"For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite." Isaiah 57:15 esv
He does not say that He dwells with the religious, noisy gongs; wolves dressed as sheep seeking to add victims to thier numbers to inflate their pride. He does not dwell with the ignorant, bottom-dweller who insists, again, pridefully, that God has no place in Creation, daily life or the Universe at all. He does not dwell with those too rich to lay down their crowns, or those too blind to trust Him. He dwells with the one whose heart is honest. His sacrifice desired is not a spotless lamb, or a purse of coins, or even a sonnet of verses carefully formulated to portray religiosity. Yet, child, find hope! His sacrifice is able to be found, it is easy to reach into the soul and display at the feet of our Precious Father!: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." Psalm 51:17 nkjv
He does not despise you when-get this-you are in the position you were born to be in. When a child is born, that child depends on her parents to "train her up in the way she should go." She needs them to be fed, to be clothed, to be safe; emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. When she is in her mothers womb she is curled up in safety, face down, knees in, ready to be loved. This is where our hearts should be when looking to the face of God. I myself am extremely guilty of coming to the Lord with a list of good ideas in my hand, "here, God, I wrote down some thoughts for You to pray about. Get back to me when You decide which of my plans best fits Yours." What??? "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much." Job 38:4 nlt
"When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled." Psalm 77:16 esv
"Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God." Psalm 90:2 nlt
Let us now pray for food, knowing that when we receive, it has always come from His hand without us even asking (Matt. 6:9-13, Matt. 6:25-34). Knowing all good things, whether 'tis through our lense or His that we see them, come from Him. Wisdom and knowledge are from Him "33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." Rom. 11:33-36 esv and even more; Psalm 147:4-5, Hebrews 4:12-13, Proverbs 15:3, 2 Chronicles 16:9, Psalm 139:1-6 and 12, Isaiah 28:29, Job 9:4, Psalm 104:24, Ephesians 1:11, Romans 11:33!
And it is not by mistake or chance that in his letter to Collosae, Paul prays that the saints there would be "filled with the knowledge of [God's] will, in all spirtual wisdom and understanding...bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God" (esv, verses 9 & 10ish). And all throughout his letters to the various churches, Paul discredits himself and lifts the readers heart to the Sovereign love and knowledge of God.
The pattern of the lives of those whom we see in the Bible who live in unexplainable passion and unquenchable love for the Lord and His will is exactly that which we should follow. It was the Lord whom the prophet Isaiah trusted in to 'renew his strength' and mount him up 'with wings like eagles' and keep him from growing weary or faint when running and walking in faith for the Lord's will to be done (chapter 40, verse 31). Woven through all of the Psalms is a broken record of David pouring his heart out to God for hope and wisdom, "Great are the works of the Lord,
studied by all who delight in them. 3 Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever...10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!" (Psalm 111:1-3 & 10 esv). Why would he be seeking the wisdom of a God who has obviously not proved Himself? That's exactly why he calls out to our God, because He simply is a God who is faithful and just, Whose ways have been proven over and over! "This God—his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him." (Psalm 18:30 esv). David didn't understand until he went to the Lord with his trial, "But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end." (Psalm 73:16-17 esv). He keeps the pillars of the earth (Psalm 75:3 esv) and discerns hearts from afar! Psalm 139:2b, and the book of Proverbs is filled with Solomon leaking out the wisdom of God! (Which we see him ask for in 1 Kings chapter 3).
So, let us be humble and contrite before the Lord, bringing a sacrifice of praise to the One who is worthy. Asking Him for His wisdom to guide us, as He promises He will give it to the faithful (James 1:5-8).
"Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?"
declares the LORD. "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word." Isaiah 66:2 niv
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
What Has Gotten Into You?
What is it that I feel inside of me...? What is it that is moving...aside from my heart beat. Aside from my organs and my veins that run through and pump and vibrate with life and blood...what is this tingle? This sparkle? This trembling I feel?
A spark gets started and then lights me on fire. I speak words I don't plan, I bless even when my heart aches. I love even when I feel broken. I care when I feel stone cold and blind. And then these blessings, these beautiful things that flow from my heart begin to change my hearts composition. The color of my insides change from darkened and grey, dry and decayed, to vibrant and alive! They transform to colors and light and soft plains where love and truth can rest...
It is not me.
I want someone to ask me, "what has gotten into you?" so that I can tell them WHO has gotten into me.
"A helper will come and be with you...as I am with you, this Helper will be inside of you...you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you." (The Gospel of John, chapter 14, verses 16, 17 & 20 paraphrased).
