill you with the Holy Spirit to guide you and help you as you take each step.
The Bible says in Romans 10:9-11 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
If you just took this step, you can also check out these websites:
www.biblegateway.com
www.desiringgod.org
www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/becoming_a_christian.aspx
Or maybe you already know Jesus yet you feel like you are getting bullied around by the enemy and not living "abundantly" like John 10:10 talks about. Maybe you feel like that peace, rest, hope, & joy you once felt somehow evaporated for awhile. I don't know your situation, but may I throw out a few questions & suggestions? They may or may not apply to your life, but here they are anyway:
- Are you rebelling against God in any area in your life (which means that you might want or do something regardless of what you know God would want for you)?
- Take a moment to get real with God. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart (Psalm 51) and truly invite him to bring up any "offensive way" in you. If He were to ask you to make a change would you be willing. If not, that's probably the stronghold area that needs to be submitted again to God.
- Are you deliberately spending time with God? I'm talking about more than 10 minutes in between things.
- If you truly want to experience God, His presence, His love, and true freedom, we need to open ourselves up to Him, go to His Word with a listening heart, and simply acknowledge who He is. Let's not make this more complicated than it needs to be. Just show up and truly desire to meet with Him. You'll be amazed by how much He wants to be with you. (Psalm 16:11, Matthew 11:28, Philippians 4:4-7)
- What are you feeding yourself? What do you surround yourself with on a daily basis: music, media choices, friends' influences, radio talk, books, magazines, etc. You know what I'm talking about.
- Many times we fill ourselves up with all the junk of this world and we wonder why we are livng in a "pig sty." Distance yourself from the things that are hindering you! Really, be ruthless here - it's for your own sanity and freedom. Do a detox in your life and ask God to help you identify and cut out all the garbage that's dragging you down. Once you know what it is, don't delay - take whatever steps you need to take to stop or get away from those things. (Phil. 4:8-9, Col. 2:6-10)
- Do you have like-hearted/minded friends or support that can help and encourage you?
- Are you giving of yourself in any way?
- Ok, I could go on and on, but only you & God really know your situation, so if you really want things to change, go to God with an honest heart and take the necessary steps.
Lastly, maybe this dream hit you in a way that made you think about all the deceived women left in the dark, dreary building. You may or may not be actively sharing Jesus' love and truth with those around you, but maybe this is a reminder to be bold and share in the joy of being "ministers of reconciliation":
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor. 5:17-21).
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
a choice: now or later
As I've been pressing through to be bold and not cower away from my current life's issues, I read two quotes that really helped me:
"We can take ten years to learn one year's lesson, or we can take one year to learn ten years' lessons. This all depends on the attitude of the individual believer during testing. We can either walk forward through the valleys, in faith and confidence and with a glad heart, or we can be dragged through it heels first. If we choose this latter course, it is not likely that we will ever walk in the fullness of all that God intends for us... for anything that is not of God in me keeps my relationship with Him from flourishing, and that relationshipis all that matters to me in life. No price is too high. I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord, that He shall deliver me from the power of sin and flesh."
- Anne Murchison, Praise and Worship in earth as it is in heaven, 1981 (by the way, I HIGHLY recommend this book for every believer since our first ministry is unto the Lord, then the Body, then the lost. This book was very insightful, refreshing, and biblical :)
"Lord, today is truth day. No more lies, even to myself. I'm not listening to the junk the enemy throws at me like 'I have to be perfect,' 'I have to succeed and have everything go my way in order to be happy.' Every time I think this stuff, I will let go of it and think about the truth instead. Like the factthat you work 'all things together for good.' That I should 'do all things without complaining or whining.' That I should only think about the good stuff, not the bad stuff. That I want to die to myself and not worry about what other people think of me. Today I'm turning my back on my pride. It's not what makes me powerful. I'd rather be wrong and let others be right than have to win. Today I will tell the truth even if it doesn't feel very good. I believe that my value is not in how well I do stuff or how good I look but in just being your kid. I won't base my happiness on what happens to me.
Today I tear out the old tape that used to play lies over and over in my head, and in its place I'm going to play the truth of Scripture. Today I trust you in everything. I find the good in everything. And I hope in all things. I know that whatever happens to me is just a tool to draw me closer to you. I know that you have 'plans to prosper me and not to harm me,' no matter how impossible that seems. I'm going to care more about others than myself, but I won't try to take care of everyone, becaue I know I have to leave that to you. I won't think of my past as if it predicts my future. I will make decisions based on facts, not just feelings. Today I will stop telling myself lies and start telling myself the truth- and the truth is that each day is a big present from you... I will live life full on, just like you said. Thank you for your Word that teaches me how to live holy and honestly... Amen."
