tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83374601147886486782024-03-08T08:28:12.881-08:00EphesiansTracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-16705261880419943762018-12-31T14:04:00.000-08:002018-12-31T14:04:56.631-08:00God's stamp of Approval on being Different<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/941531197858967553/D0m-egYs_400x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Image result for stamp of approval" border="0" height="320" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/941531197858967553/D0m-egYs_400x400.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Graphic from <a href="https://twitter.com/gawaintehgreat">Gwain</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://www.valleyviewchapel.org/bloqs/266-9576/77128_image_editor_result.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>I'm especially fond of the way The Amplified Bible states Ephesians 4:7:<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: inherit;">Yet grace [God’s undeserved favor] was given to each one of us [not indiscriminately, but in different ways] in proportion to the measure of Christ’s [rich and abundant] gift.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I think that part of why this delights me so is because it's saying that it's God's goodness to us that He made us different. Throughout this fourth chapter of Ephesians Paul's been stressing the need for unity in the Body of Christ; but he's not saying that unity equals uniformity. This helps me feel a great sense of relief because, if the truth be known, I'm a bit...hummm...perhaps one could say eccentric. When my 3 sons were coming into their teens they all went through their version of noticing how our family was different in the way we operated and did things than most others; that I was kind of a different type of person. I'm grateful to be reassured that that's not only OK with God; he wants me to be who I am - this is who he made me. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Thank You Father that You don't expect me to be some kind of super Christian wonder woman type. That You made me exactly who I am. Father, help me follow You and sense Your leading, help me move in instant obedience. May I get to minister to others in a larger capacity than ever before in the coming year. By larger You know Father that I don't mean more noticed; just getting to maybe reach more people or some people more deeply. Father help me love on people, encourage people, and have opportunities to teach or facilitate in the coming year. Thank You that You care about me and made me who I am.</i></span></span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-26949154989114879582018-12-29T12:05:00.000-08:002018-12-29T12:05:30.400-08:00Starting to Unpack<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://rickandlindareed.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/a-bible-study.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://rickandlindareed.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/a-bible-study.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Picture from <a href="https://rickandlindareed.com/2013/01/08/the-danger-of-studying-the-bible/">Rick and Linda Reed</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Today I read <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians4%3A7-16&version=NIV;AMP;MSG;NKJV;NET">Ephesians 4:7-16</a>. My mind is bouncing all over the place - it's a rather wild Scripture!<br />
On first read through these are the things that caught my attention and it may take a few forays into these verses to unpack them:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>In NIV Verse 7 speaks about "grace has been given as Christ apportioned it". Amplified says that grace was given to each of us "indiscriminately, but in different ways". NKJ puts it this way: "to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift". Apparently this isn't talking about the grace of salvation, yet, it is a grace that every Believer is given and in different "measures" or ways. Sounds to me like God treats each of us differently; has different plans for each of us. Isn't that interesting?!</li>
<li>Verses 8 & 9 are real mind blowers. As is often the case, Paul is quoting out of the Old Testament. This time it's from <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+68%3A18&version=NIV">Psalm 68:18</a>. When I read that specific verse in context it talks about God's sanctuary and Him going "on high" -I'm assuming this is heaven, but it could be speaking of His sanctuary on earth. The one on earth could mean during the millennial Kingdom; sometimes in Scripture you'll see this has happened, is happening, and will happen in the future, all at once kind of reference. Add to that the fact that it's using this Psalms reference in Ephesians and saying that "He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to man" (NKJ). What does that even mean? Who are the captives that he ascended on high to take captive and how does this relate to gifts He's giving to man? Then, this Old Testament reference is connected to the idea of Him ascended but also descended. It would seen that the ascended would mean to Heaven but I'm unclear if the descended part means coming to earth or somewhere else; Hell maybe? NIV puts it: "descended to the lower regions", NKJ says: "first descended into the lower parts of earth", NET comes out and says "he also descended into the lower regions, namely, the earth". There's the fact that Paul is juxtaposing that Jesus ascended on high with the fact that He was in the lower regions - why is that significant? What's he saying?</li>
<li>In verse 10 I see this proclamation that Jesus did the ascending and descending so that He might, as Amplified puts it, "that He [His presence] might fill all things [that is, the whole universe]<b>". </b>What does it mean that His presence fills all things? What is the impact and practical implications of that? How, or does, His sacrificial death on the cross relate to this? What does this all mean to me, today?</li>
<li>Verse 7 lays the groundwork for verses 11 & 12 which refer pack to this concept of God "apportioning" something to His followers. In these verses I read that He gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Does this mean that every follower of Christ is one of these? Do all other ways of relating and building up Christ's Church relate to one of these? I've heard so much said about this but I want to dig into this with fresh new eyes and hear from God.</li>
<li>In verse 13 I see the reason for the giving of these gifts - unity and knowledge of Christ in the body and working with Christ's followers until they are mature, "attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (NIV). What does the "whole measure" mean verses the partial measure? What's the "fullness of Christ"? What do these things look like?Verse 14 sheds some light on what it means to have fullness, when we have it we aren't infants any more. Infants are described as those who are easily persuaded by people who are not teaching God's truth. There's the implication that there are people with untrue teaching that are trying to lead people astray. The verse speaks of infants who are "tossed back and forth" (NIV) by these false teachings. This theme of false teaching is one that is seen repeatedly in the Epistles, so I assume it's a point God really wants me to get.</li>
