Bless the Lord

God's faithfulness truly knows no limits. He is always the same, even as people change throughout their lives or throughout history. God has never changed. The same God who was with Adam is with me. The same God that was faithful to the Israelites in the desert will be faithful to me, his adopted child. 

My life is fading. I will return to dust and eventually no one will remember me on earth. I think that's why non-believers desire so much to make a legacy. They somehow want their lives to be eternal, but without God nothing is. 

The best part of Psalm 103 is about God's forgiveness. As far as the east is from the west so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Infinite distance. That means that they are gone. He doesn't remember what we've done wrong, but instead he remembers how much he loved us. To prove his faithfulness God writes about his plan for redemption long before Jesus was born. Or even his great, great grandparents. Before anyone ever imagined what the Messiah would be like, God was talking about him. He's in Job. Job lived before Abraham. Israel as a nation was just a dream and God had already predicted he would save them. Talk about an unchanging and faithful God. He knew every single act of disobedience. He knew Israel would struggle to ever truly follow him, but he had a plan to save them. And to save the world. 

Never forget that salvation is first for the Jew and then for the Gentile. Never forget that Israel is God's chosen people. Not necessarily the nation state that exists now but the Jewish people. They are the firstborn. They have the birthright. We are just adopted kids. No less loved or valued, but without the Jews, we have no salvation. But without knowledge of who the Messiah is, neither do the Jews. 

Oh Lord, that I would have that sense of urgency to share the Gospel. That it would be my first thought and what I want to speak of the most. I pray I would be ever thinking of your Kingdom and not my own. I pray I would see with your eyes. That my heart would break for what breaks your heart. I pray that I would love others enough to tell them about how you want to save them. I pray I would begin to put others before me. I am selfish. I am arrogant. I pray you would make me selfless. I pray you would make me humble. I pray you would make me wise. I pray you would make me like you. 

Amen! Amen! Amen!

Now this is love

Recently inspired by the Easter service at my Church, I have thought a lot about God's love. It is so easy growing up going to Church every Sunday to overlook the incredible sacrifice Christ made. Paul said it best when he said that no one would die for an unrighteous man. Maybe for a really awesome person or our own families we might dare to die. But God shows his love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

That should bring me to tears every time I think about it. Christ DIED. He faced the thing most people are scared of the most. He did it willingly. Because he loved us. Would you let someone beat you out of love for someone like Hitler? Would you die to save the life of someone in ISIL?

I wouldn't. (Christ in me might, but by myself - no way!)

Christ did. He said, "I love you. I would do anything to save your life." And he didn't just do anything. He did the only thing that could save us. He died for us.

Oh! What love!!

I've been reading Judges over the past few days. Talk about love. Israel repeatedly turns away from God. God punish them and they cry out to him. Every time, God reaches out and saves them. He never does it in a way that they can say is their own power. He uses women, small armies, and broken people. What's amazing is that he does it not just once, but every time. Israel is never faithful to God for more than a generation, if that. But God is always faithful to Israel. When God chooses people, he doesn't let them go.

God has been working from before the beginning of time to make sure that the people he loves would be able to be with him. He has been working out a plan of redemption since before anything needed to be redeemed. God made man knowing he would sin and that God would have to let his own son die. I have a son. I can't imagine sending him to his own death so someone who literally hates me could spend eternity alive. That's love. Love I can't understand.

I want to understand. I want to live my life understanding that. I want to live my life worshipping God every moment.

Another important thing I've been reminded of lately is worship. Our main purpose is to worship God. It is not to convert heathens or minister to the poor or plant Churches. Our only purpose is to worship God. And when we worship God only, how fulfilling is that? How amazing is it to be in a great worship service or listening to those songs that really get you? People talk about mountain top experiences, but really that should be our daily life. We should constantly be encountering the Almighty in worship. We should always be singing his praises, humbling ourselves, and getting lost in his love. This is our goal. That's why those moments are so powerful. They make us feel alive because for once in our lives we are doing the one thing we were made to do. We are fulfilling our purpose. We are being our true selves. We are alive.

I think the hardest thing as a Christian is forgetting the routine of being a Christian who grew up a Church. Forgetting to always say "Jesus" when asked a question in Sunday School. Forgetting that you've sung that song a thousand times and you don't even have to think to know the words. Remembering that we aren't special or important or somehow deserving of special treatment. God does what God does. It doesn't mean we did anything. God saves those whom he choses. God sends hardship to those whom he chooses. God sends blessing and power to those whom he choses. He doesn't do it because of anything those people did. He isn't punishing or rewarding. He is being God. The only thing we can do, no matter what comes our way, is continue to worship. The only thing we must do is continue to worship. When we stop worshipping God we forget about the only thing  that matters. When we focus on evangelism, ministry, righteousness, or our own problems, we forget that we are loved by the Almighty Creator of the universe. We forget that he is worthy to be praised. He doesn't need it, but we need to give it. God is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. He is the beginning and the end. He was before anything else, and he will be forever. He is eternally faithful and perfectly just. He loves with unending love. He has overcome death and the grave. At the end of the age, He alone has the power to overcome the evil one and he will be victorious over Satan and evil. He already has been. God alone is victorious. God alone is good. God alone is everything. Without God, I am nothing. He is worthy of my praise.

