092808
Luke 11:13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
Jesus just taught His disciples how to pray. Then, He explains to them that if they ask they will receive, if they seek, they will find, and if they knock, the door will be opened. Jesus is talking about receiving the Holy Spirit. I think a lot of people take this scripture out of context and they forget about what Luke 11:13 says. Jesus is explaining that we can ask God for the Holy Spirit and it will not be withheld from us. However, many people use this scripture to justify why they should receive from God what they ask for such as a promotion, a baby, or even money. Jesus doesn't tell the disciples that they can ask for anything, and it will be given to them. He is specifically saying that if you ask God for the Holy Spirit, then it will be given to you.
Lately, God has been revealing to me ways that I have misused His scripture. Here is one of them that I have often taken out of context. Now I clearly understand that what God is saying is that we can ask for the Holy Spirit and it will not be withheld from us. That is wonderful news! Who needs all that other stuff, the car, the job, or the status in society? All I need and should desire is Jesus! This scripture is especially encouraging to me because now I know that when I am in a fight or disagreement, I can pray and ask God for the Holy Spirit and be confident that if I am truly willing, I'll receive it. One of the hardest things is trying to solve a disagreement or mis-communication without the Holy Spirit. In those situations, there is only the flesh present and every party is just trying to prove why they are right and why they were hurt or offended. But with the Holy Spirit present, the Lord overcomes the flesh and peace begins to set in. Also, in counseling, there are times that I am begging God to give me the right words to say to that person. Now, I know that I can ask Him for the Holy Spirit and allow the Spirit to speak through me. This is a wonderful gift. It is a power given to those who are God's children. May I never use this scripture to justify my greediness again.
Heavenly Father, You are a good Father. Thank You for loving me. Lord, I pray that You would forgive me of my sins and show me how to live a righteous and pure life. Lord, I ask for Your Holy Spirit today. May Your Spirit lead me in all that I do. May I walk in Your Holy Spirit today and always. Jesus, I thank You for clarifying this scripture to me. I pray that You continue to reveal the Truth to me. Keep me close to You, Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Obedience and God's provision
092208
Luke 5:5-6
5And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." 6And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.
These were career fishermen. They made their living off of the fish they caught. Fish equaled wealth. A good catch meant there would be something to eat on the table. I imagine the fishermen, tired from a long evening of fruitless fishing. Oh how long they must have waited for fish to swim into their nets. Yet, every time they pulled it onto the boat, the nets were empty. It must have been so depressing to have your hopes rise and fall with every toss and pull of the net. Then Jesus tells them to let down the nets one more time. Maybe they were all packed up for the day. The net must have been folded neatly. Their stomachs growling from a long day of work. Looking at Jesus, Simon basically says, "Look, I respect your teachings, but you gotta understand that we have been fishing all day and there is nothing here to catch." But then Simon says, "however, since you told me to, I'll do it." Maybe Simon just wanted to show respect to Jesus. Maybe the whole time he was lowering the net, he was thinking, "This guy doesn't know this lake like I do." But once they were obedient, they caught so many fish that they almost couldn't handle it.
I feel like Simon. "Lord, I'm telling You, I've been working at this thing all day and there is just no way that I can be fruitful here." But God keeps asking me to lower my net again. I feel this way especially with Embrace. It seems like I put so much hard work into that ministry and the fish are so few that it hardly feels like enough to keep me going. But, God is saying, just lower your net, one more time, I'll provide the fish. Actually, I feel like this in a lot of areas in my life. I feel like this with my ministries (Drama, Vocals, Youth Choir, Pursuit) and my finances. I hardly have enough to pay the bills. I have next to nothing to spend on all the baby showers coming up, or the funerals that are happening. I feel so worthless. I have nothing of worth to offer my friends and family who need my support because I can hardly support myself. I get so angry. I get so frustrated. But if Jesus is telling me to lower my net once more, I just need to be obedient. I don't know how I am going to do that, but I need just need to do it.
