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.

What makes a brother stumble?

So I like to drink sometimes. It's not the best habit but I certainly never drink to be drunk. However, recently I have been reconsidering my logic. There once was s time where I wouldn't because I felt that the world's relationship with alcohol was not something I wanted to be associated with. Upon reading 1 Corinthians 8, I begin to see the logic in that train of thought. It's not bad; it's not even discouraged, but one does have to be careful who knows you drink. I probably do have friends with weak consciences who don't know better and I have to be careful how I conduct myself with them. I still enjoy a drink now and then but I definitely still calm it down.

In other news, one thing that has really gotten to m e lately is just how privileged i am. I woke up this morning to an alarm on a nice new cell phone. I took a hot shower and ate breakfast. I have unlimited access to God's Word. I even have several study books I'm working through to help me understand the Bible better. All this is at my finger tips because I live in America. Why me? Why here? This is what I wonder.

God show me the plan you have. Why have You put me where I am to live through what I luve through? My life is incredible thanks to You. I praise You for the rich bkessings in my life. Help me to see each of them. Guide me in Your will today! I love You. I need You!

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Wishdum

God does not want us to thing we are wise. God does not want us to fill ourselves with wisdom of the world that we might boast in this wisdom. God has done something that doesn't make sense in the world's eyes in order to make it that much harder to believe. It doesn't make sense that Jesus would die on the cross and then come back to life. Why? That's just silly. But that's the point. God doesn't want us to believe in Him because it makes sense. He wants our complete faith-driven devotion. This happens when we believe in something that isn't logical. Then, He took it a step farther. God doesn't always call the wise or the strong to do jobs that require wise and strong people. At least not people who fit these molds by the world's standards. No God chooses the weak and the uneducated to shame those who would think themselves great. Many a great evangelist has struggled with speech problems. People born with disorders of various kinds are called to awesome Kingdom work. God gives wisdom where it is needed and strength where it is need. God is after all the ultimate source of these things. Books, universities  TV none of these possess any wisdom that matters in the Kingdom of God. Not to say they are totally worthless, but I did just say it. There are so many other things that matter so much more, and funny story, they ALL come from God.

Lord, help me to be wise in You. Grant me Your wisdom and discernment. Let me walk in humility like Christ. Let me only boast in what You have done for me. Let my thoughts be on Your Kingdom. Let me heart break for the things that break Your heart. Let me seek the things You seek. Let me be like You.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Warn a Brother

Do not regard him as an enemy, nut warn him as a brother.

It is so easy to run away when the lives of people around us get messy. If we watch someone living a life of sin, it's easy to hang out on the sidelines, judging them from a safe distance. What's not easy is doing what Jesus would have done; put yourself in their lives and don't leave until they are back on track. Convict them. Help them. Steer them back to the straight and narrow.

God does not want us to condemn the people of the world, either believers or non-believers. When we are witnessing, this is doubly true. Those who are lost have a lot of sin and junk to deal with. It is not helpful to point it out from any place but love. Nobody likes to air their dirty laundry for everyone, but they will listen to you if you are talking in love. People want to be loved and not judged. Fortunately, I know somebody who is very good at this.

Even though I've totally been this person, I hate to see the "Holier than thou" Bible-beaters who go around yelling doom and gloom on anyone and everyone. There message isn't a lie, but it's still far from the Truth. Though the world is black and white, not everyone can see or believe this. If you start forcing that on someone, they will be turned off. But if you come to them in love and with nothing but a desire for their eternal well-being, they may listen.

Christianity stopped being about you the second you let Jesus into your heart. It no longer matters about the person called "me". We are called to serve others and live as one. I has no place among the Church.

Lord, show us how to live in love. Let love be the backbone of everything we do. Let us forget all other things as we seek to know You more. Let our own desires melt away as we seek to love You first. Let the needs of others supercede our own needs. Let our own desires be far from our minds. Let Your will be first in my heart. 

Amen. Amen. Amen.

To an Unknown God

You know there is a God who you have yet to name. You know that He is real and deserves worship, yet you ignore Him. I feel this is still true today. Many people are "spiritual". They know there is something bigger, something to serve, but they ignore Him. There is one God, and He is the God of Israel. I know it's hard to swallow because of the thousands of years of hypocrisy and ludacris-ness of the Church and Christians, but those dark moments aren't God. No, God is above those moments. God is more than those moments. God has made us and is over all of creation. Everything points to His existence. We can't deny Him.

My agnostic friend and I were talking the other day. Her life is screaming for a Savior. She even admitted how much she wants what I have. But what got in the way? Christians.

Do you hear my heart breaking? What have we done? How can we claim to love and serve the Most High God and still be the way so many in the Church's history have been? What have we done?

I'm not sure how all this relates in my head. I'm probably just rambling. I guess it's that so many in our world long to worship the One True God, but they don't know who He is or they haven't truly met Him because of the terrible witness of believers. I know we can't all be like Paul, but come on, Church. Get it together.

Lord, guide Your Bride back to You. We have wandered so far from the calling You've given us. We've wandered so far from what You want to do in us. Please remind us of what it means to live for You. Please show us that all this material crap doesn't matter. All this stuff that we think is so important is dust. All is vanity! All we need is You.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

For Freedom

It is for freedom that you have been set free.

It always get confused when I read this part of Galations 5:1 becuase I don't understand how for freedom's sake we have been set free. But if you read other translations, it starts to make more sense. We have not been set free for freedom's sake but by and because of the freedom found through the Cross. We are not set free by our own doing, but because Christ died once and for all on the Cross, thereby releasing those who are called by His name from the bondage to the law. We are set free by this freedom. And we are told to stand fast in this freedom. For if we falter, what are we?

If we accept Christ's freedom, but then run back to our old ways of slavery to sin and death, we are worthless. Who, after being set free, would run back to their abusive master? But it's a struggle. That abusive master is also very alluring. He promises great things, but at what cost? But no, for freedom, you have been set free, so that you don't have to submit to the law anymore. Freedom was given freely to us. We don't have to submit to the law of sin and death anymore. Does that hit home? Do you realize what a change that is? Before we accept Christ, an impossible standard and burden is placed on us. We can never be righteous according to the law. And yet people try, and fail, all the time. People long to be made right by the law. People long to earn their way in.

But Christ has set us free. Not because we did anything but say I believe. Our faith is our righteousness. We are called to be nothing more than faith working through love. God does not want a bunch of self-righteous phonies - of which I was once one - no! He wants children, sons, and heirs. He wants us to accept His freedom and pass it on.

Lord, help us to accept Your freedom! Let us live as though we are free and let us not submit to our old ways. Please protect me from the temptations that come my way. Sometimes they are too much to bear! But praise be to God that He is with me to save me from them! Lord, live in  my heart today. Let self-pity and haughiness be far from me. Let me heart be totally focus on You.

Amen. Amen. Amen,

Children of Promise

There is niether Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male or female, you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, the you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

All the lines we've drawn between groups throughout our lives, even within the Church, they don't matter. You see, when Christ came and did His job, He took away everything that might could divide us. In the law, when we were slaves, there may have been Jews and Gentiles, but now, there is only Christ and His Church. And as a result we are all Children of Abraham. I am a child of the promise. I may not have a Jewish mother, but I have a claim to the inheritance. What good news!

So we must live in this unity. People as a default want to draw lines between groups. It so much easier to understand the world if everybody fits into neat little groups. Wouldn't you rather organize and stereotype? I know it's easier...

Lord, help us, Your bride, find unity. Let us be as one Church across the world, spreading Your Gospel! Let nothing separate us from the good news that we are children of promise.

Promise made. Promise kept.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Citizen

Long time no see...

I find it fascinating that Paul was a Roman citizen. Something not common but so valuable. God could have chosen anyone to use the way He used Paul. He also could have used Paul in any form but the perfect plan was to have him be a citizen of Rome. It came in handy so many times. Now here's where it becomes a stretch...God has made our lives a certain way for a reason. One thing I struggle with is why He made me a girl. Why middle class, white, American? I am NOT complaining at all but of all the things I could have been, why am I who I am?

