Psalm 66:16 All of you who fear God, come and listen, and I will tell you what he has done for me. 17 I cried out to him with my mouth and praised him with my tongue. 18 If I had known of any sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened to me. 19 But God has listened; he has heard my prayer. 20 Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or hold back his love from me.
I read this scripture in another translation today. And I love it. I just love the Psalms. A long while back I was going through the psalms, reading one or two every day and journaling about something. But... someone told me they were kind of tired of my writing on the psalms. And I stopped. And that was a mistake... because, the psalms speak to my heart, to the very depths of my soul. There is so much depth of emotion within them, so much to learn about how to praise the Lord, how to go to Him no matter what your problems, how to request His help. And when I don't have the words to say, I can pray the psalms. I can apply them to my own life, and pray God's own Word back to Him, which He loves to hear and He makes is really easy for me to tell Him my needs, because David (and a few others) wrote about every emotion we might have, every need that needs filling.
These words stuck with me because the psalmist is saying is that he repented of everything he might have done wrong to the Lord. He told the Lord everything about him that needed forgiving. And God loved him anyway. God listened to the prayers of the psalmist because he went to the Lord with a pure heart, open to allowing the Lord to change him into a better man and knowing of his need for the love of the Lord.
Here is my prayer, using the psalm:
16 Listen, my friends. God has done great things for me!! Thank you Lord, for making me new in Christ (even if those I love do not understand or even believe I am changed or better). Thank you for being the Lover and Savior of my soul. You are mighty to save Lord and You chose me! 17 I praise you Father. You are more than I could ever hope for in this life. 18 Lord, I know there is junk and I just ask you to take it from me right now; I repent. That moment of gossip I shared with my coworker is as bad as my living my life knowing just how much I have and still holding onto every penny so tightly. Please Lord, listen to my prayers because you know my heart. 19 Thank you Lord, that You do hear my prayers. Thank you for listening. 20 Praise you Lord, for loving me despite all my shortcomings. Thank you for filling in all my cracks with the love of Christ and using them to show your might and power to those that need you, even when I have no idea what you are doing.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
2 Kings 5: 11 Naaman became angry and left. He said, "I thought Elisha would surely come out and stand before me and call on the name of the Lord his God. I thought he would wave his hand over the place and heal the disease. 112 The Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, are better than all the waters of Israel. Why can't I wash in them and become clean?" So Naaman went away very angry.
13 Naamans' servants came near and said to him, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, wouldn't you have done it? Doesn't it make more sense just to do it? After all, he only told you, 'Wash and you will be clean.' "
I liked this passage SO much because it made me think of all the times when God said, Here you go. Do it My way and it will be all taken care of. But NO. I had to try and go my own way, without Him because I can't really need God can I? Sometimes we think our own way or our own stuff is so much better than what God gives or can give to us. And we choose ourselves over Him. But... look at the scripture. His way heals!! Even when there is something else out there that seems way more grand. His way heals.
I think this passage is a metaphor for salvation and grace. Jesus says He came that we might be saved, because we are sinners and we need a Savior. All we have to do is ask right? But we make it so hard. We think there has to be something we can do to get into Heaven, we have some kind of picture of how good we need to be, that if we just go wash in the bigger, better river we can get there. But we just can't get to Heaven if we are not willing to get there God's way (He did, after all, create Heaven in the first place right?). So, we have to set our expectations of ourselves aside and take a look at our real selves. We have to identify what parts of us are just not godly, what parts of us are just plain horrible. And we have to let ourselves know that this is the sin in us. And we usually need a reason to get rid of those things, to really push them out of our lives. And let me tell ya, just to be a better person is usually not a good enough reason, as much as we might want to believe it is.
Jesus wants every last one of us in Heaven with Him. He came so we could get there the easy way, although it was hard for Him. So today it is our choice. Do we wash in the grace of Jesus? Or do we keep trying to get there on our own, trying to be more good than the person next to us, trying to attain an unattainable righteousness?
13 Naamans' servants came near and said to him, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, wouldn't you have done it? Doesn't it make more sense just to do it? After all, he only told you, 'Wash and you will be clean.' "
I liked this passage SO much because it made me think of all the times when God said, Here you go. Do it My way and it will be all taken care of. But NO. I had to try and go my own way, without Him because I can't really need God can I? Sometimes we think our own way or our own stuff is so much better than what God gives or can give to us. And we choose ourselves over Him. But... look at the scripture. His way heals!! Even when there is something else out there that seems way more grand. His way heals.
