I am what I am, but that's not to be,
For all that I am opposes Thee.
My heart is diseased, my will is defiled.
The sin that I crave shows that I'm not Your child.
My righteousness proves to be nothing but rags
Soaked in my hatred, my pride, and my rage.
Wretched body of death that I call "what I am"!
I cannot escape, but pretend that I can.
"Nobody's perfect!" - but how can that ease
A spirit that's tormented by sinful disease?
What I need is a miracle, Someone to reach in
And rescue me from this vile body of sin.
I've tried to perfect, but it all comes to naught
Because sin is my nature, and with it I'm fraught.
Who's there to rescue? Who hears my plea?
The wage is death for the sin that is me!
Thanks be to God - for He's made a way
To pay for the debt that it's right that I pay.
He gave up His son, His Jesus, His self;
He walked God and man, giving up his great wealth.
The death should be mine, but he hung on a tree,
Satisfying God's wrath at dark Calvary.
The wages of sin is death - and He died -
The God of creation cruelly crucified.
My sins are atoned, the rags white as wool -
Not of my own merit; that's what's saved my soul.
But death did not defeat the Lord of all things.
He rose from the grave and remains King of Kings.
I am what I am, but that's not to be,
Because Jesus Christ has ransomed me.
Showing posts with label convictions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label convictions. Show all posts
a ransomed sinner
Sunday, December 19, 2010
As I stay at home and take care of the Cuteness, I have plenty of time to think things through and simply observe what’s going on in this world. We don’t have television, so the radio is our main authority when it comes to world events. I almost prefer it that way. Watching TV is so all-encompassing for me. If it’s going to be on, then I’m going to drop everything and watch it. When I listen to the radio, I find myself being much more productive because only one of my senses is being called upon. Along with much radio listening, I also have enrolled myself in the oh-so-popular web monsters, known as Twitter and Facebook. With Twitter, I can follow people I’ve never met in person and read what makes them tick. I’ve learned a lot about trends in North American humanity and Christianity that I was completely oblivious to before - such things aren’t as easy to pick out on public radio. As for Facebook, it has kept me informed as to what the current trends are in the people I know directly. Granted, one shouldn’t need social media to connect with the people she knows. I admit that Facebook has it’s flaws. What it has done is made me aware of just how big my circle of influence really is. Not only do I get to take the heartbeat of the people I know, but I am also challenged to live with more integrity. And, lastly, I am part of the blogosphere. This is probably the most narrow-sighted form of information out of all four. Instead of learning about vast numbers of people, I’ve gotten to know a dozen world views - all narrow simply because they only belong to one person.
What has all this information-gathering done for me? First, it’s given me perspective beyond my own little blip of a life. I have to be careful, though, because gaining a broader vision can make you blind to the things close at hand. But, overall, I am grateful for what I have learned. The main benefit from all of this is simply summed up in one sentence:
The more I see of this world, the more I’m convinced I don’t belong in it.
That may sound harsh, but it’s completely true. I continuously find that my affections and passions are in stark contrast with what the world values. I am constantly drawn to my God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. I crave heaven’s joys and while inwardly repelling earth’s sorrows.
And, you know what? I am a follower of Christ - a citizen of heaven. I was born into sin, and have died to it through the precious blood of Christ shed for me. My life is not lived by the provision of this world, but by faith in the Son of God.
As long as I am here on earth, I am a sojourner and an exile - cast off from modern society because, as a Christian, I cannot rightly take on the passions of the world. I am called to abstain from the passions of the flesh because they wage war against my soul (see 1 Peter 2:11).
Monday, December 13, 2010
I know I haven't blogged in a while, and this post is kind of a strange re-introduction into the habit of blogging. Nevertheless, this topic has been on my mind for quite some time, making it impossible for me to blog about anything else in the meantime.
I have been wondering what it means to be a "mature" Christian. Is it weighed by how adept I am at religious practice - prayer, scripture reading, involvement in the church, and the like? Or is it measured by my ability to repel the sinfulness around me like a waterproof jacket - immersed in sin, but unaffected by it?
As a Christian who acknowledges that I have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and by His merit rather than my own, I cannot readily agree with either of these definitions. If the mark of maturity lies in the former, then it lies solely in my ability to purify myself. If I cannot faithfully perform these religious "duties", then it is clear that my maturity is lacking. Similarly, the latter would imply that only my ability to withstand temptation signifies that I am spiritually mature. And yet, the Bible repeatedly attests to man's eternal and inborn depravity (Romans 3:21-26 is an excellent portrayal of Christ's work, not ours). What does this say for maturity lying in the grasp of a Christian's abilities? The outlook isn't good.
I submit that where true maturity lies is in the Christian's decision to not partake in activities that are characterized by sin. This requires great humility on the the Christian's part - which we are encouraged to bring about on our own (1 Peter 5:6 ), for it is a terrifying thing to be humbled by Holy God. In humility, the Christian is not tempted to believe that his good works gain him any standing with God. In humility, he will recognize that placing himself in positions where sin is running rampant is not a good idea and only tests his ability to resist sin. A humble person knows that his "ability" is entirely flawed.
I attended a Christian school for most of my schooling years. I found that, although we were given solid biblical teaching every day, the very act of attending a Christian school tempted my peers to believe that they were saved simply by association. Self-righteousness is a slippery slope. But I am straying from my point. On one "party day" before school let out for summer, the entire high school body congregated in one of the multi-purpose rooms to watch a movie. I suppose the intent was to "kick back and relax". I don't oppose the activity. Before the movie started, one of the staff at the school proceeded to warn us that there was one scene in which the naked form of a man's behind would be seen - momentarily. Instead of choosing to skip the scene, the teacher gave this speech: "If you are MATURE, you'll be able to handle it. If you can't, then leave." Thus, the scene was played and 70 students felt justified staring at a naked bum.
This moment has always bothered me in two aspects. First, I am unsure if that scene would even be played in public high schools. Nudity is not a generally accepted phenomenon, even amongst those who don't call upon Christ. I had always assumed that a Christian school should uphold higher, borderline fanatic standards for the sake of properly instructing young Christians. In this case, I was sorely mistaken. Second, the message that the teacher gave us proclaimed that maturity means you should be able to stand face to face with filth and not let it bother you. It is the immature person who avoids such temptation.
