Phillippians 3:12
I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize.
Church was challenging last night. The parable of the Talents in Luke's Gospel: You must be trustworthy in the little things before being trusted with bigger things. The speaker related this to being in your current situation, before moving in to 'bigger and better things'.
God is telling me yet again to trust Him and be patient. To get to where I want to be, I must first be in the smaller things in life. Be happy where I currently am, not forever longing for the life ahead. Not worrying about where or how tomorrow will occur, but living for today.
And I will keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize, but I will not cheat my way and skip out steps God has planned. I will run and struggle through each step of the way in a trustworthy manner.
Monday 23 April 2012
Thursday 19 April 2012
Good and Evil
Professor : You are a Christian, aren’t you, son?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor: So, you believe in GOD?
Student : Absolutely, sir.
Professor : Is GOD good ?
Student : Sure.
Professor: Is GOD all powerful ?
Student : Yes.
Professor: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to GOD to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But GOD didn’t. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?
(Student was silent.)
Professor: You can’t answer, can you ? Let’s start again, young fella. Is GOD good?
Student : Yes.
Professor: Is satan good ?
Student : No.
Professor: Where does satan come from ?
Student : From … GOD …
Professor: That’s right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student : Yes.
Professor: Evil is everywhere, isn’t it ? And GOD did make everything. Correct?
Student : Yes.
Professor: So who created evil ?
(Student did not answer.)
Professor: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don’t they?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor: So, who created them ?
(Student had no answer.)
Professor: Science says you have 5 Senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son, have you ever seen GOD?
Student : No, sir.
Professor: Tell us if you have ever heard your GOD?
Student : No , sir.
Professor: Have you ever felt your GOD, tasted your GOD, smelt your GOD? Have you ever had any sensory perception of GOD for that matter?
Student : No, sir. I’m afraid I haven’t.
Professor: Yet you still believe in Him?
Student : Yes.
Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says your
GOD doesn’t exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.
Professor: Yes, faith. And that is the problem Science has.
Student : Professor, is there such a thing as heat?
Professor: Yes.
Student : And is there such a thing as cold?
Professor: Yes.
Student : No, sir. There isn’t.
(The lecture theater became very quiet with this turn of events.)
Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don’t have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can’t go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.
(There was pin-drop silence in the lecture theater.)
Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?
Professor: Yes. What is night if there isn’t darkness?
Student : You’re wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light. But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and its called darkness, isn’t it? In reality, darkness isn’t. If it is, well you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn’t you?
Professor: So what is the point you are making, young man ?
Student : Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.
Professor: Flawed ? Can you explain how?
Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good GOD and a bad GOD. You are viewing the concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can’t even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.
Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?
Professor: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.
Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The Professor shook his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument was going.)
Student : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor. Are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?
(The class was in uproar.)
Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor’s brain?
(The class broke out into laughter. )
Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor’s brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?
(The room was silent. The Professor stared at the student, his face unfathomable.)
Professor: I guess you’ll have to take them on faith, son.
Student : That is it sir … Exactly ! The link between man & GOD is FAITH. That is all that keeps things alive and moving.
P.S.By the way, that student was EINSTEIN.
Darkness and Evil is merely the absence of God, not the opposite force of Him. As cold is to
heat or darkness to light. Darkness and cold don't disprove heat and light, but PROVE them.
Wednesday 18 April 2012
Leading a God-Centered Life
Worship
Pray constantly
Be humble
Be childlike
Follow Jesus
Serve God
I tend to find that when the first one happens the rest happen. Sometimes it's hard. But we are call to praise Him in the storm as well as the calm. Sometimes we won't feel like it but when we praise, we push through. God is always with us, and we will anoint with the Holy Spirit, and the rest will follow.
I have found nothing that makes my heart satisfied the way it is when I praise God, in that moment I know God is in everything and will work out everything, nothing bad will happen, and I don't need to worry.
Applause, everyone. Bravo, bravissimo! Shout God-songs at the top of your lungs!
God Most High is stunning,
astride land and ocean.
He crushes hostile people,
puts nations at our feet.
He set us at the head of the line,
prize-winning Jacob, his favourite.
Loud cheers as God climbs the mountain,
a ram's horn blast at the summit.