- Hayley DiMarco & Justin Lookadoo, The Dirt on Breaking Up, 2004
(hahaha, I know, I'm totally quoting from a book for teenage dating! but, this prayer hit the spot and was completely where my heart was today. This book was actually very insightful and helpful - even to a 26 year old! :)
"We can take ten years to learn one year's lesson, or we can take one year to learn ten years' lessons. This all depends on the attitude of the individual believer during testing. We can either walk forward through the valleys, in faith and confidence and with a glad heart, or we can be dragged through it heels first. If we choose this latter course, it is not likely that we will ever walk in the fullness of all that God intends for us... for anything that is not of God in me keeps my relationship with Him from flourishing, and that relationshipis all that matters to me in life. No price is too high. I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord, that He shall deliver me from the power of sin and flesh."
- Anne Murchison, Praise and Worship in earth as it is in heaven, 1981 (by the way, I HIGHLY recommend this book for every believer since our first ministry is unto the Lord, then the Body, then the lost. This book was very insightful, refreshing, and biblical :)
"Lord, today is truth day. No more lies, even to myself. I'm not listening to the junk the enemy throws at me like 'I have to be perfect,' 'I have to succeed and have everything go my way in order to be happy.' Every time I think this stuff, I will let go of it and think about the truth instead. Like the factthat you work 'all things together for good.' That I should 'do all things without complaining or whining.' That I should only think about the good stuff, not the bad stuff. That I want to die to myself and not worry about what other people think of me. Today I'm turning my back on my pride. It's not what makes me powerful. I'd rather be wrong and let others be right than have to win. Today I will tell the truth even if it doesn't feel very good. I believe that my value is not in how well I do stuff or how good I look but in just being your kid. I won't base my happiness on what happens to me.
Today I tear out the old tape that used to play lies over and over in my head, and in its place I'm going to play the truth of Scripture. Today I trust you in everything. I find the good in everything. And I hope in all things. I know that whatever happens to me is just a tool to draw me closer to you. I know that you have 'plans to prosper me and not to harm me,' no matter how impossible that seems. I'm going to care more about others than myself, but I won't try to take care of everyone, becaue I know I have to leave that to you. I won't think of my past as if it predicts my future. I will make decisions based on facts, not just feelings. Today I will stop telling myself lies and start telling myself the truth- and the truth is that each day is a big present from you... I will live life full on, just like you said. Thank you for your Word that teaches me how to live holy and honestly... Amen."
- Hayley DiMarco & Justin Lookadoo, The Dirt on Breaking Up, 2004
(hahaha, I know, I'm totally quoting from a book for teenage dating! but, this prayer hit the spot and was completely where my heart was today. This book was actually very insightful and helpful - even to a 26 year old! :)
Monday, September 21, 2009
random images
Here's my family with Andrea (my second cousin from Colombia that came to visit us for a month this summer. She celebrated her 21st birthday here with us :)
This is a sample of my sister's artwork. She's like an undiscovered genius in my book! One day I'm commissioning her for a mural in my home (well, that's one of my dreams!).
I simply missed these girls from my senior house at Wheaton (Phoenix House). Mandy gets married this weekend and I'm looking forward to connecting!Saturday, September 19, 2009
eternal perspective
"All of life boils down to a series of happy "hellos" and sad "good-byes." Nothing is really permanent, not even the relationships that blossom in a healthy home. In time, we must release our grip on everything we hold dear. KIng David said it best, 'As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more" (Psalm 103:15-16, KJV)... What an incredibly important scriptural concept this is. If we really grasped the numbering of our days, we would surely be motivated to invest ourselves in eternal values.
