Proverbs 18: 1Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire;
he breaks out against all sound judgment.
When a person isolates himself, he is being selfish. This is not God's will for man, to be alone. We need each other and we benefit from the counsel of our family in Christ surrounding us. Isolation is a form of rebellion and disobedience. If I isolate myself from my Christian family, I am not serving God.
It's a common saying, "Leave me alone." In this day and age, it is a glorified statement that simply proclaims one's need for independence and time to dedicate to one's self. Isolation is hardly viewed as sin, but here I see that it is just that. I think isolation is like a gateway type of sin in that once a person isolates him/herself, it opens them up for attack from the enemy and also begins a habit of gratifying the flesh. Isolation is a bigger problem than most realize and that is why it is so dangerous. Examples of isolation are, straying from accountability, avoiding telling the whole truth to siblings in Christ to appear more righteous, avoiding being a part of a biblical community such as a life group or ministry, avoiding contact with other Christians at church, and not going to church. I find myself falling into this at times where I know I am wrong but I am dreading correction. In those moments, I am CHOOSING to sin! Now, I know that solitude is a Godly practice. Solitude and isolation are different. Jesus sought solitude and modeled it for Christians. Solitude is time alone with God for prayer, meditation, reflection, and for the restoration of my spirit. It is a good and beneficial thing and it is a spiritual discipline. Solitude is proactive and it comes from a heart that is seeking more of God and less of self. Solitude is saying "I have things I'd like to be doing, but I am going to go to a quiet place and listen for God's voice and direction." Isolation is saying, "I don't feel like being Christ-like right now, so I'm leaving...I'm checking out or avoiding this situation." I must be aware of this in my everyday walk, and if I notice that I am seeking isolation, then I must turn back and repent. Asking my husband or Christian family for prayer is the best way to overcome this sin. I must also encourage friends and family that I see who are falling into this trap of isolation to come back to God and relationships with biblical community.
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your perfect design of Godly relationships. Please forgive me for being so selfish and sinful in seeking isolation. Lord, I run to You and Your children. May I never fear reproof. Also, please help me in leading back those who are running from You. I can name several friends right now who are avoiding their spiritual disciplines and choosing their flesh's selfish desires over what You want for them. May I speak to them boldly with truthful words in love. I love You, Lord. Jesus, thank You for being the perfect example of how to seek solitude without isolating ourselves from God and others. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Gasping for air
Miracle after miracle! Last night, Lion slept 8 hours! Therefore, I got 6 hours of sleep and I feel great. Moreover, Lion looks like he feels great. God is good and I'm so glad He is granting us rest and peace.
Proverbs 14:26In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence,
and his children will have a refuge.
27The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death.
Proverbs 15:10There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;
whoever hates reproof will die.
Romans 11:32For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.
These verses seem a bit unrelated, but I think God has a bigger message that ties them all together. I am so tempted to just pick one, but then I would be ignoring a portion of what God is trying to tell me. So, in Proverbs 14:26-27, King Solomon says that when one fears God, there is strong confidence and their children have a refuge. More plainly, this means that a Christian's confidence comes from the fear of God, which is a healthy respect and reverence for God. When I fear the Lord, I'm not only able to stand secure and confidently in what I believe in but my children will also learn that Godly fear and inherit that confidence and security. Fear of things in this world only lead to death. However, to fear God leads to abundant life. Solomon also talks about death in Proverbs 15:10 saying that those who hate reproof, criticism for a fault (rebuke) will die. It's a guarantee that if I hate having my flaws pointed out, I will die. This is confidence in myself and not a confidence that comes from the fear of the Lord. Following Christ requires a humble heart, a heart willing to accept rebuke. If I truly fear the Lord, I will love being rebuked. God is also saying that there is severe discipline for those who forsake His ways, but this doesn't mean God just wants us to be punished. In fact, the opposite is true. God desires to show mercy on all of us. Although we all have it in us to be disobedient (we can choose not to do God's will) we also have the gift of repentance and God's grace which was purchased by the precious blood of Jesus.
There is a lot God is teaching me today and I must not shy away from it. Honestly, it's difficult to pinpoint the main idea here, but I'm going to try to focus in on God's message. To summarize, the fear of God is my confidence, refuge, and way to life. In order to keep on this path to life, I must be open and accepting of Godly rebuke and correction. In receiving rebuke, I should not beat down on myself because the real reason for rebuke is to receive God's mercy, not his wrath. If I am faithful to follow this, my children will inherit this discipline and it will be their shelter when trouble comes their way. Lately, I've been noticing just how important it is to rebuke. Correction in love leads to life. For me to despise reproof is the same as saying, "God, I don't need You because I have it all under control." The truth is, I desperately need God. I should always picture myself treading in ocean water. Most of the time, as a Christian, I am able to keep my head above the waves, fixing my eyes on Jesus. Rebuke is that voice calling out from above the water saying, "Come up for a breath!" If I don't listen, I'll drown. Furthermore, if I see others around me drowning, I need to call out to them to come up for air too, or else if they drown, I'll surely feel responsible for not doing anything about it.
