I wrote this one a year or so ago. It is interesting to see changes God has made in our lives, ultimately we did end up loosing the house, but God provided buyers so we could short sell instead of being foreclosed. He provided another place for us to live, smaller, and one that brought this close knit family even closer ... amazing. And He is still teaching us to lean upon Him by keeping us paycheck to paycheck. I must say, these past 20 months have been so very difficult, yet I wouldn't change a moment of them. Maybe one day, when we have learned to keep Him this close to us, He will grant us again some of what He had to take. But if given the choice between being financially secure with every need excessively met and a casual relationship with God, or eating Ramon noodles so that the electric bill can be paid, but living at the feet of God, I would choose the latter.
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Good day to all. ... No wait, that isn't good enough. One of the things that I have always noted and loved was the greetings that each of the letters gave to the readers. They were heart felt and beautiful. I think we have lost the art of greeting people. I know that Hello or Good day Mate, really do suffice on most days, but not today, not to you, and most definitely not to my God. So let me try this again. (Just between us though, I am completely taking Paul's greetings to the Thessalonians, the first letter, and copying them for you. He just really knew how to say hello) To my brothers and sisters In God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (There now that is much better)
Today I was watching a video clip that addressed Proverbs 30:7-9 and it issued a challenge to Americans, which of course made me want to ponder upon it for a bit. The challenge was simple. Would you pray for this? Now I realize that there may be some of you, who like me, don't know off the top of your heads what those verses say, so I will write them here, but I will go back a few verses. Proverbs 30:5-9 "Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar. Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches -- Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, and say "Who is the LORD?" Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God." Hmm, I had to stop and think upon that. Basically Agur, who wrote this, was saying God control my mouth, prevent me from speaking any falsehoods or lies. Take my mouth and make it Yours. He is petitioning for 2 things that for all intents and purposes was more of a plead then a petition one control my mouth and two my provisions. God don't give me too much that I no longer need to rely on you and only you and don't give me so little that I end up stealing, thus profaning You and Your name. Think about that for a moment. The prayer can be broken down to an even more simple statement. God keep me honestly Yours give me just enough to live paycheck to paycheck, never having more then my needs met, leaving me dependent on only You. Okay, who wants to jump on this challenge bandwagon with me? Any show of hands out there? Now, I say that slightly light heartedly, but don't let that take away from what Agur is saying, nor what this challenge is proposing.
One thing that has really be pulling at my heart is that there is a part of me that knows that I need to pray that. That I should for my own sake pray that. That God wants my heart to live that prayer. Then there is this side of me, it is almost a soft voice, whispering delicately in my ear. What if what He gives you isn't enough? What if you end up loosing the house? Ouch, I hate that little voice that speaks so sweetly the doubts that I fight every day. Some days I honestly do wish that I could just reach into my own mind and heart and just jack slap that voice and hand it some eviction papers. But the truth is, I am probably living outside of God's desire for me. Ouch, another slap. Then again that isn't for me to determine is it? It isn't for me to decide what God does and does not want for me. So the bottom line is. Will I just trust him? Will I place my every single need in His hands? Will I accept it when He goes through my life and says "no, this wasn't what I wanted for you" and takes it from me? Will I praise Him for it? Or, will I whine about it? (I hate to admit it, but the odds are better for the latter, but I pray for the former.) Will I stop worrying about my future, my next bill, my next meal, and just live in this moment completely trusting my God for my every need? I can honestly say, that maybe not completely today, but I will remind myself daily, no, hourly, possibly minute by minute to just do it. I do intend to pray this prayer, perhaps after I have had a chance to share this with my husband and hear his wisdom. After all, he would be bound to this prayer as well, and he is my head.
Normally this would be the time that I issue my own challenge to you. But, this isn't for me to issue to you. Instead I ask you to read Proverbs 30:1-9 for yourself and search your own heart, praying, and listening to what God reveals to you.
May God richly bless you as you seek more of Him.
Ady
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Lets start at the very beginning
Hello my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, I hope this day finds you seeking Him and His wisdom and that His peace rest upon you.
Today is a rather different kind of day. I was watching TV the other day when I saw a trailer for the movie Julie and Julia, or something like that. The storyline behind this film was a woman decided to read and do one of Julia Child’s books from the beginning to the end, not skipping a page or recipe, and then write a blog about it. I have not decided myself if I will see the movie or not, but what did come to mind is ... What if someone decided to read the Bible from beginning to end and blog about it, not missing a page, command, lesson, or conviction? Then I wondered if I could take on such a challenge. At that point I realized that it would be a daunting task, and truthfully I don’t know if I am up to that challenge. But I couldn’t help but to wonder about what lessons I could learn. What if I looked at the Bible with fresh eyes, or from a different approach. So I decided to start at Genesis chapter 1, ask God to teach me something new, and document the thoughts that came to mind. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much. I have always looked at the first few chapters of the Bible as ground work, history, and the foundation to introduce God. Man was my mind ever closed off. Here is what I learned reading Genesis 1.