If Christians take this attitude upon themselves, then what would separate them from the rest of the world - at least outwardly?
No, I believe that true maturity lies in the Christian choosing not to stand face to face with filth, as far as that decision can be made by him.
According to Romans 14:13-19, we should avoid anything that could become a stumbling block to another believer. I believe that openly endorsing something like regular alcohol consumption can lead to other believers adopting the habit and abusing it. Addiction to alcohol may not be something you struggle with at all, and you may be a responsible drinker, but there's no telling how that could affect those who see you partaking in it. It could lead to a serious stronghold in their life - even if it's not one in yours. I definitely do not want to be held accountable for unknowingly leading someone astray. Of course, there are many other things that could lead a person astray - I just picked alcohol to set out a clear example.
If we, as Christians, believe that Jesus Christ has paid for all of our sins and that we are made friends with God by His merit and not our own, then we should not trust in our own ability to remain pure. We need to trust daily in Christ's finished work on the cross and pray that we will be evermore changed into His likeness. Separating ourselves from what the world deems "basically harmless" may have it's hardships for us in this life on earth, but obeying God is something that we will have the privilege to do for an eternity.
Maturity should not be based on a Christian's upstanding moral character, but her willingness to be alienated from the world for the sake of Christ.
I have been wondering what it means to be a "mature" Christian. Is it weighed by how adept I am at religious practice - prayer, scripture reading, involvement in the church, and the like? Or is it measured by my ability to repel the sinfulness around me like a waterproof jacket - immersed in sin, but unaffected by it?
As a Christian who acknowledges that I have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and by His merit rather than my own, I cannot readily agree with either of these definitions. If the mark of maturity lies in the former, then it lies solely in my ability to purify myself. If I cannot faithfully perform these religious "duties", then it is clear that my maturity is lacking. Similarly, the latter would imply that only my ability to withstand temptation signifies that I am spiritually mature. And yet, the Bible repeatedly attests to man's eternal and inborn depravity (Romans 3:21-26 is an excellent portrayal of Christ's work, not ours). What does this say for maturity lying in the grasp of a Christian's abilities? The outlook isn't good.
I submit that where true maturity lies is in the Christian's decision to not partake in activities that are characterized by sin. This requires great humility on the the Christian's part - which we are encouraged to bring about on our own (1 Peter 5:6 ), for it is a terrifying thing to be humbled by Holy God. In humility, the Christian is not tempted to believe that his good works gain him any standing with God. In humility, he will recognize that placing himself in positions where sin is running rampant is not a good idea and only tests his ability to resist sin. A humble person knows that his "ability" is entirely flawed.
I attended a Christian school for most of my schooling years. I found that, although we were given solid biblical teaching every day, the very act of attending a Christian school tempted my peers to believe that they were saved simply by association. Self-righteousness is a slippery slope. But I am straying from my point. On one "party day" before school let out for summer, the entire high school body congregated in one of the multi-purpose rooms to watch a movie. I suppose the intent was to "kick back and relax". I don't oppose the activity. Before the movie started, one of the staff at the school proceeded to warn us that there was one scene in which the naked form of a man's behind would be seen - momentarily. Instead of choosing to skip the scene, the teacher gave this speech: "If you are MATURE, you'll be able to handle it. If you can't, then leave." Thus, the scene was played and 70 students felt justified staring at a naked bum.
This moment has always bothered me in two aspects. First, I am unsure if that scene would even be played in public high schools. Nudity is not a generally accepted phenomenon, even amongst those who don't call upon Christ. I had always assumed that a Christian school should uphold higher, borderline fanatic standards for the sake of properly instructing young Christians. In this case, I was sorely mistaken. Second, the message that the teacher gave us proclaimed that maturity means you should be able to stand face to face with filth and not let it bother you. It is the immature person who avoids such temptation.
If Christians take this attitude upon themselves, then what would separate them from the rest of the world - at least outwardly?
No, I believe that true maturity lies in the Christian choosing not to stand face to face with filth, as far as that decision can be made by him.
According to Romans 14:13-19, we should avoid anything that could become a stumbling block to another believer. I believe that openly endorsing something like regular alcohol consumption can lead to other believers adopting the habit and abusing it. Addiction to alcohol may not be something you struggle with at all, and you may be a responsible drinker, but there's no telling how that could affect those who see you partaking in it. It could lead to a serious stronghold in their life - even if it's not one in yours. I definitely do not want to be held accountable for unknowingly leading someone astray. Of course, there are many other things that could lead a person astray - I just picked alcohol to set out a clear example.
If we, as Christians, believe that Jesus Christ has paid for all of our sins and that we are made friends with God by His merit and not our own, then we should not trust in our own ability to remain pure. We need to trust daily in Christ's finished work on the cross and pray that we will be evermore changed into His likeness. Separating ourselves from what the world deems "basically harmless" may have it's hardships for us in this life on earth, but obeying God is something that we will have the privilege to do for an eternity.
Maturity should not be based on a Christian's upstanding moral character, but her willingness to be alienated from the world for the sake of Christ.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
It wasn't too long ago that I declared war on the lack of productivity in my life. I sat down with a spreadsheet in front of me and vowed to schedule practically every minute of my day. This schedule looked something like* this:
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Ever since the Cuteness was born, I've felt like many of my talents have been put aside so I can take good care of my favourite little person (note the use of the word little. My husby is my favourite big person--he's a bit less demanding). I'm really not bitter, though. Motherhood is a joy that not all women have the privilege of experiencing, and I'm far to aware of this fact to take it for granted. I trust and hope that God will always set me straight when I start to view it as just another task to complete. He already has.
This may be a grossly over-stated fact, but life changes when a baby comes into the world. It's not just the getting up in the middle of the night to change a screaming baby's diaper. It's not the stiff neck, the sore back, or the dirty laundry. The biggest change comes when you realize that there is another living being that depends solely on you for everything. I'm not just talking food and a clean diaper, but love, discipline, language, manners, opinions, attitudes, dispositions, beliefs, experiences, and encouragement. An innocent little child is a perfect and terrifying mirror to hold up to oneself.
