Advent 2013 thoughts (Dec. 8)

Luke 17:1-10 (KJV)

Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!

² It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

³ Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

⁴ And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

⁵ And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

⁶ And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

⁷ But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?

⁸ And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?

⁹ Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.

¹⁰ So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

I am not going to an Advent worship service I had planned to attend.  I was thinking about church attendance (or lack thereof, since I had only streamed one ministry’s service today after watching another ministry’s service from last week online last night), and I sensed the Lord saying,  “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46 NIV) I was instantly convicted about my lack of follow-through regarding the blog entries for Advent. 

So now I have repented, ruing my tendency to habitually do things my way, grateful for God’s patient mercy, forgiveness and grace. I wrote a prayer in my journal, asking the Lord to help me really get the lesson this time.  After all, this is not the first time we’ve been around this particular mountain – me wanting to do something I think will honor Him, something I hope will please Him, something I feel might bring me closer to Him, when I’ve been negligent in doing what HE has said and designed in order to do all of the things I’m desiring.

Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV)

¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Psalm 37:4 (KJV)

⁴ Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

As my PC was in the middle of a security scan, I decided to watch another ministry service while it was completing.  Then I would do some blogging.  Of course, part of the message during the service included a statement about people not learning the lessons God sets forth to teach us, and an exhortation that as we are convicted by the Holy Spirit, to pray that we want to learn the lesson and move on to the next stage of our spiritual development toward greater maturity.  Since I had written almost just that in my journal, what a confirmation and encouragement to continue on!

John 14:15, 21 (KJV)

¹⁵ If ye love me, keep my commandments.

²¹ He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Even though I knew what I was to have written earlier in the week for the blog, I didn’t take the time to get it done, I didn’t prioritize this assignment over the other things I was doing.  Therefore, just as explanation, wanted to say that I know the dates on the following blog entries will be out of order from this one, but I felt that this one had to be there first as a sort of full disclosure – an admission that without God’s grace and direction, they probably wouldn’t even be there at all.

Psalm 32:8-11 (KJV)

⁸ I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

⁹ Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.

¹⁰ Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.

¹¹ Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

“Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”

… and my journey with my God continues …

Advent 2013 thoughts (Dec. 2)

Thoughts of advent and waiting reminded me of a conversation I had not long ago about prayer.  Someone was telling me that they had heard that you should “be careful what you pray for” – for example, you shouldn’t pray for patience because that would mean you were going to have to go through a period of waiting.

I remember when I first heard something like that.  Since I am not a big fan of waiting, it sounded reasonable to me.  But the Lord gave me another perspective.  It was as if He said, “You are going to have to wait for some things in your life.  Whether or not you pray for patience won’t get you out of those experiences.  The question is, when you do go through a period of waiting – and, again, let Me assure you that you will – wouldn’t you like to have some patience?” I had to admit that I thought patience would be a pretty handy quality to have in that event, especially in order to go through the time of waiting with the right attitude.

Galatians 5:22-23  (AMP)

²² But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,

²³ Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].

Song: While I'm Waiting, by John Waller 

“Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”

… and my journey with my God continues …

Advent 2013 thoughts (Dec. 1)

Heard that a church is collecting an offering during this Christmas season called “Christmas Gift to the World” to benefit (both local and global) mission ministries.  In thinking of God’s Gift to the world in Jesus, kinda wondered what my gift to Him this year should be – may have even asked in one of those silent, running conversations we have going.  Well, with the Experiencing God class I’m finishing up and a couple of devotionals and blogs I’ve read about assignments, purpose, utilization of gifts, etc., I am reminded - again! – that I have gotten distracted and haven’t been blogging lately. 

Proverbs 24:16

For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.

So, I am going to “rise again” and have a blog entry for every day from now until at least Christmas.  I may not blog everyday (as is seen by this first one!) but will have one for every day.  The God Calling devotional (www.twolisteners.org) for December 1^st:

December 1 - Responsibility

I am beside you. A very human Jesus, who understands all your weaknesses, and sees too your struggles and conquests.

