I am a bit nervous about what today is going to hold for me. I enjoyed a SUPER RICH time in God's Word this morning, but I have observed that often, when God gives me a really rich meal in His Word, I'm in for near-stellar failure into sin...Still, I'm bubbling over, & just have to share!
I started out in 2 Corinthians:
What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty." Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1
It has become my habit to look up the verses quoted in the New Testament in their Old Testament passages. The first sentence is quoted from Leviticus 26. In it, God is promising His presence with Israel IF they keep the law. We know from the rest of the biblical account that Israel was unable to do that, and so repeatedly suffered God's wrath. The next sentence is from Isaiah 52-- here's where it started getting rich for me! =) In Isaiah 52, God is promising Israel's deliverance from bondage. The chapter ends with an introduction to the "servant" who acts wisely-- we know now that this prophecy is about Jesus Christ. In chapter 53 He bears our griefs, carries OUR afflictions, suffers the wrath of the Holy God against OUR sin! And both Father & Son were PLEASED to make this sacrifice to redeem a wretched, sinful people!!!
Today, I am amazed at the price God paid to fulfill His promise to dwell among His people-- to make ME His dwelling! So, 2 Corinthians 7:1 comes in-- because we have the promise of the Living God to DWELL with us, make it a point to pursue holiness. I am to make it the aim of my life to do the things that will please my Father. And I can rest in His love because Christ ALWAYS pleased the Father in my place, and paid for my failures. My sin is forgiven!!! PRAISE GOD FOR HIS GLORIOUS GRACE!!! =)
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Monday, July 30, 2012
My Little People
I'm a sucker for making "my little people" happy. I love watching their eyes light up when I do what they've asked just because I love them. And "my little people" are not limited to my Crew, they include any child who happens to be in my house at a given time. =) That's why I spent a whole day painting murals onto our walls...
and why we had strawberry cake with blue frosting for dessert last night...
and why I've spent many hours at my sewing machine making clothes for kids and dolls instead of for myself. =) And it got me thinking about my Heavenly Father, who loves me & delights to give me good things.
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Matthew 7:7-11
The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:
1 Peter 4:7-10
I hope that by making "my little people" happy, I am pointing them toward my Heavenly Father too.
***Just a brief disclaimer. Please don't take my methods for loving as prescriptive. God designed you to love your little people in the ways He's given YOU. Please use YOUR gifts. =)
and why I've spent many hours at my sewing machine making clothes for kids and dolls instead of for myself. =) And it got me thinking about my Heavenly Father, who loves me & delights to give me good things.
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Matthew 7:7-11
The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:
1 Peter 4:7-10
I hope that by making "my little people" happy, I am pointing them toward my Heavenly Father too.
***Just a brief disclaimer. Please don't take my methods for loving as prescriptive. God designed you to love your little people in the ways He's given YOU. Please use YOUR gifts. =)
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Mud: Part 2
Well, when I am slapping mud up on blank walls for hours on end, I have LOTS of time to think! =) So, I've done LOTS of thinking the past month-ish. ;) I watched Daddy supervising my brother & cousin hanging sheetrock when I was in high school, & asked him about a crack between 2 pieces. His reply was "Mud covers a multitude of sins." =) We both laughed, but the point was made that in remodeling, perfection is nearly impossible, but mud makes the finished product more presentable. =)
I followed this train of thought out a ways, too. After all, I've had LOTS of thinking time! ;) And I was reminded of the verse that Daddy's silly quote came from: Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8
I pondered how that relates. The smaller cracks and holes in a wall can be covered, to the point they are unnoticeable, by a little mud or caulk. So I wondered how love covers sins. Now this may not be entirely accurate (there's my disclaimer! ;)), but I think when we forgive, or refuse to be offended by the smaller things, we are acting like the mud. In God's eyes, all sin is UTTERLY HEINOUS, but all sin is ultimately against Him. And, as we were instructed in Sunday school recently, God will judge sin. If an unbeliever sins against you & never believes, God will judge his sin in eternity. If a believer sins against you, God has already judged that sin in Christ. "If you hold a grudge, you doubt the judge." So go be some mud today! =)
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Ephesians 4:11-16
I followed this train of thought out a ways, too. After all, I've had LOTS of thinking time! ;) And I was reminded of the verse that Daddy's silly quote came from: Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8
