Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
It's easy to make plans and then become quite pleased with those plans. Talking about finding an apartment or starting a job. Whatever it is, one always has to remember that tomorrow could bring the unexpected.
For example I just bought a nyused car. (New + Used = Nyused) Anyway, I could spend my time feeling quite proud of my little car only to have it be totaled tomorrow. Or I can spend my time thankful for the financial security that enabled me to make this purchase, and if it gets totaled tomorrow, I'm thankful for my insurance.
We love to make plans and be proud of what we are going to do. At the end of the day though, we haven't really done anything. We are really the agents of anything much. Except maybe trouble and disaster. Troubles will come. Things will go wrong. Someday something terrible will happen. You can't boast in what you have planned because it may never happen. Only a fool would talk about the future as certain.
A fool takes the future for granted, but a wise man is thankful for each moment.
I should write a book of proverbs:P it's funny because I shouldn't.
Lord, let my plans for tomorrow never interfere with my vision of You. Let me never see more of my life plan than I do of You. Especially now Lord as I make big decisions, let me not choose based on future glory, but rather on Your will. Let me not plan ahead thinking I know what's best, but let me trust in You knowing You know what's best. I will not worry, boast, or live about tomorrow. Rather I will take each day and praise the Lord for my portion.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
17 June 2012
16 June 2012
Wisdom
Proverbs today was a lot about not overstaying your welcome or bothering others too much. Also, the usually stuff about not acting a fool. It's one of those days were it speaks good truth to me, but I have a hard time going anywhere beyond that.
Not to mention it's broken up in the middle by me going to the prayer room. I do this every Saturday. It's a good time, I just wish I were better at it. I'm sure I'm just imagining it, but I am down on myself all the time about not being more in the moment while I'm there. Other people's prayer requests often remind me of my own issues. That's not very of the Spirit. I guess what it really tells me is that I don't spend enough time before God in prayer so all of the things He wants to talk to me about or I want to talk to Him about all flow to the surface at once. It's very distracting.
So maybe my real take-away for today is that I need to pray for myself more. It may feel selfish, but I really don't spend time before God about my own needs. I pray as I go through my day, but I don't get silent before Him. So new goal: Bible, blog, pray. It could work. Maybe pray first.
Lord, help me to find myself in being alone with You. Let this be a true desire of my heart to quiet myself before You each day. Let me be filled up in Your presence. Let Your words be my joy. Speak to me each morning.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
Not to mention it's broken up in the middle by me going to the prayer room. I do this every Saturday. It's a good time, I just wish I were better at it. I'm sure I'm just imagining it, but I am down on myself all the time about not being more in the moment while I'm there. Other people's prayer requests often remind me of my own issues. That's not very of the Spirit. I guess what it really tells me is that I don't spend enough time before God in prayer so all of the things He wants to talk to me about or I want to talk to Him about all flow to the surface at once. It's very distracting.
So maybe my real take-away for today is that I need to pray for myself more. It may feel selfish, but I really don't spend time before God about my own needs. I pray as I go through my day, but I don't get silent before Him. So new goal: Bible, blog, pray. It could work. Maybe pray first.
Lord, help me to find myself in being alone with You. Let this be a true desire of my heart to quiet myself before You each day. Let me be filled up in Your presence. Let Your words be my joy. Speak to me each morning.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
15 June 2012
The Throne
I was talking to a friend yesterday about how cool it is to see Jesus appear in the old testament. Because He's kind of everywhere. The Lord said to Solomon (and to David) that if he kept His statutes, he would not lack a heir to his throne. Even though the kings to come after Solomon did a lousy job following God's desires, God still established David' throne forever through Jesus. We can't forget where Jesus came from. He's of the tribe of Judah from the line of David. Pretty good breeding.
Even in the midst of Israel's mistakes and sins, God is working His plan for salvation. We can change this sentence a little to be even more meaningful. Even in the midst of my mistakes and sins, God is working His plan for salvation. Even when I fall short, like Israel did, God has already laid the groundwork for what He is going to do. We cannot change what He is going to do. He will not let us. We can make decisions and go our own way, but what God will do in our lives, God will do. There is no way around the will of the Lord.
Israel paid for their disobedience, as so many OT prophets warned, and eventually they came back to their homeland. About 0 AD, the most important person in history was born as a direct result of everything Israel had done. He was fulfilling a promise to David as well as solving a problem of sin. It's actually really incredible if you think about it. I highly recommend spending a large portion of your day thinking about it.
