8/29/11 My journal posts reads: "Faith is always tested. It is easy to believe God on the mountain top or sitting in a worship service with other believers. The challenge comes on Monday or Tuesday morning when the grind of life begins. Be prepared when you say I will walk by faith. This statement will be challenged. God is looking for people to endure--to trust Him in the darkness of life."
My faith has been challenged this week. If we go by feelings, I have felt strange. Strange thoughts and temptations. Today the strangeness was intensified. I woke very discouraged. I felt defeated. My morning was spent weeping, journaling and praying. For the first time in my life, I felt God had let me down! He had disappointed me. I am doing my part of obedience but He is not doing His. Absurd, I know!! This is one reason we do not live by feelings but by truth!!
I went over Sunday's sermon notes and found myself dying in Spirit. Where was God in these thoughts and temptations and why did I feel this way.
My next journal notes say:
"Jesus-I need You to come and lift this discouragement. I just don't understand, but that is okay-I walk by faith. I trust You. You are my rock and my fortress, therefore for Your name sake lead and guide me. I give my life into Your hands. The thing that concerns me most is this feeling I have of You letting me down. I know this is a lie. It is not true! You have NEVER let me down. I will not live on feelings but on truth."
I am thankful I can see clearly now. I wish I would have read my previous day's journal entry, it may have spared me some grief. God is good. His Word is true. He will never leave or forsake us. The problem is we have expectations in our mind that are far from His will. When these expectations are not met we think He has let us down. What a lie that is. I hope to never feel this way again. The temptation scared me. But I am thankful for the Holy Spirit who has overcome all temptations.
"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." 1 Corth 10:12
God is good my friend.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
A Man After God's Own Heart
A man after God's own heart does not mean he is without sin.
A man after God's own heart does not mean he is never grieved.
A man after God's own heart does not mean he is without temptation to sin.
A man after God's own heart does not mean he never wallows and complains.
A man after God's own heart does not mean he is always worshipful and thankful.
A man after God's own heart does not mean he lives a life without anxiety and fear.
A man after God's own heart looks like this:
MacArthur says, "Serving as a source through which one could make direct and specific inquiry into the will of God, theHigh-priest ephod, which contained the Urim and Thummim was sought by David. The distress of the moment drew his focus away from the treasonous thoughts of his men and back to God in his desperation to know what God would have him do."
A man after God's own heart does not mean he is never grieved.
A man after God's own heart does not mean he is without temptation to sin.
A man after God's own heart does not mean he never wallows and complains.
A man after God's own heart does not mean he is always worshipful and thankful.
A man after God's own heart does not mean he lives a life without anxiety and fear.
A man after God's own heart looks like this:
Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, 2 and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way. 3 So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. 4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 5 And David’s two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had been taken captive. 6 Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.
7 Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring the ephod here to me.” And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?”
And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.” 1 Samuel 30:1-8
7 Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring the ephod here to me.” And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?”
And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.” 1 Samuel 30:1-8
MacArthur says, "Serving as a source through which one could make direct and specific inquiry into the will of God, theHigh-priest ephod, which contained the Urim and Thummim was sought by David. The distress of the moment drew his focus away from the treasonous thoughts of his men and back to God in his desperation to know what God would have him do."
A man after God's own heart, when sinful, seeks God.
A man after God's own heart, when grieved, seeks God.
A man after God's own heart, when tempted to sin, seeks God.
A man after God's own heart, when anxiety and fears set in, seeks God.
A man after God's own heart, when wallowing and complaining begins, seeks God.
A man after God's own heart, when bitter and full of self-seeking pleasures, seeks God.
I wonder are you strengthening yourself in the LORD? Are you a man after God's own heart?
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Speed Bumps
I like diversity, diversity in appearance, culture, skin color and the likes. I am drawn to people who are different, people who do not fit into the "normal" status quo. I'm also learning I like people who think differently than me. people who think outside the "box" and even people who disagree with me. They shake up and challenge my neat and tidy little world.
