Authority is an important thing. The world cannot function without it; it is order and structure in the universe. But no one, that I know, particularly likes it. So I suppose we (pardon the royal "we") all would prefer a self-inflicted chaos--rebellion.
In those I mostly often observe, I do not see open rebellion but subtle subterfuge. The later is usually more dangerous and harder to spot. For instance, Balaam of Peor in the Numbers 22-24, the sin is but a subtle few words of action missing.
When I was a child, I heard in Sunday school that this man was a horrible man. He had caused the children of God to sin and be greatly punished. However, when I read the story, I couldn't understand why God was angry with him. The first time Balaam approached God with the issue of needing to curse Israel for the king of Moab, God said clearly NO! Balaam obeyed and sent them away. When approached again Balaam seemed to be steady in heart to resist. "Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God to do less or more."
So what went wrong? Balaam came to God a second time and God almost seemed to change his mind. "If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you." So what do you expect Balaam got up and went but...the men didn't have to call him.
Balam reveals his heart's desire before God's authoritative test. There was no waiting in the morning to see if the men would broach the subject with Balaam first. Balaam got up and went without a question asked. All he needed was to hear "rise and go with them"; the rest was not important. He began his little rebellion in his heart, setting his ways against the Lord, against authority, and against himself.
God quickly set things in order much to the frustration of Balaam as he beat the donkey that constantly resisted his authorithy veering off the path, into a wall or just sitting down. However, no one will find injustice with a donkey who sought to save the life of his master from the judgement of an Angel standing in the way. How blind can we be when in rebelion to our masters to the obedience of our subordinates?
Though the subertfuge in Balaam's heart was never corrected, God did keep authority in place. He forced Balaam's mouth to speak the blessing of God to Israel, despite three attempts to entertain God's wrath upon them. See authority still stays in even when we attempt to overthrow it; it only changes. God prepared the use of Balaam's rebellion to stay at home to the end of blessing Israel all the more--even to the prophecy of the comming Christ, the eternal King.
As the Psalmist says "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain....He who sits in heaven laughs. (Ps. 2:1)" Do not become a laughing stock before God by clever attempts to resist Him. "No purpose of [God's] can be thwarted.(Job 42:2)" Instead submit yourselves under the almighty hand of God in ever detail.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
some thoughts
I am learing that what one fills the mind with is sure to have an effect on how one percieves, as well as lives, the world in which they live. I'm not just talking about what one watches on t.v but more so what a person reads.
Books, or more so what is contained in a book (aka thoughts), are a very powerful source. I never understood why Hitler would destroy thousands (possibly millions) of books during WWII but Hitler obviously new what I am learning now. Books are a gateway to changing a persons thoughts. No wonder why he didn't want people reading and it also explains as to why he target any intellectuals as well.
There are so many books out there today filled with thoughts, thoughts about God, sex, life, eating well, fashion, and each of those books may contain simularities within the same genre but ultimately every book also represents someone else's thoughts. And if one is good at articulating One person can literally shape what the next generation is going to think.
That's kind of scary to me because so many of us don't know how to think through things and we can often buy into the next "rational" line of thinking without a second opionion.
Should we stop reading then? well no, obviously not nor should we go and destroy every book that we don't agree with either but it definately challenges me to be careful as to what I am filling my head with. What ideas am I buying into that I may not even realize I am agreeing too. And all the more it makes me think how much more I need to be reading my Bible.
We can fill our heads with all kinds of books on spirituality and such but when it comes to picking up our bibles and filling our minds with scripture, well that is just so often too hard.
I have been convicted in this area latlely. Thankfully, i have a good friend that is challenging me and helping me stay commited to reading my Bible. but it has been all to easily, easy, for me to bypass the "good book" for a book that is good but not as good.
Not that I think we should just all read our bibles because that will fix all our problems, or that I think we need to check it off our list so that we can say we had been a "good little christian" for that day. But for the fact that I am realizing more and more that what we fill our minds with we will indeed percieve our lives and the lives around us through.
So then why not be filling our minds a little bit everyday with good truths. Why not remind ourselves a little every day of who are God is? Why not take a look at the past and try our best to learn from others mistakes?
One other thing, I'm not advocating that we stop reading other "spiritual" books all together just that we use them as my husband put it "to be a dialog along with our bible reading." I would hate to have all my bible knowledge be that from other books that are about the bible and not actually from my bible itself.