Remember, I was the Companion of the Weak. Ready to supply their hunger. Teaching My followers their responsibility towards all, not only those near and dear to them, but to the multitude.

"Lord, send them away that they may go into the villages and buy themselves victuals," said My disciples, with no sympathy for the fainting, exhausted men, women, and children.

But I taught that Divine Sympathy includes responsibility. "Give ye them to eat," was My reply.  I taught that pity, without a remedy for the evil, or the need, is worthless.

"Give ye them to eat." Wherever your sympathy goes, you must go too, if possible. Remember that in thinking of your own needs. Claim from Me the same attitude now.

The servant is not above his Master, certainly not in Spiritual attainments, and what I taught My disciples, I do.

So fainting and needy, by the lakeside of life, know that I will supply your need, not grudgingly, but in full measure.

… reminds me that God had pity with a remedy for the evil, and that where His sympathy was, He - in Christ Jesus - came:

Hebrews 2:14-18 (KJV)

¹⁴ Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

¹⁵ And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

¹⁶ For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

¹⁷ Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

¹⁸ For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

“Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”

… and my journey with my God continues …

Speak Life!

Of late, I have found myself speaking aloud more while praying or reading the Bible.  In the past I have rarely done that when (physically) alone. Although I had heard people say to pray aloud, I could hear myself if I prayed silently and I surmised that God could hear me as well, so I didn’t really see the point and therefore didn’t subscribe to the practice.  Also, I had heard people say to read the Bible aloud so that you could hear yourself reading the words and thus build your faith (re: Romans 10:17, “faith comes by hearing”). There may have even been times when I encouraged others to do their Bible reading aloud based upon what I had heard, but as I had difficulty seeing what difference it made (to me or in me), I grew lax in that practice myself.  Unfortunately, even the purpose of practicing reading the Bible “out loud” - of practicing speaking the truth contained therein – was not enough to shake me from my comfortably lethargic habit of silence.      

Then God began to show me in His Word the importance of the gift of breath He has given, and the connection between life and breath:

Genesis 2:7 (NKJV)

⁷ And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Job 33:4 (NKJV)

⁴ The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Psalm 104:29 (NKJV)

²⁹ You hide Your face, they are troubled; You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.

Isaiah 42:5 (NKJV)

⁵ Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out,
Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it,
And spirit to those who walk on it:

Acts 17:25 (NKJV)

²⁵ Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.

Contrary to the “sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me” ditty I was taught and repeated as a child, it seems to me now that there is also a sort of power or influence that may be harnessed and directed through an utterance utilizing breath.  Thus the importance of the things we say:

Proverbs 18:21 (NKJV)

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

 

Matthew 12:36 (NKJV)

But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

 

Luke 6:45 (NKJV)

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

 

James 3:3-12 (NKJV)

³ Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. ⁴ Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. ⁵ Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.

See how great a forest a little fire kindles! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. ⁷ For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. ⁸ But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

As if this were not all so wonderful enough, the tie-in with God’s Spirit through breath is what actually moved me to begin to speak aloud to God during prayer, and to read His Word aloud in speaking forth truth:

Joel 2:28-29 (NKJV)

²⁸ “And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
²⁹ And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

 

Ezekiel 37:4-10 (NKJV)

⁴ Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! ⁵ Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. ⁶ I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.”’”

⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. ⁸ Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.

⁹ Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.

 

John 6:63 (NKJV)

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

 

Before posting this blog entry, I happened across a story on the internet about the effects of a hate crime which had been fueled by rhetoric (http://nbclatino.com/2013/11/15/hunting-season-a-nuanced-portrait-of-a-town-shaken-by-a-deadly-hate-crime/) – another reminder of the impact of our words - words which can stir up, create, feed and advance either that which is positive and constructive, or that which is negative and destructive.

So, I think of the last verse of Psalm 150 in using our breath to use our words wisely - to praise the LORD!

