"The reality of God's presence is not dependent on any place, but only dependent upon the determination to set the Lord always before us.
When we are in an unhealthy state physically or emotionally, we always want thrills. In the physical domain this will lead to counterfeiting the Holy Ghost; in the emotional life it leads to inordinate affection and the destruction of morality; and in the spiritual domain if we insist on getting thrills, on mounting up with wings, it will end in the destruction of spirituality." Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
I've been thinking a LOT lately about how we/I (believers) 'walk' out our spirituality.
This blog (Walk Wisely) was born out of two hearts desiring to follow after God's righteousness and holiness right in the midst of a crazy, upside-down world. In a culture where 'anything goes' and 'if it feels good, it must be right' mentality it seems especially crucial to our 'walk' with God that we keep our focus on Him and know what we believe. Determined. Steady. Consistent. One spiritual foot in front of the other.
“O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven and earth. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion." 2 Chronicles 6:14
Showing posts with label Devotion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Devotion. Show all posts
Friday, July 24, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
To Know God Is To Experience God
This story is continued from a previous post you can read here if you need the backstory.
What followed were tears of repentance. Repentance for my selfish clambering and my own striving.
“There is only one thing worth being concerned about… IT will not be taken away from me.”
All at once those four words “one thing is needful” melted my heart and made me feel as if I was literally being held in the palm of my Savior’s hand. It was so clear. He is my Father. He takes care of me. He knows my every thought, my every need, and my every hope and desire, spoken… or not. He was all that mattered at the moment. And He was so perfectly reminding me, He was all I needed to focus my heart on and He would take care of the rest. The things I knew in my head “about” God all came together at once in my heart. So real. So tangible. So… how God does in those moments of experiencing His presence.
I can still see myself drawing up the covers of the bed that day… so neatly tucking as if all my straightening would somehow make the confusion in my life go away. Turns out … that perfectly appointed bed made for a good place to flop prostrate and give way to worship. Worship of my Lord as I drank in His love. Those priceless tears of repentance, somehow, in those moments of spiritual cleansing, washing away all my self-focused consciousness and turning my heart instead to magnify my Lord. At once the light of God’s glory dispelled the darkness that was only a second before looming so largely in my thoughts.
“Let other things come and go as they may, let other people criticize as they will, but never allow anything to obscure the life that is hid with Christ in God.” Chambers
It seems so easy. So simple. The way God helps us right when we need it. Yet in our complex world with complex lives we can so quickly lose sight of the eternal truths and practices we hold dear. The lie of the enemy is to make us think “no one else feels like I feel."
You see, those four words were reassuring. They reminded me to trust. They brought precious memories of God’s faithfulness in my life as I’ve learned to let go of ‘me’ and look into the mirror of His word for HIS purpose and HIS destiny for my life. They brought healing and peace because they connected with the most important part of me. The part of me that is the most alive, the part of me that is the most real, the part of me that will live forever… my spirit… connected to His Spirit. Deep calling to deep.
“Never be hurried out of the relationship of abiding in Him. It is the one thing that is apt to fluctuate but it ought not to. The severest discipline of a Christian's life is to learn how to keep "beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord." Chambers
To this day, all these years later, with those very same words, “one thing is needful”, God gently reminds me to turn to the One who loves me most and yield my entire soul. With economic downturns and world troubles, and generally bad news swirling around us constantly it is still the call coming from my Lord. With every agitating thought, every fear and every selfish motive I’m reminded He is the One thing I must have.
Give God my worship first. Give Him all my heart, all my trust no matter what else is going on in my life.
I can’t explain how… but He knows how to take care of me and everything else that concerns me.
What followed were tears of repentance. Repentance for my selfish clambering and my own striving.
“There is only one thing worth being concerned about… IT will not be taken away from me.”
All at once those four words “one thing is needful” melted my heart and made me feel as if I was literally being held in the palm of my Savior’s hand. It was so clear. He is my Father. He takes care of me. He knows my every thought, my every need, and my every hope and desire, spoken… or not. He was all that mattered at the moment. And He was so perfectly reminding me, He was all I needed to focus my heart on and He would take care of the rest. The things I knew in my head “about” God all came together at once in my heart. So real. So tangible. So… how God does in those moments of experiencing His presence.
I can still see myself drawing up the covers of the bed that day… so neatly tucking as if all my straightening would somehow make the confusion in my life go away. Turns out … that perfectly appointed bed made for a good place to flop prostrate and give way to worship. Worship of my Lord as I drank in His love. Those priceless tears of repentance, somehow, in those moments of spiritual cleansing, washing away all my self-focused consciousness and turning my heart instead to magnify my Lord. At once the light of God’s glory dispelled the darkness that was only a second before looming so largely in my thoughts.