Lord, let me devote myself to Your will. Help me to be faithful in spite of myself. Let me on a path of righteousness. Help me to see Your will all around me. I want to reflect on Your Word, Your promise, and Your Truth. Let them be my constant meditation. Let me never forget the importance and weight of the life of Your Son.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
Even in the midst of Israel's mistakes and sins, God is working His plan for salvation. We can change this sentence a little to be even more meaningful. Even in the midst of my mistakes and sins, God is working His plan for salvation. Even when I fall short, like Israel did, God has already laid the groundwork for what He is going to do. We cannot change what He is going to do. He will not let us. We can make decisions and go our own way, but what God will do in our lives, God will do. There is no way around the will of the Lord.
Israel paid for their disobedience, as so many OT prophets warned, and eventually they came back to their homeland. About 0 AD, the most important person in history was born as a direct result of everything Israel had done. He was fulfilling a promise to David as well as solving a problem of sin. It's actually really incredible if you think about it. I highly recommend spending a large portion of your day thinking about it.
Lord, let me devote myself to Your will. Help me to be faithful in spite of myself. Let me on a path of righteousness. Help me to see Your will all around me. I want to reflect on Your Word, Your promise, and Your Truth. Let them be my constant meditation. Let me never forget the importance and weight of the life of Your Son.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
14 June 2012
Praise
I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Praise Him for His mighty deeds; praise Him according to His excellent greatness.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
When you know God, when you know His exceeding goodness, you cannot stop praising Him. Really you can't. I have lived enough in my short life to know that I never want to come across a time in my life where I don't long to be before the Lord in praise and prayer. I take joy in knowing that that day will never come because you can't un-know something. Right now, I know who God is.
Praise the Lord!
So praise the Lord for His faithful deeds.
Praise Him for His kind eye and warm embrace.
Praise Him for His guidance and wisdom.
Praise Him for His mercies, lovingkindness, and steadfast love.
Praise Him with the Hosts of Heaven,
who have not stopped since time began.
Praise Him like it's your commission
Because it is.
Let all creation praise the Lord.
Praise Him with every breath in your lungs.
Say nothing but His praise.
Do nothing but His works.
Praise Him with everything.
Lift up a cry when you are in distress,
He will surely answer.
Lift a praise when you are in distress,
He will be quick to move.
The Lord will not withhold from those He loves,
so why are you so quiet?
Do not withhold even an ounce of praise from Him who deserves it.
You will find no other
Like the Lord.
You will find no piece or hope
Like the Lord.
So why are you so quiet?
Shout a song of praise!
Clap your hands
Jump around
Dance
The Lord is to be praised
The method does not matter.
No more will I withhold my spirit
from offering all I am
in praise to my Lord!
Amen. Amen. Amen.
Praise Him for His mighty deeds; praise Him according to His excellent greatness.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
When you know God, when you know His exceeding goodness, you cannot stop praising Him. Really you can't. I have lived enough in my short life to know that I never want to come across a time in my life where I don't long to be before the Lord in praise and prayer. I take joy in knowing that that day will never come because you can't un-know something. Right now, I know who God is.
Praise the Lord!
So praise the Lord for His faithful deeds.
Praise Him for His kind eye and warm embrace.
Praise Him for His guidance and wisdom.
Praise Him for His mercies, lovingkindness, and steadfast love.
Praise Him with the Hosts of Heaven,
who have not stopped since time began.
Praise Him like it's your commission
Because it is.
Let all creation praise the Lord.
Praise Him with every breath in your lungs.
Say nothing but His praise.
Do nothing but His works.
Praise Him with everything.
Lift up a cry when you are in distress,
He will surely answer.
Lift a praise when you are in distress,
He will be quick to move.
The Lord will not withhold from those He loves,
so why are you so quiet?
Do not withhold even an ounce of praise from Him who deserves it.
You will find no other
Like the Lord.
You will find no piece or hope
Like the Lord.
So why are you so quiet?
Shout a song of praise!
Clap your hands
Jump around
Dance
The Lord is to be praised
The method does not matter.
No more will I withhold my spirit
from offering all I am
in praise to my Lord!
Amen. Amen. Amen.
13 June 2012
Steadfast
His steadfast love endures forever.
This doesn't need comments. Read it slowly and take it in. What exactly does this mean? Steadfast. Love. Endures. Forever. These words are accidents nor are the confined to my translation. The only change in the King James is Mercy instead of Steadfast Love. Personally I think the phrase "steadfast love" more adequately describes what God is doing, but "mercy" also tells a good story.
