Submission has such a negative connotation in our world today. I've never been a fan of it, until I began a true relationship with God. And as many well know, that is where it all starts. In order to even begin to be even a little bit ready for God to come into our lives we experience a point of complete surrender and beg Him to take over our lives. It's really important, not just in our walk with Christ, but in my daily life. I have to submit to having a better attitude, to authority, to my body (like, when its hungry, I have to feed- it sort of thing). But, what I don't have to submit to, is anything or anyone of this world who would ask me to compromise my faith in Christ. I think, for me, that is what makes all other submission more than bearable. That I have a Savior who would never ask of me anything that could not be done, as a matter of fact, He asks of me things which have just the right amount of difficulty, gently pushing/guiding me back towards Him to find the answers. He is good.
1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (James 4:1-3)
I heard this saying on tv the other day, and its been stuck in my head ever since and I'm gonna use it right here because it is a perfect example of what it means... This scripture has always been one of those where Jesus just "blows my spot up." HAH! This means that He is straight up calling me out, and just bustin out all the things I would have thought I was hiding behind my oh-so-sincere prayers that I have given at one point only out of alterior motives. He's the only one who could "blow my spot up" with love and in a way that beckons me to get rid of that kind of spirit.
I love this scripture because it really causes me to look at the world differently. Saying that quarrels and fights only come from "desires that battle within you" (v.1) is rather mindblowing for me. This would mean that none, 0% of the fights and quarrels that we participate and encounter in our lives are solely, if at all, about that other person. No, it is about what you are not getting from that person, or from life that you want at that time. This doesn't go to say that sometimes quarrels need to be had or sometimes the other person is indeed wrong, its not even about that at this point, its about seeing the problem and taking a look into your own desires in life to see where the quarreling has started, so that maybe instead of quarreling, we can bring it to our neighbor in love and "talk" things out.
This is definitely one of those things that I have to submit to ALL the time. I am a very impatient person. Through my relationship with Christ, He is teaching me that not everyone is on my time, and while I am still learning, I still get very frustrated sometimes. But, the frustration isn't rooted in that other person half the time, its rooted in the fact that I am failing to see and understand both sides. I take an extremely long time to get ready a lot of the time, and I HATE to be rushed, so, when I'm rushed, I go and I get angry the next time I'm waiting on someone. It's the dumbest cycle ever. But, its the I'm angry and you made me angry, so now that the tables have turned, its your time to deal with me rushing you and acting dumb, then the next time, you can do the same to me.... WHAT? I don't want to live a life like that. That's the kind of life that causes the kind of sayings like, "An eye for an eye." So, now you have 2 people without and eye. What does that solve? I'm willing to bet both of those people are still angry, only now, with one eye...
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (James 4:8-10)
Isn't it good to serve a God, who never asks too much of us? When I think, I can't do something, I am reminded that HE knows exactly what I can handle, and wouldn't give me an ounce more than that. There is nothing more than I could want or need from this world that HE has put out of my grasp. So, thanks God, for always "blowing my spot up!" ahaha!
So, there has been a change of plans. Its funny how the Devil wanted to take control of this. I will be doing the Ashes to Fire Daily Reflections from Ash Wednesday to Pentecost. He broke my heart tonight (in the best way possible).
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
"He is proud of You"
MORNING PRAYER: Almighty God, I bless you from my heart, O Savior of the World, God of God, Light of Light, you have destroyed the power of the devil, you have overcome death, and you sit at the right hand of the Father. Be today my light and peace and make me a new creature, through Christ my Lord, Amen.
Psalm 102, Ezekiel 34:11-31, Hebrews 8:1-13, Luke 10:38-42
19 “The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high,
from heaven he viewed the earth,
20 to hear the groans of the prisoners
and release those condemned to death.”
