This is a repost from several Christmases ago, but It's definitely worth sharing again!
Another word to you all from my book "Knowing God." I actually read this chapter
about God incarnate(in human form) a couple months ago. But it is something that
I went back and reread because it has everything to do with the Christmas season
for this is what Christmas is all about.
It is all too easy for us to get
wrapped up in the world's definition of Christmas when we are surrounded by it
every day everywhere we go. Let's take the time to meditate on our Savior and
the reason why we even have Christmas and why we as Christians may have true
"joy" in our hearts as we celebrate the birth of our Lord. May we be reminded of
what it meant for Him to come to earth to die, and let's pray that the Lord will
use us to share this hope with others who are in need of salvation.
Merry
CHRISTmas!
~
"The Word became flesh." (Jn 1:14) God became man.
The
Christmas message rests on the staggering fact that the child in the manger was-
GOD.
The baby born at Bethlehem was God made man. The Word had become
flesh: a real human baby. He had not ceased to be God; He was no less God than
before; but He had begun to be man. He was not now God MINUS some elements of
His deity, but God PLUS all that He had made His own by taking manhood to
Himself.
ALL THIS WAS FOR OUR SALVATION!
He became poor. We see now
what it meant for the Son of God to empty Himself and become poor. It meant
laying aside of glory. It meant love to the uttermost for unlovely human beings,
that they through His poverty might become rich.
The Christmas message is
that there is hope for a ruined humanity- hope of pardon, hope of peace with
God, hope of glory- because at the Father's will Jesus Christ became poor and
was born in a stable so that thirty years later He might hang on a cross. It is the most wonderful message that the world has
ever heard, or will hear.
We talk glibly of the "Christmas
spirit," rarely meaning more by this than sentimental jollity on a family basis.
But what we have said makes it clear that the phrase should carry a tremendous
weight of meaning. It ought to mean the reproducing in human lives of the temper
of Him who for our sake became poor at the first Christmas. And the Christmas
spirit itself ought to be the mark of every Christian all the year
round.
The Christmas spirit is the spirit of those who, like their
Master, live their whole lives on the principle of making themselves poor-
spending and being spent- to enrich their fellow humans, giving time, trouble,
care and concern, to do good to others- and not just their own friends- in
whatever way there seems need.
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you
through His poverty might become rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9
"Have this
attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Still You Love Me
STILL YOU LOVE ME by Aaron Shust
I've never felt so undeserving
Than when You called out for me
I've never been more unworthy
When You reached down for me
I'm lifting hands, stained and dirty
To touch my Savior's face
And I know now, I am touching grace
You see everything I do
But still You love me
You hear everything that I say
But still You want me
You know all my darkest secrets
That I try so hard to hide
You know everything I am
But still You love me, still You love me
Amazing love, how can it be
That You would die for me
Amazing grace, oh, the mystery
My blinded eyes now see
When I fall, when I stumble
I struggle to my feet
Just to find grace is lifting me
You see everything I do
But still You love me
You hear everything that I say
But still You want me
You know all my darkest secrets
That I try so hard to hide
You know everything I am
But still You love me
There's nothing I can say
To make You turn away
There's nowhere I can go
You're never far away
You see everything I do
But still You love me
You hear everything I say
But still You want me
You know all my darkest secrets
That I try so hard to hide
You know everything I am
But still You love me, still You love me
Still You love me
--------------------------------
I've never felt so undeserving
Than when You called out for me
I've never been more unworthy
When You reached down for me
I'm lifting hands, stained and dirty
To touch my Savior's face
And I know now, I am touching grace
You see everything I do
But still You love me
You hear everything that I say
But still You want me
You know all my darkest secrets
That I try so hard to hide
You know everything I am
But still You love me, still You love me
Amazing love, how can it be
That You would die for me
Amazing grace, oh, the mystery
My blinded eyes now see
When I fall, when I stumble
I struggle to my feet
Just to find grace is lifting me
You see everything I do
But still You love me
You hear everything that I say
But still You want me
You know all my darkest secrets
That I try so hard to hide
You know everything I am
But still You love me
There's nothing I can say
To make You turn away
There's nowhere I can go
You're never far away
You see everything I do
But still You love me
You hear everything I say
But still You want me
You know all my darkest secrets
That I try so hard to hide
You know everything I am
But still You love me, still You love me
Still You love me
--------------------------------
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Where Do You Place Your Hope?
[I have typed up an excerpt from Paul David Tripp's book "Forever" out of the chapter, "Hope Can't Live Without Forever." I hope as I share this, that it will be challenging to you as it was to me when I read it. Also, I highly recommend this particular book. It is one of the most influential/life-changing books that I have ever read...and I read a lot of books!]
If you are God's child, you can have hope in the middle of all the tough things you face, not only because in all of those moments God is with you, but also because the cross of Jesus guarantees you that all that is broken will be made new forever. You can live today knowing that you have a future that is beyond the boundaries of your wildest imagination. If you are God's child, you have hope because God is hope, and you have a hope that will last forever because He has defeated the one thing that will stand between you and forever: death.