<li>Verse 15 contrasts the immature follower with the mature one. Again I see this description about the mature one being "like Christ in everything"(The Message). Verse 15 also describes the mature one as someone who speaks" the truth in love" (NIV). What does speaking the truth in love look like? Social media is a whole world of alleged truth speakers, but what about the love? Can we have a good cause or belief but mess it all up by not having the love? I find myself thinking about <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1Corinthians13%3A1-3&version=NIV;AMP;MSG;KJV;NET">1 Corinthians 13:1-3 </a>where it talks about great things we can do-speak in heavenly languages, have incredible faith that makes things happen, give to the poor, endure great physical hardship-and says they are worthless without love. What does this say about the value of love - is love truly greater than everything else? Is love the foundation? What is this love?</li>
<li>Verse 16 brings out these gifts again and indicates that they are for building up the body of Christ, His followers. The Message puts this verse this way: "We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love." What does Christ being the source of everything I do look like? How does His blood flow through me - what does that mean? This verse puts such an emphasis on the connectedness of Christ's followers.Do I have a deep level of connectedness with other Believers? How can I achieve that?</li>
</ul>
<div>
I have off work for the next 4 days, thanks to a weekend followed by a Monday and then a Tuesday Holiday I'm able to use 1 vacation day on Monday and get 4 days off in a row. So I'm looking forward to taking some time each day to take a bullet point at a time and go over that. Today I'm going to need to stop but I just want to take a moment and thank God.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>Oh Father, I thank You that You've given me Your written Word. Thank You that You, the great and awesome God, would ever want to speak to me. Thank You for being so interesting. Thank You that Your Word is alive and valuable and that Your Holy Spirit speaks to me through it. Thank You that You stimulate my mind to question and seek and come into more of Your truth. Oh Holy Spirit, be my teacher. As I look into what others say and let their thoughts stimulate my own, please help me to always see what You want me to see. As I leave this time with You right now, I have so much more to get out of these verses, but Holy Spirit please empower me to love. I'm at home today and I think I'll just be hanging out with John. Help me be a loving wife and friend to him today. It doesn't do me any good to look into Your Word if I'm a complainer or difficult person when I walk away. May the words I speak today be ones of gratefulness, encouragement, and truth. Thank You God for Your love.</i></div>
Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-66892776980846646472017-10-18T10:02:00.000-07:002017-10-18T10:02:22.677-07:00Living a life worthy of His calling<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ac/Live_a_Life_Worthy_of_the_Calling.jpg/300px-Live_a_Life_Worthy_of_the_Calling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ac/Live_a_Life_Worthy_of_the_Calling.jpg/300px-Live_a_Life_Worthy_of_the_Calling.jpg" border="0" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ac/Live_a_Life_Worthy_of_the_Calling.jpg/300px-Live_a_Life_Worthy_of_the_Calling.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Graphic from <a href="http://alifeworthy.net/page/117/">A Life Worthy</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">When reading <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians4:1-6&version=NIV;AMP;MSG;NKJV;NET">Ephesians 4:1-6 </a>today, verse 1 starts out calling me to live a life worthy of my calling. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> I know I'm not worthy, that's why I need Jesus. The way the Amplified Bible said some of verse 1, helped me understand this better:</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #073763;">live
a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal
integrity, and mature behavior—a life that expresses gratitude to God
for your salvation</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span><span style="color: black;">That part about a life that expresses gratitude to God for my salvation, that grabbed me. I appreciate <a href="https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/maintain-the-unity-of-the-spirit">John Piper's comments</a> on this, Piper makes the point:</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span><span style="color: black;">"This does not mean that we should try to deserve our place in God's favor. It means that we should recognize how much our place in God's favor deserves from us. The focus is not on our worth but on the worth of our calling" </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Piper goes on to compare it to a judge that had been found guilty of some shameful crimes and how this judge was looked at as behaving unworthy of his office. The first 3 chapters of Ephesians have just told me about the gifts, status and place God's given me/all His followers:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesiasn 1:3)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Chose us to be holy and blameless before Him (Ephesians 1:4, 7)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Adopted us as His children (Ephesians 1:5)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lavished His grace upon us (Ephesians 1:8)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let us know the mystery of His will for bringing all things to unity in Christ when time reaches its fulfillment (Ephesians 1: 9-10)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Chosen as part of the church, those who first put their hope in Christ, to be to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:12)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Given the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our relationship with Him (Ephesian 1:13-14, 2:22)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Given us the Holy Spirit as a source of stent and power (Ephesians 3:16-18) </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Given us great power (Ephesians 1:18-21)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Forgiveness for sins (Ephesians 2:1-5) </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Seated with Christ in the heavenly realms to show through the ages His great grace to us (Ephesians 2:6-10)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Brought us near to Christ (Ephesians 2:13)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Loved us with an unending love (Ephesians 3:17-19)<br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Now in Chapter 4 he's saying to live a life worthy of this great calling He's been telling me about. I'm thinking about what this means, in practical/daily terms for me:</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I don't need to feel overwhelmed by how challenging my job is - I have been given His strength so I can go about things with a quiet confidence instead of hesitancy</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">It doesn't matter if people like me or not at the new job - I'm loved by God and He has me there</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">When I mess up I can be as honest about it as is permissible, ask God's forgiveness (and anyone else if needed) and move on</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">As a grace recipient I can be a grace giver to John and not hold his faults/mistakes/wrong doing against him</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have so much to be grateful for, and happy about, I can live my life with joy and give a smile to those I encounter</span></span></li>
