James 1, (Amplified Bible), "Greetings (rejoice)! Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing. If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind. For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord, [For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides]."
I love the book of James. It is my favorite! I need blunt, unhindered words. I need someone who can just tell me like it really is, otherwise my temptation is to interpret things to suit me. I cannot do this with the book of James.
I feel like I am in a constant time of developing my endurance. I am in a constant time of being made steady in my beliefs and in the trials of character building. I am learning to listen to God, and to be patient while His work is done in me. The hard part is when I really believe that He wants me to do something, then waiting for His timing on the whole thing. This waiting thing is the time when the temptation to doubt God comes into play. "Did He really want me to offer my assistance? Was He really calling me to this task?" This is a time when my endurance is tested. Not my endurance to plow through the work, but an endurance to allow His timing to take hold. For when I have told anyone that I am going to do something, what I want is for it to come into full play right away. But that is not how He usually works.
I have felt in my soul for some time that I would be called by one certain person to speak to others. So when she called, I was ready to go. But now I must wait. I have been waiting for over a year for this to come into full play. Another, I had a very large desire to help in the lunch for our high school girls. I was asked by two other women to walk with them on this journey, but now I must wait. While one waiting is longer and harder than the other, it is in the waiting that Satan tries to come in and place doubt in my mind. "You don't think you can really do this do you? This is going to be too big for you. You should have just kept your mouth shut." Then I read James.
"If you need wisdom - if you want to know what God wants you to do - ask Him, and He will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask Him, be sure you really expect Him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything form the Lord. They can't make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do." This is placed right in the middle of patience! Could this be coincidence? I don't think so. I have asked Him to allow me to work for Him. I want to know what He wants me to do in my lifes work. When I ask, I must listen for His answer. Here is the hard part, knowing I hear His answer, then waiting for His timing. I cannot afford to be "a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute)." I must let my faith to stand the trial and hold firm to that which I know He has called me to do. For I did not come up with any of this. I was asked by others on something that He had already placed in my heart. I know this is from Him and I know what it is that He is asking of me. Now what I must do is to let my endurance be fully developed and for my mind to be as one, not two. Patience is the hard part...
Oswald Chambers, "We must never allow anything to interfere with the consecration of our spiritual power. Consecration (being dedicated to God’s service) is our part; sanctification (being set apart from sin and being made holy) is God’s part. We must make a deliberate determination to be interested only in what God is interested. The way to make that determination, when faced with a perplexing problem, is to ask yourself, 'Is this the kind of thing in which Jesus Christ is interested, or is it something in which the spirit that is diametrically opposed to Jesus is interested?'"
Is it God asking? Am I listening? Am I going to be patient while His work in me is perfected?
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/my-utmost-for-his-highest/11/27/devotion.aspx?year=2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
By Faith
Hebrews 8:10-12, "I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people. And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know Me already. And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” Do we realize that we all have God's law written on our hearts. Through the death and resurrection of Christ the new covenant has been placed within all of us. This new covenant has taken away the works of the flesh and the sacrifices that the people were required to make. (9:9), "This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them. For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies—physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established."
(10:22), "For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water." I am free! There is no bondage in my living any longer. I used to to be a slave of sin. Everything about the way that I lived my life was horrible. I had no freedom to life. From my daily living, to the fact that I thought I would have to get my life in order, before I could be saved, all of it was living in bondage. I had no freedom in my thoughts. I had no freedom in life. I was a slave, bound by the desires of others, all because my faith was weak. But then something amazing happened, I was set free!
(11), "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation." Through faith I was saved. It was by faith that I was finally able to let go and allow God to rescue me. It was by faith that I was brought to a new way of living. It was by faith that I allowed God to change my friends. It was by faith that I was given a husband who could show me who I was in Christ. It was by faith that my addictions were conquered. It was by faith that all of my world is different. It is by faith that I now live.
Oh, how I love my redeemer. How grateful I am that I can finally breath. How thankful I am that I did not have to work my way into His loving forgiveness. Thank You for turning my weakness into strength. (13:5-8), "'I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.' So we can say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?'... Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." If He can love me, and rescue me from the prison that I was in; If He could come in and save me, when I was unsaveable, then He can save anyone. He can reach into your very world and give you new life. He can change your very existence and give you a new reputation. It is not by works, but by faith. It is in the acknowledgement of His very being. It is in Him that we are brought to salvation. All that He asks of us is for us to trust in Him enough so that we can take that shaky next step in faith. We do not have to have all of our actions correct. We just have to believe enough in order to let go, just enough, so that He can change our lives.
Oswald Chambers, "The great miracle of the grace of God is that He forgives sin, and it is the death of Jesus Christ alone that enables the divine nature to forgive and to remain true to itself in doing so...Forgiveness doesn’t merely mean that I am saved from hell and have been made ready for heaven (no one would accept forgiveness on that level). Forgiveness means that I am forgiven into a newly created relationship which identifies me with God in Christ. The miracle of redemption is that God turns me, the unholy one, into the standard of Himself, the Holy One. He does this by putting into me a new nature, the nature of Jesus Christ."
Thank You, for new life. Thank You, for saving me, before I was ready to change. Thank You, for your patient ways. Thank You, for surrounding me with the right people so that I could finally feel your love through them. Thank You....
