Sometimes I sit and wonder about love and marriage. During those times I wonder how I will know and when I will know for certain God has brought "the one" He's chosen into my life. You may have similar thoughts too. Perhaps you are having those thoughts right now. And if you are already married, you may have had these thoughts one time or another before you said,... "I do." I admit, trusting God is not easy for me, and in fact, I sometimes even doubt I have been trusting at all, yet knowing He has brought two people together in a life long marriage must be a wonderful experience. Thankfully as Christians we can rest in knowing that God's timing is different than ours but two people He has chosen can focus on His word together and be brought even closer to the one who Created us and saved us from sin and the wrath to come. Together, two people God has chosen can experience His love and what He wants for us on earth all the while being brought closer and closer each day. Two people can challenge one another and help each other to grow in the Lord. Two people God has chosen can support and uphold one another through Christ Jesus who strengthens us each individually. Assuming Christ leaves us here a bit longer on earth and He allows me to experience marriage, I hope I will be able to fulfull and experience these requests. You may be hoping for the same. I pray for the moments in which such things can be shared and experienced. Sometimes I sit and wonder about a relationship wrapped in the love of Christ, where two people chosen by God can both share a life together and share in life as He ordains it.
"I wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him" - Psalm 62:5
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Monday, June 13, 2005
When life crashes, who is our strength?
As life seems to be crashing down upon me I am reminded of a couple verses in Psalm 139:23-24 – “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Now certainly I feel there are times when depression is reining supreme in my life yet I know deep down it is not a lasting condition. Yet while in the midst of a storm, it can be overwhelming. There are many who have endured and continue to experience true trials and afflictions which indeed warrant anxiety. You may be able to relate. The Apostle Paul surely had reason to experience depression and anxiety. He was involved in ship wrecks, wrongfully beaten, imprisoned and chained and let us not forget all the verbal abuse he received on a daily basis preaching Jesus Christ.
I believe God uses anxiety and affliction for His purpose in helping us to grow. The test is than, who is our strength? In Psalm 18:32 it says “ God-He clothes me with strength and makes my way perfect.” And in Psalm 119:71 is written “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.” I may know this intellectually when things are going good but do I put it into practice when trouble comes my way? Unfortunately many times, this has not been the case in my life.
When life gets heavy, even if one should have a similar plea as the Psalmist in Psalm 119:25 when it is written “I lie in the dust, completely discouraged; revive me by your word. “ This would be what God would desire. Additionally, am I willing that God should search me? Who am I that I should think I can dictate what God can and cannot do in my life? And yet, I find myself more often than not, doing just that too. I believe this would be a perfect example of a wicked way spoken of in our opening verse. (Psalm 139:23-24 – “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”)
And so may it be that we can say wholeheartedly as in Psalm 119:67 “Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word." And likewise may I take to heart Psalm 119:75 “I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right, And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.”
Psalm 30:5 – ’For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. ‘
Now certainly I feel there are times when depression is reining supreme in my life yet I know deep down it is not a lasting condition. Yet while in the midst of a storm, it can be overwhelming. There are many who have endured and continue to experience true trials and afflictions which indeed warrant anxiety. You may be able to relate. The Apostle Paul surely had reason to experience depression and anxiety. He was involved in ship wrecks, wrongfully beaten, imprisoned and chained and let us not forget all the verbal abuse he received on a daily basis preaching Jesus Christ.
I believe God uses anxiety and affliction for His purpose in helping us to grow. The test is than, who is our strength? In Psalm 18:32 it says “ God-He clothes me with strength and makes my way perfect.” And in Psalm 119:71 is written “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.” I may know this intellectually when things are going good but do I put it into practice when trouble comes my way? Unfortunately many times, this has not been the case in my life.
When life gets heavy, even if one should have a similar plea as the Psalmist in Psalm 119:25 when it is written “I lie in the dust, completely discouraged; revive me by your word. “ This would be what God would desire. Additionally, am I willing that God should search me? Who am I that I should think I can dictate what God can and cannot do in my life? And yet, I find myself more often than not, doing just that too. I believe this would be a perfect example of a wicked way spoken of in our opening verse. (Psalm 139:23-24 – “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”)
And so may it be that we can say wholeheartedly as in Psalm 119:67 “Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word." And likewise may I take to heart Psalm 119:75 “I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right, And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.”
Psalm 30:5 – ’For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. ‘
Friday, June 10, 2005
Seeking the Lord
Recently a friend reminded me of something important I would like to share. I will begin with the verse in Isaiah 55:6 – “Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. “
To not know something is one thing but when one doesn’t know God’s immediate will, the question I need to ask is, how do I respond? Am I responding in an appropriate manner? Do I get angry at God or others? Am I listening to Him from His Word and becoming sensitive to His voice? I think it is also important to remember, one can be encouraged by those with whom he or she interacts. Do I listen to others when they encourage and instruct out of His Word? For me, being in tune with others and what they are saying is of key importance. Listening to them is vital and something I need to ask God for help with each and every moment.
Christian fellowship seems to play a vital role in building up one another in the Lord. (see 1 Th. 5:11) I seek to know God’s will and to listen to His people. 1 John 4:6 – “But we belong to God; that is why those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.” God’s will and immediate plans may not be clear right now but my response to His people and His Word can be the answer to understanding the plans. Likewise, “1 Thessalonians 5:18 reads, “Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. “
Psalm 4:3 – “You can be sure of this: The LORD has set apart the godly for himself. The LORD will answer when I call to him.”
Psalm 34:17 – “The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.”