</ul>
<i><span style="font-size: small;">Oh Father thank you for all You've give me! I can never say thank You enough!! Holy Spirit make me aware as I go through my day of ways I can live a life worthy of what You've called me to. I look to You Lord 'cuz I know that I can only live a worthy life through Your power in me.</span></i><br /><br />
<br /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span><br /></span></span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-30769002987407872392017-10-17T09:50:00.000-07:002017-10-17T09:50:20.627-07:00His Power working in Us<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://edgechurchcolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/1060x595-POWER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Power" border="0" class="ms-series-main-image" height="112" src="https://edgechurchcolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/1060x595-POWER.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Graphic from <a href="https://edgechurchcolorado.com/power-embracing-gods-power-1-kings-172-9/">Edge Church</a> Colorado</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As I'm finishing off this 3rd chapter in Ephesians, I've come to the last 2 verses. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians3:20-30&version=NIV;MSG;NET;NKJV;AMP">Ephesians 3:20-21 </a>(NKJV):<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-3-20" id="en-NKJV-29272">Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, </span><span class="text Eph-3-21" id="en-NKJV-29273"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>to Him <i>be</i> glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.</span></span> <br />
<br />
What an awesome passage! God can do good for us beyond what we can imagine by His Spirit working in us!<br />
<br />
Peterson, in his The Message paraphrase, adds this additional insight to the part about "<span style="color: #073763;">according to the power that works within us</span>" in the 2nd half of the 20th verse:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-3-20-Eph-3-21" id="en-MSG-12439">He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-3-20-Eph-3-21" id="en-MSG-12439"></span></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-3-20-Eph-3-21" id="en-MSG-12439">This part stands out to me today because I'm thinking that God always wants to do good for me, but sometimes I get in the way. His power has to work in me so that I am able to experience Him doing more than I can think of or ask. I need to be changed.</span><br />
<span class="text Eph-3-20-Eph-3-21" id="en-MSG-12439"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-3-20-Eph-3-21" id="en-MSG-12439">This doesn't come as a huge shock since I'm acutely aware of the fact that myself and everyone else is broken.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-3-20-Eph-3-21" id="en-MSG-12439"><i>Oh Father work in me. May I remain open to You and doing what You want and in Your way throughout this day. Help me keep Your attitude and not get critical or cynical. Help me be Your woman at my job, with John, when I'm driving - just in everything today. Show me where I need to change and then please empower me to change. Thank You for loving me. Thank You for having good plans for me. Thank You for all the hope You bring. I love You.</i></span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-83913531835620722017-07-22T10:34:00.000-07:002017-07-23T12:58:34.789-07:00More on accessing God's strength<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://savedsister7.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/guardyourheart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="https://savedsister7.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/guardyourheart.jpg" border="0" height="212" src="https://savedsister7.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/guardyourheart.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Graphic from <a href="https://savedsister7.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/friday-five-scripture-that-spoke/">Saved Sister</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm still struggling and tired. Still thinking about what I studied the last time. Specifically Piper's A.P.T.A.T. The question that comes to my mind is <i>what promises from the Word do I need to be speaking aloud and trusting about?</i><br />
<br />
So this morning I want to spend some time coming up with verses. Mostly, it is my job that has me exhausted. I'm going to list what about my job has me exhausted so I can find verses that apply to these issues. <i>Oh Father, please guide me through this process so that I can learn how to do what I hear people call "standing on your Word". Lord, please help me be able to do what Paul wrote to Timothy about and rightly handle your Word.</i><br />
<br />
Here's my list of work issues:<br />
<ul>
<li>Finding shift coverage</li>
<li>Frequent onslaught of numerous, coming at you,competing issues that I need to address</li>
<li>Due to B, I strain to remain focused and get everything done</li>
<li>Due to B, it would be easy to miss what is truly important and thereby mess up </li>
<li>Navigating potentially company problem issues and minimizing the risk</li>
<li>Presenting ourselves to licensing auditors as the good people we are and making sure that they see that </li>
<li>The need to establish positive, productive, relationships with difficult people</li>
<li>Extensive paperwork that is extremely detail oriented and must be well thought out</li>
<li>Being effective at coming up with ways to train and mentor leaders and make a difference</li>
</ul>
<br />
Now, how do I apply the Word to these?<br />
<br />
I feel like what I need to do is:<br />
1. Come up with some verses<br />
2. Work out my thought process behind those verses.<br />
3. Come up with truth statements for these verses.<br />
Then I can read (and eventually have memorized) aloud those verses and some truth statements that correspond to those verses. I can do this throughout the day. This way I don't have to become drained and tired and overwhelmed.<br />
<br />
It's so much, I just can't do it on my own. I am not smart enough. In life and work there is always so much going on that I just only see a fraction of. Yet my actions need to be in line with the entire situation (even that part I don't know). <b>What I need is God's direction, God's ability, and God's favor.</b><br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">God's Direction</span></b><br />
<b><u>1. Verses </u></b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+3%3A5-6&version=NIV;MSG;NET;NKJV">Proverbs 3:5-6</a> (MSG)</b><br />
<span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12" id="en-MSG-6848">Trust <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span> from the bottom of your heart;</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12">don’t try to figure out everything on your own.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12">Listen for <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span>’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Prov-3-5-Prov-3-12">he’s the one who will keep you on track.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+23%3A1-3&version=NIV;MSG;NET;NKJV">Psalm 23:1-3</a> (NIV)</b><br />
<span class="text Ps-23-1">The <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> is my shepherd, I lack nothing.</span><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-23-2" id="en-NIV-14238"></span></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-23-2" id="en-NIV-14238"><sup class="versenum"></sup><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span>He makes me lie down in green pastures,</span></span><br />