I think this passage is a metaphor for salvation and grace. Jesus says He came that we might be saved, because we are sinners and we need a Savior. All we have to do is ask right? But we make it so hard. We think there has to be something we can do to get into Heaven, we have some kind of picture of how good we need to be, that if we just go wash in the bigger, better river we can get there. But we just can't get to Heaven if we are not willing to get there God's way (He did, after all, create Heaven in the first place right?). So, we have to set our expectations of ourselves aside and take a look at our real selves. We have to identify what parts of us are just not godly, what parts of us are just plain horrible. And we have to let ourselves know that this is the sin in us. And we usually need a reason to get rid of those things, to really push them out of our lives. And let me tell ya, just to be a better person is usually not a good enough reason, as much as we might want to believe it is.
Jesus wants every last one of us in Heaven with Him. He came so we could get there the easy way, although it was hard for Him. So today it is our choice. Do we wash in the grace of Jesus? Or do we keep trying to get there on our own, trying to be more good than the person next to us, trying to attain an unattainable righteousness?
Friday, October 15, 2010
1 Kings 21:25 There was no one like Ahab who had chosen so often to do what the Lord said was wrong, because his wife Jezebel influenced him to do evil.
I stopped here at the scripture today because it made me think: whose "Jezebel" am I? Or, who are the "Jezebels" in my life, influencing me away from the Lord. I am already at risk of sinning every day of my own accord, and I surely do not need anyone in my life helping me out in that area. This is why it is so important to make sure the people I hang with are people who I trust to build me up, call me to be better, even when that makes me uncomfortable. Lately I have found myself pretty well out of touch with people. Oh, I have made plans here and there, and kept busy with the boys doing fun things, but I just have not had the kind of one-on-one fellowship with another Christian lady or mommy that I have had in the past. And... while I am hoping that the Lord blesses me with some new mommy friends soon, I am okay with Him taking His time. I am okay with waiting, enjoying my kids and my time alone (even though sometimes that does seem to drag on and on.) I want to make sure that the people I invite into my life are the quality kind of people who are going to help me grow in my spiritual journey, as a woman, a mommy, a daughter, and a wife. I want also to be that friend to those I meet and engage with.
So, I will wait. I will go to church, take the kids out, play at the park with them. I will enjoy my time in God's Word and at Bible study. I will get all the stuff around the house done that I want to. I will talk to the hubs whenever I have the opportunity. And... I will wait on the Lord to help me see my new friends in His time and with His eyes.
I stopped here at the scripture today because it made me think: whose "Jezebel" am I? Or, who are the "Jezebels" in my life, influencing me away from the Lord. I am already at risk of sinning every day of my own accord, and I surely do not need anyone in my life helping me out in that area. This is why it is so important to make sure the people I hang with are people who I trust to build me up, call me to be better, even when that makes me uncomfortable. Lately I have found myself pretty well out of touch with people. Oh, I have made plans here and there, and kept busy with the boys doing fun things, but I just have not had the kind of one-on-one fellowship with another Christian lady or mommy that I have had in the past. And... while I am hoping that the Lord blesses me with some new mommy friends soon, I am okay with Him taking His time. I am okay with waiting, enjoying my kids and my time alone (even though sometimes that does seem to drag on and on.) I want to make sure that the people I invite into my life are the quality kind of people who are going to help me grow in my spiritual journey, as a woman, a mommy, a daughter, and a wife. I want also to be that friend to those I meet and engage with.
So, I will wait. I will go to church, take the kids out, play at the park with them. I will enjoy my time in God's Word and at Bible study. I will get all the stuff around the house done that I want to. I will talk to the hubs whenever I have the opportunity. And... I will wait on the Lord to help me see my new friends in His time and with His eyes.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
1 Kings 18: 27 At noon Elijah began to make fun of them. "Pray louder!" he said. "If Baal really is a god, maybe he is thinking, or busy, or traveling! Maybe he is sleeping so you will have to wake him!"
This is the second time I have read this scripture within a week or so. Hear something once and you might forget it, but the second time it starts to stick in your mind. Elijah is the prophet of the Lord. God sent him to meet the king and Elijah challenged the prophets of the false God, Baal, to pray to him and make him bring rain, as there had been a drought. And they prayed and prayed, worshipped, cut themselves, and... what do you think? Right! Nothing happened. But then Elijah called on the true God of Israel and did what He said, and guess what? Right! The rain came, proving that the God of Israel exists and loves the people of Israel.
