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.
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, April 28, 2011
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.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
"An Aha! Moment"
MORNING PRAYER-- Eternal and loving Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world, feed me on this bread that he may live in me and I in him. Amen.
Psalm 101, Jeremiah 18:1-11, Romans 8:1-11, John 6:27-40
I read the passage about the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26) for the first time a couple weeks ago, and I came to the part where it said, "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law" (v. 18) I am pretty embarrassed to say that my first response to this was to get offended and all up in arms about the fact that I thought no one was ever exempt from the law! I asked myself this question and continued, still offended.
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentlesness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law." (vv. 22-23)
Insert Aha! Moment here. Why was I so quick to be offended by this?? Probably because I sometimes completely fail to display this type of spirit. That day had been a day full of angry outbursts brought on by my refusal to be patient with anyone around me. I was wanting and needing (so I thought) for every single person to drop everything they had planned and be on my time! I get this way very often, and didn't appreciate being called out at that time. This feeling couldn't be further from what the Scripture was actually trying to tell me. It's not saying that just anyone is exempt from the law but those who have, through "Christ Jesus, crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires" (v. 24). If you are dead to the sinful nature, then these fruits of the Spirit of yours, thus there is no need for the law to apply. You are the living law. The passage in Romans 8 reminded me of this today, and it provided even more clarity...
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Apirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Apirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you." (Romans 8:1-11)
....Now I get it.
On to the story of the Potter, because this is definitely one of my new favorites! God is the ultimate Potter. I used to be in a ceramics class, and the whole reason I signed up for it was of course, because I thought it would be an extremely easy A, especially since I was taking it in high school! Quite the contrary. The first time I used the pottery wheel, as you can probably guess, wet, muddy clay went everywhere and I was so upset. But, my teacher told me to calm down and to "guide the clay." So, I tried again, and the second time, to my surprise, I had quickly formed what looked like it would be a very nice vase. I already had plans for what it would look like painted, and what kind of flower my mother would adorn it with when I gave it to her. All of a sudden, just as quickly as it had sprung up, becoming easier to shape and define, it collapsed in my hands. I completely gave up, and didn't return to that wheel until the end of the semester. How similar am I to my once perfect vase! Yet, God NEVER gives up. He doesn't leave me sitting there all mishapen and muddy. He continues at every moment, to shape and care for me, even when I crumble, no, especially, when I crumble.
"But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands, so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him." (Jeremiah 18:4)
Marred- to detract from the perfection or wholeness of (Merriam-Webster Dict.)
EVENING PRAYER-- Lord, make an instrument of Thy peace; wehre there is hatred, let me sow love . . . O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood, as to understand, to be loved, as to love. AMEN!
Psalm 101, Jeremiah 18:1-11, Romans 8:1-11, John 6:27-40
I read the passage about the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26) for the first time a couple weeks ago, and I came to the part where it said, "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law" (v. 18) I am pretty embarrassed to say that my first response to this was to get offended and all up in arms about the fact that I thought no one was ever exempt from the law! I asked myself this question and continued, still offended.
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentlesness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law." (vv. 22-23)
Insert Aha! Moment here. Why was I so quick to be offended by this?? Probably because I sometimes completely fail to display this type of spirit. That day had been a day full of angry outbursts brought on by my refusal to be patient with anyone around me. I was wanting and needing (so I thought) for every single person to drop everything they had planned and be on my time! I get this way very often, and didn't appreciate being called out at that time. This feeling couldn't be further from what the Scripture was actually trying to tell me. It's not saying that just anyone is exempt from the law but those who have, through "Christ Jesus, crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires" (v. 24). If you are dead to the sinful nature, then these fruits of the Spirit of yours, thus there is no need for the law to apply. You are the living law. The passage in Romans 8 reminded me of this today, and it provided even more clarity...
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Apirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Apirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you." (Romans 8:1-11)
....Now I get it.