-Psalm 102: 19-20
Not too long ago, tonight, me and my mother were in the kitchen cutting up a watermelon and she said, "Ya know, your dad is very proud of you." WHAT? I'm gonna just go ahead and point out that that is by far the sweetest words I have ever heard in my entire life. The sweetest, but most humbling words I will ever hear. But, isn't this what we all truly want to hear? How much greater would it be to hear it from our Master?! I have so much to learn, and the only thing that I am doing is trying, but that opened up some part of my mind that I haven't ever accessed before. It's given me a new kind of drive to try even harder to be the person God wants me to be, because He is showing me that when you live by His commands your life will display just that. I don't think I ever really knew exactly what that statement meant until now... I still don't fully understand it. It is amazing to me how He looks after us! This week, for some reason, I was feeling more down than usual and especially unnoticed. Yet another reason why what my mom said is blowing me away. The God that I serve notices me. In fact, there is never a second or millisecond when He is not thinking of me. There is never a time when He doesn't see and feel me as His child. How lovely is that? He see me when, 4 "My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food," (Psalm 102:4) as well as when 7 I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof". (Psalm 102:7)
The most amazing part about this is the fact that He loves me still. On KLOVE one day this week, Kelly and Scott were on and they were reading the Sarah Young devotion for the day, which, by the way, I have to buy ASAP. It is written as though God is speaking directly to you, and the one for this particular day had Jesus saying that He could easily just step right in and save us, but that He loves us much more than that. He goes on to say that He is waiting, longing for us to step in His direction and give Him our all. Once again, WHAT? This is some crazy stuff to think about. Not only do we "have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being," (Ezekiel 34:1-2), but He longs for us. In all of His glory and majesty that could never be fathomable to us, He loves us. He loves me. Never will I understand this kind of love, but I plan to continue to strive to live a life worthy of spending the rest of eternity giving praise to the one who notices me. I LOVE YOU GOD.
EVENING PRAYER: Father, accept my imperfect repentance, show compassion for my infirmities, forgive my faults, purify my motives, strengthen my weakness, and let your good Spirit watch over me, and your love ever rule my heart, through the mercies of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
"For in the darkness and ignorance of this life, he is the light which enlightens the lowly of spirit; he is the love which draws us; he is the sweetening presence; he, the man's approach to God; he, the love of the loving; he is devotion; he is piety."
Quote from The Mirror of Charity by William Thierry
Psalm 102, Ezekiel 34:11-31, Hebrews 8:1-13, Luke 10:38-42
19 “The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high,
from heaven he viewed the earth,
20 to hear the groans of the prisoners
and release those condemned to death.”
-Psalm 102: 19-20
Not too long ago, tonight, me and my mother were in the kitchen cutting up a watermelon and she said, "Ya know, your dad is very proud of you." WHAT? I'm gonna just go ahead and point out that that is by far the sweetest words I have ever heard in my entire life. The sweetest, but most humbling words I will ever hear. But, isn't this what we all truly want to hear? How much greater would it be to hear it from our Master?! I have so much to learn, and the only thing that I am doing is trying, but that opened up some part of my mind that I haven't ever accessed before. It's given me a new kind of drive to try even harder to be the person God wants me to be, because He is showing me that when you live by His commands your life will display just that. I don't think I ever really knew exactly what that statement meant until now... I still don't fully understand it. It is amazing to me how He looks after us! This week, for some reason, I was feeling more down than usual and especially unnoticed. Yet another reason why what my mom said is blowing me away. The God that I serve notices me. In fact, there is never a second or millisecond when He is not thinking of me. There is never a time when He doesn't see and feel me as His child. How lovely is that? He see me when, 4 "My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food," (Psalm 102:4) as well as when 7 I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof". (Psalm 102:7)
The most amazing part about this is the fact that He loves me still. On KLOVE one day this week, Kelly and Scott were on and they were reading the Sarah Young devotion for the day, which, by the way, I have to buy ASAP. It is written as though God is speaking directly to you, and the one for this particular day had Jesus saying that He could easily just step right in and save us, but that He loves us much more than that. He goes on to say that He is waiting, longing for us to step in His direction and give Him our all. Once again, WHAT? This is some crazy stuff to think about. Not only do we "have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being," (Ezekiel 34:1-2), but He longs for us. In all of His glory and majesty that could never be fathomable to us, He loves us. He loves me. Never will I understand this kind of love, but I plan to continue to strive to live a life worthy of spending the rest of eternity giving praise to the one who notices me. I LOVE YOU GOD.
