"As a Christian, the young professional Chinese man was appalled to hear of the suicide of several workers in his company earlier this year. Realizing that many of the factory workers feel desperate and have no one to turn to, he now deliberately listens to the concerns of assembly line workers before sharing Scriptures that tell them of eternal hope in Christ Jesus. He takes great delight in conveying the truths of the Gospel again and again. He said, 'I have the most precious bonus. It is invisible but I can feel it! It makes me so happy to tell them that they can have hope in Jesus!'"
How cool. What an eternal hope that we have - it transcends every earthly thing! Our God is good!
16 July 2010
26 April 2010
From "A Disciples Notebook"
Oh for a heart to praise my God
A heart from sin set free,
A heart that’s sprinkled with the blood
So freely shed for me.
A heart resigned, submissive, meek,
My dear Redeemer’s throne;
Where only Christ is heard to speak,
Where Jesus reigns alone.
A humble, lowly, contrite heart,
Believing, true, and clean,
Which neither death nor life can part
From Him that dwells within.
A heart in every thought renewed
And filled with love divine;
Perfect and right, and pure and good,
A copy, Lord, of Thine.
Thy nature, gracious Lord, impart,
Come quickly from above;
Write Thy new name upon my heart,
Thy new, best name of Love.
Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
A heart from sin set free,
A heart that’s sprinkled with the blood
So freely shed for me.
A heart resigned, submissive, meek,
My dear Redeemer’s throne;
Where only Christ is heard to speak,
Where Jesus reigns alone.
A humble, lowly, contrite heart,
Believing, true, and clean,
Which neither death nor life can part
From Him that dwells within.
A heart in every thought renewed
And filled with love divine;
Perfect and right, and pure and good,
A copy, Lord, of Thine.
Thy nature, gracious Lord, impart,
Come quickly from above;
Write Thy new name upon my heart,
Thy new, best name of Love.
Charles Wesley (1707-1788)
21 April 2010
Read This
Sometimes I think that this lady is in my mind. The second half of this, about walking in humility...SO GOOD. This is basically what I've been thinking about for quite some time. How can I glorify God more, and why don't I just do it! My sin stinks! - thanks for articulating A. Ann :)
http://resolved2worship.xanga.com/725762524/strawberries-in-the-rain/
http://resolved2worship.xanga.com/725762524/strawberries-in-the-rain/
17 April 2010
Dreadfully Wonderful
"There must ever be a holy fear mixed with the Christian's joy...fear without joy, is torment; and joy, without fear, would be presumption...'Blessed are all they that put their thrust in Him'...Do we trust Him? Our faith may be slender as a spider's thread, but if it be real, we are in our measure blessed...'Lord, increase our faith.'" - Charles Spurgeon, Commentary on the Psalms
The Lord has been teaching me a lot about fear, holy fear, lately. I don't think it was something I ever really thought about, at least correctly, too much. I knew the song from Proverbs 9:10, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Lord is understanding." So, most obviously, I was quite unwise in not considering it too much. I loved the Lord and I trusted Him - why would I fear. The Bible, on so many occasions says that the Christian need not fear, because simply the Lord's name is a strong refuge (Prov. 18:10) and the victory is ours against Satan and his whiles (Eph. 6). I have realized, though, that those who fear the Lord little, have a little God!
God is huge. He is awesome - in every sense of the word! He is holy, and will not be sinned against. I have been reading through the Old Testament, and have seen the laws and ordinances God laid out for the children of Israel. His reasoning behind each of them compares not at all with the statement He consistently makes: "for I am the Lord your God." Done. End of story. He is God - what He does is good because He does it. His actions are just because He is just. He is the definition for those words. His love is great. His wrath is powerful. He is God!
"And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: fear Him whom, after He has killed, has the power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!" Luke 12:4-5
I think we/Me, as believers, tend to think so much about what the world thinks in our approach to the Gospel, seeing it as everything to us, but awkard or possibly inconvenient to share with a coworker or neighbor. And, we get so comfortable just living for the Lord in our fellowhip groups... But when I sit back and really think of, dwell on the character of my God - my eyes well up with tears, my heartbeat increases, and I even get a little sweaty. I can only help but cry out like the tax collector, "God, be merciful to me a sinner!" (Lk. 18:13). Consider God's truth. His attributes. the Cross. Salvation, Election, Sin...Heaven and Hell - eternity! My mind cannot comprehend all of that, let alone be unaffected by it.
In light of all of that, GRACE! I feel like I always come back to grace. My whole life is but God's grace. I cannot explain it, and I surely do not deserve it.
Now, back to Spurgeon: fear and joy. They seem an unlikely pair. (at least to me)
Psalms 2:11, 12b, "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling...Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him."
