Oh, my DEAR Father, You are SO good to me.
You always know what's best, You hold me in Your hands,
protected, for Your glory... and all is good, when it looks
towards You. When my plans look towards Your face
they are full of life,
but when I seek my own good, I walk the way of destruction.
I praise Your perfect wisdom and peace, You are glorious,
too glorious for words!
I am so inadequate when trying to praise You!
Oh, dear Father,
thank You for Your hand appearing in my life,
holding back a cup from pouring,
for when I see Your Hand in my life,
I do not notice the cup You are keeping from being poured,
rather, I notice YOur glorious hand and REJOICE
that I would be so blessed that it would be near me!
Though You are always near, I cherish when my eyes are
open enough to see Your glory in my everyday plans!
Oh, could I be a homeless woman, with nothing more
than the shade of a tree or the cleft of a rock to dwell in
so that my eyes would only be towards You?
Would it be so that I have nothing to beckon my attention
but You?
A portion of Bedouin Song by Bayard Taylor
"My steps are nightly driven,
By the fever in my breast,
To hear from Thy lattice breathed
The word that shall give me rest.
Open the door of my heart,
And open the chamber door
And my kisses shall teach Thy lips
The love that shall fade no more
Till the sun grows cold,
And the stars are old,
And the leaves of the Judgement Book unfold! "
Lord, it is Your kiss of life that teaches me The Love that shall never fade.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Oh, how content would I be if 'soon' was this very minute
These are the lyrics to Soon by Hillsong United, Brooke Fraser never fails to bring tears to my eyes..
Soon and very soon
My King is coming
Robed in righteousness and crowned with love
When I see Him
I shall be made like Him
Soon and very soon
Soon and very soon
I’ll be going
To the place He has prepared for me
There my sin erased
My shame forgotten
Soon and very soon
I will be with the One I love
With unveiled face I’ll see Him
There my soul will be satisfied
Soon and very soon
Soon and very soon
See the procession
The angels and the elders 'round the throne
At His feet I’ll lay my crowns My worship
Soon and very soon
I will be with the One I love
With unveiled face I’ll see Him
There my soul will be satisfied
Soon and very soon
Though I have not seen Him
My heart knows Him well
Jesus Christ the Lamb
The Lord of heaven
I will be with the One I love
With unveiled face I’ll see Him
There my soul will be satisfied
Soon and very soon
Soon and very soon
Soon and very soon
My King is coming
Robed in righteousness and crowned with love
When I see Him
I shall be made like Him
Soon and very soon
Soon and very soon
I’ll be going
To the place He has prepared for me
There my sin erased
My shame forgotten
Soon and very soon
I will be with the One I love
With unveiled face I’ll see Him
There my soul will be satisfied
Soon and very soon
Soon and very soon
See the procession
The angels and the elders 'round the throne
At His feet I’ll lay my crowns My worship
Soon and very soon
I will be with the One I love
With unveiled face I’ll see Him
There my soul will be satisfied
Soon and very soon
Though I have not seen Him
My heart knows Him well
Jesus Christ the Lamb
The Lord of heaven
I will be with the One I love
With unveiled face I’ll see Him
There my soul will be satisfied
Soon and very soon
Soon and very soon
Saturday, December 12, 2009
and even more!
From John Piper's blog, Desiring God;
A cosmos, one day being rebuked by a pessimist replied, "How can you who revile me consent to speak by my machinery? Permit me to reduce you to nothingness and then we will discuss the matter." Moral. You should not look a gift universe n the mouth.
-G. K. Chesterton (Quoted from Gilbert Keith Chesterton, Volume 1, 71)
Shall we assume to complain to an infinitely powerful and magnificent God?
A cosmos, one day being rebuked by a pessimist replied, "How can you who revile me consent to speak by my machinery? Permit me to reduce you to nothingness and then we will discuss the matter." Moral. You should not look a gift universe n the mouth.
-G. K. Chesterton (Quoted from Gilbert Keith Chesterton, Volume 1, 71)
Shall we assume to complain to an infinitely powerful and magnificent God?
complaining, a virus
I stomp my feet because I'm not getting
the exact results
I expected.
I throw up my emotional hands in dismay because
I thought something else
would happen.
I may not literally be doing
these childlike
actions
but my Spirit is imitating
the same behavior that a
3 year old who got told
"no"
would have.
Why would I complain?
How could I protest?
I have SO MUCH!
I have been SO blessed!
Psalm 31:19 Oh, how abundant is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you
and worked for those who take refuge in you,
in the sight of the children of mankind!
and even more, v. 21 Blessed be the Lord,
for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
when I was in a besieged city.
22 I had said in my alarm,
“I am cut off from fyour sight.”
But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy
when I cried to you for help.
23 Love the Lord, all you his saints!
The Lord preserves the faithful
but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the Lord!
I want to be one who waits for the Lord. I want to be one who seeks His face rejoicing in the blessings I have been given and patiently anticipating the next blessings He will send my way. Because being blessed, just like being forgiven, is not based on our goodness, but it is based on His perfect love.