My God is an awesome God. He answers prayers. I was thinking about the "idols" we can have in our lives: people we love, our material things, our car... basically anything we put before the Lord. These things can never answer our prayers (although they might be an answer to prayer.) We cannot expect people or things or hobbies or money to fulfill the longing that was placed in us from the existence of man, a longing to know that there is something bigger and better than us. A longing to know that we really were created to be just who we are, that we were created to love and give to others, that we were created to be loved and be in relationship with the God of the universe. Do you notice how often we expect those things to fulfill us though? I know I do it all the time. And part of that is just because there is not enough time in the day to fit everything in. But... this is when we have to get rid of the distractions and allow God to multiply our time. We plan Him into our day, giving Him the glory and honor He deserves (and He created us to give Him) and He will surely show us that He does not sleep on the job, that He hears every little thing we say to Him and that He loves us beyond our comprehension.
This is the second time I have read this scripture within a week or so. Hear something once and you might forget it, but the second time it starts to stick in your mind. Elijah is the prophet of the Lord. God sent him to meet the king and Elijah challenged the prophets of the false God, Baal, to pray to him and make him bring rain, as there had been a drought. And they prayed and prayed, worshipped, cut themselves, and... what do you think? Right! Nothing happened. But then Elijah called on the true God of Israel and did what He said, and guess what? Right! The rain came, proving that the God of Israel exists and loves the people of Israel.
My God is an awesome God. He answers prayers. I was thinking about the "idols" we can have in our lives: people we love, our material things, our car... basically anything we put before the Lord. These things can never answer our prayers (although they might be an answer to prayer.) We cannot expect people or things or hobbies or money to fulfill the longing that was placed in us from the existence of man, a longing to know that there is something bigger and better than us. A longing to know that we really were created to be just who we are, that we were created to love and give to others, that we were created to be loved and be in relationship with the God of the universe. Do you notice how often we expect those things to fulfill us though? I know I do it all the time. And part of that is just because there is not enough time in the day to fit everything in. But... this is when we have to get rid of the distractions and allow God to multiply our time. We plan Him into our day, giving Him the glory and honor He deserves (and He created us to give Him) and He will surely show us that He does not sleep on the job, that He hears every little thing we say to Him and that He loves us beyond our comprehension.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Ephesians 5: 15 So be very careful how you live. Do not live like those who are not wise, but live wisely. 16 Use every chance you have for doing good, because these are evil times. 17 So do not be foolish but learn what the Lord wants you to do.
Ephesians 4: 32 Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ.
Funny huh, how things come at just the right time? I tell you all, I have been having kind of a pity party the last few days. I have been thinking about how I don't have a close friend here in Oklahoma right now. I have been thinking about how I have made people feel unloved and how others have made me feel unloved. I have been thinking about how selfish we all are. And... I have been thinking about how my husband is many miles away and unable to distract me from all this thinking. And then, I was reading my devotional this afternoon. In it, the author questions how we can daily be people who extend grace to others and to ourselves. At the end of her writing she challenged us to do something nice for someone who has hurt us and/or to do something for someone who cannot return the favor. This was the Lord speaking to my very heart, helping me to learn what He wants me to do. Jesus forgave me when I did not deserve forgiveness. And He calls me to do the same for others. Forgiving someone I do not want to forgive or who has hurt me is one way I can use every chance I have for doing good. Doing good means letting go of all the hurts I have been thinking about lately. It is letting go of all the expectations I have for people. All I need to do is be kind and love them, whether or not they return my favors or love me back. Doing good is giving into the lives of others when I have the chance and when I can actually plan to do it.
Living wisely means following God's Word, all of it. I better get back to reading. I know I have a few more lessons to learn.
Ephesians 4: 32 Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ.
Funny huh, how things come at just the right time? I tell you all, I have been having kind of a pity party the last few days. I have been thinking about how I don't have a close friend here in Oklahoma right now. I have been thinking about how I have made people feel unloved and how others have made me feel unloved. I have been thinking about how selfish we all are. And... I have been thinking about how my husband is many miles away and unable to distract me from all this thinking. And then, I was reading my devotional this afternoon. In it, the author questions how we can daily be people who extend grace to others and to ourselves. At the end of her writing she challenged us to do something nice for someone who has hurt us and/or to do something for someone who cannot return the favor. This was the Lord speaking to my very heart, helping me to learn what He wants me to do. Jesus forgave me when I did not deserve forgiveness. And He calls me to do the same for others. Forgiving someone I do not want to forgive or who has hurt me is one way I can use every chance I have for doing good. Doing good means letting go of all the hurts I have been thinking about lately. It is letting go of all the expectations I have for people. All I need to do is be kind and love them, whether or not they return my favors or love me back. Doing good is giving into the lives of others when I have the chance and when I can actually plan to do it.
