Christmas Eve night I learned a great lesson from my nephew Ethan. God speaks through the youngest of His children.
We were driving to my sister's mom's house from a great Christmas Eve celebration at Petey's brother's place. Josiah had gotten a toy gun with the suction cup shooters and he was holding it as we drove. Ethan saw the gun and Ethan wanted it. The gun was still in its cardboard, twisty-tied up and secure but Ethan really wanted to shoot the gun and play with the present. Ethan's "BOOM BOOMS" turned into screams as his desire for that toy gun intensified. He was told that he needed to wait to open the gift and play with it, but he didn't like that answer too much. It was not time for Ethan to open the gift; He needed to learn a lesson of patience.
As I was listening to Ethan cry and his loving parents tell him that he needed to wait, it was as if God tapped me on the shoulder and began to talk to me. He pointed out this lesson: I desire a gift that I can see, but I need patience and I need to wait for Christmas day to open it. The time will come; the gift will be so fun to have, but the time right now is wrong. Now, I have a couple options of what to do while I'm waiting; I can scream or I can enjoy everything else around me.
Ethan has been able to play with the gun now; it's the perfect time for him to do so. He is able to laugh and enjoy it entirely.
My Christmas Eve lesson couldn't have been more perfect. May you be encouraged to trust God, your good and loving Heavenly Father, when He withholds gifts from you because the time is not yet for you to receive them. Enjoy waiting and have fun during the time of patience. The day will come, Christmas morning will arrive, and you will enjoy your gift even more than you can expect now.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Intransigent
Hello from Starbucks everyone :)
I'm sitting here in an upright seat (abnormal from the normal couch I choose) checking my emails and such. I receive Merriam-Webster's Word for the Day every day on my email account, thanks to the recommendation to do so from my outstanding dad :) (Thank you dad) and was inspired to write. Today's word is intransigent. It means "Characterized by refusal to compromise or to abandon an extreme position or attitude: uncompromising."
On how many areas of life to I consider myself to be intransigent? In what areas do I not compromise? Thinking about how compromising I am is quite saddening, but remembering how uncompromising God is stupendous!
I read in 1 John about the Love of God for us. It says, "Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. Be he who fears has not been made perfect in love." Then here is that catch: "WE LOVE HIM BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US." Incredible intransigent love.
How foreign the Love of God is to us, in the since that we see it rarely displayed among people. And it really can't be displayed because we are so human and so full of sin! But this grips me: that there is not one thing I can do to stop making God love me madly. He passionately loved me and you before the foundations of the earth were laid and He loves with that same extremity for us now, in the present tense.
Do you know that you delight God? Do you know that you have a Father who gave His all for you? Do you know life situations don't just happen by circumstance but that God has planned your life in such intricate detail that ever step you take, breath you breathe, have been planned by Him?
Ok, now there is another thing that God has been showing me in His word. He's been showing me BELIEVE. John 11:40 says, "Jesus said to her [Martha], "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" Lazarus had been dead but Jesus intended to raise Him to life. Jesus' heart groaned with such love and compassion for His friend Lazarus. The humanity of Jesus is so expressed in that He wept when He was being led to the tomb of Lazarus. Jesus looks upon us the with the same humanity; He is forever going to be flesh, interceding at the right hand of God for us (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25). But when Jesus assures Martha that her belief would allow her to see the glory of God, I was encouraged to believe to a greater extent.
The area of belief was also being highlighted to me in the story of Gideon. God chose Gideon to defeat the Midianites. God said to Gideon, "Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man." God filled him with His spirit, but Gideon was a bit fearful. He asked God to prove this whole attack was from Him by asking for the fleece to be wet on morning and dry the next, and God did that for Gideon. Then God, through only 300 men, brought the Isrealites victory over Midian in a miraculous way. Gideon, though at times doubted, believed God at His word and He saw the glory of God.
God says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Deut 31:6). Those words are true. God is intransigent in His purpose to stay with us.
So all these lessons, I believe, beautifully tie together in a mysteriously wondrous way that only the Holy Spirit can bring about.
God's word is good. God's word is alive, has a pulse, breaths... I can hear the heart beat of God through it.
