Last weekend, my mom shared her sabfab time with me. I enjoyed the ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and suplication) method of prayer with the movement of my body.
(Deuteronomy 6:5) "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."
We were made to love and admire God with all our heart, mind, body, strength. And yet, this is many times the most difficult thing to do. Praise or worship or adoration means to get outside ourselves and take a look at who God IS and not what we think He is or should be. How do we know who God is then? We MUST look to Scripture to tell us, because otherwise we are just making our own assumptions based on our limited experiences and feelings.
First and formost, God is Holy. Ps. 99:9 "The Lord our God is holy." Whole hosts of angels were created to cry out (Isaiah 6:3) "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."
Emil Brunner expresses: "Holiness is the Nature of God, that which distinguishes Him from everything else...Holiness is not a quality which God possesses in common with other beings; on the contrary, it is that which distinguishes Him clearly and absolutely from everything else."
I was once asked about the fact that the word "fear" is used in the Bible to describe how we feel about God. Well, I think that due to His complete holiness, to encounter the living God who is completely separated from sin and blameless in every way is a frightening experience.
It is frightening, because I know that I fall short. I miss the mark of perfection. Because I am sinful and prideful and want my way instead of God's way in my life I deserve death. Does that sound too harsh?
Paul reminds us, "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23)
Because God is all holy, he hates sin, he cannot have anything to do with it, because He is all goodness and Light and there is no room for darkness with God. And He will exercise His wrath on sin.
Isaiah 13:9 "See, the day of the Lord is coming- a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger-to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it."
I know that God is just.
Isaiah 5:16 "But the Lord Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will show himself holy by his righteousness."
I have been thinking this week, about all the injustice in the world today. Murder, rape, freedoms taken away, hatefullness. Don't you want justice? I know I do. It is good to know that God is good and God is just. He will set all things right. I like this until it comes down to me. When I am the one who has done the wrong, that is when I really want the Holy God to show his mercy and love. And he does! As much as God hates sin, He loves His people, He wants us to CHOOSE to love Him and choose to turn away from whatever else drives us in life to be driven by love for Him!
"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." - look at this passage from Deu. "love the Lord your God" He is MY God, not only the God of nations, all powerful and knowing, but my personal helper and friend. There is a Christian song I have been listening to, and one of the lyrics says, "Could the Maker of the stars, hear the sound of my breaking heart?"
God is so personal, we are made to be so personal with Him. He wants in on all aspects of our life. Last week, I was working, and I had been sick the day before. I was exhausted, I felt almost numb. Between patient visits, I was just in tears crying out loud to God because in my own strength, I felt helpless. I could not go on. I told Him that He was going to have to do this last visit, give me the energy and strength. I was too weary, He needed to pick me up. God is always faithful. I felt a rush of joy come over me, and I made it for my last visit. I realized this was another example of how Jesus comes to our rescue. God wants us to call on Him, can I go to heaven? Yes, because you are covered by Jesus, he did it all for you if you just believe in Him. Can I get through this work day? Yes, because God is going to carry you through if you just believe in Him.
God is loving and merciful, he gave us Jesus. I would not be alive if not for Him.
John 5:26 "For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself."
Monday, February 21, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Be Mine!
A friends sent this to me, and thought it was perfect for Valentine's Day!
A Valentine may play a love song for you, but God sings to you the sweetest love song in the universe.
The Lord your God..will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17
A Valentine may give you flowers, but God sent you the most beautiful rose of all. Jesus.
I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. Song of Solomon 2:1
A Valentine may love you for a lifetime, but God loved you before you were born and will love you for all eternity.
Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love...with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Jeremiah 31:3
Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Remember this day that our Lord God, holy and alive forever, is DEEPLY IN LOVE with you!!!!
A Valentine may play a love song for you, but God sings to you the sweetest love song in the universe.
The Lord your God..will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17
A Valentine may give you flowers, but God sent you the most beautiful rose of all. Jesus.
I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. Song of Solomon 2:1
A Valentine may love you for a lifetime, but God loved you before you were born and will love you for all eternity.
Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love...with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Jeremiah 31:3
Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Remember this day that our Lord God, holy and alive forever, is DEEPLY IN LOVE with you!!!!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Walk Like a Christian, talk like a Christian
This week has been absolutely banannas! I really don't like the fact that I have to take time off work and the fact that I am not sitting on a beach or at a ski resort during this forced time off! But, it has given me the opportunity to take care of the things that I have been neglecting lately. I finally signed up for my 401k this week, I renewed my gym membership....went to the gym....spent time with parents, and most importantly, spent time with my Lord and Savior whom I love. Having the opportunity to marinate over conversations and experiences of late, an article by Darrell Johnson had been coming to my mind. Titled: Demands My All, he begins:
"'Life is difficult.' That is the way M. Scott Peck begins his very helpful book The Road Less Traveled. Most people do not see this truth. Most people believe that life should be easy. The road most traveled is the road of moaning and grumbling about life's difficulties. The road less traveled is the road of accepting life's difficulties and meeting them head-on."
