I read this this morning and thought to myself how awesome our God is so I'd like to post and share it with you all. It's taken from "More Precious Than Gold" by Sam Storms:
We celebrate a God who is able, who works tirelessly and relentlessly on behalf of those who trust in Him.
This is important because:
1) Your spiritual growth is governed by the greatness of your God.
If your God is small, you will be too. If his power is limited, so is yours. It's important that we know and celebrate the God who is able, because your spiritual maturity and conformity to the likeness of Jesus himself will always be in proportion to the greatness of the God you know. Those who worship a diminutive deity will forever remain spiritual pygmies.
Henry Scougal once said, "The worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." If you want to learn what's most important about a person, take note of what's most important to that person.
What does he most admire? Whom does she most cherish? What monopolizes his time and energy?
If our God, the only God, the God who is able, is the one for whom we seek, to whom we are passionately devoted, in whom we have invested our lives, the "excellency" of our souls will be known by all.
2) According to Daniel 11:32, "The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action."
The knowledge of this God who is able empowers the soul, energizes the heart, strengthens the will, exalts the mind, inflames the spirit, and moves our hands in ministry and mercy to others. Ignorance, on the other hand, immobilizes.
3) Finally, and most important of all, this is what you were created for.
We exist not simply to think about God or to sing about God or to obey or to fear God but to glorify Him by enjoying Him and rejoicing in Him forever. But your delight in God will be only as deep and intense as your knowledge is accurate. You cannot enjoy someone you don't know.
I pray that you will come to know and love this wonderful God more and more each day!
Grace and peace to you.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Sacrifice and surrender
Coming back from a retreat weekend can be an adjustment, as you ease (well, maybe not exactly the right word for some of you) back into work/school life and succumb to the grind and daily pressures/distractions/temptations of the "world".
But I'm very thankful for this brief time away for "meaty" spiritual growth and wonderful fellowship, as I'm reminded of some important life lessons:
1) That Jesus' suffering on the cross was BY CHOICE, an awesome outpouring of love and amazing grace for me:
"For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I received from my Father." - John 10:17-18
And I don't know about you, but that makes me love Him so much more, that He could have said "I quit, you're not worth it" but He DIDN'T.
2) That we are commanded to love each other as He loved us:
"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another." - John 15:16-17
And this love isn't natural and doesn't come easy; this love includes loving those who have hurt you, let you down, who have betrayed you, who are your enemies.
3) That our lives ought to be characterized and defined by surrender...DAILY:
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." - Rom. 12:1-2
Jesus paid the price, took on God's wrath for my sins, for which I could not do myself, and my reasonable service is to live my life for God's glory.
Let's work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), for the God we serve deserves our praise, honor, and obedience.
Grace and peace to you.
But I'm very thankful for this brief time away for "meaty" spiritual growth and wonderful fellowship, as I'm reminded of some important life lessons:
1) That Jesus' suffering on the cross was BY CHOICE, an awesome outpouring of love and amazing grace for me:
"For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I received from my Father." - John 10:17-18
And I don't know about you, but that makes me love Him so much more, that He could have said "I quit, you're not worth it" but He DIDN'T.
2) That we are commanded to love each other as He loved us:
"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another." - John 15:16-17
And this love isn't natural and doesn't come easy; this love includes loving those who have hurt you, let you down, who have betrayed you, who are your enemies.
3) That our lives ought to be characterized and defined by surrender...DAILY:
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." - Rom. 12:1-2
Jesus paid the price, took on God's wrath for my sins, for which I could not do myself, and my reasonable service is to live my life for God's glory.
Let's work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), for the God we serve deserves our praise, honor, and obedience.
Grace and peace to you.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Distance and space
So it's been a while since I've posted...and I've been pondering a few random but connected thoughts...mainly from a couple Sci-Fi movies I've been watching.
It's interesting how art imitates life...and how we can sometimes gain some pretty good insight from movies. These writers are well-versed in understanding human character and human relationships.
