WOW! Yesterday, I said that I felt like God was about to pour out a blessing on me. He did yesterday. He answered a prayer that I have been praying for 14 months. It's step one of three, but it was the big step. Now it's out of the way!
Thank You, Father God! Thank You for counting me worthy to be sifted, grown, and then blessed outrageously! You gave me more than I could ever repay when You sent Your Son to die for me. Then to this you add even more blessings that could only come from You! All praise to Jehovah-Jireh! All of my praise to my Almighty Creator!
Thank You, God! From you're ever unworthy servant blessed to be covered by my Savior's blood, blessed beyond anything I'll ever deserve!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
the face of a blessing
What does a blessing look like? Is it a neat and tidy little package, gift wrapped with a pretty little bow on top? It can be, but is it usually? NO!
Now take for example my buddy, Ron. He and his beautiful wife Sarah just received a wonderful blessing in the form of little Miss Chloe (2 1/2 weeks old) which is easy to see as a blessing. She is beautiful and as perfect as a baby could be (crying all night long and everything). But did that blessing come with no pain? No. There is a tremendous sacrifice on the parts of both parents, but the end result of the blessing is worth it.
God's chosen people, Israel, had been promised the land of Canaan. This would be a near paradise on earth. After He had demonstrated His power through numerous plagues and countless miracles, when they got to the threshold of Canaan, they still fell apart on God. They were looking for the gift wrapping and the bow, but instead, they found the land inhabited with giants. God told them that they were to engage the Canaanites in battle and that He would give them the victory in the battle! After He had already parted the Red Sea and allowed them to cross on dry land while crushing the Egyptian army for them right before their eyes, they still doubted. God was going to show the world His power through the victory of the Israelites while growing the character of all of Israel at the same time. Because they couldn't go through the growth phase of receiving their blessing, their blessing was delyed forty years and the ones who were alive at that point would not live through the forty years to enter the land of their blessing, but their children would receive it instead.
There will be times in your life that God will have a blessing that He is wanting to pour out all over you, but you will have some steps to go through to grow your character so that you can handle receiving God's blessings. Just like Israel, when we find out about the blessing to come, we are not quite ready to receive it. We have to grow first and then receive. By the time Israel got into their promised land, they were t hen ready to receive it.
God has been carrying out this principal in my life for quite awhile now. He has revealed to me that there is a blessing that He wants to pour out on me, but He has had to grow my character quite extensively over these months to prepare me to receive. Growth doesn't come from puppies and pillows and everything fun and comfortable! Think of it as a raw piece of iron being turned into a usable tool such as a sword. That piece of iron would be put in the fire and under the hammer NUMEROUS times before it could "grow" into that usable tool. We grow the same way! It is the difficult, the uncomfortable, the unplanned, the seemingly overwhelming, and the usually unwanted events in our lives that generate that increase in character. Not the days that go smoothly according to plan.
Now for the part that comes after the growth has taken place. You are to praise Him for what is to come, because once God has said it, it is so. Then after you have received His blessing, you are not to just sit and bask in the glow of what you have received. You are to continue to praise Him, continue to seek Him, and always look for occasions to bless others as well. You will never fully receive until you have given.
I believe I am in the final stages now. I continue seeking ways to praise Him for what is coming. I am here to declare before the whole world that I thank you Lord for the blessing you have said will come. I believe You when You say that you will provide, so I give all I have to You. All my love, all my appreciation, all of me I give to You, Father. Thank you for being the One who was and is and is to come! I thank you Father for counting me worthy to be grown for use in your Kingdom. Because I know it is not any worth that I have accumulated, but the value placed on me by the shed blood of Jesus Christ! Thank you, Father!
Thank Him anytime He counts you worthy of being grown, even though the growth process will not seem like it..........it is a blessing in itself!
Now take for example my buddy, Ron. He and his beautiful wife Sarah just received a wonderful blessing in the form of little Miss Chloe (2 1/2 weeks old) which is easy to see as a blessing. She is beautiful and as perfect as a baby could be (crying all night long and everything). But did that blessing come with no pain? No. There is a tremendous sacrifice on the parts of both parents, but the end result of the blessing is worth it.
God's chosen people, Israel, had been promised the land of Canaan. This would be a near paradise on earth. After He had demonstrated His power through numerous plagues and countless miracles, when they got to the threshold of Canaan, they still fell apart on God. They were looking for the gift wrapping and the bow, but instead, they found the land inhabited with giants. God told them that they were to engage the Canaanites in battle and that He would give them the victory in the battle! After He had already parted the Red Sea and allowed them to cross on dry land while crushing the Egyptian army for them right before their eyes, they still doubted. God was going to show the world His power through the victory of the Israelites while growing the character of all of Israel at the same time. Because they couldn't go through the growth phase of receiving their blessing, their blessing was delyed forty years and the ones who were alive at that point would not live through the forty years to enter the land of their blessing, but their children would receive it instead.