EVENING PRAYER: Father, accept my imperfect repentance, show compassion for my infirmities, forgive my faults, purify my motives, strengthen my weakness, and let your good Spirit watch over me, and your love ever rule my heart, through the mercies of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Quote from The Mirror of Charity by William Thierry
Thursday, April 28, 2011
"Easter Season"
MORNING PRAYER- Eternal God, my Sovereign Lord, I acknowledge all I am, all I have is yours. I humbly thank you for all the blessings you have bestowed upon me-- for creating me in your own image, for redeeming me by the death of your blessed Son, and for the assistance of the Holy Spirit, through Christ I pray, Amen.
Psalm 146, Ezekiel 37:1-14, Acts 3:11-26, John 15:12-27
I have enjoyed this lenten season more than anything, and God let me know in some many ways that it would not end with Easter, or even after Easter. I guess that's why I titled my blog, More Than a Season. I made it through without eating meat, and it was amazing the way that God filled those spaces with things from Him. It wasn't easy, but if it had been easy then I would have had to question my heart. So, I didn't give this blog that name, but God did. He knew I would want to continue this thing, and that it would continue my whole life. Love that about Him!
This week did not begin so well, I experienced really intense depression Monday and Tuesday and I really wasn't sure what was going on. Tuesday night I went to a board meeting at my church however, and just being in the presence of God, and knowing that He was right there took that feeling away instantly. By the time I left the church it seemed as though my day was just starting. He restored me. As a matter of fact, He does it all the time. He does it when I don't ask Him to, and when I need Him to and I'm trying everything else but what I need. God shows Himself in everything. Even when it was storming outside, I was able to go out for a few minutes just to make sure I wasn't hearing the sirens, and the sky was absolutely beautiful. Now, I hate bad weather, I mean HATE it. It scares the living daylights out of me, but yesterday as I was standing outside and looking at all of the clouds, the vastness of our Savior's kingdom dawned on me a little bit. Feeling just how much He holds in His hands was almost too much for me to even think about. At the moment, I felt more peace than I have felt in a long time. I wasn't afraid anymore, and I went back inside and had the best nap in the world. Once again, He restored me.
He made heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them.
He keeps every promise forever.
7 He gives justice to the oppressed
and food to the hungry.
The Lord frees the prisoners.
8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down.
- Psalm 146:6-9
In our times of trial, I am learning more and more each day that He is so near us. When I am walking to class and I feel so down and stressed out that I could crawl into bed and never come out to talk to anyone, He is the one who guides my steps and turns my eyes toward Him. I love Him and never want to be far from Him as long as I live.
EVENING PRAYER- O God, as darkness falls you renew your promise to reveal the light of your presence. May your Word be a lantern to my feet and a light unto my path that I may walk as a child of light and sing your praise throughout the world, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Psalm 146, Ezekiel 37:1-14, Acts 3:11-26, John 15:12-27
I have enjoyed this lenten season more than anything, and God let me know in some many ways that it would not end with Easter, or even after Easter. I guess that's why I titled my blog, More Than a Season. I made it through without eating meat, and it was amazing the way that God filled those spaces with things from Him. It wasn't easy, but if it had been easy then I would have had to question my heart. So, I didn't give this blog that name, but God did. He knew I would want to continue this thing, and that it would continue my whole life. Love that about Him!
