And a new one to come! This year has gone by incredibly fast, filled with its ups and downs. I've laughed harder and cried more this year than years prior. I've experienced much growth in my walk with Christ. Growth through times filled with blessings and joy, and though times of pain and hardships. I've made new friends and re-connected with old ones. I've seen what real love looks like, and how beautifully a love story can be shaped when left in the more-than-capable hands of God. I've learned the importance of having a thankful heart, mind, and attitude. I've come to see what it means to be accepting, and to remain committed even when the easiest option was to just give up.
As this year comes to a close and a new one opens up, I look forward to what is to come. To what 2012 has to bring. There will be good times and there will be bad times. There will be laughter and there will be tears. There will be joys and gladness, and there will be pain and sorrow. Events that seemed random in the past will be given new meaning, and new, puzzling events will unfold. Blessings will come, and so will challenges. But despite this ever shifting and changing walk of life, I can stand firm knowing one thing will remain: God. Jesus Christ. My personal savior and lord. Who He was is who He is; and who He is He always will be. He will always remain the same. His love will never change. His great love will always remain great. His infinite mercy will always remain infinite. His unfathomable grace will always remain unfathomable.
Thank you Lord for this past year. Thank you for how you have richly blessed me. Thank you for how you have molded me and shaped me. Molding me and shaping me into what you want me to be. Removing the dross, so that I may reflect you like pure silver reflects the image of the silver smith. Thank you for the challenges. Thank you for how you have stretched me. Thank you for the pain and the hardships. The pain and hardships have shown me just how much I need you and cannot live life without you. That the things and passions of this world cannot sustain me or fill me. Only you can fill that empty void inside of me. Lord, I thank you for the challenges and blessings that are to come. For the growth of old, and the birth of new relationships. For new opportunities to reach the lost. For events to unfold according to your good and perfect will. Lord, I thank you for your love. For your great, infinite, unfathomable love. For how you love me despite all the wrong that I do. For how you draw near to me, even when I push you away. For how you lift me up when I fall down. For how you have rescued this life from the pit. For dieing for me on that cruel, lonely, burdensome cross, even while I was still a sinner. For how I have been redeemed and purchased by the blood of your son. For how I can enter your glorious presence, white as snow, for you see Christ and not my sin. Lord, I am thankful that though this life is fleeting, though this life quickly fades, that there is more to life than this. That death is not the end of the adventure, but the beginning of a newer and greater one. A new life, in a new heaven, and a new earth, forever. Lord, I cannot possibly fathom what that day will look like, but I am confident that day will come. And I am confident that when I am finally in your arms, I will look up and see, that love has a face. Thank you Lord. Thank you.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
A tail of two banquet halls
Packed to the brim, the banquet hall was filled with guests chattering boisterously over plates filled with sumptuous food. I sat amongst the guests, digging into my own plate. The savory food and smooth drink livened the taste buds, an excellent meal. The flavor exploded onto the tongue, and a warm, euphoric feeling washed over me.
Our hosted entered the scene. Tall and proud, adorned with splendor and dressed like a king, he sauntered about the room watching the guests, a smirk upon his regal face. He carried himself with authority, though with a very arrogant air about him. A few acknowledged his presence, most continued to eat.
The atmosphere was energetic and hectic. The guests ate in haste as though time was short, as though this was their last meal. Hidden beneath all the energy and the noise was a sense of fear, though few seemed aware. The energetic, boisterous atmosphere was artificial, fake. At first I was not aware, for this sense was clouded by a false sense of liveliness and vitality. But as time wore in, I was slowly roused to my situation.
It started with a noise. A faint noise at that, but a noise none the less. It was a rumbling. A low rumbling. At first I couldn't place it, but the horrible truth soon became evident. It came from me. This food, though savory, and this drink, though smooth did not fill. I took another bite. I felt the lump go down my throat. It went down, down, down... then... nothing. More rumbling, this time louder. I took some of the drink. It too did not satisfy; the liquid simply evaporating before bringing any real nourishment. The rumbling was becoming audible. As this revelation dawned on me, I became aware of a new sound. The same rumbling, though it did not come from me, but from the guest sitting next to me. This guest, however, was not aware of his present state. More rumbling, this time from the guest on my other side. Another horrible truth began to dawn on me. The noise within this banquet all was not talking at all, but a rumbling, growling sound coming from the empty stomachs of all the guests. This noise, overwhelming and overpowering, filled me with dread and despair. Who could save me from this banquet hall of death!
When all seemed hopeless, and fear threaten to overcome me, I began to feel a new presence. This presence, contrary to the atmosphere of the hall, was filled with life. This presence brought hope amidst the despair. This presence, even just being present, began to fill me like none of the food I had been eating could. The presence whispered my name. It called out to me. The voice was tender and kind. It was as gentile as a cool breeze on a warm summers day, as freshly washed linens. Somewhere, deep in my heart, I had known all along that this presence was there, calling out to me. I had been simply ignoring it all along. As I was about to get up, I hesitated. Staring directly at me was my host. Gone was his smile. In its place was a slight frown, a quizzical expression. I felt a touch of doubt. How could I leave behind what I have always known? I sat down, defeated. I cried and wept. The presence called out again. I tried to ignore it, but it was persistent. I knew it could offer so much more, something much better than what I had. But I was afraid.
A hand touched my shoulder. "Come", the presence said. It took me by the hand and I got to my feet. It lead me away from the hall toward an unseen door. The host of the hall glared furiously, but was powerless to act. The presence lead me through the door to another hall. A different banquet hall. This hall too was filled with guests. But unlike the guests at the other hall, these guests were not controlled by fear. These guests were filled with joy and life.The guests welcomed me gladly and offered me a seat at the table.
I sat down and took the food and drink that had been prepared for me. This food and drink, like the other banquet hall, was also savory and smooth. But unlike the other hall, this food truly satisfies, and the drink truly nourishes. As I ate, I was filled. Filled with new life and energy. Here, I was truly satisfied.
The host for this hall entered the room. Unlike the host from the other hall, this man was dressed in a simple bright white robe, but had the unmistakable air of a true, noble king. A warm, inviting smile adorned this host's face. He looked upon his guests with love in his eyes and served them whenever there was need. He would talk with the guests, and knew each by name.
The atmosphere here was warm and inviting. The guests here were relaxed and calm. Not a trace of fear could be found. Their eyes held their host in reverent awe.
It was then that I heard another voice. It called out to me. It flowed like velvet, and was sly and cunning. It reminded me of what I had, what I was missing. It called me, invited me back. I turned and looked toward the source. It was the host from the other banquet hall. He stood at the door, though he could not enter the hall. He accused the guests, calling them fakes and hypocrites. He denounced the food, calling it tasteless and unsatisfying. Though his arms were open wide and inviting, and though his words smooth and convincing, his eyes held nothing but hatred and deceit.
Confusion, doubt, and fear swept over me like a dark cloud blocks out the sun. As tears filled my eyes, I felt the hand of the presence from before on my shoulders. I looked up and saw this presence had a face, the host of the banquet hall. He showed me his pierced hands. He showed me his pierced side. He told me he had redeemed me. He told me that he had bought me. He told me that I had been adopted into his family, that I was his son. That I no longer needed to live in fear.
I was faced with a choice. To return to what I had always known. To return to the former way of life. To return to food that could not fill, and to drink that could not satisfy. To return to that banquet hall filled with death and decay. Or to remain where I belonged. To remain in this newness of life. To remain where the food truly fills, and where the drink truly satisfies. To remain in the banquet hall of life, where I was the son of the host.
The first banquet hall represents the world, and its host is Satan. The father of lies. The accuser. The roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. The thief who comes to steal, to kill, to destroy. The food and drink represents all the things the world has to offer: money, wealth, fame, power, pleasure. Things that satisfy for a moment, but never truly fill. The guests here are those who inwardly fear the coming wrath of the day of judgment but are oblivious to the fate that awaits them and have buried the truth under a mountain of lies.
The second banquet hall represents the kingdom of God, and its host is Jesus Christ. The way, the truth, and the life. The good Shepard. The one who has come to give us life that we may live it to the full. The one who has purchased us with his blood that we may be sons and daughters of God. The food and drink here represents the body and blood of Christ. The body broken for us on the cross, dieing in our place. The blood shed for us for the complete forgiveness of all our sins. The guests here are the sons and daughters of God. Those who do not fear death, for they know they have an eternal home in heaven.
We are all eating at one banquet hall or the other. We are all guests of ether the hall of sin and death, or the hall of truth and life. Now ask yourself this question: where am I? Think about it.
Our hosted entered the scene. Tall and proud, adorned with splendor and dressed like a king, he sauntered about the room watching the guests, a smirk upon his regal face. He carried himself with authority, though with a very arrogant air about him. A few acknowledged his presence, most continued to eat.
The atmosphere was energetic and hectic. The guests ate in haste as though time was short, as though this was their last meal. Hidden beneath all the energy and the noise was a sense of fear, though few seemed aware. The energetic, boisterous atmosphere was artificial, fake. At first I was not aware, for this sense was clouded by a false sense of liveliness and vitality. But as time wore in, I was slowly roused to my situation.
It started with a noise. A faint noise at that, but a noise none the less. It was a rumbling. A low rumbling. At first I couldn't place it, but the horrible truth soon became evident. It came from me. This food, though savory, and this drink, though smooth did not fill. I took another bite. I felt the lump go down my throat. It went down, down, down... then... nothing. More rumbling, this time louder. I took some of the drink. It too did not satisfy; the liquid simply evaporating before bringing any real nourishment. The rumbling was becoming audible. As this revelation dawned on me, I became aware of a new sound. The same rumbling, though it did not come from me, but from the guest sitting next to me. This guest, however, was not aware of his present state. More rumbling, this time from the guest on my other side. Another horrible truth began to dawn on me. The noise within this banquet all was not talking at all, but a rumbling, growling sound coming from the empty stomachs of all the guests. This noise, overwhelming and overpowering, filled me with dread and despair. Who could save me from this banquet hall of death!
When all seemed hopeless, and fear threaten to overcome me, I began to feel a new presence. This presence, contrary to the atmosphere of the hall, was filled with life. This presence brought hope amidst the despair. This presence, even just being present, began to fill me like none of the food I had been eating could. The presence whispered my name. It called out to me. The voice was tender and kind. It was as gentile as a cool breeze on a warm summers day, as freshly washed linens. Somewhere, deep in my heart, I had known all along that this presence was there, calling out to me. I had been simply ignoring it all along. As I was about to get up, I hesitated. Staring directly at me was my host. Gone was his smile. In its place was a slight frown, a quizzical expression. I felt a touch of doubt. How could I leave behind what I have always known? I sat down, defeated. I cried and wept. The presence called out again. I tried to ignore it, but it was persistent. I knew it could offer so much more, something much better than what I had. But I was afraid.