There will be times in your life that God will have a blessing that He is wanting to pour out all over you, but you will have some steps to go through to grow your character so that you can handle receiving God's blessings. Just like Israel, when we find out about the blessing to come, we are not quite ready to receive it. We have to grow first and then receive. By the time Israel got into their promised land, they were t hen ready to receive it.
God has been carrying out this principal in my life for quite awhile now. He has revealed to me that there is a blessing that He wants to pour out on me, but He has had to grow my character quite extensively over these months to prepare me to receive. Growth doesn't come from puppies and pillows and everything fun and comfortable! Think of it as a raw piece of iron being turned into a usable tool such as a sword. That piece of iron would be put in the fire and under the hammer NUMEROUS times before it could "grow" into that usable tool. We grow the same way! It is the difficult, the uncomfortable, the unplanned, the seemingly overwhelming, and the usually unwanted events in our lives that generate that increase in character. Not the days that go smoothly according to plan.
Now for the part that comes after the growth has taken place. You are to praise Him for what is to come, because once God has said it, it is so. Then after you have received His blessing, you are not to just sit and bask in the glow of what you have received. You are to continue to praise Him, continue to seek Him, and always look for occasions to bless others as well. You will never fully receive until you have given.
I believe I am in the final stages now. I continue seeking ways to praise Him for what is coming. I am here to declare before the whole world that I thank you Lord for the blessing you have said will come. I believe You when You say that you will provide, so I give all I have to You. All my love, all my appreciation, all of me I give to You, Father. Thank you for being the One who was and is and is to come! I thank you Father for counting me worthy to be grown for use in your Kingdom. Because I know it is not any worth that I have accumulated, but the value placed on me by the shed blood of Jesus Christ! Thank you, Father!
Thank Him anytime He counts you worthy of being grown, even though the growth process will not seem like it..........it is a blessing in itself!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
time to catch up
I have been very negligent at posting lately. Hopefully there will be no more long lapses again.
For today I'll leave you with a poem about prayer. It addresses how most of us pray versus how we should be praying. Remember: God isn't just looking for a "to-do" list from you. He wants to hear what is on your heart as well as sharing with you what is on His. So listen closely while you pray to what God wants you to know!
A Parable of Prayer
Our Father which art in Heaven
Hallowed be thy name
We thank you for your blessings
And your son that came
I know that you are God
And I respect you as my Father
I hate to even ask
I don’t want to be a bother
But I’ve got some things
That I need to ask you for
A brand new house for one
And more and more and more
You don’t understand Lord
How hard it is for me
Because of your perfection
My pain is hard to see
I struggle with my house Lord
My kids, their school and such
We have a few nice things
But it isn’t very much
By the way, my Mom is sick Lord
How could you; why ME
This just isn’t fair
How can you not see
And what about at work Lord
The promotion that never came to be
I’m looking for an answer
To the question: why not me
Don’t you understand Lord
I have so many needs
I think that I’m a good person
I believe I do good deeds
Why me, why not me
Do for me and give me more
Now let’s talk about the blessings for me
That you have in store
-----------------
I gave to you my only son
And that was not enough
For YOUR sins HE had to die
Yet you think you’ve got it tough
Even from the beginning
I gave man a garden minus one tree
A life of pure perfection
Still you turned your back on me
I had to destroy the earth with water
Because man’s sin became so
I said I wouldn’t do that again
I promised with a rainbow
Man has been given lots of chances
Still he throws them all away
Yet he has the Father’s love
And forgiveness every day
We live inside God’s mercy
But we put God’s will to the test
And he continues to remove our sins
As far as the east is from the west
-------------------
Now I see that my selfishness
Was not the way to go
I know I serve almighty God
The greatest love I’ll know
Dear Lord I’d like to thank you
For the blessings I receive
For all the help you’ve given me
And the burdens you relieve
You’ve done so much for me already
Despite the way I’m livin’
You died there on that cross
So I could be forgiven
I am asking for forgiveness
For the sins that I have done
I thank you for your power
And the victory you’ve won
I need to do the Father’s work
And do so urgently
Lord I make this offer
Here am I, send me
Father God in closing
I’m so thankful you’re always there
Pouring out your love for me
Speaking and listening, while I’m in prayer
Amen
Prayer is simply a conversation. And since we have two ears and one mouth, I believe we should be listening twice as much as we speak. Selah
For today I'll leave you with a poem about prayer. It addresses how most of us pray versus how we should be praying. Remember: God isn't just looking for a "to-do" list from you. He wants to hear what is on your heart as well as sharing with you what is on His. So listen closely while you pray to what God wants you to know!