Heavenly Father, I pray for You to forgive me for my sins. Lord, I've been so stubborn and easily frustrated. I need You, Lord, to save me. I need You to provide the fish. I know that it is never a result of my own efforts, so Lord, I pray for Your provision. I trust You, Lord. I'm so sorry for thinking I have it all figured out. I love You. I pray all these things in Jesus' name, Amen.
Luke 5:5-6
5And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." 6And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.
These were career fishermen. They made their living off of the fish they caught. Fish equaled wealth. A good catch meant there would be something to eat on the table. I imagine the fishermen, tired from a long evening of fruitless fishing. Oh how long they must have waited for fish to swim into their nets. Yet, every time they pulled it onto the boat, the nets were empty. It must have been so depressing to have your hopes rise and fall with every toss and pull of the net. Then Jesus tells them to let down the nets one more time. Maybe they were all packed up for the day. The net must have been folded neatly. Their stomachs growling from a long day of work. Looking at Jesus, Simon basically says, "Look, I respect your teachings, but you gotta understand that we have been fishing all day and there is nothing here to catch." But then Simon says, "however, since you told me to, I'll do it." Maybe Simon just wanted to show respect to Jesus. Maybe the whole time he was lowering the net, he was thinking, "This guy doesn't know this lake like I do." But once they were obedient, they caught so many fish that they almost couldn't handle it.
I feel like Simon. "Lord, I'm telling You, I've been working at this thing all day and there is just no way that I can be fruitful here." But God keeps asking me to lower my net again. I feel this way especially with Embrace. It seems like I put so much hard work into that ministry and the fish are so few that it hardly feels like enough to keep me going. But, God is saying, just lower your net, one more time, I'll provide the fish. Actually, I feel like this in a lot of areas in my life. I feel like this with my ministries (Drama, Vocals, Youth Choir, Pursuit) and my finances. I hardly have enough to pay the bills. I have next to nothing to spend on all the baby showers coming up, or the funerals that are happening. I feel so worthless. I have nothing of worth to offer my friends and family who need my support because I can hardly support myself. I get so angry. I get so frustrated. But if Jesus is telling me to lower my net once more, I just need to be obedient. I don't know how I am going to do that, but I need just need to do it.
Heavenly Father, I pray for You to forgive me for my sins. Lord, I've been so stubborn and easily frustrated. I need You, Lord, to save me. I need You to provide the fish. I know that it is never a result of my own efforts, so Lord, I pray for Your provision. I trust You, Lord. I'm so sorry for thinking I have it all figured out. I love You. I pray all these things in Jesus' name, Amen.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Music
091308
Ezekiel 33:32 And behold, you are to them like one who sings lustful songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it.
God tells Ezekiel that although he is speaking what God is trying to tell the people, the people have their own gain set in their hearts, so they only hear what they want to hear. Also, God likens this behavior to when people listen to songs about lust, where people listen to a beautiful song and imagine and fantasize, but they do not actually do what they hear.
Music can be a rally to action, or it can be an escape and excuse for complacency. I have been guilty of listening to beautiful love songs and just letting my mind wander in lust. Is God trying to tell me to not listen to these types of songs? Yes and no. If all I do is let my mind sin when I listen to these songs, then I definitely shouldn't be listening to it. Also, when I listen to Christian music, I shouldn't treat it like those other songs. Worship music should rally me to action. I should be doing what I hear from God and not just fantasize about it. I need to change in this area.
Heavenly Father, thank You for revealing this to me. Please forgive me for lusting through music. Lord, help me to choose more positive, motivating music and may I take action to worship You when I hear it. I pray that my words and actions line up. Help me to be more like You, Jesus. In Your precious name I pray, Amen.
Ezekiel 33:32 And behold, you are to them like one who sings lustful songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it.
God tells Ezekiel that although he is speaking what God is trying to tell the people, the people have their own gain set in their hearts, so they only hear what they want to hear. Also, God likens this behavior to when people listen to songs about lust, where people listen to a beautiful song and imagine and fantasize, but they do not actually do what they hear.