Sing songs to God, sing out!
Sing to our King, sing praise!
He's Lord over earth,
so sing your best songs to God.
God is Lord of godless nations—
sovereign, he's King of the mountain.
Princes from all over are gathered,
people of Abraham's God.
The powers of earth are God's - he soars over all.
Pray constantly
Be humble
Be childlike
Follow Jesus
Serve God
I tend to find that when the first one happens the rest happen. Sometimes it's hard. But we are call to praise Him in the storm as well as the calm. Sometimes we won't feel like it but when we praise, we push through. God is always with us, and we will anoint with the Holy Spirit, and the rest will follow.
I have found nothing that makes my heart satisfied the way it is when I praise God, in that moment I know God is in everything and will work out everything, nothing bad will happen, and I don't need to worry.
Applause, everyone. Bravo, bravissimo! Shout God-songs at the top of your lungs!
God Most High is stunning,
astride land and ocean.
He crushes hostile people,
puts nations at our feet.
He set us at the head of the line,
prize-winning Jacob, his favourite.
Loud cheers as God climbs the mountain,
a ram's horn blast at the summit.
Sing songs to God, sing out!
Sing to our King, sing praise!
He's Lord over earth,
so sing your best songs to God.
God is Lord of godless nations—
sovereign, he's King of the mountain.
Princes from all over are gathered,
people of Abraham's God.
The powers of earth are God's - he soars over all.
Tuesday 17 April 2012
Don't over complicate
Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Come and see what the LORD has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
Loving somebody means longing to be in the presence of that person. We should long to be in the presence of God if we love Him. It's not an oversimplification. Love God with all your heart. Return to your first love - remember the passion you first had about God when you found it was true.
'Don't over complicate God's will. Just stay connected to Jesus. Love Him. Look into His eyes. He will lead. Follow. Repeat.' Louie Giglio.
Monday 16 April 2012
Crossroads
'Don't over complicate God's will. Just stay connected to Jesus. Love Him. Look into His eyes. He will lead. Follow. Repeat.' Louie Giglio.
'God's plan for your life is God. Don't expect him to hand you something else.' Louie Giglio.
So I find myself at a crossroads again in life. An opportunity of a job that will help progress my career. But I'm comfortable here God, I don't want to go, I have good friends, I've not been here long, please can I stay longer than a year in one place? I'm fed up of constant moving, starting again, making new friends, finding a new church, somewhere to live. I've got no one to go with, it's getting lonely.
Return to your first love. Remember that passion of praising God and the freedom you felt in your heart, nothing can ever hurt you again. Just stay connected to Jesus. Trust Him to move the boulders blocking your path, and to put them where He doesn't want you to go. Don't lean on you own understanding.
I'm found in the rhythms of Grace, they overcome all of my ways, realigning each step everyday, to live for your Glory
'God's plan for your life is God. Don't expect him to hand you something else.' Louie Giglio.
So I find myself at a crossroads again in life. An opportunity of a job that will help progress my career. But I'm comfortable here God, I don't want to go, I have good friends, I've not been here long, please can I stay longer than a year in one place? I'm fed up of constant moving, starting again, making new friends, finding a new church, somewhere to live. I've got no one to go with, it's getting lonely.
Return to your first love. Remember that passion of praising God and the freedom you felt in your heart, nothing can ever hurt you again. Just stay connected to Jesus. Trust Him to move the boulders blocking your path, and to put them where He doesn't want you to go. Don't lean on you own understanding.
I'm found in the rhythms of Grace, they overcome all of my ways, realigning each step everyday, to live for your Glory
Sunday 15 April 2012
Where you go, I'll go ....
