We were not created for our own liberty, happiness, or fulfillment.
We were not created to find our own way and to discover our own joy.
We were not designed to define what our needs are and to give our lives to meet them.
We were not made to treat the world like and endless buffet of delights for our consumption.
We were made for God, made to live for His glory, and made to find the fullest expression of our humanity in loving, worshipful community with Him.
(Quote from Paul David Tripp in his book "Forever".)
Friday, March 23, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
I Want to Fly, Not Crawl!
Excerpt taken from Francis Chan's "Forgotten God":
Years ago, when a random thought came into my head, I decided to share it with my wife. "Have you ever wondered what caterpillars think about?" I asked.
Not surprisingly, she said, "No."
Then I proceeded to tell her about the confusion I imagined a caterpillar must experience. For all its caterpillar life, it crawls around a small patch of dirt and up and down a few plants. Then one day it takes a nap. A long nap. And then, what in the world must go through its head when it wakes up to discover it can FLY? What happened to its dirty, plump little worm body? What does it think when it sees its tiny new body and gorgeous wings?
As believers, we ought to experience the same kind of astonishment when the Holy Spirit enters our bodies. We should be stunned in disbelief over becoming a "new creation" with the Spirit living in us. As the caterpillar finds its new ability to fly, we should be thrilled over our Spirit-empowered ability to live differently and faithfully. Isn't this what the Scriptures speak of? Isn't this what we've all been longing for?
It really is an astounding truth that the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. He lives in me. I do not know what the Spirit will do or where He'll lead me each time I invite Him to guide me. But I am tired of living in a way that looks exactly like people who do not have the Holy Spirit of God living in them. I want to be different today from what I was yesterday as the fruit of the Spirit becomes more manifest in me.
I want to live so that I am truly submitted to the Spirit's leading on a daily basis. Christ said it is better for us that the Spirit came, and I want to live like I know that is true. I don't want to keep crawling when I have the ability to fly.
Years ago, when a random thought came into my head, I decided to share it with my wife. "Have you ever wondered what caterpillars think about?" I asked.
Not surprisingly, she said, "No."
Then I proceeded to tell her about the confusion I imagined a caterpillar must experience. For all its caterpillar life, it crawls around a small patch of dirt and up and down a few plants. Then one day it takes a nap. A long nap. And then, what in the world must go through its head when it wakes up to discover it can FLY? What happened to its dirty, plump little worm body? What does it think when it sees its tiny new body and gorgeous wings?
As believers, we ought to experience the same kind of astonishment when the Holy Spirit enters our bodies. We should be stunned in disbelief over becoming a "new creation" with the Spirit living in us. As the caterpillar finds its new ability to fly, we should be thrilled over our Spirit-empowered ability to live differently and faithfully. Isn't this what the Scriptures speak of? Isn't this what we've all been longing for?
It really is an astounding truth that the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. He lives in me. I do not know what the Spirit will do or where He'll lead me each time I invite Him to guide me. But I am tired of living in a way that looks exactly like people who do not have the Holy Spirit of God living in them. I want to be different today from what I was yesterday as the fruit of the Spirit becomes more manifest in me.
I want to live so that I am truly submitted to the Spirit's leading on a daily basis. Christ said it is better for us that the Spirit came, and I want to live like I know that is true. I don't want to keep crawling when I have the ability to fly.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
My Portion Forever
My Portion Forever
by Matt Papa
Psalm 73:25-26, Isaiah 40:8
This world will surely pass away
But You remain, You remain
Riches will fade
Names will be forgotten
Bread of life, only You satisfy
I put my hope in You
YOU ARE ALL I NEED
MY PORTION FOREVER
THE STRENGTH OF MY HEART AND MY LIFE
MY SUFFICIENCY
IN YOU I TAKE REFUGE
YOU'RE MY ALL WHEN ALL IS GONE
Whom have I in heaven or earth?
Only You Lord, only You
My flesh and heart may fail
But never my Redeemer
The grass withers, the flowers fall
But Your promises are sure
The best of earth could not compare
To You my Savior You are my treasure
This world is not my home
I will trust in You alone
by Matt Papa
Psalm 73:25-26, Isaiah 40:8
This world will surely pass away
But You remain, You remain
Riches will fade
Names will be forgotten
Bread of life, only You satisfy
I put my hope in You
YOU ARE ALL I NEED
MY PORTION FOREVER
THE STRENGTH OF MY HEART AND MY LIFE
MY SUFFICIENCY
IN YOU I TAKE REFUGE
YOU'RE MY ALL WHEN ALL IS GONE
Whom have I in heaven or earth?