On to the story of the Potter, because this is definitely one of my new favorites! God is the ultimate Potter. I used to be in a ceramics class, and the whole reason I signed up for it was of course, because I thought it would be an extremely easy A, especially since I was taking it in high school! Quite the contrary. The first time I used the pottery wheel, as you can probably guess, wet, muddy clay went everywhere and I was so upset. But, my teacher told me to calm down and to "guide the clay." So, I tried again, and the second time, to my surprise, I had quickly formed what looked like it would be a very nice vase. I already had plans for what it would look like painted, and what kind of flower my mother would adorn it with when I gave it to her. All of a sudden, just as quickly as it had sprung up, becoming easier to shape and define, it collapsed in my hands. I completely gave up, and didn't return to that wheel until the end of the semester. How similar am I to my once perfect vase! Yet, God NEVER gives up. He doesn't leave me sitting there all mishapen and muddy. He continues at every moment, to shape and care for me, even when I crumble, no, especially, when I crumble.
"But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands, so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him." (Jeremiah 18:4)
Marred- to detract from the perfection or wholeness of (Merriam-Webster Dict.)
EVENING PRAYER-- Lord, make an instrument of Thy peace; wehre there is hatred, let me sow love . . . O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood, as to understand, to be loved, as to love. AMEN!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
"Be Encouraged"
MORNING PRAYER-- Eternal and Loving Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world, feed me on this bread that he may live in me and I in him. Amen.
Psalm 97, Jeremiah 17:19-27, Romans 7:13-25, John 6:16-27
Psalm 97 is full of awesome contrasts between who the LORD really is and how I imagine Him sometimes.
"Clouds and thick darkness surround
him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne."(v.2)
This in no way means that darkness takes over Him, as justified in the very next verse:
"Fire goes before him
and consumes his foes on every side." (v.3)
Sometimes I like to think of God as this being who only reigns in light and shiny things, which is true, but how much more did He come to shine His light within the dark places! He does not stray away from the dark places that we are in.
"I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness." (John 12:46)
The LORD is great at all times and in every nook and cranny of life! So, even though He is surrounded by clouds and thick darkness, fire is always before Him, consuming any and every evil which tries to come up against Him. Here is another verse out of this Psalm that blew my mind:
"The mountains melt like wax before
the LORD,
before the Lord of all the earth." (Psalm 97:5)
"The mountains melt like wax....."
Throughout the week, in dealing with the stress of school, and anything else that I may have going on, I very easily become self-dependent. I take everything upon myself, and try to rely on myself to get things accomplished, only to fall short. Then, feeling like a failure, I am forced to have to sit down and figure out what the heck went wrong with my week. Can you guess that I always come to the same conclusion??? I humanize our LORD too much sometimes. Not that humanizing Him is always a bad thing, but only if I never forget just how powerful He is. It seems dumb that I could actually forget, but its not so much forgetfulness as it is doubt. When something overwhelms me, I usually go within my own self and shut down. I don't seek God, I hide, until I can no longer take the loneliness and He rescues me, as usual. This is doubting His power. I get stuck in the rut of thinking He is too busy to deal with me and my small over-dramatic meltdowns which I frequently have. The good thing is that His power never changes, no matter how small the situation. He always cares and has THE funniest and sweetest most intimate ways of showing that to me.
I'm really skipping around today, but these scriptures are too awesome and perfect right now. So, on to Romans 7:13-25. This passage really opened my eyes to what sin truly is, and how in knowing this fact, we are not pardoned, but strengthened with every tool in which to live a life free of this kind of servitude:
"Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that throught the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have te desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do-- this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God-- through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin." (Romans 7:13-25)
This, to me, seems like the realization of someone who had died to Christ. In realizing his death (surrender) to Christ, he has been given this wisdom in understanding the true nature of sin, and how his life had been given over to it, a slave. But, "Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ out Lord!" (v. 25) This section is pretty important to me. In our Ashes To Fire devotional for Sunday it said, "Jesus doesn't settle for the easy way-- this life is so much deeper than that. God doesn't look at our brokenness and sin as a problem but as an opportunity to demonstrate himself to the world. What then, should we continue to sin so that God may be magnified even more-- of course not! Should we take confidence in a God who can take all of our brokenness and turn it into beauty? Yes!"