What awesome plan does God have in store? How is He going to use the fact that I am a wasp woman? It's so exciting to think about because there are so many possibilities.

?

Before You

Oh Father! You are indeed merciful. You speak with kind and gracious words to us and about us. Though You have spoken calamity over those who are evil, You have always been gracious to those who are called by Your name! Father, great are You above everything! Holy and righteous! You have formed this earth in perfection. Evidence of its former perfection can be seen daily. You have made us for relationship with You. You want to know us and You want to be known. Father You are beautiful and You are glorious. And yet You still love us....love me!

Father, I ask this day for what I need to make it through. I ask for wisdom and discernment in every moment. I ask for a heart like Yours as I interact. I ask that You would guide me towards You. Your portion is just what I need. I surrender my hopes, fears, anxieties, desires, and doubts to You. I know Your plan is perfect. I trust in Your will. 

Your will be done Lord, above all. Your Kingdom come. We anxiously await You! We  desire the day when our faith may be complete.

We praise You for the glorious God that You are. A God who is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Have mercy on me today!

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Rise

Father, a beautiful day You have made. I feel anxieties coming my way; I pray You wouldn't let them touch me. I pray that my fears about work or my worries about moving out would melt away. I'm ready to see what You have for me. I'm ready to be fully devoted to You. I think I need to pour more of myself into my classroom. I think I need to set higher standards. I don't think my students are where I want them to be. 

This is all well and good, but I need You wisdom to guide me in this. Guide me Lord in Your wisdom. Show  me what You want from me. In all parts of my life. I don't just want to seek You, but I want to find You. I know You want to be found. Oh Father, beautiful Savior! I can't stop loving You. You have done such good and miraculous things. You have shown me so much and I pray You would be present in my actions today. I pray that Your will would be done. Put Your Truth on my lips. 

I surrender my day. I surrender my life. Less of me. More of You. Mi alma a tí entrego. Tuya soy Señor. 

Te amo más que mi vida entonces toda mi vida doy para todo que eres. 

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Incense

Father, my heart is not troubled but it is full of many thoughts. I pray that You would keep my thoughts pure and focused. Help me be discerning among them. Father, You are so glorious. When I think about all You have done even today, I'm am amazed by Your goodness. When I reflect upon how holy You are, I cannot stop. You are so much more than I deserve to have love me. I truly am made right by You. Father let me live in Freedom and adoration today. Let me be floored by Your goodness and full of Your Spirit. I pray that the woman I want to be would be around today. I pray that You would guide me in Your will. Give me the courage to forgive and discipline. Give the courage to seize the authority I have been given. Give me my daily portion. I praise You for the needs that I have already been met by You. My tasty oatmeal breakfast. The lunch I made last night. The dinner prepared by the loving hands of my mother. I pray that You would never let me forget the blessings. I pray not only that I would forget, but that I would be voicing my thankfulness to others. Let Your Words be on my lips and Your truth be in my heart. Praise You Father for everything You are. Let Your will be done today!

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Dear Beloved,

Dear Beloved,

Come away with me. It's never to late for you. I have a plan for you. It's gonna be wild. It's gonna be great. It's gonna be for me.

So open up your heart, and let me in.

Love,

I Am



This is God's invitation. This is what He wants for us. He wants us to leave our lives (metaphorically) and come away with Him. We are to be a part of the great adventure He is on. We don't have to live a boring life. As a woman, I hate boring. I long for adventure. I am restless to be something. I think most girls can relate. Probably most guys too, but I'm no expert there. I want to be more than just bland. I want to be a part of a plan that is wild and great. A plan that is full of God. My heart is open because it is longing for more.

Lord, my heart is open. I am longing to let You in. I want more of You. I want to be a part of the plan. I want to be with You. I want to run away with You. I want to flee into You arms. I open up my heart to let You in.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Stronghold

The Lord roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. But the Lord is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel.

My God is powerful. It is good to never forget what he is capable of. He is strong. He makes the earth shake. He is a loud roar. He is a stronghold for the people.

Lord, I take refuge in You. I know that You are strong. I know that You are mighty. I know that You will not leave or forsake me. I know that You will come in justice, but I need not fear. You are a gracious and loving God who has mercy on those who call on His name. Father I call upon You. I know You are ready to love me. I know You love me. I am ready to love You. Father, be my strength. Have mercy on this sinner and smile upon me.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Take me to the river

And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.

I'm not really sure what this metaphor is for, but it's pretty awesome. A river flowing from God's sanctuary to all parts of the earth. A river too deep to pass. A river filled with healing and fruit. A river that is life-giving. A river of love. It's the river. The one we sing about in all our songs.

Take me to the river. Pull me off the shore. Here within your freedom, I have found my reason. I am yours. Let the waters rise, far above my head. Baptize me in wonder. Spirit take me under once again.

Lord, fill me with the water. Fill me with hope and courage. Send me downstream. Send me in the current. Let the waters rise above my head. I don't want to fear the currents of Your love and of Your Truth. Spirit take me under. I need You. I need this cleansing flow. Father, let Your river flow!

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Relation"sheep"

I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

Maybe I'm the sheep. I know I'm a sheep. I know I need to respond accordingly. I should let my Shepherd lead me instead of trying to do things for myself. I am after all just a sheep. Sheep are pretty dumb. I think that fits me well.

So how do I be a sheep? How do I follow my Shepherd? How do I worry less about getting it right and more about getting it? Going deeper. I don't just want to talk about knowing the Lord, I want to know Him. I don't want to be Israel...

Lord, help me to follow You and nothing else. Help me to let go of my desires to be perfect or to feel like I've gotten it. Help me let go of my want to be something. Let me be satisfied with being who I am. Show me who I am. Guide me in where You want me to go. Send mercy to me and make me whole. I feel broken and frazzled. Life is going great and I'm trying to find problems. Take that away and fill me with pure joy. That won't go away :]

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Blood guilt

If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do no speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.

I sometimes like to avoid verses like this because it provides a lot of conviction...

I can just hear Ray Comfort on "Way of the Master Minute" telling me to go share my faith while I still have time. I think on a whole, most Christians struggle here. Especially Christians who grew up in the Church. We don't see the power or necessity of evangelism. Those who came to Christ late in life from a life o complete darkness are much more eager to share the light. They know that one witness can save souls.

But we "lifers" are much more complacent. We don't know that power first-hand. Yes we know that power of God's grace. Yes we know that Christ changes lives. And deep down, we also know that the lost need us. But we still go about our days more or less in fear.

Maybe it's just me. I hope it is. But I reckon you feel it too...

Lord, help me to be bold. Give me urgency. Give me words to speak and places to speak them. Let me not shy away from opportunity, but let me boldly approach those in need of You. Let Your words be ever on my lips and Your Truth ever on my heart. Let me not forget the lost.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Redeemer

I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the Lord, that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord.

This comes at the end of a very long story about Israel's relationship with the Lord. I think I talked about this passage last year, so I'm not going to get into all the nitty gritty. It's an...interesting read.

What's great is God's redemption. I will never get tired of talking about it. I have a lot of chances to be reminded of it throughout my day. But really without God's redemption, what is the point of Christianity? Other religions offer pretty much the same package. One big difference, our God is able to wash away or sins. Our God is able to save us. We can't save ourselves. We want to think we can, but at the end of the day we are still just as evil as we were when we woke up. Who cares if we are still "mostly good". That's like being mostly dead or mostly pregnant or mostly whatever. You can't be halfway. It is black and white. I feel like without God, I am mostly evil. Yes, I know what is right and what is wrong, but the tendency to do wrong is strong. I know it's difficult to understand if you don't believe in the Bible, but if you pretend like you do, you may just see it.

Lord, praise You for redeeming me. Praise You for coming back for me. I have been an adulturous wife, but You have been a faithful husband. You have not forgotten the covenant You made with me, even if I have. You have welcomed me back, at a price, and we are right again. Praise You that it did not require a sacrifice on my part. Praise You that You sent Your Son to redeem me. I do not deserve such love, but You have freely given much more than I ever could deserve. I will not try to earn You favor, I will only try to bring You fame. You, my Father and my Husband, are my First Love, my shield, my Redeemer. I trust fully in You. Do what You will; Your will be done!