Only You Lord, only You
My flesh and heart may fail
But never my Redeemer
The grass withers, the flowers fall
But Your promises are sure
The best of earth could not compare
To You my Savior You are my treasure
This world is not my home
I will trust in You alone
Sunday, March 11, 2012
That I may know Him
This is a repost of one of my posts awhile back. I was reminded of it and really wanted to share it again because of how true it is and how I want this to always be my heart’s desire and the desire of others. I hope you’re blessed by this and filled with an even greater desire to know Him more!
"Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:25-26
I begin with these particular verses on a post about knowing God because how can we really truly pursue a knowledge of our Lord without a desire for Him? He puts this desire in our hearts and will fulfill that desire as we seek Him and draw near to Him finding our fulfillment and satisfaction in Him alone. Probably the most popular quoted John Piper line would be, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."
I hope that as I share on my blog what the Lord has laid on my heart personally, that it will also bless those who read it and encourage you to really desire Him more and to really treasure Him and count everything as loss compared to knowing Him.
A line from another one of my favorite songs came to mind just now as typing this:
"Knowing You Jesus, knowing You. There is no greater thing."
The Lord is really shaping my heart to make this statement true in my own life. I pray that He will do the same in yours because there is truly nothing better in life...absolutely nothing.
"We cannot know Him unless He speaks and tells us about Himself. But in fact He has spoken. He has spoken to and through His prophets and apostles, and He has spoken in the words and deeds of His Son. Through this revelation, which is made available to us in holy Scripture, we may form a true notion of God; without it we never can." J.I. Packer
This is our only source. We must study our Bibles and meditate upon Scripture.
"People who know their God are before anything else people who pray." J.I. Packer
"What were we made for? To know God.
What aim should we set ourselves in life? To know God.
What is the "eternal life" that Jesus gives? Knowledge of God.("This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." John 17:3)
What is the best thing in life, bringing more joy, delight and contentment than anything else? Knowledge of God.
("Thus says the LORD, 'Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,' declares the LORD." Jeremiah 9:23,24)" -Packer
“Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord;
his going out is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers,
as the spring rains that water the earth.”
Hosea 6:3
Knowing God...really knowing God...It's more than knowing about Him.
"Taste and see that the LORD is good." Psalm 34:8a
You cannot know the real quality of something until you have tasted it!
And I have learned from experience that this world has nothing to offer.
Once you get even a small taste of the LORD, nothing else will ever satisfy. You will only want more of Him.
Philippians 3:7-10
"But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith- that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death."
OH THAT I WOULD KNOW HIM!
This is one of my favorite songs by casting crowns that fits this post just perfectly. Think about how true the words of this song are and ask God to make them true to your heart.
To know Him is to want to know Him more!!!
"To Know You"
By Casting Crowns
To know You is to never worry for my life
To know You is to never give into compromise and
To know You is to want to tell the world about You
‘Cause I can’t live without You
To know You is to hear Your voice when You are calling
To know You is to catch my brother when he is falling
To know You is to feel the pain of the brokenhearted
‘Cause they can’t live without You
More than my next breath
More than life or death
All I’m reaching for, I live my life to know You more
I leave it all behind, You’re all that satisfies
To know You is to want to know You more
To know You is to want to know You more
To know You is to ache for more than ordinary
To know You is to look beyond the temporary
To know You is believing that You’ll be enough
‘Cause there’s no life without You
All this life could offer me
Could not compare to You, compare to You
And I count it all as loss
Compared to knowing You, knowing You
All this life could offer me
Could not compare to You, compare to You
And I count it all as loss
Compared to knowing You, knowing You
And I count it all as loss
Compared to knowing You, knowing You
I want to include the words of another song that I love to play on my guitar. This also speaks of desire to know Him!