Psalm 150 (NKJV)

 

Let All Things Praise the Lord

Praise the Lord!

Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!

² Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!

³ Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
⁴ Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
⁵ Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!

⁶ Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

 Praise the Lord!

… and my journey with my God continues …

Thank You, God!

Yes, thank You so much, God.  That's what I thought when I heard that the 14 year old girl who had been reported as kidnapped had been found and was safe - what a wonderful God! Many people had been praying since the news reports of the crime - including some who hadn't ever prayed before, and some who don't usually pray - and the news reports of her rescue acknowledged that "their prayers have been answered."  I am so grateful for the hearts that were touched, and the cries that rang out on this young girl's behalf.  I heard someone telling the story of Joseph the other day, and I can't help but apply Joseph's words to his brothers (in Genesis 50:20) to this situation and thank God that what was meant for evil - even in this circumstance - God meant for good, for the salvation of many.  Thank You, God, for Your wonderful ways! Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Song: What a Savior, performed by Laura Story

... and my journey with Him continues ...

Prayer Focus

I’ve been reading The Upper Room devotionals lately, and they each end with a “Prayer Focus.”  So today, as I was looking at different things on the internet and praying about them, I thought I’d get back into blogging by posting my “prayer focus” for these articles, events, etc.

The first today was from The Upper Room devotional, with stated prayer focus being the “neglected areas of our spiritual life” and the prayer, “Dear God, help us to set aside the distractions of daily life and to draw closer to you. Amen.”  http://devotional.upperroom.org/devotionals/2013-09-12.  I had just been thinking of this recently, and my God is so wonderful to confirm through this devotional the conviction I’ve been sensing, and to open my heart to making changes in the way I live.

Ephesians 5:15-17 (PHILLIPS)

^15-17 Live life, then, with a due sense of responsibility, not as men who do not know the meaning and purpose of life but as those who do. Make the best use of your time, despite all the difficulties of these days. Don’t be vague but firmly grasp what you know to be the will of God.

The second was an article about an obituary written about a woman about whom it was said, “Everyone she met, adult or child was tortured by her cruelty and exposure to violence, criminal activity, vulgarity, and hatred of the gentle or kind human spirit.”  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/11/marianne-theresa-johnson-reddick-obituary_n_3907271.html  The focus of my prayers after reading this is for those who are abused, and their abusers, those who are themselves tortured and torture others with “cruelty and exposure to violence, criminal activity, vulgarity, and hatred” as well as those who may be innocently accused of abuse … and the issue of torture also makes me think of and pray for those who are tortured and persecuted for their faith – and their families - like Pastor Saeed Abedini:  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/ACLJ-Pastor-Saeed-Fainting-from-Prison-Injuries/

Matthew 5:10-12 (KJV)

¹⁰ Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

¹² Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

 The third prayer focus I have for today is for those with food allergies or those who have children or other loved ones with food allergies (as well as paramedics, doctors, nurses, those who treat and / or watch over our children and loved ones):  http://living.msn.com/family-parenting/mom-to-mom-blog-post/?post=1d2f809c-49cc-408c-aeb3-f9491d14055f

Psalm 103:6-18 (MSG)

^6-18 God makes everything come out right;
    he puts victims back on their feet.
He showed Moses how he went about his work,
    opened up his plans to all Israel.
God is sheer mercy and grace;
    not easily angered, he’s rich in love.
He doesn’t endlessly nag and scold,
    nor hold grudges forever.
He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve,
    nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.
As high as heaven is over the earth,
    so strong is his love to those who fear him.
And as far as sunrise is from sunset,
    he has separated us from our sins.
As parents feel for their children,
    God feels for those who fear him.
He knows us inside and out,
    keeps in mind that we’re made of mud.
Men and women don’t live very long;
    like wildflowers they spring up and blossom,
But a storm snuffs them out just as quickly,
    leaving nothing to show they were here.
God’s love, though, is ever and always,
    eternally present to all who fear him,
Making everything right for them and their children
    as they follow his Covenant ways
    and remember to do whatever he said.

