Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1.
It struck me last night that this verse tells us to not only throw off sin but also to throw off everything that hinders us in our walk with God. Do I watch too much tv? Pitch it. Striving for success from a worldly standpoint? Put it in the round file. Staying up too late? Cut it out. Surfing the net news? Wasting time. There are so many things I do that are not necessarily sin but that hinder my walk with God. I should get rid of these things. Now, God also calls us to rest, rejoice, celebrate and "fill the earth and subdue it," so whether something is a hindrance or not can really sometimes only be determined through a conversation with God. But, this idea is something I need to keep in mind. Just like Paul says that the soldier for Christ "does not get involved in civilian affairs because he wants to please his commanding officer (God) (2 Tim 2:3-5)." Our lives should be all for God, not compartmentalized. Anything we are involved in that is not a benefit to the kingdom should be reassessed.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Quiet Time
Things that help me pray during morning quiet times:
1-Time. The more time I have to pray, the better the prayer time. I think this is because it is easier to listen rather than talk.
2-Quiet.
3-Coffee.
4-Praying scripture. This is new to me but has been a wonderful help. Verses from the Psalms are currently me diet. (Ps 119:36,37; Ps 119:18; Ps 86:11, Ps 90:14, Ps139:23, 24).
5-Journaling my prayer.
6-Meditating on scripture. Reading a chapter and praying when a verse convicts me to pray.
7-Sitting on the floor.
8-Listening to worship that is personal to me on my ipod.
9-Intercessory prayer last.
1-Time. The more time I have to pray, the better the prayer time. I think this is because it is easier to listen rather than talk.
2-Quiet.
3-Coffee.
4-Praying scripture. This is new to me but has been a wonderful help. Verses from the Psalms are currently me diet. (Ps 119:36,37; Ps 119:18; Ps 86:11, Ps 90:14, Ps139:23, 24).
5-Journaling my prayer.
6-Meditating on scripture. Reading a chapter and praying when a verse convicts me to pray.
7-Sitting on the floor.
8-Listening to worship that is personal to me on my ipod.
9-Intercessory prayer last.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Testing.
Psalm 139:23, 24
Search me, and know my heart. Test me, and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.
A friend brought her 3 year old daughter in for me to look in her ear. She was complaining of pain, so my friend stopped in at lunch. I got out my otoscope, and we tried to get the little girl to let me take a look. Now having your inner ear looked at might hurt just slightly. But the exam is necessary to find out what is wrong and then administer appropriate treatment. Well, this three year old was having none of it. She squirmed and cried, not willing to let me stick the tip of the ear speculum into her ear's external canal. Obviously, she was afraid the exam would cause pain, and she didn't trust that I had her best interest at heart.
God examines us (1 Thessalonians 2:4,1 Chronicles 29:17, Psalm 17:3). Whether we want him to or not. Our comfort with that exam is dependent on our trust in him and our degree of faithfulness to his commands. God calls us also to examine ourselves (Galatians 6:4, 2 Corinthians 13:5, 1 Thessalonians 5:21). Our comfort with this exam is based on our faithfullness to God and his commands and our beliefs about who God is and who he is not. We often neglect this examination, because we know we fail to meet God's standards AND are unwilling to change. But, as in Psalm 139:23,24 above, sanctification occurs if we are submitted to God, willing to change and be obedient to his direction. This maybe painful, but it brings glory to God and is ultimately to our benefit.
O that I would not squirm and fight the examination I need from my loving God; that I would not shy away from the treatment I need to mature in my walk with him.
Search me, and know my heart. Test me, and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.
A friend brought her 3 year old daughter in for me to look in her ear. She was complaining of pain, so my friend stopped in at lunch. I got out my otoscope, and we tried to get the little girl to let me take a look. Now having your inner ear looked at might hurt just slightly. But the exam is necessary to find out what is wrong and then administer appropriate treatment. Well, this three year old was having none of it. She squirmed and cried, not willing to let me stick the tip of the ear speculum into her ear's external canal. Obviously, she was afraid the exam would cause pain, and she didn't trust that I had her best interest at heart.