Living wisely means following God's Word, all of it. I better get back to reading. I know I have a few more lessons to learn.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Isaiah 40:31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
i have been in the mood to journal lately:-) as usual, i just have not had much time to write. i have been thinking a lot about waiting lately. the fact that after mike leaves, i will be waiting for him to come home. waiting to hear where the Air Force might one day take us. waiting to get to michigan for our visit. waiting for all the fun things ahead with our kids. this scripture caught my eye because of the "hope in the Lord" part. while i am waiting what am i thinking about? who am i allowing to control my attitude and my joy? is it those people on whom i am waiting? is it my circumstances at the time? or is my hope in the Lord; in the knowing that He has a rich and amazing plan for me? am i allowing Him to renew my strength in preparation for the next thing to come in my life? or am i letting the other things in my life zap my strength?
i think i am an optimistic person to begin with. but that does not mean that the ins and outs of this life do not get me down, that i do not allow circumstances and people to zap my joy and my strength. but i find that when my hope is in the Lord instead of all the earthly things around me, i am able to adjust my attitude to be one of joy instead of worry, laughter instead of anger or upsetment. there are so many reasons i want to have a joyful attitude, but two things stick out right at the moment. 1) i want to be a happy person for my husband and my kids 2) i want to be ready to be joyful for when the waiting is over and the next things happens in my life
i have been in the mood to journal lately:-) as usual, i just have not had much time to write. i have been thinking a lot about waiting lately. the fact that after mike leaves, i will be waiting for him to come home. waiting to hear where the Air Force might one day take us. waiting to get to michigan for our visit. waiting for all the fun things ahead with our kids. this scripture caught my eye because of the "hope in the Lord" part. while i am waiting what am i thinking about? who am i allowing to control my attitude and my joy? is it those people on whom i am waiting? is it my circumstances at the time? or is my hope in the Lord; in the knowing that He has a rich and amazing plan for me? am i allowing Him to renew my strength in preparation for the next thing to come in my life? or am i letting the other things in my life zap my strength?
i think i am an optimistic person to begin with. but that does not mean that the ins and outs of this life do not get me down, that i do not allow circumstances and people to zap my joy and my strength. but i find that when my hope is in the Lord instead of all the earthly things around me, i am able to adjust my attitude to be one of joy instead of worry, laughter instead of anger or upsetment. there are so many reasons i want to have a joyful attitude, but two things stick out right at the moment. 1) i want to be a happy person for my husband and my kids 2) i want to be ready to be joyful for when the waiting is over and the next things happens in my life
Romans 12:3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
i read this awesome devotional today about perspective. the author talked about perspective being one of the things that hinders or helps in your walk with Christ. are you able to forgive yourself for past regrets and actions? or are you stuck thinking about the things that could have been or you could have done better? how about looking at yourself and your life from a God perspective? the God i know, is a loving and forgiving one. He casts our sins as far as the east is from the west. He lets go of the things we have done wrong once we have confessed that wrongdoing to Him.
sober judgment... the words themselves seem sober. i just think they mean to be realistic about yourself. i am not the one this world centers around. i am not the only one who needs things. i am not better than anyone else given the gift of life on this earth. in fact, i am much less. but... i am worthy of God's love and forgiveness. i am worthy of the plan He has for me, the Good plan. this is the perspective i want to have for myself: that i need the Lord as my Savior, that i am worthy of His love, and that He has great things for me. but also: that i am blessed to BE a blessing, that i have sinned and need His forgiveness, and that i need to live a faith filled life in order to live out the plan God has for me.
i read this awesome devotional today about perspective. the author talked about perspective being one of the things that hinders or helps in your walk with Christ. are you able to forgive yourself for past regrets and actions? or are you stuck thinking about the things that could have been or you could have done better? how about looking at yourself and your life from a God perspective? the God i know, is a loving and forgiving one. He casts our sins as far as the east is from the west. He lets go of the things we have done wrong once we have confessed that wrongdoing to Him.
sober judgment... the words themselves seem sober. i just think they mean to be realistic about yourself. i am not the one this world centers around. i am not the only one who needs things. i am not better than anyone else given the gift of life on this earth. in fact, i am much less. but... i am worthy of God's love and forgiveness. i am worthy of the plan He has for me, the Good plan. this is the perspective i want to have for myself: that i need the Lord as my Savior, that i am worthy of His love, and that He has great things for me. but also: that i am blessed to BE a blessing, that i have sinned and need His forgiveness, and that i need to live a faith filled life in order to live out the plan God has for me.
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