“Let other things come and go as they may, let other people criticize as they will, but never allow anything to obscure the life that is hid with Christ in God.” Chambers
It seems so easy. So simple. The way God helps us right when we need it. Yet in our complex world with complex lives we can so quickly lose sight of the eternal truths and practices we hold dear. The lie of the enemy is to make us think “no one else feels like I feel."
You see, those four words were reassuring. They reminded me to trust. They brought precious memories of God’s faithfulness in my life as I’ve learned to let go of ‘me’ and look into the mirror of His word for HIS purpose and HIS destiny for my life. They brought healing and peace because they connected with the most important part of me. The part of me that is the most alive, the part of me that is the most real, the part of me that will live forever… my spirit… connected to His Spirit. Deep calling to deep.
“Never be hurried out of the relationship of abiding in Him. It is the one thing that is apt to fluctuate but it ought not to. The severest discipline of a Christian's life is to learn how to keep "beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord." Chambers
To this day, all these years later, with those very same words, “one thing is needful”, God gently reminds me to turn to the One who loves me most and yield my entire soul. With economic downturns and world troubles, and generally bad news swirling around us constantly it is still the call coming from my Lord. With every agitating thought, every fear and every selfish motive I’m reminded He is the One thing I must have.
Give God my worship first. Give Him all my heart, all my trust no matter what else is going on in my life.
I can’t explain how… but He knows how to take care of me and everything else that concerns me.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Good That Is Not The Best
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18
The words “one thing is needful” came to me so clearly as I cried my way through my morning routine. It was many, many years ago but it is one of those rare encounters between my heartbroken self and the Holy Spirit I can remember as if it were yesterday.
This morning reading from Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest, I was reminded of that time.
You see, I spent much of my earliest mothering days overwhelmed and overly consumed with burdens I didn’t feel I had the strength to carry. Even though my three young children were each wonderful and smart and good, each day seemed a bigger challenge than I was capable of mastering. Every problem – even the small ones- began to feel like a mountain standing in the way, blocking any slight progress.
The golden rule for your life and mine is this concentrated keeping of the life open towards God. Let everything else - work, clothes, food, everything on earth - go by the board, saving that one thing. The rush of other things always tends to obscure this concentration on God. Chambers
It’s not as if I didn’t know God. I did. I was serving my church, reading my Bible, praying, volunteering at my children’s schools, keeping up with the house, the extracurricular activities of my children’s sports programs, doing everything I knew to do to please God and be the best wife and mom possible. This was my deepest heart’s desire. It was my pursuit really. Still, it seemed as if with every positive step forward in this pursuit there would be several backward and, for me, it began to feel like a chore to stay married.
You always know when a man (non-gender, my insert) has been beholding the glory of the Lord, you feel in your inner spirit that he is the mirror of the Lord's own character. Beware of anything which would sully that mirror in you; it is nearly always a good thing, the good that is not the best. Chambers
I’d NEVER want to throw Mr. Meems under the bus on the Internet (or anywhere- although I’ve been known to do it- ACK! shame on me). He is kind, merciful, generous, the best father in the world and a loving man.
That said, a truth we both faced along the way in our commitment is that we have the same basic conservative philosophy toward life in general but our personalities are completely opposite. So let’s just say for the sake of understanding my point … That dynamic leads to the fact that our approach in how to carry out that philosophy in each situation of life can be quite different in many cases.
Back to that day I was working my way through my morning routine. I was making the bed and I honestly thought my heart might shatter into a thousand pieces if I didn’t get some relief. Those four words "one thing is needful" came floating up to my brain from somewhere in the core of my being. I recognized them not with an address to locate them, but as fresh words ... words that gave me life ... words from God. They came gently and yet with an authoritative tone as if they were meant just for me, just to bring me the relief I needed. They were words that soothed and calmed my agitated soul all at once. They were words that resonated with my understanding. Not because I understood their exact meaning immediately but because I understood now was the time to grasp onto God Who was there to sort it all out with me.
To be continued …
2 Corinthians 3:18
The words “one thing is needful” came to me so clearly as I cried my way through my morning routine. It was many, many years ago but it is one of those rare encounters between my heartbroken self and the Holy Spirit I can remember as if it were yesterday.
This morning reading from Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest, I was reminded of that time.