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Jerusalem, a Useless Vine

1 And the word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any wood, the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest? 3 Is wood taken from it to make anything? Do people take a peg from it to hang any vessel on it? 4 Behold, it is given to the fire for fuel. When the fire has consumed both ends of it, and the middle of it is charred, is it useful for anything? 5 Behold, when it was whole, it was used for nothing. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it ever be used for anything! 6 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so have I given up the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 7 And I will set my face against them. Though they escape from the fire, the fire shall yet consume them, and you will know that I am the LORD, when I set my face against them. 8 And I will make the land desolate, because they have acted faithlessly, declares the Lord GOD."

God likes to compare us to branches. Which is fine, so long as we are still connected to the tree. There comes a point where the branch is no longer producing fruit, so it is cut off and thrown into the flames. That's what God was doing to Israel during the captivity. They were no longer anywhere close to what He wanted them to be so it was time to cut them off. He said even the righteousness of Job or Noah would only save themselves. 

But He is the vine and we are the branches. All we must do is abide in Him, take refuge in Him, allow Him to be our source and supply, and have that relationship; then He will keep us always. We will bare His fruit. He promises it. 

Lord, please provide the things I need to bare fruit. Let Your works be seen in my life. Let me cast away the past and past thoughts and patterns, and focus solely on what is ahead. I count it all as loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing You. Be ever present in my thoughts today. I commit myself to You.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Who would be left?

I can't even imagine a day of judgement from the Lord. I can't imagine living through a time where He has decided to punish the people. The anxiety and depression all around. I don't even know what that would be like.

Yet this is what happened to Israel. God poured out His wrath on His people. Only a remnant remained that hadn't participated in all the sin. I imagine that was a very small percent. Think about our society. How many people are righteous enough to not be cast out? Very few. How many are righteous enough to actually deserve no punishment? Somewhere around none.

Praise the Lord for the cross. If you ever wonder why we need a cross, look at the punishment of Israel in the Old Testament (I think I just had an epiphany). No wonder all these old prophesies are still in the Bible; they point to how unrighteous we are and how much we need Jesus. Praise God.

Lord, be my meditation today. Let me seek You with each thought. Let my actions be guided by Your will. Let me focus on Your heart and Your Spirit. Let me discern what You are doing. Guide me. Have mercy on this sinner today and lead me in Your ways. Guide me in righteousness and joy!

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Italics

Lord, as today begins I praise You that I am still here. I praise You for each breath after another. At anytime, You could take my life. At any time, I could be no more. You have given me this moment for a reason, as You have given me all the moments that will amount to my days. Father, thank You. I pray that You would remove anxiety today. That You would remove that longing for things I've trusted You to give me. I pray You would fill me with trust and with Your Spirit. I pray You would make Your will more clear to me today. I pray I would respond to You actions. My Husband, I pray You would sustain me today. You are so beautiful and worthy of all my affections. I need no one else but You, My First Love. I long to be with You every moment of today. Fill my heart with Your presence. It is Your Tabernacle. Come Lord, and fill my heart. Have mercy on this sinner. Wash away my iniquities, for they are many. You know them. You've seen them. And praise You, You have forgotten them.  I thank You for Your forgiveness. I thank You for Your grace. I thank You that You are acting on my behalf and Your will is perfect. I trust in You alone. My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' power and righteousness. 

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Ezekiel

I won't pretend that Ezekiel is not a really trippy book. God has him do some pretty weird stuff. It starts off with this elaborate description of who knows what, but it is what Ezekiel is seeing. I'm not sure if he's looking at heaven or what, but wherever he is, he is seeing some weird stuff. I can't imagine being given a vision like that and trying to make sense of it all. Trying to put it into words. That's probably why it sounds so crazy. That's probably why Ezekiel sat around dumbfounded for several days after it was all over. I would too.

What is interesting is that Ezekiel is being sent to speak to Israel about their sins. God has him eat a scroll and promises to give him the words to speak. It's a cool image. God it literally putting words in his mouth. Pretty interesting.

Anyway, God is pretty awesome. Just saying.

Father, praise You for the forgiveness and mercy You give. Praise You for Your good words. Lord speak to my heart today and refresh my Spirit. I have so much praise to give You! I thank You for all Your goodness. I thank You for mornings like this filled with You. Father, You are so good!! This is truly Your day!

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Waaaaayiiiiiiitttttt????

It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

What's cool about this verse and the verses around it is that they are all in guess where? Lamentations. In the middle of complaints about the punishment Israel is suffering comes this wonderful passage about God's faithfulness. I think the take-away here is that we can never forget who God is in the midst of whatever it going on. God isn't really in the business of long-term punishment like this anymore, but it is still vital to wait on him and his salvation. He will come and He will rescue His chosen. He does not leave us to ourselves forever. He does not let His chosen suffer forever. That's the promise of the Gospel. That God has come to rescue us from the punishment of our sins.

Father, send your mercies to us. They know no end! Praise You that You will never cast us off or leave us. Praise You for Your unending mercies. Father, You are so good!! Let my thoughts be on You today. Let me bring You glory.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Good morning

I'm one of those morning people. If my morning is off, it can really throw me off. This is why I have no trouble getting up at 5:30 in order to leave time for my morning routine.

Where this is going is, I love songs and scriptures that have to do with how God is fresh every morning. I don't know how people do quiet time at night. I don't know how you can't start the day with God. If He's not first, He might as well be last.

The sun comes up
It's a new day dawning
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes.

I went to bed dreaming, You woke me up singing.

Just a few lines that I find so wonderful lately. I just have to talk about how God is fresh each day. He wants to share with us anew each day. We have a wonderful God who has wonderful plans.

Lord, thank You for the mercies for today. Please give me what I need to face whatever is before me. I know today will be a wonderful day. I know You have big plans. I'm so excited to see what el 22 de agosto 2012 will be. I give this day to You and Your will. May Your will be done.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Mixed message

I'm hesitant to go where my mind took today's reading, but I guess I can. It's something that I don't want to look back on later and feel I've said some un-Spirit-filled things. So Spirit, fill these words.

In Jeremiah, the remnant approach Jeremiah asking him to inquire to the Lord on their behalf. They say they will do anything the Lord tells them, good or bad. They are sufficiently desperate.

So 10 days later (I think there's a lesson there), Jeremiah is able to come back with an answer. His answer is that they should not leave, even though there is no food or anything. If they go to Egypt because it would be an easier life, then the Lord will still punish them.

So what do the people do? Accuse Jeremiah of conspiring with the enemy and go to Egypt anyway. Silly Israelites...

The lesson here I feel is simple. Often, we come before God saying, I'll do anything. If you call me to a difficult life I'll do it! When really in our minds, we have a plan of what we think or want God to say. If He doesn't answer the way we planned, we get offended and tend to do our own thing anyway. I've been there.

I've been on both sides. Last Spring when I was deciding where to go for my future, I had all but convinced myself to leave my job because it was the leap of faith God was calling me to. Thankfully, I sought the Lord enough times that I didn't leave. I do believe He is still doing things where I am. However, it could have been easy to go the other route. It's difficult not to let our own fears and emotions guide our decisions. It's difficult to trust a God who doesn't always speak loudly. It's difficult to hear God among all the chaos in our hearts. At the end of the day, if we don't listen, we end up in Egypt sacrificing to the queen of heaven. Just saying...

Lord, please guide me in Your will. Let Your voice be a sweet sound to me. Let me focus on that sound. Let my heart long for Your presence. Fill me with Your mercy, joy and strength today. Have mercy on this sinner. Give me grace to do Your will.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Yet

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places.

