Speaking about being different...and I did in my last blog...I heard a young man speak that, obviously, had been radically changed by the Lord. He preached an awesome message, and I wanted to share some of his message with you. I am not going to attempt to organize his thoughts in any manner, but want to share them with you at random...which is how he shared them with us.
What's Wrong with Me?
Some of us are crippled by ME, and the fruit of ME is temporal and disgusting! If the Son has set you free, you are free indeed! If something is wrong with you, it's not His fault! Where the presence of the Lord is, there is change.
Don't worship your circumstances...worship Him! Celebrate what's been done for you, and not to you! Don't be a victim and hold your circumstances or what's happened to you up like a trophy! Don't stay in your circumstance, but stand in your covenant relationship with God.
You say, "I don't feel righteous," ...and you never will...but believe Him! You are righteous in Christ Jesus! We have become partakers of His divine nature. "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation; old things are passed away, behold, all things have been made new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Our biggest problem is that we don't know what to hope in...we don't know what He has promised us in God's Word. Is His mercy done? No...it endures forever...His mercies are new every morning! Lay down your options and celebrate the promises of God. He cannot lie...His Word is truth! You can bank on what He says.
God's promises are not based on me and my performance but on His merit! Jesus wants us to come to Him now...just like we are...don't try to clean yourself up or straighten yourself out.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. It is a gift of God...not of works...lest any man should boast!"
(Ephesians 2:8-9)
Monday, January 30, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Are You Different?
In a recent dicussion about the church and why I believed that it was important to "not forsake the assembling of yourselves together" and why I felt like it was important to attend church in order to encourage one another as believers and hear God's Word taught, this is the response that I got:
"Shouldn't the people in the church, on the whole, be a different breed of people? Not perfect, but different? I think that many Christians like to "talk" about being different, and they have all the right words to sound like they are different, but they really don't want to be different!! I do believe that some people are trying to pursue Christlikeness, but I've also seen people who don't practice what they hear preached....all the while, condemning others for being sinners. It's hard for me to argue that kids need to be in church when most of the people in the church are just like everyone else...only they go to church! Church, then, only becomes a hangout where people go to have fun and then feel more righteous because of it."
Whoa...how do you respond to that? Maybe that the church is a hospital for sinners? Though we have been saved by God's grace, we still continue to do wrong things, because we are not perfect...and we never will be this side of heaven? That our goal is not perfection, but that we are striving to go in the right direction?
My heart is hurting today, because I see myself in those statements...and I don't want to be guilty of attending church for the appearance of being righteous. I truly long to be more like Christ, but I know that there are times that I miserably fail the Lord, and I disappoint people. More than anything, however, I don't want to disappoint my Lord. I desire to be a God-pleaser and not a man-pleaser...and I struggle with that!
This morning, I heard Him whisper to me, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1) Thank You, Lord...your Word is Truth!
"Shouldn't the people in the church, on the whole, be a different breed of people? Not perfect, but different? I think that many Christians like to "talk" about being different, and they have all the right words to sound like they are different, but they really don't want to be different!! I do believe that some people are trying to pursue Christlikeness, but I've also seen people who don't practice what they hear preached....all the while, condemning others for being sinners. It's hard for me to argue that kids need to be in church when most of the people in the church are just like everyone else...only they go to church! Church, then, only becomes a hangout where people go to have fun and then feel more righteous because of it."
Whoa...how do you respond to that? Maybe that the church is a hospital for sinners? Though we have been saved by God's grace, we still continue to do wrong things, because we are not perfect...and we never will be this side of heaven? That our goal is not perfection, but that we are striving to go in the right direction?
My heart is hurting today, because I see myself in those statements...and I don't want to be guilty of attending church for the appearance of being righteous. I truly long to be more like Christ, but I know that there are times that I miserably fail the Lord, and I disappoint people. More than anything, however, I don't want to disappoint my Lord. I desire to be a God-pleaser and not a man-pleaser...and I struggle with that!
This morning, I heard Him whisper to me, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1) Thank You, Lord...your Word is Truth!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
My Son
Love this song by Mark Schultz, written for a friend's son with cancer:
He's My Son
I'm down on my knees again tonight,
I'm hoping this prayer will turn out right.
See there is a boy that needs Your help,
I've done all that I can do myself.
His mother is tired,
I'm sure You can understand.
Each night as he sleeps,
She goes in to hold his hand.
And she tries...not to cry...
As the tears fill her eyes.
Can you hear me?
Am I getting through tonight?
Can You see him?
Can you make him feel alright?
If You can hear him...let me take his place somehow,
See, he's not just anyone, he's my son!
Sometimes late at night I watch him sleep,
I dream of the boy he'd like to be.
I try to be strong and see him through,
But, God, who he needs right now is You!
Let him grow old...live life without this fear!
What would life be, living without him here?
He's so tired, and he's scared...
Let him know You're there...
Can You hear me?
Can You see him?
Please don't leave him...
He's my son!
"When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You!" Psalm 56:3
He's My Son
I'm down on my knees again tonight,
I'm hoping this prayer will turn out right.
See there is a boy that needs Your help,
I've done all that I can do myself.
His mother is tired,
I'm sure You can understand.
Each night as he sleeps,
She goes in to hold his hand.
And she tries...not to cry...
As the tears fill her eyes.
Can you hear me?
Am I getting through tonight?
Can You see him?
Can you make him feel alright?
If You can hear him...let me take his place somehow,
See, he's not just anyone, he's my son!