You see, I spent much of my earliest mothering days overwhelmed and overly consumed with burdens I didn’t feel I had the strength to carry. Even though my three young children were each wonderful and smart and good, each day seemed a bigger challenge than I was capable of mastering. Every problem – even the small ones- began to feel like a mountain standing in the way, blocking any slight progress.
The golden rule for your life and mine is this concentrated keeping of the life open towards God. Let everything else - work, clothes, food, everything on earth - go by the board, saving that one thing. The rush of other things always tends to obscure this concentration on God. Chambers
It’s not as if I didn’t know God. I did. I was serving my church, reading my Bible, praying, volunteering at my children’s schools, keeping up with the house, the extracurricular activities of my children’s sports programs, doing everything I knew to do to please God and be the best wife and mom possible. This was my deepest heart’s desire. It was my pursuit really. Still, it seemed as if with every positive step forward in this pursuit there would be several backward and, for me, it began to feel like a chore to stay married.
You always know when a man (non-gender, my insert) has been beholding the glory of the Lord, you feel in your inner spirit that he is the mirror of the Lord's own character. Beware of anything which would sully that mirror in you; it is nearly always a good thing, the good that is not the best. Chambers
I’d NEVER want to throw Mr. Meems under the bus on the Internet (or anywhere- although I’ve been known to do it- ACK! shame on me). He is kind, merciful, generous, the best father in the world and a loving man.
That said, a truth we both faced along the way in our commitment is that we have the same basic conservative philosophy toward life in general but our personalities are completely opposite. So let’s just say for the sake of understanding my point … That dynamic leads to the fact that our approach in how to carry out that philosophy in each situation of life can be quite different in many cases.
Back to that day I was working my way through my morning routine. I was making the bed and I honestly thought my heart might shatter into a thousand pieces if I didn’t get some relief. Those four words "one thing is needful" came floating up to my brain from somewhere in the core of my being. I recognized them not with an address to locate them, but as fresh words ... words that gave me life ... words from God. They came gently and yet with an authoritative tone as if they were meant just for me, just to bring me the relief I needed. They were words that soothed and calmed my agitated soul all at once. They were words that resonated with my understanding. Not because I understood their exact meaning immediately but because I understood now was the time to grasp onto God Who was there to sort it all out with me.
To be continued …
Friday, December 5, 2008
Whose Birthday Is It Anyway?
My heart is full today. I’ve so many things bubbling up in my soul this morning. This might be the result of waiting too long in between posts. Not sure about that but I am sure God is filling my heart to overflowing. I learned a long time ago that if we are willing to open up our hearts to God just a little bit… kind of like barely opening up a door … He will always, yes always, without fail, come in through that opening. Don’t get me wrong. He will not shove the door the rest of the way open like the devil tries to do when we crack a door open for him. No, God is the ultimate in gentle, loving, kindness. He waits for us to give him more and more access. Whatever the amount of access we give Him is the amount He will fill up. When once we yield even the smallest part of our souls to Him and we allow Him entrance it is His ever tender and peaceful love that we subsequently yearn to embrace with wide open heart. Yielding is up to us. Filling is up to Him.
It is crucial if we want to keep an open heart to God that we make our lives fit around spending some time with Him. As we launch into hyper-busy season with the celebration of His Son’s birth at hand, it is so tempting to let that time with Him be the thing we lop off of our day. Every year I remind myself how bizarre that notion really is. “I’m too busy trying to prepare for the celebration of His birthday to sit down and open my Bible and spend some quality time talking to Him.”
SO, in these days of hustle and bustle I’m still doing my best to make sure I put first things first! Life certainly goes better in every way when I follow my own advice here.
I hope you let this be encouragement for you today as you determine where the Christmas decorations will be placed and set about to purchase gifts and bake cookies. Let’s all endeavor to give our first minutes to God. All the rest will fall into place so much better when we do.
It is crucial if we want to keep an open heart to God that we make our lives fit around spending some time with Him. As we launch into hyper-busy season with the celebration of His Son’s birth at hand, it is so tempting to let that time with Him be the thing we lop off of our day. Every year I remind myself how bizarre that notion really is. “I’m too busy trying to prepare for the celebration of His birthday to sit down and open my Bible and spend some quality time talking to Him.”
SO, in these days of hustle and bustle I’m still doing my best to make sure I put first things first! Life certainly goes better in every way when I follow my own advice here.
I hope you let this be encouragement for you today as you determine where the Christmas decorations will be placed and set about to purchase gifts and bake cookies. Let’s all endeavor to give our first minutes to God. All the rest will fall into place so much better when we do.
What about you? Do you have tips for making sure you don't let this part of your day slide into oblivion? Would love to hear from you.
