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.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
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.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Starting a new path
Carl and I are starting to take a new path with our walk with Christ.
WE kind of came to the conclusion we weren't having enough time with Him together and as individuals and we are beginning to learn what it means to truly put Christ first in our marriage.
I find it interesting how that one change affects the dynamic in our relationship. How placing Christ first as the head of our household and our hearts effects how we treat one another. I find how I am more patient with him and I'm more loving. More concerned about him and more willing to follow his leadership when I am more willing to follow Christs leadership.
It has been a refreshing change but it will continue to take discipline to place the right things in the proper order.
WE kind of came to the conclusion we weren't having enough time with Him together and as individuals and we are beginning to learn what it means to truly put Christ first in our marriage.
I find it interesting how that one change affects the dynamic in our relationship. How placing Christ first as the head of our household and our hearts effects how we treat one another. I find how I am more patient with him and I'm more loving. More concerned about him and more willing to follow his leadership when I am more willing to follow Christs leadership.
It has been a refreshing change but it will continue to take discipline to place the right things in the proper order.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Now days we'd think a person was crazy
In the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. As it is written in the Prophets:
"Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.' "
John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. .......Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.- Mark 1: 1-4, 6
"Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.' "
John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. .......Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.- Mark 1: 1-4, 6
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Sex God
I thought that title might grab some attention and before i let your minds wonder to far you should know that it is the title of a book that Carl and I are reading together. You know out of all of the pre-marital counseling book recommendations this one has been a good one so far.
It isn't a 'how to' book on sex, it isn't about the anatomy of the male and females and or the differences in how our bodies work but instead it focuses on how Christians should think about sex.
It's a book that talks about sex in marriage and created for marriage, but it also talks about how we as sexual beings, created such by God, can focus are energies towards other things as singles.
A book about sex talking about sex for singles? Doesn't sound good I know but it is...
Don't get me wrong this book IS NOT advocating for pre-marital sex but it advocating that we as singles view our sexuality in a healthy light, so that we realize that our sexual desires in and of themselves are not evil things...We do in fact have the ability to take those "good desires" and use them for other things other than sex itself that will still help us to re-connect with those around us.
This book like all books should be read with discretion and there are some things that even i don't fully agree with but as I told Carl try to take the good things away from this book...you may find some things very enlightening.
Today we read a chapter that talked about lust. And the main point of this chapter was that lust seems to start in a persons heart when they are not satisfied or content or at peace with their lives and what they are doing...so what happens is they go searching. Searching for something that will make them satisfied...and this is where lust can easily begin to sink in.
It should be noted that we as humans can lust after many things, we can lust after sex, we can lust after money, we can lust after clothes, we can lust after cars, we can even lust after education. Lusting is rooted in the lie of "If i just had..."
"If i just had .....
him,
her,
that,
(fill in the blank.)"
"Then I would be....
cool,
beautifiul,
sexy,
hip,
respected,
(fill in the blank.)"
When the truth is lust rarely ever satisfies and it rarely ever fulfills it's promise. But it always leads us to wanting more and then we seem to be caught in a web of deception and we aren't sure how we got there in the first place.
Instead of lusting we must learn to be content with our surroundings, with our lives, and we must find something good to pour ourselves into, to give our desires to, but what ever that something is it needs to be good and beneficial to not only us but to those around us and glorifying to God.
So then my question becomes which the book does not answer is...how do we find that something? How do we find that one thing to give our lives to? And how do we know when we've found it and in the mean time how do we stay content and at peace with our surroundings? How do we not lust while we're searching for that something?
I think there will be more thoughts to come later.
It isn't a 'how to' book on sex, it isn't about the anatomy of the male and females and or the differences in how our bodies work but instead it focuses on how Christians should think about sex.
It's a book that talks about sex in marriage and created for marriage, but it also talks about how we as sexual beings, created such by God, can focus are energies towards other things as singles.
A book about sex talking about sex for singles? Doesn't sound good I know but it is...
Don't get me wrong this book IS NOT advocating for pre-marital sex but it advocating that we as singles view our sexuality in a healthy light, so that we realize that our sexual desires in and of themselves are not evil things...We do in fact have the ability to take those "good desires" and use them for other things other than sex itself that will still help us to re-connect with those around us.
This book like all books should be read with discretion and there are some things that even i don't fully agree with but as I told Carl try to take the good things away from this book...you may find some things very enlightening.
Today we read a chapter that talked about lust. And the main point of this chapter was that lust seems to start in a persons heart when they are not satisfied or content or at peace with their lives and what they are doing...so what happens is they go searching. Searching for something that will make them satisfied...and this is where lust can easily begin to sink in.
It should be noted that we as humans can lust after many things, we can lust after sex, we can lust after money, we can lust after clothes, we can lust after cars, we can even lust after education. Lusting is rooted in the lie of "If i just had..."
"If i just had .....
him,
her,
that,
(fill in the blank.)"
"Then I would be....
cool,
beautifiul,
sexy,
hip,
respected,
(fill in the blank.)"
When the truth is lust rarely ever satisfies and it rarely ever fulfills it's promise. But it always leads us to wanting more and then we seem to be caught in a web of deception and we aren't sure how we got there in the first place.
Instead of lusting we must learn to be content with our surroundings, with our lives, and we must find something good to pour ourselves into, to give our desires to, but what ever that something is it needs to be good and beneficial to not only us but to those around us and glorifying to God.
So then my question becomes which the book does not answer is...how do we find that something? How do we find that one thing to give our lives to? And how do we know when we've found it and in the mean time how do we stay content and at peace with our surroundings? How do we not lust while we're searching for that something?
I think there will be more thoughts to come later.
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