In Psalm 51 David asks for forgiveness from the Lord knowing that God's steadfast love is what allows that forgiveness! He doesn't give Him a resume and say, "Well, I did commit adultery, and I did kill someone because of my ignorance... but I've done all these other great things for You, Lord and I've really been a righteous man! So, because I've really tried, will you let me off?" NO! He knows that grace is only given because of how GOOD God is! Not because of any righteousness he could uphold! "Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions."
So, today, kneel before the Father knowing with your full heart that He has blessed you, He has blessed you indeed. Not only because you are alive and have food to eat and a place to sleep and a Bible to read in your own language without fear of imprisonment, not because you have a sweetheart who thinks you're cute or you have a nice body, not because you're healthy... but because the Almighty God is NEAR to you in every season of your behavior, He sees EVERY facet, and He still anticipates you waking up in the morning so He can tell you He loves you.. soo much. Not because He thinks you're great (even though He does) but because He is so great. And not that He thinks you're great because of who you are, but because of who He is! A loving Father who sees all His children as magnificent and beautiful and unique and astonishingly loved by Him, but at the same time, very, very blind to His overwhelming love.
Isn't it crazy that we complain, while God sits on the sidelines patiently gazing at us... waiting for us to turn and see the glorious blessing He is to us?
the exact results
I expected.
I throw up my emotional hands in dismay because
I thought something else
would happen.
I may not literally be doing
these childlike
actions
but my Spirit is imitating
the same behavior that a
3 year old who got told
"no"
would have.
Why would I complain?
How could I protest?
I have SO MUCH!
I have been SO blessed!
Psalm 31:19 Oh, how abundant is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you
and worked for those who take refuge in you,
in the sight of the children of mankind!
and even more, v. 21 Blessed be the Lord,
for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
when I was in a besieged city.
22 I had said in my alarm,
“I am cut off from fyour sight.”
But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy
when I cried to you for help.
23 Love the Lord, all you his saints!
The Lord preserves the faithful
but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the Lord!
I want to be one who waits for the Lord. I want to be one who seeks His face rejoicing in the blessings I have been given and patiently anticipating the next blessings He will send my way. Because being blessed, just like being forgiven, is not based on our goodness, but it is based on His perfect love.
In Psalm 51 David asks for forgiveness from the Lord knowing that God's steadfast love is what allows that forgiveness! He doesn't give Him a resume and say, "Well, I did commit adultery, and I did kill someone because of my ignorance... but I've done all these other great things for You, Lord and I've really been a righteous man! So, because I've really tried, will you let me off?" NO! He knows that grace is only given because of how GOOD God is! Not because of any righteousness he could uphold! "Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions."
So, today, kneel before the Father knowing with your full heart that He has blessed you, He has blessed you indeed. Not only because you are alive and have food to eat and a place to sleep and a Bible to read in your own language without fear of imprisonment, not because you have a sweetheart who thinks you're cute or you have a nice body, not because you're healthy... but because the Almighty God is NEAR to you in every season of your behavior, He sees EVERY facet, and He still anticipates you waking up in the morning so He can tell you He loves you.. soo much. Not because He thinks you're great (even though He does) but because He is so great. And not that He thinks you're great because of who you are, but because of who He is! A loving Father who sees all His children as magnificent and beautiful and unique and astonishingly loved by Him, but at the same time, very, very blind to His overwhelming love.
Isn't it crazy that we complain, while God sits on the sidelines patiently gazing at us... waiting for us to turn and see the glorious blessing He is to us?
Thursday, December 10, 2009
things to which angels long to look... sorry for the weird text links and stuff, no one reads this anyway so whateva :)
1 Peter 1: 3-12
Born Again to a Living Hope
" style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">gBlessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Titus 3:5 " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">hAccording to his great mercy,ver. 23 " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">ihe has caused us to be born again to a living hope ch. 3:21; [1 Cor. 15:20] " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">jthrough the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to Rom. 8:17 " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">kan inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and [ch. 5:4] " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">lunfading, [Col. 1:5; 2 Tim. 4:8] " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">mkept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded Eph. 2:8 " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">nthrough faith for a salvation[ch. 5:10; Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:17; Heb. 12:11] " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">oready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by James 1:2; [ch. 4:12] " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">pvarious trials, 7 so that James 1:3 " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">qthe tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes Job 23:10; Ps. 66:10; Prov. 17:3; Isa. 48:10 " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">rthough it is tested by 1 Cor. 3:13 " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">sfire—may be found to result in Rom. 2:7, 10; 1 Cor. 4:5; [2 Thess. 1:7–12] " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">tpraise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 [1 John 4:20] " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">uThough you have not seen him, you love him. [Heb. 11:27]; See John 20:29 " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">vThough you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining Rom. 6:22 " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">wthe outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.10 Concerning this salvation, 2 Pet. 1:19; [Dan. 8:15; Matt. 13:17; Luke 10:24] " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">xthe prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring Dan. 9:24–26 " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">ywhat person or time Rom. 8:9; [2 Pet. 1:21]; See Acts 16:7 " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">zthe Spirit of Christ in them was indicating See Matt. 26:24 " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">awhen he predicted Isa. 52:13–53:12; Luke 24:26; Acts 3:18 " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">bthe sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 Dan. 12:4, 9, 13 " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">cIt was revealed to them that [Matt. 13:17; Heb. 11:39, 40] " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">dthey were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you Acts 2:2–4 " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">eby the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, [Dan. 8:13; 12:5–7; Eph. 3:10] " style="cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">fthings into which angels long to look.