----
Lately I've been reading 1Samuel and let me tell you reading about Saul's sins has shown me a great deal of my own sin issues that I need to work on. Not that I am going around trying to kill a blameless man, but I will admit that there was a time when I read about Saul and was like "You dummy, how can you keep running away from God's plans." and Now I'm kind of like "Sara, you dummy, why do you try to keep running away from God's plans." interesting.
I've also been reading through the psalms, mostly i tend to pick a Psalm at random but each psalm is unique while being sure to point out a characteristic or charateristic(S) of the the Lord... How much my prayer life has changed by just reading another's simple prayer ever day. It makes me want to pray my own prayer every day.
Something has begun to change in me this Month, it's like I have a faith again, that honestly believes that God can do anything, that he really is powerful, that he really is in control and I am seeking and yearning and eagerly waiting to watch what wonderful, majestic thing he does in my daily life, even if that is 'just' giving me a little piece of fresh air and encouragment.
Books, or more so what is contained in a book (aka thoughts), are a very powerful source. I never understood why Hitler would destroy thousands (possibly millions) of books during WWII but Hitler obviously new what I am learning now. Books are a gateway to changing a persons thoughts. No wonder why he didn't want people reading and it also explains as to why he target any intellectuals as well.
There are so many books out there today filled with thoughts, thoughts about God, sex, life, eating well, fashion, and each of those books may contain simularities within the same genre but ultimately every book also represents someone else's thoughts. And if one is good at articulating One person can literally shape what the next generation is going to think.
That's kind of scary to me because so many of us don't know how to think through things and we can often buy into the next "rational" line of thinking without a second opionion.
Should we stop reading then? well no, obviously not nor should we go and destroy every book that we don't agree with either but it definately challenges me to be careful as to what I am filling my head with. What ideas am I buying into that I may not even realize I am agreeing too. And all the more it makes me think how much more I need to be reading my Bible.
We can fill our heads with all kinds of books on spirituality and such but when it comes to picking up our bibles and filling our minds with scripture, well that is just so often too hard.
I have been convicted in this area latlely. Thankfully, i have a good friend that is challenging me and helping me stay commited to reading my Bible. but it has been all to easily, easy, for me to bypass the "good book" for a book that is good but not as good.
Not that I think we should just all read our bibles because that will fix all our problems, or that I think we need to check it off our list so that we can say we had been a "good little christian" for that day. But for the fact that I am realizing more and more that what we fill our minds with we will indeed percieve our lives and the lives around us through.
So then why not be filling our minds a little bit everyday with good truths. Why not remind ourselves a little every day of who are God is? Why not take a look at the past and try our best to learn from others mistakes?
One other thing, I'm not advocating that we stop reading other "spiritual" books all together just that we use them as my husband put it "to be a dialog along with our bible reading." I would hate to have all my bible knowledge be that from other books that are about the bible and not actually from my bible itself.
----
Lately I've been reading 1Samuel and let me tell you reading about Saul's sins has shown me a great deal of my own sin issues that I need to work on. Not that I am going around trying to kill a blameless man, but I will admit that there was a time when I read about Saul and was like "You dummy, how can you keep running away from God's plans." and Now I'm kind of like "Sara, you dummy, why do you try to keep running away from God's plans." interesting.
I've also been reading through the psalms, mostly i tend to pick a Psalm at random but each psalm is unique while being sure to point out a characteristic or charateristic(S) of the the Lord... How much my prayer life has changed by just reading another's simple prayer ever day. It makes me want to pray my own prayer every day.
Something has begun to change in me this Month, it's like I have a faith again, that honestly believes that God can do anything, that he really is powerful, that he really is in control and I am seeking and yearning and eagerly waiting to watch what wonderful, majestic thing he does in my daily life, even if that is 'just' giving me a little piece of fresh air and encouragment.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Considering Context
Why is it hard for me to write? Why do I even find it important to write? The audience is vast and unknown; my context is either to broad or narrow. I default to either writing like an internet advertisement or like an intellectual hermit.
Now if I constructed a limited context for my discourse, then I perhaps would only have needs to narrow my topics. Before I wrote this blog for medium-rare commentary on Biblical exegesis. My study has been greatly diminuted since the inception of this blog. I mostly read without stopping to dive into details. Mental tools for carefully and rightly interpreting fine points of the word have become rusty and dusty.
But it is good to look at the Future. "The only life I have left to live is the future. The past is not in my hands to offer or alter. It is gone." Endeavors to produce articles on this blog must now rest in the hands of God's active grace. Then I will if it please Him, allow me to both consider in a limited context the treasures and workings of truth.