The first thing that struck me was all the times I read “God said .... and there was ...” I stopped for a moment and asked myself. “When have I allowed God to speak into my life?” The truth is, probably never. I have spent so much time lately wondering why nothing is happening and the truth is - God didn’t speak it. Therefore there is no basis for it to be followed by - “and there was”. Then it hit me, that is just the beginning of what I need to change.
Another thing that I noticed is God never allowed the darkness to remain. He did not ever permit total darkness. I remembered in John 1 we are told that the “light was with Him” and I believe that to be Jesus, so even from the beginning Jesus is there. Genesis 1 states the spirit hovered over the earth, again I believe it is a reference to Jesus being there. But God also illustrated that He is the one who brings light, that He is light, by speaking light into creation. Then he places a lesser light to rule the night and places the stars in the heavens. Even when darkness falls, He provides light. I realize that this is the story of creation, and it is the story of how the moon and stars came to be. But I could not help but to see, that even from the beginning, God addressed our need for light, His light.
Something else that sometimes gets overlooked is that God made the plants before he made the sun. This is something that I have been teaching my children for years, but still you would be surprised to see just how many people don’t pick up on that. I think God did this for two reasons, and again, these are just my thoughts. I think the first reason was to just show us His greatness, His ability to show everything, that He is the author of life. That there wasn’t a reaction caused by the sun. That it was His doing. And the second reason is to prove that He alone can sustain everything and that means everyone too. We learn in science that without the sun plants die, but God shows us that it is He who sustains life.
Now this next section I had to park on for a bit. I admit that I probably need to park there even longer then I did, but I am sure it will not be the last time I am there. I had to stop and think about the fact that we are made in His image. I had never really stopped to reflect on that before. I understood the concept, and I believed it to be true, but I had never just pondered upon it. I reflected upon my own children and smiled as I pictured them, I giggled as I thought of their personalities and I was filled with joy as I saw my husband and myself in them. They are us. But when I expanded on to ask myself “Am I in God’s image?” I had to look past my physical image, past the fact that my body formation may resemble God’s and look at my personality. Can you hear my mind spinning as I think of these things? Is your mind going to town over it? What question came to mind next was the most probing question to date. Can God see His personality, His traits, Himself in me? That question, I must admit, may take a lifetime to answer.
Anyway, just when I thought that I had gotten everything I could out of Genesis 1. Just when I thought I knew everything about that chapter that I needed to know. Just when I thought it was just an introductory history lesson to introduce God. I hear it speak to me, and I am reminded that God’s word is a living word, constantly speaking to us .... that is if we are listening.
May God richly bless you as you seek Him.
Ady
Today is a rather different kind of day. I was watching TV the other day when I saw a trailer for the movie Julie and Julia, or something like that. The storyline behind this film was a woman decided to read and do one of Julia Child’s books from the beginning to the end, not skipping a page or recipe, and then write a blog about it. I have not decided myself if I will see the movie or not, but what did come to mind is ... What if someone decided to read the Bible from beginning to end and blog about it, not missing a page, command, lesson, or conviction? Then I wondered if I could take on such a challenge. At that point I realized that it would be a daunting task, and truthfully I don’t know if I am up to that challenge. But I couldn’t help but to wonder about what lessons I could learn. What if I looked at the Bible with fresh eyes, or from a different approach. So I decided to start at Genesis chapter 1, ask God to teach me something new, and document the thoughts that came to mind. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much. I have always looked at the first few chapters of the Bible as ground work, history, and the foundation to introduce God. Man was my mind ever closed off. Here is what I learned reading Genesis 1.
The first thing that struck me was all the times I read “God said .... and there was ...” I stopped for a moment and asked myself. “When have I allowed God to speak into my life?” The truth is, probably never. I have spent so much time lately wondering why nothing is happening and the truth is - God didn’t speak it. Therefore there is no basis for it to be followed by - “and there was”. Then it hit me, that is just the beginning of what I need to change.
Another thing that I noticed is God never allowed the darkness to remain. He did not ever permit total darkness. I remembered in John 1 we are told that the “light was with Him” and I believe that to be Jesus, so even from the beginning Jesus is there. Genesis 1 states the spirit hovered over the earth, again I believe it is a reference to Jesus being there. But God also illustrated that He is the one who brings light, that He is light, by speaking light into creation. Then he places a lesser light to rule the night and places the stars in the heavens. Even when darkness falls, He provides light. I realize that this is the story of creation, and it is the story of how the moon and stars came to be. But I could not help but to see, that even from the beginning, God addressed our need for light, His light.
Something else that sometimes gets overlooked is that God made the plants before he made the sun. This is something that I have been teaching my children for years, but still you would be surprised to see just how many people don’t pick up on that. I think God did this for two reasons, and again, these are just my thoughts. I think the first reason was to just show us His greatness, His ability to show everything, that He is the author of life. That there wasn’t a reaction caused by the sun. That it was His doing. And the second reason is to prove that He alone can sustain everything and that means everyone too. We learn in science that without the sun plants die, but God shows us that it is He who sustains life.