A Parable of Prayer
Our Father which art in Heaven
Hallowed be thy name
We thank you for your blessings
And your son that came
I know that you are God
And I respect you as my Father
I hate to even ask
I don’t want to be a bother
But I’ve got some things
That I need to ask you for
A brand new house for one
And more and more and more
You don’t understand Lord
How hard it is for me
Because of your perfection
My pain is hard to see
I struggle with my house Lord
My kids, their school and such
We have a few nice things
But it isn’t very much
By the way, my Mom is sick Lord
How could you; why ME
This just isn’t fair
How can you not see
And what about at work Lord
The promotion that never came to be
I’m looking for an answer
To the question: why not me
Don’t you understand Lord
I have so many needs
I think that I’m a good person
I believe I do good deeds
Why me, why not me
Do for me and give me more
Now let’s talk about the blessings for me
That you have in store
-----------------
I gave to you my only son
And that was not enough
For YOUR sins HE had to die
Yet you think you’ve got it tough
Even from the beginning
I gave man a garden minus one tree
A life of pure perfection
Still you turned your back on me
I had to destroy the earth with water
Because man’s sin became so
I said I wouldn’t do that again
I promised with a rainbow
Man has been given lots of chances
Still he throws them all away
Yet he has the Father’s love
And forgiveness every day
We live inside God’s mercy
But we put God’s will to the test
And he continues to remove our sins
As far as the east is from the west
-------------------
Now I see that my selfishness
Was not the way to go
I know I serve almighty God
The greatest love I’ll know
Dear Lord I’d like to thank you
For the blessings I receive
For all the help you’ve given me
And the burdens you relieve
You’ve done so much for me already
Despite the way I’m livin’
You died there on that cross
So I could be forgiven
I am asking for forgiveness
For the sins that I have done
I thank you for your power
And the victory you’ve won
I need to do the Father’s work
And do so urgently
Lord I make this offer
Here am I, send me
Father God in closing
I’m so thankful you’re always there
Pouring out your love for me
Speaking and listening, while I’m in prayer
Amen
Prayer is simply a conversation. And since we have two ears and one mouth, I believe we should be listening twice as much as we speak. Selah
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Recovery
I took a recovery class through our church last year and I believe it was one of the best things I have ever done. At the beginning of the class, we all had to verbalize what we were there to "recover" from. Mine was: I am looking to lay the past to rest, clean the skeletons out of the closet, and then move on with whatever the Lord had planned for me.
As I went through the class I found out how messed up I really was. I learned a lot about me and about how to "break the addiction", no matter what the addiction is. You must remove yourself from the situation that contains your particular addiction.
I'll use alcoholic for my example because most of us know at least one, not because it is any worse than any other self destructive addiction. They ALL can kill in one way or another.
If you're an alcoholic and you've decided to lay your personal demon to rest, you must live a different life than what you did before. You can't go run around with the same guys and go to the same places and watch them drink and have them offer it to you and ever expect to get away from that demon. You have to change your habits, your surroundings, and yes, sometimes even your friends. Now real friends will respect your decision to change, and understand what you are having to do differently to win the battle over your addiction. Some of your "friends" will not. Those people are not your real friends any way. A real friend is going to want to see you succeed and not hope you'll continue to wallow in your addiction with them. Some friends will say they're helping when they're only feeding the problem. Beware! It is that well intentioned friend that can do the most damage. They are not like the ones who call you names for wanting to change and really let you know they're not interested in helping. Instead they say (and often think) they are helping. ex: I will show you that you can have just one or two drinks and stop. You'll be fine. I'll help you. That is deceptively destructive, and worst of all, they have the best intentions at heart. They don't mean to push you back off the cliff again, they just do.
But there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother that can facilitate change for you.
Now my first (and only) recommendation on life change is to accept Christ into your life (He's that friend). I have never seen anything work like that. He will change you from the inside out and He will provide instructions on your next step and the next and so on. Trying to change yourself just because you woke up with a really bad hangover is not the most effective way to change. That would be like a tiger waking up one day and deciding it wanted to be spotted instead of striped. Through the guidance and instruction of God's word and the Holy Spirit, you will know what is right and wrong. If you want to justify that something is right to yourself, after having Christ in your life, it's real easy; ask Him! He will let you know that what you're doing is right or wrong. JUST ASK HIM!
Now he gave us a wonderful collection of love letters to reveal to us who He is and what He views as acceptable and unacceptable so we would have some guidelines to function by. If you think your addiction is ok, ask Him, He'll let you know. And if you really want to change, ask Him, He'll come in to your life and make changes that you won't even be able to believe you were capable of.
So stop struggling alone! Give your life to God and let Him help you change......for good!
God I would like to thank You for tha changes You have facilitated in my life! I truly couldn't have done it without You and those You provided for me, to come alond side me. Thank You!
As I went through the class I found out how messed up I really was. I learned a lot about me and about how to "break the addiction", no matter what the addiction is. You must remove yourself from the situation that contains your particular addiction.
I'll use alcoholic for my example because most of us know at least one, not because it is any worse than any other self destructive addiction. They ALL can kill in one way or another.