A few days ago as I was attempting to get Judah ready for the day, I turned my back on him to riffle through a stack of his shirts for just the right one to complete his little outfit. His happy little coos made me smile, and I momentarily forgot that my baby can roll. As I turned around, I caught sight of my happy baby boy slipping off the bed and onto the floor. My heart jumped into my throat as I whisked him up into my arms. The tears flowed freely as I kissed his head and said "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry..." over and over again. His frantic cry seemed to say "I thought you were going to watch me. Always!" My poor, sad, bewildered little child.
Thankfully, there were no long-term consequences for my negligence, and hardly any short-term consequences except for two or so minutes of very sad tears. My action (or lack thereof), though inexcusable, was easily redeemed.
As a parent and a follower of Christ, I'm charged with the task of correctly caring for my child--that will definitely include how I watch over his spiritual welfare. Just as, at this point in time, I need to watch Judah with extreme care to keep him from harm unbeknownst to him, I need to show discernment in what influences I allow into the home (and when I say "I", I'm not excluding Joey from the task). This is the way I see it: as of now, Judah is ignorant of the evils of the world. He doesn't yet know what could hurt him, and he doesn't yet have a concept of right and wrong. I know it's imposible for me to keep him entirely from all bad things, but what I can do is help teach him the skills he needs to make right choices. Joey and I are responsible for that, to be sure.
I don't want to be so slack about "this whole discernment thing" that Judah comes to have a wrong view of who God is and what His holiness actually means. We need to be as shrewd as snakes, but as harmless as doves. The worst possible end to life on earth would be if my son was left, poor, sad and bewildered, asking, "Why didn't you tell me? I thought you were going to watch me. Always!" while I recall a lifetime of lukewarm faith, complacency, and compromise.
So, getting back to my first thought about setting aside talents, I've decided that it is no bad thing to be devoted to my family. If I can be known for anything, I would rather have it be for how I loved my family rather than how I could decorate my home, or complete DIY projects, or knit beautiful sweaters, or paint beautiful pictures, or make beautiful music. Those are all secondary to the joy and privilege of being a mother. May I never find this privilege burdensome, never lose sight of my Saviour, and NEVER stop fearing the Lord.
This may be a grossly over-stated fact, but life changes when a baby comes into the world. It's not just the getting up in the middle of the night to change a screaming baby's diaper. It's not the stiff neck, the sore back, or the dirty laundry. The biggest change comes when you realize that there is another living being that depends solely on you for everything. I'm not just talking food and a clean diaper, but love, discipline, language, manners, opinions, attitudes, dispositions, beliefs, experiences, and encouragement. An innocent little child is a perfect and terrifying mirror to hold up to oneself.
A few days ago as I was attempting to get Judah ready for the day, I turned my back on him to riffle through a stack of his shirts for just the right one to complete his little outfit. His happy little coos made me smile, and I momentarily forgot that my baby can roll. As I turned around, I caught sight of my happy baby boy slipping off the bed and onto the floor. My heart jumped into my throat as I whisked him up into my arms. The tears flowed freely as I kissed his head and said "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry..." over and over again. His frantic cry seemed to say "I thought you were going to watch me. Always!" My poor, sad, bewildered little child.
Thankfully, there were no long-term consequences for my negligence, and hardly any short-term consequences except for two or so minutes of very sad tears. My action (or lack thereof), though inexcusable, was easily redeemed.
As a parent and a follower of Christ, I'm charged with the task of correctly caring for my child--that will definitely include how I watch over his spiritual welfare. Just as, at this point in time, I need to watch Judah with extreme care to keep him from harm unbeknownst to him, I need to show discernment in what influences I allow into the home (and when I say "I", I'm not excluding Joey from the task). This is the way I see it: as of now, Judah is ignorant of the evils of the world. He doesn't yet know what could hurt him, and he doesn't yet have a concept of right and wrong. I know it's imposible for me to keep him entirely from all bad things, but what I can do is help teach him the skills he needs to make right choices. Joey and I are responsible for that, to be sure.
I don't want to be so slack about "this whole discernment thing" that Judah comes to have a wrong view of who God is and what His holiness actually means. We need to be as shrewd as snakes, but as harmless as doves. The worst possible end to life on earth would be if my son was left, poor, sad and bewildered, asking, "Why didn't you tell me? I thought you were going to watch me. Always!" while I recall a lifetime of lukewarm faith, complacency, and compromise.
So, getting back to my first thought about setting aside talents, I've decided that it is no bad thing to be devoted to my family. If I can be known for anything, I would rather have it be for how I loved my family rather than how I could decorate my home, or complete DIY projects, or knit beautiful sweaters, or paint beautiful pictures, or make beautiful music. Those are all secondary to the joy and privilege of being a mother. May I never find this privilege burdensome, never lose sight of my Saviour, and NEVER stop fearing the Lord.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
My heart is breaking. Breaking because I am a miserable sinner, and I am covered by the blood of Christ. That I can call God my Father is completely of Christ's merit, not my own. I am terrified because I know the difference between being obedient to Christ and "politically correct", and that God has called me to the former. I'm no longer on the verge of fanaticism--I'm swimming in it.
What has happened to the prophets of old? Where are the Elijahs, the Isaiahs, the Jeremiahs, the Hoseas? Does God call people to be prophets today? These witnesses surround me, and I need to throw off the weight of sin, the net of self-righteousness, and the snare of pride. I need to continue on this road that I started down so long ago and endure. God has not gotten smaller as I have gotten bigger, as everything else in my world has. On the contrary, every lesson I learn only reveals the even greater complexities of God.
I am shaky, weak, and wandering. Oh, Jesus, I see You standing on the water, mastering the waves, and I recall all that you have suffered for the sake of a Holy God. Such bitterness you have endured! Such slander! And yet your sacrifice still holds true, and You have been faithful to the end. You are faithful for all eternity. How then have I lost heart, with You as my goal and my crown?
I'm no longer on the verge of fanaticism--I'm swimming in it.
And I'm thankful.
---------------------------------------------
O God,
show me more of Your holiness.
Show me more of my sinfulness.
Help me to hate sin and to love righteousness as You do.
Grant me a deeper conviction of sin
and a more thorough spirit of repentance.
And make me holy as You are holy.
