As created beings we already belong to God. He created mankind, but He created him with a freewill. Because of freewill, a choice was made to sin against a Holy God. The Holy God loves His creation and presented a plan for man to follow. But just a short time after that plan was initiated, rebellion lead to jealousy, which lead to murder.
Rebellion is the will making a choice not to follow the rules or laws. God's creation follows specific laws of physics to keep on track. The universe follows a pattern of divine design that man has tried for many decays to explain away so as not to have to trust the Unseen One. Because of this rebellion, God often allows depression, the sinking of oneself into oneself, to take place. This allows God the opportunity to recapture man's AWE.
As a youth, I began to question man's theory of the universe. I could not rationalize how something could come from nothing and then become what I saw all around me. The theory of evolution made NO sense. So, I chose to believe that there was a God. I had been raised in church, but I had to choose what to believe. That choice being made, I then had to know how to respond to Him. At seventeen I found that I could have a personal relationship with Him through His Son Jesus Christ and have not been without His presence in my live.
Depression is the "Alone place." I truly thought I was all alone. I have since learned, those are the times God was carrying me. He never left me. I just wasn't looking for HIM.
Psalm 107 Follows a pattern of thanks, praise, rebellion and prayer. This pattern, I have found is what leads to my depressions. I thank and praise then I rebel and God has to take me into the "darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron." (verse 7) "He brought me down with labour." It is then, I cry out to God, my Creator, and He brings me out to view His glory once more.
Psalm 107:17-20 "Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction."
It was during one of those times, that a precious friend of mine, began reminding me that the Christian life is not about living at all, but about dying. Dying to self and selfish desires and living as a daily sacrifice for God, broken and spilled out before Him in all we do. She would remind me every time we saw each other at church. She would even call me randomly at 4 A.M. to ask if I had died today then hang up the phone. As I look back I remember how furious that made me. But what she did truly helped me to grow in my desire to die to self and surrender to Him. He knows my needs. He will supply. He will carry me. He will never leave me. BECAUSE...........HE LOVES ME!!!
Psalm 107:43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Monday, May 13, 2013
Ponder This
When was the last time you were awestruck? Caught up by something that stopped your breath, raced your heart and caused your mind to soar heavenward in praise to God. We really aren't having many of those experiences anymore. We have replaced the truly awe inspiring moments with thrill seeking adrenaline rushes. When the thrill is over, we feel empty and disillusioned.
In days gone by, when people needed recreation or entertainment, they would escape to nature. They would feast their senses on God's creation. They would bask in the power of the Almighty, become overwhelmed with the Wonder of His Glory and return home eager to share their joy with others through their labor for Him.
In this generation, men seek different thrills. Things like television, video games, computer, even the talents God gave to man to exhibit His glory, are being viewed as awe inspiring. Satan has blinded man since the beginning of time with the illusion that what God provides to hold his wonder is not enough. He has clouded man's mind and obscured his view of God. This allows man to believe his on creations are worthy of awe.
I remember the day God began conditioning me to view His glory in His handiwork. It was a few days after Hannah was born. I began to notice the hands of the people that held her. Some of the fingers were smooth and straight, while others, were bent wrinkled and swollen with arthritis. Some of the nails were polished and well kept, others were stained and short indicating work of some kind. In my journal I noted many of the characteristics of those hands. We will examine some of those characteristics and begin the process of returning our awe to the ONLY AWE INSPIRING ONE.
Layers of self must be removed before one can return one's mind to God. We will never be finished with this peeling, as I call it, until we get to Glory, but the process must begin somewhere. Removing the layer of frustration over circumstances is first. One must begin to see the circumstance as something to learn from. God knows what He is doing and will allow us to rest in Him IF we are willing.
After giving birth my senses were on overdrive. I heard every move that tiny baby made, even from the other room. Well, maybe not every move, but she had a powerful set of lungs. They let me know any time she needed me and like a dutiful first time mom, I checked on her every few minutes just to make sure she was still breathing.
During those first few days, Hannah was held by many visitors. She was blessed with five grandmothers and countless family members. I was a stay at home mom and I loved showing her off. As visitors held my precious, I focused on their every move, especially the grandmothers. I wanted to know what they knew. All of them had raised at least one child. They had all been teaching me my whole life. I wasn't about to let those moments pass. Then I began to notice their hands. The oldest, the ones with the wrinkled skin and knobbed knuckles, were the most curious to me. Those were the ones who had spent many years of their lives tending and nurturing others.