Sadly, many of us who by God's grace have been given hope don't live as if we have it. We look for hope where hope can't be found. We place our hope in things that can never deliver. We live hopelessly because we fail to live with forever in view. We live for the next vacation, the next thrilling experience, the next stunning achievement. We put our hope in the hands of flawed and finite people, burdening our relationships with expectations that they can never deliver. We ask inanimate objects to give us reason to get up in the morning, but they never can.
Sure, the things in which we put our hope give us a temporary buzz and a temporary rest, but reality always hits. These things all disappoint us in the end. No matter how wonderful the situations in our life are, no matter how beautiful our possessions are, no matter how exciting our experiences are, no matter how fulfilling our accomplishments are, and no matter how loving the people in our lives are, they will only satisfy us temporarily. They simply cannot carry our hope. How different would your life and mine be if we remembered that everything that exists in the created world is meant to be a finger pointing us to the only place where hope can be found?
If you are God's child, you can have hope in the middle of all the tough things you face, not only because in all of those moments God is with you, but also because the cross of Jesus guarantees you that all that is broken will be made new forever. You can live today knowing that you have a future that is beyond the boundaries of your wildest imagination. If you are God's child, you have hope because God is hope, and you have a hope that will last forever because He has defeated the one thing that will stand between you and forever: death.
Sadly, many of us who by God's grace have been given hope don't live as if we have it. We look for hope where hope can't be found. We place our hope in things that can never deliver. We live hopelessly because we fail to live with forever in view. We live for the next vacation, the next thrilling experience, the next stunning achievement. We put our hope in the hands of flawed and finite people, burdening our relationships with expectations that they can never deliver. We ask inanimate objects to give us reason to get up in the morning, but they never can.
Sure, the things in which we put our hope give us a temporary buzz and a temporary rest, but reality always hits. These things all disappoint us in the end. No matter how wonderful the situations in our life are, no matter how beautiful our possessions are, no matter how exciting our experiences are, no matter how fulfilling our accomplishments are, and no matter how loving the people in our lives are, they will only satisfy us temporarily. They simply cannot carry our hope. How different would your life and mine be if we remembered that everything that exists in the created world is meant to be a finger pointing us to the only place where hope can be found?
John Waller- Because God Is Good
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
He is Good & Does Good
"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains." -C.S. Lewis
"Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.
Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.
You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.
It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.
I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction." (From Psalm 119)
"Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.
Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.
You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.
It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.
I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction." (From Psalm 119)
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Peace
In Acceptance Lieth Peace
by Amy Carmichael
He said, “I will forget the dying faces;
The empty places,
They shall be filled again.
O voices moaning deep within me, cease.”
But vain the word; vain, vain:
Not in forgetting lieth peace.
He said, “I will crowd action upon action,
The strife of faction
Shall stir me and sustain;
O tears that drown the fire of manhood, cease.”
But vain the word; vain, vain:
Not in endeavor lieth peace.
He said, “I will withdraw me and be quiet,
Why meddle in life’s riot?
Shut be my door to pain.
Desire, thou dost befool me, thou shalt cease.”
But vain the word; vain, vain:
Not in aloofness lieth peace.
He said, “I will submit; I am defeated.
God hath depleated
My life of its rich gain.
O futile murmurings, why will ye not cease?”
But vain the word; vain, vain:
Not in submission lieth peace.
He said, “I will accept the breaking sorrow
Which God tomorrow
Will to His son explain.”
Then did the turmoil deep within him cease.
Not vain the word, not vain;
For in acceptance lieth peace.
"Whatever your circumstances, and however difficult they may be, the truth is that they are ordained by God for you as part of His overall plan for your life. God does nothing, or allows nothing, without a purpose. And His purposes, however mysterious and inscrutable they may be to us, are always for His glory and our ultimate good." -Jerry Bridges
by Amy Carmichael
He said, “I will forget the dying faces;
The empty places,
They shall be filled again.
O voices moaning deep within me, cease.”
But vain the word; vain, vain:
Not in forgetting lieth peace.
He said, “I will crowd action upon action,
The strife of faction
Shall stir me and sustain;
O tears that drown the fire of manhood, cease.”
But vain the word; vain, vain:
Not in endeavor lieth peace.
He said, “I will withdraw me and be quiet,
Why meddle in life’s riot?
Shut be my door to pain.
Desire, thou dost befool me, thou shalt cease.”
But vain the word; vain, vain:
Not in aloofness lieth peace.
He said, “I will submit; I am defeated.
God hath depleated
My life of its rich gain.
O futile murmurings, why will ye not cease?”
But vain the word; vain, vain:
Not in submission lieth peace.
He said, “I will accept the breaking sorrow
Which God tomorrow
Will to His son explain.”
Then did the turmoil deep within him cease.
Not vain the word, not vain;
For in acceptance lieth peace.
"Whatever your circumstances, and however difficult they may be, the truth is that they are ordained by God for you as part of His overall plan for your life. God does nothing, or allows nothing, without a purpose. And His purposes, however mysterious and inscrutable they may be to us, are always for His glory and our ultimate good." -Jerry Bridges
Lord, I am willing to-
Receive what You give,
Lack what You withold,
Relinquish what You take.
Receive what You give,
Lack what You withold,
Relinquish what You take.
His Directions WILL Lead our Steps to Himself!