What has happened to the prophets of old? Where are the Elijahs, the Isaiahs, the Jeremiahs, the Hoseas? Does God call people to be prophets today? These witnesses surround me, and I need to throw off the weight of sin, the net of self-righteousness, and the snare of pride. I need to continue on this road that I started down so long ago and endure. God has not gotten smaller as I have gotten bigger, as everything else in my world has. On the contrary, every lesson I learn only reveals the even greater complexities of God.
I am shaky, weak, and wandering. Oh, Jesus, I see You standing on the water, mastering the waves, and I recall all that you have suffered for the sake of a Holy God. Such bitterness you have endured! Such slander! And yet your sacrifice still holds true, and You have been faithful to the end. You are faithful for all eternity. How then have I lost heart, with You as my goal and my crown?
I'm no longer on the verge of fanaticism--I'm swimming in it.
And I'm thankful.
---------------------------------------------
O God,
show me more of Your holiness.
Show me more of my sinfulness.
Help me to hate sin and to love righteousness as You do.
Grant me a deeper conviction of sin
and a more thorough spirit of repentance.
And make me holy as You are holy.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
I’m feeling the need to blog today…
Here I am, still with child, still getting 8 hours of sleep each night. Baby is five whole days overdue. I’m getting really impatient, and I’m kind of loathe to admit that fact. I wish I was perfectly content, resting in God’s provision, not worrying one bit about my unborn child.
But I’m not.
Why is it that I find it so easy to drive myself crazy? God has promised that He will bring perfect peace if I simply present all my anxieties to Him (Phil 4:4-7). That is, quite possibly, the most amazing and flabbergasting promise in a world that is the antithesis of peace. Yet why do I gravitate towards needless anxiety? James would call me “double-minded” (Jas 1:5-8). I can’t decide whether or not I truly believe that God is good—at least, that’s what my doubt says.
Hmmm… could it be that my own flesh opposes any mention of God’s goodness?
Your flesh hates God all the more because He IS good.
Could it be that I am, by nature, completely and entirely rebellious towards my loving Creator?
Instead of worshipping the Creator, you worship the created.
Could it be that every thought of mine is only evil continually?
There has never been a thought in your head that was not tainted by sin.
It’s true. All of it. I am the worst of sinners. I have disobeyed every command that the LORD God Almighty has given. I have mocked Christ on the cross. I possess in myself no good thing, no capability to love as Christ loved, and absolutely no accomplishments worthy of praise.
And yet I will bow before my Father in Heaven, worshipping Him for eternity.
What? How can that be possible? How can a feeble sinner like you ever even entertain the idea of “making it to” heaven? You don’t even have any good deeds to brag about. None. What makes you think that God will EVER accept you?
Because I go on the merit of another.
Jesus Christ, the Lamb without blemish, shed His pure, perfect, undefiled blood for my sins. God looks at me, and instead of seeing the stinking, rotting, stained sinner that I am, He sees the blood of His Son. His SON. He drank the cup of God’s wrath on the cross. He declared that IT IS FINISHED.
I am not worthy.
Dear, dear LORD, give me the grace to trust in You. Give me the grace to come before you in prayer and present all my anxieties to you. Give me the grace to live life by the Spirit, and not by the flesh (Rom 8). Take my anxieties and replace them with peace from You.
Amen.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
My husband is currently making French toast. On a Tuesday morning! He says that he’s just using up stale bread, but I believe that he is the most wonderful man on the face of the planet and he simply loves being good to me. I love this guy!
Well, I’ve officially enrolled myself in the waiting game. Even though I’m only 35 weeks and 3 days along, my gut feeling is “be prepared for anything!”. I might be a little anxious. Just a little. But I think that it’s better to live with an awareness of what could happen than to live in ignorance and be caught off guard.
Wait a second—doesn’t that apply to the Christian’s life? “..it’s better to live with an awareness of what could happen (i.e. Christ returning like a thief in the night) than to live in ignorance and be caught off guard”? I’m reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 24 regarding the very subject of His return.
No One Knows That Day and Hour
36 "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
37 As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark,
39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.
41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.
42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.
43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.
44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?
46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,'
49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards,
50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know (Matt 24:36-50, ESV , emphasis mine).
How can we really be prepared for the coming of our Lord? Vv 45-46 state that we must be wise and faithful to carry out all that God has appointed to us. Come to think of it, I don’t think I have really been living with a daily awareness that my Lord could be coming at any given moment of the day. I’m reminded of a previous post I wrote entitled “a faithless fig tree”. I don’t want to be like that fig tree and have my Lord look for fruit and find none.
I challenge you, followers of Christ, to seriously evaluate the state of your lives. Are you living for pleasure (for yourself), or are you living in a constant state of readiness for the coming of Christ (for the Lord)? Ask the Lord what he requires of you, and he will be faithful to reveal all. Don’t be like that fig tree—caught unaware and cursed by the Lord God himself.
How thankful I am for the whole process of pregnancy and the conviction that I need to be anticipating Christ’s return with greater joy and fervor than I have anticipating my own child.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
We were a newly-wed, deeply in love couple just starting out our life together. Prior to marriage, the most time we had spent together (I'm talking about consecutive days) was about one week. I hung on to each moment I had with my fiancé jealously and dreamed about the next. When the day finally came and we were actually man and wife, the best thing of all was being able to spend as much time together as we could ever want. What we had fought so hard for was finally ours in abundance.
Life now revolved around us. Completely. For the beginning, we were okay with that. After all, we were newly weds! We had big things to get a start on, such as setting up our own home, getting comfortable in a new ministry position, and just plain living together. The last thing on our agenda was starting our family.
Ideally, we would wait two or three years before having a baby. Why waste the last of our youthfulness? Plus, everyone always seems to say "you'll never be just the two of you after you have a baby, so might as well make it last as long as possible". Happily, we agreed.
God had different plans for us.
It was only three months into our marriage when we started to wonder about our "plans". We started to wonder why a feeling of guilt always seemed to follow every instance of "I hope I'm not pregnant!" We wondered if trusting in our methods of birth-control was revealing a lack of faith in God. We wondered... and prayed.
"What would you do if I was actually pregnant?" I would ask my husband. He never quite knew how to answer that question. "It would be tough, I suppose, but I know that it would be good" was generally the response he gave. I would agree, but, silently, I would continue pondering if that was what God wanted for us at this time.