Now this next section I had to park on for a bit. I admit that I probably need to park there even longer then I did, but I am sure it will not be the last time I am there. I had to stop and think about the fact that we are made in His image. I had never really stopped to reflect on that before. I understood the concept, and I believed it to be true, but I had never just pondered upon it. I reflected upon my own children and smiled as I pictured them, I giggled as I thought of their personalities and I was filled with joy as I saw my husband and myself in them. They are us. But when I expanded on to ask myself “Am I in God’s image?” I had to look past my physical image, past the fact that my body formation may resemble God’s and look at my personality. Can you hear my mind spinning as I think of these things? Is your mind going to town over it? What question came to mind next was the most probing question to date. Can God see His personality, His traits, Himself in me? That question, I must admit, may take a lifetime to answer.
Anyway, just when I thought that I had gotten everything I could out of Genesis 1. Just when I thought I knew everything about that chapter that I needed to know. Just when I thought it was just an introductory history lesson to introduce God. I hear it speak to me, and I am reminded that God’s word is a living word, constantly speaking to us .... that is if we are listening.
May God richly bless you as you seek Him.
Ady
Friday, February 5, 2010
A blog submitted by Parker
A very dear friend of mine posted this blog someplace else and graciously gave me permission to post here. I just loved it. Thank you so much Parker for sharing. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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Being on time is problematic for me; it always has been. Today I knew I had several stops to make before picking up the two young boys that I baby-sit. First, I had to mail my Mom’s Mother’s Day card (that was a must) and second with the fuel gauge on ’E’ it was also imperative that I make that stop at the gas station (not the closest one mind you, but the cheapest one).
The Post Office was my first stop and needless to say it was no huge surprise to find that the line was already a long one and moving nowhere. Even though I knew I needed to ‘be in a hurry’, let’s face it- I wasn’t. Several minutes passed and most everyone in line was looking around, shuffling from foot to foot, huffing because things weren’t moving fast enough, their eyes and heads were bobbing around like those bobble head dolls with a look of 'when will this all end'.
Behind me in the distance (at least 3 or 4 people back), I heard the voice of a woman- who having not seen her when she walked in, would probably have described her as elderly. Before I knew it, I found myself drawn to her voice and her conversation with the gentleman in front of her. (Now don’t give me that…you guys know you listen in on other people’s conversations whether you want to or not)
I heard her say something to the effect of ‘so many people waiting in line for a single stamp‘. The guy acknowledged her comment in a polite nonchalant sort of way.
A moment or two of silence fell upon my ears except for the postal worker saying ‘next’ (granted the official United States Postal employee was very nice, but it sort of reminded me of ’Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’. However instead of ’Bueller, Bueller, Bueller…I heard next…well, you get the picture)
The elderly lady began to speak again and she mentioned that ‘she knew the lines would be long and so she brought along a book to read‘. Again, silence fell until I heard the lady reading aloud. At first, I thought maybe she had found some interesting sentence and just wanted to share it with someone; because at that time I was only catching a word here and there. But they were familiar words; words that I had heard somewhere before...church, seminary....
After I heard her reading aloud, I must have become tuned into what she was reading because her words grew louder. By now my curiosity had grown so, that I had to turn around and see who this woman was and what she was reading. She was just as I had pictured. She was an elderly looking woman with this worn weathered beaten look about her. Her reading was like that of a child, but so sweet and hushed…unlike anything I had ever heard before. She never looked up, but kept her face and her hand poignantly on her book…
Strangely the Post Office became eerily quiet, yet wonderfully exciting (I have not been drinking and I’m not on drugs). As I intently concentrated on what she was reading, I heard the words ever so clearly…
“Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
I was now at the counter ready to send my Mom’s much belated Mother’s Day card and could no longer hear the woman reading. But what I did notice was that everything seemed to slow down and the ‘huffing’ and shuffling of the people and papers seemed to be removed.
My time in the Post Office had ended and for once I left there with a smile. Maybe it was because I thought of the enormity of what this woman had done and maybe it was because I knew what followed next in this passage from John:
“Philip said to him, ’Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’ Jesus said to him, ’Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me?”
By the way, the reason I was late in sending my mom’s card was because I made her one this year. For some strange reason, last week my printer decided to quit working and it wasn’t until last night that I finally managed to fix it. Had it been working correctly last week, I would have missed this face of God for one postage stamp….
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Being on time is problematic for me; it always has been. Today I knew I had several stops to make before picking up the two young boys that I baby-sit. First, I had to mail my Mom’s Mother’s Day card (that was a must) and second with the fuel gauge on ’E’ it was also imperative that I make that stop at the gas station (not the closest one mind you, but the cheapest one).
The Post Office was my first stop and needless to say it was no huge surprise to find that the line was already a long one and moving nowhere. Even though I knew I needed to ‘be in a hurry’, let’s face it- I wasn’t. Several minutes passed and most everyone in line was looking around, shuffling from foot to foot, huffing because things weren’t moving fast enough, their eyes and heads were bobbing around like those bobble head dolls with a look of 'when will this all end'.
Behind me in the distance (at least 3 or 4 people back), I heard the voice of a woman- who having not seen her when she walked in, would probably have described her as elderly. Before I knew it, I found myself drawn to her voice and her conversation with the gentleman in front of her. (Now don’t give me that…you guys know you listen in on other people’s conversations whether you want to or not)
I heard her say something to the effect of ‘so many people waiting in line for a single stamp‘. The guy acknowledged her comment in a polite nonchalant sort of way.