Blessings,
Meems
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Never Enthrone Common Sense
God has the answers we need. He is not withholding His goodness. But as believers we are responsible to put ourselves in a position to hear Him and know Him.If we ever get to the point of thinking we can make major decisions and/or know His will without living daily contact we might end up calling on reason/common sense rather than God’s wisdom. (That’s not to say we throw common sense and reason away, but that’s a subject for another day.)
Is the Lord Jesus Christ being abundantly satisfied in your life or have you got a spiritual strut on? Never let common sense obtrude and push the Son of God on one side. Common sense is a gift which God gave to human nature; but common sense is not the gift of His Son. Supernatural sense is the gift of His Son; never enthrone common sense. The Son detects the Father; common sense never yet detected the Father and never will. Our ordinary wits never worship God unless they are transfigured by the indwelling Son of God. We have to see that this mortal flesh is kept in perfect subjection to Him and that He works through it moment by moment. Are we living in such human dependence upon Jesus Christ that His life is being manifested moment by moment?
I keep reading and re-reading that particular question posed by Oswald Chambers in his devotional book, My Utmost for His Highest.
Is the Lord Jesus Christ being abundantly satisfied in your life or have you got a spiritual strut on?
I know, for me, it is easy to talk the talk. I’ve been a Christ-follower for a long time. I never want to put my heart and mind on automatic. Oh, I know how; because I’ve been in church for years and because I know the “Christianese” language.
Is the Lord Jesus being abundantly satisfied in your life or have you got a spiritual strut on?
So just how do I know if the Lord Jesus is being satisfied or if I have my spiritual strut on?
Firstly, it is up to me (and you) to keep my fellowship with God living and vibrant.
I open my heart to Him through reading the Bible as discussed in my previous post. Because His word is God-breathed; it is alive and full of power… It really helps to picture God Himself ministering to me personally as I read. The words of God actually have the power to penetrate between my soul and my spirit and the deepest parts of my nature, exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of my heart. (Heb 4:12 amplified)
This tool is much cheaper than a therapist.
As my heart is tender before God allowing the process of exposing, sifting, analyzing, and judging the purposes of my heart the word does something else too. It is profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, and for training in righteousness. II Tim 3:16 (amplified)
When I keep my heart open to the word of God and allow it to have its way in my mind and heart then I’ve positioned myself to yield to the Spirit of God. Think of it as relinquishing control. Giving up or giving way to a greater power.
Learning how to yield to God will open my spirit wide for growth in God. This is how we draw close to God. Prayer becomes a flow out of this time spent with the living God rather than a duty. Worship comes easily as God and His love are revealed to my heart.
Through the study of God’s word, prayer led by the Holy Spirit, and worship from an overflowing heart my life is not a spiritual strut. I don’t ever want to live my daily life out or give my service to God in my own strength.
Complete dependency on this vital fellowship with God through the indwelling Holy Spirit every day must be the steering mechanism for our daily world.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Is He Easily Lord?
Today's reading from Oswald Chambers' daily devotional My Utmost for His Highest particularly struck my heart. It has been a few months since I even opened this wonderful little book. But you know how that works when words seem to leap off the page and into our core and bring life. It was like that for me this morning. God is like that though... He always knows just what we need and knows how to provide it. We just have to be listening and following.
Below is today's writing copied from the Internet site where My Utmost for His Highest is recorded in its entirety.
Mastery Over the Believer
John 13:13 You call Me Master and the Lord, and you are right in doing so, for that is what I am.
Our Lord never insists on having authority; He never says - Thou shalt. He leaves us perfectly free - so free that we can spit in His face, as men did; so free that we can put Him to death, as men did; and He will never say a word. But when His life has been created in me by His Redemption I instantly recognize His right to absolute authority over me. It is a moral domination - "Thou art worthy . . ." It is only the unworthy in me that refuses to bow down to the worthy. If when I meet a man who is more holy than myself, I do not recognize his worthiness and obey what comes through him, it is a revelation of the unworthy in me. God educates us by means of people who are a little better than we are, not intellectually but "holily," until we get under the domination of the Lord Himself, and then the whole attitude of the life is one of obedience to Him.
If Our Lord insisted upon obedience He would become a taskmaster, and He would cease to have any authority. He never insists on obedience, but when we do see Him we obey Him instantly, He is easily Lord, and we live in adoration of Him from morning till night. The revelation of my growth in grace is the way in which I look upon obedience. We have to rescue the word "obedience" from the mire. Obedience is only possible between equals; it is the relationship between father and son, not between master and servant. "I and My Father are one." "Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered." The Son's obedience was as Redeemer, because He was Son, not in order to be Son.