I never really communicated my thoughts to my husband on this matter, except periodically in the aforementioned question. The matter was always on my mind, though. Reluctantly, I started to talk to God about it. I knew that He would be able to make sense of my confusion. That's where I left it.
In the spring of last year, the two of us took a little road trip to visit my parents in Saskatchewan. Throughout the whole trip the issue was laid on my heart. I couldn't help but allude to the grandchildren my parents would have some day in the future. I'm pretty sure they had a feeling that something big was about to happen. Funny, I had that feeling, too.
On our way home, Joey and I got into the topic (for the billionth time). To my surprise, I found that he had been thinking about it as much as I had in the preceding days. All of a sudden, we both realized that we had been living without faith that God would start our family in His time. The Lord completely convicted us, and we felt challenged to do something about our lack of faith.
It was only about two weeks later that we knew I was pregnant.
I am so grateful that God intervened and reminded us that He is sovereign. I would much rather willingly embrace what God has for me than go, "well, this didn't turn out right". My Father is good. I need to rest in His goodness.
Life now revolved around us. Completely. For the beginning, we were okay with that. After all, we were newly weds! We had big things to get a start on, such as setting up our own home, getting comfortable in a new ministry position, and just plain living together. The last thing on our agenda was starting our family.
Ideally, we would wait two or three years before having a baby. Why waste the last of our youthfulness? Plus, everyone always seems to say "you'll never be just the two of you after you have a baby, so might as well make it last as long as possible". Happily, we agreed.
God had different plans for us.
It was only three months into our marriage when we started to wonder about our "plans". We started to wonder why a feeling of guilt always seemed to follow every instance of "I hope I'm not pregnant!" We wondered if trusting in our methods of birth-control was revealing a lack of faith in God. We wondered... and prayed.
"What would you do if I was actually pregnant?" I would ask my husband. He never quite knew how to answer that question. "It would be tough, I suppose, but I know that it would be good" was generally the response he gave. I would agree, but, silently, I would continue pondering if that was what God wanted for us at this time.
I never really communicated my thoughts to my husband on this matter, except periodically in the aforementioned question. The matter was always on my mind, though. Reluctantly, I started to talk to God about it. I knew that He would be able to make sense of my confusion. That's where I left it.
In the spring of last year, the two of us took a little road trip to visit my parents in Saskatchewan. Throughout the whole trip the issue was laid on my heart. I couldn't help but allude to the grandchildren my parents would have some day in the future. I'm pretty sure they had a feeling that something big was about to happen. Funny, I had that feeling, too.
On our way home, Joey and I got into the topic (for the billionth time). To my surprise, I found that he had been thinking about it as much as I had in the preceding days. All of a sudden, we both realized that we had been living without faith that God would start our family in His time. The Lord completely convicted us, and we felt challenged to do something about our lack of faith.
It was only about two weeks later that we knew I was pregnant.
I am so grateful that God intervened and reminded us that He is sovereign. I would much rather willingly embrace what God has for me than go, "well, this didn't turn out right". My Father is good. I need to rest in His goodness.
Monday, December 14, 2009
The word of God is a delicious spring of wisdom, truth, and love! That the Lord God Almighty would be so compassionate, so loving as to reveal His very character and His unfathomable sovereignty in the words and pages of a book is remarkable. More than remarkable! Words, with all their variety and depth of meaning, fall short to praise Him as He should be praised, I’m afraid.
You may wonder what could be so earth-shattering to bring about such a sudden gushing of conviction. It’s nothing, really, Rather, it’s that I’m nothing. Or, better yet, it’s that God has shown me that I need to humble myself to be nothing. I’m too prone to believe myself as something, and yet even more prone to exert myself to be the most something something that ever was. I’ve bought into the lie that this life is about “bettering” myself. “My life is not what it should be… I need to become better…”
It sounds pretty bad, doesn’t it? Fairly “un-Christian”, wouldn’t you say? Ah ha. There lies the problem. Christians are always thinking about how they can “better” themselves. I won’t condemn all Christians—I’ll just speak for myself. When I am feeling spiritually dry, my first thought is, “Oh, I haven’t been reading the word. Perhaps if I just read the word more, I will be content in my faith again.” When my earthly relationships seem to be faltering, I immediately think, “I don’t have enough love. I need to become more loving. Then my relationships will be better.”
Hold on a second, what’s wrong with those two things? What could possibly be said against reading the word of God and being more loving? Aren’t those good things in themselves? Then how could these good things—and the pursuit of them—ever lead to anything bad?
Thus our minds rationalize our behaviour, and thus we are deceived. I see this deception needs to be explained further. I will leave that to God’s word.
“…a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So, we, too have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by Christ and not by observing , because by observing the law, no one will be justified.” (Gal 2:16)
I would venture to say that being justified is the ultimate form of “betterment”. To be declared righteous, to have your sins removed—what could be better than this? So, according to this snippet of Scripture, by observing the law (keeping up practices that seem to be required of all Christians), no one is the better for it.
Okay. Hold on a second. Doing good things, being righteous in deed and creed, does nothing to help my plight? Goodness, what else can God possibly expect?
Let’s just heighten the tension a little more, shall we?
“… if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Gal 2:21).
The only thing worse than knowing I can’t behave myself out of condemnation is the realization that by doing so, I, in effect, say that Christ’s death on the cross was useless.
It looks pretty hopeless, doesn’t it? I must confess that I have not been entirely fair. I’ve skipped some of the key parts of the passage that explain the solution. (As an aside, isn’t that annoying when people do that? Give only half the truth of the verse, or purposely ignore the parts that shed the proper light on the situation? Be constantly in the word, and you will not be so easily taken in!) What is this solution you ask? GRACE! FAITH! It is by FAITH in Christ that we are justified! Doing good or proper things doesn’t make us any better. It just shows that we feel guilty about something or other. It is by Christ we are justified—by His gruesome death on a condemning cross for the sake of restoring relationship between man and God.
When we put our faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross—finished because He not only died, but defeated death and rose again—God looks at us and does not see all of the sins which condemn us to hell. He sees—and accepts—Jesus Christ’s righteousness as our own. And that’s what grace is—undeserved favour, being accepted as a child of God when our sin has made us nothing more than an undeserving stranger.