Because of heightened senses, during early motherhood, I had a very difficult time sleeping. Whether Hannah woke me up or not, it seemed I could never get a full night's rest. I allowed lack of sleep to raise my temper. I couldn't continue to fume, so I began praying God would condition me for this task. Along this time, I began to study a few Psalms that God would use to help me deal with the everyday duties of motherhood. One of those was Psalm 4. I titled it my "Rest" chapter. It contains a formula for dealing with frustration that I have used time and time again.
vs. 1-Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress, have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
The first step to dealing with frustration over circumstances is prayer. Our relationship with the Father began with prayer. The most beautiful aspect of my elders hands was the fact I knew they folded them everyday in prayer. Calling out to God about my frustration and asking Him to free me from the hemmed in place and to enlarge me or make me able to tolerate more with less sleep became a daily practice. I wanted His mercy and I wanted Him to hear my prayer. All of this was unfolded for me from this verse as I gnawed on the words and began to disgust their meaning. You might say I started the process of pondering at this time. Pondering isn't just thinking. It involves deep, careful, even prayful consideration. It is a type of thinking that returns your mind to awe and wander. You begin to realize you are powerless, that the Almighty has the plan, pattern and purpose for your life and He alone will provide for your every need, including sleep.
vs. 2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.
The second step to dealing with frustration is realizing selfishness and eliminating it. The dutiful hands of the grandmothers taught faithfulness in hardships. One tended to a sick husband for seventeen years. One prepared meals for 3 households daily due to extended family illnesses. One did needle work and gifted often to extend hospitality and graciousness and all mended and tended gardens, canning and putting back for the harsh winters to come.
I began to realize I was making some choices that were robbing me of sleep. Drinking too much caffeine, watching too much television, staying up late after Hannah was asleep so I could have "my time."
vs. 3-4 But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: The Lord will hear when I call unto him. Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
It was time I learned the art of being still........What? None of my elders hands were ever still, yet their was a steel like quality to them. They were strong enough to roof houses, lay bricks, stock shelves, but gentle enough to cradle a newborn with such graceful motion. I learned that being still in spirit is the third step to dealing with frustration. I learned many hand art from the hands of my elders. I was always amazed at how those weathered hands could produce the most beautiful things, from quilts, to crocheted doilies, to clothes, and even furniture. I began to learn that watching television or reading novels did not produce a still spirit. But I did find it in the hand arts and daily chores. I became awestruck many times in the process. A still, quiet spirit allows the soul to see God in everything.
vs. 5-7 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and put your trust in the Lord. There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of they countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
The final step to dealing with frustration is not to compare your situation to someone else. You might say, "Thou shalt not to covet."
I Thess. 4:11 became a daily reminder. "And that you study to be quiet and do your own busy and work with your own hands as we commanded you."
What God was doing in my life was about me, not my friend who had children who slept through the night from day one. It was about what He was conditioning me to do for Him and for His glory. All of my circumstances were for my good, as Romans 8:28 states. If He has the plan, pattern and purpose for my life then lack of sleep must be part of that plan. I would learn how to refuse the temptation to compare myself to someone else and ask God for the rest He knew I needed.
vs. 8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
Becoming awestruck offers the soul a jolt, a restart, a renewed genesis if you will, a place to ponder.
May I ask-- Have you been awestruck lately and what do you ponder?
In days gone by, when people needed recreation or entertainment, they would escape to nature. They would feast their senses on God's creation. They would bask in the power of the Almighty, become overwhelmed with the Wonder of His Glory and return home eager to share their joy with others through their labor for Him.
In this generation, men seek different thrills. Things like television, video games, computer, even the talents God gave to man to exhibit His glory, are being viewed as awe inspiring. Satan has blinded man since the beginning of time with the illusion that what God provides to hold his wonder is not enough. He has clouded man's mind and obscured his view of God. This allows man to believe his on creations are worthy of awe.
I remember the day God began conditioning me to view His glory in His handiwork. It was a few days after Hannah was born. I began to notice the hands of the people that held her. Some of the fingers were smooth and straight, while others, were bent wrinkled and swollen with arthritis. Some of the nails were polished and well kept, others were stained and short indicating work of some kind. In my journal I noted many of the characteristics of those hands. We will examine some of those characteristics and begin the process of returning our awe to the ONLY AWE INSPIRING ONE.