A hand touched my shoulder. "Come", the presence said. It took me by the hand and I got to my feet. It lead me away from the hall toward an unseen door. The host of the hall glared furiously, but was powerless to act. The presence lead me through the door to another hall. A different banquet hall. This hall too was filled with guests. But unlike the guests at the other hall, these guests were not controlled by fear. These guests were filled with joy and life.The guests welcomed me gladly and offered me a seat at the table.
I sat down and took the food and drink that had been prepared for me. This food and drink, like the other banquet hall, was also savory and smooth. But unlike the other hall, this food truly satisfies, and the drink truly nourishes. As I ate, I was filled. Filled with new life and energy. Here, I was truly satisfied.
The host for this hall entered the room. Unlike the host from the other hall, this man was dressed in a simple bright white robe, but had the unmistakable air of a true, noble king. A warm, inviting smile adorned this host's face. He looked upon his guests with love in his eyes and served them whenever there was need. He would talk with the guests, and knew each by name.
The atmosphere here was warm and inviting. The guests here were relaxed and calm. Not a trace of fear could be found. Their eyes held their host in reverent awe.
It was then that I heard another voice. It called out to me. It flowed like velvet, and was sly and cunning. It reminded me of what I had, what I was missing. It called me, invited me back. I turned and looked toward the source. It was the host from the other banquet hall. He stood at the door, though he could not enter the hall. He accused the guests, calling them fakes and hypocrites. He denounced the food, calling it tasteless and unsatisfying. Though his arms were open wide and inviting, and though his words smooth and convincing, his eyes held nothing but hatred and deceit.
Confusion, doubt, and fear swept over me like a dark cloud blocks out the sun. As tears filled my eyes, I felt the hand of the presence from before on my shoulders. I looked up and saw this presence had a face, the host of the banquet hall. He showed me his pierced hands. He showed me his pierced side. He told me he had redeemed me. He told me that he had bought me. He told me that I had been adopted into his family, that I was his son. That I no longer needed to live in fear.
I was faced with a choice. To return to what I had always known. To return to the former way of life. To return to food that could not fill, and to drink that could not satisfy. To return to that banquet hall filled with death and decay. Or to remain where I belonged. To remain in this newness of life. To remain where the food truly fills, and where the drink truly satisfies. To remain in the banquet hall of life, where I was the son of the host.
The first banquet hall represents the world, and its host is Satan. The father of lies. The accuser. The roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. The thief who comes to steal, to kill, to destroy. The food and drink represents all the things the world has to offer: money, wealth, fame, power, pleasure. Things that satisfy for a moment, but never truly fill. The guests here are those who inwardly fear the coming wrath of the day of judgment but are oblivious to the fate that awaits them and have buried the truth under a mountain of lies.
The second banquet hall represents the kingdom of God, and its host is Jesus Christ. The way, the truth, and the life. The good Shepard. The one who has come to give us life that we may live it to the full. The one who has purchased us with his blood that we may be sons and daughters of God. The food and drink here represents the body and blood of Christ. The body broken for us on the cross, dieing in our place. The blood shed for us for the complete forgiveness of all our sins. The guests here are the sons and daughters of God. Those who do not fear death, for they know they have an eternal home in heaven.
We are all eating at one banquet hall or the other. We are all guests of ether the hall of sin and death, or the hall of truth and life. Now ask yourself this question: where am I? Think about it.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Don't forget the reason for the season!
Hate to burst your bubble, but Christmas isn't all about Santa Clause. It isn't about all the busyness of shopping and gift giving. It isn't about setting up the tree. It isn't about putting up the christmas lights. It isn't about the presents. It isn't even about spending time with family. While those things are all well and good, they don't fully capture the reason for the season. So what is Christmas about? The real meaning of Christmas is found in the very name of the season: Christ. The birth of our Savior and Lord! I know it's a well known passage that's been beaten into our skulls since our Sunday School years, but Luke 2:1-20 reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas:
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
The key verse here is verse 11. "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord." Think about that. No really. Think about that. Ponder that. This person who was born is a Savior. A savior for who? A savior for us! For you, and me! To save us from what? What is he savior for? Our sin! The whole reason Jesus came was to seek and save what was lost. He came to give his life as a ransom for many. He came to die on the most cruel, painful, cursed, torture device of the day: the cross. He came to die to redeem us from our sins. His blood covers our sins! He came not only to be a payment for our sin, but to save us from our sin. To give us a new life. A life to be lived in the full. A life to be lived for Christ. He is the Messiah! The chosen one! The promised one! This plan was put in place long before the foundations of the world. Already in the beginning of Genesis, his coming is foretold. And he is the Lord. A lord was one who had authority. One who was to be obeyed. One who gave orders that were expected to be followed. Jesus is our Lord. After he rose from the grave, he ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. His work was done. He was given all authority in heaven and on earth. Jesus is our King. Obedience is not an option. Unfortunately many "Christians" today have left this part out. They recognize Jesus as Savior, and stop there. As long as we read the bible and say some prayers and go to Church on occasion we are good, right? Wrong! Jesus tells us that if we love him, we will obey his commands. An his command is simply this: to love others has he has loved us. To serve others as he has served us. To serve with unconditional, agape love. To go out into this world, building into the lives of people, guiding them as they grow in the Lord, and teaching them to do what we did for them to others. This is our calling. That is why we are here. Seems hard right? Yes, it is hard. I certainly don't do a good job of it at times. But there is hope! Jesus reminds us that apart from him we can do nothing. Our efforts come to nothing without him. The strength to follow these commands could never come from us. So what are we to do? We are to allow Christ to first work in our lives. Transforming us. Shaping us. Molding us into what He wants us to be. To submit to him and his authority. And as this process is taking place, he will be able to work through us. His love will fill our lives, and over flow, and flood the lives of others around us. He will work in the lives of others around us. He changes lives, not us. We just need to be faithful in submission to him. In living for him.
This is what Christmas is all about. This is the reason for the season. The coming of Christ and what that means for our lives. So for this year, next year, and all the years to come, put Christ into your Christmas, and into your life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This is Christmas~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By Kutless
Do you find it hard to sleep til' night,
Resting by the Christmas lights?
Could there be something you forgot?
Beyond the bows, and mistletoes,
The tree with presents wrapped below,
There's more to this than you had ever thought?
Have we lost the reason that we celebrate each year?
Chorus:
What is Christmas?
If there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger.
What is Christmas without Christ?
Remember how the story goes,
God's gift was wrapped in swaddling clothes,
Beneath the star, one great and holy night.
The shepherds heard the angels sing,
The wise man brought an offering,
Peace on Earth began in Bethelethm
Have we lost the reason that we celebrate each year?
Chorus:
What is Christmas?
If there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger.
What is Christmas?
If the angels never sang 'Glory to the new born king?'
What is Christmas without Christ?
There'd be no gloria
In excelsis deo
Gloria
In excelsis deo
What is Christmas?
If there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger.
What is Christmas without Christ?
This is Christmas,
It’s all about the Savior wrapped in a manger.
This is Christmas,
Because of Jesus Christ!
This is Christmas,
Because of Christ!
Because of Christ!
The Birth of Jesus
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
The key verse here is verse 11. "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord." Think about that. No really. Think about that. Ponder that. This person who was born is a Savior. A savior for who? A savior for us! For you, and me! To save us from what? What is he savior for? Our sin! The whole reason Jesus came was to seek and save what was lost. He came to give his life as a ransom for many. He came to die on the most cruel, painful, cursed, torture device of the day: the cross. He came to die to redeem us from our sins. His blood covers our sins! He came not only to be a payment for our sin, but to save us from our sin. To give us a new life. A life to be lived in the full. A life to be lived for Christ. He is the Messiah! The chosen one! The promised one! This plan was put in place long before the foundations of the world. Already in the beginning of Genesis, his coming is foretold. And he is the Lord. A lord was one who had authority. One who was to be obeyed. One who gave orders that were expected to be followed. Jesus is our Lord. After he rose from the grave, he ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. His work was done. He was given all authority in heaven and on earth. Jesus is our King. Obedience is not an option. Unfortunately many "Christians" today have left this part out. They recognize Jesus as Savior, and stop there. As long as we read the bible and say some prayers and go to Church on occasion we are good, right? Wrong! Jesus tells us that if we love him, we will obey his commands. An his command is simply this: to love others has he has loved us. To serve others as he has served us. To serve with unconditional, agape love. To go out into this world, building into the lives of people, guiding them as they grow in the Lord, and teaching them to do what we did for them to others. This is our calling. That is why we are here. Seems hard right? Yes, it is hard. I certainly don't do a good job of it at times. But there is hope! Jesus reminds us that apart from him we can do nothing. Our efforts come to nothing without him. The strength to follow these commands could never come from us. So what are we to do? We are to allow Christ to first work in our lives. Transforming us. Shaping us. Molding us into what He wants us to be. To submit to him and his authority. And as this process is taking place, he will be able to work through us. His love will fill our lives, and over flow, and flood the lives of others around us. He will work in the lives of others around us. He changes lives, not us. We just need to be faithful in submission to him. In living for him.
This is what Christmas is all about. This is the reason for the season. The coming of Christ and what that means for our lives. So for this year, next year, and all the years to come, put Christ into your Christmas, and into your life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This is Christmas~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By Kutless
Do you find it hard to sleep til' night,
Resting by the Christmas lights?
Could there be something you forgot?
Beyond the bows, and mistletoes,
The tree with presents wrapped below,
There's more to this than you had ever thought?
Have we lost the reason that we celebrate each year?
Chorus:
What is Christmas?
If there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger.
What is Christmas without Christ?
Remember how the story goes,
God's gift was wrapped in swaddling clothes,
Beneath the star, one great and holy night.
The shepherds heard the angels sing,
The wise man brought an offering,
Peace on Earth began in Bethelethm
Have we lost the reason that we celebrate each year?
Chorus:
What is Christmas?
If there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger.
What is Christmas?
If the angels never sang 'Glory to the new born king?'
What is Christmas without Christ?
There'd be no gloria
In excelsis deo
Gloria
In excelsis deo
What is Christmas?
If there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger.
What is Christmas without Christ?
This is Christmas,
It’s all about the Savior wrapped in a manger.
This is Christmas,
Because of Jesus Christ!
This is Christmas,
Because of Christ!