My life is a light for Your cause
My will laid aside for Your call
And reserved are the depths of my heart
Only for You
I'm caught in the rhythms of grace
They overcome all of my ways
Realigning each step everyday
To live for Your glory
Take my life I lay it down
At the cross where I am found
All I have I give to You oh God
Take my hands and make them clean
Keep my heart in purity
That I may walk in all You have for me
Take my moments and my days
Let each breath that I take
Be ever only for You oh God
My will laid aside for Your call
And reserved are the depths of my heart
Only for You
I'm caught in the rhythms of grace
They overcome all of my ways
Realigning each step everyday
To live for Your glory
Take my life I lay it down
At the cross where I am found
All I have I give to You oh God
Take my hands and make them clean
Keep my heart in purity
That I may walk in all You have for me
Take my moments and my days
Let each breath that I take
Be ever only for You oh God
All your ways are good
All your ways are sure
I will trust in you alone
Where you go, I'll go
Where you stay, I'll stay
When you move, I'll move, I will follow you
Who you love, I'll love
How you serve I'll serve
If this life I lose, I will follow you, I will follow you
Light unto the world
Light unto my life
I will live for you alone
You're the one I seek
Knowing I will find
All I need in you alone, in you alone
All your ways are sure
I will trust in you alone
Where you go, I'll go
Where you stay, I'll stay
When you move, I'll move, I will follow you
Who you love, I'll love
How you serve I'll serve
If this life I lose, I will follow you, I will follow you
Light unto the world
Light unto my life
I will live for you alone
You're the one I seek
Knowing I will find
All I need in you alone, in you alone
Proverbs 3:5-7 (MSG)
Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he's the one who will keep you on track.
Don't assume that you know it all.
Isaiah 55:8-9 (MSG)
"I don't think the way you think. The way you work isn't the way I work."
God's Decree.
"For as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think.
Thursday 12 April 2012
Listen to me ....
Psalm 44:1-3
We've been hearing about this, God, all our lives.
Our fathers told us the stories
their fathers told them,
How single-handedly you weeded out the godless
from the fields and planted us,
How you sent those people packing
but gave us a fresh start.
We didn't fight for this land;
we didn't work for it—it was a gift!
You gave it, smiling as you gave it,
delighting as you gave it.
.... and Trust me ....
We've been hearing about this, God, all our lives.
Our fathers told us the stories
their fathers told them,
How single-handedly you weeded out the godless
from the fields and planted us,
How you sent those people packing
but gave us a fresh start.
We didn't fight for this land;
we didn't work for it—it was a gift!
You gave it, smiling as you gave it,
delighting as you gave it.
.... and Trust me ....
Tuesday 10 April 2012
He puts a smile on my face
Let the words of God permeate our entire being. 'Place these words on your hearts. Get them deep inside you .... Teach them to your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning until you fall into bed at night' (Deut 11:18-19).
'We need to know, learn, and teach God's word and put it into practice in our lives. Great blessing comes from living openly and honestly, walking in the light of God's truth as He reveals it in Hos word.' N. Gumbel.
It is clear from the Psalms and many, many biographies of women and men of God that everyone will have bouts of distress/depression/sadness etc. Life is not easy, we face constant battles, since the world is full of sin.
Psalm 43
Clear my name, God; stick up for me against these loveless, immoral people. Get me out of here, away from these lying degenerates. I counted on you, God. Why did you walk out on me? Why am I pacing the floor, wringing my hands over these outrageous people?
Give me your lantern and compass, give me a map, so I can find my way to the sacred mountain, to the place of your presence, to enter the place of worship, meet my exuberant God, sing my thanks with a harp, magnificent God, my God.
Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God — soon I'll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He's my God.
True joy and delight are found in God's presence, hold on fast to this promise and He will deliver.
He puts a smile on my face. He is my God.'
'We need to know, learn, and teach God's word and put it into practice in our lives. Great blessing comes from living openly and honestly, walking in the light of God's truth as He reveals it in Hos word.' N. Gumbel.
It is clear from the Psalms and many, many biographies of women and men of God that everyone will have bouts of distress/depression/sadness etc. Life is not easy, we face constant battles, since the world is full of sin.
Psalm 43
Clear my name, God; stick up for me against these loveless, immoral people. Get me out of here, away from these lying degenerates. I counted on you, God. Why did you walk out on me? Why am I pacing the floor, wringing my hands over these outrageous people?
Give me your lantern and compass, give me a map, so I can find my way to the sacred mountain, to the place of your presence, to enter the place of worship, meet my exuberant God, sing my thanks with a harp, magnificent God, my God.
Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God — soon I'll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He's my God.
True joy and delight are found in God's presence, hold on fast to this promise and He will deliver.
He puts a smile on my face. He is my God.'
Monday 9 April 2012
I have 2 feet...