If you're an alcoholic and you've decided to lay your personal demon to rest, you must live a different life than what you did before. You can't go run around with the same guys and go to the same places and watch them drink and have them offer it to you and ever expect to get away from that demon. You have to change your habits, your surroundings, and yes, sometimes even your friends. Now real friends will respect your decision to change, and understand what you are having to do differently to win the battle over your addiction. Some of your "friends" will not. Those people are not your real friends any way. A real friend is going to want to see you succeed and not hope you'll continue to wallow in your addiction with them. Some friends will say they're helping when they're only feeding the problem. Beware! It is that well intentioned friend that can do the most damage. They are not like the ones who call you names for wanting to change and really let you know they're not interested in helping. Instead they say (and often think) they are helping. ex: I will show you that you can have just one or two drinks and stop. You'll be fine. I'll help you. That is deceptively destructive, and worst of all, they have the best intentions at heart. They don't mean to push you back off the cliff again, they just do.
But there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother that can facilitate change for you.
Now my first (and only) recommendation on life change is to accept Christ into your life (He's that friend). I have never seen anything work like that. He will change you from the inside out and He will provide instructions on your next step and the next and so on. Trying to change yourself just because you woke up with a really bad hangover is not the most effective way to change. That would be like a tiger waking up one day and deciding it wanted to be spotted instead of striped. Through the guidance and instruction of God's word and the Holy Spirit, you will know what is right and wrong. If you want to justify that something is right to yourself, after having Christ in your life, it's real easy; ask Him! He will let you know that what you're doing is right or wrong. JUST ASK HIM!
Now he gave us a wonderful collection of love letters to reveal to us who He is and what He views as acceptable and unacceptable so we would have some guidelines to function by. If you think your addiction is ok, ask Him, He'll let you know. And if you really want to change, ask Him, He'll come in to your life and make changes that you won't even be able to believe you were capable of.
So stop struggling alone! Give your life to God and let Him help you change......for good!
God I would like to thank You for tha changes You have facilitated in my life! I truly couldn't have done it without You and those You provided for me, to come alond side me. Thank You!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Are you a christian?
If yes, are you a part-time or full-time christian? Do you want God to be there for you part-time or full-time? Did your answers for those two questions match? Shouldn't they?
What is it that God will allow us to put in line in front of Him? Everything in the world; for a season. Man was created to have a love relationship with God. If we are not giving our entire being to the One who gave us life and then gave His life for us; we are omitting the whole reason we're here. Because of the purpose God has for each of us, He will allow us to run our lives until we run them in the ground. Or He will allow us to put everything else we "love" in front of Him. But He will continue to draw us to Himself. He does this because it is through this love relationship with Him that we are able to know the Father's will. This relationship is fostered through time in His Word (getting to know Him and His character), time in prayer (learning to hear what is on the Father's heart while sharing with Him what is on yours), quiet time with the Father (learning to hear Him speak), and time in worship, both private and corporate. God is willing to do anything to get to that point where we are in a love relationship with Him.
The Bible says in Romans 5:8
8 But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us!
That relationship is so important to Him that He was willing to die for it! He is also willing to allow us to go through WHATEVER we have to, so that we get to that point as well. He removes whatever stands in the way of your relationship with Him, not because of some vendetta against you, but because He has a perfect love for you and has your long term benefits in mind over your current pleasure.
Below is a devo that reflects this concept:
None Before Me
Thou shalt have no other gods before me. This is a rather familiar phrase, easily recognizable from the Ten Commandments. Most of our children have heard it and can give you a brief synopsis of its meaning. Yet how deep does that answer go?
In Ukraine (Summer 2008) I heard two ladies giving a testimony about their lives. These are two very godly women that had a story to share. Each one had a story very different from the other; yet the message that the Holy Spirit was giving me from the two was the same. One tells how her husband had a very successful job making more than enough money and how they lived very well. She knew God, just not very well. She had been babied in her early years by her dad and then her husband took over that position. She had full faith in her husband, his job and his relationship with Christ, but little regard for her own relationship. God decided to increase His efforts to draw her near; so in one evening, she lost her husband and his job. All the things that she had faith in disappeared instantly. She now had a husband that was incapacitated; his person, his job, and his faith were removed from her all in the span of a couple of hours. The result though, was that she did (eventually) gain that personal relationship with Christ that she needed to have all along the way. The whole time I was hearing her share this, the Holy Spirit kept saying there shall be no other gods before me. Fortunately they are both serving the Lord now in full time ministry.
The second lady shared the story of her life and how it was dominated for so many years by her mother. She had spent a lifetime worshipping her mother and having the kind of relationship with her mother that should have been focused on God the Father. As she would share the little bits of her faith with her mom that she could, she was met with laughter and ridicule. This would cause her faith to shrink and her relationship with God to suffer greatly. God had plans to use this woman to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. But before she could share with people her relationship with Christ and how they could have one, hers needed to grow exponentially. Unfortunately for her, because of her priorities being out of alignment, God took her mother. This was very difficult for her to swallow. Honestly, she spent more than a year being mad at God. With the drawing power of the Holy Spirit though, she did come into an incredible relationship with God. God was then able to use her to reach a lost world. She has an awesome burden for the lost and Christ-like love for children. Once again, as I heard her story unfold, the Holy Spirit kept reminding me that there shall be no other gods before me.