<span class="text Ps-23-2">he leads me beside quiet waters,</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Ps-23-3" id="en-NIV-14239"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span>he refreshes my soul.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Ps-23-3">He guides me along the right paths</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-23-3">for his name’s sake.</span></span><br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs16%3A9&version=NIV;MSG;NET;NKJV">Proverbs 16:9</a> (NKJV)</b><br />
<span class="text Prov-16-9" id="en-NKJV-16850">A man’s heart plans his way,</span><br />
<span class="text Prov-16-9">But the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> directs his steps.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span class="text Prov-16-9"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+32%3A5-10&version=NIV;MSG;NET;NKJV">Psalm 32:5-10</a> (NIV)</span></b><br />
<span class="text Prov-16-9"><span class="text Ps-32-5" id="en-NIV-14361">Then I acknowledged my sin to you</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-5">and did not cover up my iniquity.</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-32-5">I said, “I will confess</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-5">my transgressions to the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>.”</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-32-5">And you forgave</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-5">the guilt of my sin.</span></span> </span><br />
<div class="poetry top-05">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-32-6" id="en-NIV-14362"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>Therefore let all the faithful pray to you</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-6">while you may be found;</span></span><br />
<span class="text Ps-32-6">surely the rising of the mighty waters</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-6">will not reach them.</span></span><span class="text Ps-32-7" id="en-NIV-14363"><sup class="versenum"> </sup></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-32-7" id="en-NIV-14363"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>You are my hiding place;</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-7">you will protect me from trouble</span></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-7">and surround me with songs of deliverance.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="poetry top-05">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-32-8" id="en-NIV-14364"><sup class="versenum"> </sup><b>I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;</b></span><b><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-8">I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.</span></span></b><span class="text Ps-32-9" id="en-NIV-14365"></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-32-9" id="en-NIV-14365"><sup class="versenum"></sup>Do not be like the horse or the mule,</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-9">which have no understanding</span></span><br />
<span class="text Ps-32-9">but must be controlled by bit and bridle</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-9">or they will not come to you.</span></span><span class="text Ps-32-10" id="en-NIV-14366"><sup class="versenum"> </sup></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-32-10" id="en-NIV-14366"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>Many are the woes of the wicked,</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-10">but the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>’s unfailing love</span></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-32-10">surrounds the one who trusts in him.</span></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<span class="text Prov-16-9"><b><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+119%3A104-105&version=NIV;MSG;NET;NKJV">Psalm 119:104-105</a> (NIV)</b></span><br />
<span class="text Prov-16-9"><span class="text Ps-119-104" id="en-NIV-16003">I gain understanding from your precepts;</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-119-104">therefore I hate every wrong path.</span></span> </span><br />
<div class="poetry">
<div class="line">
<span class="text Ps-119-105"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>Your word is a lamp for my feet,</span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Ps-119-105">a light on my path.</span></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<u><b><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-16-9">2. Thought process regarding these verses</span></span></b></u><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-16-9">God promises that He will lead me. If I stay in His word and seek to follow His ways, I will reap the benefits of His wisdom provided in His Word. If I mess up and go off His path, I can acknowledge my sin & repent and He'll forgive me (1 John 1:9, Psalm 32:5). I don't have to get all stressed and exhausted, I have his counsel and leading available to me. I'm not all on my own in this trying to figure out what to do. He promises to direct me.</span></span><br />
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-16-9"><br /></span></span>
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-16-9"><u><b>3. Truth statements based on these verses</b></u></span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-16-9">No situation is too much for me.</span></span><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-16-9"> </span></span></li>
<li><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-16-9">I can count on God's guidance and direction.</span></span><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-16-9"> </span></span></li>
<li><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-16-9">I am not alone in this, He is with me and will lead me.</span></span><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-16-9"> </span></span></li>
<li><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-16-9">As I obey God's Word and follow His direction, I will reap the benefits.</span></span><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-16-9"> </span></span></li>
<li><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-16-9">When I mess up and fail to follow God's Word, I can acknowledge my sin and choose to turn away from it. God will forgive me and His blessings will become mine again.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Prov-16-9"></span></span> <span style="font-size: large;">God's Ability</span><br />
<br />
<u><b>1. Verses</b></u><br />
<b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8337460114788648678#editor/target=post;postID=8391353183562072">Deuteronomy 8</a>; especially verse 18 (NIV)</b><br />
<span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156">But remember the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A10-13&version=NIV;MSG;NET;NKJV">Philippians 4:10-13</a>; especially verse 13 (NKJV)</span></b><br />
<span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456">I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.</span></span><br />
<br />
<b><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A15-19&version=NIV;MSG;NET;NKJV">Philippians 4:15-19</a>; especially verse 19 (NIV)</span></span></b><br />
<span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456"><span class="text Phil-4-19" id="en-NIV-29462">God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<b><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456"><span class="text Phil-4-19" id="en-NIV-29462"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+9%3A6-8&version=NIV;MSG;NET;NKJV">2 Corinthians 9:6-8</a> (NET)</span></span></span></b><br />