Would a 50-year-old man pursue an adulterous affair if he knew how quickly he would stand before his God? Would a woman make herself sick from in-law conflict or other petty frustrations if she knew how little time was left her? Would men and women devote their lives to the pursuit of wealth and symbols of status if they realized how soon their possessions will be torn from their trembling hands? It is the illusion of permanence, you see, that distorts our perception and shapes our selfish behavior. When eternal values come in view, our greatest desire is to please the Lord and influence as many of our loved ones for Him as possible."
from Dr. Dobson's August 2009 Focus on the Family newsletter
Would a 50-year-old man pursue an adulterous affair if he knew how quickly he would stand before his God? Would a woman make herself sick from in-law conflict or other petty frustrations if she knew how little time was left her? Would men and women devote their lives to the pursuit of wealth and symbols of status if they realized how soon their possessions will be torn from their trembling hands? It is the illusion of permanence, you see, that distorts our perception and shapes our selfish behavior. When eternal values come in view, our greatest desire is to please the Lord and influence as many of our loved ones for Him as possible."
from Dr. Dobson's August 2009 Focus on the Family newsletter
Thursday, September 17, 2009
leading your heart
Over the past two weeks I have been going through a very difficult time in my life. I just read and completely identified with these two verse that I read:
"The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart." Proverbs 17:3
"Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you." Psalm 9:10
Often we hear that we should "follow our heart" but in reality "the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jer. 17:9). The difficulty I have been facing has to do with a decision that I made last week that I know deep down in my gut, my head, and my spirit was the best thing for me to do. However, my stubborn little heart has put up a fight like you wouldn't believe!!!
Yesterday was probably one of the hardest days so far. I was overcome by emotion, crying, not thinking clearly, crying more, and not even sure how to talk to God about the whole situation. All I knew was that I was undone.
This morning all I could do was say in absolute honesty, "God, please show me what to do." It was as though He was waiting for me to give up.
As I opened up the Bible, I read the verse above and a couple of things became very clear.
First, I cannot follow my heart. I must force my heart to submit to God when it doesn't feel like it. It's really okay to force it. I remembered two things: the quote from the movie, Fireproof, when the Christian firefighter man was telling the protagonist how to go about doing what's right in his marriage when he said, "you have to lead your heart". I also remembered a sermon on Psalm 42 that focused on the deliberate action of the Psalmist to "put [his] hope in God" (Psalm 42:11) even though his soul was downcast and disturbed.
Second, I can trust in Jesus. An image came to me of my heart wearing a sort of a harness with reins attached to it. I had the reins in my hand and I had a choice. Either strap the reins around myself and be controlled by my heart wherever it would take me (and essentially be a slave to my heart's (aka flesh) every whim) OR (here's where the image gets kinda hilarious) get on the back of the motorcycle that Jesus was driving, hand over the reins to him, and put my arms around His waist trusting that where He would drive my heart and my whole person would be best (and most crazy & adventurous!!).
Third, courage even means doing things afraid. Ideally, I would put my trust in God with 100% joy, hope, peace, certainty, and all the exhilerating feelings of being on top of the world, but that's just not always the reality. A lot of times I get flat out scared. I get nervous, I freak out! Yes, we all do, and God can handle us freaking out on Him. Moses, David, Jonah, Abraham, Gideon, Esther, Peter, Ruth, Paul, Mary, John, Ezekiel and many countless other godly men and women in the Bible and contemporary times have FREAKED OUT. They have turned totally pale, spoken out their questions in honesty, cried out in anguish, pleaded in desperation, and even wrestled with God. I believe God would rather have us be real with Him and come to Him AS WE ARE than to try to pretend ('cause that's really impossible with Him after all). My point is that He delights not just in our honesty, but in our obedience and submission to Him even when we feel nervous. Through that obedience, He can lavish us with His peace in knowing that we are under His protection, joy in feeling His delight, hope in Who He is and the reminder that He tells us, "I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct (NOT according to his emotions or feelings), according to what his deeds deserve" (Jer. 17:10). When we do God's will (even though it may be extremely difficult and require tremendous courage), He usually helps bring about the pleasing emotions after we have stepped out by doing the right action.
So, in all of this, I am absolutely grateful that God doesn't give up on us, He's committed to our growth, and He can handle us. Phew!
"The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart." Proverbs 17:3
"Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you." Psalm 9:10
Often we hear that we should "follow our heart" but in reality "the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jer. 17:9). The difficulty I have been facing has to do with a decision that I made last week that I know deep down in my gut, my head, and my spirit was the best thing for me to do. However, my stubborn little heart has put up a fight like you wouldn't believe!!!
Yesterday was probably one of the hardest days so far. I was overcome by emotion, crying, not thinking clearly, crying more, and not even sure how to talk to God about the whole situation. All I knew was that I was undone.