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/my-utmost-for-his-highest/11/19/devotion.aspx?year=2009
(10:22), "For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water." I am free! There is no bondage in my living any longer. I used to to be a slave of sin. Everything about the way that I lived my life was horrible. I had no freedom to life. From my daily living, to the fact that I thought I would have to get my life in order, before I could be saved, all of it was living in bondage. I had no freedom in my thoughts. I had no freedom in life. I was a slave, bound by the desires of others, all because my faith was weak. But then something amazing happened, I was set free!
(11), "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation." Through faith I was saved. It was by faith that I was finally able to let go and allow God to rescue me. It was by faith that I was brought to a new way of living. It was by faith that I allowed God to change my friends. It was by faith that I was given a husband who could show me who I was in Christ. It was by faith that my addictions were conquered. It was by faith that all of my world is different. It is by faith that I now live.
Oh, how I love my redeemer. How grateful I am that I can finally breath. How thankful I am that I did not have to work my way into His loving forgiveness. Thank You for turning my weakness into strength. (13:5-8), "'I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.' So we can say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?'... Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." If He can love me, and rescue me from the prison that I was in; If He could come in and save me, when I was unsaveable, then He can save anyone. He can reach into your very world and give you new life. He can change your very existence and give you a new reputation. It is not by works, but by faith. It is in the acknowledgement of His very being. It is in Him that we are brought to salvation. All that He asks of us is for us to trust in Him enough so that we can take that shaky next step in faith. We do not have to have all of our actions correct. We just have to believe enough in order to let go, just enough, so that He can change our lives.
Oswald Chambers, "The great miracle of the grace of God is that He forgives sin, and it is the death of Jesus Christ alone that enables the divine nature to forgive and to remain true to itself in doing so...Forgiveness doesn’t merely mean that I am saved from hell and have been made ready for heaven (no one would accept forgiveness on that level). Forgiveness means that I am forgiven into a newly created relationship which identifies me with God in Christ. The miracle of redemption is that God turns me, the unholy one, into the standard of Himself, the Holy One. He does this by putting into me a new nature, the nature of Jesus Christ."
Thank You, for new life. Thank You, for saving me, before I was ready to change. Thank You, for your patient ways. Thank You, for surrounding me with the right people so that I could finally feel your love through them. Thank You....
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/my-utmost-for-his-highest/11/19/devotion.aspx?year=2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Death has No Sting
Hebrews 2:13-15, 'I will put my trust in Him,' that is, 'I and the children God has given me.' Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could He set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying."
I must admit that I do not fear death. (For now, it is easy to say when you do not think it will happen right now...I pray my faith only gets stronger in this as I get older). I do not want my children to fear death either. If any of us are taken away early, I pray we can set aside our own loneliness and rejoice with them in their new life. If I die early, I want my children to rejoice. I actually talk about this with them so that, hopefully, they will not be as devastated if it did happen. I would hate for them to never know their God, just because I was gone. (Not that Jason would not teach them, but some people loose all hope when death comes for a loved one.) I tell them what an awesome experience that would be, to finally soar with wings with my Lord. We talk about this, because Christ paid the price, so that death would have no sting. I know what true death feels like, and that is living here without my Lord. But because I have a gracious God, He chose to save me from the power of death. He came and He died for me, and through His death, I now have life.
Hebrews 3, “Today when you hear His voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested Me in the wilderness. There your ancestors tested and tried My patience, even though they saw My miracles for forty years. So I was angry with them, and I said, ‘Their hearts always turn away from Me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’ So in My anger I took an oath:‘They will never enter My place of rest.’ ...Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God....And to whom was God speaking when He took an oath that they would never enter His rest? Wasn’t it the people who disobeyed Him? So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter His rest." (4), For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter His rest.... For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and He is the one to whom we are accountable."
Do you know that in this life, I used to be dead. Everything that I touched, had death in it. I believed in God, but because of my actions, I was dead to His rest here. For it is in obeying Him, that I can finally have rest. And it is in believing in Him that I one day will truly live. My life is finally full. I can only give this credit to the rest that I have found in my Savior.
There are many women out their who have a good husband, that are still miserable. There are many who have a great job, who are still lost. There are others out there, that could have a very blessed life, just as I enjoy now, but they are lost in this life because of the power of death over them. They are searching for something on this earth to give them satisfaction, but they will never rest and be full, for they are not turning to the one who will give them the rest they are looking for. Death no longer scares me. Physical death for the believer is not evil. For Christ came to and conquered death, so that we could truly live. It is in His death that we are given the security to live without the fear of death. It is in His resurrection that we can finally rest with Him now.
Isaiah57:1, "Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die." Oswald Chambers, "Our spirit hungers for more and more. It is the way we are built. We are designed with a great capacity for God, but sin, our own individuality, and wrong thinking keep us from getting to Him. God delivers us from sin— we have to deliver ourselves from our individuality. This means offering our natural life to God and sacrificing it to Him, so He may transform it into spiritual life through our obedience...'If the Son makes you free...' Do not substitute Savior for Son in this passage. The Savior has set us free from sin, but this is the freedom that comes from being set free from myself by the Son. It is what Paul meant when he said, 'I have been crucified with Christ...' His individuality had been broken and his spirit had been united with his Lord; not just merged into Him, but made one with Him. '...you shall be free indeed'— free to the very core of your being; free from the inside to the outside. We tend to rely on our own energy, instead of being energized by the power that comes from identification with Jesus."
Thank You my God, for setting me free and for giving me life. Thank You for allowing me to rest with You. Thank You for finally giving me freedom to truly live, so that death no longer has its power over me. Thank You for giving me life...