Because of Christ!
Sunday, December 4, 2011
What's your Ebenezer?
I remember growing up singing the hymn "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing" in church on Sundays. While it's an excellent hymn, I've always been baffled when singing the second verse which says: "Here I raise mine Ebenezer; hither by thy help I’m come..." What is an Ebenezer? While it might be a bit humorous to imagine lifting up Ebenezer Scrooge, that's not what's being talked about. So what exactly is an Ebenezer? The term comes from 1 Samuel 7:12 which states:
"Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, 'Thus far the Lord has helped us.'"
The word Ebenezer, literally translated, means "stone of help". Israel had just won a great victory over the Philistines. God had showed up big time. "The Lord thundered with load thunder against the Philistines and threw then into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites" (1 Samuel 7:10). This stone was named "Ebenezer" to remind the Israelites of what God had done for them at this event. This wasn't the first time that something was named in remembrance of an event that had occurred. In Genesis 28:10-19, Jacob has his well known dream where he sees a stairway to heaven and God standing at the top. Jacob wakes up from this dream he exclaims, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven" (vs. 17). He then takes the stone he had been using as a pillow, puts oil on it, and named the place Bethel, which means "house of God". This was to serve for future generations as a reminder of the event that had taken place there.
On May 1st, 2011, I was baptized as a believer at South Church in Lansing Michigan. On a table in my apartment, I have a picture setup with me and a few others who were also baptized on that day. To me, baptism signifies the washing away of the old self, and the putting on of the new self. "The old has gone, and the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17). It signifies that I have died to self, no longer seeking to live for myself or my selfish desires, and that I have been made alive in Christ, to live for Him and His purposes. "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may
increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any
longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ
Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him
through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised
from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new
life" (Romans 6:1-4). It signifies that as I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me. This life that I now live shale be lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20). That picture serves as my Ebenezer, reminding me of what God has done for me at the cross and the new life I have been called to live.
We all have gone through difficult times. We have all faced hardships and trials. We have all been at the point in our lives when we have wondered when we would make it through this season of tribulation. But we have all made it through those times. God had lead us through. God had reminded us of what He had done for us at the cross. God had showed us that He is still every bit as powerful of a God as He was in bible times. Never forget what God has done for you. Never forget that God has brought you through previous storms in life. Never forget the message of the cross. Never forget that God is still God and that He has unlimited power and blessings at His disposal. Never forget that He has called you to live for so much more than any plans, any goals, any aspirations you may have. Never forget.
What's your Ebenezer?
Reference:
http://www.revneal.org/Writings/whatsan.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Come, thou fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of thy redeeming love.
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Tune my heart to sing thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of thy redeeming love.
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for thy courts above.
And I hope, by thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for thy courts above.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Castles in the sand
I remember as a child going to the beach and building castles on the sand. I would labor tirelessly digging trenches, building towers, making elaborate structures, constructing walls. Then, out of the blue, a big ole wave would come rushing up and obliterate part of the castle. The walls no match for the power of the wave. As the walls disintegrated, the water would flood the trenches. The elaborately built towers would start to collapse as the foundation corroded away. In haste, I would do all in my power to rebuild the walls, to restore the structure. But then another big wave would come. Then another. And another. I fought a loosing battle as I watched my castle come crumbling down around me. It was no match for the waves.
I also remember having a sand toy that was a sieve. It had a plastic mesh with square holes. I could fill it up with sand, but in a matter of moments the sand would filter through the square holes, and the sieve would be empty again.
Success. Money and wealth. Fame and fortune. Dating relationships. Marriage. Having kids. Owning a house. That dream job. That exotic sports car. That big screen TV. These are just a few of the things the world says we will find fulfillment in. If we are successful, then we will be happy. If we have lots of money and can buy anything we want, then we will be happy. If you are single, then you need to get into a relationship to be happy. If you are in a relationship, you have to get married to that person in order to be happy. If you are married to someone, then you need to have kids, own a home, and have a car to be happy. But what happens when we get those things? Are we really happy? Are we really satisfied? Maybe for a bit. But we are left wanting more. After a while, we need more to be happy. We need more to find fulfillment. We need more to be satisfied. The things we already have aren't enough because we are told that we always need more. And we buy into it. Hook, line, and sinker. We put so much time and effort into things that, in the end, only bring us a little bit of satisfaction. But that satisfaction quickly fades away, like our castles in the sand, and we are left empty. That's really messed up. Is that anyway to live life? Is that what it is really all about?
Like sand in the sieve, we try to fill out lives with things we think will bring us fulfillment. We want what we want right now. We don't want to wait. We want to have that happiness, that joy, that satisfaction, that fulfillment right now. We want relief from our stress right now, so we smoke cigarettes to relax. We want relief from the pains in life right now, so we get drunk or high to block it all out. We want pleasure right now, so we watch porn, or have sex with people we barely even know. We want to buy cool things to impress our friends right now, so we spend all our money, max out credit cards, and get into debt to get those things. We want so many things right now, and we will do whatever it takes to get those things. But what happens when we get those things? Are we really happy? Are we really satisfied? Maybe for a bit. But like just as quickly as the sand gets filtered through the sieve, so too our happiness and satisfaction quickly evaporate and we are left empty. Is that anyway to live life? Is that what life is really all about?
What is life really about? What are we here for? What will really bring that lasting joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment in life?
In the beginning, God created man and woman in his own image. He placed them in a beautiful garden, the garden of Eden, where they regularly communed with God. They walked and talked with Him, and shared in His infinite love, joy, peace. They found fulfillment and satisfaction in this, and in doing His will; caring for the garden and the creatures living there. It must have been an amazing experience! Imagine, being in a garden far more splendid and beautiful then all of the seven wonders of the world combined, and being able to commune with God! Your own creator who made you in His image and likeness! Real joy, love, satisfaction, fulfillment in doing the Creator's will and just being in His presence! It was perfection!
Well, almost perfection. Then sin came into the picture. Man disobeyed God by eating of the one tree in the entire garden of which they were commanded not to eat. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan came on the scene and convinced man that God was holding back on them. "Did God really say, 'you must not eat from any tree in the garden'? Oh, so God said you couldn't eat from only that one tree now did he? And you will surely die if you do? Naw, you won't surely die. God's holding back on you. He doesn't want you to be like him, knowing both good and evil. Look! The fruit is good for eating! It is pleasing to the eye! You can gain real wisdom! Just eat, and you will truly be satisfied, for you will be like God."
So man ate of the food. But what really happened? Where they really happy? Where they really satisfied? Maybe for the first few bites. But then their eyes were open, and they became self-aware. They realized they were naked and hid themselves. They felt ashamed. They became afraid of God. God knew immediately what had happened and confronted them. Because of their disobedience, they were removed from the garden of Eden, and could not return.
I wounder what that must have felt like. To have been removed from the garden, and separated from that regular communion with God. To have severed that deep, intimate connection with their Creator. To no longer be able to fully experience the Creator's love, joy, peace and the satisfaction and fulfillment that came from that. It might have felt something like this:
Picture yourself having married an amazing person. This person is the one. Your connection with this person is so deep, and intimate that no amount of words in any language could describe it. This person is everything you could have hoped for and so much more. This person may not be a model, but they have such a beautiful heart. You cherish and love each other very deeply.
But then someone else enters the picture. And this person is drop-dead-gorgeous. Incredibly hot and seductive. Their words as sweet as honey and flow silky-smooth. They entice you and you give in. You give in and commit adultery with this person. Then your spouse finds out. And they are utterly devastated. Devastated and crushed. Devastated and crushed and hurt deeply. They had given you something so precious, so pure. They had given you their heart, their love. But in your quest for fulfilling your own selfish desires, you cast it aside for something far less. And you know it. You feel it. It tears you up inside. Your connection with your spouse becomes severed, and they leave you.
That is only a fraction of what Adan and Eve must have felt. They were created to be image bearers of God. They were created to do His will. They experienced the fullness of God's love, joy and peace. But they blew it. Big time. So too we are created in God's image to be image bearers of God. This is our purpose. That is why we are here.
But wait! If we are called to be image bearers of God, that would require us to be perfect right? To be holy as God is holy. How is that even possible? I mean, we have a hard enough time doing what is right with our flesh constantly pulling us this way and that, let alone being perfect. After all we are tainted by sin and naturally do what is wrong! How then, is it even possible for us to be an image bearer of God?
You are correct. It is impossible. It is impossible for us to do any good on our own. Even the "good" that we do is like filthy rags before God. We are incapable of being image bearers of God on our own power.
So is that it? Are we stuck? Are we doomed to eternal punishment because of our sin and our in ability to perfectly live out our calling?
In our current state, yes. But wait! There is more to the story! Before God kicked Adam and Eve out of the garden God gave them a promise in the form of a curse to Satan: "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel" (Genesis 3:15). This "he" who will crush the serpent's head is non other than Jesus Christ, God's only son. And Jesus Christ did indeed come into the world to fulfill that very purpose. He came so that we may have life and live it to the full (John 10:10). He did not come to fulfill the desires of his flesh, but to serve others, and ultimately give his life as a ransom for ours (Mark 10:45). He came to die on a cruel cross, to bear the curse of our sin for us, and to be the righteous, perfect substitute for our unrighteousness (1 Peter 3:18, Galatians 3:13). He was the perfect image of God for he was fully God and fully man. He came to do what we could not do and die, not because of anything he had done, but for all that we had done. Through his death, burial, and resurrection, he crushed Satan's head and will cast Satan into the flaming abyss in the end times. Jesus' blood was shed for our sin, and we are washed white as snow (Matthew 26:27 , Isaiah 1:18). Jesus' blood is what makes us holy, and we can enter God's presence with confidence for we are clothed with garments of righteousness (Hebrews 10:19-20, 13:12, Isaiah 61:10). So we are not doomed at all! But instead we are declared holy and righteous before God through Christ's blood shed for us on the cross.We image God not by what we do, but by what Christ has already done for us!
