How much do I LOVE this verse,
"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand."
That's Psalm 37: 23,24- NLT
Psalm 37 is pretty much my favorite chapter in the entire Bible. I realize that's a bold statement, because there are so many good ones, but it's one that God has used time and time again to speak to me! What a treasure the Word of God is! I am so thankful for your Word, Lord. It is our light and our guide.
Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts
Friday, August 21, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Our Extraordinary God!
How can I ever feel I fully understand God?
He is so big, so immense & His plans are so much greater and more far-reaching than I could imagine. Reading Romans 11 this morning really makes me stop and think hard about the saving power of Jesus, and God's ultimate plan for salvation of both Jews and Gentiles. In the prodigious chapter of Isaiah 55, verse 10, 11 say "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." (NKJV) Everything God does has purpose. Everything He says takes root and grows.
I am in awe of the grace of God & His incredible plan of salvation. I am motivated and compelled to seek Him more fully and to share that love with others. And I am more convinced than ever that God has a pwerfect plan for all of our lives. As it says in Jeremiah 29:13, "...and you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." (NKJV)
His plan will be accomplished, but that is no excuse for us to sit back and do nothing. No rather, it is fuel for us to fan the flame of the Holy Spirit within us and sieze each day to accomplish His full will and purpose! Let us not miss moments. Let us not miss days. Let us not overlook an opportunity to glorify our unsearchable, magnificent God.
Romans 11:33-36 (NLT)
"Oh how great are God's riches and wisdome adn knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decision and his ways! For who can know the Lord's thoughts? Who knows enough to give Him advice? And who has given Him so much that He needs to pay it back? For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. All glory ot Him forever! Amen."
He is so big, so immense & His plans are so much greater and more far-reaching than I could imagine. Reading Romans 11 this morning really makes me stop and think hard about the saving power of Jesus, and God's ultimate plan for salvation of both Jews and Gentiles. In the prodigious chapter of Isaiah 55, verse 10, 11 say "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." (NKJV) Everything God does has purpose. Everything He says takes root and grows.
I am in awe of the grace of God & His incredible plan of salvation. I am motivated and compelled to seek Him more fully and to share that love with others. And I am more convinced than ever that God has a pwerfect plan for all of our lives. As it says in Jeremiah 29:13, "...and you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." (NKJV)
His plan will be accomplished, but that is no excuse for us to sit back and do nothing. No rather, it is fuel for us to fan the flame of the Holy Spirit within us and sieze each day to accomplish His full will and purpose! Let us not miss moments. Let us not miss days. Let us not overlook an opportunity to glorify our unsearchable, magnificent God.
Romans 11:33-36 (NLT)
"Oh how great are God's riches and wisdome adn knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decision and his ways! For who can know the Lord's thoughts? Who knows enough to give Him advice? And who has given Him so much that He needs to pay it back? For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. All glory ot Him forever! Amen."
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Are you enslaved?
Throughout my day, I am making a plethora of small choices that all combine to make up the overall purpose of the 16-17 hours I'm awake. We were created for one purpose and our lives are typically defined and remembered by the overall legancy we leave, usually by one or two things that make up our "life's work." But in reality, what truly define our lives are the small choices, the day to day things that we do. Occasionally we may find ourselves given the opportunity that is "once in a lifetime," but most often it is really the small daily decisions that lead us to that opportunity.
And to break it down even further, the choices, determinations, advances and opportunities all begin and are determined by what is going on not around us, but inside of us. I am confronted by this reality as I read Romans 6 today, particualarly the first part of verse 16, in the New Living Translation.
"Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey?"
Here in America, we embrace our freedom. At least that's what we love to think, but I believe we idolize our freedom and in some ways worship it, which can easily become self worship. (That's another discussion for another time!) My point is, we trumpet the fact that we are free, while in truth, we are all slaves to something.
The word slave certainly has a negative tone in our culture, and understandibly so, considering the grotesque ways some of our ancestors treated others. But when Paul speaks of a "slave" throughout the New Testament, it's actually used positively, due to his understanding of what it means. The Greek word here is "doulous," which is translated as slave, or servant in some versions of the Bible. It means,
"a slave, bondman; one who gives himself up to another's will; devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interests."
