Acts 26:22 To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: 23 that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles."
Paul is on trial in front of King Agrippa and he shares his testimony. His words are rational, clear and concise. These two lines sum up Paul's ministry, that he is helped by God to tell others that what the Old Testament has already written has come to pass. His words are of encouragement and hope, yet Festus said Paul was out of his mind. To those who do not receive revelation from the Holy Spirit, words of truth are radical and mind blowing.
Hanzo mentioned something last night that I've been thinking a lot about. He said that the things of the world make sense to those who are fallen and it is God's truth that flips the perspective of the world upside down. I see this here with Paul in that he is telling the truth but it absolutely boggles the unbeliever's mind. So how do I share that which sounds so crazy to people of this world? How do I keep pursuing the truth and not allow the world's way of thinking to consume me? God's truth is full of love, grace, and hope. Why do we, as fallen humans, choose to disbelieve God's goodness? Is it so hard to believe that the God of the universe who created us loves us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to make a way for us to be with Him in eternity? Instead, we choose the pity party route. "Oh no, how can God be a good God if I think that things are bad? I'll just believe that He doesn't exist because I think that no God is better than a God who has a different judgment from my own." What a negative generation! I know that I think this way often and I need to repent. I need to take God's truth and believe it with all that I am. He says to rejoice. He says to have peace. He says to love. He says that He loves me. He says that He has a plan for me. He is good. He is faithful. He has abundant grace and mercy. I can stand on this truth because it is solid and firm no matter how uncertain the knowledge and ways of this world are.
Heavenly Father, please forgive me for being so negative and buying into the world's way of thinking. I repent and I turn to Your truth and stand upon it confidently. Thank you for fulfilling Your promises. Lord, thank You for forgiving me. Show me, Jesus, how to be more and more like You. May I die to who I am and claim my life in You. I want to live a resurrected, new and hopeful life instead of an old, stale, and depressed life. I love You, Lord. You are my daily bread. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Everything God has is mine
Luke 15:31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
The older son was jealous of the younger son. He felt like he had been righteous this whole time and when this rebellious son had returned, it didn't seem fair that the younger brother got the feast and special treatment. But the father tells the older son that all that the father has is the son's. The faithful son was more wealthy than the prodigal son because he had everything the father had. The prodigal son left the father to make it on his own. I think the older brother didn't realize just how rich he was. He had everything and then wanted more because he felt self-righteousness.
I think I can be like the older son a lot of times when I see abundant grace and blessings upon new believers or other families. However, I have no need for that and need to avoid this sinful pride because really, I have everything my Father has. If I continue to humbly abide with my Heavenly Father, I have access to everything in Heaven. God doesn't withhold from His children. I am truly rich because I have a relationship with Jesus. If I seek that first, then everything else is available to me. I should not play pity party because I am truly rich.
Heavenly Father, thank You for everything good and lovely. Lord, I thank You that I have a relationship with You. Jesus, please cover my sin with Your precious blood. I repent for being prideful and self-righteous. Lord, I am just a sinner like everyone else. It is only because You call me Your daughter that I have any inheritance at all. Lord, help me to love You more and more. I pray that I would be more like Jesus today. I love You, God. I pray for Monica and Tony, that You would give them access to the storehouses of Heaven for provision for their mission to China. Lord, I also ask that I would continue to trust in You for every need's fulfillment. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
The older son was jealous of the younger son. He felt like he had been righteous this whole time and when this rebellious son had returned, it didn't seem fair that the younger brother got the feast and special treatment. But the father tells the older son that all that the father has is the son's. The faithful son was more wealthy than the prodigal son because he had everything the father had. The prodigal son left the father to make it on his own. I think the older brother didn't realize just how rich he was. He had everything and then wanted more because he felt self-righteousness.
I think I can be like the older son a lot of times when I see abundant grace and blessings upon new believers or other families. However, I have no need for that and need to avoid this sinful pride because really, I have everything my Father has. If I continue to humbly abide with my Heavenly Father, I have access to everything in Heaven. God doesn't withhold from His children. I am truly rich because I have a relationship with Jesus. If I seek that first, then everything else is available to me. I should not play pity party because I am truly rich.
Heavenly Father, thank You for everything good and lovely. Lord, I thank You that I have a relationship with You. Jesus, please cover my sin with Your precious blood. I repent for being prideful and self-righteous. Lord, I am just a sinner like everyone else. It is only because You call me Your daughter that I have any inheritance at all. Lord, help me to love You more and more. I pray that I would be more like Jesus today. I love You, God. I pray for Monica and Tony, that You would give them access to the storehouses of Heaven for provision for their mission to China. Lord, I also ask that I would continue to trust in You for every need's fulfillment. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
The sin of complacency
Psalm 126: 1When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
3The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad.
Luke 14:16But he said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' 18But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.' 19And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.' 20And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' 21So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.'