So now we are faced with a choice. Will we accept by faith what God has done for us through the person and work of Jesus Christ? Will we allow Him to work in us and through us? Will we seek to love God and be loved, sustained, and fulfilled by Him alone? Or will we choose to live for our own selfish desires? Will we waste away our lives chasing after what the world says will bring us fulfillment only to receive a small amount of satisfaction that quickly evaporates? Will we try to satisfy our wants only to be left empty over and over again? The castles in the sand will wash away, and the sieve will empty faster than we can fill it, but God's love will always remain. Choose wisely.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All Along ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By: Remedy Drive
It’s not everything it seems - the world and its dreams
Slipping like water through my hands tonight
All the things I thought would fill me up inside
Left me empty here - and now I know why
All along I was looking for something else
You’re something else
All along I was looking for something more
You’re so much more
I finally found what I could never see before
You’ve always been the one that I was looking for
All of my castles in the sand - washed away again
And I’m left back where I began tonight
The only thing that can ever fill me up
Has been right in front of me all the time
All along I was looking for something else
You’re something else
All along I was looking for something more
You’re so much more
I finally found what I could never see before
You’ve always been the one that I was looking for
And I won’t miss you - I won’t miss you this time
And I say I want you - yeah I want you in my life
I also remember having a sand toy that was a sieve. It had a plastic mesh with square holes. I could fill it up with sand, but in a matter of moments the sand would filter through the square holes, and the sieve would be empty again.
Success. Money and wealth. Fame and fortune. Dating relationships. Marriage. Having kids. Owning a house. That dream job. That exotic sports car. That big screen TV. These are just a few of the things the world says we will find fulfillment in. If we are successful, then we will be happy. If we have lots of money and can buy anything we want, then we will be happy. If you are single, then you need to get into a relationship to be happy. If you are in a relationship, you have to get married to that person in order to be happy. If you are married to someone, then you need to have kids, own a home, and have a car to be happy. But what happens when we get those things? Are we really happy? Are we really satisfied? Maybe for a bit. But we are left wanting more. After a while, we need more to be happy. We need more to find fulfillment. We need more to be satisfied. The things we already have aren't enough because we are told that we always need more. And we buy into it. Hook, line, and sinker. We put so much time and effort into things that, in the end, only bring us a little bit of satisfaction. But that satisfaction quickly fades away, like our castles in the sand, and we are left empty. That's really messed up. Is that anyway to live life? Is that what it is really all about?
Like sand in the sieve, we try to fill out lives with things we think will bring us fulfillment. We want what we want right now. We don't want to wait. We want to have that happiness, that joy, that satisfaction, that fulfillment right now. We want relief from our stress right now, so we smoke cigarettes to relax. We want relief from the pains in life right now, so we get drunk or high to block it all out. We want pleasure right now, so we watch porn, or have sex with people we barely even know. We want to buy cool things to impress our friends right now, so we spend all our money, max out credit cards, and get into debt to get those things. We want so many things right now, and we will do whatever it takes to get those things. But what happens when we get those things? Are we really happy? Are we really satisfied? Maybe for a bit. But like just as quickly as the sand gets filtered through the sieve, so too our happiness and satisfaction quickly evaporate and we are left empty. Is that anyway to live life? Is that what life is really all about?
What is life really about? What are we here for? What will really bring that lasting joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment in life?
In the beginning, God created man and woman in his own image. He placed them in a beautiful garden, the garden of Eden, where they regularly communed with God. They walked and talked with Him, and shared in His infinite love, joy, peace. They found fulfillment and satisfaction in this, and in doing His will; caring for the garden and the creatures living there. It must have been an amazing experience! Imagine, being in a garden far more splendid and beautiful then all of the seven wonders of the world combined, and being able to commune with God! Your own creator who made you in His image and likeness! Real joy, love, satisfaction, fulfillment in doing the Creator's will and just being in His presence! It was perfection!
Well, almost perfection. Then sin came into the picture. Man disobeyed God by eating of the one tree in the entire garden of which they were commanded not to eat. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan came on the scene and convinced man that God was holding back on them. "Did God really say, 'you must not eat from any tree in the garden'? Oh, so God said you couldn't eat from only that one tree now did he? And you will surely die if you do? Naw, you won't surely die. God's holding back on you. He doesn't want you to be like him, knowing both good and evil. Look! The fruit is good for eating! It is pleasing to the eye! You can gain real wisdom! Just eat, and you will truly be satisfied, for you will be like God."
So man ate of the food. But what really happened? Where they really happy? Where they really satisfied? Maybe for the first few bites. But then their eyes were open, and they became self-aware. They realized they were naked and hid themselves. They felt ashamed. They became afraid of God. God knew immediately what had happened and confronted them. Because of their disobedience, they were removed from the garden of Eden, and could not return.
I wounder what that must have felt like. To have been removed from the garden, and separated from that regular communion with God. To have severed that deep, intimate connection with their Creator. To no longer be able to fully experience the Creator's love, joy, peace and the satisfaction and fulfillment that came from that. It might have felt something like this:
Picture yourself having married an amazing person. This person is the one. Your connection with this person is so deep, and intimate that no amount of words in any language could describe it. This person is everything you could have hoped for and so much more. This person may not be a model, but they have such a beautiful heart. You cherish and love each other very deeply.
But then someone else enters the picture. And this person is drop-dead-gorgeous. Incredibly hot and seductive. Their words as sweet as honey and flow silky-smooth. They entice you and you give in. You give in and commit adultery with this person. Then your spouse finds out. And they are utterly devastated. Devastated and crushed. Devastated and crushed and hurt deeply. They had given you something so precious, so pure. They had given you their heart, their love. But in your quest for fulfilling your own selfish desires, you cast it aside for something far less. And you know it. You feel it. It tears you up inside. Your connection with your spouse becomes severed, and they leave you.
That is only a fraction of what Adan and Eve must have felt. They were created to be image bearers of God. They were created to do His will. They experienced the fullness of God's love, joy and peace. But they blew it. Big time. So too we are created in God's image to be image bearers of God. This is our purpose. That is why we are here.
But wait! If we are called to be image bearers of God, that would require us to be perfect right? To be holy as God is holy. How is that even possible? I mean, we have a hard enough time doing what is right with our flesh constantly pulling us this way and that, let alone being perfect. After all we are tainted by sin and naturally do what is wrong! How then, is it even possible for us to be an image bearer of God?
You are correct. It is impossible. It is impossible for us to do any good on our own. Even the "good" that we do is like filthy rags before God. We are incapable of being image bearers of God on our own power.
So is that it? Are we stuck? Are we doomed to eternal punishment because of our sin and our in ability to perfectly live out our calling?
In our current state, yes. But wait! There is more to the story! Before God kicked Adam and Eve out of the garden God gave them a promise in the form of a curse to Satan: "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel" (Genesis 3:15). This "he" who will crush the serpent's head is non other than Jesus Christ, God's only son. And Jesus Christ did indeed come into the world to fulfill that very purpose. He came so that we may have life and live it to the full (John 10:10). He did not come to fulfill the desires of his flesh, but to serve others, and ultimately give his life as a ransom for ours (Mark 10:45). He came to die on a cruel cross, to bear the curse of our sin for us, and to be the righteous, perfect substitute for our unrighteousness (1 Peter 3:18, Galatians 3:13). He was the perfect image of God for he was fully God and fully man. He came to do what we could not do and die, not because of anything he had done, but for all that we had done. Through his death, burial, and resurrection, he crushed Satan's head and will cast Satan into the flaming abyss in the end times. Jesus' blood was shed for our sin, and we are washed white as snow (Matthew 26:27 , Isaiah 1:18). Jesus' blood is what makes us holy, and we can enter God's presence with confidence for we are clothed with garments of righteousness (Hebrews 10:19-20, 13:12, Isaiah 61:10). So we are not doomed at all! But instead we are declared holy and righteous before God through Christ's blood shed for us on the cross.We image God not by what we do, but by what Christ has already done for us!
So now we are faced with a choice. Will we accept by faith what God has done for us through the person and work of Jesus Christ? Will we allow Him to work in us and through us? Will we seek to love God and be loved, sustained, and fulfilled by Him alone? Or will we choose to live for our own selfish desires? Will we waste away our lives chasing after what the world says will bring us fulfillment only to receive a small amount of satisfaction that quickly evaporates? Will we try to satisfy our wants only to be left empty over and over again? The castles in the sand will wash away, and the sieve will empty faster than we can fill it, but God's love will always remain. Choose wisely.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All Along ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By: Remedy Drive
It’s not everything it seems - the world and its dreams
Slipping like water through my hands tonight
All the things I thought would fill me up inside
Left me empty here - and now I know why
All along I was looking for something else
You’re something else
All along I was looking for something more
You’re so much more
I finally found what I could never see before
You’ve always been the one that I was looking for
All of my castles in the sand - washed away again
And I’m left back where I began tonight
The only thing that can ever fill me up
Has been right in front of me all the time
All along I was looking for something else
You’re something else
All along I was looking for something more
You’re so much more
I finally found what I could never see before
You’ve always been the one that I was looking for
And I won’t miss you - I won’t miss you this time
And I say I want you - yeah I want you in my life
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Thanksgiving. A time to give thanks
Thanksgiving. Gratitude. Thankfulness. Gratefulness. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we often do not take time to sit back, think about all God has blessed us with, and give thanks for those things. Thankfulness. Gratefulness. These are the things that should characterize our lives as Christians. Thanksgiving. Gratitude. What are you thankful for? Here is a list of a few things that I am thankful for:
Challenges.
Being challenged in my faith during this period of waiting.
Friends.
Close friends I can talk to and confide in.
Heath.
Not presently being sick, no having any other physical aliments.
A job.
A job with flexible hours, fringe benefits, and health/dental/eye insurance.
A place to live.
A place to live that is close to work, Meijers (practically in my back yard!), and Church.
Food.
A fridge and cupboards stocked with food.
Water.
Clean, running, drinkable water.
Cloths.
Clean cloths and access to a washer and dryer.
Family.
Family who loves me and is looking out for what's best for me.
Laughter
Friends to laugh with and share jokes with (hurray for inside jokes!).
Modesty.
Women who know the temptations men face and dress modestly to prevent that temptation.
Church.
A place of fellowship, encouragement, worship and nourishment in the word.
Sunsets.
Declaring the beauty of God's creation, and marking the end of a day filled with God's blessings.
Prayer.
People who pray for me, and the ability to come into the presence of a holy God and offer up my praises, and requests.
Justification.
That Jesus Christ, the son of God, would die on a cross in payment for my sins, and by whose blood I am cleansed of all unrighteousness, allowing me to stand holy and blameless in the presence of almighty God.
God's love.
That crazy, unending, unconditional, unwavering, always-ever-present love in spite of all my sin and rebellion.
That love that lifts me up when I am weak.
That love which is the only true source of joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment in life.
Thanksgiving. Gratitude. Thankfulness. Gratefulness. What are you thankful for?
Challenges.
Being challenged in my faith during this period of waiting.
Friends.
Close friends I can talk to and confide in.
Heath.
Not presently being sick, no having any other physical aliments.
A job.
A job with flexible hours, fringe benefits, and health/dental/eye insurance.