A moment or two of silence fell upon my ears except for the postal worker saying ‘next’ (granted the official United States Postal employee was very nice, but it sort of reminded me of ’Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’. However instead of ’Bueller, Bueller, Bueller…I heard next…well, you get the picture)
The elderly lady began to speak again and she mentioned that ‘she knew the lines would be long and so she brought along a book to read‘. Again, silence fell until I heard the lady reading aloud. At first, I thought maybe she had found some interesting sentence and just wanted to share it with someone; because at that time I was only catching a word here and there. But they were familiar words; words that I had heard somewhere before...church, seminary....
After I heard her reading aloud, I must have become tuned into what she was reading because her words grew louder. By now my curiosity had grown so, that I had to turn around and see who this woman was and what she was reading. She was just as I had pictured. She was an elderly looking woman with this worn weathered beaten look about her. Her reading was like that of a child, but so sweet and hushed…unlike anything I had ever heard before. She never looked up, but kept her face and her hand poignantly on her book…
Strangely the Post Office became eerily quiet, yet wonderfully exciting (I have not been drinking and I’m not on drugs). As I intently concentrated on what she was reading, I heard the words ever so clearly…
“Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
I was now at the counter ready to send my Mom’s much belated Mother’s Day card and could no longer hear the woman reading. But what I did notice was that everything seemed to slow down and the ‘huffing’ and shuffling of the people and papers seemed to be removed.
My time in the Post Office had ended and for once I left there with a smile. Maybe it was because I thought of the enormity of what this woman had done and maybe it was because I knew what followed next in this passage from John:
“Philip said to him, ’Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’ Jesus said to him, ’Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me?”
By the way, the reason I was late in sending my mom’s card was because I made her one this year. For some strange reason, last week my printer decided to quit working and it wasn’t until last night that I finally managed to fix it. Had it been working correctly last week, I would have missed this face of God for one postage stamp….
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Pure worship
I have spent most of the day trying to figure out what I was going to blog about today. I have known that I wanted to continue on pray and really touch on worship, yet my studies yielded only personal messages. Messages I cherish. Since I began my writing career, which I know hasn't taken off yet, I have been bombarded with one question. A question that I believe is from God speaking right to my heart. What was that question? It was a simple one. Adrienne, if you are the only one who comes here, the only one who reads what you write, would it be enough for you? If your words were only ever between Me and you, would you be satisfied? I have to admit, that was not a question I answered in haste. I knew that the answer wasn't black and white. I had to evaluate my goals, my desires, my heart. I had to ask myself. Would it simply be enough for me to only write to God? I love and hate those questions of the heart He poses. They always lead to deep thought and evaluation, yet sometimes what the reveal literally breaks my heart. I am pleased to say that I have found my answer. Yes, if this place, if my books, my thoughts, my prayers, my everything written, and not, were only between myself and God, it would be enough. This place is worth maintaining if only for U/us. Do I think that will be His will? I don't know, but regardless of whether it is or not, it changes nothing. God is worth our best. He is worthy of us placing our hardest work, or most inspired creativity, our everything for just Him. He has given us so much, yet so often we offer Him what is left over at the end of the day. What is good enough to just get by. He gives us gifts to share with the world, and to share with Him. When I write, so often, I completely loose myself in the moment, I find my communion with God at it's purest form. This is my form of worship and I worship Him.
I have been watching my daughter and husband this evening. Watching them listen to music together. He with his eyes closed, hands lifted up in worship, and her twirling and composing dances, complete with moments of bended knee and clasped hands. She as learned to sometimes pray the songs she hears. As I watched her I wondered when we got so old, so mature, so religious that we were no longer to just twirl as we looked up and sang and danced for our King. I remembered Jesus saying we should approach him as the little children do. They don't worry about doing it "right" they just do what comes to them. Now I am not suggesting that we just start twirling in the middle of church and pull out our Jesus coloring books. There are times that we do need to be respectful of our surroundings. What I am suggesting is that we also allow ourselves times of pure worship. When the thoughts of others do not enter our minds. When we sing loudly out of key and allow tears to flow down our cheeks. When we get up and twirl around and dance for our Lord. I am reminded of the song, Heart of Worship. And, I can't help but to think that we all need to come back to our purest form of worship with our God. What ever that gift is He gave us to share with Him, and the world.
May God richly bless you as you seek Him today.
Ady
I have been watching my daughter and husband this evening. Watching them listen to music together. He with his eyes closed, hands lifted up in worship, and her twirling and composing dances, complete with moments of bended knee and clasped hands. She as learned to sometimes pray the songs she hears. As I watched her I wondered when we got so old, so mature, so religious that we were no longer to just twirl as we looked up and sang and danced for our King. I remembered Jesus saying we should approach him as the little children do. They don't worry about doing it "right" they just do what comes to them. Now I am not suggesting that we just start twirling in the middle of church and pull out our Jesus coloring books. There are times that we do need to be respectful of our surroundings. What I am suggesting is that we also allow ourselves times of pure worship. When the thoughts of others do not enter our minds. When we sing loudly out of key and allow tears to flow down our cheeks. When we get up and twirl around and dance for our Lord. I am reminded of the song, Heart of Worship. And, I can't help but to think that we all need to come back to our purest form of worship with our God. What ever that gift is He gave us to share with Him, and the world.