Now, what do you have in your life that is being that “god that is before God”? Do you have a souped up muscle car that you take to car shows that sometimes fall on Sundays? Do you play softball for teams that have you away from church on Sundays? Do you have a boat that you take fishing on Sundays because you can’t get out there on Saturdays, or worse yet, Saturday is just not enough. Do you take your little princess to pageants that happen to only fall on Sunday? Dog Shows? Sports of any type (played or watched)? Do you have anything that causes you to put your relationship with God in second place? When God gives us a command, He means it! When He says no other gods before me, when He says don’t forsake the assembling of yourselves together…He means it! As He continues to draw you back to Him, He will remove whatever we put in His way. He does not do this to punish us, but because he is most concerned with our character and has our long term benefit in mind.
We must learn to prioritize.; God said to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy, not keep it selfishly for ourselves!
He will do anything, removing any person, place or object of affection to have a deeper, more personal relationship with the people He created. We were created to worship the King and not our things!
<><
All I can say is: He gave you the best He had (Jesus), can you say the same?
God didn't say: I'm going to go have a little fun, a little "Me" time, and then you guys can have the rest of what's left of my time. Why do you?
God first
everyone else second
ourselves last
What is it that God will allow us to put in line in front of Him? Everything in the world; for a season. Man was created to have a love relationship with God. If we are not giving our entire being to the One who gave us life and then gave His life for us; we are omitting the whole reason we're here. Because of the purpose God has for each of us, He will allow us to run our lives until we run them in the ground. Or He will allow us to put everything else we "love" in front of Him. But He will continue to draw us to Himself. He does this because it is through this love relationship with Him that we are able to know the Father's will. This relationship is fostered through time in His Word (getting to know Him and His character), time in prayer (learning to hear what is on the Father's heart while sharing with Him what is on yours), quiet time with the Father (learning to hear Him speak), and time in worship, both private and corporate. God is willing to do anything to get to that point where we are in a love relationship with Him.
The Bible says in Romans 5:8
8 But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us!
That relationship is so important to Him that He was willing to die for it! He is also willing to allow us to go through WHATEVER we have to, so that we get to that point as well. He removes whatever stands in the way of your relationship with Him, not because of some vendetta against you, but because He has a perfect love for you and has your long term benefits in mind over your current pleasure.
Below is a devo that reflects this concept:
None Before Me
Thou shalt have no other gods before me. This is a rather familiar phrase, easily recognizable from the Ten Commandments. Most of our children have heard it and can give you a brief synopsis of its meaning. Yet how deep does that answer go?
In Ukraine (Summer 2008) I heard two ladies giving a testimony about their lives. These are two very godly women that had a story to share. Each one had a story very different from the other; yet the message that the Holy Spirit was giving me from the two was the same. One tells how her husband had a very successful job making more than enough money and how they lived very well. She knew God, just not very well. She had been babied in her early years by her dad and then her husband took over that position. She had full faith in her husband, his job and his relationship with Christ, but little regard for her own relationship. God decided to increase His efforts to draw her near; so in one evening, she lost her husband and his job. All the things that she had faith in disappeared instantly. She now had a husband that was incapacitated; his person, his job, and his faith were removed from her all in the span of a couple of hours. The result though, was that she did (eventually) gain that personal relationship with Christ that she needed to have all along the way. The whole time I was hearing her share this, the Holy Spirit kept saying there shall be no other gods before me. Fortunately they are both serving the Lord now in full time ministry.
The second lady shared the story of her life and how it was dominated for so many years by her mother. She had spent a lifetime worshipping her mother and having the kind of relationship with her mother that should have been focused on God the Father. As she would share the little bits of her faith with her mom that she could, she was met with laughter and ridicule. This would cause her faith to shrink and her relationship with God to suffer greatly. God had plans to use this woman to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. But before she could share with people her relationship with Christ and how they could have one, hers needed to grow exponentially. Unfortunately for her, because of her priorities being out of alignment, God took her mother. This was very difficult for her to swallow. Honestly, she spent more than a year being mad at God. With the drawing power of the Holy Spirit though, she did come into an incredible relationship with God. God was then able to use her to reach a lost world. She has an awesome burden for the lost and Christ-like love for children. Once again, as I heard her story unfold, the Holy Spirit kept reminding me that there shall be no other gods before me.
Now, what do you have in your life that is being that “god that is before God”? Do you have a souped up muscle car that you take to car shows that sometimes fall on Sundays? Do you play softball for teams that have you away from church on Sundays? Do you have a boat that you take fishing on Sundays because you can’t get out there on Saturdays, or worse yet, Saturday is just not enough. Do you take your little princess to pageants that happen to only fall on Sunday? Dog Shows? Sports of any type (played or watched)? Do you have anything that causes you to put your relationship with God in second place? When God gives us a command, He means it! When He says no other gods before me, when He says don’t forsake the assembling of yourselves together…He means it! As He continues to draw you back to Him, He will remove whatever we put in His way. He does not do this to punish us, but because he is most concerned with our character and has our long term benefit in mind.