This week did not begin so well, I experienced really intense depression Monday and Tuesday and I really wasn't sure what was going on. Tuesday night I went to a board meeting at my church however, and just being in the presence of God, and knowing that He was right there took that feeling away instantly. By the time I left the church it seemed as though my day was just starting. He restored me. As a matter of fact, He does it all the time. He does it when I don't ask Him to, and when I need Him to and I'm trying everything else but what I need. God shows Himself in everything. Even when it was storming outside, I was able to go out for a few minutes just to make sure I wasn't hearing the sirens, and the sky was absolutely beautiful. Now, I hate bad weather, I mean HATE it. It scares the living daylights out of me, but yesterday as I was standing outside and looking at all of the clouds, the vastness of our Savior's kingdom dawned on me a little bit. Feeling just how much He holds in His hands was almost too much for me to even think about. At the moment, I felt more peace than I have felt in a long time. I wasn't afraid anymore, and I went back inside and had the best nap in the world. Once again, He restored me.
He made heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them.
He keeps every promise forever.
7 He gives justice to the oppressed
and food to the hungry.
The Lord frees the prisoners.
8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down.
- Psalm 146:6-9
In our times of trial, I am learning more and more each day that He is so near us. When I am walking to class and I feel so down and stressed out that I could crawl into bed and never come out to talk to anyone, He is the one who guides my steps and turns my eyes toward Him. I love Him and never want to be far from Him as long as I live.
EVENING PRAYER- O God, as darkness falls you renew your promise to reveal the light of your presence. May your Word be a lantern to my feet and a light unto my path that I may walk as a child of light and sing your praise throughout the world, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
"How You Love Me"
MORNING PRAYER: Our Father in heaven, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world, feed me on this break that he may live in me and I in him. Amen.
Psalm 145, Jeremiah 31:34-40, Romans 12:1-8, John 11:28-44
What a week it has been. Everyone seemed to really know exactly how to rub me the wrong way! Negativity and cattiness was literally around every corner for me this week. Coincidentally enough however, this was the most comforting week, spiritually, that I have had in a long time. I was comforted at the very moment when I thought I would burst inside. Everyone knows that God answers prayers, but this week He seemed to be like my own personal genie. Keep in mind that I wasn't asking Him for frivolous things here, these were moments that He would use to bring me to the very end of my patience, and to the very point where I had absolutely no choice but to surrender it over to Him. As soon as I would say, "God, I need You, and I can't do this alone. I trust You." The very thing I needed was done at that very moment. He sustained me. I have been overcome with joy and gratitude every day, even when I feel sad or am having some kind of crazy emotionally distressing moment, He is right there.
"The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made." Psalm 145:9
Of course, this Ashes to Fire devotional has been awesome, but this week, along with everything else spiritually, it just seemed EVERY SINGLE DAY to be absolutely perfect. God has definitely used this week to make me know that I can depend on Him to provide every thing I could ever need or ever desire. Nothing compares. Nothing compares.
The above passages in Jeremiah 31 and John 11 talk about exactly what I have experienced so intimately this week: God's mercy. God made Israel His people, yet they continually worshiped other Gods and idols before Him. He was angered so much by them, yet through the pleading of the leaders He had set over them, like Moses and Jacob, He spared them, until all of their leaders had died out. The generation left surely did not listen to the LORD or heed His law, yet He restored His covenant with His people, a covenant unlike the one before it:
" 'The time is coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, declares the LORD.
This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,' declares the LORD. 'I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer with a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,' declares the LORD. 'For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.' " Jeremiah 31:31-34
This is what He does for me. He forgives my sins and not only that, but He doesn't remember them. I'm tearing myself up, and preventing myself from learning the lesson from those sins by wallowing in guilt, when He calls me to move forward. Not to allow those sins to continue to hold me back. This isn't saying that when I sin, I should just forget it and count it as one lost, but to commit myself fully to Him, never returning to the nature of that sin again, and moving on from it, but also learning from it, and turning myself, when I feel that particular sin rising again, to God, and to His Holy Word.
"Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through
all generations.
The LORD is faithful to all his promises
and loving toward all he has made.
The LORD upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you, and you
give them their food at the proper time.
You open your hand and satisfy the
desires of every living thing."
--Psalm 145 13-16
EVENING PRAYER: Now to God the Father who first loved us, and made us accepted in the Beloved: to God the son who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood; to God the Holy Spirit who fills our hearts with the love of God, be all love and all glory for time and for eternity. Amen.