The coffee in my cup is left to a sip now. I hope you were blessed by me spilling out my thoughts; moreso, by God speaking His word to your heart. May you remember and grow in the intransigent love of God for you today and forevermore.
"God you are Holy, God you are True. God you are faithful. God, I love you"
I'm sitting here in an upright seat (abnormal from the normal couch I choose) checking my emails and such. I receive Merriam-Webster's Word for the Day every day on my email account, thanks to the recommendation to do so from my outstanding dad :) (Thank you dad) and was inspired to write. Today's word is intransigent. It means "Characterized by refusal to compromise or to abandon an extreme position or attitude: uncompromising."
On how many areas of life to I consider myself to be intransigent? In what areas do I not compromise? Thinking about how compromising I am is quite saddening, but remembering how uncompromising God is stupendous!
I read in 1 John about the Love of God for us. It says, "Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. Be he who fears has not been made perfect in love." Then here is that catch: "WE LOVE HIM BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US." Incredible intransigent love.
How foreign the Love of God is to us, in the since that we see it rarely displayed among people. And it really can't be displayed because we are so human and so full of sin! But this grips me: that there is not one thing I can do to stop making God love me madly. He passionately loved me and you before the foundations of the earth were laid and He loves with that same extremity for us now, in the present tense.
Do you know that you delight God? Do you know that you have a Father who gave His all for you? Do you know life situations don't just happen by circumstance but that God has planned your life in such intricate detail that ever step you take, breath you breathe, have been planned by Him?
Ok, now there is another thing that God has been showing me in His word. He's been showing me BELIEVE. John 11:40 says, "Jesus said to her [Martha], "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" Lazarus had been dead but Jesus intended to raise Him to life. Jesus' heart groaned with such love and compassion for His friend Lazarus. The humanity of Jesus is so expressed in that He wept when He was being led to the tomb of Lazarus. Jesus looks upon us the with the same humanity; He is forever going to be flesh, interceding at the right hand of God for us (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25). But when Jesus assures Martha that her belief would allow her to see the glory of God, I was encouraged to believe to a greater extent.
The area of belief was also being highlighted to me in the story of Gideon. God chose Gideon to defeat the Midianites. God said to Gideon, "Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man." God filled him with His spirit, but Gideon was a bit fearful. He asked God to prove this whole attack was from Him by asking for the fleece to be wet on morning and dry the next, and God did that for Gideon. Then God, through only 300 men, brought the Isrealites victory over Midian in a miraculous way. Gideon, though at times doubted, believed God at His word and He saw the glory of God.
God says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Deut 31:6). Those words are true. God is intransigent in His purpose to stay with us.
So all these lessons, I believe, beautifully tie together in a mysteriously wondrous way that only the Holy Spirit can bring about.
God's word is good. God's word is alive, has a pulse, breaths... I can hear the heart beat of God through it.
The coffee in my cup is left to a sip now. I hope you were blessed by me spilling out my thoughts; moreso, by God speaking His word to your heart. May you remember and grow in the intransigent love of God for you today and forevermore.
"God you are Holy, God you are True. God you are faithful. God, I love you"
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Distractions and Rain
God is good.
I am writing on this wonderful rainy day in Huntington Beach. God is faithful to bring the rain. He's been showering this land this past week, and each time I hear the drops on the roof, I'm reminded of His unfailing faithfulness.
Joel 2:21-24 says this:
"Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done marvelous things! Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field; for the open pastures are springing up, and the tree bears its fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their strength. Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God; for He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain to come down for you- the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. The threshing floors shall e full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil."
I probably have written out these verses previously, but God's word is never exhaustible!
His faithfulness shines ever bright. Oh, how I am learning to rest in His faithfulness.
When God was bringing His children to the Promise Land, he reminded them that they were going to possess a land in which they did not labor for, they were going to partake of the vineyards fruit in which the did not sow the seed for. God was going to give them victory from their enemies and they needed to not be afraid. Joshua 23:14 says, "And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD our God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed." They couldn't stop God from being faithful. I kept reading that passage just now and there is a huge warning at the end; God was going to bring harm to His children too because they transgressed and served other Gods. God's blessings are great but His punishments are real when we give into our distractions, our flesh and ally with the enemy.