ONE PURE AND HOLY PASSION
Give me one pure and holy passion
Give me one magnificent obsession
Give me one glorious ambition for my life
To know and follow hard after you
To know and follow hard after you
To grow as your disciple in the truth
This world is empty, pale, and poor
Compared to knowing you my Lord
Lead me on and I will run after you
"O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" (Psalm 34:8)
I realize that knowing Him can only happen by spending time with Him and reading His Word and praying for help from the Holy Spirit to interpret His holy Word and draw me to Himself.
We need Him to help us know Him!
There is nothing better in this life than to know Him!
"Oh Lord, that I may know YOU..."
"Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:25-26
I begin with these particular verses on a post about knowing God because how can we really truly pursue a knowledge of our Lord without a desire for Him? He puts this desire in our hearts and will fulfill that desire as we seek Him and draw near to Him finding our fulfillment and satisfaction in Him alone. Probably the most popular quoted John Piper line would be, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."
I hope that as I share on my blog what the Lord has laid on my heart personally, that it will also bless those who read it and encourage you to really desire Him more and to really treasure Him and count everything as loss compared to knowing Him.
A line from another one of my favorite songs came to mind just now as typing this:
"Knowing You Jesus, knowing You. There is no greater thing."
The Lord is really shaping my heart to make this statement true in my own life. I pray that He will do the same in yours because there is truly nothing better in life...absolutely nothing.
"We cannot know Him unless He speaks and tells us about Himself. But in fact He has spoken. He has spoken to and through His prophets and apostles, and He has spoken in the words and deeds of His Son. Through this revelation, which is made available to us in holy Scripture, we may form a true notion of God; without it we never can." J.I. Packer
This is our only source. We must study our Bibles and meditate upon Scripture.
"People who know their God are before anything else people who pray." J.I. Packer
"What were we made for? To know God.
What aim should we set ourselves in life? To know God.
What is the "eternal life" that Jesus gives? Knowledge of God.("This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." John 17:3)
What is the best thing in life, bringing more joy, delight and contentment than anything else? Knowledge of God.
("Thus says the LORD, 'Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,' declares the LORD." Jeremiah 9:23,24)" -Packer
“Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord;
his going out is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers,
as the spring rains that water the earth.”
Hosea 6:3
Knowing God...really knowing God...It's more than knowing about Him.
"Taste and see that the LORD is good." Psalm 34:8a
You cannot know the real quality of something until you have tasted it!
And I have learned from experience that this world has nothing to offer.
Once you get even a small taste of the LORD, nothing else will ever satisfy. You will only want more of Him.
Philippians 3:7-10
"But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith- that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death."
OH THAT I WOULD KNOW HIM!
This is one of my favorite songs by casting crowns that fits this post just perfectly. Think about how true the words of this song are and ask God to make them true to your heart.
To know Him is to want to know Him more!!!
"To Know You"
By Casting Crowns
To know You is to never worry for my life
To know You is to never give into compromise and
To know You is to want to tell the world about You
‘Cause I can’t live without You
To know You is to hear Your voice when You are calling
To know You is to catch my brother when he is falling
To know You is to feel the pain of the brokenhearted
‘Cause they can’t live without You
More than my next breath
More than life or death
All I’m reaching for, I live my life to know You more
I leave it all behind, You’re all that satisfies
To know You is to want to know You more
To know You is to want to know You more
To know You is to ache for more than ordinary
To know You is to look beyond the temporary
To know You is believing that You’ll be enough
‘Cause there’s no life without You
All this life could offer me
Could not compare to You, compare to You
And I count it all as loss
Compared to knowing You, knowing You
All this life could offer me
Could not compare to You, compare to You
And I count it all as loss
Compared to knowing You, knowing You
And I count it all as loss
Compared to knowing You, knowing You
I want to include the words of another song that I love to play on my guitar. This also speaks of desire to know Him!
ONE PURE AND HOLY PASSION
Give me one pure and holy passion
Give me one magnificent obsession
Give me one glorious ambition for my life
To know and follow hard after you
To know and follow hard after you
To grow as your disciple in the truth
This world is empty, pale, and poor
Compared to knowing you my Lord
Lead me on and I will run after you
"O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" (Psalm 34:8)
I realize that knowing Him can only happen by spending time with Him and reading His Word and praying for help from the Holy Spirit to interpret His holy Word and draw me to Himself.
We need Him to help us know Him!
There is nothing better in this life than to know Him!
"Oh Lord, that I may know YOU..."
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