There are a few phrases that I feel would be awesome titles or subtitles to the Bible. This is probably the only one that comes directly from Scripture. The whole Bible is telling the story of how God's steadfast love endures forever. Not just when He feels like it. Not just when we deserve. It doesn't change. It doesn't fail. It has always been there, and it will always be there. The same mercies that were freely given to Moses where given to David and are given to me. Nothing about who God is has changed. Not one thing.
His steadfast love endures forever.
It really is that simple. There is no limits to what He will do for His beloved. There is no boundaries to what He can do in our lives. Praise the Lord!!
God of Mercy! Thank You for Your steadfast love. Thank you that it is so freely given to us. My heart swells with praise when I think about You love and mercy. I do not have words. Let this phrase be burned into the hearts of Your beloved that we may always know and trust in Your faithfulness.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
This doesn't need comments. Read it slowly and take it in. What exactly does this mean? Steadfast. Love. Endures. Forever. These words are accidents nor are the confined to my translation. The only change in the King James is Mercy instead of Steadfast Love. Personally I think the phrase "steadfast love" more adequately describes what God is doing, but "mercy" also tells a good story.
There are a few phrases that I feel would be awesome titles or subtitles to the Bible. This is probably the only one that comes directly from Scripture. The whole Bible is telling the story of how God's steadfast love endures forever. Not just when He feels like it. Not just when we deserve. It doesn't change. It doesn't fail. It has always been there, and it will always be there. The same mercies that were freely given to Moses where given to David and are given to me. Nothing about who God is has changed. Not one thing.
His steadfast love endures forever.
It really is that simple. There is no limits to what He will do for His beloved. There is no boundaries to what He can do in our lives. Praise the Lord!!
God of Mercy! Thank You for Your steadfast love. Thank you that it is so freely given to us. My heart swells with praise when I think about You love and mercy. I do not have words. Let this phrase be burned into the hearts of Your beloved that we may always know and trust in Your faithfulness.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
12 June 2012
Duty
And it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord, "For He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever," the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.
So much to love. My favorite is that first part. It's part of a long list of musicians and their instruments that is actually set apart in parenthesis in these verse. What a fantastic side note?! It was their duty to be heard. Say all the animals waiting to get slaughtered were getting noisy or the people were sort of lacking energy. Doesn't matter, you have to be loud enough to be heard. A simple song, but it was enough to bring down the presence of the Lord. He came in a cloud and they couldn't even stand. Isn't that a crazy picture?
I think it's important to read the passages about the opening of the Temple with your imagination turned on. There is a lot of imagery here to soak in. First you have this bloody, noisy seen of animals being sacrificed. You hear the shouts and songs as the ark is being brought in and put where it belongs. You see the priests rising up to do their priestly duties, and the cloud of the Lord's presences falling, and with it every single person in there. Standing before the Lord's glory would be a challenge, if not wholly impossible. So people are probably on the ground looking like crazy people. Animals are still being sacrificed. Eventually the king stands up to say some words, people hanging on every one of them. This is probably the quietest it got that day and for the next few days. They had nonstop celebrations for 7 days - maybe even 14. At the end of that time when Solomon dismisses them to their homes, they leave full of joy.
What a story to be able to pass on to your grandkids. I was there the day we dedicated the House of the Lord. I saw Solomon and heard his wise words. I heard the loud music and praise of the people. It was a sight of pure joy before the Lord.
There are some moments I would love to go back in time and live through. I think this is one of them.
Lord, make this type of celebration possible in these modern times. Call Your Church together to be full of praises to You! Let standing around singing not be good enough. Send us to our knees. Let us be prostrated by a fear and love of You. Let our worship change from loud enough for us to hear to making ourselves heard. I want to be heard by the nations. Lord, raise up worshipers.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
So much to love. My favorite is that first part. It's part of a long list of musicians and their instruments that is actually set apart in parenthesis in these verse. What a fantastic side note?! It was their duty to be heard. Say all the animals waiting to get slaughtered were getting noisy or the people were sort of lacking energy. Doesn't matter, you have to be loud enough to be heard. A simple song, but it was enough to bring down the presence of the Lord. He came in a cloud and they couldn't even stand. Isn't that a crazy picture?
I think it's important to read the passages about the opening of the Temple with your imagination turned on. There is a lot of imagery here to soak in. First you have this bloody, noisy seen of animals being sacrificed. You hear the shouts and songs as the ark is being brought in and put where it belongs. You see the priests rising up to do their priestly duties, and the cloud of the Lord's presences falling, and with it every single person in there. Standing before the Lord's glory would be a challenge, if not wholly impossible. So people are probably on the ground looking like crazy people. Animals are still being sacrificed. Eventually the king stands up to say some words, people hanging on every one of them. This is probably the quietest it got that day and for the next few days. They had nonstop celebrations for 7 days - maybe even 14. At the end of that time when Solomon dismisses them to their homes, they leave full of joy.