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/my-utmost-for-his-highest/11/18/devotion.aspx?year=2009
I must admit that I do not fear death. (For now, it is easy to say when you do not think it will happen right now...I pray my faith only gets stronger in this as I get older). I do not want my children to fear death either. If any of us are taken away early, I pray we can set aside our own loneliness and rejoice with them in their new life. If I die early, I want my children to rejoice. I actually talk about this with them so that, hopefully, they will not be as devastated if it did happen. I would hate for them to never know their God, just because I was gone. (Not that Jason would not teach them, but some people loose all hope when death comes for a loved one.) I tell them what an awesome experience that would be, to finally soar with wings with my Lord. We talk about this, because Christ paid the price, so that death would have no sting. I know what true death feels like, and that is living here without my Lord. But because I have a gracious God, He chose to save me from the power of death. He came and He died for me, and through His death, I now have life.
Hebrews 3, “Today when you hear His voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested Me in the wilderness. There your ancestors tested and tried My patience, even though they saw My miracles for forty years. So I was angry with them, and I said, ‘Their hearts always turn away from Me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’ So in My anger I took an oath:‘They will never enter My place of rest.’ ...Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God....And to whom was God speaking when He took an oath that they would never enter His rest? Wasn’t it the people who disobeyed Him? So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter His rest." (4), For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter His rest.... For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and He is the one to whom we are accountable."
Do you know that in this life, I used to be dead. Everything that I touched, had death in it. I believed in God, but because of my actions, I was dead to His rest here. For it is in obeying Him, that I can finally have rest. And it is in believing in Him that I one day will truly live. My life is finally full. I can only give this credit to the rest that I have found in my Savior.
There are many women out their who have a good husband, that are still miserable. There are many who have a great job, who are still lost. There are others out there, that could have a very blessed life, just as I enjoy now, but they are lost in this life because of the power of death over them. They are searching for something on this earth to give them satisfaction, but they will never rest and be full, for they are not turning to the one who will give them the rest they are looking for. Death no longer scares me. Physical death for the believer is not evil. For Christ came to and conquered death, so that we could truly live. It is in His death that we are given the security to live without the fear of death. It is in His resurrection that we can finally rest with Him now.
Isaiah57:1, "Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die." Oswald Chambers, "Our spirit hungers for more and more. It is the way we are built. We are designed with a great capacity for God, but sin, our own individuality, and wrong thinking keep us from getting to Him. God delivers us from sin— we have to deliver ourselves from our individuality. This means offering our natural life to God and sacrificing it to Him, so He may transform it into spiritual life through our obedience...'If the Son makes you free...' Do not substitute Savior for Son in this passage. The Savior has set us free from sin, but this is the freedom that comes from being set free from myself by the Son. It is what Paul meant when he said, 'I have been crucified with Christ...' His individuality had been broken and his spirit had been united with his Lord; not just merged into Him, but made one with Him. '...you shall be free indeed'— free to the very core of your being; free from the inside to the outside. We tend to rely on our own energy, instead of being energized by the power that comes from identification with Jesus."
Thank You my God, for setting me free and for giving me life. Thank You for allowing me to rest with You. Thank You for finally giving me freedom to truly live, so that death no longer has its power over me. Thank You for giving me life...
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/my-utmost-for-his-highest/11/18/devotion.aspx?year=2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Grudges
I love it when something jumps at me from the pages that I read. The small, short book (well, can you call one chapter a book) of Philemon got me this morning. Paul is sending someone, a slave, a robber, a cheat, back to his owner. A man who had been wounded and had every right to hold a grudge against the one who had wronged him. Paul is writing to him trying to soften the blow for Onesimus as he returns to Philemon. Paul begins by stating how generous, and good Philemon is. Then he tells him to accept Onesimus back without holding a grudge and to forgive him for what he has done in the past. He is calling him to come to a higher standard of forgiveness and love, while he faces the one who betrayed him. But here is the part that I love, "So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it. And I won’t mention that you owe me your very soul!"
Did you see that? Does it jump off at you like it jumps off at me? Read it again. "I will repay it. And I won’t mention that you owe me your very soul!" Paul pulled the, "you owe me card." When I think of the hurt, harm, and devastation that I have brought to others in my life, how could I hold a grudge against anyone who harms me now. I am the slave that betrayed my Master. I was the one who spit in the face of my redeemer, right after I gave Him a kiss! So tell me, how could I carry a grudge against anyone who wrongs me? I have done much worse to my Lord than anyone could ever possibly do to me. So why would I ever think that I have a right to hold on to hurt, when someone wrongs me in some minor way. Even if it is "big", why would I think I deserve revenge, when someone else is willing to take their wrong and repay me their debt.
Oswald Chambers, "My goal is God Himself . . .At any cost, dear Lord, by any road. 'At any cost . . . by any road' means submitting to God’s way of bringing us to the goal. There is no possibility of questioning God when He speaks, if He speaks to His own nature in me. Prompt obedience is the only result. When Jesus says, 'Come,' I simply come; when He says, 'Let go,' I let go; when He says, 'Trust God in this matter,' I trust. This work of obedience is the evidence that the nature of God is in me... God will never be real to me until I come face to face with Him in Jesus Christ. Then I will know and can boldly proclaim, 'In all the world, my God, there is none but Thee, there is none but Thee.' The promises of God are of no value to us until, through obedience, we come to understand the nature of God. We may read some things in the Bible every day for a year and they may mean nothing to us. Then, because we have been obedient to God in some small detail, we suddenly see what God means and His nature is instantly opened up to us. 'All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen...' (2 Corinthians 1:20). Our 'Yes' must be born of obedience; when by obedience we ratify a promise of God by saying, 'Amen,' or, 'So be it.' That promise becomes ours."