A helper has come who is just like Jesus Christ, who knows well all the mysteries and all the knowledge of God the Father...and He is inside of me. He came inside me the day that my eyes were opened to the grace of my Lord Jesus Christ. But I have quenched him. I have toned him down and painted over his powers with the so-called 'goodness' of my faith. The so-called 'virtue' I think I have worked for and carried and put on like a show, selling tickets and receiving profits for the empty words I speak without love, this has done not good for the glory of the Lord, but it has built me up in my pride and been a pedestal for me to stand on and wave to the fans. Now, I will no longer put on a suit of tin foil, but I will place on the armor of God and the Sword of the Spirit will be my tool. I will not filter the voice of God and pick and choose what works for me, I will not exlude what seems 'unrealistic' or 'difficult,' but I will embrace the Spirit that has been caged within my soul by my ignorance. I will open the door of my heart and allow the Spirit of God to work and live and breath. Read this,
"26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:26-28 ESV).
But I will not blaspheme what the Lord says. Check out 1 Corinthians, Paul wrote to them about the Spirit and says this, "4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." (chapter 12, verses 4-7).
Paul goes on to talk about how some are given the gift to utter wisdom, some are given the gift of faith, some are given the gift of healing the sick, some are given the gift of discerning between Sprits and some are given the gift of prophecy, or tongues. Some are given the gift to utter knowledge and some are given the ability to work miracles, BUT "all these are empowered by ONE and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills."
So I now seek to embrace the gift of the Lord according to His will in my life. I seek to invite the uniting of God and myself in my soul, I will receive His invitation to become His daughter! "but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons [and daighters], by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God."
I am not perfect. I am far from His standard and have much of this path left to walk, but I now choose to live in the Grace of My Lord Jesus Christ. I choose to be used aside from skill or virtue or goodness that I think I need to be accepted by God and by man, and I seek to love through His goodness in my heart and the overflowing of Christ in my life, "10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness" for HIS glory, and the love of all His children, my brothers and sisters... Sola Ingratia.
A spark gets started and then lights me on fire. I speak words I don't plan, I bless even when my heart aches. I love even when I feel broken. I care when I feel stone cold and blind. And then these blessings, these beautiful things that flow from my heart begin to change my hearts composition. The color of my insides change from darkened and grey, dry and decayed, to vibrant and alive! They transform to colors and light and soft plains where love and truth can rest...
It is not me.
I want someone to ask me, "what has gotten into you?" so that I can tell them WHO has gotten into me.
"A helper will come and be with you...as I am with you, this Helper will be inside of you...you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you." (The Gospel of John, chapter 14, verses 16, 17 & 20 paraphrased).
A helper has come who is just like Jesus Christ, who knows well all the mysteries and all the knowledge of God the Father...and He is inside of me. He came inside me the day that my eyes were opened to the grace of my Lord Jesus Christ. But I have quenched him. I have toned him down and painted over his powers with the so-called 'goodness' of my faith. The so-called 'virtue' I think I have worked for and carried and put on like a show, selling tickets and receiving profits for the empty words I speak without love, this has done not good for the glory of the Lord, but it has built me up in my pride and been a pedestal for me to stand on and wave to the fans. Now, I will no longer put on a suit of tin foil, but I will place on the armor of God and the Sword of the Spirit will be my tool. I will not filter the voice of God and pick and choose what works for me, I will not exlude what seems 'unrealistic' or 'difficult,' but I will embrace the Spirit that has been caged within my soul by my ignorance. I will open the door of my heart and allow the Spirit of God to work and live and breath. Read this,
"26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:26-28 ESV).
But I will not blaspheme what the Lord says. Check out 1 Corinthians, Paul wrote to them about the Spirit and says this, "4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." (chapter 12, verses 4-7).
Paul goes on to talk about how some are given the gift to utter wisdom, some are given the gift of faith, some are given the gift of healing the sick, some are given the gift of discerning between Sprits and some are given the gift of prophecy, or tongues. Some are given the gift to utter knowledge and some are given the ability to work miracles, BUT "all these are empowered by ONE and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills."
So I now seek to embrace the gift of the Lord according to His will in my life. I seek to invite the uniting of God and myself in my soul, I will receive His invitation to become His daughter! "but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons [and daighters], by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God."
I am not perfect. I am far from His standard and have much of this path left to walk, but I now choose to live in the Grace of My Lord Jesus Christ. I choose to be used aside from skill or virtue or goodness that I think I need to be accepted by God and by man, and I seek to love through His goodness in my heart and the overflowing of Christ in my life, "10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness" for HIS glory, and the love of all His children, my brothers and sisters... Sola Ingratia.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
All I Need
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.
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.
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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