What truth! Even when things are bad, God is still God. (Did I talk about this yesterday??) Anyway, it's so true. Even when the enemy is closing in, we still have no reason to complain or distrust because at the end of the day, God is still God. He is still our strength, and He will yet lead us where we want to go. So we ought to rejoice in every circumstance (in case you thought Paul was crazy when He said that). In every circumstance we can be content because we can do anything with Christ's strength. (Phil 4) We can continue because God is with us. Seriously, I don't think Paul had any original thoughts. I am more convinced of that everytime I read the Old Testament. If you look at Phil 4 and Habakkuk 3 (above), they are pretty much saying the same thing.

Paul, the great plagiarizer. :)

Lord, be my strength today. Fill me with power to do what I need to do and to face anything that comes my way. Fill me with love and peace. I rejoice in Your goodness and favor. I rejoice in Your power and strength. I rejoice in Your mercy and grace. Pour out upon me, Lord! Praise You Father for Your justice. Guide me in justice, not in anger. To You Father belongs all the praise, glory, and honor, forevermore.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

A little reminder

Even when all seems hopeless, God protects the humble. Bad things may come and disaster may fall, but God will always make provisions for those who are earnestly His. He does not leave us out to dry, despite what we feel. God cannot forsake us. It is against His nature. I may be getting people confused, but I think God had made some sort of promise to the king before Zedekiah that if he humbled himself, he would be spared. Low and behold, not to long after he was taken into captivity and thrown into prison, he was released, graciously it says, and allowed to eat at the king's table. Not a bad turn of events, huh? This is God. He may not work on our timetable but He is always working. He is keeping promises. He cannot forget.

Just a little reminder in case you're in the pits...

Lord, lift the spirits of Your beloved. Give the hope for the work You are doing. Let us not forget Your mercies each day as we go about life. Give us fresh mercies today, though we don't deserve it. Lord, how gracious You are to hear us. How gracious You are to love us. We want to love You in return. Hallelujah! The Lord is good.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Leaders

People forget how much our leaders need our prayers. It is a Christian's duty to prayer for our leaders. Yes that includes the president. I'm not going to get started on my opinions of overly politically-active Christianity, but I will say that disagreeing with someone, even your enemies, is no reason not to pray for them, if you believe in Jesus.

In Jeremiah, Zedekiah, king of Israel, asks Jeremiah to tell him what's going to happen. Jeremiah says, "If you surrender to the Chaldeans, you and the city shall be spared. Sounds like a pretty good deal, right? But no. Zedekiah choose to ignore the proven prophet of the Lord for the advice of his friends. I mean their advice probably sounded pretty good. "God will not abandon His chosen people or His anointed king." "God has always delivered us from impossible situations in the past, He will do so again." etc. But God's plan was clearly told to the Israelites. He promised destruction and they didn't humble themselves until it was too late. Zedekiah chose national pride over the will of the Lord. This is the downfall of any leader.

Lord, I pray for our president that as he wakes this morning his first reflections would be upon You. I pray he would ignore all the suggestions and pressures of those around him and only focus on Your will. I pray Your Word would be his delight and his guide. I pray for advisors around him. I pray You send him advisors after Your own heart who are seeking Your will. I pray that You would guide all the candidates in the coming election to behave in a Christ-like manner. I pray that whoever wins, it would be because they are earnestly seeking You. I pray for a top-down revival of our country. Not a Christianized-state, but a nation where our leaders are seeking You. Your will be done. Send our hearts in Your will today.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

The Izhar ul-Haqq

So learned something new today. There's this book called the Izhar ul-Haqq which is an Arabic text that attacks the Christian Bible from the Muslim perspective. It's been around for 100 or 200 years as a way of convincing Muslims they shouldn't bother to read the Bible or pay any attention to it because it isn't credible, like to Qur'an. Its message is preached in many channels and is very widely available to these people.

The reason this made it into my prayer guide was the need for a Christian text that can answer all these questions. What is needed is a book that can lovingly show how the Bible can be trusted. Not our common back-lashing attacks when people start attacking our faith, but a book that is truly of the Spirit. People are needed for this mission. Pray they would come to help. Pray for pathways of distribution when its done.

On a sidebar, can we please remember a few things about God? We are never ever ever supposed to respond to someone in anger or sarcasm or any kind of haha told you so sort of attitude. I know we're all human and this is our default setting, but much like you can with a computer, you have to change the defaults and never ever click the button that says "Restore Default Settings". If we respond the way the world responds, we are no better.

Think of Jeremiah (see it does relate - that's the book I'm reading currently). He said to the king that he hoped the false prophet were correct because it would mean disaster wouldn't come to them. Unfortunately, disaster came. And Jeremiah was locked in prison for continuing to prophesize doom and gloom. Jeremiah asks where the ones who said the Babylonians wouldn't come are, but no answer. However, this statement sort of awakens the king to reason a bit, and they put Jeremiah in a different place, still a prisoner, but not in prison.

The point of all that is, Jeremiah doesn't get an attitude of pride or a case of the neener neeners. He stays focused on His mission of speaking God's word. That's all.

Father, let the words on my lips be from You. Let me reflect on Your will before I speak. Let my thoughts be like Your thoughts that I may be filled with pure speech. I pray You would raise up people with pure hearts to respond to attacks on Your Word. I pray You would open the channels needed to reach people with the Truth and with answers to their questions. I pray You would appeal to logic and love that hearts would be won to You. I pray for hearts that are ready to receive Your Truth. 

Amen. Amen. Amen.

The Greatness of our God

Have you ever noticed that when God is about to make a promise or when He's about to talk about something He's going to do, He always mentions things He has already done. Because we need a reminder of how powerful He really is before we take Him seriously. It puts a smile on my face to see how faithless people of old were and how it's not that different from today. God, unfortunately, has to remind us of how small we are compared to how BIG He is. This is why He says things like, "The Lord, the maker of the heavens and the earth" or "If you can reach the heavens, then maybe I won't come through on this promise" God is showing us that we can do nothing and He has already done it all. He mentions big things He's done, and beautifully perfect delicate things He has done. God is really good a showing off :P But hey, if you were that awesome, so would you.

Lord, thank You for being so great! Thank You for Your mercy toward me. I pray You increase it. I am so unworthy of You. I love You so much. Help me be more devoted to You each day. Praise You for the glorious things You have done this day; bless tomorrow to be equally amazing. Give me wisdom and discernment to see You movements in each moment and to respond in Your will. 

Amen. Amen. AMEN!

The New Covenant...in Jeremiah?

Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts (this sounds like Paul in Galatians). And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying 'Know the Lord.' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

What good news!!! Here God is making a promise that He for us has already kept. Promise made, Promise kept. What good news!! Three verses down the Lord says that if the heavens or seas can ever be measured, that is when He will punish Israel as they deserve. Basically God is saying that His mercy is greater than all of creation and until we can measure that greatness, we haven't even come close to its limits. Now that is real good news!! Today, I'm just gonna let God's Word stand on its own.

Father, have mercy on me today! In my heart, make Your presence known! Fill me with Your love and guidance as I face a new and glorious day!! Give me joy in every minute of it and fill me with excitement. Let my heart not be anxious for the things to come, but let me focus on each second that I get to spend with You. Do not boast in tomorrow, because who knows what will happen today. Do not worry about tomorrow, because sufficient are the cares of today. Fill me with focus on my mission. The joy of the Lord is my Strength!

AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!

On mission

I've always been frustrated by people who put too much emphasis on overseas missions at the expense of local needs. People sometimes forget the lost people in our backyards who we actually can approach in much the same way we would approach someone in the Middle East or Africa. The still need the Gospel and it's still our job to bring it.

So I am committing myself to full-time missions right here. It's still in the beginning stages, but if I'm going to stay local like I've always felt called to do, then I need to start making an impact and stop pretending that I have an excuse.

So as I start a new year of teaching, I feel like it's as good a time as any to myself in a different mindset...why not?

Lord, give me guidance and direction on where to go. Give me courage when opportunities present themselves. Keep me focused on prayer and humility. Be my constant thought and vision. Never let me loose sight of my goal. I give my life to You trusting that You will change it and make it the way You want it. You have a plan and a purpose for my life that I know You will make happen. I do not doubt You power; help me trust in it only. You are so good! Thank You for Your provision. Let tomorrow be a great day!!

AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!

I am a tree:]

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.

What wonderful words! I think as Christians it is all too common for us to forget our Source. Have you ever wondered where huge forests get all their water? Yes, it comes from a rainy climate, but sometimes, it comes from being close to water. If the soil deep in the ground is wet, then the tree can have deep roots to sustain it through any drought. This is not the case for some trees around here. Poor things! We've had so many droughts lately that I see victims of the dryness all around. That was an actual observation, not a metaphor.

Spiritually speaking, I know I've been through seasons where I was easily discouraged by tough times. But now that I trust fully in the Lord and my trust is in Him, I know that no matter what kind of storms come my way, I will remain green and never cease to bear fruit. It's such a wonderful promise. Even when things are at their worst, we can still bear fruit. We can still be beautiful. We can outlast everyone because our source is not ourselves, but the Almighty God, Maker of the heavens and the earth. The Lord is His name!

My Source, be the wellspring in my heart today and fill me with Your Spirit. Even as heat or drought come, let me be secure that You will always provide exactly as much as I need to continue to bear fruit and to continue green. Gracious God, have mercy on me! Look on this sinner with compassion! Do not withhold Your correction, but do withhold Your anger. Give me humility and wisdom in my speech today! You are the One True God! Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Jeremiah's Complaint

(I've been using a French keyboard at my job, so if you see any typing errors, we'll pretend it's that instead of me not being able to spell:P)

Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. why do the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive? You plant them, and they take root; they grow and produce fruit; you are near in their mouth and far from their heart. But you, O Lord, know me; you see me, and test my heart toward you. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and set them apart for the day of slaughter. How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field wither? For the evil of those who dwell in it the beast and the birds are swept away, because they said, "He will not see our latter end."

I'll be honest. I had to chew on this a bit. That's why it stuck with me though. In case you ever wondered how I select scripture, it's anything that I still remember what God wanted me to see by the time I finish reading all the passages for the day.

I got a little stuck on  that part about where Jeremiah's heart was in all this. (I just realized it was another verse that gave me more trouble and I will mention it later...don't let me forget) Anyway, I had to use my trusted commentary to help me through this. Basically, Jeremiah, kind of like Job or David, is bringing forth the true inquiries of his heart to the Lord. Not in a doubting way but rather just to try and understand what is going on. He knows that evil men are not supposed to have success, but he is watching evil hypocrits gain lots of worldly happiness. We've all seen that as Christian. It's why the Psalmist said don't mind the success of evil men because they won't prosper for long (this of course being the Jenny Loose Paraphrase Version). What an interesting thought though to long for the justice to come? Imagine the world if the evil were truly driven out and devoted to destruction? I do not believe there would be 7 billion of us. It makes you wonder.

And so long as we don't respond like Jonah and blame God for His grace or forgiveness of evil-doers, as long as we bring forth our complaints acknowledging that we can never understand God's ways, as long as we remember that He is God and we are not, then I think what we say is from a good place.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Correct me, O Lord, but in justice; not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing.

The words on this one tripped me up, but again with the help of my trusted commentary (which used a different version) I see clearly what is meant. At first I was confused by how God's anger could not also be just. I was confused how God could be anything but just. But what Jeremiah is asking is that God corrects His path justly but in love. He doesn't want God to turn away from Him because of what He has done, but he reckognizes that God will correct us. No way around that. I think this is a good prayer for all of us. We none of us want to be at the receiving end of God's anger. But we all of us want to be a the receiving end of His love. Amen?

Lord, correct me in justice but not in anger. Have mercy on this sinner. Let me not grow jealous over the prosperity of others but only focus on what I have in You. Keep me in a spirit of prayer today. Let me not loose sight of You. Give me just enough strength to make it through today and let the worries of tomorrow (and more importantly next week) be far from me.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Mmm...boasty

Thus says the Lord: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord."

I think pride is easy enough to have. I know I've mentioned it a few times. Maybe it's something I have a problem with...:/ (it definitely is:]) But I praise God He has shown me that. God gives us abilities and strengths not to bring glory to ourselves but to be used for Him. The only thing we should be proud of is that we know the Lord who practices justice, steadfast love, and righteousness. Praise God!

So I'm really into the Olympics. Not so much in following who wins what, etc. but more so into watching as much of it as I can. I love seeing people who probably have never been to Marietta, GA let alone speak English. It's a wonderful reminder of all that God has made. Anyway, I watch a lot of athletes boast in themselves (Mr. Bolt) and I watch a lot of athletes turn it back around to God (Miss Douglas). God gave them these gives not so they could boast in them but so that He could be seen. People get annoyed when athletes talk about God to much, but I personally find it so much more refreshing then hearing them go on and on about how great they are. I think one athlete actually said with his own mouth that he is the greatest ever. What kind of person says that about themselves? I personally have little respect for people who are that prideful. Maybe it's because I hate it when I have those thoughts about myself. Either way you slice it, whether you believe in God or not, no body is so awesome that they deserve to boast in themselves. No body. You can suggest names, but you will not convince me. Ain't no body who should be boasting because it just ain't classy.

Lord, control my prideful thoughts. Though I fear praying that You would humble me (because I think You've answered that pray well in the past - much to my shigrin) I ask that You would check my thoughts and convict my heart when I begin to boast in myself. Let me always remember who it is who has given me these gifts and talents. Let me never suggest they come from any other source. Let me not boast in my righteousness either because I have none apart from You. Let the only prideful words in my mouth be words of praise to You.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Youth

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." Then I said, "Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth." But the Lord said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a youth'; for to all who I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord."

God will give us exactly what we need to do everything He made us to do. No most of what we need or some of what we need or sort of what He wanted us to do or the next best thing. No. All out. 100%. We are without excuse because God made us and is making us into the very thing He wants us to be. No youth or disadvantage can stop us. This means so much to me.

Lord, let me never forget the power You've put in me. Let me never forget the strength You've given me. Let me always remember that everything I have is exactly what I need for today. Let me not worry or boast in tomorrow but focus on the moment and the good things You are doing. Just enough strength to live for today. Give this youth the courage to face the life You've given me. Show me who You want me to be.


Amen. Amen. Amen.

Fear of the Lord

They do not say in their hearts, 'Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives the rain in its season, the autumn rain and the spring rain, and keeps for us the weeks appointed for the harvest.'

It's a strange concept to fear the Lord. Many have stumbled over it I'm sure. I know I sometimes struggle with it. God is loving and merciful and full of grace. Why should we fear Him? Should we be afraid that any second He could spew disaster on us? That at any time, fire and brimstone could fall from heaven and destroy us? Probably not the right kind of fear. We can't live our lives trying to appease God (which I believe to be the natural progression of this thought pattern - if God can and will destroy us when He is angry with us, I have to do whatever I can to make sure He is never angry - because that make sense...). It's not unreasonable, it just ignores every verse where God says He is slow to anger and abounding in love. So what then should we fear?

I think we shouldn't be fearful so much as reverent. Mindful. Most of all humble. Fear of a ruler or leader stems from being inferior. You can't fear something that doesn't have some kind of power over you. (I'm not sure what power cockroaches have over me, but they have one because they freak me out.) That's why Satan uses fear to attack us. It gives him some power over us. This is why they say don't let fear control you. When we fear the Lord, we recognize His superiority and power over us to 1) provide everything we need out of love and grace and 2) execute justice on us if we get prideful or adulterous. God can give and take away. We don't have to fear the taking, but we do need to always choose to bless the Lord. He gives us what we need so we should approach Him with reverence.

Lord, grant us our daily bread today - what we need to make it through. Keep our hearts humble as we go throughout the day, and help us to fear You. Fill us with Your spirit. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Grant us wisdom today. I pray for strength to make it through challenges and love to reach out to those around us. Let us never forget our true purpose.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Syria

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.