Some good stuff. I want to take a closer look even. At first glance, one may speculate that what Johnson is pointing out is that we should just "get over it," with little to no sympathy. That we only have two choices in life, to be upset over the wrongs and hurts we endure or to pretend there are no wrongs or hurts. A pitfall for many Christians is that we think we have to have it "all together" in order to be a good Christ follower, that if things are ugly and testing us we need to slap on a happy face, hide it so others don't know we struggle, for the world to see that as a Christain, you too, could have it "all together" like me. This is a lie, and not what Jesus intended for his followers.
(2 Corinthians 12:9)" But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."
We have heard the term "take up your cross."
(Matthew 16:24) "Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."
I want to point out something here, Jesus is completely validating the fact that we each have a cross to bear. I know believers and non-believers alike who suffer with depression, death of loved ones, betrayal, cancer, loniness, chronic pain, and regrets. Jesus is not telling you to deny those very real pains, He is telling you to take up those hurts and pains, own them, and bring it to Him. Denying myself does NOT mean denying my self worth, denying myself does NOT mean denying my feelings. Denying myself does mean that I no longer answer to "Lord Haley"
D. Johnson says, "Human bondage in all its forms is the result of being our own gods."
If we can put aside our pride, jealousy, argumentative spirit, resentments, then we become free to be ourselves in a very honest and real way.
This raw exposure of ourselves seems intimidating, Jesus doesn't want you to be a basket case either. It is risky, to go against what the world tells you, and put your whole faith and joy in God. But I know from experience, that it is completely worth it. Remember, Jesus rose from the dead on Easter! He had to go through Good Friday, all the suffering and death, before he could overcome it.
It is also just as important to remember that the gifts God has given you, the unique mixture of your personal checkbook, home, brain, heart, talents, feet, mouth, etc. when given to God for HIS benefit and glory will never leave you short changed in life.
I have been reading Isaiah 43: 1-4 these past couple of days. I like how these verses give me some answers and insight into 1. Who God is. 2. Who I am and 3. What that means for me. When you go about denying yourself, its good to know what your doing it for (or Who in this case: God) and what we do receive in return.
God takes ownership of me (His creation)
"But now, this is what the Lord says- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine." (v. 1)
God protects me
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." (v. 2)
Who is God?
"For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your sted. (v. 3)
Who are we?
"Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you," (v. 4)
God sacrifices for us
"I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life." (v. 4)
"'Life is difficult.' That is the way M. Scott Peck begins his very helpful book The Road Less Traveled. Most people do not see this truth. Most people believe that life should be easy. The road most traveled is the road of moaning and grumbling about life's difficulties. The road less traveled is the road of accepting life's difficulties and meeting them head-on."
Some good stuff. I want to take a closer look even. At first glance, one may speculate that what Johnson is pointing out is that we should just "get over it," with little to no sympathy. That we only have two choices in life, to be upset over the wrongs and hurts we endure or to pretend there are no wrongs or hurts. A pitfall for many Christians is that we think we have to have it "all together" in order to be a good Christ follower, that if things are ugly and testing us we need to slap on a happy face, hide it so others don't know we struggle, for the world to see that as a Christain, you too, could have it "all together" like me. This is a lie, and not what Jesus intended for his followers.
(2 Corinthians 12:9)" But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."
We have heard the term "take up your cross."
(Matthew 16:24) "Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."
I want to point out something here, Jesus is completely validating the fact that we each have a cross to bear. I know believers and non-believers alike who suffer with depression, death of loved ones, betrayal, cancer, loniness, chronic pain, and regrets. Jesus is not telling you to deny those very real pains, He is telling you to take up those hurts and pains, own them, and bring it to Him. Denying myself does NOT mean denying my self worth, denying myself does NOT mean denying my feelings. Denying myself does mean that I no longer answer to "Lord Haley"
D. Johnson says, "Human bondage in all its forms is the result of being our own gods."
If we can put aside our pride, jealousy, argumentative spirit, resentments, then we become free to be ourselves in a very honest and real way.
This raw exposure of ourselves seems intimidating, Jesus doesn't want you to be a basket case either. It is risky, to go against what the world tells you, and put your whole faith and joy in God. But I know from experience, that it is completely worth it. Remember, Jesus rose from the dead on Easter! He had to go through Good Friday, all the suffering and death, before he could overcome it.
It is also just as important to remember that the gifts God has given you, the unique mixture of your personal checkbook, home, brain, heart, talents, feet, mouth, etc. when given to God for HIS benefit and glory will never leave you short changed in life.
I have been reading Isaiah 43: 1-4 these past couple of days. I like how these verses give me some answers and insight into 1. Who God is. 2. Who I am and 3. What that means for me. When you go about denying yourself, its good to know what your doing it for (or Who in this case: God) and what we do receive in return.
God takes ownership of me (His creation)
"But now, this is what the Lord says- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine." (v. 1)
God protects me
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." (v. 2)
Who is God?
"For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your sted. (v. 3)
Who are we?
"Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you," (v. 4)
God sacrifices for us
"I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life." (v. 4)
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