The Gospel for Sunday was about John 9:1-41, "Blind, but Now I see!" I had never really thought about the words to Amazing Grace until Pastor Chet talked about it Sunday. First, we talked about the healing of the blind man by Jesus. He asked the question: "Why would Jesus put dirt in someone's eyes, and why would someone allow Him to do so?" I have never looked at this story at all in this way! I am going to paraphrase what Pastor Chet told us Sunday, but keep in mind that I could never put it as eloquently as he did. He said that Jesus' use of mud is a very intimate and deep sign of connection for us as humans. As we know, Adam, our father, was made from the earth, translated in Hebrew as Ademah (sp?). Through bringing this back, using it as a healing tool for a blind man, Jesus showed everyone, and is still showing us that He is with us. HE has not forgotten how He formed us, and how much He had to love us to be able to form our intricately woven body from something such as Ademah! Now, being given vision by the ONE who created him, the blind man, as well as we, "Can worship the One whom we formerly couldn't recognize" (Chet Bush). After this powerful message, I couldn't think of anything else that could have been said about this situation, but that's not how God calls us to live is it? He doesn't just bless us and then expect us to keep it to ourselves and sit alone and never tell anyone about it. No, He gives us these opportunities in order that we may spread what we have experienced in and through Him, which our Pastor said is known as the "Optimism of Grace". So that others, when given the true facts about the awesomeness of God, cannot deny Him no longer. Woah! Super powerful.
I am encouraged.
EVENING PRAYER-- Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love . . . Where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Amen.
I'm really skipping around today, but these scriptures are too awesome and perfect right now. So, on to Romans 7:13-25. This passage really opened my eyes to what sin truly is, and how in knowing this fact, we are not pardoned, but strengthened with every tool in which to live a life free of this kind of servitude:
"Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that throught the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have te desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do-- this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God-- through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin." (Romans 7:13-25)
This, to me, seems like the realization of someone who had died to Christ. In realizing his death (surrender) to Christ, he has been given this wisdom in understanding the true nature of sin, and how his life had been given over to it, a slave. But, "Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ out Lord!" (v. 25) This section is pretty important to me. In our Ashes To Fire devotional for Sunday it said, "Jesus doesn't settle for the easy way-- this life is so much deeper than that. God doesn't look at our brokenness and sin as a problem but as an opportunity to demonstrate himself to the world. What then, should we continue to sin so that God may be magnified even more-- of course not! Should we take confidence in a God who can take all of our brokenness and turn it into beauty? Yes!"
The Gospel for Sunday was about John 9:1-41, "Blind, but Now I see!" I had never really thought about the words to Amazing Grace until Pastor Chet talked about it Sunday. First, we talked about the healing of the blind man by Jesus. He asked the question: "Why would Jesus put dirt in someone's eyes, and why would someone allow Him to do so?" I have never looked at this story at all in this way! I am going to paraphrase what Pastor Chet told us Sunday, but keep in mind that I could never put it as eloquently as he did. He said that Jesus' use of mud is a very intimate and deep sign of connection for us as humans. As we know, Adam, our father, was made from the earth, translated in Hebrew as Ademah (sp?). Through bringing this back, using it as a healing tool for a blind man, Jesus showed everyone, and is still showing us that He is with us. HE has not forgotten how He formed us, and how much He had to love us to be able to form our intricately woven body from something such as Ademah! Now, being given vision by the ONE who created him, the blind man, as well as we, "Can worship the One whom we formerly couldn't recognize" (Chet Bush). After this powerful message, I couldn't think of anything else that could have been said about this situation, but that's not how God calls us to live is it? He doesn't just bless us and then expect us to keep it to ourselves and sit alone and never tell anyone about it. No, He gives us these opportunities in order that we may spread what we have experienced in and through Him, which our Pastor said is known as the "Optimism of Grace". So that others, when given the true facts about the awesomeness of God, cannot deny Him no longer. Woah! Super powerful.
I am encouraged.
EVENING PRAYER-- Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love . . . Where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Amen.
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