What a story to be able to pass on to your grandkids. I was there the day we dedicated the House of the Lord. I saw Solomon and heard his wise words. I heard the loud music and praise of the people. It was a sight of pure joy before the Lord.
There are some moments I would love to go back in time and live through. I think this is one of them.
Lord, make this type of celebration possible in these modern times. Call Your Church together to be full of praises to You! Let standing around singing not be good enough. Send us to our knees. Let us be prostrated by a fear and love of You. Let our worship change from loud enough for us to hear to making ourselves heard. I want to be heard by the nations. Lord, raise up worshipers.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
11 June 2012
Temple
When they built the Temple, they weren't kidding around.
I don't have any specific scriptures to quote from what I read today, but I will provide the colored commentary:]
This thing was huge. This thing was planned. Most of all this thing was nice. It was ornate. Everything was made of fancy materials and covered in fancy materials. It was all crafted by the best of the best. Sure they were drafted into forced labor, but they were building a house for the Lord. A place to worship.
That's when I come to a metaphor - we are also God's Temple. His place of worship. We were made with way more care and fine finishes. We are God's handiwork, not just the production of some guy. Yes, in this fallen world some people's bodies don't really seem like fine examples of God's work due to diseases or other conditions. This doesn't mean that our bodies aren't temples. That's why you get the classic preacher speech about treating your body like God's house. Jesus does dwell in us. We have to remember not to abuse or mistreat these poor bodies. Our primary place of worship with our Lord is not Church or any place but rather in our own hearts. Would you defile a Church? No. Even non-Christians wouldn't do that. So why do we mess with our bodies?
Then there's another side to the coin. One that I've thought many times. A need to be in a special place to worship. Sometimes it's hard to open up and be with God just anywhere. I'll think to myself, oh if I were in such and such a place, I could come freely into God's presence. Really it's just an excuse. Really the only thing I need to come into God's presences is my self. A quiet and humble heart. Granted, that is something I often lack, but it's not like I need to climb some mountain or go to a prayer room just to be with God. God is with me. I'm with Him now. He's ministering to me now. He's speaking to me now. He's speaking to you too. Weird, right?
Lord, help me to come into Your presence. Each day let me spend myself worshiping You! It does not matter what tasks I have to complete, let me do them as an act of worship. Let me do everything as an act of worship. Let me do nothing that is displeasing to You. Come dwell in this Your House. Allow it to be as magnificent as the ancient Temple. Allow me to bring honor and glory to You. Not because I'm receiving recognition, but because of who You are. The door is open. Come dwell in this place.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
I don't have any specific scriptures to quote from what I read today, but I will provide the colored commentary:]
This thing was huge. This thing was planned. Most of all this thing was nice. It was ornate. Everything was made of fancy materials and covered in fancy materials. It was all crafted by the best of the best. Sure they were drafted into forced labor, but they were building a house for the Lord. A place to worship.
That's when I come to a metaphor - we are also God's Temple. His place of worship. We were made with way more care and fine finishes. We are God's handiwork, not just the production of some guy. Yes, in this fallen world some people's bodies don't really seem like fine examples of God's work due to diseases or other conditions. This doesn't mean that our bodies aren't temples. That's why you get the classic preacher speech about treating your body like God's house. Jesus does dwell in us. We have to remember not to abuse or mistreat these poor bodies. Our primary place of worship with our Lord is not Church or any place but rather in our own hearts. Would you defile a Church? No. Even non-Christians wouldn't do that. So why do we mess with our bodies?
Then there's another side to the coin. One that I've thought many times. A need to be in a special place to worship. Sometimes it's hard to open up and be with God just anywhere. I'll think to myself, oh if I were in such and such a place, I could come freely into God's presence. Really it's just an excuse. Really the only thing I need to come into God's presences is my self. A quiet and humble heart. Granted, that is something I often lack, but it's not like I need to climb some mountain or go to a prayer room just to be with God. God is with me. I'm with Him now. He's ministering to me now. He's speaking to me now. He's speaking to you too. Weird, right?
Lord, help me to come into Your presence. Each day let me spend myself worshiping You! It does not matter what tasks I have to complete, let me do them as an act of worship. Let me do everything as an act of worship. Let me do nothing that is displeasing to You. Come dwell in this Your House. Allow it to be as magnificent as the ancient Temple. Allow me to bring honor and glory to You. Not because I'm receiving recognition, but because of who You are. The door is open. Come dwell in this place.
Amen. Amen. Amen.
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