What grudge are you holding on to? Who has wronged you to the point, so bad, that you think you have the right to not forgive them? Do you see yourself as who you really are? A slave whose debt was paid by someone else, for your freedom. Do we really ever have the right to hold others debt against them when Christ is saying, "I will repay it. And I won’t mention that you owe me your very soul!" How a burden can be lifted when I look at myself for who I really am. I am a women, who owed a debt that I could not repay. I am a slave whose transgressions were paid by Christ, so that I could be counted as a sister to others who thought they could condemn me. I am set free from any grudges that I may think I have the right to hold, for He has paid others debts that they owe me. Let freedom reign. Forgive others, as you have been forgiven. He has set you free!
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/my-utmost-for-his-highest/11/17/devotion.aspx?year=2009
Did you see that? Does it jump off at you like it jumps off at me? Read it again. "I will repay it. And I won’t mention that you owe me your very soul!" Paul pulled the, "you owe me card." When I think of the hurt, harm, and devastation that I have brought to others in my life, how could I hold a grudge against anyone who harms me now. I am the slave that betrayed my Master. I was the one who spit in the face of my redeemer, right after I gave Him a kiss! So tell me, how could I carry a grudge against anyone who wrongs me? I have done much worse to my Lord than anyone could ever possibly do to me. So why would I ever think that I have a right to hold on to hurt, when someone wrongs me in some minor way. Even if it is "big", why would I think I deserve revenge, when someone else is willing to take their wrong and repay me their debt.
Oswald Chambers, "My goal is God Himself . . .At any cost, dear Lord, by any road. 'At any cost . . . by any road' means submitting to God’s way of bringing us to the goal. There is no possibility of questioning God when He speaks, if He speaks to His own nature in me. Prompt obedience is the only result. When Jesus says, 'Come,' I simply come; when He says, 'Let go,' I let go; when He says, 'Trust God in this matter,' I trust. This work of obedience is the evidence that the nature of God is in me... God will never be real to me until I come face to face with Him in Jesus Christ. Then I will know and can boldly proclaim, 'In all the world, my God, there is none but Thee, there is none but Thee.' The promises of God are of no value to us until, through obedience, we come to understand the nature of God. We may read some things in the Bible every day for a year and they may mean nothing to us. Then, because we have been obedient to God in some small detail, we suddenly see what God means and His nature is instantly opened up to us. 'All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen...' (2 Corinthians 1:20). Our 'Yes' must be born of obedience; when by obedience we ratify a promise of God by saying, 'Amen,' or, 'So be it.' That promise becomes ours."
What grudge are you holding on to? Who has wronged you to the point, so bad, that you think you have the right to not forgive them? Do you see yourself as who you really are? A slave whose debt was paid by someone else, for your freedom. Do we really ever have the right to hold others debt against them when Christ is saying, "I will repay it. And I won’t mention that you owe me your very soul!" How a burden can be lifted when I look at myself for who I really am. I am a women, who owed a debt that I could not repay. I am a slave whose transgressions were paid by Christ, so that I could be counted as a sister to others who thought they could condemn me. I am set free from any grudges that I may think I have the right to hold, for He has paid others debts that they owe me. Let freedom reign. Forgive others, as you have been forgiven. He has set you free!
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/my-utmost-for-his-highest/11/17/devotion.aspx?year=2009
Saturday, November 14, 2009
New Opportunities
"Painful lessons are usually doorways to new opportunities." * Last night we went to a party given to some friends of ours. We were there celebrating with them what God is doing in their lives. They are going to become house parents in Amarillo at the boys ranch there. I have been thinking a lot about what has been going on in their lives and using it to look at my own life. He was a property developer here, and had a very good dream on developing some land that would have allowed them to be set for life. But that was not what God was calling them to do. It is evident now that the pain that they felt when the dream was crushed, was not pain for bad, but pain leading to something even better.
As I have been reading 1 Timothy, I have been looking at it differently. My eyes for the first time have been opened to the writer and not just the one he was writing to. Paul is instructing his younger brother, whom he loves as a son, on how to live a life worthy of God's calling. My friends are being called by God to go and help these young boys. They have already been doing it by running a lunch for the boys here, every Wednesday, teaching and guiding the boys here. God has been training my friends for something even bigger. He took all their financial resources away, through the recent economic downfall, and placed them in training for becoming house parents to many boys.
Genesis 15:5, "Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, 'Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!' And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith." Just like Abraham and Sarah, they thought they would never have any children, but instead they became the parents of a nation. My friends also will become the parents of many. Through their faith in God, by taking the next step that God is calling them to take, my friends are going to impact the lives of thousands. What they thought was an economic disaster has turned into the chance of a life time, all because they are willing to listen to God's calling. They took the first step with the lunch. Now they are taking the next step with their lives. What a blessing. What a challenge to me to live the life that He is calling me to live. What an example they are for all of us to live a life we could never dreamed, if we would only listen to the call of God upon our life. It always starts small. Do you want to do the little thing, so that you can reach even more through the enormous things of God?