God examines us (1 Thessalonians 2:4,1 Chronicles 29:17, Psalm 17:3). Whether we want him to or not. Our comfort with that exam is dependent on our trust in him and our degree of faithfulness to his commands. God calls us also to examine ourselves (Galatians 6:4, 2 Corinthians 13:5, 1 Thessalonians 5:21). Our comfort with this exam is based on our faithfullness to God and his commands and our beliefs about who God is and who he is not. We often neglect this examination, because we know we fail to meet God's standards AND are unwilling to change. But, as in Psalm 139:23,24 above, sanctification occurs if we are submitted to God, willing to change and be obedient to his direction. This maybe painful, but it brings glory to God and is ultimately to our benefit.
O that I would not squirm and fight the examination I need from my loving God; that I would not shy away from the treatment I need to mature in my walk with him.
Monday, October 06, 2008
God Is Enough
Last night I listened to the testimony of a friend who has been down a long road of difficulty in his life lately. The last year has been filled with introspection, and he told the story of contemplating his committment to God as if life was a poker game. He had been witholding some of his "chips," afraid to bet everything on the King. But, during this year, he consciously decided to place all the chips on the table and let go of everything this world has to offer. At first, things were rough. God brought adversity into my friends life....I cannot help but wonder if God was testing my brother. I know in my life, wrestling with myself and God's Spirit takes time and struggle. Just as Christ was "made perfect through suffering (Hebrews 2:10)," so also we must go through the fire to have the imperfections burned away (1 Peter 1:7). Without suffering, we hold some of our chips in reserve. God knows this. We figure it out only after the trial is over. What we find is that despite all, God is enough.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Annie's Song
John Denver wrote Annie's Song to his wife I believe. It's a beautiful song. I was thinking yesterday that it is a great song to be sung to God.
You fill up my senses
Like a night in the forest
Like the mountains in springtime,
Like a walk in the rain
Like a storm in the desert,
Like a sleepy blue ocean
You fill up my senses,
Come fill me again.
Come let me love you,
Let me give my life to you
Let me drown in your laughter,
Let me die in your arms
Let me lay down beside you,
Let me always be with you
Come let me love you,
Come love me again.
You fill up my senses
Like a night in the forest
Like the mountains in springtime,
Like a walk in the rain
Like a storm in the desert,
Like a sleepy blue ocean
You fill up my senses,
Come fill me again.
Come let me love you,
Let me give my life to you
Let me drown in your laughter,
Let me die in your arms
Let me lay down beside you,
Let me always be with you
Come let me love you,
Come love me again.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Martha
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42.
Mary sat at Jesus feet and listened to his words, soaking them in, drawn to God. She longed to spend time with her Lord at the expense of everything else. There was a bustle of activity around her as Martha worked at the things of life that needed to be done. Frustrated with the task at hand, she reached out to the Lord in an attempt to bring Mary back to the world, to help with the daily grind of things not necessarily bad. Jesus responded softly rebuking Martha with the above words pointing her to the one thing of importance--time with him. Let all things fall to the side in the sight of the great and glorious Jesus, King of kings and friend of sinners. Paul says we should blot out all else in serving our king (2 Timothy 2:3-5), but we also need to rest at his feet, reallizing his control over all things--his sovereignty over provision for our needs, our reputations, our concerns, our lives. O to rest at the feet of Jesus, secure in his love for us (Rom 8:35), to choOse, as Mary did, the better thing.
Mary sat at Jesus feet and listened to his words, soaking them in, drawn to God. She longed to spend time with her Lord at the expense of everything else. There was a bustle of activity around her as Martha worked at the things of life that needed to be done. Frustrated with the task at hand, she reached out to the Lord in an attempt to bring Mary back to the world, to help with the daily grind of things not necessarily bad. Jesus responded softly rebuking Martha with the above words pointing her to the one thing of importance--time with him. Let all things fall to the side in the sight of the great and glorious Jesus, King of kings and friend of sinners. Paul says we should blot out all else in serving our king (2 Timothy 2:3-5), but we also need to rest at his feet, reallizing his control over all things--his sovereignty over provision for our needs, our reputations, our concerns, our lives. O to rest at the feet of Jesus, secure in his love for us (Rom 8:35), to choOse, as Mary did, the better thing.
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