In
my previous post, I asked some specific questions. In this particular
post, I am hoping to explain how the Lord has answered these questions for
me.
So to start, let's be reminded of my questions:
What am I doing with my life?
Is it what I'm supposed to be doing?
Am I where I want to be?
Or better yet, am I where God wants me to be?
Okay, now I want to look again at the verses that the Lord directed me to as I was struggling with these questions just a couple of months ago.
"The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps." Proverbs 16:9
"I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps." Jeremiah 10:23
From experience, I know that when we become impatient with waiting on the Lord we can fall into the trap of worshiping other things- clinging to worthless idols in our lives that may temporarily make us feel happy in life but ultimately leave us feeling empty and only wanting more.
There is much to be learned in the "waiting" periods, and they are just as important to us in our walk with the Lord as other times in our lives. If we can trust God and serve Him in the "mundane" things and waiting rooms in life, we will be much more prepared and likely to be trusting Him elsewhere. (And I might add that waiting isn't doing nothing. Waiting patiently is really a beautiful way of displaying your trust in the Lord. He gives us so many verses in Scripture that admonish us to wait on Him!)
Anyway, these are some of the things I've been learning over the past weeks/months, and I've come to realize that I am currently exactly where God wants me to be for the time being. How has He shown me this? How do I know? How can I be so certain? Well, the Holy Spirit has a way of giving that peace of God that surpasses all understanding when we are offering up our requests to God with thanksgiving rather than being anxious and worried about what is going to happen next in life.(Phil. 4:6,7)
I am hopeful that my feeble attempts to explain some of the recent Spiritual growth spurts in my own life will be an encouragement to others who might read this.
I've read in one of my many books that the best way to know God's will for your life is to know God. How do we know Him? We spend time with Him really reading and meditating upon His Word and spending quality time in prayer and in quiet communion with Him.
For me this meant temporarily abstaining from some things in my life to silence some of the noise- to clean out some of the clutter- to basically not be involved in or have access to some specific things that were a distraction to me. I found it to be very refreshing and very eye-opening to the fact that 1)I CAN live without them and 2)I can live BETTER without them or at least without so much of them in my life consuming my time and attention.
Try it...if you take something out of your life for a short period of time, you will find out how much it controls you by your response to not having it! Many of the things that occupy our time are not even necessary in life. I am reminded of the story of Mary and Martha in Luke chapter 10 where Jesus responds to Martha's complaints about her sister saying, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." Did you catch that?? He says, "One thing is necessary." We have to realize that the one thing is Himself. The only thing necessary in life is Jesus. He is all we need! (Colossians 3:11- ..but Christ is all, and in all.)
So anyway, all that to say that I am thankful that God is patient and loving. I am so grateful that He is good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon Him (Psalm 68:5).
He has a beautiful way of teaching us the things that He wants us to learn about Himself and about our own selves. He is committed to molding us and shaping us to be more like our Savior, and in that I find much peace especially in my moments of failure(which are all too often...). I am constantly reminded of my need for Him.
I want to close in saying that no matter what you're struggling with, God is there for you and will help you if you only ask Him. I love Psalm 62:5-8 which says, "For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah"
In Jeremiah 33:3 He tells us, "Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known."
I can promise that you won't regret it if you cut out some of the "clutter" and noise in your life to seek the Lord instead. He just might direct your steps more than ever before, and I trust you'll find out that His direction is never wrong. His directions will lead you to Himself and believe me(BELIEVE HIS WORD), there is no better place to be. Call to Him! Trust in Him! Pour out your heart before Him! He is all that matters in this life. He is everything to hope for now and in the life to come.
"How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God." Psalm 84:1,2
"One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple." Psalm 27:4
"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. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works." Psalm 73:25-26,28
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Oh Lord, Direct My Steps...
"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9
"I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps." Jeremiah 10:23
What am I doing with my life? Is it what I'm supposed to be doing? Am I where I want to be? Or better yet, am I where God wants me to be?
I must say that I go through many moments of feeling discontent because of where I'm at. In these moments, I consider all the options of what else I could possibly do that might make me happy and feel more fulfilled. My mind starts to imagine all sorts of crazy things that might be where I am SUPPOSED to be. I wish I could say that I immediately run to God and ask HIM for direction, but I can't. Instead, I must admit that I tend to run in every other direction BUT to Him. I run to my friends for advice, I look at what other people are doing with their lives and wonder if that's what I should do, I hide behind facebook, music, movies, food, etc...And then I end up miserable because all of that running has gotten me nowhere but more discontent and more unsatisfied and even farther away from the One who can and will give me the comfort and answers that I am looking for.
Why do we feel like we need to take matters into our own hands and try to control things? Why do we become so impatient while waiting on the Lord for whatever it is that He has asked us to wait for?
As I am writing this, my little sister sent me a video of her precious baby. Madison was happy at the moment of pressing the record button, but she soon breaks out into tears and a little baby cry. I replied to Bethany and said it made me want to cry too...Bethany said, "Aww! It's even worse when you see the tears in her eyes. :-("...My response was, "I wonder if God feels that way with us..."
He loves us, and wants what's best for us! All He asks is for us to trust Him...to have faith and believe in what He has promised. Why then do we feel like we have to make our own plans sometimes even before seeking what He is telling us to do? Why don't we let Him take control? Get THIS: He is in control anyway whether we LET Him be or not. The only thing we control is our response to what He places in our path each day.