Psalm 145, Jeremiah 31:34-40, Romans 12:1-8, John 11:28-44
What a week it has been. Everyone seemed to really know exactly how to rub me the wrong way! Negativity and cattiness was literally around every corner for me this week. Coincidentally enough however, this was the most comforting week, spiritually, that I have had in a long time. I was comforted at the very moment when I thought I would burst inside. Everyone knows that God answers prayers, but this week He seemed to be like my own personal genie. Keep in mind that I wasn't asking Him for frivolous things here, these were moments that He would use to bring me to the very end of my patience, and to the very point where I had absolutely no choice but to surrender it over to Him. As soon as I would say, "God, I need You, and I can't do this alone. I trust You." The very thing I needed was done at that very moment. He sustained me. I have been overcome with joy and gratitude every day, even when I feel sad or am having some kind of crazy emotionally distressing moment, He is right there.
"The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made." Psalm 145:9
Of course, this Ashes to Fire devotional has been awesome, but this week, along with everything else spiritually, it just seemed EVERY SINGLE DAY to be absolutely perfect. God has definitely used this week to make me know that I can depend on Him to provide every thing I could ever need or ever desire. Nothing compares. Nothing compares.
The above passages in Jeremiah 31 and John 11 talk about exactly what I have experienced so intimately this week: God's mercy. God made Israel His people, yet they continually worshiped other Gods and idols before Him. He was angered so much by them, yet through the pleading of the leaders He had set over them, like Moses and Jacob, He spared them, until all of their leaders had died out. The generation left surely did not listen to the LORD or heed His law, yet He restored His covenant with His people, a covenant unlike the one before it:
" 'The time is coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, declares the LORD.
This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,' declares the LORD. 'I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer with a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,' declares the LORD. 'For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.' " Jeremiah 31:31-34
This is what He does for me. He forgives my sins and not only that, but He doesn't remember them. I'm tearing myself up, and preventing myself from learning the lesson from those sins by wallowing in guilt, when He calls me to move forward. Not to allow those sins to continue to hold me back. This isn't saying that when I sin, I should just forget it and count it as one lost, but to commit myself fully to Him, never returning to the nature of that sin again, and moving on from it, but also learning from it, and turning myself, when I feel that particular sin rising again, to God, and to His Holy Word.
"Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through
all generations.
The LORD is faithful to all his promises
and loving toward all he has made.
The LORD upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you, and you
give them their food at the proper time.
You open your hand and satisfy the
desires of every living thing."
--Psalm 145 13-16
EVENING PRAYER: Now to God the Father who first loved us, and made us accepted in the Beloved: to God the son who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood; to God the Holy Spirit who fills our hearts with the love of God, be all love and all glory for time and for eternity. Amen.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
SMS by David Crowder Band
Send me a sign
A hint, O whisper
Fill me with life
'Cause I am listening
Come break the quiet
Breathe your awakening
Bring me the light
'Cause I am fading
Surround me with the rush of angels' wings
Shine Your light so I can see You
Pull me up, I need to be near You
Hold me, I need to feel loved
Can You overcome this heart that's overcome?
You sent a sign
The hint, O whisper
Human, divine
Everyone is listening
Death laid low
Quiet in the night is stirring
All around the rush of angels
O the wonder of the greatest love has come
Shine Your light so all can see it
Lifted up, 'cause the whole world needs it
Love has come, what joy to hear it
He has overcome, He has overcome
A hint, O whisper
Fill me with life
'Cause I am listening
Come break the quiet
Breathe your awakening
Bring me the light
'Cause I am fading
Surround me with the rush of angels' wings
Shine Your light so I can see You
Pull me up, I need to be near You
Hold me, I need to feel loved
Can You overcome this heart that's overcome?