A place to live.
A place to live that is close to work, Meijers (practically in my back yard!), and Church.
Food.
A fridge and cupboards stocked with food.
Water.
Clean, running, drinkable water.
Cloths.
Clean cloths and access to a washer and dryer.
Family.
Family who loves me and is looking out for what's best for me.
Laughter
Friends to laugh with and share jokes with (hurray for inside jokes!).
Modesty.
Women who know the temptations men face and dress modestly to prevent that temptation.
Church.
A place of fellowship, encouragement, worship and nourishment in the word.
Sunsets.
Declaring the beauty of God's creation, and marking the end of a day filled with God's blessings.
Prayer.
People who pray for me, and the ability to come into the presence of a holy God and offer up my praises, and requests.
Justification.
That Jesus Christ, the son of God, would die on a cross in payment for my sins, and by whose blood I am cleansed of all unrighteousness, allowing me to stand holy and blameless in the presence of almighty God.
God's love.
That crazy, unending, unconditional, unwavering, always-ever-present love in spite of all my sin and rebellion.
That love that lifts me up when I am weak.
That love which is the only true source of joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment in life.
Thanksgiving. Gratitude. Thankfulness. Gratefulness. What are you thankful for?
Friday, November 11, 2011
Marriage
"Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday..." - The Princess Bride
Marriage. True love. We see it portrayed countless times in many Hollywood and Disney movies. Man meets woman. They fall in love. Then tragedy befalls them. But against all odds, love triumphs and the two become married and live happily ever after. The end. Marriage and love becomes like a fairy tail, and we wish and hope it will turn out that way. We long to fall in love. We long to find that special someone that we will spend the rest of our lives with. We long for that prince charming or Cinderella to come into our lives, whisk us off our feet, and take us to a place where the love never ends. But it all seems like a fairy tail meant for the movies. Our relationships with the opposite sex crash and burn. We face breakups and heartaches. Just when we think we have got something good, it falls apart. It all seems too good to be true. And yet, we put ourselves through the same situations time and time again, thinking we will find happiness, joy, and satisfaction in another relationship. Well, that's what the media says anyways. The media says we need to find that special someone, get married, buy a house, and have children in order to be happy. The media says we need to dress, talk, and act a certain way in order to attract that special someone. The media says we need to follow the latest trends, wear the right cloths, be slim and fit in order to be desirable. The media says allot.
But what does God say? In the midst of all the voices, pulling us each and every way, God is still speaking. Ever so genteelly. Saying that there is more to life than this. Saying that we don't have to fit a certain mold. Saying that He accepts us for who we are. God has something far greater to offer us. Something far greater than any fairy tail marriage can offer. Something far greater than anything the world offers. He offers us His love. Not just any kind of love. Unconditional love. Love with no strings attached. Love that never ends. Love that doesn't run out. Love that overcomes all barriers. Love in spite of all we have done. Love in spite of all our rebellion and sin. Love in spite of all the times we push God away, saying that we have found something better to fill our lives with. Love made possible through the death of His son on the cross. "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 4:10. This is true love. This is real love. True love, true joy, true satisfaction in this life can only be found in God. Until we are satisfied in the Lord alone; until we are content with being loved by God alone; until we give ourselves fully to God alone; we won't be able to experience real love with another. We won't be able to show unconditional love to another. We won't have full satisfaction and fulfillment in life.
Marriage. True love. Good things come to those who wait. Good things come to those who wait on God. Good things come to those whose source of love, joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment in life come from God.
"I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD."
- Psalm 27:13-24
Marriage. True love. We see it portrayed countless times in many Hollywood and Disney movies. Man meets woman. They fall in love. Then tragedy befalls them. But against all odds, love triumphs and the two become married and live happily ever after. The end. Marriage and love becomes like a fairy tail, and we wish and hope it will turn out that way. We long to fall in love. We long to find that special someone that we will spend the rest of our lives with. We long for that prince charming or Cinderella to come into our lives, whisk us off our feet, and take us to a place where the love never ends. But it all seems like a fairy tail meant for the movies. Our relationships with the opposite sex crash and burn. We face breakups and heartaches. Just when we think we have got something good, it falls apart. It all seems too good to be true. And yet, we put ourselves through the same situations time and time again, thinking we will find happiness, joy, and satisfaction in another relationship. Well, that's what the media says anyways. The media says we need to find that special someone, get married, buy a house, and have children in order to be happy. The media says we need to dress, talk, and act a certain way in order to attract that special someone. The media says we need to follow the latest trends, wear the right cloths, be slim and fit in order to be desirable. The media says allot.
But what does God say? In the midst of all the voices, pulling us each and every way, God is still speaking. Ever so genteelly. Saying that there is more to life than this. Saying that we don't have to fit a certain mold. Saying that He accepts us for who we are. God has something far greater to offer us. Something far greater than any fairy tail marriage can offer. Something far greater than anything the world offers. He offers us His love. Not just any kind of love. Unconditional love. Love with no strings attached. Love that never ends. Love that doesn't run out. Love that overcomes all barriers. Love in spite of all we have done. Love in spite of all our rebellion and sin. Love in spite of all the times we push God away, saying that we have found something better to fill our lives with. Love made possible through the death of His son on the cross. "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 4:10. This is true love. This is real love. True love, true joy, true satisfaction in this life can only be found in God. Until we are satisfied in the Lord alone; until we are content with being loved by God alone; until we give ourselves fully to God alone; we won't be able to experience real love with another. We won't be able to show unconditional love to another. We won't have full satisfaction and fulfillment in life.
Marriage. True love. Good things come to those who wait. Good things come to those who wait on God. Good things come to those whose source of love, joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment in life come from God.
"I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD."
- Psalm 27:13-24
Friday, November 4, 2011
Exiled
Exiled. It's been 70 years. This is the year that God promised through Jeremiah's letter that the people would be set free. Set free from this captivity in Babylon. Will God remember? Will He follow through? Will He keep He keep His promises?
Exiled. "The Persians are coming!" Comes the call. There is much excitement from the Israelites. Could this be it? Will they set us free from this bondage? Is this the fulfillment of God's promises? Some are cynical and scoff, "They haven't come to set us free. They will only put us under more bondage. Things won't change. This is our life now." But others are moved. Their eyes are alight with joy. Their hearts are stirred. They know they are going home.
Exiled. King Cyrus, King of the Persians, is coming. The one whom Isaiah calls "anointed". His army marches into the heart of Babylon without contention. His rule and reign over Babylon secure. The proclamation is made:
"The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem."
Exiled. Much excitement sirs amongst the people. People frantically scurrying about to gather their belongs. They are headed home. The cynical mock and scoff, "It's too dangerous! There is nothing to return to! Have you forgotten how Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the temple? The way is too hard. You won't make it. Stay here. Our home is here now." But they are moved. Their eyes are alight with joy. Their hearts are stirred. They know they are going home.
Exiled. The journey is hard. The road is long. Some loose heart and turn back. The others stay strong and press on. Their eyes are lifted to the hills. Their help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.
Exiled. Home. Home at last. Their is much work to be done. Much to repair. The work is toilsome. The enemies great. But still they stand their ground. Their hearts are not moved. They are not shaken.
Exiled. Although they are home, they are not really home. They are still pilgrims in the land. Pilgrims on their way to an eternal home. They are still exiled. Waiting to be called home. Waiting for the return of Christ.
We are the exiled.
Exiled. "The Persians are coming!" Comes the call. There is much excitement from the Israelites. Could this be it? Will they set us free from this bondage? Is this the fulfillment of God's promises? Some are cynical and scoff, "They haven't come to set us free. They will only put us under more bondage. Things won't change. This is our life now." But others are moved. Their eyes are alight with joy. Their hearts are stirred. They know they are going home.
Exiled. King Cyrus, King of the Persians, is coming. The one whom Isaiah calls "anointed". His army marches into the heart of Babylon without contention. His rule and reign over Babylon secure. The proclamation is made:
"The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem."
Exiled. Much excitement sirs amongst the people. People frantically scurrying about to gather their belongs. They are headed home. The cynical mock and scoff, "It's too dangerous! There is nothing to return to! Have you forgotten how Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the temple? The way is too hard. You won't make it. Stay here. Our home is here now." But they are moved. Their eyes are alight with joy. Their hearts are stirred. They know they are going home.
Exiled. The journey is hard. The road is long. Some loose heart and turn back. The others stay strong and press on. Their eyes are lifted to the hills. Their help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.
Exiled. Home. Home at last. Their is much work to be done. Much to repair. The work is toilsome. The enemies great. But still they stand their ground. Their hearts are not moved. They are not shaken.
Exiled. Although they are home, they are not really home. They are still pilgrims in the land. Pilgrims on their way to an eternal home. They are still exiled. Waiting to be called home. Waiting for the return of Christ.
We are the exiled.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
I will worship while I'm waiting
Waiting. Patience. Perseverance. Waiting. Waiting is not easy. Especially in today's society, where we have instant access to everything. It's all at the mere touch of a finger. Many people today have smart phones that give them instant access to anything on the internet instantly. We don't want to wait. We don't want to wait for our food, so we go to fast food places. We drive over the speed limit because we want to get places faster, and we get upset when we hit all the red lights and how long they make us wait. We want to see instant results, and if we can't see the results right away, something must not be working properly. We are always on the rush. Always on the go. We want things when we want them, and we don't want to wait. As the course to a famous song by Queen goes: "I want it all and I want it now".
This attitude, unfortunately, as permeated our spiritual lives. We expect God to act like our smart phones and give us the information we need when we want it, the way we want it. We pray to God, asking Him to bring healing to the sick loved ones in our lives. We ask Him to take the pain that we are experiencing away. We ask Him to provide for us a job so we can pay the bills. We ask Him for a new car when ours breaks down. We ask Him to bring that special someone into our lives whom we can love and cherish, and one day marry. We ask Him to show us the path He wants us to take for our lives. But when He doesn't answer our prayers; when our loved ones don't get better; when the pain doesn't go away; when we don't get the things we ask for; we get upset at God, thinking He doesn't care or isn't listening. We expect a timely response from God, but often times that isn't the case. Bottom line is: we don't want to wait.
Waiting. Waiting on God requires trust. Waiting on God requires faith. If we don't trust that God has the best in mind for us, it makes it very hard to wait on Him. But He does have the best in mind for us. Jeremiah 29:11 says this: "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" This was written as a part of a letter penned to the exiles from Judah who were dragged off into captivity by the Babylonians. They had been separated from God and put into exile because of their continuous rebellion and disobedience to God. So at this point they feel the weight of their guilt and the pain of being far from home. But it's in the midst of this storm that God brings them a message of hope: "I have a plan for you". And not just any plan, but "plans to prosper you". God says in the previous verse that "When seventy years are complete for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place (Jerusalem)." God wasn't just going to leave them in captivity, He was going to bring them back home. But in the mean time, they would have to wait.
