Today....
I need encouragement from your word.
Today...
I need examination from you, a close look at my heart, to reveal sin and discontent, attitudes that don't belong, pride that needs to be squashed, lusts of flesh, power, money, and everything else that I, in my humanity, would relinquish holiness for.
Today...
I need forgiveness and washing and a fresh touch.
Today...
I need to bask in the sunshine and warmth of your relentless love.
Today...
I need your light to shine on my path to reveal my next step.
Today...
I need guidance so that I can know what to do.
Today...
I need to offer up praise to the only wise, all-knowing God who loves beyond all comprehension, and yield my heart and spirit to that only one who will perfectly plan and execute the events of my life to help me become that which pleases Him....today.
And every day.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Crucified With Christ
Galations 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
How ugly my pride must be to God. How foolish I must seem to Him, to think or imagine that I have any basis or reason whatsoever for pride. If any man had a basis for pride it was Jesus, and He nailed his to a cross. What makes me think I have any right?
The joy of a life broken and surrendered to God far exceeds the anguish and pain that it takes to reach that point of surrender.
Is there any way that I can communicate that more clearly? Who is reading this? A friend? A relative? A complete stranger? What have YOU decided? Have you surrendered yet, or is your life still filled with pain? Do you realize that God loves you?
Christ's crucifixion wasn't just some violent crime - it was a willful determination to win me, and win you... to accomplish a victory over Satan.
When we make that determination our own, and relinquish any right to ourselves in order to obey a higher purpose for us, set by God himself, then we are able to say with Paul, "I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST".
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
How ugly my pride must be to God. How foolish I must seem to Him, to think or imagine that I have any basis or reason whatsoever for pride. If any man had a basis for pride it was Jesus, and He nailed his to a cross. What makes me think I have any right?
The joy of a life broken and surrendered to God far exceeds the anguish and pain that it takes to reach that point of surrender.
Is there any way that I can communicate that more clearly? Who is reading this? A friend? A relative? A complete stranger? What have YOU decided? Have you surrendered yet, or is your life still filled with pain? Do you realize that God loves you?
Christ's crucifixion wasn't just some violent crime - it was a willful determination to win me, and win you... to accomplish a victory over Satan.
When we make that determination our own, and relinquish any right to ourselves in order to obey a higher purpose for us, set by God himself, then we are able to say with Paul, "I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST".
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
The Offended Offender
Has anyone offended you lately?
You're pretty sure they offended you on purpose, right?
I was offended recently. I'll skip the details, because they really don't matter. But, as is usually the case with life events that hurt my heart, God used it as a teaching tool. I'm telling you, (and I know this for a fact) that God has a two-by-four with my name on it that He uses to whack me upside the head to get my attention. After he had my attention, (my head's better now, thanks for asking) we had a little dialogue. Here's how it went...
Me: God, you know I'm offended, right? How could I not be?
God: I know. I know all about being offended.
Me: So, what do I do about it?
God: Same thing I did about it.
Me: You mean, die?
God: Yep.
Me: So just exactly how am I supposed to DO that?
God: Look, you offend me all the time. But I love you, and I know you know that. So the two ideas are NOT mutually exclusive. You love me, and I know that. You offend me at times, and I know it doesn't negate your love for me. And your offense doesn't negate my love for you. Got it?
Me: Die, huh?
God: Uh huh. Die to self. Give up your right to be offended. They hurt you. They love you. So what's your reaction going to be?
Me: Well, I probably won't do it as well as you do it, but I guess I will love them anyway.
God: Attaboy. I appreciate that you're trying. They love you and didn't mean to offend you. One of these days, we'll work on another nuance of this problem.
Me: oh-oh. Like what?
God: Like, is what they did TRULY offensive, or is your "offended" response just a little out of whack?
Me: Are you saying my "offended" response is out of whack?
God: Let's just visit the subject again next time you're feeling offended.
Me: Later is good, because that two-by-four thing you do kinda hurts.
God: I love you!
You're pretty sure they offended you on purpose, right?
I was offended recently. I'll skip the details, because they really don't matter. But, as is usually the case with life events that hurt my heart, God used it as a teaching tool. I'm telling you, (and I know this for a fact) that God has a two-by-four with my name on it that He uses to whack me upside the head to get my attention. After he had my attention, (my head's better now, thanks for asking) we had a little dialogue. Here's how it went...
Me: God, you know I'm offended, right? How could I not be?
God: I know. I know all about being offended.
Me: So, what do I do about it?
God: Same thing I did about it.
Me: You mean, die?
God: Yep.
Me: So just exactly how am I supposed to DO that?
God: Look, you offend me all the time. But I love you, and I know you know that. So the two ideas are NOT mutually exclusive. You love me, and I know that. You offend me at times, and I know it doesn't negate your love for me. And your offense doesn't negate my love for you. Got it?
Me: Die, huh?
God: Uh huh. Die to self. Give up your right to be offended. They hurt you. They love you. So what's your reaction going to be?
Me: Well, I probably won't do it as well as you do it, but I guess I will love them anyway.