First, there's Yoda where he's talking to Anakin, saying "Attachment leads to jealousy, the shadow of greed, that is. Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose."
If I understand correctly, Jedi are forbidden to have attachments.
Second, the new Star Trek highlights Spock's Vulcan attributes (something new to me) where they train to use logic to suppress emotion.
As a good friend so curiously noted, while it's unhealthy to allow feelings and emotions to control you, suppression is not good either.
So where do we find this balance? I think the key is acknowledging the pain, giving yourself enough time to grieve and then moving past it.
I also think part of why the world can feel like such a challenging journey for us is our struggle to accept that life doesn't always operate neatly, in absolutes, under rules of proper conduct...which is the world I'm better suited for...that things ARE actually very unclear, often unfair, and the immediate future is uncertain.
There are many unknowns...but I trust God wholeheartedly. Jobs and people come and go, will bring you joy and also let you down; "life" may not end up like we planned or expected.
But "mind-meld" this: the overarching truth we must cling to is that our God is constant, unwavering, and in control.
No matter how distant we feel, He is near. Praise God for his faithfulness and steadfast love!
Grace and peace to you.
It's interesting how art imitates life...and how we can sometimes gain some pretty good insight from movies. These writers are well-versed in understanding human character and human relationships.
First, there's Yoda where he's talking to Anakin, saying "Attachment leads to jealousy, the shadow of greed, that is. Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose."
If I understand correctly, Jedi are forbidden to have attachments.
Second, the new Star Trek highlights Spock's Vulcan attributes (something new to me) where they train to use logic to suppress emotion.
As a good friend so curiously noted, while it's unhealthy to allow feelings and emotions to control you, suppression is not good either.
So where do we find this balance? I think the key is acknowledging the pain, giving yourself enough time to grieve and then moving past it.
I also think part of why the world can feel like such a challenging journey for us is our struggle to accept that life doesn't always operate neatly, in absolutes, under rules of proper conduct...which is the world I'm better suited for...that things ARE actually very unclear, often unfair, and the immediate future is uncertain.
There are many unknowns...but I trust God wholeheartedly. Jobs and people come and go, will bring you joy and also let you down; "life" may not end up like we planned or expected.
But "mind-meld" this: the overarching truth we must cling to is that our God is constant, unwavering, and in control.
No matter how distant we feel, He is near. Praise God for his faithfulness and steadfast love!
Grace and peace to you.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Start off small
You know, it's funny how unpredictable life can be. I've lived through the hardest few months of my life, and still have many unanswered questions...and yet, it's when we're most "unstable" that we can run to God, fully rely on Him for strength and refuge. Amen? :)
And I'm learning new lessons daily. This one comes from my observations of and interactions with my grandma. She's in a wheelchair and in diapers...actually, in the hospital today, to have surgery for a hip fracture. Please pray for healing and comfort for her and wisdom as our family will have to make some big decisions in the near future.
We've wondered why she has been too weak to walk and stand (which led to the fall), concerned that not everything is always what it seems.
And in caring for her, carrying her out of bed, helping her to change, to use the restroom, there's an interesting dynamic that has surfaced...that of her personal responsibility, and then the help we're to give.
How much strength/exertion can she, should she put out vs. how much aid we should and can give?
And as I face my own issues, how much should I personally shoulder, and when is it appropriate to call out for help, to ask for support and "burden" those around me?
That's almost an impossible question to answer:
Sometimes the need is so great, that it's better to err on the safe side...sometimes it's best to leave them alone so they'll stop being "spoiled" and learn to rely on some of their own strength, to get themselves out of that self-pity. Make sense?
In many ways, I understand this state of being - my grandma's desire not to unnecessarily burden her loved ones, but also a sense of entitlement out of selfish motives to be paid attention to.
Yes, I'll admit that I'm the type of person that wants to be reached out to, that people persist in their attempts to help...but at the same time, I feel guilty, that this is my personal cross to bear. Isn't that human nature?