“…a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified. If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Gal 2:16-21, NIV, emphasis mine)
Living by faith does not mean we throw the law by the wayside. On the contrary, putting our faith in Christ for our justification will enable us to joyfully observe the law and NOT depend upon it for salvation! Faith—the accepting and believing in God’s grace—frees us from slavery to the law for “justification”.
Paul (the writer of Galatians) attests that those living by faith in Christ will still fall into sin. This does not nullify the salvation we have received. It only proves how much tighter we must cling to Christ's sacrifice, how we cannot be justified in ourselves but in Christ’s death on the cross of shame. We still need to repent of that sin—do not think that by sinning more, we are simply helping God’s grace abound more (see Romans 6)!
I think the verse that sums everything up in this passage is “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (v 20). In order to truly have faith in Christ above our own attempts at “being good”, we need to actually die to ourselves. We need to daily put our faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross, and thereby Christ will live in us. The life we have on this earth will be one of faith, and not one of works.
This may be a lot to take in, a lot to understand. I don’t expect anyone to grasp it without the Holy Spirit revealing it. He has opened this tiny little section of Scripture to me this morning, and I praise Him for it! THIS revelation is what inspired my previous explosion of adoration for God, for His word. What a timely lesson to learn.
“My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.” (Proverbs 3:11-12, ESV)
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
I was searching for verses on “grace” for a project I’m working on, and I came upon a verse that many have heard before:
- Eph 2:8-10
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (ESV)
I need to use a version of the verse that is easy to understand, but I don’t want to use one that twists the meaning to something “more fitting” to what I’m doing. That would be misusing Scripture. My two default translations happen to be the New American Standard Bible and the English Standard Version, but I was curious to see what other translations had to offer. Here’s a broad look:
- Eph 2:8-10, New International Version8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
- Eph 2:8-10, New King James Version8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
- Eph 2:8-10, The Message8 Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It's God's gift from start to finish!9 We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing!10 No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.
I was completely stunned when I read these verses in The Message. He deliberately removes the words “grace” and “faith” from the text. I understand that Eugene Peterson is trying to get away from “church jargon” to make the Bible easier to grasp, but I will not support his version as being Scripture. God is not a teacher that waters down His “lessons” to the students’ level. He is God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth! His ways are above our ways, and its our wonderful privilege to seek out His truth and His ways, to long for bigger things, deeper truths. Any teacher will admit that in order for her students to learn, they need to be offered knowledge that is beyond their grasp—something they need to work at attaining. It’s not cruel—on the contrary, it’s extremely loving.
I suppose what bothers me the most is that the general public regards The Message as any other Bible. New believers are encouraged to read it as if it is a literal translation. It’s not. It’s a paraphrase… mortal man’s summary of God’s words. I’m sorry, Eugene Peterson, but the TRUE Message belongs to God, and, whether you intended it or not, people are being deceived into exchanging the immortal God with “images” or “thoughts” brainstormed by humans. In our own study of the Bible, we may be led to think about the text in some of the same ways that The Message states it, but I am completely content with relying on the Holy Spirit for that understanding. The LORD is faithful, and His word never goes forth without accomplishing that which it was sent out to do. That is HIS role, you know. God is a jealous God, and He jealously guards His Word. The words of other translations of Scripture are completely understandable—we just need to actually apply our minds and rely on the Holy Spirit for understanding.
One final thought…
I find it interesting that the world has so readily accepted this paraphrase in place of versions such as the NKJV or NASB, or even the NIV. I doubt a re-write of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice in contemporary language would be so well accepted as the Message. And that’s a sad thought.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Sometimes all a person needs to do is find routine. I must admit that my life has been lacking this severely as of late. I mean self-imposed routine, not one forced on you by work or circumstances. It's been easy for me to back slide in this area, what with going to college and working at camp for the past 2 years of my life. But now that I'm a happy little housewife, I need--let me repeat--NEED routine! Suddenly "I'll scrounge up food when I'm hungry" just doesn't cut it. Nor does "it seems that I've got no clean undies for today" (not that this was ever good before!). I've got a hubby to look after! Although he's self sufficient, cooks like a pro, and courageous when it comes to doing laundry, I need to take care of his needs and start providing a comfortable home base that he can come home to and relax in. What a drag to spend part of the evening doing the whole (one? two? three?) day(s)'s dishes!
This is day #3 of my new schedule. It's far from perfect, mind you. I guess the main reason behind my new ways lies deep within me. My soul is thirsty for the Lord. When my life is out of order, when I can see mess, when I know I should be doing something that I'm not doing, misery sets in. It's an apathy spurred on by feeling stressed out about all I have to do. There's to much to do--so I do nothing. I worked the same way through college, but thankfully was always able to focus on that due date and pull together all my projects with flair (at the last minute, of course). Sadly, I can't take this pattern into real life. God's "due dates" are very vague. "Andrea, I'll require all that I've required from you when I require it from you." That's God's answer to my misplaced passions. In other words, He's going to come like a Thief in the Night. There is one small passage of Scripture that rocks me to my core dealing with this very subject: Matthew 21:18-22
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
18 In the morning, as (Jesus) was returning to the city, He became hungry.
19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, He went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And He said to it, "May no fruit ever come from you again!" And the fig tree withered at once.
20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither at once?"
21 And Jesus answered them, "Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' it will happen.
22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith."
In the past I've always slightly ignored this passage. I don't know if it was because I truly couldn't interpret it, or if my heart truly didn't want to grasp the message engraved in it. This story is repeated in different books of the four Gospels, and the line "for it was not the season for figs" is added to the text in verse 19. How unfair! Jesus expects something from the fig tree that has never been expected from ANY other fig tree in history! Come on, Man, it wasn't even fig season. Give the tree a break!
That was wear my interpretation stopped before the Lord revealed this passage to me. And then I realized that if I suddenly found myself before the judgment seat of Christ, it wouldn't matter if I was living in an "off" season or not. God expects things from His children that He would never expect of an unbeliever. He expects the impossible. He expects perfection! If you don't believe me, read the Old Testament. Those expectations have not changed to this day. Don't you think that's a rather unfair requirement? Much like looking for figs on a tree when it isn't even fig season? Don't be fooled. God doesn't accept our limitations--self imposed or circumstantial. "But, God, I've just... well... it's... it's been so busy. I've got no extra time! And then there was that cold I got--remember that? You should have known it would bring down my energy. God, why are you being so unreasonable? It just wasn't my ministry season." Do you see any of those statements actually being acceptable in God's sight? On the contrary, I think the whole argument is abominable. God will curse you and say, "depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!" and you will wither.