.... One for the boot of trust, and the other for the boot of obey .... The right and left boots of Christianity.
These are the answers to trials, struggles, temptation, worry, anxiety, fear, and failure.
Psalm 42:6-11
When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse everything I know of you, from Jordan depths to Hermon heights, including Mount Mizar. Chaos calls to chaos, to the tune of white-water rapids. Your breaking surf, your thundering breakers crash and crush me. Then God promises to love me all day, sing songs all through the night! My life is God's prayer.
Sometimes I ask God, my rock-solid God, "Why did you let me down? Why am I walking around in tears, harassed by enemies?" They're out for the kill, these tormentors with their obscenities, taunting day after day, "Where is this God of yours?"
Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God — soon I'll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He's my God.
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why disturbed within me? Put your hope in God
Though we have feelings God has forgotten us, we know in reality He is there. The rock on which we can stand, when all around is the sinking sand.
Jesus said many. many times: 'Do NOT worry.'
God you want all of me, I can't quite reason as to why. But I know that is what you want. I want you to have all of me, but I struggle to give it all, because there is still that little piece of me asking: Why; why me? It is difficult to accept such a beautiful gift for free. Again, I'm not sure why. You beg for me to take it, but I'm like that hesitant child at the back of the crowd, longing for what the other children have, and not quite believing I can actually have it.
Do not worry, Trust Me, have faith little one, I will wait for you. I love all of you, every single atom, in every single cell. I know the numbers of hairs on your head, and I know your thoughts. Come to Me and lean on Me, I will make everything new, and cause you to sing a new song.
I will be praising again. He puts a smile on my face, He is my God
These are the answers to trials, struggles, temptation, worry, anxiety, fear, and failure.
Psalm 42:6-11
When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse everything I know of you, from Jordan depths to Hermon heights, including Mount Mizar. Chaos calls to chaos, to the tune of white-water rapids. Your breaking surf, your thundering breakers crash and crush me. Then God promises to love me all day, sing songs all through the night! My life is God's prayer.
Sometimes I ask God, my rock-solid God, "Why did you let me down? Why am I walking around in tears, harassed by enemies?" They're out for the kill, these tormentors with their obscenities, taunting day after day, "Where is this God of yours?"
Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God — soon I'll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He's my God.
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why disturbed within me? Put your hope in God
Though we have feelings God has forgotten us, we know in reality He is there. The rock on which we can stand, when all around is the sinking sand.
Jesus said many. many times: 'Do NOT worry.'
God you want all of me, I can't quite reason as to why. But I know that is what you want. I want you to have all of me, but I struggle to give it all, because there is still that little piece of me asking: Why; why me? It is difficult to accept such a beautiful gift for free. Again, I'm not sure why. You beg for me to take it, but I'm like that hesitant child at the back of the crowd, longing for what the other children have, and not quite believing I can actually have it.
Do not worry, Trust Me, have faith little one, I will wait for you. I love all of you, every single atom, in every single cell. I know the numbers of hairs on your head, and I know your thoughts. Come to Me and lean on Me, I will make everything new, and cause you to sing a new song.
I will be praising again. He puts a smile on my face, He is my God
Sunday 8 April 2012
Happy Easter
In keeping tradition, I went for an early dawn walk up a nearby hill this morning to see the sun rise. I have done this for a number of years now with my Mum up to the top of Beacon Hill just outside Loughborough, where we meet up with other Christians for a small Easter Sunday service to celebrate Jesus rising from the dead. Today, since I'm in Blenheim, NZ, I went for a walk up the Wither Hills just behind where I live to see the sunrise on Easter morning. How glorious it was (and is!)
He Is Risen, Alleluia! He Is Risen Indeed!
One day when Heaven was filled with His praises
One day when sin was as black as could be
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin
Dwelt among men, my example is He
Word became flesh and the light shined among us
His glory revealed
Living He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He's coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day
One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain
One day they nailed Him to die on a tree
Suffering in anguish, despised and rejected
Bearing our sins, my redeemer is He
Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree
And took the nails for me
One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose, over death He had conquered
Now He's ascended, my Lord evermore
Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him
From rising again
One day the trumpet will sound for His coming
One day the skies with His glories will shine
Wonderful day, my Beloved One, bringing
My Saviour, Jesus is mine
Oh Glorious Day!