Oswald Chambers, "If we are born again by the Spirit of God, our devotion to Him is hindered, or even stopped, by continually asking Him to guide us here and there. '...the Lord led me...' and on looking back we see the presence of an amazing design. If we are born of God we will see His guiding hand and give Him the credit. We can all see God in exceptional things, but it requires the growth of spiritual discipline to see God in every detail. Never believe that the so-called random events of life are anything less than God’s appointed order. Be ready to discover His divine designs anywhere and everywhere." Are you allowing God to lead you? Are you taking the next step in faith? They are never steps that you see coming. They are steps that only God can see where you are going. If we will be willing to let go of our dreams and allow God to guide us, our lives will never be waisted.
I want to say thank you to my friends. Thank you for allowing me to see how you have trusted in your God and to see the amazing blessing He is bringing into your lives. You are truly blessed!! "Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, 'Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!' And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith." I want to say THANK YOU. We will see you soon :o)
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/my-utmost-for-his-highest/11/14/devotion.aspx?year=2009
(*Bible Commentary)
As I have been reading 1 Timothy, I have been looking at it differently. My eyes for the first time have been opened to the writer and not just the one he was writing to. Paul is instructing his younger brother, whom he loves as a son, on how to live a life worthy of God's calling. My friends are being called by God to go and help these young boys. They have already been doing it by running a lunch for the boys here, every Wednesday, teaching and guiding the boys here. God has been training my friends for something even bigger. He took all their financial resources away, through the recent economic downfall, and placed them in training for becoming house parents to many boys.
Genesis 15:5, "Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, 'Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!' And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith." Just like Abraham and Sarah, they thought they would never have any children, but instead they became the parents of a nation. My friends also will become the parents of many. Through their faith in God, by taking the next step that God is calling them to take, my friends are going to impact the lives of thousands. What they thought was an economic disaster has turned into the chance of a life time, all because they are willing to listen to God's calling. They took the first step with the lunch. Now they are taking the next step with their lives. What a blessing. What a challenge to me to live the life that He is calling me to live. What an example they are for all of us to live a life we could never dreamed, if we would only listen to the call of God upon our life. It always starts small. Do you want to do the little thing, so that you can reach even more through the enormous things of God?
Oswald Chambers, "If we are born again by the Spirit of God, our devotion to Him is hindered, or even stopped, by continually asking Him to guide us here and there. '...the Lord led me...' and on looking back we see the presence of an amazing design. If we are born of God we will see His guiding hand and give Him the credit. We can all see God in exceptional things, but it requires the growth of spiritual discipline to see God in every detail. Never believe that the so-called random events of life are anything less than God’s appointed order. Be ready to discover His divine designs anywhere and everywhere." Are you allowing God to lead you? Are you taking the next step in faith? They are never steps that you see coming. They are steps that only God can see where you are going. If we will be willing to let go of our dreams and allow God to guide us, our lives will never be waisted.
I want to say thank you to my friends. Thank you for allowing me to see how you have trusted in your God and to see the amazing blessing He is bringing into your lives. You are truly blessed!! "Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, 'Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!' And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith." I want to say THANK YOU. We will see you soon :o)
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/my-utmost-for-his-highest/11/14/devotion.aspx?year=2009
(*Bible Commentary)
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Boundaries
1 Thessalonians 1:4, " We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be His own people. For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you. ...(2:4) Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts."
For the past couple of days I have had a reoccurring theme, it is boundaries. I have heard people speaking about boundaries and seen it on my emails. It is appearing everywhere! When God speaks to me in this way, I must take notice. We have been dealing with boundaries in our house. You see we have two precious college girls living with us. God brought these girls into our lives and so they now rent a bedroom from us. They live with us, eat with us and visit with us. They are part of our extended family, for they have become part of our family by living here. But we have been dealing with boundaries.
Our first concern, and what is most important to us is our immediate family, we have two young boys living here as well. Our first concern is for them, and because of this we have to have boundaries with the girls. We have to have a boundary with drinking in our house, they cannot, we have too much to loose. We must have a boundary on curfew, for we must get up early to take care of our family and if we are woken up after 1 a.m. it is too hard to get a good sleep after that. We must have boundaries, we must. The hard part is that I need the boundaries for myself as well. It would be so easy for me to set aside everything else and just concentrate on the girls, but I cannot. I must back off and let God do the work that He does, and for me to do the work that He has called me to do, and that is to provide a house.
(4:11) "Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. Then people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others." I must remember that I am not their savior. No matter how badly my heart breaks for them, they are not really my responsibility. I am not their mother, or their god. This is a very hard boundary for me. So while these girls may be thinking that we are putting too many rules on them, it is not just them, I am also learning about boundaries myself. (5:6) " So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out His anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when He returns, we can live with Him forever. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing."
Oswald Chambers, "What understanding do you have of the salvation of your soul? The work of salvation means that in your real life things are dramatically changed. You no longer look at things in the same way. Your desires are new and the old things have lost their power to attract you. One of the tests for determining if the work of salvation in your life is genuine is— has God changed the things that really matter to you? If you still yearn for the old things, it is absurd to talk about being born from above— you are deceiving yourself. If you are born again, the Spirit of God makes the change very evident in your real life and thought. And when a crisis comes, you are the most amazed person on earth at the wonderful difference there is in you. There is no possibility of imagining that you did it. It is this complete and amazing change that is the very evidence that you are saved." God is the one doing the saving, not me. God is working, I can see it. What has He called me to do? What is He telling me is my responsibility? What are the boundaries that I must make and am I keeping them. Everyone has boundaries that they must live by. What are yours?