_________________________________________________
Can I just say here ... all the words in this writing are strumming my heartstrings this very moment. The way Chambers puts into words the sweetness of our Lord's character makes my heart go pitter patter in love with my Savior.
Everything in life is by choice. Our Lord will never make anyone yield to Him. He presents Himself oh so humbly as an offering, a substitute for the sin that once separated us from God, an open door to partake of His love, His character, His power. II Peter says it this way... His power has bestowed on us all things that are suited to life and godliness... His precious and exceedingly great promises... and made us sharers of the divine nature.
There are so many great points/statements Oswald makes in today's writing. What I typically do is re-write in my journal the phrases that leap off the page as if they were speaking to me personally. I also do that with Bible passages. That way I can go back and re-read them as they are dated and included with the rest of my spiritual/prayer journaling. Just writing them down helps me to "get it". I guess it is sort of the reinforcement method... I don't know. It is an extra step of mulling over words that we don't hear in every day speak. Our world isn't exactly leading us towards a life of obedience or "living in adoration of our Lord from morning till night." So as a Christian it is my responsibility to do whatever it takes to keep my mind and heart pointed toward my Savior and His teachings.
As Oswald says today, "... when His life has been created in me by His Redemption, I instantly recognize His right to absolute authority over me... He never insists on obedience, but when we do see Him we obey Him instantly, He is easily Lord, and we live in adoration of Him from morning till night.
I want to "see Him" like never before.
Hope you all have a great weekend!
Below is today's writing copied from the Internet site where My Utmost for His Highest is recorded in its entirety.
Mastery Over the Believer
John 13:13 You call Me Master and the Lord, and you are right in doing so, for that is what I am.
Our Lord never insists on having authority; He never says - Thou shalt. He leaves us perfectly free - so free that we can spit in His face, as men did; so free that we can put Him to death, as men did; and He will never say a word. But when His life has been created in me by His Redemption I instantly recognize His right to absolute authority over me. It is a moral domination - "Thou art worthy . . ." It is only the unworthy in me that refuses to bow down to the worthy. If when I meet a man who is more holy than myself, I do not recognize his worthiness and obey what comes through him, it is a revelation of the unworthy in me. God educates us by means of people who are a little better than we are, not intellectually but "holily," until we get under the domination of the Lord Himself, and then the whole attitude of the life is one of obedience to Him.
If Our Lord insisted upon obedience He would become a taskmaster, and He would cease to have any authority. He never insists on obedience, but when we do see Him we obey Him instantly, He is easily Lord, and we live in adoration of Him from morning till night. The revelation of my growth in grace is the way in which I look upon obedience. We have to rescue the word "obedience" from the mire. Obedience is only possible between equals; it is the relationship between father and son, not between master and servant. "I and My Father are one." "Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered." The Son's obedience was as Redeemer, because He was Son, not in order to be Son.
_________________________________________________
Can I just say here ... all the words in this writing are strumming my heartstrings this very moment. The way Chambers puts into words the sweetness of our Lord's character makes my heart go pitter patter in love with my Savior.
Everything in life is by choice. Our Lord will never make anyone yield to Him. He presents Himself oh so humbly as an offering, a substitute for the sin that once separated us from God, an open door to partake of His love, His character, His power. II Peter says it this way... His power has bestowed on us all things that are suited to life and godliness... His precious and exceedingly great promises... and made us sharers of the divine nature.
There are so many great points/statements Oswald makes in today's writing. What I typically do is re-write in my journal the phrases that leap off the page as if they were speaking to me personally. I also do that with Bible passages. That way I can go back and re-read them as they are dated and included with the rest of my spiritual/prayer journaling. Just writing them down helps me to "get it". I guess it is sort of the reinforcement method... I don't know. It is an extra step of mulling over words that we don't hear in every day speak. Our world isn't exactly leading us towards a life of obedience or "living in adoration of our Lord from morning till night." So as a Christian it is my responsibility to do whatever it takes to keep my mind and heart pointed toward my Savior and His teachings.
As Oswald says today, "... when His life has been created in me by His Redemption, I instantly recognize His right to absolute authority over me... He never insists on obedience, but when we do see Him we obey Him instantly, He is easily Lord, and we live in adoration of Him from morning till night.
I want to "see Him" like never before.
Hope you all have a great weekend!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
How do you decide?
How do you decide what you will read in your Bible each day?