Heavenly Father, may this visual image stick with me forever. May I never take for granted the gift of Your reproof and mercy. I choose life, my Lord. I ask that You forgive me for thinking that I have it all together. Please keep me humble and dependent on You. Jesus, I love You. Thank You for paying the price so that I may have abundant life. Help me to correct those around me in love. May I decrease as You increase within me. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.
Proverbs 14:26In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence,
and his children will have a refuge.
27The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death.
Proverbs 15:10There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;
whoever hates reproof will die.
Romans 11:32For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.
These verses seem a bit unrelated, but I think God has a bigger message that ties them all together. I am so tempted to just pick one, but then I would be ignoring a portion of what God is trying to tell me. So, in Proverbs 14:26-27, King Solomon says that when one fears God, there is strong confidence and their children have a refuge. More plainly, this means that a Christian's confidence comes from the fear of God, which is a healthy respect and reverence for God. When I fear the Lord, I'm not only able to stand secure and confidently in what I believe in but my children will also learn that Godly fear and inherit that confidence and security. Fear of things in this world only lead to death. However, to fear God leads to abundant life. Solomon also talks about death in Proverbs 15:10 saying that those who hate reproof, criticism for a fault (rebuke) will die. It's a guarantee that if I hate having my flaws pointed out, I will die. This is confidence in myself and not a confidence that comes from the fear of the Lord. Following Christ requires a humble heart, a heart willing to accept rebuke. If I truly fear the Lord, I will love being rebuked. God is also saying that there is severe discipline for those who forsake His ways, but this doesn't mean God just wants us to be punished. In fact, the opposite is true. God desires to show mercy on all of us. Although we all have it in us to be disobedient (we can choose not to do God's will) we also have the gift of repentance and God's grace which was purchased by the precious blood of Jesus.
There is a lot God is teaching me today and I must not shy away from it. Honestly, it's difficult to pinpoint the main idea here, but I'm going to try to focus in on God's message. To summarize, the fear of God is my confidence, refuge, and way to life. In order to keep on this path to life, I must be open and accepting of Godly rebuke and correction. In receiving rebuke, I should not beat down on myself because the real reason for rebuke is to receive God's mercy, not his wrath. If I am faithful to follow this, my children will inherit this discipline and it will be their shelter when trouble comes their way. Lately, I've been noticing just how important it is to rebuke. Correction in love leads to life. For me to despise reproof is the same as saying, "God, I don't need You because I have it all under control." The truth is, I desperately need God. I should always picture myself treading in ocean water. Most of the time, as a Christian, I am able to keep my head above the waves, fixing my eyes on Jesus. Rebuke is that voice calling out from above the water saying, "Come up for a breath!" If I don't listen, I'll drown. Furthermore, if I see others around me drowning, I need to call out to them to come up for air too, or else if they drown, I'll surely feel responsible for not doing anything about it.
Heavenly Father, may this visual image stick with me forever. May I never take for granted the gift of Your reproof and mercy. I choose life, my Lord. I ask that You forgive me for thinking that I have it all together. Please keep me humble and dependent on You. Jesus, I love You. Thank You for paying the price so that I may have abundant life. Help me to correct those around me in love. May I decrease as You increase within me. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Hidden Hatred
Wow, the last time I posted my devotion was February 7th. Just goes to show how much changes when I had my baby. I feel really convicted. I need to do my devotions everyday. I make tons of excuses: Lion only gives me so many hours to sleep, the house looks like a mess, I'm just going to check my email and facebook first and then devo, and so forth. I've decided to ask God to truly help me in this area, and so from now on, there are going to be some changes. I won't check my facebook unless I've done my devo. I'll do my devo after the first night-time feeding, I'm usually super awake at that point and trying to go back to sleep right away for that extra hour or half an hour of sleep isn't really going to benefit me as much as doing my devotion will. So, here it goes. I pray that this blog keeps me accountable.
Proverbs 10:18The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,
and whoever utters slander is a fool.