May God richly bless you as you seek Him today.
Ady
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Lord's prayer and it's impact on us.
Matthew 6:8-13 Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation.
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
A prayer that many of us have been taught since childhood. Most of us can recite it automatically without giving much, if any, thought to the words, they just flow from our lips. Many have written about this passage and for good reason. Far too often, this prayer's power is not realized. Jesus isn't simply telling us to recite these words as a ritual to our Father. Nor is He saying this is the only prayer to say. This is a model prayer, that is to say, something to learn and learn from. Max Lucado in his book The Great House of God broke down this prayer beautifully. I would recommend everyone to read this book. If for no other reason then to get a better perspective of these lines. I will not re-write his book here, for I am not qualified. But I will share with you some food for thought. But first, some questions. What does this prayer mean to you? What does it mean when Jesus says "your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him."? Does that imply that we really don't need to ask since God already knows? I think most of us would answer that question with a NO. What Jesus is trying to get us to do is to recognize a few things. One, God already knows everything. Two, He is in charge of everything. And three, we need to approach God with a forgiving heart.
God wants us to come to Him, even though we know He already knows what we need. It shows that we recognize his Deity, that He IS God. And that we know that He is the only one we can truly turn to. Look at the words, in heaven, your kingdom, your will. These words are proclaiming that God is indeed the ruler of heaven and earth, that our desire is for His kingdom, His will, which also means not our kingdom, not our will. When we pray it is important that we take time to not only ask for things, but to also to humble ourselves and admit to God and ourselves that in the grand scope of things, He is in control, His kingdom is the one that needs to be promoted and ultimately His will is what we need for our lives. If we did that, from an honest heart, how much more power would our prayers hold? How much closer would our communication be with God?
Another aspect of this prayer is that He forgives us as we forgive others. How many of you are holding a grudge? Tell me, how is that going? Does it make you feel better about what happened? Have you determined how much suffering that person deserves from your persistent anger? Will that day ever come? Is it making you healthier, or tearing you up? Finally, is holding on to that anger towards another person, worth you not receiving forgiveness from God? Ahh now there is a question that we might not ask ourselves very often. Is that person worth not receiving God's forgiveness? Yet when we refuse to forgive someone, regardless of what they have done, that is exactly what we are risking. Lets face it, we need God's forgiveness. What we have done to Him is worst then what others have done to us. God gave us His forgiveness even though we did not deserve it. Even though we continue to do things to hurt and sin against Him. I don't think He is asking too much by telling us to extend what He has already given us. How much would the quality of your life improve if you left the past behind and just forgave, if for no other reason then to receive God's forgiveness.
In closing I want to challenge you. When you pray today, which today is the day we pray for each other, ask not for what you need right now. Instead ask God to show you any unforgiveness you may be harboring. Walk line by line through the Lord's Prayer and meditate on what it means, when you ask for His will, ask it willing to accept that right now it might not be what you want or think you need. Remember that even Jesus, while in the garden, asked for what He wanted, but ultimately asked for God's will to be done, not His. Sometimes the walk we need to take does not feel good, but in the end, it was the exact thing we NEEDED. Finally, before you end your prayer, forgive your trespassers, and the ones you struggle with, ask God to help you forgive. He will help you.
May God bless you on this day.
Ady
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation.
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
A prayer that many of us have been taught since childhood. Most of us can recite it automatically without giving much, if any, thought to the words, they just flow from our lips. Many have written about this passage and for good reason. Far too often, this prayer's power is not realized. Jesus isn't simply telling us to recite these words as a ritual to our Father. Nor is He saying this is the only prayer to say. This is a model prayer, that is to say, something to learn and learn from. Max Lucado in his book The Great House of God broke down this prayer beautifully. I would recommend everyone to read this book. If for no other reason then to get a better perspective of these lines. I will not re-write his book here, for I am not qualified. But I will share with you some food for thought. But first, some questions. What does this prayer mean to you? What does it mean when Jesus says "your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him."? Does that imply that we really don't need to ask since God already knows? I think most of us would answer that question with a NO. What Jesus is trying to get us to do is to recognize a few things. One, God already knows everything. Two, He is in charge of everything. And three, we need to approach God with a forgiving heart.
God wants us to come to Him, even though we know He already knows what we need. It shows that we recognize his Deity, that He IS God. And that we know that He is the only one we can truly turn to. Look at the words, in heaven, your kingdom, your will. These words are proclaiming that God is indeed the ruler of heaven and earth, that our desire is for His kingdom, His will, which also means not our kingdom, not our will. When we pray it is important that we take time to not only ask for things, but to also to humble ourselves and admit to God and ourselves that in the grand scope of things, He is in control, His kingdom is the one that needs to be promoted and ultimately His will is what we need for our lives. If we did that, from an honest heart, how much more power would our prayers hold? How much closer would our communication be with God?