Fill today with your Praises to Him, for He is Risen, and that is AWESOME :-)
Happy Easter everyone!
He Is Risen, Alleluia! He Is Risen Indeed!
One day when Heaven was filled with His praises
One day when sin was as black as could be
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin
Dwelt among men, my example is He
Word became flesh and the light shined among us
His glory revealed
Living He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He's coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day
One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain
One day they nailed Him to die on a tree
Suffering in anguish, despised and rejected
Bearing our sins, my redeemer is He
Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree
And took the nails for me
One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose, over death He had conquered
Now He's ascended, my Lord evermore
Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him
From rising again
One day the trumpet will sound for His coming
One day the skies with His glories will shine
Wonderful day, my Beloved One, bringing
My Saviour, Jesus is mine
Oh Glorious Day!
Fill today with your Praises to Him, for He is Risen, and that is AWESOME :-)
Happy Easter everyone!
Wednesday 4 April 2012
Love and Mercy
'See people with the eyes of love. Don't be quick to judge. give people the benefit of the doubt. Assume the best.' Nicky Gumble.
I tend to be an optimist but there are occasions I will demonstrate my pessimistic side. I always do try to see the best in people, and I VERY rarely take an dislike to someone, I wish it was never, but if I said never, I would be lying. Despite this, I will always try my up most to see the best in someone, and see them 'with the eyes of love.'
In today's quiet time Nicky Gumble describes a scene in South Africa in a courthouse where there was a hearing about various atrocities during the apartheid. A policeman had murdered a woman's son and husband, and when the court asked what this woman wanted doing with the policeman, she said she wanted him to visit her on a fortnightly basis so she could show him love he deserved as her son since she had so much love in life to give still after losing her husband and son. Spontaneously someone in the courtroom started singing Amazing Grace, but the policeman had fainted with the shock of the woman's mercy and love.
I'm not sure I could ever be that merciful, but I would try. Jesus was exactly like that though, and certainly would have done the same as the woman in the courthouse. In Luke 9:54-56 the disciples were wanting to take revenge on some prophets they didn't believe were working under the power of God, but Jesus rebuked them. There are many, many examples in the gospels of Jesus showing love, mercy, and justice to those we would think of as sinners/unworthy/nasty/evil people.
Numbers 35:1-36:13 shows how Israel starts using a court system to bring wrongdoers to justice.
The principle of lover should underpin everything we do. That is not to say we should stand by and let bad stuff happen, just because we should 'show love' to people and therefore be reluctant to bring justice. Part of loving people is to protect. This tension lies in everything. We should not take revenge or retaliate, but we also have a duty to the state to prevent crime and bring wrongdoers to justice. We should always act out of love.
I tend to be an optimist but there are occasions I will demonstrate my pessimistic side. I always do try to see the best in people, and I VERY rarely take an dislike to someone, I wish it was never, but if I said never, I would be lying. Despite this, I will always try my up most to see the best in someone, and see them 'with the eyes of love.'
In today's quiet time Nicky Gumble describes a scene in South Africa in a courthouse where there was a hearing about various atrocities during the apartheid. A policeman had murdered a woman's son and husband, and when the court asked what this woman wanted doing with the policeman, she said she wanted him to visit her on a fortnightly basis so she could show him love he deserved as her son since she had so much love in life to give still after losing her husband and son. Spontaneously someone in the courtroom started singing Amazing Grace, but the policeman had fainted with the shock of the woman's mercy and love.
I'm not sure I could ever be that merciful, but I would try. Jesus was exactly like that though, and certainly would have done the same as the woman in the courthouse. In Luke 9:54-56 the disciples were wanting to take revenge on some prophets they didn't believe were working under the power of God, but Jesus rebuked them. There are many, many examples in the gospels of Jesus showing love, mercy, and justice to those we would think of as sinners/unworthy/nasty/evil people.
Numbers 35:1-36:13 shows how Israel starts using a court system to bring wrongdoers to justice.