According to that last definition, being a slave sounds just like what Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 20:26-28 or Mark 10:45: the point of the Kingdom is serving others!
So in Kingdom speak, to be a slave is not a bad thing, but a good one, provided that to which you are enslaved is from God.
So many of us become enslaved throughout the day to seemingly negligable things, namely, small thoughts, thoughtless conversation or overwhelming frustrations with others and ourselves. Before we know it, the insignificant things have turned into larger ones: depression or severe discouragement about one or more areas of our life, bitterness and unforgiveness towards someone or large secrets and sin. Inevitably, without knowing it, that begins to color our life, and the shades being used to define us are not always what we would have chosen for ourselves: the sunny yellow of joy becomes the muddy brown of confusion, the deep blue of peace becomes the black of depression and discouragement, and the bold red of courage becomes the seething red of bitterness and revenge. Without realizing it, the gorgoues kaleidoscope of color that God has created us to be is turned into a sorrowful portrait, dark and drab. To some we may seem fine but deep down, we know it's not as it should be.
The answer is found in the second part of the verse in Romans 6:16, "You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living."
My sincere prayer and heart's cry is that God will reveal to me the areas in my life where I am enslaved to sin; It's the small thoughts, the laziness and preference that masquerades as rest, the bitterness I hold onto, hoping to get justification for my insecurities. I want my life to portray the exquisite palette of Jesus: the bright white of righteousness and the gorgeous beauty of all He is!
And because of this, I will choose daily to enslave myself to Him, in areas large and small, and by His grace witness Him paint my life with the hues of His glory!
And to break it down even further, the choices, determinations, advances and opportunities all begin and are determined by what is going on not around us, but inside of us. I am confronted by this reality as I read Romans 6 today, particualarly the first part of verse 16, in the New Living Translation.
"Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey?"
Here in America, we embrace our freedom. At least that's what we love to think, but I believe we idolize our freedom and in some ways worship it, which can easily become self worship. (That's another discussion for another time!) My point is, we trumpet the fact that we are free, while in truth, we are all slaves to something.
The word slave certainly has a negative tone in our culture, and understandibly so, considering the grotesque ways some of our ancestors treated others. But when Paul speaks of a "slave" throughout the New Testament, it's actually used positively, due to his understanding of what it means. The Greek word here is "doulous," which is translated as slave, or servant in some versions of the Bible. It means,
"a slave, bondman; one who gives himself up to another's will; devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interests."
According to that last definition, being a slave sounds just like what Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 20:26-28 or Mark 10:45: the point of the Kingdom is serving others!
So in Kingdom speak, to be a slave is not a bad thing, but a good one, provided that to which you are enslaved is from God.
So many of us become enslaved throughout the day to seemingly negligable things, namely, small thoughts, thoughtless conversation or overwhelming frustrations with others and ourselves. Before we know it, the insignificant things have turned into larger ones: depression or severe discouragement about one or more areas of our life, bitterness and unforgiveness towards someone or large secrets and sin. Inevitably, without knowing it, that begins to color our life, and the shades being used to define us are not always what we would have chosen for ourselves: the sunny yellow of joy becomes the muddy brown of confusion, the deep blue of peace becomes the black of depression and discouragement, and the bold red of courage becomes the seething red of bitterness and revenge. Without realizing it, the gorgoues kaleidoscope of color that God has created us to be is turned into a sorrowful portrait, dark and drab. To some we may seem fine but deep down, we know it's not as it should be.
The answer is found in the second part of the verse in Romans 6:16, "You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living."
My sincere prayer and heart's cry is that God will reveal to me the areas in my life where I am enslaved to sin; It's the small thoughts, the laziness and preference that masquerades as rest, the bitterness I hold onto, hoping to get justification for my insecurities. I want my life to portray the exquisite palette of Jesus: the bright white of righteousness and the gorgeous beauty of all He is!
And because of this, I will choose daily to enslave myself to Him, in areas large and small, and by His grace witness Him paint my life with the hues of His glory!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Proverbs 2:1-9
"My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path."
"My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path."
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