Our normal tendency is to drive life hard and fast with people who look just like us, people who are going in the same direction as us and people who are driving just as fast as us. But God! He puts speed bumps in our way. How do you react when you come upon a speed bump? Do you feel the anger, the resistance?
When resistant from your heart raises its head, know it is a place to begin digging. When your faith is challenged use the anger you feel to dig deep into God's word. It is essential you know and understand what you believe and the reason why. Otherwise you will be carried about with every wind of doctrine. Eph. 4:14 I have been told many Mormons were originally Southern Baptist. I'm not sure if this true but I do understand how a person not grounded in their faith can be swept away into false belief. I think having our beliefs neatly packaged and handed to us has caused shallow roots that are easily blown over.
If you want the gold nugget, you must dig. Gold does not float to the top, it settles on the bottom. To know the truth of God's word, you must dig and you must struggle-grapple with the Word. Apply it to life, fall down, get up and grapple again. Truths grappled with are not easily blown over.
There is security in sameness. I get it...My house has looked the same for 5 years and if we still live here, it will look the same in 10. I have worked the same job for almost 10 years. Unless I'm fired, I plan on continuing on day after day. Security! There is security in routine...yes I get it. But I also know God is NOT routine at least as we understand routine. God is unchangeable. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We must to get to know Him. We must understand what we believe. We must find our security in Him as we study, as we learn, as we grapple with His truths. Jesus is the TRUTH.
Don't resist the speed bumps!
Our normal tendency is to drive life hard and fast with people who look just like us, people who are going in the same direction as us and people who are driving just as fast as us. But God! He puts speed bumps in our way. How do you react when you come upon a speed bump? Do you feel the anger, the resistance?
When resistant from your heart raises its head, know it is a place to begin digging. When your faith is challenged use the anger you feel to dig deep into God's word. It is essential you know and understand what you believe and the reason why. Otherwise you will be carried about with every wind of doctrine. Eph. 4:14 I have been told many Mormons were originally Southern Baptist. I'm not sure if this true but I do understand how a person not grounded in their faith can be swept away into false belief. I think having our beliefs neatly packaged and handed to us has caused shallow roots that are easily blown over.
If you want the gold nugget, you must dig. Gold does not float to the top, it settles on the bottom. To know the truth of God's word, you must dig and you must struggle-grapple with the Word. Apply it to life, fall down, get up and grapple again. Truths grappled with are not easily blown over.
There is security in sameness. I get it...My house has looked the same for 5 years and if we still live here, it will look the same in 10. I have worked the same job for almost 10 years. Unless I'm fired, I plan on continuing on day after day. Security! There is security in routine...yes I get it. But I also know God is NOT routine at least as we understand routine. God is unchangeable. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We must to get to know Him. We must understand what we believe. We must find our security in Him as we study, as we learn, as we grapple with His truths. Jesus is the TRUTH.
Don't resist the speed bumps!
Monday, August 22, 2011
Josh Wilson - Fall Apart (Acoustic Performance)
I think this song captures my heart this morning I've been praying a dangerous prayer." Pray that He would show you and take from your heart every form of pride. "
You can read the devotion on my previous blog. Join me would you?
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Andrew Murray Prayer Challenge
Andrew Murray offers a challenge this morning in his devotion. Maybe you will join me in this? I wonder what kind of people we would be and look like when God answers this kind of prayer!
God sets Himself against the proud,
but He shows favor to the humble.
James 4:6
There is an infallible touchstone that will teach you the spirit of prayer. Pull away from the world and all activities. Stop the former workings of your heart and mind. With all your strength, spend all this month as continually as you can in one kind of prayer to God. Offer it frequently on your knees but, whether sitting, standing, or walking, always be inwardly longing and earnestly praying this one prayer to God. Pray that He would show you and take from your heart every form of pride. Reject every thought except that of praying in this matter from the bottom of your heart.
The painful sense and feeling of what you are, kindled by the light o God within you, is the fire and light from which your spirit of prayer proceeds. At first nothing is found or felt but pain and darkness. But as this prayer of humility is met by the divine love, the mercy of God embraces it. Then your prayer is changed into songs and thanksgiving.
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