The principle of lover should underpin everything we do. That is not to say we should stand by and let bad stuff happen, just because we should 'show love' to people and therefore be reluctant to bring justice. Part of loving people is to protect. This tension lies in everything. We should not take revenge or retaliate, but we also have a duty to the state to prevent crime and bring wrongdoers to justice. We should always act out of love.
Tuesday 3 April 2012
I Aim For Perfection, But Settle For Excellence
2 Corinthians 13:11Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
Or 'aim for perfection'. I like these words! I'm a perfectionist really, but I get frustrated when I fall short (which is what I inevitably do). But we should aim for perfection, not be perfect. We have been called to aim high (i.e. reach for heaven - really high!!) but we must avoid the dangers of perfectionism .... frustration, boasting, knocking someone else out the way to get there, etc.
Aim for Joy:Proverbs 8:22-31God sovereignly made me—the first, the basic—before he did anything else. I was brought into being a long time ago, well before Earth got its start. I arrived on the scene before Ocean, yes, even before Springs and Rivers and Lakes. Before Mountains were sculpted and Hills took shape, I was already there, newborn; Long before God stretched out Earth's horizons and tended to the minute details of Soil and Weather, and set Sky firmly in place, I was there. When he mapped and gave borders to wild Ocean, built the vast vault of Heaven, and installed the fountains that fed Ocean, When he drew a boundary for Sea, posted a sign that said no trespassing, and then staked out Earth's foundations, I was right there with him, making sure everything fit. Day after day I was there, with my joyful applause, always enjoying his company, delighted with the world of things and creatures, happily celebrating the human family.
Proverbs is speaking of Wisdom (who is personified), or Jesus. He was there at the beginning with God. Full of joy, we should aim for this too. This passage reminds me of an awesome scene of nature and you just can't help but praise God because you know He made it, and what is before your eyes is just awesome! When I see something like that I always feel so full of joy, this is what we should aim for.
Luke 9:10-27 shows us how to aim to be full of Love like Jesus was. 'Denying ourselves and daily taking up our cross.' And: 'For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?'
Even if we are the most successful person of all time and 'gain the world', it will be no good. We must abandon our lives. This passage demands perfection but we all will fall short since we are human. This does not stop us aiming high though, we should always try.
'Before you talk, listen. Before you react, think. Before you criticise, pause. Before you give up, try again.'
Or 'aim for perfection'. I like these words! I'm a perfectionist really, but I get frustrated when I fall short (which is what I inevitably do). But we should aim for perfection, not be perfect. We have been called to aim high (i.e. reach for heaven - really high!!) but we must avoid the dangers of perfectionism .... frustration, boasting, knocking someone else out the way to get there, etc.
Aim for Joy:Proverbs 8:22-31God sovereignly made me—the first, the basic—before he did anything else. I was brought into being a long time ago, well before Earth got its start. I arrived on the scene before Ocean, yes, even before Springs and Rivers and Lakes. Before Mountains were sculpted and Hills took shape, I was already there, newborn; Long before God stretched out Earth's horizons and tended to the minute details of Soil and Weather, and set Sky firmly in place, I was there. When he mapped and gave borders to wild Ocean, built the vast vault of Heaven, and installed the fountains that fed Ocean, When he drew a boundary for Sea, posted a sign that said no trespassing, and then staked out Earth's foundations, I was right there with him, making sure everything fit. Day after day I was there, with my joyful applause, always enjoying his company, delighted with the world of things and creatures, happily celebrating the human family.
Proverbs is speaking of Wisdom (who is personified), or Jesus. He was there at the beginning with God. Full of joy, we should aim for this too. This passage reminds me of an awesome scene of nature and you just can't help but praise God because you know He made it, and what is before your eyes is just awesome! When I see something like that I always feel so full of joy, this is what we should aim for.
Luke 9:10-27 shows us how to aim to be full of Love like Jesus was. 'Denying ourselves and daily taking up our cross.' And: 'For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?'
Even if we are the most successful person of all time and 'gain the world', it will be no good. We must abandon our lives. This passage demands perfection but we all will fall short since we are human. This does not stop us aiming high though, we should always try.
'Before you talk, listen. Before you react, think. Before you criticise, pause. Before you give up, try again.'
Monday 2 April 2012
Wholeheartedly
'Caleb and Joshua followed the Lord wholeheartedly' Numbers 32:12
This is what we are called to do: follow Him wholeheartedly, put our faith and trust in Him, and offer ourselves to do His will.