... and my journey with Him continues ...

Worship Invitation

Come to Me

“Jamie Grace” was the first thought that came to my head upon waking Sunday morning, followed by the name of her song entitled “Come to Me.”  I had been thinking of a song the previous morning, and had gotten up fully intending to not just write the title down, but to go ahead and type it straightaway into my daily PC journal.  (I did remember my Easter lesson!)  However, after turning the computer on, I became distracted looking at the devotionals online and then couldn’t remember the song.  I repented of not writing the title down immediately upon waking (trying again to do things my way without even realizing it!), asking the LORD to please restore to my remembrance what it was.  In His mercy, I believed that He had answered my prayer with restoration, so I thankfully just reached over, got a pen along with something to write on, and wrote down the song title.

Come to Me

Turning over to go back to sleep, my eyes fell on the words I had written, and they became rhema to my spirit as an invitation: Come to Me!  (… as though God was making His appeal through those words – 2 Corinthians 5:20)

I had not really planned to go to church that morning, wrestling in my mind and my heart about some things, and circumstances appearing the night before as if my attendance would be prohibited.  But I had been asking for guidance, and it looked as if this was God’s faithful answer.  Things fell into place such that not only was I being invited, but also the way was being made for me to go, and I was able to go to the early gathering for the first time.

Sitting in church, thanking God for His gracious invitation and provision such that I would be there, I sensed the instruction of His loving, gentle rebuke:  It didn’t matter what I thought or felt about some things; what mattered was where He would have me worship Him.  [… and later, by extension, how]

So a couple of days later, in hearing of how God, in His great mercy, had seen fit to encourage someone through something He had led me to do / say, I was so humbled, and gratefully pondered the way (Romans 8:28-30) He truly works all things together for the good of all of us us (as I was likewise encouraged by the report of God's goodness - Hebrews 10:25!) … all glory and praise be unto His Name!  How Great is Our God!!!

Jude 1:24-25 (KJV)

²⁴ Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

²⁵ To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

… and my journey with Him continues …

Devotional thoughts - Mountains, High Places

Thinking about today’s My Utmost for His Highest:

Can You Come Down From the Mountain?

While you have the light, believe in the light . . . —John 12:36

We all have moments when we feel better than ever before, and we say, “I feel fit for anything; if only I could always be like this!” We are not meant to be. Those moments are moments of insight which we have to live up to even when we do not feel like it. Many of us are no good for the everyday world when we are not on the mountaintop. Yet we must bring our everyday life up to the standard revealed to us on the mountaintop when we were there.

Never allow a feeling that was awakened in you on the mountaintop to evaporate. Don’t place yourself on the shelf by thinking, “How great to be in such a wonderful state of mind!” Act immediately— do something, even if your only reason to act is that you would rather not. If, during a prayer meeting, God shows you something to do, don’t say, “I’ll do it”— just do it! Pick yourself up by the back of the neck and shake off your fleshly laziness. Laziness can always be seen in our cravings for a mountaintop experience; all we talk about is our planning for our time on the mountain. We must learn to live in the ordinary “gray” day according to what we saw on the mountain.

Don’t give up because you have been blocked and confused once— go after it again. Burn your bridges behind you, and stand committed to God by an act of your own will. Never change your decisions, but be sure to make your decisions in the light of what you saw and learned on the mountain.

The website (www.utmost.org) also features a quote by the author from one of his books (shown as “Wisdom from Oswald Chambers”) which, at the moment I was reading the devotional, said:

Civilization is based on principles which imply that the passing moment is permanent. The only permanent thing is God, and if I put anything else as permanent, I become atheistic. I must build only on God (John 14:6). The Highest Good—Thy Great Redemption, 565 L

Both the devotional and the quote make me think of this Scriptural event:

Matthew 17 :1-21 (KJV)

 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

² And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

³ And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

⁴ Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

⁵ While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

⁶ And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

⁷ And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.