You sent a sign
The hint, O whisper
Human, divine
Everyone is listening
Death laid low
Quiet in the night is stirring
All around the rush of angels
O the wonder of the greatest love has come
Shine Your light so all can see it
Lifted up, 'cause the whole world needs it
Love has come, what joy to hear it
He has overcome, He has overcome
LOVE THIS!
"My Help Comes From the LORD"
MORNING PRAYERS: Eternal and Merciful Father, I give you humble thanks for all the spiritual and earthly blessings which in your mercy you have poured into my life. Lord, let me live only to love you and glorify your name. Amen.
O God, fill me with confidence and trust that in knowing your will, I may follow it, and that in following your will, I will find joy, through Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.
Psalm 121, Jeremiah 30:1-11, Romans 10:1-13, John 9:18-41
Psalm 119:145-176, Jeremiah 31:1-14, Romans 10:14-21, John 10:1-18
If you haven't gotten it yet, this is a combination of yesterday's lesson in Ashes To Fire and today's, because I didn't have a chance to post it yesterday, but it was too good to not talk about it! :)
"I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from." (Psalm 121:1)
Wow! Did I ever forget the answer to this question yesterday. A lot of not cool things happened yesterday which left me feeling like I did not know where my help was coming from. I felt utterly hopeless, until I went to More Than a Meal yesterday afternoon. It was so God, because I hadn't even planned to go there until next week, but, as usual, He knows exactly what I need, when I need it. As soon as we walked in the door the LORD showed faithful and true to His word that says,
"The LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."
(Psalm 121:7-8)
When we walked into those doors of More Than a Meal I was filled with anxiety and stress thinking about things that I have to do before the end of this very busy semester: group projects, reciting poetry, tests, writing papers, more tests, meetings, bills. Right there, on that table, the very first thing that I noticed was the scripture which was out for everyone to see:
"Cast all your anxiety upon the LORD, for he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)
Isn't it good to know that even-- no, especially when I forget where my help comes from, He is patiently standing right there beside me, still assuring me that He has it all under control? I let out a sigh of relief, and stared at the sign probably over 100 times over the next couple hours that I was there.
The story of the blind man has been dissected by many different people of all ages and time, but last Wednesday Pastor Chet took a more in-depth look into this passage. After the blind man's eyes were helaed, he was not only no longer blind, he was no longer considered a beggar or a sinner. He needed nothing from any earthly being any longer, so what was left for him to do, get down on his knees, and worship God (John 9:38). The realization of this totally transforms this man, even within the amount of intelligence and wisdom he shows in the way that he speaks:
"The man answered, 'Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobobdy has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." (John 9:30-33)
The intelligence and honesty found in this speech by the once-blind man infuriated these "disciples of Moses" (v. 28). The blind man spoke earnestly to them becasue he knew firsthand that he had been physically blind. He had been blind, literally. But, the same was also true for the Jews as it concerned their spiritual lives. They were experiencing a blindness which is much more dangerous/hindering than the actual physical blindness of the once-blind man. This spiritual blindness is discussed in verses 35-41 in which Jesus says to the Pharisees:
"If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains."
How can my walk be blameless if I step right over the Son of Man who is always standing right in front of me? If I refuse to recognize and acknowledge Him in my daily life, whether it is through meditating on His Word, or praying, or however I spend time with Him, then how can I truly expect to be clothed in the armor of God, and have the confidence which He says belongs to me? It is impossible. Trust me, I have tried many alternatives. But, there is absolutely no substitute for the Word of God, not now, not ever. I think I need to hear that again:
"All your words are true; All your righteous laws are eternal." (Psalm 119:160)
All of His Words are true, not some of them, not half. ALL.
"Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart trembles at your word. I rejoice in your promise like one who finds great spoil. I hate and abhor falsehood but I love your law. Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws. Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. I wait for your salvation, O LORD, and I follow your commands. I obey your statutes, for I love them greatly. I obey your precepts and your statutes, for all my ways are known to you." (Psalm 119:161-168)
These are stressful times, but always, ALWAYS, remember these things:
"So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." (1 Corinthians 15:58)
This song is pretty important to me right now:
O God, fill me with confidence and trust that in knowing your will, I may follow it, and that in following your will, I will find joy, through Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.