This verse isn't really related to where I'm going. I just read it and liked it. My prayer guide talked about Syria this morning. Now I don't watch the news often because I hate cable news channels and the good stuff on PBS is difficult to time. However, I do know a little about what's going on over there - enough to wonder how we can spend so much attention on other things when so much is happening around the world. That's a topic for another day.

It was interesting to read this perspective. About 10% of the population is Christian, and they are not in favor of a more democratic Syria because they are afraid of it because to Islamic. Not to say that they are supporting the violence or anything like that, but they are definitely taking a more complacent route to approaching Muslims in their country. They are the minority, but unlike places like China, the fire for the Gospel just doesn't seem to be there. It's like they're Americans or something. I'm not trying to make any sort of political speculations, but I do know that we are citizens of the Kingdom if we have put our trust in Christ. No matter where we live we have certain duties as citizens. I speak as much about myself as anyone.

Lord, help us have courage to act. Let us not fear persecution. Let us be bold like Paul to share our faith where ever we go and in all moments. Let us never fear what You have told us to do because we know nothing can hurt us. They can beat us, abuse us, or kill us, but they can't take away our relationship with You which means they really can't do us no harm. So I pray for the Christians in Syria that they would follow Your will in this situation. That they would be the driving force towards justice in this land where justice seems to have been forgotten. I pray that Your servants would be peacemakers and joy-bringers. I pray the Gospel would be spoken and heard by all who live there. I pray the harvest would be ripe and the laborers many. I pray for conviction in the hearts of the leaders to do what is right and for the rest of the world as we watch and respond. I pray for wisdom and justice in the minds and hearts of all leaders involved. Most of all, I pray Your will to be done!!


Amen. Amen. Amen.

Jealousy

The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in the whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet...The mountains quake before him; the hills melt; the earth heaves before him, the world and all who dwell in it.

And how could you not? When God exercises His power, I think everyone feels fear. No, I know everyone quakes. How could you not? This is the God who is able to move mountains, open up holes in the ground to swallow people, or part the seas. His power is far beyond what we can explain, so when it shows, it could do nothing but inspire fear.

I choose this verse today because I believe it is always important to remember that in spite of how much God loves us, without Jesus, we are evil in His sight. We do so much to make Him jealous, and since He is just, He has to do justice. The evil have to pay for what they have done. It says the Lord is slow to anger, and you can see that all over the Bible as well as the lives of people in the world. If God got angry like we get angry, I don't think even Noah would have survived the flood. He'd of done us all in right then. No, He probably would have scrapped it with Adam and Eve and said, "What's the point? These creatures will never do." But He is slow to anger. This doesn't mean He will clear the guilty, but He did make away for us to be right with Him.

It is not because we earned it. It is not because we are worth it. It is not because of anything but God's love for us. Take I, me, us, and we out of all the conversations because at the end of the story there is only God. God's love saves. God wants His people. God is slow to anger. God is just. God is fair. God can do no evil.

We are evil. We are corrupt. We are easily angered. We are unjust and unfair. We do not love often.

Huge gap. But our God is great in power and is able to close any divide. If we think less of us and more of Him, if we accept His love and His forgiveness as a replacement for our righteousness, then we can be saved. It's not Jesus's death + my righteousness. No. It's I believe Jesus died on the Cross for my sins and rose from the dead so that I might have eternal life.

Promise made. Promise kept.

Lord, help me never forget Your judgement. Let me never forget Your love. Have mercy on this sinner! Give me strength for today, and take all my worries for tomorrow. Fill me with hope and joy. Let the woman You want me to be shine through no matter what the cost. Show me who You want me to be. I love You!! More of You Jesus, less of me.


Amen. Amen. Amen.

Be strong

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and al the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.

It doesn't say to help us with our battles or to give us courage to fight our battles, but God will fight our battles. He doesn't need us in order to triumph over evil, so when evil comes our way, He will defeat it. If you look at all the stories in the battle where God was victorious in battle, it's always a story of the few against the many. Of something impossible or strange happening that lets God's people be victorious. And after all of these moments, the passage usually reads something like, "God did this so they would know it was His doing and not something they could've done alone." Because really, what can we do alone?

That's God's MO. He likes to do things that are difficult to explain so that His people won't doubt. We doubt anyway because we are ridiculous, but He never gives us reason to question Him, not even for one minute.

Lord, let me see Your hand working today. Let me see Your miracles. Let me continue in humility and grace. I need Your grace today. Have mercy on this sinner!! Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me, let me be singing when the evening comes. Give me just enough strength to live for today and take away all my worries about tomorrow. I love teaching! 


Amen. Amen. Amen.

The Word

I don't really know what to say based on what I read today, but I think I have realized something. I think I need to be more focused in what I read from the Bible. Yeah it's great that I can say I read the who Bible every year, but what's the point? Wouldn't it be better for me to focus in on passages that I could memorize and use to fend off the evil that comes my way?

So this is my plan. Once I finish reading this year's worth, I'm going to focus in on the passages that are most meaningful. I still need the structure of a reading plan, but beyond that, total freedom. I think I'll start in Psalms or one of Paul's letters. We'll just have to see.

Lord, help me to focus on You and not all the junk that fills my life. Let not the distractions of the world distract me from You. Be my only focus and my one delight. You are all I need and all I long for. I praise You for my country, my freedom, and my new life in You. You are so gracious; help me to be more like You!


Amen. Amen. Amen.

Year of the Lord's favor

The topic of justice has been on my mind a lot lately. There's all kinds of stuff about it in the news, especially as it relates to one of my favorite places to eat: Chick-fil-a. Now, I believe in capitalism which means I think people have every right to protest a business because they don't agree with their practices. As long as the government stays out of it, it's great for everyone. Capitalism only works if people can affect it with their money. Because I happen to agree whole-heartedly with pretty much everything Chick-fil-a does, I will choose to give them my money in exchange for their goods and services. I make this choice often because I support them a lot. I think what they have to offer is extremely unique in the market.

What bothers me about this whole issue of Chick-fil-a being unethical is that there are so many companies that are actually unethical, and yet nobody seems to care. There are companies that exploit their workers and do practice unethical business practice, yet we don't stage boycotts. Is it because this is another battle ground for the war of Christians vs. Homosexuals? When will the world learn that this is not a war?! Never once have I ever been taught by God to go out and attack gay people or make their lives more difficult. But we live in a fallen world where even so-called Christians get it wrong.

So we pick on companies that are actually doing a lot of good in the world and ignoring companies that are trying to maximize profits at the expense of employees. I'm sure you've heard them mentioned. Nestle is one that comes to mind for me. Coffee and chocolate companies are especially known. Textile industries. But, those people are Americans, so they matter less right?

WRONG!!! This is why I care so much. There is so much oppression and violence in the world that we as the most powerful people in the world can't just sit around and ignore it. We so have the power to change it because we are the 1%. All of us. We have the financial power to say, "No, I won't buy anything buy fair trade coffee because I believe everyone deserves a living wage." "No, I won't buy from Nestle because I don't believe in child labor." (Mind you I don't have a ton of research to support what I'm saying. It is based on hear-say and I acknowledge that readily).

I really thing we should turn our attentions to companies that are doing more harm than good instead of focusing on companies we simply don't like. I don't like McDonalds so I don't eat there. I think Puma is disgusting because of how they advertise, so I refuse to look at their products. I feel the same way about Kia and many other products. I choose to buy other products, even if they are inferior, because I don't agree with the companies values. That's what capitalism is all about.

But I've gotten quite off topic from the title. I love that passage in Isaiah because it is filled with such hope about a year where God's favor is just all around. I wonder what would happen if we as Christians declared a year of the Lord's favor and for 365 days did nothing but fight for justice in every aspect of our lives. Think of how much the world would change. If tomorrow, instead of spending money on things I don't need, I sent that money to someone dying of starvation. Or instead of buying a water filter, I bought water for those who don't have drinkable water. Instead of buying new cloths, I gave some away. Think of the change! But no...I'll admit I'm not very good at living out justice. I am trying to change. Someday I may be the one who declares a year of the Lord's favor. There's a lot of logistics there, but I love logistics.