To fear the Lord, alone, is terrifying. Without the joy of His grace and mercy and love there is only His holiness of which I fall so desperately short and His eternal wrath is all that there is after this earth. On the other hand, joy, alone, allows me to presume upon the Lord and abuse His grace. Forget that my life is His, bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:19-20) So, we serve Him, because He is God and He is worthy! We rejoice in Him, because despite His awesomeness and our undeservedness, He loved us first! It is vital that as believers we look to our Savior as God! Without Him we will surely perish. By His grace, we are saved. It is a dreadfully wonderful concept
"Blessed are all those who put their thrust in Him." - Lord, increase our faith!
The Lord has been teaching me a lot about fear, holy fear, lately. I don't think it was something I ever really thought about, at least correctly, too much. I knew the song from Proverbs 9:10, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Lord is understanding." So, most obviously, I was quite unwise in not considering it too much. I loved the Lord and I trusted Him - why would I fear. The Bible, on so many occasions says that the Christian need not fear, because simply the Lord's name is a strong refuge (Prov. 18:10) and the victory is ours against Satan and his whiles (Eph. 6). I have realized, though, that those who fear the Lord little, have a little God!
God is huge. He is awesome - in every sense of the word! He is holy, and will not be sinned against. I have been reading through the Old Testament, and have seen the laws and ordinances God laid out for the children of Israel. His reasoning behind each of them compares not at all with the statement He consistently makes: "for I am the Lord your God." Done. End of story. He is God - what He does is good because He does it. His actions are just because He is just. He is the definition for those words. His love is great. His wrath is powerful. He is God!
"And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: fear Him whom, after He has killed, has the power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!" Luke 12:4-5
I think we/Me, as believers, tend to think so much about what the world thinks in our approach to the Gospel, seeing it as everything to us, but awkard or possibly inconvenient to share with a coworker or neighbor. And, we get so comfortable just living for the Lord in our fellowhip groups... But when I sit back and really think of, dwell on the character of my God - my eyes well up with tears, my heartbeat increases, and I even get a little sweaty. I can only help but cry out like the tax collector, "God, be merciful to me a sinner!" (Lk. 18:13). Consider God's truth. His attributes. the Cross. Salvation, Election, Sin...Heaven and Hell - eternity! My mind cannot comprehend all of that, let alone be unaffected by it.
In light of all of that, GRACE! I feel like I always come back to grace. My whole life is but God's grace. I cannot explain it, and I surely do not deserve it.
Now, back to Spurgeon: fear and joy. They seem an unlikely pair. (at least to me)
Psalms 2:11, 12b, "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling...Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him."
To fear the Lord, alone, is terrifying. Without the joy of His grace and mercy and love there is only His holiness of which I fall so desperately short and His eternal wrath is all that there is after this earth. On the other hand, joy, alone, allows me to presume upon the Lord and abuse His grace. Forget that my life is His, bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:19-20) So, we serve Him, because He is God and He is worthy! We rejoice in Him, because despite His awesomeness and our undeservedness, He loved us first! It is vital that as believers we look to our Savior as God! Without Him we will surely perish. By His grace, we are saved. It is a dreadfully wonderful concept
"Blessed are all those who put their thrust in Him." - Lord, increase our faith!
08 April 2010
I Will Glory In My Redeemer
The Lord is so good. Isn't He. Perfectly patient, amazingly gracious, merciful, loving, kind, faithful... Much better than Mary Poppins, for He is truly positively perfect in every way - and still, He loves me so!
"For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him." Isaiah 64:4
There is no one like our God!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxB_nlUfFrc
"For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him." Isaiah 64:4
There is no one like our God!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxB_nlUfFrc
30 March 2010
Fishes or Snakes
Taken from one of my favorite blogs to stalk: resolved2worship.xanga.com (some emphasis/editing added)
"What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a snake; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (Luke 11:11-13)
I thought how ironic. I had to ask myself, "Why is it that when I ask God for a "fish" it seems like there are times that I get a snake!"
I mean, there have been times, even this past week where I prayed, I asked for a certain something, a "fish." And it really seemed like God answered with a "snake."
Then something hit me. The answer that I thought was a snake, REALLY was a fish. Yes, it really was - is - always is.
And I think just because God didn't answer the way I thought, or because He allowed something I thought shouldn't have happened happen, that I was getting a snake! And HOW could God do that to me! ? !
Thing is I've got pretty foggy eyes. It really is a fish, even if it looks like a snake to me and feels like a snake to me. Thing is, I don't have the mind of God. Generally, I have the mind of self. My flesh thinks God's answer should look like and feel like what I think it should look like and feel like. It should always feel good, right? And it should always look good, right? Because that's what's good for me, right?
(in the background of my mind I am suddenly hearing that old country song, "I Thank God For Unanswered Prayers.")