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/my-utmost-for-his-highest/11/12/devotion.aspx?year=2009
For the past couple of days I have had a reoccurring theme, it is boundaries. I have heard people speaking about boundaries and seen it on my emails. It is appearing everywhere! When God speaks to me in this way, I must take notice. We have been dealing with boundaries in our house. You see we have two precious college girls living with us. God brought these girls into our lives and so they now rent a bedroom from us. They live with us, eat with us and visit with us. They are part of our extended family, for they have become part of our family by living here. But we have been dealing with boundaries.
Our first concern, and what is most important to us is our immediate family, we have two young boys living here as well. Our first concern is for them, and because of this we have to have boundaries with the girls. We have to have a boundary with drinking in our house, they cannot, we have too much to loose. We must have a boundary on curfew, for we must get up early to take care of our family and if we are woken up after 1 a.m. it is too hard to get a good sleep after that. We must have boundaries, we must. The hard part is that I need the boundaries for myself as well. It would be so easy for me to set aside everything else and just concentrate on the girls, but I cannot. I must back off and let God do the work that He does, and for me to do the work that He has called me to do, and that is to provide a house.
(4:11) "Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. Then people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others." I must remember that I am not their savior. No matter how badly my heart breaks for them, they are not really my responsibility. I am not their mother, or their god. This is a very hard boundary for me. So while these girls may be thinking that we are putting too many rules on them, it is not just them, I am also learning about boundaries myself. (5:6) " So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out His anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when He returns, we can live with Him forever. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing."
Oswald Chambers, "What understanding do you have of the salvation of your soul? The work of salvation means that in your real life things are dramatically changed. You no longer look at things in the same way. Your desires are new and the old things have lost their power to attract you. One of the tests for determining if the work of salvation in your life is genuine is— has God changed the things that really matter to you? If you still yearn for the old things, it is absurd to talk about being born from above— you are deceiving yourself. If you are born again, the Spirit of God makes the change very evident in your real life and thought. And when a crisis comes, you are the most amazed person on earth at the wonderful difference there is in you. There is no possibility of imagining that you did it. It is this complete and amazing change that is the very evidence that you are saved." God is the one doing the saving, not me. God is working, I can see it. What has He called me to do? What is He telling me is my responsibility? What are the boundaries that I must make and am I keeping them. Everyone has boundaries that they must live by. What are yours?
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/my-utmost-for-his-highest/11/12/devotion.aspx?year=2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Take Now, Not Later
Oswald Chambers, "God’s command is, "Take now," not later. It is incredible how we debate! We know something is right, but we try to find excuses for not doing it immediately. If we are to climb to the height God reveals, it can never be done later— it must be done now. And the sacrifice must be worked through our will before we actually perform it...God chose the test for Abraham, and Abraham neither delayed nor protested, but steadily obeyed. If you are not living in touch with God, it is easy to blame Him or pass judgment on Him. You must go through the trial before you have any right to pronounce a verdict, because by going through the trial you learn to know God better. God is working in us to reach His highest goals until His purpose and our purpose become one."
If anyone knows the calling of God to change, it is me. How often was the decision placed right in front of me. How often did I turn Him down, only to find heartache in my choices, only because I did not, "Take it now." Every day we have choices placed in front of us. With most of those choices the clear, right answer, we know. It is when we choose to "take it later" that things go wrong. This is a journey that we must partake in on our own, no matter who is around us. This is the personal part. The part that is the most difficult, because during this part, He is calling us as His only child. This is when we run the risk of loosing friends and battling our sinful desires in order to suffer through the boredom. But it does not matter if we do it now when He says, or wait till later, ultimately we must do it. What we have to discover is when is it worth it to us. Do we really have to hit rock bottom before we are finally willing to listen? If so, why? Why do my little boys insist on getting a spanking? Why can't we just open our hearts to the truth, before the beating starts?
Colossians 3:17, "So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him...Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives."
We all have choices to make every day. The thing that we have to realize is that His ways are better, if we will suffer through the desires of our own selfish ways. We are selfish by nature, and this is why we hurt others so often. We want what we want and we want it now. But what we must realize is that God is calling us, right now, to change our desires. He is calling us to have a better life. For no matter what our circumstances are, with Him it is better. Do you hear Him calling you to a better existence? Change is hard, but if you can grab hold of it right now, it will make latter even better. "God’s command is, "Take now," not later. It is incredible how we debate! We know something is right, but we try to find excuses for not doing it immediately." Right now, do what you know you must do. Even if it hurts, right now.
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/my-utmost-for-his-highest/11/11/devotion.aspx?year=2009
If anyone knows the calling of God to change, it is me. How often was the decision placed right in front of me. How often did I turn Him down, only to find heartache in my choices, only because I did not, "Take it now." Every day we have choices placed in front of us. With most of those choices the clear, right answer, we know. It is when we choose to "take it later" that things go wrong. This is a journey that we must partake in on our own, no matter who is around us. This is the personal part. The part that is the most difficult, because during this part, He is calling us as His only child. This is when we run the risk of loosing friends and battling our sinful desires in order to suffer through the boredom. But it does not matter if we do it now when He says, or wait till later, ultimately we must do it. What we have to discover is when is it worth it to us. Do we really have to hit rock bottom before we are finally willing to listen? If so, why? Why do my little boys insist on getting a spanking? Why can't we just open our hearts to the truth, before the beating starts?
Colossians 3:17, "So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him...Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives."