My limited context then will be what God has given me in relational life--my wife, my children, and my immediate friends.
Now if I constructed a limited context for my discourse, then I perhaps would only have needs to narrow my topics. Before I wrote this blog for medium-rare commentary on Biblical exegesis. My study has been greatly diminuted since the inception of this blog. I mostly read without stopping to dive into details. Mental tools for carefully and rightly interpreting fine points of the word have become rusty and dusty.
But it is good to look at the Future. "The only life I have left to live is the future. The past is not in my hands to offer or alter. It is gone." Endeavors to produce articles on this blog must now rest in the hands of God's active grace. Then I will if it please Him, allow me to both consider in a limited context the treasures and workings of truth.
My limited context then will be what God has given me in relational life--my wife, my children, and my immediate friends.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
So much
The more I "grow" in life, the more I see so much to grow in. It is overwhelming to see myself called to the ministry or to any aspect of a sincere, from the heart, Godly life. It is not the first time I have been overwhelmed all at once with the need to change. This instance just has even more responsibilities than before to bring into accordance with Godliness.
With the advent of my son, Zachary, imminent, I feel my own nesting to become disciplined, organized and in control. These are good sparks to start the fire but it is not the fire. By repeat occurence I have seen my personal devotion sparked by inbred desires for a job well done pointed at Godly aims to still fall far short of that Godly aim. The power is enough; it is not wholy rooted in God's strength.
It is still confounding that the greatest growth is to decend, humbly submitting to God's work, commands and power. Still more confounding is that this still begins with prayer. Yet as confounding as it is, it is the biggest relief in the overwhelming flood.
With the advent of my son, Zachary, imminent, I feel my own nesting to become disciplined, organized and in control. These are good sparks to start the fire but it is not the fire. By repeat occurence I have seen my personal devotion sparked by inbred desires for a job well done pointed at Godly aims to still fall far short of that Godly aim. The power is enough; it is not wholy rooted in God's strength.
It is still confounding that the greatest growth is to decend, humbly submitting to God's work, commands and power. Still more confounding is that this still begins with prayer. Yet as confounding as it is, it is the biggest relief in the overwhelming flood.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The Purpose of Work
Purpose
I haven't read Don't Waste Your Life but I'd like to. God has seemed to hand be bushel full of questions on purpose, focus, and leadership. The questions spur from what I feel like as a vigourously entropic life. I am often busy sometimes vigourously so but with no lasting product, fruit for the wind.
Perhaps this is part of the curse, that work would be hard, yeilding fruit with great difficulty. Straining after "success" from the ground, the man finds himself digging a hole in which he is to be buried. It's no wonder the Bible shows, and "civilization" for that matter, the tendancy for man to flee from the land, escaping into the strong arms of the city or seductive embrace of technology.
But "you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Cor. 15:58)"
In my prayers and meditations I was struck with the distinctive glory that God administrates to be displayed in the worklife of a believer. He gives everything a person needs to not just work but be a leader in work. He gives a purpose; He gives a calling for sincere full hearted work; He enables us with everything we need; and He gives a reward! But I will have to elaborate on that more next time.
I haven't read Don't Waste Your Life but I'd like to. God has seemed to hand be bushel full of questions on purpose, focus, and leadership. The questions spur from what I feel like as a vigourously entropic life. I am often busy sometimes vigourously so but with no lasting product, fruit for the wind.
Perhaps this is part of the curse, that work would be hard, yeilding fruit with great difficulty. Straining after "success" from the ground, the man finds himself digging a hole in which he is to be buried. It's no wonder the Bible shows, and "civilization" for that matter, the tendancy for man to flee from the land, escaping into the strong arms of the city or seductive embrace of technology.
But "you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Cor. 15:58)"
In my prayers and meditations I was struck with the distinctive glory that God administrates to be displayed in the worklife of a believer. He gives everything a person needs to not just work but be a leader in work. He gives a purpose; He gives a calling for sincere full hearted work; He enables us with everything we need; and He gives a reward! But I will have to elaborate on that more next time.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
You are Beautiful - A Note to All Women
Ladies,
We live in a world of consumerism and we live in a society that posts supermodels and celebrities all over their magazines, television, and even newspapers. Too often young girls, young women and older women look at these covers and say to themselves “If only I….”
Our generation is full of “If only I…” statements. I am full of “If only I…” statements.