<span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456"><span class="text Phil-4-19" id="en-NIV-29462"><span class="text 2Cor-9-6" id="en-NET-28947"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>My
point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. </span><span class="text 2Cor-9-7" id="en-NET-28948"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>Each
one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not
reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver. </span><span class="text 2Cor-9-8" id="en-NET-28949"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>And
God is able to make all grace overflow to you so that because you have
enough of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow in
every good work.</span> </span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<b><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7%3A7-12&version=NIV;MSG;NET;NKJV">Matthew 7:7-12</a>; especially verse 7 (NIV)</span></span></b><br />
<span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456"><span class="text Matt-7-7"><span class="woj">Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.</span></span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<b><u><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456">2. Thought process regarding these verses</span></span></u></b><br />
<span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456">My job, and sometimes life, is just too much for me. I am not smart enough, do not have enough ability. I need God's ability The Word says that I need to ask and He will give me what I need. He puts me in my life and job and wants me to be successful. There is also a theme regarding me needing to give and then I will receive back as I give.</span></span><br />
<br />
<u><b><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456">3. Truth statements based on these verses</span></span></b></u><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456"> </span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456">God gives me the ability to do what I need to do.</span></span><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456"> </span></span></li>
<li><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456">I can count on God's strength and ability.</span></span><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456"> </span></span></li>
<li><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456">I have everything I need to do that which is before me to do.</span></span></li>
<li><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456"> </span></span><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456">Whatever I have need of, God will supply. </span></span><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456"> </span></span></li>
<li><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456">As I give and help others, God will help me.</span></span><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Phil-4-13" id="en-NKJV-29456"></span> </span><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"> </span><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"></span><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"> </span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span style="font-size: large;">God's Favor</span></span><br />
<u><b>1. Verses</b></u><br />
<b><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+39&version=NIV;MSG;NET;NKJV">Genesis 39</a>; especially verse 21 (NIV)</b><br />
<sup class="versenum"> </sup>the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+3%3A1-4&version=NIV;MSG;NET;NKJV">Proverbs 3:1-4</a> (NET)</b><br />
<span class="chapter-1"><span class="text Prov-3-1">My child, do not forget my teaching,</span></span><br />
<span class="text Prov-3-1">but let your heart keep my commandments,</span><span class="text Prov-3-2" id="en-NET-16458"><sup class="versenum"> </sup></span><br />
<span class="text Prov-3-2" id="en-NET-16458"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>for they will provide a long and full life,</span><br />
<span class="text Prov-3-2">and they will add well-being to you.</span><span class="text Prov-3-3" id="en-NET-16459"></span><br />
<span class="text Prov-3-3" id="en-NET-16459"><sup class="versenum"></sup>Do not let truth and mercy leave you;</span><br />
<span class="text Prov-3-3">bind them around your neck,</span><br />
<span class="text Prov-3-3">write them on the tablet of your heart.</span><span class="text Prov-3-4" id="en-NET-16460"></span><br />
<span class="text Prov-3-4" id="en-NET-16460"><sup class="versenum"></sup>Then you will find favor and good understanding,</span><br />
<span class="text Prov-3-4">in the sight of God and people.</span> <br />
<br />
<b><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+23&version=NIV;MSG;NET;NKJV">Psalm 23</a>; especially verse 6 (NET)</span></b><br />
<span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Ps-23-6" id="en-NET-14242">Surely your goodness and faithfulness will pursue me all my days,</span><br /><span class="text Ps-23-6">and I will live in the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>’s house for the rest of my life.</span></span><br />
<br />
<b><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Ps-23-6"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+90&version=NIV;MSG;NET;NKJV">Psalm 90</a>; especially verse 17 (NET)</span></span></b><br />
<span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Ps-23-6"><span class="text Ps-90-17" id="en-NET-15396">May our sovereign God extend his favor to us!</span><br /><span class="text Ps-90-17">Make our endeavors successful!</span><br /><span class="text Ps-90-17">Yes, make them successful!</span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<b><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Ps-23-6"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+5&version=NIV;MSG;NET;NKJV">Psalm 5</a>; especially verse 12 (NET)</span></span></b><br />
<span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Ps-23-6"><span class="text Ps-5-12" id="en-NET-13986"><span class="verse-highlight verse-highlight-blue selection-NETPs_5_12_0_3_1_25">Certainly you reward the godly, </span><span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;"><span class="verse-highlight verse-highlight-blue selection-NETPs_5_12_0_3_1_25">Lord</span></span><span class="verse-highlight verse-highlight-blue selection-NETPs_5_12_0_3_1_25">.</span></span><br /><span class="text Ps-5-12"><span class="verse-highlight verse-highlight-blue selection-NETPs_5_12_0_3_1_25">Like a shield you protect</span> them in your good favor.</span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<u><b><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Ps-23-6">2. Thought process regarding these verses</span></span></b></u><br />
<span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Ps-23-6">When God puts His favor on someone, they will be successful no matter what happens to them. Joseph is a perfect example of this. Following God's Word and commandments will give us favor with Him and the people around us. God will have his goodness and mercy follow me. He will protect me with His favor.</span></span><br />
<br />
<u><b><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Ps-23-6">3. Truth statements</span></span></b></u><br />
<ul>
<li><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Ps-23-6">God's favor is on me.</span></span><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Ps-23-6"> </span></span></li>