In Psalm 126, the psalmist is remembering those times in the past when God had restored Zion and blessed it. There was joy and gladness in Zion because prosperity was there and great things had been done. However, the psalmist is asking God to do it again, to bring that restoration and fruitfulness back to Zion. In Luke 14, Jesus is having dinner with the Pharisees and one of them says, "Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" Jesus senses that these men are proud and assume that they are definitely going to Heaven to be in God's kingdom. However, Jesus tells them a parable to show that those who are even invited to the kingdom can be rejected by their own complacency and excuses.
God does amazing, miraculous things, over and over again and too soon, we get lazy, comfortable, and complacent. Then we ask God to show up again and perform miracles and great works. He seems to be our personal magician that we summon or call upon whenever we want to be helped, entertained, or blessed. God is not our own personal magician or clown. He wants me to be in a personal ongoing relationship with Him which will take work, effort, alertness, and engagement. I'm still taken aback by God's provision for our rent. I think I'm shocked. It seems so surreal. Hanzo and I prayed for God to provide money for the rent in a miraculous way and it happened. We have just enough for our rent because God provided through giving a word to Monica and Tony. It is amazing. I have to admit though, I'm not leaping with joy like I thought I would be. I think this is a sign that I am still holding onto some sin. I had an expectation of how God would provide and what was going to happen. However, God works in His ways which are higher than my ways and so now, I'm here...wanting to be filled and overflowing with joy but I have this comfortable, complacent attitude. It's like I wanted to see a huge illusion, but instead, God showed a card trick. I must admit, I need to repent and truly receive the joy of the Lord. He has provided and He didn't need to. He doesn't need to answer our prayers, but He does and He does so with love. I realize today, that I am like the Pharisees, expecting things from God. God wants me to be humble and to be filled with joy even when the miracles and wonders are not present. I must work on rejoicing because God is God and not because He does what I want Him to do.
Heavenly Father, I repent. I am so sorry for being so comfortable and complacent and for expecting things from You. Lord, thank You so much for providing for our rent. Lord, thank You for stretching my faith. And now, I also thank You for keeping me humble. Just because my faith is growing, doesn't mean I have anything to boast about. Lord, fill me with Your joy. Lord, I cast all my cares upon You. I will receive Your joy into my heart. I want to be faithful in rejoicing in Your goodness. Lord, thank You for Your faithfulness. I love You. Show me how to be more in love with You. I pray all this in Jesus' name, Amen.
we were like those who dream.
2Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
3The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad.
Luke 14:16But he said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' 18But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.' 19And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.' 20And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' 21So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.'
In Psalm 126, the psalmist is remembering those times in the past when God had restored Zion and blessed it. There was joy and gladness in Zion because prosperity was there and great things had been done. However, the psalmist is asking God to do it again, to bring that restoration and fruitfulness back to Zion. In Luke 14, Jesus is having dinner with the Pharisees and one of them says, "Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" Jesus senses that these men are proud and assume that they are definitely going to Heaven to be in God's kingdom. However, Jesus tells them a parable to show that those who are even invited to the kingdom can be rejected by their own complacency and excuses.
God does amazing, miraculous things, over and over again and too soon, we get lazy, comfortable, and complacent. Then we ask God to show up again and perform miracles and great works. He seems to be our personal magician that we summon or call upon whenever we want to be helped, entertained, or blessed. God is not our own personal magician or clown. He wants me to be in a personal ongoing relationship with Him which will take work, effort, alertness, and engagement. I'm still taken aback by God's provision for our rent. I think I'm shocked. It seems so surreal. Hanzo and I prayed for God to provide money for the rent in a miraculous way and it happened. We have just enough for our rent because God provided through giving a word to Monica and Tony. It is amazing. I have to admit though, I'm not leaping with joy like I thought I would be. I think this is a sign that I am still holding onto some sin. I had an expectation of how God would provide and what was going to happen. However, God works in His ways which are higher than my ways and so now, I'm here...wanting to be filled and overflowing with joy but I have this comfortable, complacent attitude. It's like I wanted to see a huge illusion, but instead, God showed a card trick. I must admit, I need to repent and truly receive the joy of the Lord. He has provided and He didn't need to. He doesn't need to answer our prayers, but He does and He does so with love. I realize today, that I am like the Pharisees, expecting things from God. God wants me to be humble and to be filled with joy even when the miracles and wonders are not present. I must work on rejoicing because God is God and not because He does what I want Him to do.
Heavenly Father, I repent. I am so sorry for being so comfortable and complacent and for expecting things from You. Lord, thank You so much for providing for our rent. Lord, thank You for stretching my faith. And now, I also thank You for keeping me humble. Just because my faith is growing, doesn't mean I have anything to boast about. Lord, fill me with Your joy. Lord, I cast all my cares upon You. I will receive Your joy into my heart. I want to be faithful in rejoicing in Your goodness. Lord, thank You for Your faithfulness. I love You. Show me how to be more in love with You. I pray all this in Jesus' name, Amen.
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