Music can be a rally to action, or it can be an escape and excuse for complacency. I have been guilty of listening to beautiful love songs and just letting my mind wander in lust. Is God trying to tell me to not listen to these types of songs? Yes and no. If all I do is let my mind sin when I listen to these songs, then I definitely shouldn't be listening to it. Also, when I listen to Christian music, I shouldn't treat it like those other songs. Worship music should rally me to action. I should be doing what I hear from God and not just fantasize about it. I need to change in this area.
Heavenly Father, thank You for revealing this to me. Please forgive me for lusting through music. Lord, help me to choose more positive, motivating music and may I take action to worship You when I hear it. I pray that my words and actions line up. Help me to be more like You, Jesus. In Your precious name I pray, Amen.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
A life that points to Jesus
091108
Daniel 2:47-48
47The king answered and said to Daniel, "Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery." 48Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.
This story does not only tell of a man of God who stood firm in his faith and righteousness. This story points to Jesus somehow. It’s true that Daniel was very brave and bold to ask God for the dream that the Babylonian king had and the interpretation. The king was asking something quite impossible, that someone would tell him not only the interpretation of the dream but the dream itself. In his frustration of not being able to get what he wanted, the king ordered all the wise men to be killed. Daniel points the way to Jesus in that what God allowed him to do proved to all these non-believers that God is the one true God. What Jesus did for us, dying on the cross and then rising again, proves to us that God is the one true God. Also, just as Daniel took a stand to remain pure, Jesus remained sinless all of His life.
This was a tough one to process. It’s so easy to look at the story and just think of Daniel and what he did. But really all the scripture points to Jesus; and Jesus is the living Word. I learned this from Hanzo who picked this up from Leon, the Ignite Youth Pastor. So, how do I apply this to my life? What does God want me to learn from this? I must live in a way that points to Jesus. Do I live my life in such a way that people say, “Truly, your God is God of gods!” Or, am I living in such a way that people say, “She’s a Christian? She doesn’t seem like one!” I think that I’ve honestly slacked a lot in my walk. I’ve made some compromises and lost that tight grip on my convictions. How do I get back to that steadfast faith and lifestyle?
Commit to doing my devotions everyday
Take the time to pray to God whenever I can
Use discipline in my daily decisions, from what I eat to what I watch on TV
Get plugged in with someone who can keep me accountable
Heavenly Father, I am so sorry for straying and compromising. Please forgive me and keep me straight on Your path. Help me to overcome my selfish desires. Show me how to die to my flesh and live for You. Lord, I love You. May my life point to You, Lord. I ask for Your will to be done in our lives. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Daniel 2:47-48
47The king answered and said to Daniel, "Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery." 48Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.
This story does not only tell of a man of God who stood firm in his faith and righteousness. This story points to Jesus somehow. It’s true that Daniel was very brave and bold to ask God for the dream that the Babylonian king had and the interpretation. The king was asking something quite impossible, that someone would tell him not only the interpretation of the dream but the dream itself. In his frustration of not being able to get what he wanted, the king ordered all the wise men to be killed. Daniel points the way to Jesus in that what God allowed him to do proved to all these non-believers that God is the one true God. What Jesus did for us, dying on the cross and then rising again, proves to us that God is the one true God. Also, just as Daniel took a stand to remain pure, Jesus remained sinless all of His life.
This was a tough one to process. It’s so easy to look at the story and just think of Daniel and what he did. But really all the scripture points to Jesus; and Jesus is the living Word. I learned this from Hanzo who picked this up from Leon, the Ignite Youth Pastor. So, how do I apply this to my life? What does God want me to learn from this? I must live in a way that points to Jesus. Do I live my life in such a way that people say, “Truly, your God is God of gods!” Or, am I living in such a way that people say, “She’s a Christian? She doesn’t seem like one!” I think that I’ve honestly slacked a lot in my walk. I’ve made some compromises and lost that tight grip on my convictions. How do I get back to that steadfast faith and lifestyle?