We all have choices to make every day. The thing that we have to realize is that His ways are better, if we will suffer through the desires of our own selfish ways. We are selfish by nature, and this is why we hurt others so often. We want what we want and we want it now. But what we must realize is that God is calling us, right now, to change our desires. He is calling us to have a better life. For no matter what our circumstances are, with Him it is better. Do you hear Him calling you to a better existence? Change is hard, but if you can grab hold of it right now, it will make latter even better. "God’s command is, "Take now," not later. It is incredible how we debate! We know something is right, but we try to find excuses for not doing it immediately." Right now, do what you know you must do. Even if it hurts, right now.
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/my-utmost-for-his-highest/11/11/devotion.aspx?year=2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Husbands, Love your Wives...
I have lived two very different marriages, one without God and one in God. How I love the one in God, for God's love is the only way to have a good marriage. My marriage with Jason did not start out as most marriages do. We can truly say that the reason that we got married, was because we felt that was what God was telling each of us to do. God was the reason we were together and God was the reason we got married. Anyone in their right mind would not have wanted to marry me at that time, for let me tell you, I was a broken and battered woman. Jason was not what I would have chosen either. He just was not my type, but I had learned that "my type" was not the right type. Even though the first few years of our relationship were very hard, we were following God from the beginning, and because of this, we have a very blessed marriage.
My vows: Jason, I love you and I know that you love me, I am confident that God has chosen you to be my husband, It is my prayer and desire that you will find in me, the help mate God designed especially for you, And in confidence I will submit myself unto your leadership...
Jason's vows: Jenny, I love you and I know this love is from God, Because of this I want to be your husband, So that we might serve Christ together, Through all of the uncertainties and trials of the present and future, I promise to be faithful to you and love you, I promise to guide and protect you...
I can say with confidence that we have a marriage that represents the love of Christ and trust me, it is wonderful. We did it right, but if you think laying down our own desires in the beginning was easy, you are nuts. It is hard to let go of your life and let Christ take control. Everything in our nature was screaming, "run." But instead of running, we both held on to that small calm inside that was saying, "let Me take control, so that I can bless you."
Ephesians 5:21ff, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband."
When I left my ex, I left a note on the table. In that note, I said that I needed to be cherished as a wife and not destroyed. For our marriage was not a godly marriage it was selfish and destructive. Then God gave me Jason. I did not understand how much Christ loved me, until I felt the redeeming love of my Husband. He did not care where I had been or the baggage that I was bringing into the marriage. He washed me and helped me to feel pure. He cleansed me and cherished me as his bride, the only one he would ever want. He made me his, and his love was a godly love. He did not want to share my love with anyone, or anything. He loved me enough to show me who I really was, and that was a bride covered under the protection of her groom. This man holds my heart, body, spirit, and soul in his hands. I respect him, with the highest respect. He showed me who my true savior was, by mimicking Him. With God as our foundation, we have discovered what marriages are really for.
Jimmy Evans, "Satan has a special hatred toward marriages. Marriage is the visible image of Christs relationship with the church, in this world. In this way, marriages project the very image of God on Earth... Satan is trying to tear down marriages so that God's authority on Earth will be compromised. Satan did not attack Adam and Eve, he attacked marriages." What is your marriage saying to others about God? How do you treat your spouse? Are they able to see Christ's redeeming love through your actions towards them? Are you cherishing and washing your bride? Are you honoring and respecting your husband? Are you loving yourself, by loving the one you are with? I have had two marriages, one with God and one without Him. With Him leading, you can never go wrong. It is through your marriage that He wanted others to see His love. Do they?
My vows: Jason, I love you and I know that you love me, I am confident that God has chosen you to be my husband, It is my prayer and desire that you will find in me, the help mate God designed especially for you, And in confidence I will submit myself unto your leadership...
Jason's vows: Jenny, I love you and I know this love is from God, Because of this I want to be your husband, So that we might serve Christ together, Through all of the uncertainties and trials of the present and future, I promise to be faithful to you and love you, I promise to guide and protect you...
I can say with confidence that we have a marriage that represents the love of Christ and trust me, it is wonderful. We did it right, but if you think laying down our own desires in the beginning was easy, you are nuts. It is hard to let go of your life and let Christ take control. Everything in our nature was screaming, "run." But instead of running, we both held on to that small calm inside that was saying, "let Me take control, so that I can bless you."
Ephesians 5:21ff, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband."
When I left my ex, I left a note on the table. In that note, I said that I needed to be cherished as a wife and not destroyed. For our marriage was not a godly marriage it was selfish and destructive. Then God gave me Jason. I did not understand how much Christ loved me, until I felt the redeeming love of my Husband. He did not care where I had been or the baggage that I was bringing into the marriage. He washed me and helped me to feel pure. He cleansed me and cherished me as his bride, the only one he would ever want. He made me his, and his love was a godly love. He did not want to share my love with anyone, or anything. He loved me enough to show me who I really was, and that was a bride covered under the protection of her groom. This man holds my heart, body, spirit, and soul in his hands. I respect him, with the highest respect. He showed me who my true savior was, by mimicking Him. With God as our foundation, we have discovered what marriages are really for.
Jimmy Evans, "Satan has a special hatred toward marriages. Marriage is the visible image of Christs relationship with the church, in this world. In this way, marriages project the very image of God on Earth... Satan is trying to tear down marriages so that God's authority on Earth will be compromised. Satan did not attack Adam and Eve, he attacked marriages." What is your marriage saying to others about God? How do you treat your spouse? Are they able to see Christ's redeeming love through your actions towards them? Are you cherishing and washing your bride? Are you honoring and respecting your husband? Are you loving yourself, by loving the one you are with? I have had two marriages, one with God and one without Him. With Him leading, you can never go wrong. It is through your marriage that He wanted others to see His love. Do they?