We must learn to prioritize.; God said to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy, not keep it selfishly for ourselves!
He will do anything, removing any person, place or object of affection to have a deeper, more personal relationship with the people He created. We were created to worship the King and not our things!
<><
All I can say is: He gave you the best He had (Jesus), can you say the same?
God didn't say: I'm going to go have a little fun, a little "Me" time, and then you guys can have the rest of what's left of my time. Why do you?
God first
everyone else second
ourselves last
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Who is He?
I would like to share a poem I wrote just to give a brief overview of who God is to me. I felt like I could have continued to write into eternity but I cut it off with a few of the highlights. Enjoy my God!!! I do!
Your Name
My Almighty Creator’s name
Is a name above the rest
The name that began creation
The name through which all are blessed
To me He’s more than a name though
He’s my Father, Counselor, and Friend
He is the Alpha and the Omega
He is our beginning, who will be there in the end
He is the Vine of Whom
I, the branch do belong
He’s my cornerstone, my foundation
He is the source of my new song
He’s Jehovah-Jireh
My God who provides for me
He’s my Bright and Morning Star
The Light of my life that you see
For me, He’s Jehovah-Shammah
The One who is always near
The Peace surpassing all understanding
The Peace that replaces my fear
My Rock, my Fortress
He is my Strong Tower
My blessed Savior, He’s the source
Of my life’s resurrection power
The Resurrection and the Life
The Truth, He’s the only Way
Only begotten Son of God
The Dawn of every New Day
Sacrificed and buried, raised up
In a new body, so glorious
The Lion of the tribe of Judah
The One who reigns victorious
He is Jehovah-Rapha
Healer of whatever ails
Author and Finisher of my faith
The God who never fails
He’s the Bread of Life who
Feeds my soul, its hunger ending
When what you see becomes marred
He’s the Potter’s hands mending
He’s the Living Water
When my soul thirsts, He satisfies
When I’ve fought the good fight
He’s my Wonderful prize
He is my Jehovah-Shalom who
Quiets my storm and brings the peace
He’s my Bridegroom coming to get me
When He splits the skies in the east
I strive to know the many facets of
His character, in whole or in part
Of one thing I’m forever sure
Jesus, I love you, with all of my heart
<><
In this I used some of God's Hebrew names (ex. Jehovah-Shalom) because I love the different facets of God's character and these names are usually direct reflections of who He revealed Himself to be to different people down through the Bible. I also give the meaning of that name in the next line, so we can all enjoy who He is!
Today I am looking to create a new name for God based on how He reveals Himself to me. I know who He has been in my life to this point. TODAY our relationship goes to what Ed Young calls the HNL (hole nutha level) and I am looking forward to naming this day and this time as it is a spiritual marker in my life!
As I leave you for this post, know that I am singing "Come, Lord Jesus, come", so as to invite Him in. I invite Him to show who He is to me!
2 Cor 12 8-10
8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.9 Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.10 That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Selah
Your Name
My Almighty Creator’s name
Is a name above the rest
The name that began creation
The name through which all are blessed
To me He’s more than a name though
He’s my Father, Counselor, and Friend
He is the Alpha and the Omega
He is our beginning, who will be there in the end
He is the Vine of Whom
I, the branch do belong
He’s my cornerstone, my foundation
He is the source of my new song
He’s Jehovah-Jireh
My God who provides for me
He’s my Bright and Morning Star
The Light of my life that you see
For me, He’s Jehovah-Shammah
The One who is always near
The Peace surpassing all understanding
The Peace that replaces my fear
My Rock, my Fortress
He is my Strong Tower
My blessed Savior, He’s the source
Of my life’s resurrection power
The Resurrection and the Life
The Truth, He’s the only Way
Only begotten Son of God
The Dawn of every New Day
Sacrificed and buried, raised up
In a new body, so glorious
The Lion of the tribe of Judah
The One who reigns victorious
He is Jehovah-Rapha
Healer of whatever ails
Author and Finisher of my faith
The God who never fails
He’s the Bread of Life who
Feeds my soul, its hunger ending
When what you see becomes marred
He’s the Potter’s hands mending
He’s the Living Water
When my soul thirsts, He satisfies
When I’ve fought the good fight
He’s my Wonderful prize
He is my Jehovah-Shalom who
Quiets my storm and brings the peace
He’s my Bridegroom coming to get me
When He splits the skies in the east
I strive to know the many facets of
His character, in whole or in part
Of one thing I’m forever sure
Jesus, I love you, with all of my heart
<><
In this I used some of God's Hebrew names (ex. Jehovah-Shalom) because I love the different facets of God's character and these names are usually direct reflections of who He revealed Himself to be to different people down through the Bible. I also give the meaning of that name in the next line, so we can all enjoy who He is!