For the first time I think ever, these verses are hitting me differently - my heavenly Father truly does give a "fish" when I ask Him - He gives what is good. ALWAYS. Does it look and feel good to me? No. But it is good. And like any father who gives good gifts to his children, it's out of love.
But what if it doesn't feel like love?
I'll tell you why it doesn't feel like love - it's because I've got nose-on-the-dot-on-the-chalk-board-syndrome...You don't see the row of dots 'cause your nose is stuck in that one dot in the line of dots on the chalk board.
I've lost all eternal perspective.
So what may look like a snake to me, is actually just my perspective based on living for myself. If I could see how God sees things - with an eternal perspective - how different I would see what comes my way in life. How different I would see His gifts. . .
How completely I would understand His love for me, His vision for me. How much more freely I would live in His grace. How peaceful my heart would remain no matter what came my way.
*******************************************
My Reflections:
1. I DON'T HAVE THE MIND OF GOD! (Isaiah 55:10-11) and Praise the Lord that I don't, because so many would be missing out on God's best for them! Everything would be a mess. I would be a basketcase if I always got what I wanted, when I wanted it...I am far too easily pleased, as it is!
2. I have the mind of self! (Phil. 2:1-8 [v 2, 3, and 5: "...fulfill my joy by being like-mided, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself...Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,"]) This is one of those things that will not be perfectly achieved in this lifetime (like be holy, as I am holy!) but that I am to be constantly striving for. Having Christ's mind to exalt the Father in ALL things and loving others more than myself - aren't theses the greatest commandments?!
3. My perspective, based on living for myself, is going to be skewed 100% of the time! Having an eternal perspective, "the mind of Christ," changes everything. Then, we can say like Paul, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Phil. 1:21. Only when we live for Christ is dying gain. In all things we are to be looking to our future goal - becoming like Chrsit, being with Christ, the glory of the Father! EveryTHING and everyone else are all just extra blessings from God. He is so good and so faithful! Each trial, each new joy, that flat tire, the promotion at work, no internet, free ice cream - all fish!! Psalms 118:23 "This was the LORD’s doing;It is marvelous in our eyes."
This is not in response to some trial or specific, present instance in my life. I just read her blog, and wanted to share. But, how encouraging to reflect on the Lord's perfect provision for us! And, how convicting to examine our perspectives and see if they align with eternity! God is good!
"What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a snake; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (Luke 11:11-13)
I thought how ironic. I had to ask myself, "Why is it that when I ask God for a "fish" it seems like there are times that I get a snake!"
I mean, there have been times, even this past week where I prayed, I asked for a certain something, a "fish." And it really seemed like God answered with a "snake."
Then something hit me. The answer that I thought was a snake, REALLY was a fish. Yes, it really was - is - always is.
And I think just because God didn't answer the way I thought, or because He allowed something I thought shouldn't have happened happen, that I was getting a snake! And HOW could God do that to me! ? !
Thing is I've got pretty foggy eyes. It really is a fish, even if it looks like a snake to me and feels like a snake to me. Thing is, I don't have the mind of God. Generally, I have the mind of self. My flesh thinks God's answer should look like and feel like what I think it should look like and feel like. It should always feel good, right? And it should always look good, right? Because that's what's good for me, right?
(in the background of my mind I am suddenly hearing that old country song, "I Thank God For Unanswered Prayers.")
For the first time I think ever, these verses are hitting me differently - my heavenly Father truly does give a "fish" when I ask Him - He gives what is good. ALWAYS. Does it look and feel good to me? No. But it is good. And like any father who gives good gifts to his children, it's out of love.
But what if it doesn't feel like love?
I'll tell you why it doesn't feel like love - it's because I've got nose-on-the-dot-on-the-chalk-board-syndrome...You don't see the row of dots 'cause your nose is stuck in that one dot in the line of dots on the chalk board.
I've lost all eternal perspective.
So what may look like a snake to me, is actually just my perspective based on living for myself. If I could see how God sees things - with an eternal perspective - how different I would see what comes my way in life. How different I would see His gifts. . .
How completely I would understand His love for me, His vision for me. How much more freely I would live in His grace. How peaceful my heart would remain no matter what came my way.
*******************************************
My Reflections:
1. I DON'T HAVE THE MIND OF GOD! (Isaiah 55:10-11) and Praise the Lord that I don't, because so many would be missing out on God's best for them! Everything would be a mess. I would be a basketcase if I always got what I wanted, when I wanted it...I am far too easily pleased, as it is!
2. I have the mind of self! (Phil. 2:1-8 [v 2, 3, and 5: "...fulfill my joy by being like-mided, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself...Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,"]) This is one of those things that will not be perfectly achieved in this lifetime (like be holy, as I am holy!) but that I am to be constantly striving for. Having Christ's mind to exalt the Father in ALL things and loving others more than myself - aren't theses the greatest commandments?!
