Friday, January 14, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Psalm 16:11
" You make known to me cthe path of life;
in your presence there is dfullness of joy;
at your right hand are epleasures forevermore."
Psalm 16:11
“Fullness of joy.” This is the phrase that has stood out to me while memorizing this verse. It’s easy to have fullness of joy when things are going our way, but what about when they’re not? Can joy still be found? In James 1:2-4 it says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” I understand that we’re to consider trials joy because of what they are producing in us, but let’s be honest that is not necessarily an easy thing when we are walking down a difficult road. So, how can we find joy when we’re hurting?
Galations 5:22 mentions joy as a fruit of the spirit, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.” The fruits of the spirit can only be produced when we remain attached to the true vine, Jesus Christ.
In John 15, Jesus tells His disciples to abide in Him. He mentions in John 15:5 that if we remain in him and him in us, we will bear much fruit—Joy being one of them. John15:11, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” It is only possible for us to have the fullness of joy that He describes when we abide in Him. We can’t try to muster it up on our own strength, it has to come from remaining in him when life is good and when it seems bad. Apart from him we can’t do it.
So, I can conclude that “in His presence, an intimate relationship of abiding in Christ, I can find joy even in the dark hour of my soul. At his right hand pleasures forevermore.” In God's presence there are pleasures that can't be counted and can't be found anywhere else in anyone else. When we are in his presence forevermore our joy will abound and abound. The joy of knowing what Christ has done for us so we may enjoy his presence now and one day even more intimately is our strength today (Nehemiah 8:10). He has told us all these things so that his joy may be in us and that our joy may be complete (John 15:11).
Help me, Father, to remain always in you so that life’s circumstances do not wrip me of my joy. Give me a joyful spirit that outshines my circumstances so that others will want the joy you bring too.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Beauty in the Broken
"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."—Isaiah 61:3.
I grew up in a very Godly, wonderful home. I am truly grateful for my parents and the truths they empowered me with. But because of my strong, Godly heritage, I quickly learned how to say all the right things, use all the appropriate scripture and argue to death theological points all the while keeping the painful brokeness of my heart inside. Instead of acknowledging certain disappointments and feelings to God or to others, I often find myself telling Him and myself, “I’m fine, I have it under control.” (Like He doesn’t already know I’m a mess!) When insecurities creep in and I find I am not satisfied in Christ completely then it means I am not trusting him for my life …. and that’s true. This bothers me and I often don’t want to admit it. After so many years of walking with Him, shouldn’t I be in a different place? Am I still struggling with the same thorn? By actually going to the deep places, my tiny faith is addressed. Ironically, that is right where He wants me; broken and in humble acknowledgment of where I lack trust. "Lord, help my unbelief! (Mark 9:24) I know that my faith is not as strong as it should be. James 4: 10 says, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” His promise is to lift me up when I come to him humbly. It’s painful to address how far I haven’t come in my faith, but it’s when going there, that I realize the lengths and depths of Christ’s love for me. Romans 5:8 says, “While we were still sinners Christ died for us.” I can’t even wrap my mind around that. Not when I got it together, not when I made all the right choices, not when my faith was perfect, but while I was a complete, utter, sinful mess; Christ died for me. Could I be loved anymore?
One of my closest friends battled cancer for several years before Jesus called her home. She lived her brief life with great purpose and taught me well how to be honest with struggles, yet hopeful in affliction. While struggling with cancer, many aspects of her faith were addressed, but she humbly handed God her broken pieces and she let Him be strong for her. It was beautiful to watch. Although God did not choose to heal her physically on earth, he made her extra beautiful as she prepared to see him face to face. Because she let him. In this fallen world, disappointments will continue to come and our small faith will continue to question God’s goodness. Isn’t it in the realization of our weak faith that we are made aware of our great need for a loving God? A God who is big enough and strong enough to handle our questions, doubts, anger and insecurities? There is great comfort and joy in following Jesus. He sees our mess and loves us more then we could begin to imagine!
God is teaching me to be honest with him in my hurt and humble in the things I still struggle to trust him with. He already knows what is going on inside me, why not just hand it over for him so He may lift me up? I am learning to trust that He will turn the ashes in my life into things of beauty…when I let him…that he might be glorified. "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."—Isaiah 61:3.