God has a plan for us all. A great and glorious plan. He can do "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20). His plan involved sending His son, so that through his life, death, and resurrection, we "may have life and live it to the full" (John 10:10). He can see this wonderful plan that He has for us and is calling us to wait on Him. To wait on Him, and allow Him to reveal it to us in His time. Does this mean that we sit around twiddling our thumbs while we wait on God? Certainly not! While they were in exile, God called the Israelites to "build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper" (Jeremiah 29:5-7). They weren't just going to sit around until God brought them back. So we too are called worship and serve the Lord while we wait. To continue to give thanks and praise to God for what He has done for us. To continue to serve the Lord where He has placed us.
Waiting. It's not easy, but it will sure be worth it in the end.
~~~While I'm Waiting~~~
John Waller
I'm waiting, I'm waiting on You Lord
And I am hopeful, I'm waiting on You Lord
Though it is painful, but patiently I will wait
And I will move ahead bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting I will serve You
While I'm waiting I will worship
While I'm waiting I will not faint
I'll be running the race even while I wait
I'm waiting, I'm waiting on You Lord
And I am peaceful, I'm waiting on You Lord
Though it's not easy no, but faithfully I will wait
Yes, I will wait
And I will move ahead bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting I will serve You
While I'm waiting I will worship
While I'm waiting I will not faint
I'll be running the race even while I wait
I will move ahead bold and confident
I'll be taking every step in obedience, yeah
While I'm waiting I will serve You
While I'm waiting I will worship
While I'm waiting I will not faint
And I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You Lord
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
This attitude, unfortunately, as permeated our spiritual lives. We expect God to act like our smart phones and give us the information we need when we want it, the way we want it. We pray to God, asking Him to bring healing to the sick loved ones in our lives. We ask Him to take the pain that we are experiencing away. We ask Him to provide for us a job so we can pay the bills. We ask Him for a new car when ours breaks down. We ask Him to bring that special someone into our lives whom we can love and cherish, and one day marry. We ask Him to show us the path He wants us to take for our lives. But when He doesn't answer our prayers; when our loved ones don't get better; when the pain doesn't go away; when we don't get the things we ask for; we get upset at God, thinking He doesn't care or isn't listening. We expect a timely response from God, but often times that isn't the case. Bottom line is: we don't want to wait.
Waiting. Waiting on God requires trust. Waiting on God requires faith. If we don't trust that God has the best in mind for us, it makes it very hard to wait on Him. But He does have the best in mind for us. Jeremiah 29:11 says this: "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" This was written as a part of a letter penned to the exiles from Judah who were dragged off into captivity by the Babylonians. They had been separated from God and put into exile because of their continuous rebellion and disobedience to God. So at this point they feel the weight of their guilt and the pain of being far from home. But it's in the midst of this storm that God brings them a message of hope: "I have a plan for you". And not just any plan, but "plans to prosper you". God says in the previous verse that "When seventy years are complete for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place (Jerusalem)." God wasn't just going to leave them in captivity, He was going to bring them back home. But in the mean time, they would have to wait.
God has a plan for us all. A great and glorious plan. He can do "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20). His plan involved sending His son, so that through his life, death, and resurrection, we "may have life and live it to the full" (John 10:10). He can see this wonderful plan that He has for us and is calling us to wait on Him. To wait on Him, and allow Him to reveal it to us in His time. Does this mean that we sit around twiddling our thumbs while we wait on God? Certainly not! While they were in exile, God called the Israelites to "build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper" (Jeremiah 29:5-7). They weren't just going to sit around until God brought them back. So we too are called worship and serve the Lord while we wait. To continue to give thanks and praise to God for what He has done for us. To continue to serve the Lord where He has placed us.
Waiting. It's not easy, but it will sure be worth it in the end.
~~~While I'm Waiting~~~
John Waller
I'm waiting, I'm waiting on You Lord
And I am hopeful, I'm waiting on You Lord
Though it is painful, but patiently I will wait
And I will move ahead bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting I will serve You
While I'm waiting I will worship
While I'm waiting I will not faint
I'll be running the race even while I wait
I'm waiting, I'm waiting on You Lord
And I am peaceful, I'm waiting on You Lord
Though it's not easy no, but faithfully I will wait
Yes, I will wait
And I will move ahead bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting I will serve You
While I'm waiting I will worship
While I'm waiting I will not faint
I'll be running the race even while I wait
I will move ahead bold and confident
I'll be taking every step in obedience, yeah
While I'm waiting I will serve You
While I'm waiting I will worship
While I'm waiting I will not faint
And I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You Lord
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
Friday, October 28, 2011
Praise you in this storm
Storms. The wind, the rain, the lightning. Frightening in power, awesome in beauty. Storms can destroy. They cause floods, uproot trees, down power lines. Storms can build up. Often grass will be greener after a lightning storm. Deserts spring to life and are filled with beauty.
Storms. We all face them in life. We experience the pain, hardship, and trials that they bring. Sometimes the storms are short; other times they last years. Sometimes we question God and ask why we are going through this. Why would God cause this or that to happen in our lives. We are frightened by the storm, but forget the beauty in the storm. God is calling us in our storms to reach out and take His hand. To trust fully in Him. To trust that all things will work out to our good. Good not as we see it, but as God sees it. To have faith and believe that God can do immeasurably more than we can ask or ever imagine. To trust that after the storm, the grass will be greener. The arid dry land turned into a beautiful oasis.
~~~ Praise you in this storm~~~
Casting Crowns
I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
[Chorus:]
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You
But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
[Chorus]
I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth
[Chorus x2]
Storms. We all face them in life. We experience the pain, hardship, and trials that they bring. Sometimes the storms are short; other times they last years. Sometimes we question God and ask why we are going through this. Why would God cause this or that to happen in our lives. We are frightened by the storm, but forget the beauty in the storm. God is calling us in our storms to reach out and take His hand. To trust fully in Him. To trust that all things will work out to our good. Good not as we see it, but as God sees it. To have faith and believe that God can do immeasurably more than we can ask or ever imagine. To trust that after the storm, the grass will be greener. The arid dry land turned into a beautiful oasis.
~~~ Praise you in this storm~~~
Casting Crowns
I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
[Chorus:]
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You
But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
[Chorus]
I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth
[Chorus x2]
Monday, October 24, 2011
The fireplace and the spirit
Imagine a room with a fireplace. The only source of light in this room is the fireplace; and when the fireplace is not lit, the room is in total darkness. But when the fireplace is lit, the darkness is dispelled; and as the flames get bigger, the light from the fire gets stronger. And as the light gets stronger and brighter, the darkness becomes less and less until it is all but eliminated completely. But as the fire slowly dies, the darkness slowly encroaches on the fireplace, and the shroud of darkness thickens in the room. The only way to suppress the darkness is to re-kindle the flames and to feed the fire in the fireplace.
The room represents you, your body and soul; and the fireplace represents the spirit. Before we come to know Christ; before we accept him into our lives; before we acknowledge him as our personal Savior and Lord; the fireplace is not lit. The spirit is dead. We are consumed with darkness, and are enslaved to sin and our sinful nature.
But when we come to know Christ; when we accept him into our hearts and lives; when we acknowledge him as the Lord and Savior of our lives; the fireplace is lit and the spirit comes to life. We are born again. We are a new creation. The old has gone, and the new has come! We are free from the shackles of slavery to sin. We are free! The son has set us free and we are free indeed!
And as the spirit grows within us, as the fire become bigger, and as the light becomes stronger, the power of sin in our lives grows weaker. As we feed the spirit in our lives, as we fix our eyes on Jesus, as we seek to live for him, the flesh becomes weaker. It becomes starved, and slowly dies away until it is all but gone.
But if we stop feeding the spirit; if our eyes wander away from Jesus; if we seek satisfaction and joy and love in the things of the world; the fire slowly begins to die. And as the light from the flames weaken, darkness begins to fill the room. The sinful nature grows stronger and more powerful in our lives. It drags us down; shackling and binding us. The things we were once free from we are now enslaved to once again.
We cannot simply fight the darkness. We cannot hope to overcome our sinful nature by trying to suppress the sinful nature by our own means. We cannot remove our chains and shackles by our own power. I used to think this way. I used to think that I could conquer my sin on my own. I used to think that if I would just do this or that, I could overcome by sinful nature and the desires of my flesh. But I can't. I've tied that numerous times and have failed over and over again. I have discovered that the only way I can suppress the darkness; the only way I can overcome my flesh; the only way I can eliminate the sinful nature is to feed the spirit. To feed the flames. To feed the spirit. To turn my focus back to Jesus. To seek to live for him. To seek to give him each and every area of my life. And as my focus returns to Jesus; fixing my gaze on his loving face, and walking towards him on the water, the flame in my heart re-ignites. The chains become loose and fall to the floor. The darkness shrinks away. The fire blazes and brings warmth to the body and soul.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace.
~~~Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus~~~
Words and music by: Helen H. Lemmel
The room represents you, your body and soul; and the fireplace represents the spirit. Before we come to know Christ; before we accept him into our lives; before we acknowledge him as our personal Savior and Lord; the fireplace is not lit. The spirit is dead. We are consumed with darkness, and are enslaved to sin and our sinful nature.
But when we come to know Christ; when we accept him into our hearts and lives; when we acknowledge him as the Lord and Savior of our lives; the fireplace is lit and the spirit comes to life. We are born again. We are a new creation. The old has gone, and the new has come! We are free from the shackles of slavery to sin. We are free! The son has set us free and we are free indeed!
And as the spirit grows within us, as the fire become bigger, and as the light becomes stronger, the power of sin in our lives grows weaker. As we feed the spirit in our lives, as we fix our eyes on Jesus, as we seek to live for him, the flesh becomes weaker. It becomes starved, and slowly dies away until it is all but gone.
But if we stop feeding the spirit; if our eyes wander away from Jesus; if we seek satisfaction and joy and love in the things of the world; the fire slowly begins to die. And as the light from the flames weaken, darkness begins to fill the room. The sinful nature grows stronger and more powerful in our lives. It drags us down; shackling and binding us. The things we were once free from we are now enslaved to once again.