He is there. He is for us. He is working all things out for our good. We can trust Him to direct our steps.
Oh Lord, direct my steps...Not my will, but Yours.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
"I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps." Jeremiah 10:23
What am I doing with my life? Is it what I'm supposed to be doing? Am I where I want to be? Or better yet, am I where God wants me to be?
I must say that I go through many moments of feeling discontent because of where I'm at. In these moments, I consider all the options of what else I could possibly do that might make me happy and feel more fulfilled. My mind starts to imagine all sorts of crazy things that might be where I am SUPPOSED to be. I wish I could say that I immediately run to God and ask HIM for direction, but I can't. Instead, I must admit that I tend to run in every other direction BUT to Him. I run to my friends for advice, I look at what other people are doing with their lives and wonder if that's what I should do, I hide behind facebook, music, movies, food, etc...And then I end up miserable because all of that running has gotten me nowhere but more discontent and more unsatisfied and even farther away from the One who can and will give me the comfort and answers that I am looking for.
Why do we feel like we need to take matters into our own hands and try to control things? Why do we become so impatient while waiting on the Lord for whatever it is that He has asked us to wait for?
As I am writing this, my little sister sent me a video of her precious baby. Madison was happy at the moment of pressing the record button, but she soon breaks out into tears and a little baby cry. I replied to Bethany and said it made me want to cry too...Bethany said, "Aww! It's even worse when you see the tears in her eyes. :-("...My response was, "I wonder if God feels that way with us..."
He loves us, and wants what's best for us! All He asks is for us to trust Him...to have faith and believe in what He has promised. Why then do we feel like we have to make our own plans sometimes even before seeking what He is telling us to do? Why don't we let Him take control? Get THIS: He is in control anyway whether we LET Him be or not. The only thing we control is our response to what He places in our path each day.
He is there. He is for us. He is working all things out for our good. We can trust Him to direct our steps.
Oh Lord, direct my steps...Not my will, but Yours.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
YOU Are Loved
No matter what has happened or what will happen,
God's response to you is the same.
You are His.
You are loved.
You are accepted.
You will never lose value in God's eyes.
Taken from Elyse M. Fitzpatrick's book, "Comforts From The Cross"
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the
rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you
shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give
Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
Because you are precious in My eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give
men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life...Fear not, for I am with you...everyone who is called by My name, whom I created for My glory, whom I formed and made." -Isaiah 43
Monday, June 25, 2012
What Is Happy Living?
Is it not a sad proof of the alienation of our nature that though God is
everywhere we have to school ourselves to perceive him anywhere? His
are the beauties of nature, his the sunshine which is bringing on the
harvest, his the waving grain which cheers the husbandman, his the
perfume which loads the air from multitudes of flowers, his the insects
which glitter around us like living gems; and yet the Creator and
Sustainer of all these is far too little perceived. Everything in the
temple of nature speaks of his glory, but our ears are dull of hearing.
Everything, from the
dewdrop to the ocean, reflects the Deity, and yet we largely fail to see
the eternal brightness.
I beseech you, my brethren, to pray that you may have this text wrought into your very souls: “I have set the Lord always before me.” Refuse to see anything without seeing God in it. Regard the creatures as the mirror of the great Creator. Do not imagine that you have understood his works till you have felt the presence of the great worker himself. Do not reckon that you know anything till you know that of God which lies within it, for that is the kernel which it contains. Wake in the morning and recognize God in your chamber, for his goodness has drawn back the curtain of the night and taken from your eyelids the seal of sleep: put on your garments and perceive the divine care which provides you with raiment from the herb of the field and the sheep of the fold. Go to the breakfast room and bless the God whose bounty has again provided for you a table in the wilderness: go out to business and feel God with you in all the engagements of the day: perpetually remember that you are dwelling in his house when you are toiling for your bread or engaged in merchandise. At length, after a well-spent day, go back to your family and see the Lord in each one of the members of it; own his goodness in preserving life and health; look for his presence at the family altar, making the house to be a very palace wherein king’s children dwell. At last, fall asleep at night as in the embraces of your God or on your Savior’s breast.
This is happy living. The worldling forgets God, the sinner dishonors him, the atheist denies him, but the Christian lives in him. “In him we live and move and have our being; we are also his offspring.” Visible things we look upon as shadows; the things which we touch and taste and handle perish in the using; the elements of this solid earth shall dissolve with fervent heat, but the ever-present God whom we cannot see is the same, and of his years there is no end, and his existence is the only real and true and eternal one to us. He has been our dwelling-place in all generations, and it were evil indeed not to know our own eternal home. This is a main ingredient in the oil of joy, — to realize always that the Lord is round about us “as the mountains are round about Jerusalem, from henceforth even for evermore.”
From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "The Secret Of A Happy Life," delivered July 16, 1876.