Psalm 40:1-5
I waited and waited and waited for God. At last he looked; finally he listened. He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud. He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn't slip. He taught me how to sing the latest God-song, a praise-song to our God. More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God.Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God, turn your backs on the world's "sure thing," ignore what the world worships; The world's a huge stockpile of God-wonders and God-thoughts. Nothing and no one comes close to you! I start talking about you, telling what I know, and quickly run out of words. Neither numbers nor words account for you.
Sometimes it's difficult to trust God, especially when things seem so impossible or difficult, but remember the times He delivered us, the numerous times. God is faithful and will listen and save us. He is unchanging, He can't help but save us, it is His nature.
'Before you talk, listen. Before you react, think. Before you criticise, pause. Before you give up, try again.'
This is what we are called to do: follow Him wholeheartedly, put our faith and trust in Him, and offer ourselves to do His will.
Psalm 40:1-5
I waited and waited and waited for God. At last he looked; finally he listened. He lifted me out of the ditch, pulled me from deep mud. He stood me up on a solid rock to make sure I wouldn't slip. He taught me how to sing the latest God-song, a praise-song to our God. More and more people are seeing this: they enter the mystery, abandoning themselves to God.Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God, turn your backs on the world's "sure thing," ignore what the world worships; The world's a huge stockpile of God-wonders and God-thoughts. Nothing and no one comes close to you! I start talking about you, telling what I know, and quickly run out of words. Neither numbers nor words account for you.
Sometimes it's difficult to trust God, especially when things seem so impossible or difficult, but remember the times He delivered us, the numerous times. God is faithful and will listen and save us. He is unchanging, He can't help but save us, it is His nature.
'Before you talk, listen. Before you react, think. Before you criticise, pause. Before you give up, try again.'
Sunday 1 April 2012
Don't be fooled!
'There is hope for your future.' Jeremiah 31:17
Today is April Fools Day. But don't be fooled, this is the devil's best trick. He fools us into thinking stuff that is not true. He seeps fear into us and deceives us into thinking, we are no good, God can't love us, or that there is no hope.
'I don't know what's right and what's real any more,
I don't know how I'm meant to feel any more.
And when do you think it will all become clear?
'Cause I'm being taken over by the fear. Lily Allen 'The Fear'
A lot of people feel like this, in fact, I think all people at one point or another will feel like Lily Allen's song. But there is 'good' and 'bad' fear. 'Good' fear, like I said yesterday, is awe and reverence of the mightiness of God, in contrast 'bad' fear comes from what is opposite of God. In Luke 8:22:25 we see the difference of fears:
'One day he and his disciples got in a boat. 'Lets cross the lake,' he said. And off they went. It was smooth sailing, and he fell asleep. A terrific storm came up suddenly on the lake. Water poured in, and they were about to capsize. They woke Jesus: 'Master, Master, we're going to drown!' Getting to his feet, he told the wind, 'Silence!' and the waves, 'Quiet down!' They did it. The lake became smooth as glass. Then he said to his disciples, 'Why can't you trust me?' They were in absolute awe, staggered and stammering, 'Who is this, anyway? He calls out to the winds and the sea, and they do what he tells them!'
The disciples were petrified they were going to drown, I feel for them! I'm not a great swimmer, and get scared of deep open water, I understand how they felt. Contrast this with their fear and trembling of what Jesus did in front of them. They were in 'absolute awe, staggered, stammering.' Non Christians have no fear of God, because they don't believe, why be afraid of God and His mightiness, majesty, and judgement if you don't believe He exists? Kind of like the monsters under the bed I guess! A child will truly be scared of them because he believes they exist under his bed, I am not because I know monsters under the bed don't exist. (Well I'm fairly sure anyway!!)
A healthy fear of God is to have faith in Him. We should take to heart and throw at the devil everything the Bible says about God and us. As I shared before there are many, many hundreds of cool things said in the Bible, that are absolutely true. Jeremiah 31:17 is just one: 'There IS a hope for your future.' Don't let the devil tell you it's not true.
Take my moments
And my days,
Let each each breath that I take,
Be ever only, for you, oh God.
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