We cannot simply fight the darkness. We cannot hope to overcome our sinful nature by trying to suppress the sinful nature by our own means. We cannot remove our chains and shackles by our own power. I used to think this way. I used to think that I could conquer my sin on my own. I used to think that if I would just do this or that, I could overcome by sinful nature and the desires of my flesh. But I can't. I've tied that numerous times and have failed over and over again. I have discovered that the only way I can suppress the darkness; the only way I can overcome my flesh; the only way I can eliminate the sinful nature is to feed the spirit. To feed the flames. To feed the spirit. To turn my focus back to Jesus. To seek to live for him. To seek to give him each and every area of my life. And as my focus returns to Jesus; fixing my gaze on his loving face, and walking towards him on the water, the flame in my heart re-ignites. The chains become loose and fall to the floor. The darkness shrinks away. The fire blazes and brings warmth to the body and soul.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace.
~~~Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus~~~
Words and music by: Helen H. Lemmel
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!
Refrain
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!
Refrain
His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!
Refrain
Friday, October 21, 2011
The burden is light
"'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.'" Matthew 11:28-30
"My yoke is easy and my burden is light"... What amazing words! Yes, living life for Christ can be hard, but it's not meant to be a burden. What does that mean? One of the things I have been learning recently is what is my purpose in life. I used to think that my purpose was to ensure that I was doing the right things. That I was reaching out to people and talking about Christ. If I wasn't doing that, then I felt I was doing something wrong. I felt that unless I saw someone come to Christ as the result of my actions or my words at some point in my life, then I was doing something wrong. I felt like I needed to be doing more, like I wasn't doing enough. I felt like it was all about me and the responsibility of bringing someone to Christ fell on my shoulders. I was carrying a burden. A burden I didn't need to carry. My head knew that my righteous acts were as filthy rags in God's eyes, and I could do nothing without Christ, but my heart didn't get it. My purpose in life is not to make sure I'm doing the right things, it's simply to let God work through me. God is the one who changes the hearts and lives of people. God is the one who judges. God is the one who judges man, weighs their motives, knows their hearts. I can't change people. I can't change how people think. I can't change what people believe. I can't change a person's heart. That's what God does. But I can let Him use me. I can let Him speak through me. I can let Him shine His light through me. I can let Him work through me. Knowing that brings so much freedom! The burden has been lifted! I am free to simply live for Christ! Hallelujah!
Lord, I thank you that it's not about me. It's all about you. You are the one who changes the hearts and lives of man. You are the one who causes the seed to grow. You are the one who works through me to impact the lives of the people you have placed around me. You are the one. It's all about you. Thank you God for choosing to use me. You chose to use me even though I am naught but a wretch. You chose to use me despite all my failures and short comings. You chose me even though I would not have chosen you. Thank you Lord. All praise and thanks belong to you. Hallelujah! Amen.
"My yoke is easy and my burden is light"... What amazing words! Yes, living life for Christ can be hard, but it's not meant to be a burden. What does that mean? One of the things I have been learning recently is what is my purpose in life. I used to think that my purpose was to ensure that I was doing the right things. That I was reaching out to people and talking about Christ. If I wasn't doing that, then I felt I was doing something wrong. I felt that unless I saw someone come to Christ as the result of my actions or my words at some point in my life, then I was doing something wrong. I felt like I needed to be doing more, like I wasn't doing enough. I felt like it was all about me and the responsibility of bringing someone to Christ fell on my shoulders. I was carrying a burden. A burden I didn't need to carry. My head knew that my righteous acts were as filthy rags in God's eyes, and I could do nothing without Christ, but my heart didn't get it. My purpose in life is not to make sure I'm doing the right things, it's simply to let God work through me. God is the one who changes the hearts and lives of people. God is the one who judges. God is the one who judges man, weighs their motives, knows their hearts. I can't change people. I can't change how people think. I can't change what people believe. I can't change a person's heart. That's what God does. But I can let Him use me. I can let Him speak through me. I can let Him shine His light through me. I can let Him work through me. Knowing that brings so much freedom! The burden has been lifted! I am free to simply live for Christ! Hallelujah!
Lord, I thank you that it's not about me. It's all about you. You are the one who changes the hearts and lives of man. You are the one who causes the seed to grow. You are the one who works through me to impact the lives of the people you have placed around me. You are the one. It's all about you. Thank you God for choosing to use me. You chose to use me even though I am naught but a wretch. You chose to use me despite all my failures and short comings. You chose me even though I would not have chosen you. Thank you Lord. All praise and thanks belong to you. Hallelujah! Amen.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Feed the fire
Feed the fire. Lord be my one desire. Fan the flame, in my heart. Light the spark. Lead me on through the dark, and feed the fire in my heart.
One of the things that I have been learning about allot lately is the importance of feeding the fire, the holy spirit. Doing so serves two very important purposes. The first being that it kills the flesh, a.k.a. the sinful nature. So often have I tried to do battle against my flesh and have failed. I know the scriptures and what they say, but that doesn't seem to be enough. I know in my mind what I need to do, and can talk all about it, but I still fall flat on my face time and time again. I even try to fill my mind with other things to avoid thinking and doing things to please the flesh, but it just doesn't work. I even ask God for strength to fight the flesh, but that doesn't work.
So how can I kill this thing called the flesh? Simple: by feeding the spirit. When I feed the spirit, the flesh is not being fed. So has the spirit grows stronger, the flesh becomes weaker and weaker until it all but goes away.
How do I go about feeding the spirit? Simple: pray. In prayer, the attention and focus shifts to God and away from the self. In prayer, the promises presented in the scriptures are recognized. In prayer, it becomes clear that I cannot do this thing called life on my own, and I am in desperate need of God's grace, mercy, love, guidance, and spirit. In prayer, I recognize my sin for what it is; humbly acknowledging that I cannot repay the sin debt I owe him; humbly acknowledging my need for forgiveness; humbly accepting that my sin has been forgiven and forgotten; and humbly accepting that forgiveness is not something I deserve, but that it is because of God's infinite grace, mercy, and love. Another great way to feed the spirit is to meditate on scripture. Scripture is the living word from the living God. It is the truth. If we want to know how the spirit works, then we need to be in scripture. If we want to know the promises God has for us, we need to be in scripture. If we want to know the truth about who God really is, we need to be in scripture. If we want to grow in the spirit, we need to be in scripture.
Feeding the fire, the holy spirit, serves another very important purpose. It gives us the power to carry out God's will for our lives. One of the things I really struggled with was the uncertainly of knowing whether or not I was doing something with the right motives. I would see what would appear to be an opportunity to reach out to someone for Christ, and sometimes I would act on it, but I never knew if that was just me doing it because it was something I had to do because that's what the bible says to do, or if it was done out of a real love for the person. The truth is, how can I really show love to that person if the father, son, and holy spirit are not present in my life? "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23. One cannot cultivate these fruits by oneself. These fruits only come as a result of the holy spirit at work in one's life. So if I am growing in the spirit, and the spirit is present in my life, then I will bear these fruits. These things will come naturally. I won't do good things because I have to, but because I will naturally want to.
Galatians 5:16-26:
"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
Feed the fire. Lord be my one desire. Fan the flame, in my heart. Light the spark. Lead me on through the dark, and feed the fire in my heart.
One of the things that I have been learning about allot lately is the importance of feeding the fire, the holy spirit. Doing so serves two very important purposes. The first being that it kills the flesh, a.k.a. the sinful nature. So often have I tried to do battle against my flesh and have failed. I know the scriptures and what they say, but that doesn't seem to be enough. I know in my mind what I need to do, and can talk all about it, but I still fall flat on my face time and time again. I even try to fill my mind with other things to avoid thinking and doing things to please the flesh, but it just doesn't work. I even ask God for strength to fight the flesh, but that doesn't work.
So how can I kill this thing called the flesh? Simple: by feeding the spirit. When I feed the spirit, the flesh is not being fed. So has the spirit grows stronger, the flesh becomes weaker and weaker until it all but goes away.
How do I go about feeding the spirit? Simple: pray. In prayer, the attention and focus shifts to God and away from the self. In prayer, the promises presented in the scriptures are recognized. In prayer, it becomes clear that I cannot do this thing called life on my own, and I am in desperate need of God's grace, mercy, love, guidance, and spirit. In prayer, I recognize my sin for what it is; humbly acknowledging that I cannot repay the sin debt I owe him; humbly acknowledging my need for forgiveness; humbly accepting that my sin has been forgiven and forgotten; and humbly accepting that forgiveness is not something I deserve, but that it is because of God's infinite grace, mercy, and love. Another great way to feed the spirit is to meditate on scripture. Scripture is the living word from the living God. It is the truth. If we want to know how the spirit works, then we need to be in scripture. If we want to know the promises God has for us, we need to be in scripture. If we want to know the truth about who God really is, we need to be in scripture. If we want to grow in the spirit, we need to be in scripture.
Feeding the fire, the holy spirit, serves another very important purpose. It gives us the power to carry out God's will for our lives. One of the things I really struggled with was the uncertainly of knowing whether or not I was doing something with the right motives. I would see what would appear to be an opportunity to reach out to someone for Christ, and sometimes I would act on it, but I never knew if that was just me doing it because it was something I had to do because that's what the bible says to do, or if it was done out of a real love for the person. The truth is, how can I really show love to that person if the father, son, and holy spirit are not present in my life? "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23. One cannot cultivate these fruits by oneself. These fruits only come as a result of the holy spirit at work in one's life. So if I am growing in the spirit, and the spirit is present in my life, then I will bear these fruits. These things will come naturally. I won't do good things because I have to, but because I will naturally want to.
Galatians 5:16-26:
"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
Feed the fire. Lord be my one desire. Fan the flame, in my heart. Light the spark. Lead me on through the dark, and feed the fire in my heart.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
A kiss without any shame
A kiss without any shame. Something I've never experienced in previous relationships. It almost always seemed forbidden. Something that I shouldn't do. Something that would lead me to wanting to do more. I would feel the urge to kiss, but it felt wrong. It felt wrong and I felt really ashamed of the feelings. But other times I gave into the feelings. I pushed aside the shame and lost myself in those moments. I let myself get carried away. I let myself loose control. And when kissing wasn't enough, I would want more. I wasn't satisfied. So I did more. And when that wasn't enough, I would want even more. I wasn't satisfied, so I did even more. And the vicious cycle repeated itself until I realized I had gone to far and needed to stop.