I beseech you, my brethren, to pray that you may have this text wrought into your very souls: “I have set the Lord always before me.” Refuse to see anything without seeing God in it. Regard the creatures as the mirror of the great Creator. Do not imagine that you have understood his works till you have felt the presence of the great worker himself. Do not reckon that you know anything till you know that of God which lies within it, for that is the kernel which it contains. Wake in the morning and recognize God in your chamber, for his goodness has drawn back the curtain of the night and taken from your eyelids the seal of sleep: put on your garments and perceive the divine care which provides you with raiment from the herb of the field and the sheep of the fold. Go to the breakfast room and bless the God whose bounty has again provided for you a table in the wilderness: go out to business and feel God with you in all the engagements of the day: perpetually remember that you are dwelling in his house when you are toiling for your bread or engaged in merchandise. At length, after a well-spent day, go back to your family and see the Lord in each one of the members of it; own his goodness in preserving life and health; look for his presence at the family altar, making the house to be a very palace wherein king’s children dwell. At last, fall asleep at night as in the embraces of your God or on your Savior’s breast.
This is happy living. The worldling forgets God, the sinner dishonors him, the atheist denies him, but the Christian lives in him. “In him we live and move and have our being; we are also his offspring.” Visible things we look upon as shadows; the things which we touch and taste and handle perish in the using; the elements of this solid earth shall dissolve with fervent heat, but the ever-present God whom we cannot see is the same, and of his years there is no end, and his existence is the only real and true and eternal one to us. He has been our dwelling-place in all generations, and it were evil indeed not to know our own eternal home. This is a main ingredient in the oil of joy, — to realize always that the Lord is round about us “as the mountains are round about Jerusalem, from henceforth even for evermore.”
From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "The Secret Of A Happy Life," delivered July 16, 1876.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Only He is Enough
"Who I am and what I have just doesn't seem like enough."
Have you ever made such a statement? Maybe you haven't actually come right out and said it, but you have felt it inside and thought it? I know that I sure have. There are many moments in my life when I feel like I am not good enough and not doing enough and don't have enough. I might think, "If I could just be _____ I would be happy," or, "If I just had ______ I would finally be content." We can fill in those blanks with anything and everything, can't we? Did you know that whatever you fill those spaces with is what you worship? That means that, if it's not the Lord, it is an idol in your life. Did you also know that those things will never complete you or fulfill you, but they will only leave you wanting more?
Whatever it is that you think is going to make you happy is what you'll put all of your time and energy into. You will spend your life searching for whatever it is that you believe you need to be fulfilled.
We talked about this in Sunday school today as we taught the kids about Solomon and how his heart was turned away from God by the many wives that he had and by their gods. We were created to worship, and if it's not God that we're worshiping, we will find something else to worship. Everything else will disappoint us though, and we won't receive God's best for us because we aren't seeking Him. HE is His best for us. This is why He tells us in Matthew 22 that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Only through Him will we discover true and lasting contentment. We will never find fulfillment or satisfaction in life until we turn to Him.
God has given us desires for a reason. Those desires may not be bad in and of themselves, but they are bad if we're looking to those desires to fulfill us. God gives us these desires to lead us to Christ, the only One who can actually fulfill them.
"At the center of every idol we worship is an underlying God-given appetite. The problem comes when we turn to something other than God to fulfill it." -Pete Wilson
All the things that God blesses us with are to bring us back to Him! He is the real gift, the real prize, the real reward! We aren't meant to worship the gifts but the Giver of the gifts. And if He isn't giving us what we think we want it's likely because it's not what we need or what He wants for us. God knows what's best for us and can give to us what none of these earthly things could ever offer to us.
Are you trusting in something or someone to give you what only God can give? I know that I certainly have done this, and God is reminding me that He's already all that I need(check out the Christy Nockels song in my post prior to this one). He is reminding me that I need to experience Him daily in order to keep Him first in my life. If I'm not spending time in the Word and in prayer daily I am so quick to fall away and leave the God I love for things of this world that are constantly calling out to me and promising to make me happy. If I'm not living close to the truth, it's easy for the truth to be blurred and for other things to look good when really they aren't. When I am spending time with my Savior and remember His death on the cross and His love for me and grace in my life and forgiveness of my filth, everything else is meaningless compared to Him.
We've got to be in the Word daily!! We need it! Just like we need food to nourish and strengthen our physical bodies, we need our Spiritual food to nourish and strengthen us Spiritually so we are prepared to wage war against the world, the flesh, and the devil.
So what is it that you think you need in order to be happy? If it's not God, then pray that He would change your heart to desire Him. Get your face in His Word. He is what you need and what your soul longs for. Stop searching for happiness elsewhere and find it in Christ. He will never let you down or leave you feeling empty. He is all you need- all I need. He is more than enough.
"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
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
Have you ever made such a statement? Maybe you haven't actually come right out and said it, but you have felt it inside and thought it? I know that I sure have. There are many moments in my life when I feel like I am not good enough and not doing enough and don't have enough. I might think, "If I could just be _____ I would be happy," or, "If I just had ______ I would finally be content." We can fill in those blanks with anything and everything, can't we? Did you know that whatever you fill those spaces with is what you worship? That means that, if it's not the Lord, it is an idol in your life. Did you also know that those things will never complete you or fulfill you, but they will only leave you wanting more?
Whatever it is that you think is going to make you happy is what you'll put all of your time and energy into. You will spend your life searching for whatever it is that you believe you need to be fulfilled.