Layers of self must be removed before one can return one's mind to God. We will never be finished with this peeling, as I call it, until we get to Glory, but the process must begin somewhere. Removing the layer of frustration over circumstances is first. One must begin to see the circumstance as something to learn from. God knows what He is doing and will allow us to rest in Him IF we are willing.
After giving birth my senses were on overdrive. I heard every move that tiny baby made, even from the other room. Well, maybe not every move, but she had a powerful set of lungs. They let me know any time she needed me and like a dutiful first time mom, I checked on her every few minutes just to make sure she was still breathing.
During those first few days, Hannah was held by many visitors. She was blessed with five grandmothers and countless family members. I was a stay at home mom and I loved showing her off. As visitors held my precious, I focused on their every move, especially the grandmothers. I wanted to know what they knew. All of them had raised at least one child. They had all been teaching me my whole life. I wasn't about to let those moments pass. Then I began to notice their hands. The oldest, the ones with the wrinkled skin and knobbed knuckles, were the most curious to me. Those were the ones who had spent many years of their lives tending and nurturing others.
Because of heightened senses, during early motherhood, I had a very difficult time sleeping. Whether Hannah woke me up or not, it seemed I could never get a full night's rest. I allowed lack of sleep to raise my temper. I couldn't continue to fume, so I began praying God would condition me for this task. Along this time, I began to study a few Psalms that God would use to help me deal with the everyday duties of motherhood. One of those was Psalm 4. I titled it my "Rest" chapter. It contains a formula for dealing with frustration that I have used time and time again.
vs. 1-Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress, have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.
The first step to dealing with frustration over circumstances is prayer. Our relationship with the Father began with prayer. The most beautiful aspect of my elders hands was the fact I knew they folded them everyday in prayer. Calling out to God about my frustration and asking Him to free me from the hemmed in place and to enlarge me or make me able to tolerate more with less sleep became a daily practice. I wanted His mercy and I wanted Him to hear my prayer. All of this was unfolded for me from this verse as I gnawed on the words and began to disgust their meaning. You might say I started the process of pondering at this time. Pondering isn't just thinking. It involves deep, careful, even prayful consideration. It is a type of thinking that returns your mind to awe and wander. You begin to realize you are powerless, that the Almighty has the plan, pattern and purpose for your life and He alone will provide for your every need, including sleep.
vs. 2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.
The second step to dealing with frustration is realizing selfishness and eliminating it. The dutiful hands of the grandmothers taught faithfulness in hardships. One tended to a sick husband for seventeen years. One prepared meals for 3 households daily due to extended family illnesses. One did needle work and gifted often to extend hospitality and graciousness and all mended and tended gardens, canning and putting back for the harsh winters to come.
I began to realize I was making some choices that were robbing me of sleep. Drinking too much caffeine, watching too much television, staying up late after Hannah was asleep so I could have "my time."
vs. 3-4 But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: The Lord will hear when I call unto him. Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
It was time I learned the art of being still........What? None of my elders hands were ever still, yet their was a steel like quality to them. They were strong enough to roof houses, lay bricks, stock shelves, but gentle enough to cradle a newborn with such graceful motion. I learned that being still in spirit is the third step to dealing with frustration. I learned many hand art from the hands of my elders. I was always amazed at how those weathered hands could produce the most beautiful things, from quilts, to crocheted doilies, to clothes, and even furniture. I began to learn that watching television or reading novels did not produce a still spirit. But I did find it in the hand arts and daily chores. I became awestruck many times in the process. A still, quiet spirit allows the soul to see God in everything.
vs. 5-7 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and put your trust in the Lord. There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of they countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
The final step to dealing with frustration is not to compare your situation to someone else. You might say, "Thou shalt not to covet."
I Thess. 4:11 became a daily reminder. "And that you study to be quiet and do your own busy and work with your own hands as we commanded you."
What God was doing in my life was about me, not my friend who had children who slept through the night from day one. It was about what He was conditioning me to do for Him and for His glory. All of my circumstances were for my good, as Romans 8:28 states. If He has the plan, pattern and purpose for my life then lack of sleep must be part of that plan. I would learn how to refuse the temptation to compare myself to someone else and ask God for the rest He knew I needed.
vs. 8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
Becoming awestruck offers the soul a jolt, a restart, a renewed genesis if you will, a place to ponder.
May I ask-- Have you been awestruck lately and what do you ponder?