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Being a Follower
Galatians 1:3-5, "May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen."
I can very easily cry for the past sins in my life. I can mourn for the life that I led and the choices that I made. I do not live in the past, but if anyone knows the severity of my sin, I do. For, I know how many I hurt along the way. The thing that I grieve the most is the fact that I was weak. I was a follower, and a leader. A good friend of mine explained it very well for me the other day. She said, "You and I have the same personality all that matters is, who you are around. If we are with good, they can point us toward good. If we are around evil, we help them in evil. But, it does not stop there, they will get us headed in that direction, then we take off. We become the leader, we just need help in going the right direction." Everyone who knows me, probably sees this, it is the directing that can be tricky. The thing that I am struggling with at the moment are the tears. I am not so sure that I should cry any longer. And yes while I am writing this, tears are forming, but anyway. I cannot cry for how my life has turned out, for Christ was the leader in that one.
Do you know how much I love my God! I am so in love with Him, because I know there is nothing I can do to earn His favor. Yet, He came and chose me. His salvation is a free gift. His love is never ending, because trust me, I pushed that envelope to the limits, and He never left me. Maybe, I should stop the tears from flowing so easily, I don't know. But they are not really tears of heartache they are tears of thankfulness. I am so grateful for the life that I have today. I am so undeserving of any of it, and I know this. I truly did nothing to earn anything that I have. It was all by His grace and favor that I have any of it. My life is different, because I finally decided to allow Him to point me where I needed to go. I finally decided to let go and trust in His love. Do you know how freeing this is? I am finally free, and the more I see that it was His guiding me, that led me here, the more free I am to enjoy my life.
Galatians 3:5-6, "I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ. In the same way, 'Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.' The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God." I have done nothing to deserve the love of my God. Yet, He died for me and took the curse of the cross upon Himself. If you think that you have to be "good" to believe, then you are missing the point. The actions do follow, but it takes time. What He wants is a repentant heart and a willingness to follow Him, wherever He may lead. Then after you get there, be thankful to Him for loving you, even before you were born.
Oswald Chambers, "Galatians 2:20, 'I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me . . .' These words mean the breaking and collapse of my independence brought about by my own hands, and the surrendering of my life to the supremacy of the Lord Jesus. No one can do this for me, I must do it myself. God may bring me up to this point three hundred and sixty-five times a year, but He cannot push me through it. It means breaking the hard outer layer of my individual independence from God, and the liberating of myself and my nature into oneness with Him; not following my own ideas, but choosing absolute loyalty to Jesus. Once I am at that point, there is no possibility of misunderstanding. Very few of us know anything about loyalty to Christ or understand what He meant when He said, '. . . for My sake' (Matthew 5:11). That is what makes a strong saint."
I can very easily cry for the past sins in my life. I can mourn for the life that I led and the choices that I made. I do not live in the past, but if anyone knows the severity of my sin, I do. For, I know how many I hurt along the way. The thing that I grieve the most is the fact that I was weak. I was a follower, and a leader. A good friend of mine explained it very well for me the other day. She said, "You and I have the same personality all that matters is, who you are around. If we are with good, they can point us toward good. If we are around evil, we help them in evil. But, it does not stop there, they will get us headed in that direction, then we take off. We become the leader, we just need help in going the right direction." Everyone who knows me, probably sees this, it is the directing that can be tricky. The thing that I am struggling with at the moment are the tears. I am not so sure that I should cry any longer. And yes while I am writing this, tears are forming, but anyway. I cannot cry for how my life has turned out, for Christ was the leader in that one.
Do you know how much I love my God! I am so in love with Him, because I know there is nothing I can do to earn His favor. Yet, He came and chose me. His salvation is a free gift. His love is never ending, because trust me, I pushed that envelope to the limits, and He never left me. Maybe, I should stop the tears from flowing so easily, I don't know. But they are not really tears of heartache they are tears of thankfulness. I am so grateful for the life that I have today. I am so undeserving of any of it, and I know this. I truly did nothing to earn anything that I have. It was all by His grace and favor that I have any of it. My life is different, because I finally decided to allow Him to point me where I needed to go. I finally decided to let go and trust in His love. Do you know how freeing this is? I am finally free, and the more I see that it was His guiding me, that led me here, the more free I am to enjoy my life.
Galatians 3:5-6, "I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ. In the same way, 'Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.' The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God." I have done nothing to deserve the love of my God. Yet, He died for me and took the curse of the cross upon Himself. If you think that you have to be "good" to believe, then you are missing the point. The actions do follow, but it takes time. What He wants is a repentant heart and a willingness to follow Him, wherever He may lead. Then after you get there, be thankful to Him for loving you, even before you were born.
Oswald Chambers, "Galatians 2:20, 'I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me . . .' These words mean the breaking and collapse of my independence brought about by my own hands, and the surrendering of my life to the supremacy of the Lord Jesus. No one can do this for me, I must do it myself. God may bring me up to this point three hundred and sixty-five times a year, but He cannot push me through it. It means breaking the hard outer layer of my individual independence from God, and the liberating of myself and my nature into oneness with Him; not following my own ideas, but choosing absolute loyalty to Jesus. Once I am at that point, there is no possibility of misunderstanding. Very few of us know anything about loyalty to Christ or understand what He meant when He said, '. . . for My sake' (Matthew 5:11). That is what makes a strong saint."
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