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 …