We talked about this in Sunday school today as we taught the kids about Solomon and how his heart was turned away from God by the many wives that he had and by their gods. We were created to worship, and if it's not God that we're worshiping, we will find something else to worship. Everything else will disappoint us though, and we won't receive God's best for us because we aren't seeking Him. HE is His best for us. This is why He tells us in Matthew 22 that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Only through Him will we discover true and lasting contentment. We will never find fulfillment or satisfaction in life until we turn to Him.
God has given us desires for a reason. Those desires may not be bad in and of themselves, but they are bad if we're looking to those desires to fulfill us. God gives us these desires to lead us to Christ, the only One who can actually fulfill them.
"At the center of every idol we worship is an underlying God-given appetite. The problem comes when we turn to something other than God to fulfill it." -Pete Wilson
All the things that God blesses us with are to bring us back to Him! He is the real gift, the real prize, the real reward! We aren't meant to worship the gifts but the Giver of the gifts. And if He isn't giving us what we think we want it's likely because it's not what we need or what He wants for us. God knows what's best for us and can give to us what none of these earthly things could ever offer to us.
Are you trusting in something or someone to give you what only God can give? I know that I certainly have done this, and God is reminding me that He's already all that I need(check out the Christy Nockels song in my post prior to this one). He is reminding me that I need to experience Him daily in order to keep Him first in my life. If I'm not spending time in the Word and in prayer daily I am so quick to fall away and leave the God I love for things of this world that are constantly calling out to me and promising to make me happy. If I'm not living close to the truth, it's easy for the truth to be blurred and for other things to look good when really they aren't. When I am spending time with my Savior and remember His death on the cross and His love for me and grace in my life and forgiveness of my filth, everything else is meaningless compared to Him.
We've got to be in the Word daily!! We need it! Just like we need food to nourish and strengthen our physical bodies, we need our Spiritual food to nourish and strengthen us Spiritually so we are prepared to wage war against the world, the flesh, and the devil.
So what is it that you think you need in order to be happy? If it's not God, then pray that He would change your heart to desire Him. Get your face in His Word. He is what you need and what your soul longs for. Stop searching for happiness elsewhere and find it in Christ. He will never let you down or leave you feeling empty. He is all you need- all I need. He is more than enough.
"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
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Already All I Need
Already All I Need
by Christy Nockels
Asking where You are, Lord,
wondering where You've been
is like standing in a hurricane, trying to find the wind
and hoping for Your mercy to meet me where I am
is forgetting that Your thoughts for me outnumber the sand
You filled the sun with morning light
You bid the moon to lead the night
You clothe the lilies bright and beautiful
[chorus]
You're already all I need
already everything that I could hope for
You're already all I need
You've already set me free
already making me more like You
You're already I need
Jesus
You're already all I need
walking through this life without Your freedom in my heart
is like holding on to shackles that You have torn apart
so remind me of Your promises and all that You have done
in this world I will have trouble
but You have overcome
and every gift that I receive You determine just for me
but nothing I desire compares to You
[chorus]
[bridge]
in your fullness You're my all in all
and in Your healing I'm forever made whole
and in Your freedom Your love overflows
and carries me
You carry me
yes You carry me
You carry me
[chorus]
Friday, May 4, 2012
What A Friend We Have In Jesus!
What A Friend We Have In Jesus
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a Friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He'll take and shield thee;
thou wilt find a solace there.
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a Friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He'll take and shield thee;
thou wilt find a solace there.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Be Encouraged
I wonder if the things that I post on my blog and on my facebook make me appear to be amazing and spectacular...like I have it all together...It's not that I fear what you may think...I just don't want people to be mislead into thinking that I post this stuff because I am wonderful. That's not the case. In the words of the apostle Paul, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost."
The things that I post...I post them because I need it! I post it because I need that reminder, and I am hopeful that the Lord will also use it to encourage others.
But in no way have I achieved these things...I am a work in progress.
"Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus"(Phil. 3:12-14)
The things that I post...I post them because I need it! I post it because I need that reminder, and I am hopeful that the Lord will also use it to encourage others.
But in no way have I achieved these things...I am a work in progress.
"Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus"(Phil. 3:12-14)
Monday, April 23, 2012
What is Life About?
One of the books I am currently reading is "Forever" by Paul David Tripp. This book is soooo good that I am taking my time while reading it to get the most out of it. Every page has been so encouraging to me as I face my own struggles and disappointments in this life.
I highly recommend "Forever" for everyone to read whether or not you are currently struggling with something. Why? Because you have in your past, and you're guaranteed to in the future as long as you're here on earth. The truths that are spoken of in this book will help you to know how to have the best perspective possible to help you make it through any and every difficulty you will ever face in your life.
(For the glory of God and for your good)!
The description of this book on the back cover says, "The Bible assures us that God has placed eternity in our hearts. It tells us we are created for pleasure, wired for joy- all with God at the center. But in a world that is broken and suffering, it's easy to forget this, living instead with a pack-it-all-in mentality, loading up the here and now with expectations that will only be fulfilled in eternity.
Without eternity, Christianity makes no sense. Read 1 Corinthians 15(specifically verses 12-19)...Verse 19 says that, "If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied."