Another aspect of this prayer is that He forgives us as we forgive others. How many of you are holding a grudge? Tell me, how is that going? Does it make you feel better about what happened? Have you determined how much suffering that person deserves from your persistent anger? Will that day ever come? Is it making you healthier, or tearing you up? Finally, is holding on to that anger towards another person, worth you not receiving forgiveness from God? Ahh now there is a question that we might not ask ourselves very often. Is that person worth not receiving God's forgiveness? Yet when we refuse to forgive someone, regardless of what they have done, that is exactly what we are risking. Lets face it, we need God's forgiveness. What we have done to Him is worst then what others have done to us. God gave us His forgiveness even though we did not deserve it. Even though we continue to do things to hurt and sin against Him. I don't think He is asking too much by telling us to extend what He has already given us. How much would the quality of your life improve if you left the past behind and just forgave, if for no other reason then to receive God's forgiveness.
In closing I want to challenge you. When you pray today, which today is the day we pray for each other, ask not for what you need right now. Instead ask God to show you any unforgiveness you may be harboring. Walk line by line through the Lord's Prayer and meditate on what it means, when you ask for His will, ask it willing to accept that right now it might not be what you want or think you need. Remember that even Jesus, while in the garden, asked for what He wanted, but ultimately asked for God's will to be done, not His. Sometimes the walk we need to take does not feel good, but in the end, it was the exact thing we NEEDED. Finally, before you end your prayer, forgive your trespassers, and the ones you struggle with, ask God to help you forgive. He will help you.
May God bless you on this day.
Ady
The Bethel of our Souls
Then Jacob rose early in the morning and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God. And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You." Genesis 28: 18 - 22 NKJV
I realize that this may seem like an odd place to start, but for me this is a place of beginnings. Bethel, by the way, means house of God. How appropriate. Why? You may be asking. The reason is simple. God told us in Isaiah 56:7 " Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My alter; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations." NKJV. Bethel. Oh to live in Bethel. Doesn’t that sound wonderful? Wouldn’t you feel safer in Bethel? Couldn’t you almost imagine grabbing a warm blanket and sinking into a soft comfortable chair and just relaxing in Bethel?
When I first got this impulse to write a blog that surrounded itself on prayer, I did not understand where I would go with this. But, I did know that if it was God’s desire for me, then I was in safe hands. As long as I stayed out of it, which isn’t easy for me. I am still not completely sure of the journey God will take us on with this, but I do know this. Prayer is our communication with God, our communion with him, our life line. God makes 364 references to prayer in the Bible, that alone should tell us something. The great importance God places on prayer. Back that with him telling us outright that His house is a house of prayer, and well I think we all get the picture. Prayer is vital, important, a must, imperative, needed, desired, instructed ... The list literally goes on, but I think that I have made my point. God wants us to pray. So pray I will.
I have decided to move to Bethel. At least in my mind. I want my body, God’s temple, to be a temple of prayer. My own private Bethel. Complete with offering and submission. It won’t always be easy. In fact I expect that at times it will be quite difficult, but then again, when things are too easy they don’t mean as much.
I am at a stage in my life where I almost feel as though my next breath is totally dependent on the grace of God. To say that things are difficult is an understatement. The ironic thing about that is that this isn’t the first time I have been here. It isn’t even my second time. And, yet even knowing that God has pulled me through this before, I still struggle. I would like to think that my struggle is less then in the times pass, but that would probably just be a lovely misconception. The truth is, that for me to even struggle speaks volumes. And, those volumes are not my proudest moments.
I want to share with you whatever God places in my heart. I would consider it a great privilege to be used by God. And it is my sincerest prayer that He takes us all to the Bethel’s of our hearts where we can live the rest of our days. Would you join me?
Ady
I realize that this may seem like an odd place to start, but for me this is a place of beginnings. Bethel, by the way, means house of God. How appropriate. Why? You may be asking. The reason is simple. God told us in Isaiah 56:7 " Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My alter; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations." NKJV. Bethel. Oh to live in Bethel. Doesn’t that sound wonderful? Wouldn’t you feel safer in Bethel? Couldn’t you almost imagine grabbing a warm blanket and sinking into a soft comfortable chair and just relaxing in Bethel?
When I first got this impulse to write a blog that surrounded itself on prayer, I did not understand where I would go with this. But, I did know that if it was God’s desire for me, then I was in safe hands. As long as I stayed out of it, which isn’t easy for me. I am still not completely sure of the journey God will take us on with this, but I do know this. Prayer is our communication with God, our communion with him, our life line. God makes 364 references to prayer in the Bible, that alone should tell us something. The great importance God places on prayer. Back that with him telling us outright that His house is a house of prayer, and well I think we all get the picture. Prayer is vital, important, a must, imperative, needed, desired, instructed ... The list literally goes on, but I think that I have made my point. God wants us to pray. So pray I will.