This morning all I could do was say in absolute honesty, "God, please show me what to do." It was as though He was waiting for me to give up.
As I opened up the Bible, I read the verse above and a couple of things became very clear.
First, I cannot follow my heart. I must force my heart to submit to God when it doesn't feel like it. It's really okay to force it. I remembered two things: the quote from the movie, Fireproof, when the Christian firefighter man was telling the protagonist how to go about doing what's right in his marriage when he said, "you have to lead your heart". I also remembered a sermon on Psalm 42 that focused on the deliberate action of the Psalmist to "put [his] hope in God" (Psalm 42:11) even though his soul was downcast and disturbed.
Second, I can trust in Jesus. An image came to me of my heart wearing a sort of a harness with reins attached to it. I had the reins in my hand and I had a choice. Either strap the reins around myself and be controlled by my heart wherever it would take me (and essentially be a slave to my heart's (aka flesh) every whim) OR (here's where the image gets kinda hilarious) get on the back of the motorcycle that Jesus was driving, hand over the reins to him, and put my arms around His waist trusting that where He would drive my heart and my whole person would be best (and most crazy & adventurous!!).
Third, courage even means doing things afraid. Ideally, I would put my trust in God with 100% joy, hope, peace, certainty, and all the exhilerating feelings of being on top of the world, but that's just not always the reality. A lot of times I get flat out scared. I get nervous, I freak out! Yes, we all do, and God can handle us freaking out on Him. Moses, David, Jonah, Abraham, Gideon, Esther, Peter, Ruth, Paul, Mary, John, Ezekiel and many countless other godly men and women in the Bible and contemporary times have FREAKED OUT. They have turned totally pale, spoken out their questions in honesty, cried out in anguish, pleaded in desperation, and even wrestled with God. I believe God would rather have us be real with Him and come to Him AS WE ARE than to try to pretend ('cause that's really impossible with Him after all). My point is that He delights not just in our honesty, but in our obedience and submission to Him even when we feel nervous. Through that obedience, He can lavish us with His peace in knowing that we are under His protection, joy in feeling His delight, hope in Who He is and the reminder that He tells us, "I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct (NOT according to his emotions or feelings), according to what his deeds deserve" (Jer. 17:10). When we do God's will (even though it may be extremely difficult and require tremendous courage), He usually helps bring about the pleasing emotions after we have stepped out by doing the right action.
So, in all of this, I am absolutely grateful that God doesn't give up on us, He's committed to our growth, and He can handle us. Phew!
Is There Good in Temptation
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man . . . —1 Corinthians 10:13
"The word temptation has come to mean something bad to us today, but we tend to use the word in the wrong way. Temptation itself is not sin; it is something we are bound to face simply by virtue of being human. Not to be tempted would mean that we were already so shameful that we would be beneath contempt. Yet many of us suffer from temptations we should never have to suffer, simply because we have refused to allow God to lift us to a higher level where we would face temptations of another kind.
A person’s inner nature, what he possesses in the inner, spiritual part of his being, determines what he is tempted by on the outside. The temptation fits the true nature of the person being tempted and reveals the possibilities of his nature. Every person actually determines or sets the level of his own temptation, because temptation will come to him in accordance with the level of his controlling, inner nature.
Temptation comes to me, suggesting a possible shortcut to the realization of my highest goal— it does not direct me toward what I understand to be evil, but toward what I understand to be good. Temptation is something that confuses me for a while, and I don’t know whether something is right or wrong. When I yield to it, I have made lust a god, and the temptation itself becomes the proof that it was only my own fear that prevented me from falling into the sin earlier.
Temptation is not something we can escape; in fact, it is essential to the well-rounded life of a person. Beware of thinking that you are tempted as no one else--what you go through is the common inheritance of the human race, not something that no one has ever before endured. God does not save us from temptations--He sustains us in the midst of them (see Hebrews 2:18 and Hebrews 4:15-16 )."
from Sept. 17th's devotional My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald ChambersWednesday, September 16, 2009
Brokenness And Glory, Part 1
"Don't miss the weight of these words from God, one phrase at a time. Tell your mind to let your spirit lead in connecting with the Spirit of truth in this passage.