In closing of my blog post, I've typed up just a portion of the chapter from this book that I was reading today on my lunch break...Just to give you more of a taste of the book.
"The world we live in is a broken place not operating as it was designed to operate. In case you hadn't noticed, people are less than perfect. Add to this the fact that God has planned for us to live right where we are living so that we would be made ready for what comes next. For these reasons, we will not live lives where we are able to get from point A to point B unobstructed. This means that, in the here and now, we had better have a grander motivation when we get up in the morning than the hope that our day will be predictable, easy, and relatively free of hassle. Eternity gives us that kind of big-picture motivation. We stay focused on doing what is good, right, and true, not because in the short term it appears to be working, but because our living in the here and now fits with the big plan of what God is doing and where He is taking us. In the face of hassles, we tell ourselves that this is not our final destination. We constantly reassure ourselves with the reality that we are on our way to a place where there will be no more sin, suffering, chaos, confusion, hurt, brokenness, or disappointment. But if this life is all there is, and this isn't working, then what motivation do I have to continue? I have to have something bigger than me against the world. That's why Paul(In 1 Corinthians 15) ends his discussion of the resurrection of Jesus and the promise of life after death the way he does. Paul knows that in conquering death, Jesus has not only purchased for us the guarantee of life after death, but also the reality of life before death, a quality of life that wouldn't be possible apart from the new life and the resurrection of Jesus delivered."
I highly recommend "Forever" for everyone to read whether or not you are currently struggling with something. Why? Because you have in your past, and you're guaranteed to in the future as long as you're here on earth. The truths that are spoken of in this book will help you to know how to have the best perspective possible to help you make it through any and every difficulty you will ever face in your life.
(For the glory of God and for your good)!
The description of this book on the back cover says, "The Bible assures us that God has placed eternity in our hearts. It tells us we are created for pleasure, wired for joy- all with God at the center. But in a world that is broken and suffering, it's easy to forget this, living instead with a pack-it-all-in mentality, loading up the here and now with expectations that will only be fulfilled in eternity.
Fortunately, we don't have to live frustrating, disappointing lives. Instead, we can take heart, realizing that life doesn't feel right because it isn't right. It's not meant to be- not yet anyway.
Paul David Tripp points out that having an eternity perspective will enable us to live for something bigger than ourselves and larger than this moment. No longer trapped in the shrunken kingdom of "right here, right now," we will be able to lead lives of greater significance and peace."
Without eternity, Christianity makes no sense. Read 1 Corinthians 15(specifically verses 12-19)...Verse 19 says that, "If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied."
In closing of my blog post, I've typed up just a portion of the chapter from this book that I was reading today on my lunch break...Just to give you more of a taste of the book.
"The world we live in is a broken place not operating as it was designed to operate. In case you hadn't noticed, people are less than perfect. Add to this the fact that God has planned for us to live right where we are living so that we would be made ready for what comes next. For these reasons, we will not live lives where we are able to get from point A to point B unobstructed. This means that, in the here and now, we had better have a grander motivation when we get up in the morning than the hope that our day will be predictable, easy, and relatively free of hassle. Eternity gives us that kind of big-picture motivation. We stay focused on doing what is good, right, and true, not because in the short term it appears to be working, but because our living in the here and now fits with the big plan of what God is doing and where He is taking us. In the face of hassles, we tell ourselves that this is not our final destination. We constantly reassure ourselves with the reality that we are on our way to a place where there will be no more sin, suffering, chaos, confusion, hurt, brokenness, or disappointment. But if this life is all there is, and this isn't working, then what motivation do I have to continue? I have to have something bigger than me against the world. That's why Paul(In 1 Corinthians 15) ends his discussion of the resurrection of Jesus and the promise of life after death the way he does. Paul knows that in conquering death, Jesus has not only purchased for us the guarantee of life after death, but also the reality of life before death, a quality of life that wouldn't be possible apart from the new life and the resurrection of Jesus delivered."
Friday, March 23, 2012
We were NOT created for...
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".)
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".)
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..."
Monday, February 13, 2012
I Surrender
I Surrender
by Leslie Ludy
Lord, I know You see this fear in my heart
of what my future holds
I feel You softly ask if I can trust You more
and give You control
So I kneel before You now
and I offer everything
Come and be the Lord of all
-All I am or ever hope to be
I surrender, I surrender
to the One who loves me more than life
I surrender, I surrender
here is my heart
I open it wide
To the One who cannot be unfaithful
I now offer You all that I am
I surrender, I surrender
From this day on I´ll be in Your hands
I´ve been living for myself
and now I want to live for You alone
Come and help me when I´m weak
And when my path seems so unknown
You will be beside me still
I know You want what´s best for me
So when I want to take control
Lord, please come and help my unbelief
by Leslie Ludy
Lord, I know You see this fear in my heart
of what my future holds
I feel You softly ask if I can trust You more
and give You control
So I kneel before You now
and I offer everything
Come and be the Lord of all
-All I am or ever hope to be
I surrender, I surrender
to the One who loves me more than life
I surrender, I surrender
here is my heart
I open it wide
To the One who cannot be unfaithful
I now offer You all that I am
I surrender, I surrender
From this day on I´ll be in Your hands
I´ve been living for myself
and now I want to live for You alone
Come and help me when I´m weak
And when my path seems so unknown
You will be beside me still
I know You want what´s best for me
So when I want to take control
Lord, please come and help my unbelief
Friday, January 27, 2012
Eternal life starts...NOW?
