In the Christian life we are called to give up so many things, yet never give up. Oh, semantics. How ridiculous you are sometimes.
Lately, my walk with God has just been growing and thriving in ways that I haven't seen in so long. It is very exciting....very, very exciting.... but I have been called to give up so many things in my life that have become such a part of me.
Oh Jesus, please give me a vision of You that will be the death of me. Please give me the heart portrayed in the following Words.
Phil 3: 1, 7-19
1Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.
7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
15All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
17Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. 18For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Jesus, I don't want my mind to be set on earthly things. Please be my sustainment, my fulfillment in this time of need. Please help me press on and count ALL things as loss in order to know you more.
11.9.08
10.9.08
Good words....
I have been really anxious lately for a number of reasons, but these Words were brought to my attention. Oh how good they are.
Psalm 124: 1-6
1 If the LORD had not been on our side—
let Israel say-
2 if the LORD had not been on our side
when men attacked us,
3 when their anger flared against us,
they would have swallowed us alive;
4 the flood would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us,
5 the raging waters
would have swept us away.
6 Praise be to the LORD,
who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
Psalm 125: 1-2
1 Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be shaken but endures forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the LORD surrounds his people
both now and forevermore.
Psalm 124: 1-6
1 If the LORD had not been on our side—
let Israel say-
2 if the LORD had not been on our side
when men attacked us,
3 when their anger flared against us,
they would have swallowed us alive;
4 the flood would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us,
5 the raging waters
would have swept us away.
6 Praise be to the LORD,
who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
Psalm 125: 1-2
1 Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be shaken but endures forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the LORD surrounds his people
both now and forevermore.
7.9.08
You silly goose....
Last night I had a dream about Brandon (If you don't know who I am referring to go back to my entry titled life and death). It was so real that I didn't realize until the middle of the Church service this morning that it was only a dream. All I remember of the dream is that he was smiling. One of his huge, genuine, but still goofy smiles. One like this...
or one like this....
God gives to His beloved in their sleep.... and I really think this was a way that He blessed me with one last encounter with a dear brother. To bless me in a way that really encourages me to fight to finish strong in the faith, as Brandon did. It is so strange to know that he isn't here anymore. I can't just run into him at Paradigm or hang out with him when I go visit OU. I know that though he isn't here, he is in a place where true Joy reigns. Where he can be even more joyful than these pictures portray.
Oh Lord, I am so thankful that You conquered death so we could have eternal life and assurance that will sustain us through the hardest times here on Earth. You are so good. We love You and praise you, even in the hardest of times.
"For the righteous will never be moved, he will be remembered forever." Psalm 112:6
or one like this....
God gives to His beloved in their sleep.... and I really think this was a way that He blessed me with one last encounter with a dear brother. To bless me in a way that really encourages me to fight to finish strong in the faith, as Brandon did. It is so strange to know that he isn't here anymore. I can't just run into him at Paradigm or hang out with him when I go visit OU. I know that though he isn't here, he is in a place where true Joy reigns. Where he can be even more joyful than these pictures portray.
Oh Lord, I am so thankful that You conquered death so we could have eternal life and assurance that will sustain us through the hardest times here on Earth. You are so good. We love You and praise you, even in the hardest of times.
"For the righteous will never be moved, he will be remembered forever." Psalm 112:6
6.9.08
And you thought it was over?
Let me set the scene for you.
It was around 2000 years ago. The prophets of old had been foretelling for a long time the coming of a Messiah, a Savior who would set the people free from oppression. A child was born. This child grew up performing miracles and proclaiming he was the long awaited Savior. A camp of people began to believe his claims. They began to believe that he truly was the Savior foretold by God. This camp of people put all of their hope and trust in him to save them from their oppressors. The people at the time were very oppressed by their government. Their hope was in this proclaimed Savior to deliver them from their oppression, which they presumed to be the harsh government regime under which they lived. Another camp despised this man. They hated his claims that he was a savior, that he was the messiah proclaimed by God. They were jealous that he was gathering such a following and decided to have him killed. The jealous people were successful. They successfully got one of his good friends to betray him and eventually this "Messiah" was condemned to death on a Cross, the worst form of death possible. The man was beaten beyond recognition, his hands and feet were nailed to a Cross, scorned, condemned, and mocked. Then, the man proclaimed... it is finished. The man died.
Evil had won. It was over, it was finished.... the man said so himself. Those who put their hope in this "Messiah" had to be incredibly dejected. This man that they had spent years following and had given up all their material possessions (including family and friends ) to follow had let them down. He was crucified. He was dead. They were still under oppression. That was the end of hope for them. They had believed a lie, they had wasted their time following someone who didn't fulfill his end of the bargain. Depression set in. It was over. It was finished. Hope was lost.
Three days later, this man rose from the dead. He conquered death. Hope was restored! It wasn't over, it was merely beginning! This man proved Himself the Messiah and the Son of God that He claimed to be all along. Hope was restored! His followers were freed from oppression, though not the kind of oppression they expected to be freed from. His followers were able to rejoice! Their efforts, their sacrifices had not been in vain! Hope was restored!
Ever feel dejected and broken down? Ever feel like life just kicks you in the face? Ever choose to follow something only to feel like that choice wasn't worth it in comparison to everything you have given up for that choice?
