My Way Or The High Way

When was the last time you prayed "Lord God, Your will be done" and really meant it? This is a difficult prayer for me. From what I've read, if I truly want God's will in my life, it means giving up things that could be making my life very comfortable and convenient right now. In fact, this is the prayer that Jesus prayed only hours before He was hanging on the Cross. And He knew where the path lead. Paul prayed that the "thorn in his flesh" would be taken away, but God had other plans. When Jesus told Peter what kind of death Peter would die, our Lord said, "I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go" (John 21:18).

When I pray this prayer, "Lord, Your will be done," do I really want God's will above my own, natural, of-the-flesh desires? I have to ask myself some questions.

What is there in my life that I know God wants me to pursue less, in order that I may know Him more?

What things are there in my life that are getting in the way of spending time with Him daily in prayer and in His word?

Are there sins I must confess? Habits I must turn over to His strength to break?

Are there attitudes that I must put away because they are selfish and hurtful to others?

Do I seek God and reflect on His Word when I make decisions and choices throughout the day?

God's will is in His Word. When I am struggling to know God's will for my life, I must read His Word, love His Word, seek His Word, pray His Word, and listen to Him. The answer may not be "Yes, you should quit your job," or "Yes, you can have a new car," or even "Yes, you should go on that mission trip." None of these things are necessarily bad choices in themselves, but do we really wait and listen for God's reply?

It may be, "Obey my commands. Love your neighbor as yourself. Do all things without complaining or disputing. Rejoice always. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

My fist instinct is "oh, okay, yeah I get it, now please answer my REAL question, Lord." Or "all right God, that's all well and good, but now I'm going to go ahead and do whatever it was I wanted to do anyway."

However, through reading His word and obedience, our other questions are anwered. Not only that, but God wants so much more for us! Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

C.S. Lewis says brilliantly, "Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us..."

Infinite joy sounds better to me than a new wardrobe for sure...

How deep the Father's Love for Us - with vocals

I woke up this morning humming this song...
Here are the lyrics:
How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

B'day

Cake, candles, presents - all the things expected at a birthday party. The date life began in this world even has it's own special song, even if there isn't always the party or big whoop-dee-do.

Birthdays are precious, usually remembered first by the honoree, next by loved ones, then by various acquaintances... although sometimes it seems some birthdays are not remembered by others at all.

Psalm 139 offers some insight into how truly special each life is in the sight of its Creator. No person is ever forgotten, no day goes by without notice by the One who gives each breath of life.

"O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord...

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."





What is truly amazing, is that the Lord God who created my life and knows me this deeply also knows each of the over 7 billion people in this world today. Each life is no accident, for there is a loving and caring God who deeply longs for them to know Him and have salvation through Jesus Christ. Not only that, but the Creator who knows them has also known and longed for each soul that has breathed the air on this earth since the beginning of creation.

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone... This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men..." 1 Timothy 2:1,4-5

For however joyous the celebration of the gift of life here on this earth is, it is incomparable to the glorious rejoicing there is in heaven when someone finds forgiveness and new life through Jesus Christ.

Luke 15:10 "In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Prosperity Gospel II

This is the reaction of an atheist to the type of mentality John Piper is referring to.

John Piper on the prosperity gospel

I think this is something to consider.

Do What I'm Told?

Saul was a king in ancient times; the first king of the Jewish people, in fact. He was chosen by God to lead Israel when they asked for a king to go out to battle for them. He was chosen by God, anointed by the prophet Samuel, and followed by the men of Israel. He valiantly fought against many of their enemies, and seemed to be a man of God. (1 Samuel 9-11)



However, I think Saul had a problem listening. Twice when given very specific, direct instructions, he chose not to follow. No big deal? Well, these two chances cost him the kingship, the kingdom, and his life in the end. He lost it all because he didn't listen and obey two very simple commands.

When Saul was approached by Samuel (the prophet) and confronted about why he disobeyed God's specific instructions, Saul replied, "But I did obey the Lord." What was said and what he did were two different stories. God had commanded Saul clearly to completely destroy the Amalekites, the people who had tormented the nation of Israel when they were wandering in the desert. God told Saul to destroy every person and animal, but when Samuel showed up, Saul had spared the king of that bad nation, as well as the best of the sheep and cattle (with the intention of sacrificing the animals to honor the Lord). Clearly he had not obeyed.

Samuel tells him that because of this the Lord has rejected him as the king, for "to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the sin of idolatry."
1 Sam 15:22-23

Here's what I'm getting at: Jesus has given me very specific commands as well. The greatest command is "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind..." And the second greatest command is "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 20:37-39)

The question I need to ask myself is, am I obeying what God's commands REALLY are, or am I only half-listening and then doing as I please? Am I really more like Saul that I would like to admit? Do I hypocritically read about him and shake my head at his foolishness?

Of course. I am a fallen person, living in a fallen world. Jesus answers my question Himself in the book of Matthew: "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Matthew 26:41)

Jesus knows that Saul and I are both descendants of Adam, corrupted by sin. That is why I must be transformed and born again through believing in Jesus, the One who understands, the One who is my hope for salvation. I am weak, so I must daily watch and pray in order to obey.

Like a Bird

I just love this image of a person being set free through Christ. We were once captive by Sin and Death, and Jesus gives us life!

Psalm 124:7-8 "We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler's snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."

Isaiah 40:31 "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."



1 Corinthians 15:54-56 "When the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that it written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory, 'Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Moved in!

We are all settled in Ft. Worth in our little apartment across the street from Bryan's school. The campus is really pretty, even though it's winter, but even more than that, it's an awesome place to learn and be challenged to proclaim to the world what God has done for us. I have gotten to go to chapel a few times with Bryan, and the speakers have been very motivating. I pray that I can serve around the world as they have, starting here in Ft. Worth.






This is the scene where Jesus washed His disciples feet. What a great reminder to serve and love others as Jesus did.







They have a beautiful koi pond with a little gazebo, a nice place to come read or think (maybe when the weather gets warmer...)



as promised, Bryan's awesome haircut.

Rich

A preacher man I heard the other day mentioned this observation:

Jesus was born in a borrowed barn, fed a few thousand with borrowed food, paid his taxes with money He didn't have, rode into Jerusalem on a borrowed colt of a donkey, died on a cursed cross, and was buried in a borrowed tomb. He came from all the richness of heaven and became poor so that we might know True Riches.

"For your sake He became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9

How often do I take for granted all that God has blessed my life with? His own Son didn't even have a place to lay his head, and I have a roof over my head every day. And beyond that, I have a home for eternity in heaven, because Jesus gave up heaven and became poor, so that the world can know what life truly is. Praise Him!

Philippians 2:8-9

"And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every dame, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."