We fool ourselves if we truly think that losing 10-60pounds is going to fulfill our deepest longings for beauty because true beauty does not mean that we meet society’s standards. True Beauty begins at our core and if we can’t see how beautiful really are now, even when we lose the weight we won’t be able to see it then. We will always be judging and comparing ourselves to someone else and our accomplishments and joy will be as if they never existed.
So my challenges for you ladies today, look in the mirror and find something to be thankful for just as you are now.
Psalm 139:14I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.Psalm 139:13-15 (in Context) Psalm 139 (Whole Chapter)
We live in a world of consumerism and we live in a society that posts supermodels and celebrities all over their magazines, television, and even newspapers. Too often young girls, young women and older women look at these covers and say to themselves “If only I….”
Our generation is full of “If only I…” statements. I am full of “If only I…” statements.
We fool ourselves if we truly think that losing 10-60pounds is going to fulfill our deepest longings for beauty because true beauty does not mean that we meet society’s standards. True Beauty begins at our core and if we can’t see how beautiful really are now, even when we lose the weight we won’t be able to see it then. We will always be judging and comparing ourselves to someone else and our accomplishments and joy will be as if they never existed.
So my challenges for you ladies today, look in the mirror and find something to be thankful for just as you are now.
Psalm 139:14I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.Psalm 139:13-15 (in Context) Psalm 139 (Whole Chapter)
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
A Pattern of God's Glorious Dwelling
I understand more of what Jesus spoke of in John Chapter 14 /15 aptly summarized by this verse: "14:23-Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him."
I understand that this is not a completely new concept for God to express in His word. For centuries He promised, or performed, in consequence to obedience from faith, a glorious dwelling or abiding of His presence. Throughout John's gospel those who keep Christ's words are synonymous with those who truly believed. Those who received Christ for who He said He was, namely the Son of God, would also keep His word because they had first received / believed it. God's lavish response to love this obedient believer is by making His dwelling with them.
In Exodus chapter 40 a similar thing happens. Throughout the Chapter, Moses is said to have erected the tabernacle (literally "dwelling" or "tent") just as God had commanded Him. At the end of the chapter, following a triumphant statement that all was completed, "the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the (Z)glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle."(Ex. 40:34). It abided there day and night for the 40 years of wandering because of Moses' obedience, and the people's from previous chapters. Moses and the people God had moved (see Ex. 35:22) had believed God's commands to be weighty and true enough to perform in fullness. God responded with lavish love to have his Glorious presence in a cloud by day or pillar of fire by night.
Now there are some major differences to these to glorious dwellings of God, generally that the dwelling for believers is much more full than that of Old Testament. I may delve into that more later. But the pattern of belief and then God's dwelling presence is the same.
Many times I forget the rich undeserved joy of having God's presence with me. Sometimes I forget He is there altogether. I miss so much rich fellowship and miss the production of that fellowship--the fruit of the Spirit. My prayer the last few days has simply been to remember God and all of His works--all that I know at least. And in remembering to hold tightly to Him.
I understand that this is not a completely new concept for God to express in His word. For centuries He promised, or performed, in consequence to obedience from faith, a glorious dwelling or abiding of His presence. Throughout John's gospel those who keep Christ's words are synonymous with those who truly believed. Those who received Christ for who He said He was, namely the Son of God, would also keep His word because they had first received / believed it. God's lavish response to love this obedient believer is by making His dwelling with them.
In Exodus chapter 40 a similar thing happens. Throughout the Chapter, Moses is said to have erected the tabernacle (literally "dwelling" or "tent") just as God had commanded Him. At the end of the chapter, following a triumphant statement that all was completed, "the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the (Z)glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle."(Ex. 40:34). It abided there day and night for the 40 years of wandering because of Moses' obedience, and the people's from previous chapters. Moses and the people God had moved (see Ex. 35:22) had believed God's commands to be weighty and true enough to perform in fullness. God responded with lavish love to have his Glorious presence in a cloud by day or pillar of fire by night.
Now there are some major differences to these to glorious dwellings of God, generally that the dwelling for believers is much more full than that of Old Testament. I may delve into that more later. But the pattern of belief and then God's dwelling presence is the same.
Many times I forget the rich undeserved joy of having God's presence with me. Sometimes I forget He is there altogether. I miss so much rich fellowship and miss the production of that fellowship--the fruit of the Spirit. My prayer the last few days has simply been to remember God and all of His works--all that I know at least. And in remembering to hold tightly to Him.
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