I have decided to move to Bethel. At least in my mind. I want my body, God’s temple, to be a temple of prayer. My own private Bethel. Complete with offering and submission. It won’t always be easy. In fact I expect that at times it will be quite difficult, but then again, when things are too easy they don’t mean as much.
I am at a stage in my life where I almost feel as though my next breath is totally dependent on the grace of God. To say that things are difficult is an understatement. The ironic thing about that is that this isn’t the first time I have been here. It isn’t even my second time. And, yet even knowing that God has pulled me through this before, I still struggle. I would like to think that my struggle is less then in the times pass, but that would probably just be a lovely misconception. The truth is, that for me to even struggle speaks volumes. And, those volumes are not my proudest moments.
I want to share with you whatever God places in my heart. I would consider it a great privilege to be used by God. And it is my sincerest prayer that He takes us all to the Bethel’s of our hearts where we can live the rest of our days. Would you join me?
Ady
Friday, May 29, 2009
Isaiah 1:1-20 part two
Hello my brothers and sisters in Christ. I hope this day finds you rejoicing in the redemption of our Lord.
I have to be honest, I have been really struggling to figure out how to present these verses in a series as I shared with you that I was lead to do. I struggle with staying focused at times, and far too often I allow the stresses of this world to get in the way of what I should be doing. As a matter of fact today I evaluated myself and determined that I am far too lukewarm with my life and approach to Christ. Once again I have the book Crazy Love to thank for getting me to truly think, evaluate and study in a way I have not been challenged to do in a long time. But that is not what this blog will be about. We are continuing in our study of Isaiah 1.
As you may remember when we left off we had determined that God was quite angry with how Israel had become, and that today is no different. I hope you have had several chances to read those verses and really study upon them. In verse 7 He says “your country is desolate....” and that “right before you, laid waste as when overthrown by strangers”. I sometimes look at my government and wonder if strangers are actually leading our country. None follow through on their promises and often they make laws that go against the majority of people, and often against the constitution. We live in fear of terrorism and uncertainty. As scary as the picture is that Isaiah paints, what is more scary is God’s thoughts of the church. In verse 11 “The multitude of your sacrifices – what are they to me? Says the LORD.” That is not a question to be taken lightly. Think about it. Are we truly living up to the call of Christ? Are we uncomfortable in this world? Or do we have the luxury of a comfortable life and religion? 11 continues “I have more than enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. 12 When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? 13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations – I cannot bear your evil assemblies. 14 Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feast my soul hates. They have become a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread our your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood;”
Wow. I say that as humbly as I possibly can, wow. When you read that do you see our church of today being any different? How many people in church are there every Sunday, yet if you didn’t see them on Sunday in church you would never know they were Christians? Worst yet, are you one of those people? Don’t get offended by the question, instead embrace it. The truth is, if you are then you need to know so you can repent and do what you need to in order to get right with God. But seriously, is that not the state of our church today? What I believe God is saying here is “I have had enough show, I have had enough pious prayer, ceremonies, everyone standing, kneeling and singing on cue. I have had enough of being only practiced in Church, enough of being reduced to rituals and works. I have had enough of faithful outsides and evils hearts. I have had enough!” It could possibly be even further concluded with “Either get real or get out!” I don’t know about you, but growing up my brothers and sister always knew when we had really gotten Mom mad. If she was aggravated she would yell. If being pushed she might slam something on the table. But when she had reached her limit, her line in the sand, she would loudly exclaim “I have had enough!” When we heard that you would see four children running in four different directions, praying we were not the one she chose to chase down for the first spanking. It was always the hardest. If you were lucky enough to be last, she was tired and it didn’t sting as much. This is the same feeling I get when I read these verses. The same image comes to mind, but I also know that God won’t tire as my mother did when He issues His punishment. When you read those verses did you get a similar feeling, image, anything? I hope so, because if you did, then you are being blessed with God’s word speaking to you.
God does not stand for being second, and He also won’t stand for being watered down. But He is also a God of grace and mercy and He doesn’t end there. Verse 16 “wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, 17 learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. 18 Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD...”. Wash and make yourselves clean. That is all we have to do to remove ourselves from God’s wrath. Wash and make yourselves clean, 5 simple words when you think of it. After all how do we wash and make ourselves clean? Through the blood of Christ, which God himself provides. Stop doing wrong. Hmm, okay I will admit, that one isn’t as easy, but that is only because we don’t submit ourselves to God to do it for us. I am just as guilty of that, and I am constantly being reminded of things in which I need to surrender. But doesn’t that just speak of God’s love and desire for us that he would not only scold us, but then tell us what we need to do, then do it for us? Read that sentence again. If you need to, read it a third time. I know when my mother got finished with us, it would often times, be followed by a time out, so that she could calm down. But, God doesn’t even put a period on the sentence. He instead goes right into how to fix it. I don’t know about you, but it scares me to the core to think God would stop listening to my prayers (v15) I can’t think of any self indulgence on earth that is worth that. I guess that is why it touched my heart so deeply when He took the time to show me the way back to Him.