I pondered how that relates. The smaller cracks and holes in a wall can be covered, to the point they are unnoticeable, by a little mud or caulk. So I wondered how love covers sins. Now this may not be entirely accurate (there's my disclaimer! ;)), but I think when we forgive, or refuse to be offended by the smaller things, we are acting like the mud. In God's eyes, all sin is UTTERLY HEINOUS, but all sin is ultimately against Him. And, as we were instructed in Sunday school recently, God will judge sin. If an unbeliever sins against you & never believes, God will judge his sin in eternity. If a believer sins against you, God has already judged that sin in Christ. "If you hold a grudge, you doubt the judge." So go be some mud today! =)
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Ephesians 4:11-16
Friday, July 27, 2012
Mud: Part 1
I like to play in the mud! In fact, I've always liked to play in mud. I didn't do it often as a kid because I didn't want the swats that I knew would follow if I did! ;) I did get permission to play in the mud once when I was 10-ish. That is the one time I remember my Mommy mentioning "the Mother's curse" with regards to me. "May you have many children, and may they all be just like you." Well, it took! =) My kids LOVE to play in the mud. Unfortunately, they don't seem to dread the swats that inevitably follow... so maybe they're not JUST like me! ;)
When I was 14, my Daddy introduced me to a sanctioned form of "playing in the mud". He taught me to tape and float for some sheetrock work we were doing in our house that summer. I followed his instructions really well, so it quickly became my part of the construction process. We were consistently doing some kind of remodel work on the houses we lived in for the next 4 years that I lived at home. I got to the point that I dreaded parts of it, and especially Daddy's perfectionism. I was a teenager, after all! =)
I've been reminiscing the last few weeks as I've been doing remodel work on my own house. It's been really funny. I don't dread the parts I used to. And now I'm fighting MY OWN perfectionism! =? The thought I've had most often, is how thankful I am that the Lord was preparing me for much of what would be happening the first 11 years of my marriage. I had no idea when I first picked up that trowel, that I would be doing SO MUCH playing in the mud-- but God did. He knew that Shorty & I would buy a fixer-upper, and be squeaking by on one income as He added 4 more little people to our family. =)
Now I know that this is a purely physical/temporal example, but the principle applies that God will always thoroughly equip us for whatever path He sets before us.
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:14-17
When I was 14, my Daddy introduced me to a sanctioned form of "playing in the mud". He taught me to tape and float for some sheetrock work we were doing in our house that summer. I followed his instructions really well, so it quickly became my part of the construction process. We were consistently doing some kind of remodel work on the houses we lived in for the next 4 years that I lived at home. I got to the point that I dreaded parts of it, and especially Daddy's perfectionism. I was a teenager, after all! =)
I've been reminiscing the last few weeks as I've been doing remodel work on my own house. It's been really funny. I don't dread the parts I used to. And now I'm fighting MY OWN perfectionism! =? The thought I've had most often, is how thankful I am that the Lord was preparing me for much of what would be happening the first 11 years of my marriage. I had no idea when I first picked up that trowel, that I would be doing SO MUCH playing in the mud-- but God did. He knew that Shorty & I would buy a fixer-upper, and be squeaking by on one income as He added 4 more little people to our family. =)
Now I know that this is a purely physical/temporal example, but the principle applies that God will always thoroughly equip us for whatever path He sets before us.
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:14-17
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Trials
A couple of members of my church family have had major medical issues recently. Another dear sister is struggling with the difficulties of missionary life. I personally am enjoying a smoother ride, and a very rich time in the Word. In fact, even though summer can be VERY busy for me, it is one of two seasons when I have the "free time" to listen to sermons, & really immerse myself in thinking through things as a Christian.
I listened to a sermon recently about Romans 8:28 by Tim Keller. It was a real blessing to me, so rather than rambling on & possibly mixing up the message, here's the link:
http://sermons2.redeemer.com/sermons/christians-happiness
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4
I listened to a sermon recently about Romans 8:28 by Tim Keller. It was a real blessing to me, so rather than rambling on & possibly mixing up the message, here's the link:
http://sermons2.redeemer.com/sermons/christians-happiness
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Sticky Stuff
What kid doesn't like stickers? And what grandparent can resist getting their grandchild what they want for a birthday or Christmas? For that matter, who doesn't like sticky stuff?!? Well, Reanna got several birthday gifts this weekend that involved stick stuff. =? I'm not really an artsy person, but so far, I have 2 daughters who are. They love all those creative craftsy things... And we spent the better part of Saturday (when I wasn't cooking & changing diapers) putting her craftsy gifts together. One of these was a mosaic picture with self adhesive foam squares-- a fancy way of saying super thick stickers! ;) The thing is, most of these come with too many stickers-- I guess in case you mess up or want to diverge from the instructions... =? The result of those extra stickers has been "sticky stuff" on my feet for the last 3 days!