3. My perspective, based on living for myself, is going to be skewed 100% of the time! Having an eternal perspective, "the mind of Christ," changes everything. Then, we can say like Paul, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Phil. 1:21. Only when we live for Christ is dying gain. In all things we are to be looking to our future goal - becoming like Chrsit, being with Christ, the glory of the Father! EveryTHING and everyone else are all just extra blessings from God. He is so good and so faithful! Each trial, each new joy, that flat tire, the promotion at work, no internet, free ice cream - all fish!! Psalms 118:23 "This was the LORD’s doing;It is marvelous in our eyes."
This is not in response to some trial or specific, present instance in my life. I just read her blog, and wanted to share. But, how encouraging to reflect on the Lord's perfect provision for us! And, how convicting to examine our perspectives and see if they align with eternity! God is good!
26 March 2010
Random Banter
So...we have no internet for the time being. I try not to be too disheartened, seeing that we were pilfering it from a neighbor. But, nonetheless, I haven't been able to write on my blog (I know all two [if that] of you are so upset!) or check my e-mail. All in all, though, it's been good. I have been getting a lot of reading done! That has been good...I think soon I'm going to start a mini book review blog series - so stay tuned for that gem! haha!
Also, it has given Robert and I an opportunity to get more creative with how we spend our free time. Like, last night, we got an ice cream at McDonalds and sat in the parking lot for an hour and watched this weeks LOST! (really great episode, by the way!) And, when I was sick, a neighbor let me borrow all the seasons of Friends, so we'll watch that now and again. We've also been reading a great book (a little preview of the book reviews :) 50 People Every Christian Should Know. It's fifty short biographies on strong Christians who are great examples in the faith. We recently read Katherine Von Bora (Martin Luther's wife). Wow! So good! And we talk a lot...and take the occasional nap. Mostly, we're just generally really busy...Bible study, Staff meeting, work, seminary, church, Bible study, cooking dinner, pretending like i'm going to work out... We just like any time we have together! So, no complaints on the marriage front.
My friend Ashley had her sweet baby girl, Reese Lanae Mehringer; I can't wait to meet her. And, I got to go to the park with my neighbor Marie and her son Jude the other day, too. That was fun. When I was kid parks were not this cool, which is why we played things like hot lava, instead of doing the actualy park activities! This park had a rock wall and this really neat spinny thing...I couldn't enjoy that for too long, because apparently I had/have verdigo?!
As far as those of you who thought we might be moving...we thought so too, and now we don't know. We're not too worried about it, though. It may or may not work out, but it will definitely be for our good - because God is for us (Rom. 8:31)! Tim and Joni will be here on the 8th of April! We're going to go to the melting pot! And, it's just good to see family, in general. So, all in all, life is just really great, because God is so good to us! And this is God's world (shout out to 180 staff)!
This was the LORD's doing; and it is marvelous in our sight. This is the day that the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Ps. 118:23-24
Also, it has given Robert and I an opportunity to get more creative with how we spend our free time. Like, last night, we got an ice cream at McDonalds and sat in the parking lot for an hour and watched this weeks LOST! (really great episode, by the way!) And, when I was sick, a neighbor let me borrow all the seasons of Friends, so we'll watch that now and again. We've also been reading a great book (a little preview of the book reviews :) 50 People Every Christian Should Know. It's fifty short biographies on strong Christians who are great examples in the faith. We recently read Katherine Von Bora (Martin Luther's wife). Wow! So good! And we talk a lot...and take the occasional nap. Mostly, we're just generally really busy...Bible study, Staff meeting, work, seminary, church, Bible study, cooking dinner, pretending like i'm going to work out... We just like any time we have together! So, no complaints on the marriage front.
My friend Ashley had her sweet baby girl, Reese Lanae Mehringer; I can't wait to meet her. And, I got to go to the park with my neighbor Marie and her son Jude the other day, too. That was fun. When I was kid parks were not this cool, which is why we played things like hot lava, instead of doing the actualy park activities! This park had a rock wall and this really neat spinny thing...I couldn't enjoy that for too long, because apparently I had/have verdigo?!
As far as those of you who thought we might be moving...we thought so too, and now we don't know. We're not too worried about it, though. It may or may not work out, but it will definitely be for our good - because God is for us (Rom. 8:31)! Tim and Joni will be here on the 8th of April! We're going to go to the melting pot! And, it's just good to see family, in general. So, all in all, life is just really great, because God is so good to us! And this is God's world (shout out to 180 staff)!
This was the LORD's doing; and it is marvelous in our sight. This is the day that the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Ps. 118:23-24
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