That is why this passage is so frightening to me--IF you leave it at that. It's frightening because there is no way that I could ever, ever, EVER be perfect no matter how hard I strive. That fig tree could have never produced fruit out of season even if it was the best fig tree in the whole country. Why? Without faith, we cannot please God. Jesus gives us the answer: By faith you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. Lord, I am a helpless, sin-prone human being. My attempts to please you amount to nothing in my own strength. Father, please, for the sake of Your Name, enable Your servant to walk in victory over sin.
God requires perfection of us, and He is going to come by, looking for fruit, when we least expect it. Have faith, serve God, do not give up hope.
My aforementioned "routine" will mean nothing if I am not bowing my heart, my will, to God. I will be as dry as that fig tree when my Lord comes unless I live by faith.
Friday, June 12, 2009
I'm sitting in the kitchen at camp with a happy boy who's slurping mushroom soup. Conner doesn't like mushrooms, but he's always very quick to defend his appetite for the soup that bears the name because "it doesn't actually taste like mushrooms!" I enjoy the time I get to spend with this kid.
Today was a day of janitorial duties--like sweeping and mopping the dining hall, kitchen, and main hallway floors, vacuuming the entire second level, cleaning up messiness that gets overlooked during the week. Camp season is nearly upon us! Promotion Sunday will take us by storm, and then we'll be hopelessly lost in the middle of IT. Despite the natural oh-my-there's-no-time-left-to-plan reaction, I'm really looking forward to the summer. Bring on the campers---and please, PLEASE bring on the warm weather! (sometime? SOON??)
Last weekend Joey and I went to Saskatoon for a wedding of a friend of mine from Millar. I've decided that road trips are simply marvelous--on a double-lane highway. I'd rather not have any more near-death experiences, thank you. I'm convinced that some people actually believe that they can win in a head on collision. Sheesh. The wedding was splendid, but the company I kept was even better. Hubby and I did a little shopping at Old Narvey... I mean Old Navy... ate a little green peppercorn cheese & wasabi peas... and drove through a town engraved deep in my memory.
Oh, on a side note, isn't it strange how everything seems so MASSIVE and AWESOME when you're little? And then you see those things when you're all growed-up, they really don't look impressive at all. In fact, they seem quite disappointing. I wish I still had the ability to think everything is cool. Anyways... back to our trip...
During a pit stop in Yorkton, Joey observed an elderly fellow teaching a young gaffer NOT---let me repeat that---NOT to wash his hands after using the facilities. That is nearly nauseating. Ewww. It is so gross that I'm going to stop talking about it at this moment.
In other news, Joey and I have been studying up on the Emerging/Emergent Church. What to say, except that there is a lot of twisted theology lying behind many of the hip new preachers and authors that are being so widely publicized. It is vitally important to research where a person stands on foundational Christian beliefs before you start to promote him/her all willy-nilly! I suggest checking out lighthousetrailsresearch.com and challies.com for more info on this postmodern fad.
Hmmm... It's 5:51, my back is aching because of poor posture, and it's FRIDAY. So...
The End.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Joey and I have been pretty busy lately. There is so much to do at camp--mostly maintenance stuff. Joey's been working hard outside, getting an undeniable farmer's tan. I've been working hard inside, getting unbelievably sick of computers. It can easily start to feel like a simple "day in, day out" type of job if you loose perspective of the greater purpose. I nearly tremble in fear when I think of what God will do here this summer if the leadership are living in obedience to Him. Again, I am reminded that He is calling me to be obedient, and that is all. He will do the rest. It's not up to me to change the hearts of unbelievers!
In the midst of all the busyness, we've been able to find time to rest and recoup. Last weekend we went to Weyburn to visit my parents. We got there completely exhausted from the week, and one would think that our visit would have been a joke as a result. Not so! My parents are also full-time missionaries in their church and with my relatives, so they know well the demands of ministry. We vegged out with them and never felt a twinge of guilt. Oh, how I love my family! The pictures above are from our Weyburn trip.
God's grace is simply overwhelming. In all my years of studying the word of God, I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of this wonderful truth. In preparation for LDP 2009, I've been working my way through Romans, Galatians, and all the other Epistles. I've just finished both Romans and Galatians--such jam-packed books! The overwhelming truth in both of these is the enormity of God's grace! As Christians, we can so easily strive to live our lives so that we measure up to a specific standard, and then call it a day. This is such a heinous distortion of what Christ came to earth to defeat! Christ brought life to all--that means we are no longer held captive by the Law, which only reveals the sin in our lives and has no power to save us. Christ's righteousness has been credited to our account, and we've been considered justified. No more of this beaten-down, robotic adherence to all of the arbitrary laws tacked onto the Law! Because of His sacrifice, we are counted righteous and FREED from the Law of sin and death. It's such a hard thing for me to understand. I so easily slip back into mindless law-obeying behavior. I need to live every day, every moment by faith in my Savior rather than in false confidence in my own flawed self.
These are just some the thoughts that have been swimming around in my head lately. If anyone has anything else to add--their own struggles, lessons they've learned--please feel free to leave a comment. Remember, as Christians we are on this glorious journey together. Though, mind you, everyone's at a different place, learning a different lesson. I have faith that God is a good God who is painstakingly composing every story.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Snow doesn't seem quite as threatening when there's no need to go anywhere, at least in an automobile. Joey and I are doing quite well, thank you, nestled at the top of our hill. The view from our "chalet" is really quite breathtaking--about as close as we come to mountains in this province. We're basically living in one big room, and it's fantastic. It's very cozy, and the cat seems to think it's the cat's meow. With all the room to roam about, Sheba's become even stranger than she was before. She's taken to staring me down, torpedoing herself across the floor and jumping starfish-style in the air, the only reason being to intimidate me. She also loves to propel herself onto our bed and roll, jump, and claw furiously at whoever or whatever she finds there. She's also acquired a couple admirers, but that is not so pleasant. The sound of toms battling it out for our pretty little feline is an eerie sound to wake up to in the night, especially if your having strange dreams. Little do they know she's spayed. Take that, smelly cats.