How have I obtained such love? How have I been given such hope? Why would the God of heaven look down upon me and desire to rescue me? To reach His hand down to my pit and wipe the mud off my face and delight in me? To wash me clean and forgive me for spitting in His face? To cradle me as I cry and allow my spirit to rest in His, knowing that I'd turn away again? Knowing that I would seek happiness in other things and seek contentment in people in things that are themselves just as broken as I?
He is no more near to His true self than when He is holding a broken child. And He is always holding a broken child. His being, His I AMness requires that He love, at all times, in all things, forever and ever... He would not be if He did not love. It is who He is, what He is is love, love is of Him.
1 John 3:1-3 1 See ch. 4:10; John 3:16 " style="color: rgb(52, 68, 139); cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">ywhat kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called John 1:12 " style="color: rgb(52, 68, 139); cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">zchildren of God; and so we are. The reason why [ch. 4:17] " style="color: rgb(52, 68, 139); cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">athe world does not know us is that John 16:3; 17:25 " style="color: rgb(52, 68, 139); cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">bit did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are [See ver. 1 above] " style="color: rgb(52, 68, 139); cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">zGod’s children Rom. 8:15; Gal. 3:26; Eph. 1:5 " style="color: rgb(52, 68, 139); cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">cnow, and what we will be [Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:17] " style="color: rgb(52, 68, 139); cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">dhas not yet appeared; but we know that ch. 2:28 " style="color: rgb(52, 68, 139); cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">ewhen he appearsOr when it appears " style="color: rgb(52, 68, 139); cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">1 Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18; 4:11; Phil. 3:21; 2 Pet. 1:4 " style="color: rgb(52, 68, 139); cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">fwe shall be like him, because John 17:24; 1 Cor. 13:12; Rev. 22:4 " style="color: rgb(52, 68, 139); cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">gwe shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who Rom. 15:12 " style="color: rgb(52, 68, 139); cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">hthus hopes in him 2 Cor. 7:1 " style="color: rgb(52, 68, 139); cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">ipurifies himself as he is pure.
I can't believe the love that the Father has lavished upon me. But I will spend the rest of my life trying to make a dent in glorifying His name and reciprocating His love to others. He is good, He alone. I pray our eyes are opened to Him and turned away from the lies...
"And this is the promise that he made to usSome manuscripts you " style="color: rgb(52, 68, 139); cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">4—John 17:2 " style="color: rgb(52, 68, 139); cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: none; ">oeternal life."
Thursday, December 03, 2009
jon foreman and tears
Do you ever just feel like crying,
like all of the stuff inside you is anxious and wants to visit
another atmosphere.
No longer your soul and spirit, but your person
and the people around you..
I think we should let it out. Because maybe it won't always
come out in tears.
Maybe it will and
that's okay, that's actually great! We need to cry. I admire
so many people who have the freedom to do it when and where they feel it,
and the ones they love appreciate and support that corner of their soul,
instead of push it down
it can sometimes come
out
in
LOVE.
"7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." (1 John, chapter 4 NKJV)...visit the orphan and widow in their oppression..keep oneself unstained from the world...your body is a sanctuary...do you not know that you are His holy temple?...And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability...Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth...Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person...Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving... (Jms 1:27, Rmns 12, 1 Cor 6:19-20, Acts 2:4, Prv 16, Col 4)
These are just a few ways to love people, and there are hundreds more.
So what does letting it out have to do with
loving others
have to do with God being love?
We were made in His image
we were made to reflect His love,
HE is love,
so we reflect
LOve.
What is love? (baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more!!) haha sorry..
- Love is putting other first, Philippians 2:7 ays that HE made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant. He is love, we were made in His image, this is what He did, so we do it.
- Don't be a people pleaser, "but speaking the truth in love, may [we] grow up into HIM in all things, which is the head, even Christ" (Eph. 4: 15).
- Pray for others, God is not your personal vending machine! "that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone.." 1 Tim 2:1
"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it." John 1:5, no one can open a box of darkness and let it out...darkness cannot overtake light. Open your closet, the darkness is now changed because of the light. The only way darkness prevails is if the light hides itself, just as "evil can only prevail if good men do nothing." -Edmund Burke.
Let us not be good men who do nothing.
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