1 Peter 1:3 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead..."
Resonate with the words "living hope through Jesus!" He gave you birth to new abundant life in him. Be blessed as your life in him unfolds daily, one step of faithfulness at a time. Seasons end, new birth happens. It can be confusing, because God doesn't give you neat signposts. He wants you to keep your eyes on him, as Jesus is your living hope. Be blessed with glimpses of God's purpose in it all.
1 Peter 1:4. "...into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade, kept in heaven for you..."
You are an heir to a rich inheritance, all the riches of Christ Jesus. His purposes for you are in his keeping power. They can never die, or spoil, or fade away without fulfilling his heart for you. You are right in the middle of God's process for you. You don't have to settle for God's second best because of somebody else's choices or your own. As you are being who you are in him, you can do what you are supposed to do. You may have disappointments, but your life is his story with depth, adventure, suspense, surprising plot turns, and darkness that Jesus defeated. Be blessed as you understand more of his story that he is writing in your life.
1 Peter 1:5. "...who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time."
God surrounds you with his favor as a shield. You are shielded by his power, so that in every dark thing you've experienced, you can live large and strong. God put you on earth in your exact place for his specific purpose, and you are living in that purpose, even when you don't know it. Your soul may be grumbling and resisting, but you are living the story that God is ready to reveal to you. God is a lot bigger than you expect him to be. He's a lot bigger than your circumstances. He is the God of detail. When you seek his face, he is deeply involved in the small details of your life, but he has a "bigger yes" for you. Your true glory is the revelation of his splendor, revealed in you day by day.
1 Peter 1:6. "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials."
As Jesus is revealed in you, you can rejoice no matter what. The display of his glory often comes through your wounds. Your dark nights showcase by contrast his splendid dawns, your griefs contrast with his glorious joy. In brokenness, God works in you something beautiful, deep, and substantial to offer others. You are developing inner strength as you are being blessed, broken, and given as an offering in your trials. True strength comes from your desperate need of God. You are a joy to him as you offer your true self as a spectacle of his sufficiency. God can't trust a man or woman who hasn't suffered. Paul said he wanted to know Christ and be conformed to the fellowship of sharing his sufferings, knowing there's a resurrection coming (Phil. 3:10).
Be blessed to know that your Father created you for this time, for these very circumstances. He knew exactly what would be happening in your life as you are living it now. He knows the impact for which he is preparing you that still awaits you. Be blessed to live into the purpose for which you were created, in spite of difficult people, through hard circumstances, and through tough challenges. Your purpose is in process. You won't get there overnight. You won't magically wake up with it one morning. But today you are closer than yesterday, and tomorrow you will be closer than you are today. Be blessed in him to know these things and rejoice in him."
Taken from You Are Blessed In The Names Of God, page 71,© 2008 by Sylvia Gunter.
1 Peter 1:3 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead..."
Resonate with the words "living hope through Jesus!" He gave you birth to new abundant life in him. Be blessed as your life in him unfolds daily, one step of faithfulness at a time. Seasons end, new birth happens. It can be confusing, because God doesn't give you neat signposts. He wants you to keep your eyes on him, as Jesus is your living hope. Be blessed with glimpses of God's purpose in it all.
1 Peter 1:4. "...into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade, kept in heaven for you..."
You are an heir to a rich inheritance, all the riches of Christ Jesus. His purposes for you are in his keeping power. They can never die, or spoil, or fade away without fulfilling his heart for you. You are right in the middle of God's process for you. You don't have to settle for God's second best because of somebody else's choices or your own. As you are being who you are in him, you can do what you are supposed to do. You may have disappointments, but your life is his story with depth, adventure, suspense, surprising plot turns, and darkness that Jesus defeated. Be blessed as you understand more of his story that he is writing in your life.
1 Peter 1:5. "...who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time."
God surrounds you with his favor as a shield. You are shielded by his power, so that in every dark thing you've experienced, you can live large and strong. God put you on earth in your exact place for his specific purpose, and you are living in that purpose, even when you don't know it. Your soul may be grumbling and resisting, but you are living the story that God is ready to reveal to you. God is a lot bigger than you expect him to be. He's a lot bigger than your circumstances. He is the God of detail. When you seek his face, he is deeply involved in the small details of your life, but he has a "bigger yes" for you. Your true glory is the revelation of his splendor, revealed in you day by day.