I love to be barefoot, but I HATE stepping on "sticky stuff"! And my children don't seem to have the same aversion. =P So I was thinking yesterday as I pulled yet ANOTHER wad of stickers off my feet, how I could blog about sticky stuff! =) And I have it! Have you noticed how sin patterns tend to "stick" to you? Maybe you don't, but I will be "walking" along, thinking everything is ok, when all of a sudden the Lord shows me a rather obvious sin pattern on my "foot"! =P And like the stickers littering my floor, these sin patterns keep attaching to me!
So I followed that train of thought a little farther, and was reminded that "my sin" is more than just the things I do. Every part of me is messed up by sin, and just like tape is attracted to itself, sin patterns are attracted to the sin that resides in me! =P The good news is that God's grace is active in my life, and His grace is GREATER than all my sin! =)
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Romans 7:18-24
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5:1-5
I love to be barefoot, but I HATE stepping on "sticky stuff"! And my children don't seem to have the same aversion. =P So I was thinking yesterday as I pulled yet ANOTHER wad of stickers off my feet, how I could blog about sticky stuff! =) And I have it! Have you noticed how sin patterns tend to "stick" to you? Maybe you don't, but I will be "walking" along, thinking everything is ok, when all of a sudden the Lord shows me a rather obvious sin pattern on my "foot"! =P And like the stickers littering my floor, these sin patterns keep attaching to me!
So I followed that train of thought a little farther, and was reminded that "my sin" is more than just the things I do. Every part of me is messed up by sin, and just like tape is attracted to itself, sin patterns are attracted to the sin that resides in me! =P The good news is that God's grace is active in my life, and His grace is GREATER than all my sin! =)
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Romans 7:18-24
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5:1-5
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Fruity!
I LOVE fruit! (I've been starting a lot of posts this way lately, but I'm just a passionate person. =)) We eat LOTS more variety & quantity in the summer because the prices are lower at the store then. So I was thinking about fruit the other day, & how there are lots of agricultural, & particularly horticultural word pictures and parables in the Bible. And I was pondering the ideas of bearing fruit & pruning. So I did some research about pruning-- since I didn't know much about it at the time. =)
I found out that as a general rule, fruit trees need to be pruned at the beginning of the planting season, and again at the beginning of the dormant season. The timing of the pruning process is essential to fruit production. The other thing that I found incredibly interesting is that if fruit trees are NOT pruned, their fruit production will dramatically decrease or even stop altogether! We know from science class that plants need leaves for photosynthesis, so they can feed themselves. The thing about fruit trees (and grapevines) is that if they are left to themselves, they will put all their energy into growing more leaves!
This information really hit me as regards my spiritual growth. I am inclined to spend all my energies on "feeding" myself. But God saved me to bear fruit for Him. So He wisely removes some of the extra leaves and branches in my life at timely intervals. The other thing is that I grow most under pressure. Nobody expects to find apples on a tree in Maine in December! ;) God applies the "summer" of difficult circumstances for a while & then gives me a break. And before & after "summer" He prunes me so that He'll get even MORE fruit next time. =)
I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
John 15:1-8
I found out that as a general rule, fruit trees need to be pruned at the beginning of the planting season, and again at the beginning of the dormant season. The timing of the pruning process is essential to fruit production. The other thing that I found incredibly interesting is that if fruit trees are NOT pruned, their fruit production will dramatically decrease or even stop altogether! We know from science class that plants need leaves for photosynthesis, so they can feed themselves. The thing about fruit trees (and grapevines) is that if they are left to themselves, they will put all their energy into growing more leaves!
This information really hit me as regards my spiritual growth. I am inclined to spend all my energies on "feeding" myself. But God saved me to bear fruit for Him. So He wisely removes some of the extra leaves and branches in my life at timely intervals. The other thing is that I grow most under pressure. Nobody expects to find apples on a tree in Maine in December! ;) God applies the "summer" of difficult circumstances for a while & then gives me a break. And before & after "summer" He prunes me so that He'll get even MORE fruit next time. =)
I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
John 15:1-8
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