(Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understandings, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall make thy paths straight.)
Life can be so confusing, filled with so many questions, wanders and hopes. Sometimes I get so frustrated because I’ve misinterpreted something or think that one of my greatest hopes is just too impossible or unlikely, but then I try to take my eyes off the situation and trust God instead. When I think I’ve failed or overstepped my bounds it’s good to know that we have a Father who can and does straighten our paths. Why do I lean so much on my own understanding of people, situations, hopes, or dreams? God is able to do the impossible and if He has placed something on our hearts or in our path then He is more than able to bring about His will. Truth be told, the Lord has probably already made a straight way before us and it’s just our own doubts stopping our feet from walking life’s paths and stopping those hopes from becoming reality. I’m so thankful that Jesus loves me and has a plan from my life. And that He waits patiently and doesn’t take away a path just because we hesitate, but instead He grabs our hand (shaking though it may be) and leads us in His Will. I’m so thankful that He can and will bring in people to share it with me. I’m so thankful that despite the times I feel alone He does really have a future for me, and people ready to love and defend me, and people that I can love and defend. I guess why I’m writing this is that.... Hope is a wonderful thing, but it’s even more wonderful when we have faith and know that He is the fulfiller of our hopes, both heavenly and earthly. So have faith, and takes steps toward the hopes He has given you, even the seemingly impossible ones!!
(Romans 4:18-22 Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb. Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.) (Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the steadfast belief of things not seen.)
We who believe in Jesus are one in Him and He loves to give us good things and to share with us His love. Praise God!!
Friday, November 27, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
A Poem of Praise
Wake up! For it is morning, open your eyes and see His light,
He frees the soul from mourning and He gives the heart delight,
He is Jesus, God’s anointed, King of Kings with God He’s one,
Praise His Holy name forever, Giving Praises to the Son,
He endured our shame and died for us to make us each His Own,
He rose from the grave to reign again and sit upon His throne,
Now His love beyond all measure, offered to them who will believe,
Shall make the contrite born again, and set the captive sinner free,
Rejoice O world and give your praise, to Him who gives you grace,
Remain in Him ‘till He returns eternal life to face.
He frees the soul from mourning and He gives the heart delight,
He is Jesus, God’s anointed, King of Kings with God He’s one,
Praise His Holy name forever, Giving Praises to the Son,
He endured our shame and died for us to make us each His Own,
He rose from the grave to reign again and sit upon His throne,
Now His love beyond all measure, offered to them who will believe,
Shall make the contrite born again, and set the captive sinner free,
Rejoice O world and give your praise, to Him who gives you grace,
Remain in Him ‘till He returns eternal life to face.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Joshua ch.1-5 (some thoughts)
The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh received their inheritance of the Promised Land on the east side of the Jordan River. However, they were not allowed to enter their rest (land) until they had helped the rest of Israel get theirs on the west side of the Jordan River. Did the rest of Israel really need their help? No (aside from maybe some moral support), God was the one winning all the battles, and often in some pretty amazing ways. I think as Christians today we too often view our salvation as an individualistic/personal goal or promise. It’s true Jesus died for me, and that God loves ME more than I could probably ever know. This is all true and more than wonderful, but then we seem to, instead of living this new life of hope for His name, tend to forget that we are one body in Christ. That Jesus died for the sins of the whole world and that all who believes will have everlasting life. So if we are one body though individual members of it, we must by faith use the gifts we’ve been given for the building up and sustaining of the body (Church). We must lift up the fallen, supply the needy, encourage the persevering, and care for and love all those who call on His name. Just like in our bodies the heart pumps the blood, the lungs provide the oxygen, and our body’s parts work together for the whole. What happens if there are some rogue cells acting on their own; caring only for themselves, and living in the body propagating cells that are likewise renegade? We call them cancer and the whole body suffers for their sake, until it’s cured or the cancer removed.
We mustn’t ignore other believers who are struggling like the rich man did to Lazarus (Luke 16:19) regardless if they are on our door steps or half way around the world. We have been given a measure and if we freely give we shall freely receive. Sure we may say true things like, “God will help them. After all He loves them too, besides He doesn’t need me. And realistically speaking I couldn’t do much of anything anyhow.” But the bride of Christ Jesus is a collective and just like this passage in Joshua we must join together as Christ’s church/body, together claiming His promises until we all receive of His goodness upon His return. So let’s not be selfish and ignore His word.
Matthew 25:31-46 31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. 34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me.' 37"Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? 38When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? 39When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?' 40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.' 41"Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite Me in, I needed clothes and You did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and You did not look after Me.' 44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help You?' 45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.' 46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
So then we in Christ will bear good fruit. Don't be afraid of your old self and fleshly lusts but remember that in Christ we are a new creation, so put that old nature to death (so to speak) let us not be deceived by the enemy and become selfish lay bouts who are too caught up in our society, in its worries, pleasures, and riches that we bear no good fruit. The Fruits of His Spirit are Love, joy, Peace, Patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are gifts from Him that we bear not produce. Let us do the good, which we can now by His grace do, and together rejoice in the love of God!
We mustn’t ignore other believers who are struggling like the rich man did to Lazarus (Luke 16:19) regardless if they are on our door steps or half way around the world. We have been given a measure and if we freely give we shall freely receive. Sure we may say true things like, “God will help them. After all He loves them too, besides He doesn’t need me. And realistically speaking I couldn’t do much of anything anyhow.” But the bride of Christ Jesus is a collective and just like this passage in Joshua we must join together as Christ’s church/body, together claiming His promises until we all receive of His goodness upon His return. So let’s not be selfish and ignore His word.
Matthew 25:31-46 31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. 34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me.' 37"Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? 38When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? 39When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?' 40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.' 41"Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite Me in, I needed clothes and You did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and You did not look after Me.' 44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help You?' 45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.' 46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
So then we in Christ will bear good fruit. Don't be afraid of your old self and fleshly lusts but remember that in Christ we are a new creation, so put that old nature to death (so to speak) let us not be deceived by the enemy and become selfish lay bouts who are too caught up in our society, in its worries, pleasures, and riches that we bear no good fruit. The Fruits of His Spirit are Love, joy, Peace, Patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are gifts from Him that we bear not produce. Let us do the good, which we can now by His grace do, and together rejoice in the love of God!
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