I admit that I spend a lot of time in the New Testament. I just feel that no matter how many times I read through it and study the different books, that I have so much to learn. I feel like I am really getting a lot of applicable information that applies to me as a believer today under the new covenant. I could read the epistles over and over again, and I find myself doing it. I wonder sometimes if I am missing something not spending nearly as much time in the Old Testament.
I admit that I spend a lot of time in the New Testament. I just feel that no matter how many times I read through it and study the different books, that I have so much to learn. I feel like I am really getting a lot of applicable information that applies to me as a believer today under the new covenant. I could read the epistles over and over again, and I find myself doing it. I wonder sometimes if I am missing something not spending nearly as much time in the Old Testament.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Star Struck
I have always been amazed at people’s fascination with famous people. I just don’t get it. I don’t understand the lengths some people will go just to get near someone who is famous. We have all seen the videos of people swooning over the “stars”. We have all heard stories from friends like, “guess who I got to meet at such and such event” and then they name some movie star or athlete, obviously excited about their encounter. While I don't neccessarily understand it, I realize that it is a reality, and many people get excited about the opportunity to meet a famous person.
Taking it a step further and this is something I can relate to, how about the opportunity to meet someone of real power like the President of the United States? Now that would be an honor wouldn’t it? Something we would surely tell all our friends about. Something we would probably tell for years to come. We would share our experience of the time we got to sit down and meet the POTUS.
While that would be a great honor and a privilege, we are blessed with an even greater privilege. We are able to “meet” with, talk to, walk with, and enter into the presence of the God of this Universe. Think about that. Let it soak in. We can go daily into the presence of the King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, the Creator of Heaven and Earth! I don’t know about you but that excites me. Don’t let the opportunity pass you by, meet with God, fellowship with HIM, and then tell your friends about the wonderful experience.
Taking it a step further and this is something I can relate to, how about the opportunity to meet someone of real power like the President of the United States? Now that would be an honor wouldn’t it? Something we would surely tell all our friends about. Something we would probably tell for years to come. We would share our experience of the time we got to sit down and meet the POTUS.
While that would be a great honor and a privilege, we are blessed with an even greater privilege. We are able to “meet” with, talk to, walk with, and enter into the presence of the God of this Universe. Think about that. Let it soak in. We can go daily into the presence of the King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, the Creator of Heaven and Earth! I don’t know about you but that excites me. Don’t let the opportunity pass you by, meet with God, fellowship with HIM, and then tell your friends about the wonderful experience.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Which One Will You Be?
Often during my morning jog the praise songs from my i-pod move me along and the time I spend exercising becomes a time of my prayer and worship. What could be better? Exercising physically on a beautiful Florida morning while communing with God is hard to beat.
My spirit many times will latch on to words from a particular song and it is as if the Holy Spirit takes a highlighter to the words to speak something to me. Monday morning was like that. As I listened to the song Two Sets of Joneses by Big Tent Revival my heart leapt and my mind was full of thoughts about the two kinds of houses (life) one can choose to build as taught by Jesus in Matthew 7. In the Philips translation it is stated this way, everyone who hears and practices these words of mine is like a sensible man who builds his house on the rock.
My spirit many times will latch on to words from a particular song and it is as if the Holy Spirit takes a highlighter to the words to speak something to me. Monday morning was like that. As I listened to the song Two Sets of Joneses by Big Tent Revival my heart leapt and my mind was full of thoughts about the two kinds of houses (life) one can choose to build as taught by Jesus in Matthew 7. In the Philips translation it is stated this way, everyone who hears and practices these words of mine is like a sensible man who builds his house on the rock.
I actually didn't read MLM's Monday post until Wednesday morning. When I saw she posted on this subject I got giddy thinking about how the Holy Spirit works in hearts. Since this message has been stirring in me since Monday I am going ahead with it here -- hopefully it will layer on top of MLM's post to speak to someone.
We can be certain the winds and the storms are going to come as long as we live on this earth. Whatever our beliefs, our thinking, our character, our opinions, our values, our insecurities, our strengths and weaknesses we've been practicing will be revealed when the storms of life rock our world.
I once had a house built on my own ideas, my own philosophies, my own understanding, and lots of mixed up doctrines and justifications. Sandy soil at best. What a night and day difference my life is now that I depend on my heavenly Father's word, wisdom and love to lift me out of the storms of life as I trust Him and know Him better and better all the time. It's vital to know Him and His perfect character of goodness and love toward us in order to trust Him. Trust is not automatic. Trust grows as we step out in faith on God's word and we experience the beauty of a life filled with joy, peace and blessing.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Taste and See
Open your mouth and taste,
open your eyes and see—
how good God is.