Joey and I have started to read John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress together, spurred mostly by the comparison of The Shack to this timeless classic. Apparently the former "has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" did for his." Thanks, Eugene Peterson, for that quote, but I beg to disagree. Show me how The Shack reiterates Scripture through and through, accurately quoting from Old and New Testament alike, focusing on the depravity of humanity, the judgment of God, and redemption through Christ's death and resurrection, and I might believe you. Maybe the book is supposed to reflect today's generation, which is admittedly different from John Bunyan's, but that still disturbs me. God does not change--EVER--which leads me to believe that the way we relate to Him should not change. Ahhhh... I get too caught up in my own words. I believe and serve the God who beautifully knit together the entire Holy Bible, which is sufficient for salvation and for every other thing I need in this life. I will leave it at that for now.
Because my understanding is limited, I will devote myself to the Word of God, and no one else's. I will not even go to John Bunyan for Truth... just the Word.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Isn't it ironic that truth-the word itself-has thousands of meanings to thousands of different people? This world can't even agree on what the word means, let alone what Truth actually is.
Is it an unchangeable, unwavering object?
“The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is.”Winston Churchill
Or simply the loudest voice among all voices?
“Truth, in matters of religion, is simply the opinion that has survived.”Oscar Wilde
It seems to have taken on a very distinct meaning in today's day and age. That meaning: you decide. "If it's right for you, then it's right for you. You feel good? Great! Keep at it. It simply must be true if I think it is! Maybe it's not true for you, but it is for me." This is the attitude that is prevailing in our thriving society, and it is sickening. I honestly don't understand how truth could exist if it varies for each person and if it's there only part of the time. Truth should be as unchangeable as gravity. Can you imagine if the laws of gravity reflected spineless, postmodern "truth"? Some people would float while others would be grounded, and there would never be any assurance of exactly WHEN it would kick in. The world would be in absolute chaos. Now I ask, what state is the world in today with the current understanding of truth? It is in absolute chaos.
There is one Truth, as there is one law of gravity. That truth lies within the covers of the Word of God. It is the Creator of the universe, the fallen reality of the world, and the death and resurrection of the Saviour. It is the Hope that does not disappoint. It is my sinfulness, God's holiness, and redemption.
Why does this world oppose truth so much? We have been deceived into thinking that by living our own lives for our own pleasures, we are living out our own truths. What we are really doing is celebrating our lack of Truth. Unless we earnestly seek out truth, we will continue to be fed this lie.
Seek the LORD God Almighty, who created this world for a purpose-to bring glory to Him. He exists whether you believe it or not, and He loves you. Turn from celebrating the festivities of a multitude of lies to acknowledging the truth that sets you free. Cry out, as a desperate father of a sick child did so long ago, "I do believe: help my unbelief."
Until we earnestly seek Him, we will be fed the lie that consumes us.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Finally, brethren,
whatever is true,
whatever is honorable,
whatever is right,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is of good repute,
if there is any excellence
and if anything worthy of praise,
think about such things.
Philippians 4:8
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.
"If you return, return to Me."
He who has an ear, let Him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
These are quotes from the Holy Bible that speak to my heart. I don't know what you can take from them, but know that they are filled with CONVICTION.
"There was only one man who was completely perfect, one man who succeeded where we did not. And we nailed Him to a cross."
"Do I not deserve the ones I suffered for?"
"If you return, return to Me."
He who has an ear, let Him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
These are quotes from the Holy Bible that speak to my heart. I don't know what you can take from them, but know that they are filled with CONVICTION.
"There was only one man who was completely perfect, one man who succeeded where we did not. And we nailed Him to a cross."
"Do I not deserve the ones I suffered for?"
Saturday, March 18, 2006
I was recently listening to a whole composition of different sermons from very influential Christians. It was called "the Revival Hymn" and, I have to tell you, it was absolutely amazing.
There were quite a few different preachers (though I do have to apologize because I am not sure of their names), and they all spoke on revival (hence the title). There was so much I could have taken from that presentation, and when I was watching it, I felt like I was being hit in the gut.
Statement after statement after statement came at me, and all I could do was listen. There was not really time to sit and contemplate each thing that was being said, but I simply had to listen. Just listen. What I heard moved me in my soul and made me cry.
The most influential statement came from a man that had, at one point in his life, went to Africa do do missions work. He went to tell un-knowing, naive little tribespeople (as he thought them) that there was a wonderful savior that wanted to make their life so much better. Upon arriving and living with the people, he found that they weren't naive. They weren't waiting for some person to come and tell them about Jesus. They knew they were sinning, and they liked it. They indulged in their flesh, they lived for pleasure. And they did not want God.
Now, the man was in great turmoil in his soul and he wanted to leave that place. He wanted to let the people live in their sin because they wanted nothing to do with God. He thought, "Let them live in their sin! They don't want to clean up their lives, so why should I make them?" That's when God got a hold of him.
What He said sounded something like this, "Do I not deserve the ones I suffered for?"
"But, God, they don't want anything to do with you! They like their sin. They want to live in it. They don't deserve to go to heaven."
"Do I not deserve the ones I suffered for?"
"God, I cannot speak to these people when they refuse to hear me."
"DO I NOT DESERVE THE ONES I SUFFERED FOR!?"
Silence.
"I died an agonizing death! I went down to depths of hell! I defeated death! I rose to life. I paid for those African souls with my flesh, my blood, my life, and you won't speak to them because they won't hear. What does this have to do with them wanting me? What does this have to do with you? Do not I DESERVE the ones I suffered for?"
"Yes, Lord."
"Go."
It may have not gone like that. It may have not even been a conversation. But what I know is that God set something straight in that preacher. Do I not deserve the ones I suffered for. Have you ever thought of missions that way? Have you ever thought that you're not going there for the Africans. You're not going there because you have any power. You're going there for Him. Christ paid for the lost with his blood. They did not ask Him to do it. He did it because HE loved them... because HE wanted them.
We love Him because He first loved us.
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