Lord, give us clarity into issues that matter and hills worth dying on. Please let us not get caught up in the emotions of bickering. It's not personal. We are Christians and we cannot be offended. Please let that be true for all who follow You.


Amen. Amen. Amen.

Fasting

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?

So then, I don't have to go without food for 3 days? Sweet!

No, I really don't think that's why the Lord is saying. I believe that the Lord is saying that He doesn't want to see us pretending or acting out our religion. We too easily go to Church, sing songs, say "I'll be praying for you", but at the end of the day, we are still acting the same and nothing has changed. In this passage, people are holding fasts, but still going about their lives of unrighteousness - oppressing the poor, etc.

Not that I go around oppressing people, but I know I'm guilty of selfishness, which I believe is the heart of this problem. Why do people have fasts? To "get" God to do what they want. Why do people treat others badly? To get what they want. At the end of the day, most people are only motivated by selfishness. This is why I have not fasted. I believe a true fast is when you are desperate for God's deliverance. When you are able to truly come before Him broken and humbled, but not expecting anything. If you assume (for lack of better words) that God will deliver you (because you are selfish, not because you have that much faith) then you are doing it wrong. It's like you're going down a checklist of things to try in order to fix the problem. Chances are these Israelites would have begun praying to their idols next if the fast didn't work out. But a true fast is done out of desperation. Plenty of good examples to look up on your own time. (Esther) But God would rather see us do justice instead of fasting. Instead of pretending to be holy, righteous or religious, He would rather see us go and do the things He's been telling us to do. There is a time and a place for a true fast, but I think 9 times out of 10, we're better off living our lives doing these things. If we live like this everyday, I don't think we'd have to have a real fast. I think God would be looking out for us. Maybe we'd fast for justice in the world where we can't go. That's a topic for another day (social justice). God is really big into justice. It's sort of His thing. Anyone who thinks otherwise obviously hasn't read the Bible or if they did, they need to have their reading skills checked. I reckon God cares more about the orphans, widows, and poor than He does anybody else. He's all about the little guy. So we should be too. We should be living selflessly for others. Doing whatever we can to make the world better for them not for us. And when I say we here, I mean me too. I have a hard time doing these things. Like I said, I get selfish too. I'm not perfect. But, I press on.

Lord, help us to see chances to show true fasting today. Show me places where I can loose the bonds of wickedness and undo straps of the yoke. Show me places where I can free the oppressed and break every yoke. Help me do justice by sharing with the poor and loving all the broken. Show us these opportunities and give us wisdom to recognize the need. Give us courage to fill the need. Guide us towards the needs. Humble us in this way, Lord. Let You work be our delight.


Amen. Amen. Amen.

Light Work

And no the Lord says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him - for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has become my strength - he says, "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."

This is Jesus. But there's also the wonderful idea of God forming us in our mothers' wombs to be exactly who we are becoming. I love that. I love that God has a plan. I feel so out-of-control sometimes that it is really reassuring to know that at least someone has an idea of what's going on and not only that, that person has also planned for all this to happen. That is really awesome to me.

Jesus wasn't just sent to Israel. That's the other great promise here (and all over the Bible). Sometimes it's hard to feel like I have a share in the inheritance because I have no connection to Israel, but I am an adopted daughter of Abraham through my faith in Jesus. I  have a share in the inheritance because Jesus is my light. Such good news!!

Lord, I praise You for the Good News You give in each line of Your Word. I pray I would find peace and strength in these Truths today. You have a plan for me. You love me and have saved me. Praise You for what You do because You know I don't deserve. I am no worthy of Your love. You are good Lord, so good! You have done great things! Praise You for Your good works!!


Amen. Amen. Amen.

Nashville

Again in the Muslim prayer guide. Today is talking about Muslims right here at home. For me, Nashville is actually very close to home - 5 or 6 hours maybe. Of course, the guide mentions other cities with large Muslim populations in the South. Atlanta's on the list. So with Muslims all around us, how can we continue to ignore the growing need for our pray and our love. It is important that we not only pray for those Christians in direct contact with Muslims, but also that we act like Christ when we are in direct contact with Muslims. That we don't just sit back saying, "Oh I'll pray for the situation", but that we actually go if God tells us to. As much as prayer can change the world, responding to God's calling in Faith can start a revolution.

Lord, I pray for those on the front lines for You in this country. I pray that You give the Christians the courage to put themselves out there to bridge a cultural divide. I pray You would give them understanding of the unique difficulties of immigrants and refugees entering our country, and that You would give them more than enough love to overcome any misunderstandings. I pray for love for these people that just won't stop. I pray You would call people to love on these people and give us Christians the strength and courage to respond to Your call. To go where You send us. I pray that Nashville would be overrun by Christianity because of all the Muslims coming to know You. I pray You would increase their curiosity and desire to know more about Jesus and more about You, Father. I pray that as Your fire catches in Nashville, it would also catch in Atlanta, Memphis and Louisville. I pray You would raise up Christians to love the Muslims coming into our communities. To fight against the hatred that seems so prevalent towards people of this faith. I pray for courage to go against the so-called evangelic mainstream to really seek after Your will and Your heart. By Your power and Your grace I pray You would change lives!


Amen. Amen. Amen.


Lord, grant me grace today. I am not strong enough to face all that comes my way, but in those moments there is nothing but Your grace. Fill me with Your Spirit. Give me just enough strength to live for today and take away all worries about tomorrow.


Amen. Amen. Amen.

Idols

There is no doubt that idolatry is probably the most prevalent sin out there. I would argue that most everything we do is motivated either by God or my some type of idol. I would also argue that this idol is usual the good ole ME. It's ourselves. We worship for lack of better words ourselves. We are consumed with how to please ourselves, how to take care of ourselves, how to make ourselves better, and how to bring ourselves attention. This manifests itself in the pursuit of money, sex, you name it. In ancient times, idolatry worked a little different. People would (so it seems) just go out an make household gods for themselves. The story in Isaiah 44-45 is taking a cedar and using half of it to cook, etc. and the other half became an idol. The man spends hours carving it, wearing himself out, and then falls down an worships something that he just made. It sounds completely insane. I mean, we worship man-made stuff all the time (cellphoooonnnnneeee 0.o) but rarely is it something we just made. Of course, people don't really make stuff anymore. We certainly don't carve things out of wood.

The point is, we take something unholy make it into something else with our unholy hands and then act like it will save us from our life of misery. Maybe money is a good modern day example. We take cloth-paper and pass it around exchanging it for goods and services as if it has some sort of inherent value. We collect numbers in our online banking accounts to gain "wealth" which really is just numbers representing wealth we hope is there when we need it. Nobody keeps stuff that might actually be valuable because we don't need to. So instead of worshiping our fancy stuff that shows we have money (which many do) some sit around dedicating their time to getting more numbers.

The point of this probably hard-to-follow paragraphs is that God wants us. He knows we will wander away to idols - that's why it is the 1st commandment. He gave us hearts that want to follow something. Hearts that want to love something. He wants us to give those hearts to Him. He wants us to love and follow Him. But He made us with choice, so we could chose to go astray. And boy did we chose it! There are so many things to worship in our culture. I went to a school where football wasn't just very important, it was a religion. People were obsessed. We'd gather in the huge stadium to pay tribute to the team. We'd sing together. We'd watch the ritual of the game. It was a big deal. To some, football is a god. But God just shakes His head. He can prove who He is so easily. He could make Himself known. God is a jealous God, but He doesn't have to prove Himself yet. He's got time. Someday, He will reveal Himself, and some people will feel real silly. Praise God, He's fighting for our hearts even as I type (you read). He wants us. Look for His revelation. It is all over.

Lord, tear down our idols. Tear down the high places where we worship. Reveal Yourself to Your people. Open our eyes, ears, and hearts. Show Yourself to the world. I pray still for the Great Revival. I pray You would stir it up in the hearts of many. I pray You would call someone to lead us back to You. I pray for vision in Your Church to see actions. I pray still for the Muslim world as they turn to fasting and pray. I praise You for the discipline and hope and pray that You will turn it into fire for You. They almost know You, I pray that You Jesus would be revealed to them.