God: Attaboy. I appreciate that you're trying. They love you and didn't mean to offend you. One of these days, we'll work on another nuance of this problem.
Me: oh-oh. Like what?
God: Like, is what they did TRULY offensive, or is your "offended" response just a little out of whack?
Me: Are you saying my "offended" response is out of whack?
God: Let's just visit the subject again next time you're feeling offended.
Me: Later is good, because that two-by-four thing you do kinda hurts.
God: I love you!
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Hurts So Good, #2
Has something dreadfully horrible ever happened to you?
I'm guessing your answer is "yes". Nobody else is qualified to say whether the event YOU suffered through was indeed horrible. Everybody has a different frame of reference, a different set of life events and circumstances. Some people remain steady in the face of truly staggering blows, and others crumble if their neighbor's cat gets a hairball.
Suffice it to say we've probably all gone through circumstances that leave us feeling like we've been gut-punched, wounded, bleeding, dying, and questioning God.
Questions like, "Why?", or, perhaps more specifically, "Why ME?"
I've gone through some stuff. If you knew the details, you might think it was trivial compared to yours. Or, you might wonder how I got through it. Again, I suppose it depends on your frame of reference. Nevertheless, God eventually led me to the point where I received an answer to the whole "why" question.
Do you want to know what it is?
Well, I'm sorry, but I can't tell you. It would come off sounding like Job's friends: well intentioned but misguided. In the end, you're going to need to get the answer from God yourself. All I can tell you is this: He WILL tell you the answer.
I can't tell you that my answer came in a lightning bolt epiphany of startling clarity. It was more like the gradual understanding that comes from a gentle God who finally convinced me of the truth of Romans 8:28.
I stumbled across an old poem I wrote when I was really hurting. I'm going to share it with you for only one reason: I hope it will inspire you to reach out to one person whom you know to be hurting. The reason for the hurt doesn't matter. Get over any holy or pious notions you have about their hurt being "deserved" or the result of their own bad choices. Even if that's true, suffering is suffering, hurt is hurt, and as a follower of Christ, we should be offering nothing more and nothing less than the healing salve of love that only Christ has.
Consider this:
How Many?
How many people face each new day
With voids where their hearts belong?
Where pains of their past taunt as if to say
"where has gone your song?"
How many people strain just to live
Without overwhelming flood?
For one carefree day they'd gladly give
Their very last ounce of blood.
How many people strive now to hear
Some call, any call of love?
From one they desire to hold so dear
But hear only the one from above.
How many people, though grateful indeed
For the love of the Heavenly Father
Seek something more earthly, more fleshly in need
Wondering why no one will bother.
How many people walk about in pain
Wondering "does anyone care"?
Jesus died on a cross, so you could gain,
And he'll wipe away every tear.
© - Doug Bowman 2003
I'm guessing your answer is "yes". Nobody else is qualified to say whether the event YOU suffered through was indeed horrible. Everybody has a different frame of reference, a different set of life events and circumstances. Some people remain steady in the face of truly staggering blows, and others crumble if their neighbor's cat gets a hairball.
Suffice it to say we've probably all gone through circumstances that leave us feeling like we've been gut-punched, wounded, bleeding, dying, and questioning God.
Questions like, "Why?", or, perhaps more specifically, "Why ME?"
I've gone through some stuff. If you knew the details, you might think it was trivial compared to yours. Or, you might wonder how I got through it. Again, I suppose it depends on your frame of reference. Nevertheless, God eventually led me to the point where I received an answer to the whole "why" question.
Do you want to know what it is?
Well, I'm sorry, but I can't tell you. It would come off sounding like Job's friends: well intentioned but misguided. In the end, you're going to need to get the answer from God yourself. All I can tell you is this: He WILL tell you the answer.
I can't tell you that my answer came in a lightning bolt epiphany of startling clarity. It was more like the gradual understanding that comes from a gentle God who finally convinced me of the truth of Romans 8:28.
I stumbled across an old poem I wrote when I was really hurting. I'm going to share it with you for only one reason: I hope it will inspire you to reach out to one person whom you know to be hurting. The reason for the hurt doesn't matter. Get over any holy or pious notions you have about their hurt being "deserved" or the result of their own bad choices. Even if that's true, suffering is suffering, hurt is hurt, and as a follower of Christ, we should be offering nothing more and nothing less than the healing salve of love that only Christ has.
Consider this:
How Many?
How many people face each new day
With voids where their hearts belong?
Where pains of their past taunt as if to say
"where has gone your song?"
How many people strain just to live
Without overwhelming flood?
For one carefree day they'd gladly give
Their very last ounce of blood.
How many people strive now to hear
Some call, any call of love?
From one they desire to hold so dear
But hear only the one from above.
How many people, though grateful indeed
For the love of the Heavenly Father
Seek something more earthly, more fleshly in need
Wondering why no one will bother.
How many people walk about in pain
Wondering "does anyone care"?
Jesus died on a cross, so you could gain,
And he'll wipe away every tear.
© - Doug Bowman 2003
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