Psalm 121, Jeremiah 30:1-11, Romans 10:1-13, John 9:18-41
Psalm 119:145-176, Jeremiah 31:1-14, Romans 10:14-21, John 10:1-18
If you haven't gotten it yet, this is a combination of yesterday's lesson in Ashes To Fire and today's, because I didn't have a chance to post it yesterday, but it was too good to not talk about it! :)
"I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from." (Psalm 121:1)
Wow! Did I ever forget the answer to this question yesterday. A lot of not cool things happened yesterday which left me feeling like I did not know where my help was coming from. I felt utterly hopeless, until I went to More Than a Meal yesterday afternoon. It was so God, because I hadn't even planned to go there until next week, but, as usual, He knows exactly what I need, when I need it. As soon as we walked in the door the LORD showed faithful and true to His word that says,
"The LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."
(Psalm 121:7-8)
When we walked into those doors of More Than a Meal I was filled with anxiety and stress thinking about things that I have to do before the end of this very busy semester: group projects, reciting poetry, tests, writing papers, more tests, meetings, bills. Right there, on that table, the very first thing that I noticed was the scripture which was out for everyone to see:
"Cast all your anxiety upon the LORD, for he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)
Isn't it good to know that even-- no, especially when I forget where my help comes from, He is patiently standing right there beside me, still assuring me that He has it all under control? I let out a sigh of relief, and stared at the sign probably over 100 times over the next couple hours that I was there.
The story of the blind man has been dissected by many different people of all ages and time, but last Wednesday Pastor Chet took a more in-depth look into this passage. After the blind man's eyes were helaed, he was not only no longer blind, he was no longer considered a beggar or a sinner. He needed nothing from any earthly being any longer, so what was left for him to do, get down on his knees, and worship God (John 9:38). The realization of this totally transforms this man, even within the amount of intelligence and wisdom he shows in the way that he speaks:
"The man answered, 'Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobobdy has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." (John 9:30-33)
The intelligence and honesty found in this speech by the once-blind man infuriated these "disciples of Moses" (v. 28). The blind man spoke earnestly to them becasue he knew firsthand that he had been physically blind. He had been blind, literally. But, the same was also true for the Jews as it concerned their spiritual lives. They were experiencing a blindness which is much more dangerous/hindering than the actual physical blindness of the once-blind man. This spiritual blindness is discussed in verses 35-41 in which Jesus says to the Pharisees:
"If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains."
How can my walk be blameless if I step right over the Son of Man who is always standing right in front of me? If I refuse to recognize and acknowledge Him in my daily life, whether it is through meditating on His Word, or praying, or however I spend time with Him, then how can I truly expect to be clothed in the armor of God, and have the confidence which He says belongs to me? It is impossible. Trust me, I have tried many alternatives. But, there is absolutely no substitute for the Word of God, not now, not ever. I think I need to hear that again:
"All your words are true; All your righteous laws are eternal." (Psalm 119:160)
All of His Words are true, not some of them, not half. ALL.
"Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart trembles at your word. I rejoice in your promise like one who finds great spoil. I hate and abhor falsehood but I love your law. Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws. Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. I wait for your salvation, O LORD, and I follow your commands. I obey your statutes, for I love them greatly. I obey your precepts and your statutes, for all my ways are known to you." (Psalm 119:161-168)
These are stressful times, but always, ALWAYS, remember these things:
"So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." (1 Corinthians 15:58)
This song is pretty important to me right now:
EVENING PRAYERS: O Lamb of God, give me grace throughout my whole life, in every thought, and word and work, to imitate your meekness and humility. May I go through all the scenes of life not seeking my own glory, but looking wholly unto you, and acting wholly for you, through Christ my Lord, Amen.
Father, grant me forgiveness of what is past, that in the days to come I may with a pure spirit do your will-- walking humbly with you, showing love to all, and keeping body and soul in sactification and honor, in Jesus' name. Amen.
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