Commit to doing my devotions everyday
Take the time to pray to God whenever I can
Use discipline in my daily decisions, from what I eat to what I watch on TV
Get plugged in with someone who can keep me accountable
Heavenly Father, I am so sorry for straying and compromising. Please forgive me and keep me straight on Your path. Help me to overcome my selfish desires. Show me how to die to my flesh and live for You. Lord, I love You. May my life point to You, Lord. I ask for Your will to be done in our lives. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Wait on the Lord
091008
Lamentations 3:25-26
25The LORD is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.
26 It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.
Jeremiah is a prophet weeping over the prophesy that God had given him concerning the fate of Jerusalem. The people have made it a habit to turn to other idols and gods in order to satisfy their impatient flesh. But Jeremiah, in the midst of his weeping and bitter cries, remembers God’s true character. He remembers that God is good to those who wait for Him and seek Him. Jeremiah realizes that God is just and that He would never allow all this wrath and punishment to fall upon the righteous. He tells himself that it is good for one to wait quietly for God’s salvation
Hanzo and I are definitely in a season of waiting quietly for God’s salvation. It feels like years but really, it’s only been a few weeks. Waiting on the Lord is such a simple thing to do, yet it is soooo hard. Our fallen nature is to rush into things and to take matters into our own hands. Isn’t this exactly what happened in the Garden of Eden? Day after day, I hear God telling me, “Laine, just wait for me to move. When it is in my timing, I will not delay.” Just as I can’t make my baby kick when I want it to kick in my womb, I have no say over when God should take action. For me to jump ahead of God and say, “I want things to happen this way now, is such a selfish and unloving thing to do.” He is my God. He wants to take care of me and my family, and He will. I just need to wait; patiently, quietly.
Heavenly Father, I love You and I don’t want to move unless You tell me to. Help me to wait patiently. Keep me from sinning and forgive me for the times that I got impatient. Scrub my heart clean. I trust in You, Lord. Give me peace in my spirit, just as You gave to Jeremiah when he paused in his lamentation to recognize Your sovereignty. I give this season of waiting to You, Lord. In Jesus’ name I pray and wait…Amen.
Lamentations 3:25-26
25The LORD is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.
26 It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.
Jeremiah is a prophet weeping over the prophesy that God had given him concerning the fate of Jerusalem. The people have made it a habit to turn to other idols and gods in order to satisfy their impatient flesh. But Jeremiah, in the midst of his weeping and bitter cries, remembers God’s true character. He remembers that God is good to those who wait for Him and seek Him. Jeremiah realizes that God is just and that He would never allow all this wrath and punishment to fall upon the righteous. He tells himself that it is good for one to wait quietly for God’s salvation
Hanzo and I are definitely in a season of waiting quietly for God’s salvation. It feels like years but really, it’s only been a few weeks. Waiting on the Lord is such a simple thing to do, yet it is soooo hard. Our fallen nature is to rush into things and to take matters into our own hands. Isn’t this exactly what happened in the Garden of Eden? Day after day, I hear God telling me, “Laine, just wait for me to move. When it is in my timing, I will not delay.” Just as I can’t make my baby kick when I want it to kick in my womb, I have no say over when God should take action. For me to jump ahead of God and say, “I want things to happen this way now, is such a selfish and unloving thing to do.” He is my God. He wants to take care of me and my family, and He will. I just need to wait; patiently, quietly.
Heavenly Father, I love You and I don’t want to move unless You tell me to. Help me to wait patiently. Keep me from sinning and forgive me for the times that I got impatient. Scrub my heart clean. I trust in You, Lord. Give me peace in my spirit, just as You gave to Jeremiah when he paused in his lamentation to recognize Your sovereignty. I give this season of waiting to You, Lord. In Jesus’ name I pray and wait…Amen.
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