HOPE WAS RESTORED! Don't give up. The Messiah, the Savior has risen from the dead! We can have faith in God's sovereignty and His plans in our life when things are incredibly hard because of this fact. The Savior has risen from the dead. He was not defeated and neither will we be. Don't give up. Don't lose hope. Focus on Him who conquered unbelievable odds for our redemption. We have the freedom to not falter in our faith, to trust that God knows what He is doing even when times are really really hard, because His Son conquered death.
The enemy is defeated. HOPE IS RESTORED!
It was around 2000 years ago. The prophets of old had been foretelling for a long time the coming of a Messiah, a Savior who would set the people free from oppression. A child was born. This child grew up performing miracles and proclaiming he was the long awaited Savior. A camp of people began to believe his claims. They began to believe that he truly was the Savior foretold by God. This camp of people put all of their hope and trust in him to save them from their oppressors. The people at the time were very oppressed by their government. Their hope was in this proclaimed Savior to deliver them from their oppression, which they presumed to be the harsh government regime under which they lived. Another camp despised this man. They hated his claims that he was a savior, that he was the messiah proclaimed by God. They were jealous that he was gathering such a following and decided to have him killed. The jealous people were successful. They successfully got one of his good friends to betray him and eventually this "Messiah" was condemned to death on a Cross, the worst form of death possible. The man was beaten beyond recognition, his hands and feet were nailed to a Cross, scorned, condemned, and mocked. Then, the man proclaimed... it is finished. The man died.
Evil had won. It was over, it was finished.... the man said so himself. Those who put their hope in this "Messiah" had to be incredibly dejected. This man that they had spent years following and had given up all their material possessions (including family and friends ) to follow had let them down. He was crucified. He was dead. They were still under oppression. That was the end of hope for them. They had believed a lie, they had wasted their time following someone who didn't fulfill his end of the bargain. Depression set in. It was over. It was finished. Hope was lost.
Three days later, this man rose from the dead. He conquered death. Hope was restored! It wasn't over, it was merely beginning! This man proved Himself the Messiah and the Son of God that He claimed to be all along. Hope was restored! His followers were freed from oppression, though not the kind of oppression they expected to be freed from. His followers were able to rejoice! Their efforts, their sacrifices had not been in vain! Hope was restored!
Ever feel dejected and broken down? Ever feel like life just kicks you in the face? Ever choose to follow something only to feel like that choice wasn't worth it in comparison to everything you have given up for that choice?
HOPE WAS RESTORED! Don't give up. The Messiah, the Savior has risen from the dead! We can have faith in God's sovereignty and His plans in our life when things are incredibly hard because of this fact. The Savior has risen from the dead. He was not defeated and neither will we be. Don't give up. Don't lose hope. Focus on Him who conquered unbelievable odds for our redemption. We have the freedom to not falter in our faith, to trust that God knows what He is doing even when times are really really hard, because His Son conquered death.
The enemy is defeated. HOPE IS RESTORED!
A girly entry.... guys beware.
I am here typing on my computer because I am too lazy to write all this out. Ha, I love the speed of typing sometimes!
Okay, here is a good story. Listen up.
So, there is a boy. I like this boy. Through certain circumstances I now have surmised this boy might like me. Okay, this sounds so ridiculous...but there are good lessons to come, I promise. After surmising this boy liked me .... it was REALLY hard to guard my heart. I was living in anticipation. Being super girly and not being patient at all. I talked to a good friend today and that friend assured me that whoever God brings along for me, it will be worth waiting for. Now, I knew I would wait for this boy to initiate, if he decides to do so.... but the wait being worth it wasn't something I had quite considered. Waiting can be a joy, instead of just something to bear through. Affirming his manhood in waiting is worth it to me, whoever it is that decides to pursue me someday.
Also, I have realized that even if this guy likes me and never acts upon it.... God is trustworthy. God holds the hearts of kings in His hands. I trust His plan. He holds the heart of this guy in his hand and this guy trusts and listens to Jesus. If said guy is going to initiate something, it will be in His timing. If said guy never initiates anything, I am okay because God knows what He is doing. I think it was hard for me to overcome the fact that he perhaps likes me, yet may never do anything about it.... but even in that God is trustworthy. Seek first His kingdom and righteousness and all these things will be added to You.
God is trustworthy. God is good. I love Him!
Yay for being a girl and learning to trust God in waiting!
K-Rae
Okay, here is a good story. Listen up.
So, there is a boy. I like this boy. Through certain circumstances I now have surmised this boy might like me. Okay, this sounds so ridiculous...but there are good lessons to come, I promise. After surmising this boy liked me .... it was REALLY hard to guard my heart. I was living in anticipation. Being super girly and not being patient at all. I talked to a good friend today and that friend assured me that whoever God brings along for me, it will be worth waiting for. Now, I knew I would wait for this boy to initiate, if he decides to do so.... but the wait being worth it wasn't something I had quite considered. Waiting can be a joy, instead of just something to bear through. Affirming his manhood in waiting is worth it to me, whoever it is that decides to pursue me someday.
Also, I have realized that even if this guy likes me and never acts upon it.... God is trustworthy. God holds the hearts of kings in His hands. I trust His plan. He holds the heart of this guy in his hand and this guy trusts and listens to Jesus. If said guy is going to initiate something, it will be in His timing. If said guy never initiates anything, I am okay because God knows what He is doing. I think it was hard for me to overcome the fact that he perhaps likes me, yet may never do anything about it.... but even in that God is trustworthy. Seek first His kingdom and righteousness and all these things will be added to You.
God is trustworthy. God is good. I love Him!
Yay for being a girl and learning to trust God in waiting!
K-Rae
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