A kiss without any shame. Something I've been beginning to experience that I didn't think was possible. And what an amazing experience! A kiss not based on emotions; a kiss not based on erotic passion; a kiss not based on a cheep, fake, imitation of love; but a kiss with substance. A kiss as an expression of real love. A kiss expressed with kindness and gentleness. A kiss with careful consideration and respect for the others boundaries. A kiss where I am not loosing myself in the moment, and losing control. Make no mistake, kissing can and is certainly grounds where the devil has ample opportunity to strike and cause great temptation. When I am alert and focused on God, even when kissing, I am prepared and ready for Satan's attack. And when it does come, by God's grace and through the power of the holy spirit, I can and have overcome those attacks. Thank you Lord, for your grace! Thank you Lord, for your holy spirit! Thank you Lord, for this beautiful experience! Thank you Lord, for this amazing, wonderful, inspiring, encouraging, challenging, wise, beautiful woman that you have placed in my life! Thank you Lord!
A kiss without any shame. Something Beautiful.
~~~Newsboys - Something Beautiful~~~
I wanna start it over
I wanna start again
I want a new a new beginning
One without any end
I feel it inside
Calling out to me
CHORUS
It's a voice that whispers my name
It's a kiss without any shame
Something beautiful
Like a song that stirs in my head
Singing love will take us where
Something's beautiful
I've heard it in the silence
Seen it on a face
I've felt it in a long hour
Like a sweet embrace
I know this is true
It's calling out to me
CHORUS
It's a voice that whispers my name
It's a kiss without any shame
Something beautiful
Like a song that stirs in my head
Singing love will take us where
Something's beautiful
It's the child on her wedding day
It's the daddy that gives her away--Father
Something beautiful
When we laugh so hard we cry
It's the love between you and I
Something beautiful
A kiss without any shame. Something I've been beginning to experience that I didn't think was possible. And what an amazing experience! A kiss not based on emotions; a kiss not based on erotic passion; a kiss not based on a cheep, fake, imitation of love; but a kiss with substance. A kiss as an expression of real love. A kiss expressed with kindness and gentleness. A kiss with careful consideration and respect for the others boundaries. A kiss where I am not loosing myself in the moment, and losing control. Make no mistake, kissing can and is certainly grounds where the devil has ample opportunity to strike and cause great temptation. When I am alert and focused on God, even when kissing, I am prepared and ready for Satan's attack. And when it does come, by God's grace and through the power of the holy spirit, I can and have overcome those attacks. Thank you Lord, for your grace! Thank you Lord, for your holy spirit! Thank you Lord, for this beautiful experience! Thank you Lord, for this amazing, wonderful, inspiring, encouraging, challenging, wise, beautiful woman that you have placed in my life! Thank you Lord!
A kiss without any shame. Something Beautiful.
~~~Newsboys - Something Beautiful~~~
I wanna start it over
I wanna start again
I want a new a new beginning
One without any end
I feel it inside
Calling out to me
CHORUS
It's a voice that whispers my name
It's a kiss without any shame
Something beautiful
Like a song that stirs in my head
Singing love will take us where
Something's beautiful
I've heard it in the silence
Seen it on a face
I've felt it in a long hour
Like a sweet embrace
I know this is true
It's calling out to me
CHORUS
It's a voice that whispers my name
It's a kiss without any shame
Something beautiful
Like a song that stirs in my head
Singing love will take us where
Something's beautiful
It's the child on her wedding day
It's the daddy that gives her away--Father
Something beautiful
When we laugh so hard we cry
It's the love between you and I
Something beautiful
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
The Apple Tree
Three kinds of apple trees: a dead tree, which bears no fruit; a bad tree, which bears bad fruit; and a good tree, which bears good fruit. A dead tree is just that. Dead. It is chopped down and thrown into the fire. A bad tree is a tree that only bears bad fruit. It cannot bear good fruit. A good tree is the opposite. It only bears good fruit. So an apple tree is determined by it's fruit.
What kind of apple tree are you? A dead tree is one who claims to be a Christian but their faith doesn't spur them to action. They are the ones who stay in their "Christian bubble" hanging out with their "Christian" friends but never reach out to those who are lost. This might be because they are afraid. They have some fear that is holding them back. Or perhaps they are comfortable. They are comfortable with where they are in life and just don't want to change. Or perhaps they are too busy. To busy and wrapped in everything that they are doing and just don't have time. Or whatever it may be. But if that is you, if that is me, then we are dead. We are dead trees and we are not bearing any fruit. And we are certainly in trouble. If we remain in this state, on judgment day, we will be cut down and cast into the fire. John 15:5-6 "I am the vine; you are the branches... If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned."
What kind of apple tree are you? A bad tree is one who claims to be a Christian and does "good" deeds, but these deeds are not done out of faith. These deeds are done out of impure motives. These deeds are done by those who want to be noticed by others. Those who want to receive praise from others for what they have done. These deeds are done by those who want to feel good about themselves. Those who want to consider themselves to be a good person because of the things they are doing. These deeds are done by those who feel it it something they have to do. Those who feel it is a list of do's and don'ts and have to do it because it's in the bible or so and so told them to do it. Whatever the case may be. But we are missing the point. We cannot please God without faith. God knows our hearts and motives. We cannot fool him. If this is you, if this is me, then we are also in trouble. For even the bad trees are cast into the fire on the day of judgment. Matthew 7:19 "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
What kind of apple tree are you? A good tree is one who is truly a Christian. One who truly understands that they can do nothing good on their own. One who truly understands that their own righteous acts are like filthy rags before God and cannot please him. One who truly understands that it is all about surrendering their life to Christ and allowing him to work through them. Those who know what it means to live life to the full. Those who truly know Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord. Those who know the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. These are the good trees that bear good fruit. These are the good and faithful servants. These are the ones who will inherit eternal life. Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Matthew 16:24-25 "Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." Acts 20:24 "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace."
Thee kinds of apple trees. What kind are you?
What kind of apple tree are you? A dead tree is one who claims to be a Christian but their faith doesn't spur them to action. They are the ones who stay in their "Christian bubble" hanging out with their "Christian" friends but never reach out to those who are lost. This might be because they are afraid. They have some fear that is holding them back. Or perhaps they are comfortable. They are comfortable with where they are in life and just don't want to change. Or perhaps they are too busy. To busy and wrapped in everything that they are doing and just don't have time. Or whatever it may be. But if that is you, if that is me, then we are dead. We are dead trees and we are not bearing any fruit. And we are certainly in trouble. If we remain in this state, on judgment day, we will be cut down and cast into the fire. John 15:5-6 "I am the vine; you are the branches... If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned."
What kind of apple tree are you? A bad tree is one who claims to be a Christian and does "good" deeds, but these deeds are not done out of faith. These deeds are done out of impure motives. These deeds are done by those who want to be noticed by others. Those who want to receive praise from others for what they have done. These deeds are done by those who want to feel good about themselves. Those who want to consider themselves to be a good person because of the things they are doing. These deeds are done by those who feel it it something they have to do. Those who feel it is a list of do's and don'ts and have to do it because it's in the bible or so and so told them to do it. Whatever the case may be. But we are missing the point. We cannot please God without faith. God knows our hearts and motives. We cannot fool him. If this is you, if this is me, then we are also in trouble. For even the bad trees are cast into the fire on the day of judgment. Matthew 7:19 "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
What kind of apple tree are you? A good tree is one who is truly a Christian. One who truly understands that they can do nothing good on their own. One who truly understands that their own righteous acts are like filthy rags before God and cannot please him. One who truly understands that it is all about surrendering their life to Christ and allowing him to work through them. Those who know what it means to live life to the full. Those who truly know Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord. Those who know the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. These are the good trees that bear good fruit. These are the good and faithful servants. These are the ones who will inherit eternal life. Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Matthew 16:24-25 "Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." Acts 20:24 "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace."
Thee kinds of apple trees. What kind are you?
Friday, August 19, 2011
Inner Peace
Peace. Quiet. Rest. No worries. No troubles. No hardships. Freedom from stress. Freedom from strife. Freedom from conflicts. Whether we know it or not, peace is perhaps one of the things we long for the most. But perhaps it’s one of the things we lack the most. Our world is filled with strife. It’s filled with war, hate, murder, theft, slander, drama, arguments, spite, death. Families torn apart by divorce, loved ones suffering from cancer, natural disasters causing devastation. We look out into this crazy messed up world and wonder, where is the peace? Not only does the world lack peace, but we also lack inner peace. Our lives are racked with worries, insecurities, and fears. We look for peace but never find it. We look for it in relationships. We look for it in work. We look for it in vacations. We look for it in the bottom of our empty beer mugs. We search high and low but never find it. And in the midst of all of this, we ask, where is God?
Where is God? Where is he in all of this? Where was he when my parents got a divorce? Where was he when my loved one died? Where was he when I lost my job? Where were you God? Where was he?
Where was God? He was right there by your side. He was always there. He was always there, waiting for you to call on him. Waiting for you to recognize your need for him. Waiting for you to recognize that he is the only source of lasting, true peace. Where God is present, there is peace. Where he is not present, there is no peace.
Israel never experienced a greater time of peace then during the reign of Solomon. Why was there such great peace? Because God was present. Solomon built the temple, and God filled the temple with his presence. He was there, present with his people. And there was much peace.
But what happened? Why did God send his people into exile? What caused God to turn his back on his people, his chosen people? Why would God let them face turmoil, suffering, and pain like that? Because God’s people rejected him. They rejected and turned their back on him. In their rebellion, in their sin, they pushed God away. They pushed him away and violated God’s covenant. God did not want to destroy them and for a long time he was patient with them. But they continued to reject him. They continued to push him away, and in the end, God left them. He left them completely; and with the absence of his presence, with the absence of his peace, a flood of turmoil, pain, and suffering came rushing in to take them away into exile.
The same goes for us. When God is present in our hearts and lives, we will have peace. We will have an inner peace that will allow us to stand firm through the trials, tribulations, and storms of this life. This peace won’t necessarily bring freedom from the trials, tribulations, and storms of life, but it will bring freedom from worry, insecurities and fear. But this peace only comes about when we allow God to enter into and mold and shape our hearts and lives. However, when we sin. When we sin and reject God. When we sin, and reject, and push God away, he will remove his presence from our hearts and lives, and we will no longer live at peace. Sin is what separates us from God. Sin puts up a barrier between us and God and keeps us from experiencing the peace and presence of God in our lives. If we are living in sin and want to live in peace (a peace which can only come from God), we must come to God in repentance. We must come to God in repentance; recognizing our sin, and recognizing that our sin has separated us from God’s presence and peace in our lives. We must ask for forgiveness of that sin; recognizing that despite our sin, we are still loved by God, and he has not only forgiven but has forgotten our sin. We must then ask God back into our hearts and lives and ask for his peace that transcends all understanding.
Do you want to live at peace? I know I sure do.
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