I grew up in a very Godly, wonderful home. I am truly grateful for my parents and the truths they empowered me with. But because of my strong, Godly heritage, I quickly learned how to say all the right things, use all the appropriate scripture and argue to death theological points all the while keeping the painful brokeness of my heart inside. Instead of acknowledging certain disappointments and feelings to God or to others, I often find myself telling Him and myself, “I’m fine, I have it under control.” (Like He doesn’t already know I’m a mess!) When insecurities creep in and I find I am not satisfied in Christ completely then it means I am not trusting him for my life …. and that’s true. This bothers me and I often don’t want to admit it. After so many years of walking with Him, shouldn’t I be in a different place? Am I still struggling with the same thorn? By actually going to the deep places, my tiny faith is addressed. Ironically, that is right where He wants me; broken and in humble acknowledgment of where I lack trust. "Lord, help my unbelief! (Mark 9:24) I know that my faith is not as strong as it should be. James 4: 10 says, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” His promise is to lift me up when I come to him humbly. It’s painful to address how far I haven’t come in my faith, but it’s when going there, that I realize the lengths and depths of Christ’s love for me. Romans 5:8 says, “While we were still sinners Christ died for us.” I can’t even wrap my mind around that. Not when I got it together, not when I made all the right choices, not when my faith was perfect, but while I was a complete, utter, sinful mess; Christ died for me. Could I be loved anymore?
One of my closest friends battled cancer for several years before Jesus called her home. She lived her brief life with great purpose and taught me well how to be honest with struggles, yet hopeful in affliction. While struggling with cancer, many aspects of her faith were addressed, but she humbly handed God her broken pieces and she let Him be strong for her. It was beautiful to watch. Although God did not choose to heal her physically on earth, he made her extra beautiful as she prepared to see him face to face. Because she let him. In this fallen world, disappointments will continue to come and our small faith will continue to question God’s goodness. Isn’t it in the realization of our weak faith that we are made aware of our great need for a loving God? A God who is big enough and strong enough to handle our questions, doubts, anger and insecurities? There is great comfort and joy in following Jesus. He sees our mess and loves us more then we could begin to imagine!
God is teaching me to be honest with him in my hurt and humble in the things I still struggle to trust him with. He already knows what is going on inside me, why not just hand it over for him so He may lift me up? I am learning to trust that He will turn the ashes in my life into things of beauty…when I let him…that he might be glorified. "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."—Isaiah 61:3.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Proverbs 3:5-6
In efforts to have the scripture on my heart, I committed last year to memorizing scripture with a friend. You can follow the plan here: http://www.triapologia.com/files/2009BibleMemorization-ESV.pdf
The first memory verse comes from Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths.”
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart…” Trust, according to the Dictionary means: reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety of a person or thing; confidence. To trust in the Lord with all of your heart means just what it says: rely on Him at all times with all your heart. Rely on His strength and ability with complete confidence. When life looks bleak, when you lose your job, when relationships break, when your world feels like it is crashing in on you, trust Him. It’s not a command that is conditional based on circumstances. No, it means that on the sunny days and also on the rough road, trust him. To Trust the Lord, demands our participation. The participation of submitting. Submitting our actions, desires, present, and future to a Sovereign, loving God.
The second half of the verse says, “lean not on your own understanding.” Stop relying on your own wisdom, it is lacking! We see a small piece of the puzzle, but He sees the whole thing. . When I consider this, leaning on my own understanding sounds quite foolish and yet I still think I know better. I still seek to have some kind of control.
“In all your ways acknowledge him.” To acknowledge means to admit to be real or true; recognize the existence, truth, or fact of. In all your ways, admit that God is real and acknowledge his promises to be true. In all your ways remember the God of the Universe is for you! He promises to work all things for good to those that love him, He promises never to leave us or forsake us, He promises to show his goodness. It means admitting that all things in our lives are completely dependent on Him.
“…he will make straight your paths.” His promise to us is to make our path straight. Not he might make it straight, he will! I am learning that the path is sometimes hard, but this is where I have discovered the heights and depths of Gods steadfast love for this impatient girl who too quickly relies on her own understanding. When I submit and trust the Lord, he gives such a peace even on the rough road. A peace that can only come from a God who has my name graven on his hand, knows every number of hairs on my head and has every single one of my tears in a bottle.
Aren’t you glad we have a God that we can depend on in every area of life? Aren’t you glad we have a God who’s wisdom is greater then ours?
Help us Lord, to actively submit our lives to your care, we trust you to make our paths straight, for your glory and our good.
Help us Lord, to actively submit our lives to your care, we trust you to make our paths straight, for your glory and our good.
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