Sometimes late at night I watch him sleep,
I dream of the boy he'd like to be.
I try to be strong and see him through,
But, God, who he needs right now is You!
Let him grow old...live life without this fear!
What would life be, living without him here?
He's so tired, and he's scared...
Let him know You're there...
Can You hear me?
Can You see him?
Please don't leave him...
He's my son!
"When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You!" Psalm 56:3
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Iron Sharpens Iron
A few days ago, a friend shared with me her morning devotional, written by Sarah Young:
"Ask the Holy Spirit to control your mind, so that you can think great thoughts of God! Do not be discouraged, but know that time is a trainer, teaching us to wait upon Him, trusting Him in the dark. The more extreme the circumstances, the more likely we are to see His power and glory at work in the situation. Instead of letting the difficulty draw you into worrying...or even into yourself...try to view the difficulty as setting the scene for His glorious intervention!! Jesus is in control, and He is going to show Himself in a way that He will be glorified!"
My friend went on to say, "It's hard to humble myself when I've been wronged, but making the first move is a way of taking our love to a higher level. PRIDE is a strong word, but we must die to self each and every day...casting our feelings aside, and holding on to what we know is TRUTH!"
I am grateful today for that dear, sweet friend who sharpens me as iron sharpens iron. She is my encourager, my prayer warrior, and she always stimulates me to love more and to stay faithful to the Truth...God's Word! She has a way of gently pointing me back to the Lord - to walk in His ways and die to self daily. I am abundantly blessed for the gift of her friendship!
"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17
"Ask the Holy Spirit to control your mind, so that you can think great thoughts of God! Do not be discouraged, but know that time is a trainer, teaching us to wait upon Him, trusting Him in the dark. The more extreme the circumstances, the more likely we are to see His power and glory at work in the situation. Instead of letting the difficulty draw you into worrying...or even into yourself...try to view the difficulty as setting the scene for His glorious intervention!! Jesus is in control, and He is going to show Himself in a way that He will be glorified!"
My friend went on to say, "It's hard to humble myself when I've been wronged, but making the first move is a way of taking our love to a higher level. PRIDE is a strong word, but we must die to self each and every day...casting our feelings aside, and holding on to what we know is TRUTH!"
I am grateful today for that dear, sweet friend who sharpens me as iron sharpens iron. She is my encourager, my prayer warrior, and she always stimulates me to love more and to stay faithful to the Truth...God's Word! She has a way of gently pointing me back to the Lord - to walk in His ways and die to self daily. I am abundantly blessed for the gift of her friendship!
"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
No Expectations!
It's been many months since I blogged...I will excuse it at spending five months getting ready to move to our new home. Lots of packing, after living twenty-two years in one place, and many decisions to be made. After depending on my husband to make many of those decisions for thirty-three years, it was quite an adjustment to live life on my own. I will say, however, that I have a much greater appreciation for my mother...a widow who lived forty-two years without a man...and raised five ornery children!! Blessed is she among women!!
In the past few months, the Lord has been reiterating a lesson that I should have learned...and was taught many years ago. That lesson is to not put any expectations upon anyone or anything! When we expect others to act a certain way or do certain things for us...when we expect for all of our circumstances to work out the way that we want them to, we will always be disappointed! On the other hand, if we expect nothing from them, we will not be hurt, disappointed, or have quarrels!
James says, "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this...that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and you cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel!" (James 4:1-2)
Recently, I found myself having a huge pity-party when I was hurt by something that someone said. I found myself thinking, "How can that person be so rude and disrespectful?" The Lord immediately brought conviction to my heart that this was to be a joyful day...for you see, it was Christmas Day! The day of our Lord's birth! I was convicted as I remembered how Jesus, the Son of God, humbled Himself and came into this world that we might have life...abundant life and eternal life with Him! Though He came to this earth to offer us everlasting love, mercy, and grace...that we did not deserve..He suffered ridicule, rejection, and an excruciatingly painful death on a cross!
Why should I...a mere human being and a selfish, self-centered sinner expect to be treated differently? Why should I bemoan my circumstances and feel sorry for myself...or even consider my lot to be suffering??
Especially when I have many dear friends who are currently experiencing true suffering!
God forgive me...and remind me once again that James says, "Count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4)
In the past few months, the Lord has been reiterating a lesson that I should have learned...and was taught many years ago. That lesson is to not put any expectations upon anyone or anything! When we expect others to act a certain way or do certain things for us...when we expect for all of our circumstances to work out the way that we want them to, we will always be disappointed! On the other hand, if we expect nothing from them, we will not be hurt, disappointed, or have quarrels!
James says, "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this...that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and you cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel!" (James 4:1-2)
Recently, I found myself having a huge pity-party when I was hurt by something that someone said. I found myself thinking, "How can that person be so rude and disrespectful?" The Lord immediately brought conviction to my heart that this was to be a joyful day...for you see, it was Christmas Day! The day of our Lord's birth! I was convicted as I remembered how Jesus, the Son of God, humbled Himself and came into this world that we might have life...abundant life and eternal life with Him! Though He came to this earth to offer us everlasting love, mercy, and grace...that we did not deserve..He suffered ridicule, rejection, and an excruciatingly painful death on a cross!
Why should I...a mere human being and a selfish, self-centered sinner expect to be treated differently? Why should I bemoan my circumstances and feel sorry for myself...or even consider my lot to be suffering??
Especially when I have many dear friends who are currently experiencing true suffering!
God forgive me...and remind me once again that James says, "Count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4)
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