So what in my life is not pleasing? What in my life is ahead of God? His faithfulness comes like the rain; there is nothing I can to do stop it. But what, right now, needs to be ridden of in my life?
Lord, I confess I am blind, to my sin and flesh's desires.
Only You can reveal them to me-
I want to focus; this life is so short!
I want to possess great lands,
over come great enemies,
not because of my strength,
but because I trust in You to fight for me.
I vulnerable ask for the dark places to be lit.
I want Your blessings! Yes, I want them from YOU!
Rain them down, at Your pleasure.
Thank You Lord for revealing truth in your Word.
Thank You for writing your law on My heart.
I am writing on this wonderful rainy day in Huntington Beach. God is faithful to bring the rain. He's been showering this land this past week, and each time I hear the drops on the roof, I'm reminded of His unfailing faithfulness.
Joel 2:21-24 says this:
"Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done marvelous things! Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field; for the open pastures are springing up, and the tree bears its fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their strength. Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God; for He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain to come down for you- the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. The threshing floors shall e full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil."
I probably have written out these verses previously, but God's word is never exhaustible!
His faithfulness shines ever bright. Oh, how I am learning to rest in His faithfulness.
When God was bringing His children to the Promise Land, he reminded them that they were going to possess a land in which they did not labor for, they were going to partake of the vineyards fruit in which the did not sow the seed for. God was going to give them victory from their enemies and they needed to not be afraid. Joshua 23:14 says, "And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD our God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed." They couldn't stop God from being faithful. I kept reading that passage just now and there is a huge warning at the end; God was going to bring harm to His children too because they transgressed and served other Gods. God's blessings are great but His punishments are real when we give into our distractions, our flesh and ally with the enemy.
So what in my life is not pleasing? What in my life is ahead of God? His faithfulness comes like the rain; there is nothing I can to do stop it. But what, right now, needs to be ridden of in my life?
Lord, I confess I am blind, to my sin and flesh's desires.
Only You can reveal them to me-
I want to focus; this life is so short!
I want to possess great lands,
over come great enemies,
not because of my strength,
but because I trust in You to fight for me.
I vulnerable ask for the dark places to be lit.
I want Your blessings! Yes, I want them from YOU!
Rain them down, at Your pleasure.
Thank You Lord for revealing truth in your Word.
Thank You for writing your law on My heart.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
God Knows You
I had such a wonderful day in class today. We had songwriting class with Evan Wickham. Each time we have these classes with Evan, or guitar class with Scott, or studying the attributes of God with Pastor Brian, my whole body becomes still in my seat as my spirit is ushered into the presence of God. My eyes can't hold back filling with tears. In those moments, His majesty paralyzes me, truly. God is big, He is wonderful, He is majestic, He is everywhere yet intimately personal.
Psalm 139 is worth the read right now. Before you even continue on reading this entry, I encourage you to read it, soak it in and oh, let God speak to you- undo all your thoughts and read it with a heart before your God; let Him bless you.
I am, and you are, constantly the attention of God. Yes, He is attentive to you and you are the apple of His eye. God has your plans written out in His book. He is constantly thinking of you. He had purpose in making you.
Oh, how I want to live my life wrapped in a melody of praise to my King.
I really, truly pray you are encouraged to praise God for how He is in control, how He knows you, and I pray your hunger, and my hunger, would demand more more of Him. May we be dead to the flesh, alive in the Spirit, soaring on the wings of eagles, focused on Jesus and sweetly contagious to others.
Psalm 139 is worth the read right now. Before you even continue on reading this entry, I encourage you to read it, soak it in and oh, let God speak to you- undo all your thoughts and read it with a heart before your God; let Him bless you.
I am, and you are, constantly the attention of God. Yes, He is attentive to you and you are the apple of His eye. God has your plans written out in His book. He is constantly thinking of you. He had purpose in making you.
Oh, how I want to live my life wrapped in a melody of praise to my King.
I really, truly pray you are encouraged to praise God for how He is in control, how He knows you, and I pray your hunger, and my hunger, would demand more more of Him. May we be dead to the flesh, alive in the Spirit, soaring on the wings of eagles, focused on Jesus and sweetly contagious to others.
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