Today I am looking to create a new name for God based on how He reveals Himself to me. I know who He has been in my life to this point. TODAY our relationship goes to what Ed Young calls the HNL (hole nutha level) and I am looking forward to naming this day and this time as it is a spiritual marker in my life!
As I leave you for this post, know that I am singing "Come, Lord Jesus, come", so as to invite Him in. I invite Him to show who He is to me!
2 Cor 12 8-10
8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.9 Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.10 That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Selah
Friday, May 8, 2009
delinquent
I have been rather delinquent with my next posting this week. I have spent more time reading other people's blogs than I have posting on my own. I have been reading some from a group of people that are in Uganda sharing the Gospel as well as other jobs such as medical, kids ministry, etc. This is of interest to me because I know that God will be sending me to Uganda at some point, so I am trying to become acquianted with Uganda ahead of time. One of them had a post on their blog that really struck a cord with me. I have always been a little hung up on the fact that God chooses to play to my weaknesses to show His strength. I always want to play to my "strength". Luckily the two do not even compare. His strength is infinite. Mine is very finite. But I have comfort knowing my life verse:
Philippians 4:13
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
ALL THINGS! That is a very broad statement. I would like to include an excerpt from the blog to show you what effected me.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is this. We read this in a book at orientation and it caught me then, but I re-read it and all of a sudden it really made sense to me:
"I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help Him. I ended up by asking Him to do His work through me." -Hudson Taylor
In other words, what He calls me to do, I want to obey and do His will. He doesn't need my gifts, my abilities, or my dreams. If he calls me to do something, He will equip me to do them. He will give me the gifts to do it. He will give me the ability to do it.
Maybe it's the fact that in the states, so many people are thinking about who they are. We are all trying to figure out our self esteem and make something of ourselves. We are all trying to "be ourselves". Have I been hanging onto self too tightly? Are we willing to lose even ourselves for the sake of Christ?"
WOW! Pretty heavy! He doesn't need my strength. I do, however, need His. He doesn't need my gifts, talents, abilities. To be quite frank, He doesn't need me. He can accomplish His will with or without me. If it is with me, then I receive the blessing that can only come from being the tool that God uses to accomplish His will. If it is without me, then I miss out on the blessing, but He still accomplishes the job through someone who then receives that blessing. WOW! So He doesn't need anything I have to offer, but I CAN accomplish anything that is His will through His strength! What an awesome God! I am humbled by my Creator!
Heavenly Father, I ask you to please continue to help me get me out of Your way! In Jesus name, Amen!
Philippians 4:13
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
ALL THINGS! That is a very broad statement. I would like to include an excerpt from the blog to show you what effected me.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is this. We read this in a book at orientation and it caught me then, but I re-read it and all of a sudden it really made sense to me:
"I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help Him. I ended up by asking Him to do His work through me." -Hudson Taylor
In other words, what He calls me to do, I want to obey and do His will. He doesn't need my gifts, my abilities, or my dreams. If he calls me to do something, He will equip me to do them. He will give me the gifts to do it. He will give me the ability to do it.
Maybe it's the fact that in the states, so many people are thinking about who they are. We are all trying to figure out our self esteem and make something of ourselves. We are all trying to "be ourselves". Have I been hanging onto self too tightly? Are we willing to lose even ourselves for the sake of Christ?"
WOW! Pretty heavy! He doesn't need my strength. I do, however, need His. He doesn't need my gifts, talents, abilities. To be quite frank, He doesn't need me. He can accomplish His will with or without me. If it is with me, then I receive the blessing that can only come from being the tool that God uses to accomplish His will. If it is without me, then I miss out on the blessing, but He still accomplishes the job through someone who then receives that blessing. WOW! So He doesn't need anything I have to offer, but I CAN accomplish anything that is His will through His strength! What an awesome God! I am humbled by my Creator!
Heavenly Father, I ask you to please continue to help me get me out of Your way! In Jesus name, Amen!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Defeat or da feet?
How are you living your life these days? Are you living a life of defeat? Are you defeated by the trials of life? Why? You can go to da feet of Jesus and live a victorious life! His death, burial, and resurrection are our victory! God will allow some bumps and bruises in your life to ultimately grow your charcter to where He sees fit. He is often compared to the potter molding clay in His hands. Now if you imagine what the clay "feels" like as it is getting molded, we could see that being painful. But I want to give you a better comparison. Let's look at one of our country's most famous landmarks, Mount Rushmore. I have seen video footage of the creation of Mount Rushmore, they used dynamite blasts, heavy duty drilling, hammers, grinders, etc. Now that is rather uncomfortable sounding, but now we all stand in awe of the new creation. What was once a broken and jagged granite rock face, is now a creation with little to equal it. Was it a bed of roses transforming a cliff into four men's faces? No. Is it a bed of roses being taken from that very rough lump of clay and being molded into a vessel that can be used by the Master? No. Is it worth it? Yes! It says in Isaiah 53:5 that by His stripes, we are healed. In our individual lives, by our own stripes we are grown. He uses His stripes to heal us and uses our own stripes to reveal us to the world as the greatest creation we can be. We have to make sure not to quit because it hurts, it's hard, it's uncomfortable, it's not what I had planned, it's not the most glorious thing I can do, it's not fun, it's not my forte or because it's where you're at your weakest.