Blessed are you who run to him. Ps 34:8
I bless you, Lord, with all my soul and all that is deepest within me. I won’t forget even one of your benefits. You forgive all my sins; You heal all my sicknesses. You redeem my life from the pit and corruption. You beautify, You dignify, You crown me with loving-kindness and tender mercy. You satisfy my mouth with good so that my youth, renewed, is like the eagles. Lord, You execute righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly. You are merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in mercy and full of unfailing love!
Lord, You made the heavens, the earth, the sea and all that is in them. I will sing praises to You while I have any being! You keep truth and You are faithful forever. You execute justice, You set free the prisoners and open the eyes of the blind, You lift up those who are bowed down. Lord, You protect and preserve. You will reign forever.
It is good to sing praises to You. You are gracious and lovely; You heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds. You are great, Lord, and of great power; Your understanding is inexhaustible and boundless. You lift up the humble and downtrodden; You take pleasure in those who honor You. You fulfill my desires because I fear You; You hear my cries for help and You rescue me.
Blessed are You, Lord, my rock and my strength, my steadfast love and my fortress. You are my high tower and my deliverer, my shield and it is in You that I trust and take refuge. Lord, you are on my side and You take my part; I will not fear. Out of my distress I called upon You, You answered me and set me free. You have delivered my life from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. My heart is firmly fixed trusting in You. You sent Your word and healed me and rescued me from the pit and destruction.
The works of Your hands are absolute Truth and justice; and all your decrees and precepts are sure, fixed, established and trustworthy. You have commanded Your covenant to be forever; Holy is Your name. I give great praise and thanks to You, Lord, with my whole heart.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let Your glory be over all the earth.
open your eyes and see—
how good God is.
Blessed are you who run to him. Ps 34:8
I bless you, Lord, with all my soul and all that is deepest within me. I won’t forget even one of your benefits. You forgive all my sins; You heal all my sicknesses. You redeem my life from the pit and corruption. You beautify, You dignify, You crown me with loving-kindness and tender mercy. You satisfy my mouth with good so that my youth, renewed, is like the eagles. Lord, You execute righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly. You are merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in mercy and full of unfailing love!
Lord, You made the heavens, the earth, the sea and all that is in them. I will sing praises to You while I have any being! You keep truth and You are faithful forever. You execute justice, You set free the prisoners and open the eyes of the blind, You lift up those who are bowed down. Lord, You protect and preserve. You will reign forever.
It is good to sing praises to You. You are gracious and lovely; You heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds. You are great, Lord, and of great power; Your understanding is inexhaustible and boundless. You lift up the humble and downtrodden; You take pleasure in those who honor You. You fulfill my desires because I fear You; You hear my cries for help and You rescue me.
Blessed are You, Lord, my rock and my strength, my steadfast love and my fortress. You are my high tower and my deliverer, my shield and it is in You that I trust and take refuge. Lord, you are on my side and You take my part; I will not fear. Out of my distress I called upon You, You answered me and set me free. You have delivered my life from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. My heart is firmly fixed trusting in You. You sent Your word and healed me and rescued me from the pit and destruction.
The works of Your hands are absolute Truth and justice; and all your decrees and precepts are sure, fixed, established and trustworthy. You have commanded Your covenant to be forever; Holy is Your name. I give great praise and thanks to You, Lord, with my whole heart.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let Your glory be over all the earth.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Getting Fit and Staying Fit
How often have you heard or maybe even said yourself, “You don’t understand, I have no time for reading my Bible, no time for praying just now?”
In his devotional My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers makes this note: "The private relationship of worshipping God is the great essential of fitness. The time comes when there is no more "fig-tree" life possible, when it is out into the open, out into the glare and into the work, and you will find yourself of no value there if you have not been worshipping as occasion serves you in your home. Worship aright in your private relationships, then when God sets you free you will be ready, because in the unseen life which no one saw but God you have become perfectly fit, and when the strain comes you can be relied upon by God."
In keeping with the last several posts, I can recall the very first time these words of Jesus rang clear in my heart... “One thing is needful.” It was many years ago as a young mom with 3 young children. I was oftentimes overwhelmed with the tasks of everyday life. When I heard those words it was one of those unusual times that marks your life forever. The tender voice spoke to my heart, as I was making my bed and lamenting to God how I wasn’t sure if I could ever get everything done that was demanded of my day, my week, my life. No matter which season of life we are in, isn’t that the way most of us can feel on any given day?