⁸ And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.

⁹ And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

¹⁰ And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

¹¹ And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

¹² But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

¹³ Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

¹⁴ And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,

¹⁵ Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.

¹⁶ And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

¹⁷ Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.

¹⁸ And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

¹⁹ Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

²⁰ And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

²¹ Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

The devotional piece also makes me think of the book, Hind’s Feet on High Places, by Hannah Hurnard, where the last two chapters are entitled “High Places” and “Return to the Valley.”  One internet description of the book referenced, “Lessons learned on the slopes of the high places…”  And this reminds me of:

Psalm 18:31-33

³¹ For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God?

³² It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

³³ He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

 

... and my journey with Him continues ...

Easter 2013

Woke up this morning thinking of the lyrics, “set me free … none but Jesus.”  I wasn’t quite ready to get up, so I thought I’d just text these lyrics to myself and go back to sleep.  The thought came that if I did that, that would be all I got; but if I would just wake up enough to write these words down, I would be given more.  Thankfully, I made the decision to grab a pencil, find some paper, and write.  Just after I jotted down the lyrics, the question came, “How can [I] be disobedient in any [thing / way] when [I] consider the price paid to ransom me?” 

Because I had been so personally focused on the crucifixion of Christ after attending a Good Friday service, the question loomed large.  I wondered what area of disobedience the question was addressing, and immediately got an answer.  I thought of all the fearful thoughts and feelings I had about obedience in this regard, and realized how trivial they were in the face of Jesus’ obedience and sacrifice.  I repented and asked the Lord’s forgiveness, resolving to obey as soon as I got up.  Then I heard Christy Nockels’ voice singing “Grace Flows Down” in my head.  I turned over in the bed and my hand landed on a journal given me by a friend.  So, another directive: the online devotional blogging may be over, but my personal journaling has to be stepped up a notch.  Ok.

I thought of the phrase, “obedience is better than sacrifice” from 1 Samuel 15:22-23 (NKJV):

²² So Samuel said:

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
²³ For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He also has rejected you from being king.”

(The NCV rendering of verse 23 begins: “Disobedience is as bad as the sin of sorcery.  Pride is as bad as the sin of worshiping idols.”)

And I thought about the greatest obedience (that of Jesus) that led to the greatest sacrifice (Jesus’ crucifixion)…

So I didn’t go to church today, on Easter / Resurrection Sunday.  Instead, I was honoring the ransom paid for me by obeying the voice of my Lord.

LORD, please help me remember this lesson and live it, through Your grace, every day of my life. Thank You for Your all-consuming love for me…

… and my journey with Him continues …

Devotional thoughts - Lent 2013 - day 46 (2)

So, in the quiet, hearing God’s voice … a tender correction.  I had recently been at an event with two young ladies, and before we got to the gate, one of them noticed that the venue wouldn’t allow the outside food or drinks (even water) which we had with us.  When we went back to the car to divest ourselves of these restricted items, I made some glib comment about items in our pockets probably not being detected when our handbags were searched.  When we got to the gate, though, not only were our bags searched, but we were asked if we had food or drinks.  I didn’t think about it at the time, but today the Lord was showing me that had we actually been trying to sneak in our snacks (which we really didn’t have any intention on doing), we would have either had to lie or turn over the disallowed items.  So I was convicted to call and apologize for even jokingly suggesting that we try to act in a way that was not in accordance to what was accepted.  After all, 1 Thessalonians 5:22 (AMP) instructs us to:

²² Abstain from evil [shrink from it and keep aloof from it] in whatever form or whatever kind it may be.

During the ensuing discussion with one of the young ladies, she mentioned how having items confiscated during her recent travels had taught her to not even try to get around restrictions – to be mindful of what the restrictions were and make every effort to be in compliance with them.  I thought this a valuable lesson to remember in life’s journey as well.