<li><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Ps-23-6">As I seek to obey God I will act wisely and win the favor of those around me.</span></span><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Ps-23-6"> </span></span></li>
<li><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Ps-23-6">Goodness and mercy are following me where ever I go.</span></span><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Ps-23-6"> </span></span></li>
<li><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Ps-23-6">God's favor protects me. </span></span><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Ps-23-6"> </span></span></li>
<li><span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><span class="text Ps-23-6">People see the best in me due to God's favor. </span></span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span class="text Deut-8-18" id="en-NIV-5156"><i><span class="text Ps-23-6">Oh Father, thank You for Your Word. Please empower me to be obedient to You and Your Word. Enable me to be a true help to others. Enlarge within me a giver's heart. Help me rest daily in the direction, ability, and favor that You give me.</span></i> </span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-88148491933335886272017-07-09T14:55:00.001-07:002017-07-09T14:55:30.219-07:00Glorious inner strength<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.psychologytoday.com/sites/default/files/styles/image-article_inline_full/public/field_blog_entry_images/innerstrengthMedium%20-%20Edited%20%282%29.jpg?itok=56kPceaS" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="https://cdn.psychologytoday.com/sites/default/files/styles/image-article_inline_full/public/field_blog_entry_images/innerstrengthMedium%20-%20Edited%20%282%29.jpg?itok=56kPceaS" border="0" height="228" src="https://cdn.psychologytoday.com/sites/default/files/styles/image-article_inline_full/public/field_blog_entry_images/innerstrengthMedium%20-%20Edited%20%282%29.jpg?itok=56kPceaS" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo from <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201504/subliminal-messages-can-fortify-inner-strength">Psychology Toda</a>y</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I was delighted when I realized this next passage: <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+3%3A14-19&version=NIV;MSG;AMPC;NET">Ephesians 3:14-19</a>. This has long been one of my favorite prayers; one that I've specifically prayed over my oldest son Devon for years. Today I pray that God would show me what He wants for me today in this portion of His Word.<br /><br />I'm especially partial to the way this reads in The Message paraphrase:<br /><br /> <span style="color: #0b5394;">My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span><br /> Today I'm extra drawn to the words about glorious inner strength because I'm tired. About a month ago I went back to work for a company that I've worked for before. This time around the company has huge staffing problems. I'm called constantly and am in the position of constantly finding coverage, sometimes ending up coming in myself and working. I'm on salary so I'm not paid any more for coming in, and I still have all the regular work load expectations. As long as I'm at this job, I want to do a good job and glorify the Lord by my work performance. As of yet, no other work doors have opened up for me; so I take that as an indication that God must want me where I am at for now. I'm exhausted and struggling with discouragement. Today I fully recognize how much I need His strength.<br /><br />I appreciate <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/lord-enlarge-my-love-for-you">Jon Bloom's</a> thoughts on these verses:<br /><br />"This was not only Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians; it’s God’s desire for us today. He wants us to have more strength, enlarged capacities, to know Christ’s love and enjoy more of his fullness. Because more of God’s fullness means greater love for him. And greater love for him means more delight in him. And the greater our delight in him, the easier his yoke and the less burdensome his commandments become (<a href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%2011.30">Matthew 11:30</a>; <a href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/1%20John%205.3">1 John 5:3</a>), for God has enlarged our heart (<a href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ps%20119.32">Psalm 119:32</a>).<br />
<br />
This concept of enlarging our capacity is what draws me here. God is is the One of supreme strength (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah40:12-31;Jeremiah32:17-22;Acts17:26-27;Psalm136:11-12&version=NIV">Isaiah 40:12-31, Jeremiah 32:17-22, Acts 17:26-27, Psalm 136:11-12</a>). He has given me His Holy Spirit who lives within me. The Holy Spirit within me can be a source of strength. <a href="https://bible.org/article/source-true-strength">Richard Patterson </a>discourses about Believers living their lives dependent on God's power:<br />
<br />
"in his epistle to the Philippians Paul declares that it is not in his
power that he lives out his life and ministry, but solely in the Lord’s
strength: “I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In
any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment,
whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing. I am able to
do all things through the one who strengthens me” (<a class="NETBibleTagged" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A13&version=NIV">Phil. 4:12-13</a>).
As Comfort points out, “This powerful presence enabled Paul to go
through bad times and good. Paul no longer relied on his own strength
but on the strength of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, who lived in him and
worked through him (see <a class="NETBibleTagged" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galations2:20;Colossians1:27;2Corinthians1:8-10;2Corinthians4:7-12&version=NIV">Gal 2:20</a><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galations2:20;Colossians1:27;2Corinthians1:8-10;2Corinthians4:7-12&version=NIV">; </a><a class="NETBibleTagged" href="https://www.blogger.com/null">Col 1:27</a>; cf. <a class="NETBibleTagged" href="https://www.blogger.com/null">2 Cor 1:8-10; 4:7-12</a>).” <br />
<br />
Today I'm thinking about <b>how do I access or experience God's strength?</b> I sure need it! I feel exhausted so much of the time. <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/how-to-find-strength-in-the-strength-of-god">John Piper </a>had some practical thoughts on the answer to this question. He wrote about using the following sequence: A.P.T.A.T.<br />
<br />
A. Admit - Admit we can't do anything on our own<br />
P. Pray- Ask God for help<br />
T. Trust-trust God that He will help. Piper talks a lot about memorizing scriptures about God's provision and choosing to believe they are true. I appreciate these points of Piper's regarding "Trusting":<br />
"When Peter says, “Whoever serves, [let him serve] as one who serves by the strength that God supplies” (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="1 Pet 4.11" data-version="esv" href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/1%20Pet%204.11" target="_blank">1 Peter 4:11</a>), we do this not only by <em>praying</em> for that supply, but by <em>trusting in the promise</em> of the supply in specific situations. Paul says that God supplies the Spirit to you “by hearing with faith” (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Gal 3.5" data-version="esv" href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Gal%203.5" target="_blank">Galatians 3:5</a>).