Amen. Amen. Amen.

For His sake

I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.

What good news!! I feel like I must be obsessed with the idea of not having to earn salvation because I sort of focus on it. It's such an awesome promise!! We don't have to work at being loved by God. Yes, we have to completely change our lives, but if we mess up, it's not the end of the world and it is certainly not the end of God's love and mercy for us. I think that's the promise that means the most to me. If i was stuck having to do enough good works to feel like I have earned favor from the Almighty, I feel like I would always feel like a failure. I have a hard enough time not feeling like a failure as it is. I beat myself up all the time. I have found my self to be a fantastic punching bag. But no, for God's own sake He has forgiven me. Because He wanted to. Never once did He look at me and say, "She earned it. We'll give it to her.", or "She's really trying so why not?" No! He looked at me (and at you) and said, "I love this one. I want this one. I will forgive no matter how much she's done."

Oh thank You, Lord!! I feel covered in love when I think about the grace that He has given me. I didn't deserve His love or His favor or His gift of eternal life, but I have all these things. I have everything because of God. Because of Jesus.

Praise You Lord, for the grace and mercy You give us. Praise You that there is no end. Praise You that it is a free gift that we cannot earn. Praise You for all that You've done. I am overwhelmed by Your goodness. There are no words. Guide me in how You want me to live. Praise You for freedom!!


Amen. Amen. Amen.

Egypt

I got this prayer guide for praying for the Muslim community during their celebration of Ramadan. I picked it up mostly because I was interested in learning more about Muslims and Islamic countries. Each day shares different stories or facts about Muslims and Christians in Muslim nations. Today is about Egypt. When you think of Muslim nations, Egypt might not be first on your list. I actually have never know any Egyptians that were Muslim (though the list of Egyptians I know is short). The country is home to the largest Christian minority of all the mainly Muslim nations. Of course, now, with all the political stuff going on there, the presence of Islam is more and more evident. People fear that Egypt will fall to the "Muslim Brotherhood" . This is why we are called to prayer. I can't go change that situation, but my God can. There are plenty of God-fearing evangelicals living in Egypt who are more than willing to respond to God's call to change their country for the Lord. That's why this prayer guide is so great. Situations I never even thought about are brought to my attention. The worst part about society today is how easy it is to sit around and to nothing and later blame it on ignorance.

Not me.

Lord, I lift up this nation Egypt, from where You once called Your people. I pray You give strength to You people there. I pray You protect them from be put into slavery or oppression like the children of Israel so long ago. I pray that Your followers would have the courage to preach Your message and to live a life that reflects Your calling. I pray You would give them guidance to see what they can do. I pray they would continue to be counter-cultural in love. I pray they would act as Joseph and Daniel. I pray that they would not be discouraged when society treats them as lesser citizens, but they would take courage knowing they are citizens of the Kingdom of the One True God. A citizenship that cannot be revoked. I praise You for the great things that are happening for Your name. I praise You for the annual prayer meetings that are held that are sending out missionaries. I pray You would continue to raise up missionaries to the Muslim community. I praise You for the Christian teaching that is able to reach the Egyptians through TV and the internet. I pray there would be sound Biblical teaching that can encourage them and help the grow closer to You. Help them to be encouraged and to bear fruit. Again I praise You for the Christians in this country. I pray their needs would be made known and be filled. Let the Church unite with communities like this one to strengthen and encourage them. I pray this nation would be won over by Your love, in Jesus's name!


Amen. Amen. Amen.

35

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

What more promise do you need? This is such a beautiful image to me. I'm a very visual person so it is easy for me to visualize this scene: I see a huge, beautiful, awe-inspiring mountain. The light hits everything perfectly, illuminating the nature awesomeness that is all around. I see a narrow, uneven road (the Way of Holiness), a highway to the Zion. On this road, I see people who look they have been through the wringer, clothes torn, hair out of place, no shoes, etc. But in spite of looking terrible and the road being difficult, they are jumping up and down, dancing, shouting, singing, falling to their knees in unstoppable worship. The One Who Paid the Price is leading them back. They are shouting His praises. The Father is on the mountain, watching the scene, ready to receive His ransomed people. I picture joy and mercy literally falling like rain on these people. Maybe like one of those afternoon showers we get round here where it's still sunny while it pours rain. I see the people rejoicing in this rain. There is nothing bad to be found. Smiles are on every face and tears of gratitude are in every eye (though they are probably pouring down their faces). People who were once lame are running to the mountain. People who were once blind are walking with full sight. People who were sick or broken or what have you are ransomed and redeemed because of their faith and because of what He has done. Following the Good Shepherd. What a sight!

It is a scene I hope to witness someday. It might not be like this. I'm sure it will be much more incredible. 


Lord, let the thought of You fill my heart with praise and longing. Let me soul be thirsty for more of You. I praise You for the good promises You've made, and I look forward to the day when they are a reality. Praise You for Your Righteousness, Holiness and above all Mercy. Praise You for the Joy You freely give us!


Amen. Amen. Amen.

Current Events

O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in time of trouble.

I can't pretend to know any details or even really more than just the general information about what happened in Colorado. I read a fellow believers blog about being in the actual theatre with her 2 daughters. It was powerful. I can't even imagine a moment like that. I can't even imagine putting a moment like that into words. I can't imagine going through that as a 14-year-old.

This is such a fallen world. When I hear these stories of evil, my heart breaks. Another soul seized by the enemy. The title of that blog entry (and why it caught my attention) was Do You STILL Think God is Merciful? A concept which troubles me because of how against real faith it is. If you are a Christian, you should not expect your life to suddenly become problem and disaster free. If anything you will most likely encounter more trials as all the sudden you have a hoard of anti-Christians (atheists) who are out to prove you are an idiot who perhaps dabbles in hypocrisy and incest. Why all these go along with Jesus I really don't know, but that's fine. If you ever read the Bible, you will never once find any passage that promises an easy, death-free life except those pertaining to the 2nd coming. God promises trials. God promises bad stuff. In fact, God promises it will get worse the closer we get to His return. So do I believe that God allowing people to die is in line with His nature? Well, I believe that is a loaded question. God is perfectly just and righteous. He cannot do evil. Evil is the king of this age. We as humans are completely capable of doing a whole lot of evil. God can stop us, but that's not why He gave us the choice. God wants followers, not slaves. To me, this is kind of a mute point because it has nothing to do with our relationship with God. This is an evil and broken world so stuff will happen. That's life. It's all about how we respond.

Lord, I pray wholeheartedly for those families and friends of victims in Colorado. Lord, You've seen their hurt and You know their needs. Grant them what they need. Grant them eyes to see Your hand working in the midst of these trials. Bring justice to the situation - not man's sense of justice, but Your perfect justice. I pray for the family of the shooter - if they are around. I pray they would have peace in spite of the huge blow. I pray for peace in the hearts of all those affected. I pray for rest in the hearts and minds of all those affected. I pray for unity in the Church to be a solution and a blessing. Grant wisdom to Your followers and discernment to see Your Hand at work.


Amen. Amen. Amen. 

Teacher

Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are those who wait for Him...And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.

I find this to be a wonderfully reassuring promise. That God, though He may send affliction or adversity, still waits to be gracious to us. As we walk in His path, He is always directing us. If we will listen, He will guide us.

I think God is really trying to affirm that wall concept for me, because once again I have found a way to relate it to scripture. God sends these times of adversity, and once His task is finished, He hides himself no longer and begins to show us mercy. This is how I've seen Him work, so I believe it to be true. Blessed is the one who waits for Him for He shall surely come.

Lord, do not leave us long in our affliction and provide rest in spite of the adversity. But above all, let Your purposes be accomplished in our lives. Let Your will be done. Open our ears to hear You and our hearts to receive You. Have mercy on us sinners! Lord, we don't not deserve all the wonderful blessings You have so freely given. Praise You for Your greatness!


Amen. Amen. Amen.