making You my First October 28, 2008

It seems like I am oh too much like Paul when he says in Romans 7:15-16

“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.” and 7:19 “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.”

How do I create the spiritual habit of making God first?  For it is my desire to put Him first and yet I write this post instead of spending time with Him.  Ugghh

Okay – so I stopped writing the post two hours ago and spent some time with God – reading – listening.  He welcomes me back every time.  So that’s part of it – making the choice – not letting other things get in the way.  It is a spiritual battle and it demands my choice to say “Yes God, You are First.”  God doesn’t want me to do the things that get in my way of spending time with Him.  He wants me to get rid of them.  As it says in Matthew 18:7-9  

“Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.”

So for me the second step is to write a list and cut out the things that rob my time with God.  I have to get rid of them even if I love them.  I have to make some hard choices.

confession September 10, 2008

There comes a time when one must confess.

Jesus – You are the Word – Your Word is the Bread of life.  And since this is true, I confess that Lord, I certainly must be starving.  Lord, I ask You to draw me into Your Living Word – Fill my hunger pains – and help me to see the oportunities I have – the time that is in my day in which I can read Your Word – that I can praise Your Holy Name.  God – please give me strength to clear the busy-ness from my day so that I may soak in You.  Amen.

O for grace to trust Him more July 25, 2008

This old song was written in 1882 by Louisa Stead and William Kirkpatrick.  It has been said that Stead wrote the lyrics after her husband drown.  Out of grief and sorrow came lyrics that inspire.  As I prepare for this week’s service on God’s will for our lives – I have learned that God calls us to know Him and then to obey Him.  God knows that it is quintessential that we trust Him in order to do His will.  This perhaps is why he doesn’t “lay the plan out” or “put in writing” the exact steps of our lives.  If we knew all of the plans He had for us – we wouldn’t have to exercise trust.  Rather, He wants us to trust Him so that we can know Him and obey Him.  As the first verse says; it is so wonderful to rest upon His promise.

On a side note, Stead also included another key component of doing God’s will and that is to remove sin and self.  When we actively pursue this removal we have less that separates us from God.  Consequently, we are closer to Him and our relationship with Jesus grows deeper. 

So I pray this song as a hope:  O Lord – I cry out to You – Please pour down Your grace so that I can trust you more.  For I long to know You – I long to rest in Your promise and do Your will.  Amen

Verse 1
‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus
Just to take Him at His Word
Just to rest upon His promise
Just to know “Thus saith the Lord!”

Refrain
Jesus, Jesus How I trust Thee
How I proved Him o’er and o’er
Jesus, Jesus precious Jesus
O for grace to trust Him more

Verse 2
O how sweet to trust in Jesus
Just to trust His cleansing blood
Just in simple faith to plunge me
‘neath the healing, cleansing flood

Verse 3
Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus
Just from self and sin to cease
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace

Verse 4
I’m so glad I learned to trust Him
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend
And I know that Thou art with me
Wilt be with me to the end.

Praise Him July 14, 2008

How can I Praise My God?

I can tell Him how wonderful He is in my prayers.

I can lift my hands and voice to Him.

I can serve others in the name of Jesus without selfish gain.

I can go to bed on time so that I am refreshed each day and reflect His image to others.

I can meditate on Him, write about Him, and make creative expressions for Him.

I can love Him with all my heart and soul and mind.

Clarity July 11, 2008

There is an urgent feeling in my community to be God’s Kingdom.  To be active participants in His plan.  It calls for a sensitive ear to hear God and a willing heart and spirit to obey him.  We often pray as He instructed us “Thy Kingdom Come”.  Now we are realizing that we can play active roles in this. 

The most challenging aspect of this for me is discerning exactly what God wants me to do.  I know that He could be calling me into big life changes – but how that happens – I have not yet been able to weed through.  My prayers right now are that God would bring me clarity – a clearness of purpose – a path to follow so that I can say “Yes Father – Here I am – Choose me”.

next steps to worship June 18, 2008

Confess your sins.
Let God restore you.
Take the next steps to walk in His freedom.

This is worship.

the three in one May 19, 2008

About a month ago I had some questions from readers about evidence for the Trinity in the Bible.  In my recent studies in 1st John there is yet more evidence of the Holy three-in-one.  I will say yet again that I am not a theologian – just a person who seeks to know God and to be known by God.

1st John 5:6-8  This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood.  It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.  For there are three that testify:  the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.

As I ask God to reveal what His words mean in this passage I have come to know that the Spirit is the Holy spirit, the Water is the Father God, and the Blood is Jesus Christ.  This is the Holy Trinity.

FAITH: the Antidote For Fear May 18, 2008

Victory over the world (and by the world I mean those who do not not know the truth – those who are false prophets and who are at the whim of any spirit and ultimately are separated from God) comes from believing that Jesus has the power to redeem our souls.  And when we have faith in this, the testimony of God - His truth and love – will live in us.

By His love there is no fear.
So Faith is the antidote for fear.

1st John 4:1-3  Beloved do not believe every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. . .

1st John 4:16-18  We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us.  God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.  By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgement; because as He is, so also are we in this world.  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

1st John 5: 4-5  For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.  Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

but still i hear You call me May 14, 2008

a written plan You do not have for me
nor a step-by-step treasure map

clarity I do not know
but still I hear You call me through the fog of doubt

I lean in toward You
listening for Your voice
but have I let the darkness of a busy life drown You out

keep calling me I ask
I want to follow only You
I want to take the step
that of faith into Your plan

help me close my eyes and take the leap
rip away the fear that stops me
take away the voices of reason and replace them with truth
and lead me faithfully to the place where I know that You know that I know You want me to be

yes Lord – take me there

the cost of it all May 7, 2008

So what is the cost of it all?  The cost of following Jesus?

Matthew 16:24-25  Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. . . .”

It is not easy.  It is the cost of comfort.  It is the cost of releasing fear.  It is the cost of letting go of security.  It is the cost of our own desires. 

and yet . . .

It pays for a life with Jesus.  It is blessing and joy.  It is freedom.  It is the honor of doing God’s work.  It is the pleasure of being in his presence.  It is the practice of Faith.  It is seeing the impossible be possible.  It is assurance of the God who made all things.

It is worth it . . . now Lord, please help me to see past the cost and embrace into the vision you have for my life.  Amen