That is, we hear a promise and we believe it for a particular need, and
the Holy Spirit comes to help us through that believed promise."<br />
A. Act-Go to work with a good will and a high heart, expecting to be helped as you asked to be.<br />
T. Thank-Thank God for His help, provision and blessings in your life<br />
<br />
<i>Oh Father, help me follow this sequence in my life. Help me stay in Your word and know and count on Your promises. Help me hold steadfast and rely on You throughout the challenges of my life. Empower me to live a life filled with words of thanksgiving and a grateful attitude. Please, strengthen me with Your strength.</i>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-13988655757564887082017-06-11T10:26:00.000-07:002017-06-11T10:29:22.081-07:00The gospel is for everyone<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i0.wp.com/thegospelforbelievers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/photodune-8353885-people-finding-christianity-xs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="https://i0.wp.com/thegospelforbelievers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/photodune-8353885-people-finding-christianity-xs.jpg" border="0" height="400" src="https://i0.wp.com/thegospelforbelievers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/photodune-8353885-people-finding-christianity-xs.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo from <a href="http://thegospelforbelievers.com/gospel-for-believers-intro/">The Gospel for Believers</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
What strikes me today as I read <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians3:1-13&version=NIV;MSG;NET">Ephesians 3:1-13</a> is that the gospel is for everybody. In this passage Paul spends a lot of time alluding to the fact that God created the Jewish nation to be His people, but Jesus came to save everybody. Those who are the knowledgeable, "churched", people and those who aren't.<br />
<br />
This has become real for me in a new way since I started volunteering with <a href="https://www.prisonfellowship.org/">Prison Fellowship Ministry</a> (PFM). In one sense, prisoners are bad people. They are people who have done bad things, they have victimized other people. It is much easier on one level to be sympathetic toward the victims than the victimizer. I've long said that I'd rather be a prosecuting attorney than a defense attorney because the district attorney's office stands up for the people, the victims of crime.<br />
<br />
Along with 2 other ladies I currently teach a class on job seeking and keeping as part of PFM's academy. We teach in a medium level prison called <a href="http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Facilities_Locator/CRC.html">CRC</a>. Our class is comprised of young men who are part of CRC's youth offender program. CRC has pulled inmates ages 18-25 away from the rest of the population for part of their prison time. They are housed together and have optional classes together. Just a couple of weeks ago during class we were discussing that the largest percentage of jobs are obtained through knowing someone. One of the young men in the class related a story about how he was once working a temp job with 2 others. He said that he outworked the 2 others by far, but that the 2 other people ended up being offered permanent work for that company while his job ended. He explained that the other 2 had family members or friends who worked there. He said that he got really angry about it and thought to himself that he should go rob all of those people. I remember being shocked when he said that. I thought to myself - <i>who thinks something like that when they're upset?</i><br />
<br />
Yet, somehow, when I'm there with those young men, I am filled with a sense of how precious they are. I think it's the Holy Spirit within me; because these young men are precious to God. The gospel truly is for everyone because God loves everyone. He doesn't look at people the way that we do.<br />
<br />
During these weeks that we've had class together I've come to know some of the young men and their stories. My heart breaks as they casually mention things about their childhoods that were terrible. Moms who were drug addicts, chaotic households, dads in and out of prison, generations of gang affiliation...these are standard fare among the incarcerated. God sees their pain and wants something better for these young men; my prayer is that I am a part of bringing that about.<br />
<br />
I want to get in line with God's ways of looking at and loving people. So what does that mean for me in my everyday life? Are there people with whom I come in contact that I've written off? Who I find offensive and/or annoying? The gospel is for them too! How can really believing this change the way I interact with and talk about these people?<br />
<br />
<i>Oh Father, thank You for Your love. Thank You for extending your salvation to me and everyone else. Show me ways each day to love the people around me. Please help me be open to hearing Your voice when I'm around people who I don't like and who annoy me. Empower me to change my attitude. May I love people like You do. </i>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-30527903839413387962017-06-04T11:07:00.000-07:002017-06-04T11:23:58.004-07:00Being part of His church<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://jesusscribbles.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/hands1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://jesusscribbles.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/hands1.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graphic from<a href="https://jesusscribbles.wordpress.com/2012/05/12/sermon-for-the-seventh-sunday-of-easter-year-b-acts-11-11-and-ephesians-115-23/"> Literature and Liturgy</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Today I'm focusing on <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians2%3A19-22&version=NIV;MSG;NLT">Ephesians 2:19-22</a>. <br />
<br />
<br />
God's building something.<br />
<br />
It started with the prophets who were the foundation. Jesus is the chief cornerstone. God is joining His followers, the Church, together with Jesus to build a temple to His glory.<br />
<br />
The church is comprised of all who believe in Christ; it is a visible entity that symbolizes the invisible grace that makes it possible. I believe that the church has a special place in God's work on this earth.<br />
<br />
God has always planned to reconcile men to Himself; this can be seen throughout the Scriptures:<br />
<br />
Genesis 3:15 - <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+3%3A1-20&version=NIV;MSG;NLT">Genesis 3:1-20</a> recounts the fall of man and the fact that God provided a way back to Himself.<br />
<br />
There are pictures of God's redemption throughout the Old Testament; here's just a few of them:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2022&version=NIV">Genesis 22</a> - God required Abraham to sacrifice his son Issac and at the last minute provided a substitute for that sacrifice.<br />
Exodus 2-14 - Moses leads Israel out of captivity in Egypt. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+106%3A6-12&version=NIV">Psalm 106:6-12</a> summarizes how God redeemed Israel through Moses leading their exit from Egypt. <br />
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ruth+1-4&version=NIV">Ruth 1-4</a> - Boaz is the kinsman redeemer who purchased the ability to care for Ruth and her mother in law and bring Ruth into the family of Israel who were God's chosen people.<br />
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah49:8-10;Isaiah61:1-3&version=NIV">Isaiah 49:8-10 & Isaiah 61:1-3</a>-the promise of restoration and deliverance<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+12%3A+20-35&version=NIV">John 12:20-35</a> - Jesus died for everyone and if he is lifted up He will draw all to Himself <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+5%3A12-19&version=NIV">Romans 5:12-19</a> - Death came through Adam and salvation for all came through Christ <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+2%3A5-11&version=NIV">Philippians 2:5-11</a> - Eventually all will come to God through the Lordship of Jesus<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+3%3A8-9&version=NIV">2 Peter 3:8-9</a>-God waits for all to come to Himself.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+4%3A6-10&version=NIV">1 Timothy 4:6-10</a> - God is the savior of all people<br />