And I must be reminded of this promise from the Lord in Jeremiah 29:13 – “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”
To not know something is one thing but when one doesn’t know God’s immediate will, the question I need to ask is, how do I respond? Am I responding in an appropriate manner? Do I get angry at God or others? Am I listening to Him from His Word and becoming sensitive to His voice? I think it is also important to remember, one can be encouraged by those with whom he or she interacts. Do I listen to others when they encourage and instruct out of His Word? For me, being in tune with others and what they are saying is of key importance. Listening to them is vital and something I need to ask God for help with each and every moment.
Christian fellowship seems to play a vital role in building up one another in the Lord. (see 1 Th. 5:11) I seek to know God’s will and to listen to His people. 1 John 4:6 – “But we belong to God; that is why those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.” God’s will and immediate plans may not be clear right now but my response to His people and His Word can be the answer to understanding the plans. Likewise, “1 Thessalonians 5:18 reads, “Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. “
Psalm 4:3 – “You can be sure of this: The LORD has set apart the godly for himself. The LORD will answer when I call to him.”
Psalm 34:17 – “The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.”
And I must be reminded of this promise from the Lord in Jeremiah 29:13 – “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Do you believe Jesus?
Let us pause for a moment and consider the following accounts during the time Jesus walked on the earth.
Jesus talking to the Jews said.. “I have come to you representing my Father, and you refuse to welcome me, even though you readily accept others who represent only themselves. You gladly honor each other, but you don't care about the honor that comes from God alone. “ (John 5:43- 44)
”The Father and I are one” (John 10:30)
The high priest said to him, "I demand in the name of the living God that you tell us whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God." Jesus replied, "Yes, it is as you say. And in the future you will see me, the Son of Man, sitting at God's right hand in the place of power and coming back on the clouds of heaven."
Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror, shouting, "Blasphemy! Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy. (Matthew 26:63-65)
Jesus said to the man, "Son, your sins are forgiven." "Who does this man think he is?" the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to each other. "This is blasphemy! Who but God can forgive sins?" The Jewish leaders tried all the more to kill him. In addition to disobeying the Sabbath rules, he had spoken of God as his Father, thereby making himself equal with God.
(John 5:18)
The Jewish leaders replied“…you, a mere man, have made yourself God.” (John 10:33)
After reading the above passages, you may have realized many trends. I would like to draw your attention to a simple yet common theme. This particular theme stirred up many who listened to Jesus talk. The Jewish leadership and others sought to even kill Jesus because of it and eventually we know they did. But why such hatred for an apparently good man who healed, and even performed countless miracles? Why would simple statements and acts of kindness and love by Jesus cause the leaders to cry out “blasphemy!” from a simple statement by Jesus? We know the answer from the verses above.
Jesus claimed one thing that was clear to all who heard Him speak. Jesus made the claim to be God and this was obvious blasphemy to the Jewish leadership. Likewise, even today this remains true. This claim continues to be considered blasphemy by Jesus and/or anyone who claims to be God unless of course it is true and Jesus truly is who He says He is. Like the Jewish leaders, I am aware that many today choose to believe Jesus is not who He claims and yet are willing to accept the account of the life of Jesus. In fact, many might even consider Jesus to be a good teacher and one who would offer good advice.
I submit to you dear reader, if you do not believe Jesus is God than you will not be able to trust anything Jesus says to be the truth. If you do not believe Jesus is who He claims to be, than how can one trust Him to have been even remotely a good teacher? The choice remains. Jesus is God and the Savior of the world with power to forgive sin as He has claimed or He is not. Your life depends on who you put your trust in. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)
Are you a good person?
Take the ultimate test to find out!
www.areyougood.us
Jesus talking to the Jews said.. “I have come to you representing my Father, and you refuse to welcome me, even though you readily accept others who represent only themselves. You gladly honor each other, but you don't care about the honor that comes from God alone. “ (John 5:43- 44)
”The Father and I are one” (John 10:30)
The high priest said to him, "I demand in the name of the living God that you tell us whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God." Jesus replied, "Yes, it is as you say. And in the future you will see me, the Son of Man, sitting at God's right hand in the place of power and coming back on the clouds of heaven."
Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror, shouting, "Blasphemy! Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy. (Matthew 26:63-65)
Jesus said to the man, "Son, your sins are forgiven." "Who does this man think he is?" the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to each other. "This is blasphemy! Who but God can forgive sins?" The Jewish leaders tried all the more to kill him. In addition to disobeying the Sabbath rules, he had spoken of God as his Father, thereby making himself equal with God.
(John 5:18)
The Jewish leaders replied“…you, a mere man, have made yourself God.” (John 10:33)
After reading the above passages, you may have realized many trends. I would like to draw your attention to a simple yet common theme. This particular theme stirred up many who listened to Jesus talk. The Jewish leadership and others sought to even kill Jesus because of it and eventually we know they did. But why such hatred for an apparently good man who healed, and even performed countless miracles? Why would simple statements and acts of kindness and love by Jesus cause the leaders to cry out “blasphemy!” from a simple statement by Jesus? We know the answer from the verses above.
Jesus claimed one thing that was clear to all who heard Him speak. Jesus made the claim to be God and this was obvious blasphemy to the Jewish leadership. Likewise, even today this remains true. This claim continues to be considered blasphemy by Jesus and/or anyone who claims to be God unless of course it is true and Jesus truly is who He says He is. Like the Jewish leaders, I am aware that many today choose to believe Jesus is not who He claims and yet are willing to accept the account of the life of Jesus. In fact, many might even consider Jesus to be a good teacher and one who would offer good advice.
I submit to you dear reader, if you do not believe Jesus is God than you will not be able to trust anything Jesus says to be the truth. If you do not believe Jesus is who He claims to be, than how can one trust Him to have been even remotely a good teacher? The choice remains. Jesus is God and the Savior of the world with power to forgive sin as He has claimed or He is not. Your life depends on who you put your trust in. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)
Are you a good person?
Take the ultimate test to find out!
www.areyougood.us
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