(These are notes taken from a Paul Washer sermon that I listened to back in October and was reminded of today, so I looked it up and enjoyed it just as much as the first time I heard it. This was really helpful to me living in the here and now as I think about heaven and my future in Christ and eternity. I hope you find it helpful too!! It's good stuff.)
1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
Eternal life is not just a future thing. Those who believe in the Son HAVE eternal life. Eternal life is that we might know God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.
Eternal life is not so much a QUANTITY OF LIFE(even though it is that)...not just a long long time. But, eternal life is a QUALITY of life. A quality of life that has been absolutely changed by a Person that has been brought into that life- the Person of God. And that's why eternal life starts NOW.
A good illustration:
Speaking about the Kingdom of Heaven...
Imagine you're standing on a train platform...and a train is coming. The engine is right at the platform...so you can say that the train has arrived. But at the same time, you must say that the train has not YET arrived because all of it's not here...and at the same time you can say that the train is ARRIVING. That's the Kingdom of Heaven, the whole idea of eternal life and everything that God is doing in your life. That's what it's about.
When you come to know Christ, there is a sense in which the Kingdom has arrived and you have eternal life. But also in it's fulness it's still coming...You've got it, you've got the first-fruits of it- the indwelling of the Spirit, the presence of God, different works of God in your life...so it has come. But it's still coming and one day it will come in it's fullness when Christ returns and the resurrection and the new heavens and the new earth!
We learn things so that the quality of our life is transformed and the quality is only transformed in the Person of God, in the Person of Christ.
joy unspeakable and full of glory!! That's what it's about- the quality of your life.
1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
Eternal life is not just a future thing. Those who believe in the Son HAVE eternal life. Eternal life is that we might know God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.
Eternal life is not so much a QUANTITY OF LIFE(even though it is that)...not just a long long time. But, eternal life is a QUALITY of life. A quality of life that has been absolutely changed by a Person that has been brought into that life- the Person of God. And that's why eternal life starts NOW.
A good illustration:
Speaking about the Kingdom of Heaven...
Imagine you're standing on a train platform...and a train is coming. The engine is right at the platform...so you can say that the train has arrived. But at the same time, you must say that the train has not YET arrived because all of it's not here...and at the same time you can say that the train is ARRIVING. That's the Kingdom of Heaven, the whole idea of eternal life and everything that God is doing in your life. That's what it's about.
When you come to know Christ, there is a sense in which the Kingdom has arrived and you have eternal life. But also in it's fulness it's still coming...You've got it, you've got the first-fruits of it- the indwelling of the Spirit, the presence of God, different works of God in your life...so it has come. But it's still coming and one day it will come in it's fullness when Christ returns and the resurrection and the new heavens and the new earth!
We learn things so that the quality of our life is transformed and the quality is only transformed in the Person of God, in the Person of Christ.
joy unspeakable and full of glory!! That's what it's about- the quality of your life.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Year's End Prayer
O Love beyond compare,
Thou art good when Thou givest,
when Thou takest away,
when the sun shines upon me,
when night gathers over me.
Thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world,
and in love didst redeem my soul;
Thou dost love me still,
in spite of my hard heart, ingratitude, distrust.
Thy goodness has been with me another year,
leading me through a twisting wilderness,
in retreat helping me to advance,
when beaten back making sure headway.
Thy goodness will be with me in the year ahead;
I hoist sail and draw up anchor,
With Thee as the blessed pilot of my future as of my past.
I bless thee that Thou hast veiled my eyes to the waters ahead.
If Thou hast appointed storms of tribulation,
Thou wilt be with me in them;
If I have to pass through tempests of persecution and temptation,
I shall not drown;
If I am to die,
I shall see Thy face the sooner;
If a painful end is to be my lot,
grant me grace that my faith fail not;
If I am to be cast aside from the service I love,
I can make no stipulation;
Only glorify Thyself in me whether in comfort or trial,
as a chosen vessel meet always for Thy use.
~The Valley of Vision
Thou art good when Thou givest,
when Thou takest away,
when the sun shines upon me,
when night gathers over me.
Thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world,
and in love didst redeem my soul;
Thou dost love me still,
in spite of my hard heart, ingratitude, distrust.
Thy goodness has been with me another year,
leading me through a twisting wilderness,
in retreat helping me to advance,
when beaten back making sure headway.
Thy goodness will be with me in the year ahead;
I hoist sail and draw up anchor,
With Thee as the blessed pilot of my future as of my past.
I bless thee that Thou hast veiled my eyes to the waters ahead.
If Thou hast appointed storms of tribulation,
Thou wilt be with me in them;
If I have to pass through tempests of persecution and temptation,
I shall not drown;
If I am to die,
I shall see Thy face the sooner;
If a painful end is to be my lot,
grant me grace that my faith fail not;
If I am to be cast aside from the service I love,
I can make no stipulation;
Only glorify Thyself in me whether in comfort or trial,
as a chosen vessel meet always for Thy use.
~The Valley of Vision
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