God has been so good to me, showing me his faithfulness day after day. There is injustice and grief...there will be more trials and pain...but God is my mighty fortress when the storm rages, when my heart and flesh fail, when I cannot stand on my own.
Praise God that I am relatively healthy, that I have time to take it slowly...building my life from scratch again with a new body, new friends, and a promising? career ahead of me...that I'm going to be more than ok.
"but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." - Isaiah 40:31
Right now, I only have strength to walk, but I'm going to start off small...
Grace and peace to you.
And I'm learning new lessons daily. This one comes from my observations of and interactions with my grandma. She's in a wheelchair and in diapers...actually, in the hospital today, to have surgery for a hip fracture. Please pray for healing and comfort for her and wisdom as our family will have to make some big decisions in the near future.
We've wondered why she has been too weak to walk and stand (which led to the fall), concerned that not everything is always what it seems.
And in caring for her, carrying her out of bed, helping her to change, to use the restroom, there's an interesting dynamic that has surfaced...that of her personal responsibility, and then the help we're to give.
How much strength/exertion can she, should she put out vs. how much aid we should and can give?
And as I face my own issues, how much should I personally shoulder, and when is it appropriate to call out for help, to ask for support and "burden" those around me?
That's almost an impossible question to answer:
Sometimes the need is so great, that it's better to err on the safe side...sometimes it's best to leave them alone so they'll stop being "spoiled" and learn to rely on some of their own strength, to get themselves out of that self-pity. Make sense?
In many ways, I understand this state of being - my grandma's desire not to unnecessarily burden her loved ones, but also a sense of entitlement out of selfish motives to be paid attention to.
Yes, I'll admit that I'm the type of person that wants to be reached out to, that people persist in their attempts to help...but at the same time, I feel guilty, that this is my personal cross to bear. Isn't that human nature?
God has been so good to me, showing me his faithfulness day after day. There is injustice and grief...there will be more trials and pain...but God is my mighty fortress when the storm rages, when my heart and flesh fail, when I cannot stand on my own.
Praise God that I am relatively healthy, that I have time to take it slowly...building my life from scratch again with a new body, new friends, and a promising? career ahead of me...that I'm going to be more than ok.
"but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." - Isaiah 40:31
Right now, I only have strength to walk, but I'm going to start off small...
Grace and peace to you.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
May opening statements
It's been a while since I've posted here...have a few different thoughts to share but I'll keep them relatively brief.
First, I've been pondering a statement made by a new friend of mine. She said:
"Technology is supposed to bring people closer together, and yet, somehow it feels like we're all more distant."
I think that's both true and profound in a way. With email, instant messaging, texting, and all these things that "connect" people, we've stopped sending cards, contacting/relating with old friends, meeting face-to-face, making actual eye contact and engaging in deep and meaningful conversations. I miss that...call me old school...I don't like Facebook much for that reason now.
And when we apply this similar principle to the idea of "independence" and dealing with people at "arm's length", sometimes people don't have a clear understanding of what it means to be a member in community...that church is a place where we grasp hands with each other to know and be known by each other. We are agreeing to help and encourage each other when we need to be reminded of God's work in our lives or when we need to be challenged about major discrepancies between our talk and our walk." -Mark Dever in Ch. 6 of 9 Marks of a Healthy Church
Second, our lives are journeys, that we are to constantly continue to learn and grow in the right direction...
"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." - 2 Tim. 2:15 - We are to be diligent and eager to master God's Word.
"Rather train yourself for godliness, for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." - 1 Tim. 4:7-8 - Godliness includes learning to love as God loves, what He loves, and hating what God hates.
"but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame." - 1 Pet. 3: 15-16 - I like this, because you have to study, understand, prepare, and PRACTICE so that you can succeed, whether in evangelism, or just in response to persecution.