At the time, my relationship with the Lord was fairly new. The scripture in Luke 10 wasn’t all that familiar to me but I knew those words were from God so I set about to find them in the Bible. Jesus clearly states here that Mary had chosen something that was 'the good portion' and the thing that 'was to her advantage'… 'something that couldn’t be taken away from her' (amplified). He then defines Martha’s role as 'anxious' and 'troubled about many things', 'overcharged with care', 'distracted and too busy'. Ouch!
Where was Mary? Seated at the Lord’s feet, all of her attention on Him. While there are numerous layers in this passage I want to stay on subject here of being fit for service. We need to realize God isn't teaching us here NOT to serve and "do"; but He is giving us a major tip on how to be successful in service.
Are we making absolutely certain we are fully engaged in our personal worship time at the feet of our Master or are we going about the busyness of serving without it which is making us anxious and stressed and troubled? Worship is the place of fueling for the tasks. At the feet of Jesus in total devotion and attention is where we connect spiritually, it is where our heart is laid down for the work we are called to "do", it is where the Spirit of God works changes in the areas of our life where change is needed and desired. Worship is the place where the Word and the Spirit work together and as we pour our hearts out in adoration for all God's goodness He pours out His powerful love into us. It is the experience of this love that sets us free from bondages and sin. As we are filled with His love, we are set free and we are fit for service.
Oswald Chambers goes on to make this profound statement: "If you have not been worshipping as occasion serves, when you get into work you will not only be useless yourself, but a tremendous hindrance to those who are associated with you."
How would you assess your own hidden, personal, worshipping life? I encourage you to make whatever adjustments necessary to devote your heart and mind in daily private worship to the Savior of your soul. One thing I learned from the loving words spoken to me all those years ago in the midst of my busyness is this: no amount of extra sleep in the morning will ever come close to giving me what I need in order to master my day. Only time with Him imparts what is necessary for my journey.
In his devotional My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers makes this note: "The private relationship of worshipping God is the great essential of fitness. The time comes when there is no more "fig-tree" life possible, when it is out into the open, out into the glare and into the work, and you will find yourself of no value there if you have not been worshipping as occasion serves you in your home. Worship aright in your private relationships, then when God sets you free you will be ready, because in the unseen life which no one saw but God you have become perfectly fit, and when the strain comes you can be relied upon by God."
In keeping with the last several posts, I can recall the very first time these words of Jesus rang clear in my heart... “One thing is needful.” It was many years ago as a young mom with 3 young children. I was oftentimes overwhelmed with the tasks of everyday life. When I heard those words it was one of those unusual times that marks your life forever. The tender voice spoke to my heart, as I was making my bed and lamenting to God how I wasn’t sure if I could ever get everything done that was demanded of my day, my week, my life. No matter which season of life we are in, isn’t that the way most of us can feel on any given day?
At the time, my relationship with the Lord was fairly new. The scripture in Luke 10 wasn’t all that familiar to me but I knew those words were from God so I set about to find them in the Bible. Jesus clearly states here that Mary had chosen something that was 'the good portion' and the thing that 'was to her advantage'… 'something that couldn’t be taken away from her' (amplified). He then defines Martha’s role as 'anxious' and 'troubled about many things', 'overcharged with care', 'distracted and too busy'. Ouch!
Where was Mary? Seated at the Lord’s feet, all of her attention on Him. While there are numerous layers in this passage I want to stay on subject here of being fit for service. We need to realize God isn't teaching us here NOT to serve and "do"; but He is giving us a major tip on how to be successful in service.
Are we making absolutely certain we are fully engaged in our personal worship time at the feet of our Master or are we going about the busyness of serving without it which is making us anxious and stressed and troubled? Worship is the place of fueling for the tasks. At the feet of Jesus in total devotion and attention is where we connect spiritually, it is where our heart is laid down for the work we are called to "do", it is where the Spirit of God works changes in the areas of our life where change is needed and desired. Worship is the place where the Word and the Spirit work together and as we pour our hearts out in adoration for all God's goodness He pours out His powerful love into us. It is the experience of this love that sets us free from bondages and sin. As we are filled with His love, we are set free and we are fit for service.
Oswald Chambers goes on to make this profound statement: "If you have not been worshipping as occasion serves, when you get into work you will not only be useless yourself, but a tremendous hindrance to those who are associated with you."
How would you assess your own hidden, personal, worshipping life? I encourage you to make whatever adjustments necessary to devote your heart and mind in daily private worship to the Savior of your soul. One thing I learned from the loving words spoken to me all those years ago in the midst of my busyness is this: no amount of extra sleep in the morning will ever come close to giving me what I need in order to master my day. Only time with Him imparts what is necessary for my journey.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)