1 Peter 1:6. "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials."
As Jesus is revealed in you, you can rejoice no matter what. The display of his glory often comes through your wounds. Your dark nights showcase by contrast his splendid dawns, your griefs contrast with his glorious joy. In brokenness, God works in you something beautiful, deep, and substantial to offer others. You are developing inner strength as you are being blessed, broken, and given as an offering in your trials. True strength comes from your desperate need of God. You are a joy to him as you offer your true self as a spectacle of his sufficiency. God can't trust a man or woman who hasn't suffered. Paul said he wanted to know Christ and be conformed to the fellowship of sharing his sufferings, knowing there's a resurrection coming (Phil. 3:10).
Be blessed to know that your Father created you for this time, for these very circumstances. He knew exactly what would be happening in your life as you are living it now. He knows the impact for which he is preparing you that still awaits you. Be blessed to live into the purpose for which you were created, in spite of difficult people, through hard circumstances, and through tough challenges. Your purpose is in process. You won't get there overnight. You won't magically wake up with it one morning. But today you are closer than yesterday, and tomorrow you will be closer than you are today. Be blessed in him to know these things and rejoice in him."
Taken from You Are Blessed In The Names Of God, page 71,© 2008 by Sylvia Gunter.
Monday, September 14, 2009
This is from a Focus on the Family Magazine (sorry, I don't know which one)
"Consider the period between teenage Joseph receiving a God-given dream and actually ruling around the age of 30- not easy years. He had to outgrow the impatience and arrogance of youth. In prison, he was forced to mature through the heartache of being abandoned by family and forgotten by friends.
And how about David? The gap between shepherd and king was filled with fear, desperation and constant running from Saul- a process that ultimately matured David from young man to adult as he leaned on his God for deliverance.
Could Joseph or David have ruled with wisdom without those intense years of transition? What they learned about the Lord during those times prepared them for the very roles God had ordained for them.
What if we viewed periods of transition as the pause between good and better, as our friend and not our enemy, as pivotal moments when our life's course can move from stagnant to fluid?
Jesus said it best: "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds" (John 12:24)."
"Consider the period between teenage Joseph receiving a God-given dream and actually ruling around the age of 30- not easy years. He had to outgrow the impatience and arrogance of youth. In prison, he was forced to mature through the heartache of being abandoned by family and forgotten by friends.
And how about David? The gap between shepherd and king was filled with fear, desperation and constant running from Saul- a process that ultimately matured David from young man to adult as he leaned on his God for deliverance.
Could Joseph or David have ruled with wisdom without those intense years of transition? What they learned about the Lord during those times prepared them for the very roles God had ordained for them.
What if we viewed periods of transition as the pause between good and better, as our friend and not our enemy, as pivotal moments when our life's course can move from stagnant to fluid?
Jesus said it best: "I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds" (John 12:24)."
Saturday, September 5, 2009
A poem quoted by Elisabeth Elliot
Do The Next Thing
"At an old English parsonage down by the sea,
there came in the twilight a message to me.
Its quaint Saxon legend deeply engraven that,
as it seems to me, teaching from heaven.
And all through the hours the quiet words ring, like a low inspiration,
'Do the next thing.'
Many a questioning, many a fear,
many a doubt hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment, let down from heaven,
time, opportunity, guidance are given.
Fear not tomorrow, child of the King,
trust that with Jesus, do the next thing.
Do it immediately, do it with prayer,
do it reliantly, casting all care.
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand,
who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on omnipotence, safe 'neath His wing,
leave all resultings, do the next thing.
Looking to Jesus, ever serener,
working or suffering be thy demeanor,
in His dear presence, the rest of His calm,
the light of His countenance, be thy psalm.
Do the next thing."
"At an old English parsonage down by the sea,
there came in the twilight a message to me.
Its quaint Saxon legend deeply engraven that,
as it seems to me, teaching from heaven.
And all through the hours the quiet words ring, like a low inspiration,
'Do the next thing.'
Many a questioning, many a fear,
many a doubt hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment, let down from heaven,
time, opportunity, guidance are given.
Fear not tomorrow, child of the King,
trust that with Jesus, do the next thing.
Do it immediately, do it with prayer,
do it reliantly, casting all care.
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand,
who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on omnipotence, safe 'neath His wing,
leave all resultings, do the next thing.
Looking to Jesus, ever serener,
working or suffering be thy demeanor,
in His dear presence, the rest of His calm,
the light of His countenance, be thy psalm.
Do the next thing."
Friday, September 4, 2009
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