I love how God says “come now, lets reason together,” I love how He invites me to Him, how He takes an active role in teaching me. He doesn’t just say “Now stop it or else!” No, He says “Now this is enough foolishness, come here and lets talk, let me help you.” Now don’t confuse that with an invitation to negotiate terms, for it is not. There is no more room for you to negotiate your terms with God then there is for your 3 year old to negotiate with you. This is a teaching moment, and explanation of sorts. He continues “... Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the lands; 20 but if you resist and rebel you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” There is nothing I can say that will offer a more plain explanation. Close your eyes and just imagine yourself on your Father’s lap, His arms around you, and read those words again.
May God richly bless you as you seek Him,
Ady
I have to be honest, I have been really struggling to figure out how to present these verses in a series as I shared with you that I was lead to do. I struggle with staying focused at times, and far too often I allow the stresses of this world to get in the way of what I should be doing. As a matter of fact today I evaluated myself and determined that I am far too lukewarm with my life and approach to Christ. Once again I have the book Crazy Love to thank for getting me to truly think, evaluate and study in a way I have not been challenged to do in a long time. But that is not what this blog will be about. We are continuing in our study of Isaiah 1.
As you may remember when we left off we had determined that God was quite angry with how Israel had become, and that today is no different. I hope you have had several chances to read those verses and really study upon them. In verse 7 He says “your country is desolate....” and that “right before you, laid waste as when overthrown by strangers”. I sometimes look at my government and wonder if strangers are actually leading our country. None follow through on their promises and often they make laws that go against the majority of people, and often against the constitution. We live in fear of terrorism and uncertainty. As scary as the picture is that Isaiah paints, what is more scary is God’s thoughts of the church. In verse 11 “The multitude of your sacrifices – what are they to me? Says the LORD.” That is not a question to be taken lightly. Think about it. Are we truly living up to the call of Christ? Are we uncomfortable in this world? Or do we have the luxury of a comfortable life and religion? 11 continues “I have more than enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. 12 When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? 13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations – I cannot bear your evil assemblies. 14 Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feast my soul hates. They have become a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread our your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood;”
Wow. I say that as humbly as I possibly can, wow. When you read that do you see our church of today being any different? How many people in church are there every Sunday, yet if you didn’t see them on Sunday in church you would never know they were Christians? Worst yet, are you one of those people? Don’t get offended by the question, instead embrace it. The truth is, if you are then you need to know so you can repent and do what you need to in order to get right with God. But seriously, is that not the state of our church today? What I believe God is saying here is “I have had enough show, I have had enough pious prayer, ceremonies, everyone standing, kneeling and singing on cue. I have had enough of being only practiced in Church, enough of being reduced to rituals and works. I have had enough of faithful outsides and evils hearts. I have had enough!” It could possibly be even further concluded with “Either get real or get out!” I don’t know about you, but growing up my brothers and sister always knew when we had really gotten Mom mad. If she was aggravated she would yell. If being pushed she might slam something on the table. But when she had reached her limit, her line in the sand, she would loudly exclaim “I have had enough!” When we heard that you would see four children running in four different directions, praying we were not the one she chose to chase down for the first spanking. It was always the hardest. If you were lucky enough to be last, she was tired and it didn’t sting as much. This is the same feeling I get when I read these verses. The same image comes to mind, but I also know that God won’t tire as my mother did when He issues His punishment. When you read those verses did you get a similar feeling, image, anything? I hope so, because if you did, then you are being blessed with God’s word speaking to you.
God does not stand for being second, and He also won’t stand for being watered down. But He is also a God of grace and mercy and He doesn’t end there. Verse 16 “wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, 17 learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. 18 Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD...”. Wash and make yourselves clean. That is all we have to do to remove ourselves from God’s wrath. Wash and make yourselves clean, 5 simple words when you think of it. After all how do we wash and make ourselves clean? Through the blood of Christ, which God himself provides. Stop doing wrong. Hmm, okay I will admit, that one isn’t as easy, but that is only because we don’t submit ourselves to God to do it for us. I am just as guilty of that, and I am constantly being reminded of things in which I need to surrender. But doesn’t that just speak of God’s love and desire for us that he would not only scold us, but then tell us what we need to do, then do it for us? Read that sentence again. If you need to, read it a third time. I know when my mother got finished with us, it would often times, be followed by a time out, so that she could calm down. But, God doesn’t even put a period on the sentence. He instead goes right into how to fix it. I don’t know about you, but it scares me to the core to think God would stop listening to my prayers (v15) I can’t think of any self indulgence on earth that is worth that. I guess that is why it touched my heart so deeply when He took the time to show me the way back to Him.
I love how God says “come now, lets reason together,” I love how He invites me to Him, how He takes an active role in teaching me. He doesn’t just say “Now stop it or else!” No, He says “Now this is enough foolishness, come here and lets talk, let me help you.” Now don’t confuse that with an invitation to negotiate terms, for it is not. There is no more room for you to negotiate your terms with God then there is for your 3 year old to negotiate with you. This is a teaching moment, and explanation of sorts. He continues “... Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the lands; 20 but if you resist and rebel you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” There is nothing I can say that will offer a more plain explanation. Close your eyes and just imagine yourself on your Father’s lap, His arms around you, and read those words again.
May God richly bless you as you seek Him,
Ady
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