King Solomon asked for wisdom from God. In Proverbs, he lists many proverbial truths. Here he plainly states that when hatred is concealed, that person is lying. God does not lie, and so neither should we. When hate is allowed to fester in a heart, it is a lie to say that it isn't there when it really is. Even to play it off as just momentary anger is not telling the truth. Also, Solomon states that when slander is uttered, that person is a fool. For example, in a disagreement or in a situation where there is conflict and tension, it is foolish to mutter to yourself or to others things about another person that is malicious.
This proverb has pointed out a huge flaw in me. I am totally guilty of being a liar and fool. I admit, in the heat of an argument, or when I feel attacked, I resort to "inner victory mode." My husband has called me on it many times, and I have to admit, right here, before God in my devotion, that he is right. I tend to harbor bitterness and also allow hate to win within me when I feel guilt or condemnation or even inadequacy. My default way of winning an "argument" is to say what the other person wants to hear and then in my mind, allow slanderous thoughts and hatred to run wild. It's a horrible and nasty truth about my flesh's nature, and I have to bring this before Jesus so He can make it right. I really need to cut off this part of me. No longer can I hide the hate in my heart. My heart should only be filled with God's love. This is one huge obstacle for me. I need to deal with it here and now. I was asking God to lead me to a different scripture to journal on; one that wouldn't require me to be so honest about myself. Even now, I'm dreading the moment when Hanzo reads this and is like..."We need to have a talk about your devo. What do you really feel about me in your heart?" The process of extracting that hate will really suck (a little pun there). But I need to stop trying to act like I'm better than I really am. I need to be Christ-like and that requires honesty and wisdom. I need to be willing to deal with my flaws instead of covering them up to look like a good Christian.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Thank You that by Your power and not by my own strength am I made righteous. I give to You all my sin. Please forgive me and pour Your grace and healing over me. Jesus, help me to deal with those deep hidden flaws within my flesh. I want to be legit. Purify me and take me to the next level. I love You so much and I'm ready to prune and grow. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.
Reminder:
Pray for Lori and her upcoming exam for air traffic control
for Monica and Kim and their trip to China
for Kailey's health and family
for my brother's and father's repentance and salvation
for the young mothers in Argentina
for Lion's health, breastfeeding, and development
for Danice and Justin and their children
Proverbs 10:18The one who conceals hatred has lying lips,
and whoever utters slander is a fool.
King Solomon asked for wisdom from God. In Proverbs, he lists many proverbial truths. Here he plainly states that when hatred is concealed, that person is lying. God does not lie, and so neither should we. When hate is allowed to fester in a heart, it is a lie to say that it isn't there when it really is. Even to play it off as just momentary anger is not telling the truth. Also, Solomon states that when slander is uttered, that person is a fool. For example, in a disagreement or in a situation where there is conflict and tension, it is foolish to mutter to yourself or to others things about another person that is malicious.
This proverb has pointed out a huge flaw in me. I am totally guilty of being a liar and fool. I admit, in the heat of an argument, or when I feel attacked, I resort to "inner victory mode." My husband has called me on it many times, and I have to admit, right here, before God in my devotion, that he is right. I tend to harbor bitterness and also allow hate to win within me when I feel guilt or condemnation or even inadequacy. My default way of winning an "argument" is to say what the other person wants to hear and then in my mind, allow slanderous thoughts and hatred to run wild. It's a horrible and nasty truth about my flesh's nature, and I have to bring this before Jesus so He can make it right. I really need to cut off this part of me. No longer can I hide the hate in my heart. My heart should only be filled with God's love. This is one huge obstacle for me. I need to deal with it here and now. I was asking God to lead me to a different scripture to journal on; one that wouldn't require me to be so honest about myself. Even now, I'm dreading the moment when Hanzo reads this and is like..."We need to have a talk about your devo. What do you really feel about me in your heart?" The process of extracting that hate will really suck (a little pun there). But I need to stop trying to act like I'm better than I really am. I need to be Christ-like and that requires honesty and wisdom. I need to be willing to deal with my flaws instead of covering them up to look like a good Christian.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Thank You that by Your power and not by my own strength am I made righteous. I give to You all my sin. Please forgive me and pour Your grace and healing over me. Jesus, help me to deal with those deep hidden flaws within my flesh. I want to be legit. Purify me and take me to the next level. I love You so much and I'm ready to prune and grow. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.
Reminder:
Pray for Lori and her upcoming exam for air traffic control
for Monica and Kim and their trip to China
for Kailey's health and family
for my brother's and father's repentance and salvation
for the young mothers in Argentina
for Lion's health, breastfeeding, and development
for Danice and Justin and their children
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