Lord, help me to always remember your worthiness. Let me live a life of worship. Let me live in light of eternity. Let me never be so near sighted that I don't see what you are doing and what you want me to do. Praise you, Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
Hallelujah!
Amen!

Where I've been

A year ago, I specifically remember the pangs in my heart as I thought about facing the next day, even the next moment. I was totally dependent on God, constantly thinking of Him and longing for Him. But now things are better, I still think of Him often, but it's not the same. Even a few months ago I was at least caught up in praise. But my relationship with God should not be dependent on my circumstances. Even though things are great in my life, I still need God everyday. Even though things suck, I still have reason to praise God everyday. Circumstances are too temporary to determine our relationship with God. If all you can see is what is going on now, you miss what could be happening soon or even what has happened. But we are to forget what lies behind, even 2 seconds ago, and press on toward what lies ahead. Because what we are running to is far more important that anything that we are doing now or ever have done.

So I ask Lord that You draw me back. I'm not far from You but I know my relationship with You is not one of total dependence, as it should be. I am ashamed of the small steps I've taken away. Please forgive me! Lord, how You still love me, I don't understand, but I give my life to You. Take me Lord! My heart is desperate for You! I love You so much! All the things that I fill my mind with and that I fill my heart with don't matter at all compared to knowing You. Everything I do and everything I have don't matter at all compared to knowing You. I would give up everything to know You more! My awesome teaching year, my friends, my family, my new place, my new car, my income, my ability to run, all of it You can take God because it is all Yours. Lord, I do not want to be dependent on what I have or don't have or what is or isn't happening in my life. I count it all as loss compared to the surpassing wonder in knowing Christ Jesus! Search my heart God and find me! Be my one desire!

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Wages

Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.

If we are justified by what we do, then there is no point in grace. Grace is not needed if the love and acceptance of God are the wages for what we do. It is not a gift.

But praise God that we can not earn His grace. Praise Him that we can never be justified by our works. Under the law or not, we can never do enough to stand before God. We can fall on our faces and beg for His love, but without His Son and acceptance of His Grace, we have nothing. We really aren't anything.

But He loves us. He chose us. He wants to use us to see His Will done. He has called each of us on a mission. And what are our wages for this type of work? Grace. A master does not have to thank his servant for doing his job. Likewise God does not owe us anything but our wages for this type of work. As believers, we are given Grace. As slaves to sin, we are given death. It's an easy choice really.

Lord, let Your grace fill my heart today! Let me work for Your Kingdom. Forgive the sin and evil in my heart. Forgive how much I go astray. Show me how to live only for You. Guide me in Your will today. I give this day to You. Let it glorify Your Holy Name. 

Praise You Father!
Amen. Amen. Amen.

Commendation

In 2 Corinthians 6, Paul writes this list of tings that He and the other disciples do in order to commend themselves to the churches. It is not a list of good works but of very painful events. Suffering. Hunger. Hatred. Persecution. You name it; it's on this list. There are some good things there too. Having God's power. Speaking truth. Love. As I read it, I see the list of what we must do to be a Christian. Not just day to day obedience, but day to day battles. I really do think that if you aren't struggling and fighting, something is probably wrong.

Which means for me, something is probably wrong...

Lord, help me to dive into situations where I can talk about You. Do not let me fear mentioning You and correcting according to Your desires. I pray that  I would be sold out for You. I pray that my desires for myself would fade away and that I would only desire You.

I give you my life!

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Church

It's fun -awesome really to consider what a real Spirit filled service would be like. Everyone contributing what it is they have been blessed with. People prophecying. People building each other up all for the glory of God. What a fearsome sight to behold. Can you imagine if we did Church this was? I know there are places where they do,  which is crazy to me.

What would be my role in said service. Paul clearly believes I shouldn't have one because of the whole being a woman thing. But surely there's a place for me and my gifts...whatever those may be.

I wish the Church wouldn't fear doing church this way. There's nothing to fear. Except the presence of God.

Lord, I pray that somehow this type of passion might begin to appear on you church. I pray we would not fear the awkward or uncomfortable-rather that we would embrace it. Let us seek true worship and true abandonment to you. Be in everything I do today let it all bring You fame.

Amen. Amen. Amen

Shtaaap

There are so many things we can do to block the message of the Gospel. It's so easy for our selves to get in the way of the Good News of Jesus. It's so difficult to be discerning enough to see what is ok and what is not. In some situations, some things are fine. In other situations, those same things are a total road block to the Gospel. We are called to be so in-tune with the Spirit that we have no trouble recognizing these moments. We can see where a person is and what they need to hear. Jesus was the master of this. He always knew just what a person needed. It's not that the message ever changed, but He was always changing His presentation. It's incredible to watch. Paul says he became all things to all people. He says that he would rather forgo wages if it would block the Gospel. He is clearly willing to sacrifice anything to win souls. You hear his passion in every word. Why aren't we all like him?

Lord, let my heart burn with passion for the lost. Let my mind be constantly thinking about furthering the Kingdom. I do not desire a life that is so focused on self it forgets others. Let my heart be open to You and Your will. give me wisdom and discernment today to see how to honor You. Let everything I do bring You glory. Let that be my goal!

Amen. Amen. Amen.