Monday, April 29, 2013
His Peace
Peace of mind and soul is what we strive for daily. We pray for it, yet it seems the heavens are as brass. We work for it, only to find we are too tired to recognize it. What is real peace? How do we loose it? How do we find it again? Maybe a little digging in the Word will make it possible for us to regain what we "feel" we have lost.
First of all, Galatians 5:22-23 list peace as the third fruit of the Spirit. Romans 5:1 says, we can have peace with God only through Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore, the first step to real peace of mind and soul is a personal relationship with God by accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and living for him as Lord.
Secondly, in John 14:27 Jesus states he would leave us his peace. Not the kind of peace the world can give, which is based only on feelings and good experiences, but his own peace. A peace that believes in the good of an eternal outcome regardless of the circumstances. A peace that knows the love of the Father and believes he is working all things for our good and his glory. A peace that understands the eternal value of difficult times.
Read Mark 4:35-41
Picture the scene. The sea is stirring in such a way that avid seamen are terrified they are going to die, while Jesus, the Creator of the storm, is peacefully asleep in the bottom of the boat. His peace allows him to know that all is well and will continue to be well for all eternity no matter what the circumstances may be on earth. He views the eternal value of the wind, rain and thunder not the finite, earthbound, time limited nature of things.
Note what Jesus says in verse 39 of Mark chapter 4: "Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?" Herein lies the key to discovering why we have little peace during the storm. We allow our minds to race with thoughts of how to row out of our own raging seas, instead of resting in the Creator of them. Just as Jesus spoke the words, "Peace be still," to the troubled seas, he wants to speak the same words to your troubled soul. To hear him, you need only to choose to view him as the Sovereign and believe he is the Lord of all your circumstances.
Psalm 4:4 "Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still."
Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."
Now, read Psalm 46:11 "The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our refuge."
Of all the patriarchs, why did God allow Jacob to be mentioned here? I believe it is because Jacob was a wrestler with God. Jacob had great difficulty finding peace with God because he sought ways to maneuver around difficult circumstances, often choosing to be deceitful. Lying is the sin that causes us to believe we have the power to manipulate our way around God's plan. We loose fellowship with God, thus loosing our peace with him.
We must stop allowing ourselves to be agitated and disturbed by our circumstances. We cannot allow ourselves to be fearful, intimidated and unsettled. We must choose to walk by faith, in true obedience to God's Holy Word and allow him to fill us daily with his peace so we can walk in peace of mind and soul.
First of all, Galatians 5:22-23 list peace as the third fruit of the Spirit. Romans 5:1 says, we can have peace with God only through Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore, the first step to real peace of mind and soul is a personal relationship with God by accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and living for him as Lord.
Secondly, in John 14:27 Jesus states he would leave us his peace. Not the kind of peace the world can give, which is based only on feelings and good experiences, but his own peace. A peace that believes in the good of an eternal outcome regardless of the circumstances. A peace that knows the love of the Father and believes he is working all things for our good and his glory. A peace that understands the eternal value of difficult times.
Read Mark 4:35-41
Picture the scene. The sea is stirring in such a way that avid seamen are terrified they are going to die, while Jesus, the Creator of the storm, is peacefully asleep in the bottom of the boat. His peace allows him to know that all is well and will continue to be well for all eternity no matter what the circumstances may be on earth. He views the eternal value of the wind, rain and thunder not the finite, earthbound, time limited nature of things.
Note what Jesus says in verse 39 of Mark chapter 4: "Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?" Herein lies the key to discovering why we have little peace during the storm. We allow our minds to race with thoughts of how to row out of our own raging seas, instead of resting in the Creator of them. Just as Jesus spoke the words, "Peace be still," to the troubled seas, he wants to speak the same words to your troubled soul. To hear him, you need only to choose to view him as the Sovereign and believe he is the Lord of all your circumstances.
Psalm 4:4 "Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still."
Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."
Now, read Psalm 46:11 "The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our refuge."
Of all the patriarchs, why did God allow Jacob to be mentioned here? I believe it is because Jacob was a wrestler with God. Jacob had great difficulty finding peace with God because he sought ways to maneuver around difficult circumstances, often choosing to be deceitful. Lying is the sin that causes us to believe we have the power to manipulate our way around God's plan. We loose fellowship with God, thus loosing our peace with him.
We must stop allowing ourselves to be agitated and disturbed by our circumstances. We cannot allow ourselves to be fearful, intimidated and unsettled. We must choose to walk by faith, in true obedience to God's Holy Word and allow him to fill us daily with his peace so we can walk in peace of mind and soul.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
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