The Daily Guideposts 2013 devotional for today mentions “a story from the life of Francis of Assisi” which seems similar:

 

One evening Francis was sitting before a fire, when a novice drew near to speak with him about acquiring a prayer book.  The novice, knowing how passionately the founder of the Franciscans felt about not owning things, was nevertheless asking for permission to own one.

 

“Then,” Francis said to him, “you will want a fancy Bible too.  And then you will seat yourself in a pulpit like a great priest and beckon to your companions, saying in a proud voice, ‘Bring me my Bible!’”

 

Taking up some cool ashes from the nearby fire, Francis gently smeared a line of ash on the forehead of the novice, saying, “There is your prayer book.”

This makes me think of the progression and conclusion mentioned in James 1:14-18 (AMP):

¹⁴ But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions).

¹⁵ Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death.

¹⁶ Do not be misled, my beloved brethren.

¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse].

¹⁸ And it was of His own [free] will that He gave us birth [as sons] by [His] Word of Truth, so that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures [a sample of what He created to be consecrated to Himself].

 

And this makes me think of a song I recently heard Christy Nockels sing, “Already All I Need”.

 … and my journey with Him continues …

Devotional thought - Lent 2013 - day 46

I was thinking about how Jesus’ disciples must have felt on the day after His crucifixion - their sadness, disappointment, confusion, hopelessness, helplessness, any guilt or shame for abandoning Him, loneliness, grief, despair.  Today’s Daily Guideposts 2013 devotional speaks to this, starting with these words:

This is one of those few days on the calendar when we don’t quite know what to do with ourselves.  Some call it “Black Saturday.”  Jesus’ body lies in the tomb on this day, and our churches are usually quiet and dark until tomorrow morning, when we begin to celebrate.

But before Easter Sunday comes, there is a time to be quiet, to listen for God’s voice.  …

Then today’s God Calling begins:

Be calm, be true, be quiet. I watch over you.

In the darkness, to remember that He is watching over all.  To have faith… part of last night’s God at Eventide says:

I must trust Myself and My Cause to My followers who see me with the eyes of faith. How else can I be loved and known?

 They will meet Me, the outcast Savior, when I am performing no mighty deeds, wandering unheeded and unacclaimed through dark and lonely ways, and they will pause, all other pursuit forgotten, and will yet turn and follow Me.

Follow because of some chord in them responsive to the yearning of My Heart for Man, who has shut Me out. Follow, too, because of that in Me which is responsive to the cry of man's hungering soul.

 … and my journey with Him continues …

Devotional thoughts - Lent 2013 - day 45 (2)

Good Friday - BibleGateway.com Verse of the Day, 2 Corinthians 5:21:

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.  – KJV

God made this sinless man be a sin offering on our behalf, so that in union with him we might fully share in God’s righteousness.” – CJB

God had Christ, who was sinless, take our sin so that we might receive God’s approval through him. – GW

He orchestrated this: the Anointed One, who had never experienced sin, became sin for us so that in Him we might embody the very righteousness of God. – VOICE

Christ did no wrong thing. But for our sake God put the blame for our wrong ways on Christ. So now God sees us as good, because we are in Christ. – WE

Christ never sinned! But God treated him as a sinner, so that Christ could make us acceptable to God. – CEV

Him, who knew no sin, he hath made sin for us, that we might be made the justice of God in him. – DRA

Christ had no sin, but God made him become sin so that in Christ we could be right with God. – ERV

For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness]. - AMP

The Our Daily Bread stated, in part:

When Jesus died, He shared in what all of us must experience. But far beyond that, He did what none of us can do. He paid the price for our sins that we might be forgiven and have eternal life through faith in Him.

Scripture from Good Friday service:

1 Peter 3:18 (New Life Version)

¹⁸ Christ suffered and died for sins once for all. He never sinned and yet He died for us who have sinned. He died so He might bring us to God. His body died but His spirit was made alive.

… and my journey with Him continues …