2 Corinthians 12:9,10
9 Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
10 That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Allow Him to show His strength through your weakness; it will make you stronger!
You see, as long as you live at da feet, you'll never have to live in defeat. He'll meet you there.....He'll teach you there.
By the way; you should know that this is the lesson God is teaching me in my life right now! He is allowing me the blessing of seeing His power through my weakness. He is growing me, molding me, making me a more usable tool for the Kingdom. I am suddenly reminded of a previous post with a little tehilah in it (see below). Here is the excerpt I am thinking of:
Bend me, shape me
anyway You want me
Mold me, make me
anyway You want me
Send me, Use me
Your blood has bought me
He must have heard the same song.......hmmmmmm......THANK YOU LORD!!!
May I always live at da feet of my King rather than in defeat! and you?
2 Corinthians 12:9,10
9 Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
10 That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Allow Him to show His strength through your weakness; it will make you stronger!
You see, as long as you live at da feet, you'll never have to live in defeat. He'll meet you there.....He'll teach you there.
By the way; you should know that this is the lesson God is teaching me in my life right now! He is allowing me the blessing of seeing His power through my weakness. He is growing me, molding me, making me a more usable tool for the Kingdom. I am suddenly reminded of a previous post with a little tehilah in it (see below). Here is the excerpt I am thinking of:
Bend me, shape me
anyway You want me
Mold me, make me
anyway You want me
Send me, Use me
Your blood has bought me
He must have heard the same song.......hmmmmmm......THANK YOU LORD!!!
May I always live at da feet of my King rather than in defeat! and you?
Monday, May 4, 2009
Portrait of the Father
In the book of Genesis it tells us that we were created in God's image. God has more traits than we could ever know in this life. He did however give us a way to see what some of His traits are like. A mother's love, a father's discipline, a mother's caring nature, a father's protective nature, and so on. We can see a multitude of His qualitites through His creation. I wrote a poem for my mom for Mother's Day that is reflective of that parallel between our moms and our Father. Here goes:
The Greatest Gift
The greatest gift given us by God
Is a risen Savior and an empty tomb
This Gift was sent to us
Through a virgin mother’s womb
Faith, hope, and love are more
Great gifts from above
But the greatest of these gifts
He gave us is love
What has God sent to show us
That love is above every other
He sent us unconditional love
In the form of a mother
We’re made in His image
The Creator’s reflection
We learn of His love
By a mother’s hug and affection
Her kiss, her smile
Seem to be bathed in Son Light
She grew us into men and women
Teaching us wrong from right
He’s our Rock, our Shelter
Our protection from the storm
Her lap, her love
Always feeling safe and warm
God’s love is never ending
It goes on for an eternity
But to give us a glimpse of it
He sent a mother to you and to me
<><
Don't forget your mothers on this Mother's Day!!
The Greatest Gift
The greatest gift given us by God
Is a risen Savior and an empty tomb
This Gift was sent to us
Through a virgin mother’s womb
Faith, hope, and love are more
Great gifts from above
But the greatest of these gifts
He gave us is love
What has God sent to show us
That love is above every other
He sent us unconditional love
In the form of a mother
We’re made in His image
The Creator’s reflection
We learn of His love
By a mother’s hug and affection
Her kiss, her smile
Seem to be bathed in Son Light
She grew us into men and women
Teaching us wrong from right
He’s our Rock, our Shelter
Our protection from the storm
Her lap, her love
Always feeling safe and warm
God’s love is never ending
It goes on for an eternity
But to give us a glimpse of it
He sent a mother to you and to me
<><
Don't forget your mothers on this Mother's Day!!
Friday, May 1, 2009
free verse
a lighter view from the dark side
only from the darkness
can we truly see the Light
resist the enemy, cling to the Lord
only He can make it right
His blood was shed
His body was torn
and through His stripes
we're forever reborn
only from the darkness
can we truly see the Light
resist the enemy, cling to the Lord
only He can make it right
His blood was shed
His body was torn
and through His stripes
we're forever reborn
It speaks for Itself
James 4:7-10
7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.
10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
Romans 12:12-16
12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.
13 When God's people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you. Don't curse them; pray that God will bless them.
15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.
16 Live in harmony with each other. Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all!
2 Chronicles 7:14
Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
1 Timothy 2:1-7
1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,
2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,
7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle--I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying--a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
For this post I'll shut up and let the Word of God speak for itself!
Selah
7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.
10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
Romans 12:12-16
12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.
13 When God's people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you. Don't curse them; pray that God will bless them.
15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.
16 Live in harmony with each other. Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all!
2 Chronicles 7:14
Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
1 Timothy 2:1-7
1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,
2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,
7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle--I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying--a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
For this post I'll shut up and let the Word of God speak for itself!
Selah
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