"For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in passion of lust like the Gentiles who do no know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you." - 1 Thes. 4:3-8 - God's will for us is to SANCTIFY us (Rom. 8:29), that we are called to be holy (1 Pet. 1:14). We should ask ourselves daily - God, search our heart, thoughts, choices, ask ourselves how we're seeking to avoid impurity, and pursuing holiness!
Last, I've been reflecting a lot about pride. We easily forget and take for granted all the things that God has graciously given...that if I would simply practice more thankfulness, see trials as great opportunities, that patience is a virtue, and God resists the proud but lifts up the humble.
I am working on cultivating the right spirit, learning what it means to be a true servant, as Jesus was, to love my enemies, to do good and pray for them. It can be really hard, but that's what we're commanded to do...and I delight myself in God's commandments because they are His prescriptions for happiness and spiritual health.
I've also learned how disobedience dulls our spirits to God's presence and activity. Disobedience causes our spiritual eyes to go blind and our spiritual ears to go deaf. To the extent we insist, this toxin (sin) will cause us to lose sensitivity to enjoy the sweet savor of Jesus, to delight in God. -Sam Storms
Wherever you are, don't let pride get the best of you...let's surrender everything to God's way, His Word, and resolve to fall in love with your Lord over and over again.
Grace and peace to you.
First, I've been pondering a statement made by a new friend of mine. She said:
"Technology is supposed to bring people closer together, and yet, somehow it feels like we're all more distant."
I think that's both true and profound in a way. With email, instant messaging, texting, and all these things that "connect" people, we've stopped sending cards, contacting/relating with old friends, meeting face-to-face, making actual eye contact and engaging in deep and meaningful conversations. I miss that...call me old school...I don't like Facebook much for that reason now.
And when we apply this similar principle to the idea of "independence" and dealing with people at "arm's length", sometimes people don't have a clear understanding of what it means to be a member in community...that church is a place where we grasp hands with each other to know and be known by each other. We are agreeing to help and encourage each other when we need to be reminded of God's work in our lives or when we need to be challenged about major discrepancies between our talk and our walk." -Mark Dever in Ch. 6 of 9 Marks of a Healthy Church
Second, our lives are journeys, that we are to constantly continue to learn and grow in the right direction...
"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." - 2 Tim. 2:15 - We are to be diligent and eager to master God's Word.
"Rather train yourself for godliness, for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." - 1 Tim. 4:7-8 - Godliness includes learning to love as God loves, what He loves, and hating what God hates.
"but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame." - 1 Pet. 3: 15-16 - I like this, because you have to study, understand, prepare, and PRACTICE so that you can succeed, whether in evangelism, or just in response to persecution.
"For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in passion of lust like the Gentiles who do no know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you." - 1 Thes. 4:3-8 - God's will for us is to SANCTIFY us (Rom. 8:29), that we are called to be holy (1 Pet. 1:14). We should ask ourselves daily - God, search our heart, thoughts, choices, ask ourselves how we're seeking to avoid impurity, and pursuing holiness!
Last, I've been reflecting a lot about pride. We easily forget and take for granted all the things that God has graciously given...that if I would simply practice more thankfulness, see trials as great opportunities, that patience is a virtue, and God resists the proud but lifts up the humble.
I am working on cultivating the right spirit, learning what it means to be a true servant, as Jesus was, to love my enemies, to do good and pray for them. It can be really hard, but that's what we're commanded to do...and I delight myself in God's commandments because they are His prescriptions for happiness and spiritual health.
I've also learned how disobedience dulls our spirits to God's presence and activity. Disobedience causes our spiritual eyes to go blind and our spiritual ears to go deaf. To the extent we insist, this toxin (sin) will cause us to lose sensitivity to enjoy the sweet savor of Jesus, to delight in God. -Sam Storms
Wherever you are, don't let pride get the best of you...let's surrender everything to God's way, His Word, and resolve to fall in love with your Lord over and over again.
Grace and peace to you.
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