<br />
So everyone will eventually come to God through Jesus, but the church are those who form the mystical body of Christ who have come to Him while on this earth. It would seem that God has a special place, a special work for those of His Church. The Church is supposed to bring glory to God on this earth, preach His kingdom and make disciples, and help one another grow in relationship with God through Christ. Scriptures such as <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+15%3A1-6&version=NIV;MSG;NLT">Romans 15:1-6</a> & <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Thessalonians+1%3A11-12&version=NIV;MSG;NLT">2 Thessalonians 1:11-12</a> show me that the Church exists to bring glory to God. In <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+8%3A18-20&version=NIV;MSG;NLT">Matthew 28:18-20</a> & <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+1%3A8&version=NIV;MSG;NLT">Acts 1:8</a> we're shown that the Church is to bring preach the Jesus story and make disciples. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Thessalonians+5%3A9-11&version=NIV;MSG;NLT">1 Thessalonians 5:9-11</a>, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4%3A11-16&version=NIV;MSG;NLT">Ephesians 4:11-16</a>, and <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Peter+3%3A10-25&version=NIV;MSG;NLT">Ephesians 3:10-25</a> show the Church is to help Believers in Christ to encourage one another and grow in their relationship with Him.<br />
<br />
I believe that if I don't accept God's gift of salvation now, at the end of this life I'll be separated from Him in hell. That Hell is still redemptive in nature; a time of refining fire that I might repent and come to Him. Choosing Him now not only saves me from hell later, it allows me to experience relationship with the Creator of my soul. As part of His Church I am called to bring Him glory, help bring His kingdom to others, and help build up others of faith.<br />
<br />
So what does this mean to me now? What are the questions that come to my mind?<br />
<ul>
<li>Does the way I live bring glory to God?</li>
<li>What am I doing to help others come into His kingdom?</li>
<li>Am I encouraging and helping others in the faith grow in Him?</li>
</ul>
<i>Oh Father, thank You that You let me into Your kingdom. Thank You for letting me be part of Your work. Would you please empower me to live so that my life brings You glory. Help me stay positive at my job and keep a servant's heart so that You would be honored. Help me be smart and fix problems at work and make things better so that You can get the glory. Be with me at Prison ministry so that You would speak through me and be a source of encouragement, truth, help and an example for those young men. Oh Father, show me daily if there's something specific that You want me to do and help me be sensitive to Your leading. Sometimes I feel exhausted and like I don't have the energy that I need for it all. Please give me wisdom and self discipline to eat, exercise, and live in ways that keep me healthy for my life and all I need to do. Please empower and energize me by Your Holy Spirit within me to be up for the life/ministry before me. May I be a source of wisdom, encouragement, and love to Daniel as we talk each week. May I be a good helper to John and a source of love, encouragement and affirmation. Even though we don't talk much, show me ways to be a positive source for Your kingdom in Devon, Rachel, Dylan, Liz and my grandchildren's lives. Thank You that I can always come to You Lord.</i><br />
<ul>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-90083916728424489932016-08-19T13:41:00.002-07:002016-08-19T13:41:51.513-07:00The Law established in the Spirit<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.vimeocdn.com/portrait/2788176_300x300" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://i.vimeocdn.com/portrait/2788176_300x300" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graphis from <a href="https://vimeo.com/newhope">New Hope Ohau</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Today I'm looking at <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+2%3A14-22&version=NIV;MSG">Ephesians 2:14-22</a>, and there's a ton of stuff there!<br />
<br />
But what jumped out at me today was this phrase in the first part of the 15th verse, I looked at it in several versions and found that I especially appreciated these:<br />
<br />
"by setting aside in his flesh the law and its commands and regulations" (NIV)<br />
<br />
"He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped":(MSG)<br />
<br />
"abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the enmity [caused by] the Law with its decrees and ordinances [which He annulled] (AMP)<br />
<br />
I appreciate these thoughts of Joseph Evel found in his book <a href="https://www.studylight.org/commentary/ephesians/2-15.html">The Biblical Illustrator</a> about this verse:<br />
<br />
"<span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , "geneva" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.6667px; text-indent: -24px;">The word rendered “to abolish” is the word often used by St. Paul for “to supersede by something better than itself”--translated “to make void,” in Romans 3:31; to “bring to nought,” in 1 Corinthians 1:28, and (in the passive) “to fail, to vanish away,” to be done away,” in 1 Corinthians 13:8-10. Now, of the relation of Christ to the Law, St. Paul says, in Romans 3:31, “Do we make void the Law? God forbid! Yea, we establish the Law.” The Law, therefore, is abolished as a law “in ordinances”--that is, “in the letter”--and is established in the spirit."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , "geneva" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.6667px; text-indent: -24px;"><br /></span>
What does it mean to establish the law in the spirit? Or perhaps a more accurate question might be what does it mean to say that Jesus established the law in the spirit?<br />
<br />
In a sermon about <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+3:27-31">Romans 3:27-31</a>, John <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/justification-by-faith-establishes-the-law">Piper makes some comments</a> that I think shed a clarifying light on this topic:<br />
<br />
"what the moral law of God requires of us, we will do, if we pursue it by faith, as those who are already justified, and not by works, in order to be justified. If we get right with God first by faith alone, and then live in that freedom of love and acceptance and justification, we will be changed from the inside out and will begin to love the very things the moral law requires so that they become established in our lives-not as works of merit, but as the fruit of faith (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians%201%3A3&version=NIV">1 Thessalonians 1:3</a>; <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Thessalonians+1%3A11&version=NIV">2 Thessalonians 1:11)</a> and fruit of the Spirit"<br />
<br />
I really think that second reference that Piper points to says it well:<br />
<br />
"we pray for you all the time - pray that our God will make you fit for what he's called you to be, pray that he'll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something" (MSG)<br />
<br />
It's all about God. Jesus' work on the cross made it so His very Spirit can live in me. The Holy Spirit in me calls out to me to be in His Word. As I'm in His Word I realize anew His love, grace, justification. These things change me. He is changing me. I don't need letter of the law thinking, I want Spirit of the law. In and of itself, the moral law is good. It helps me get my thoughts straight about what is wrong and what is right. But it is the Holy Spirit inside me, changing me, that produces right living by me - not me looking on the outside and conforming to standards of right living.<br />
<br />
So, what does all this mean to me in my daily life?<br />
<ul>
<li>It's not my place to be the law-judger and go around judging other people. I can leave that to God. Of course I need to be wise in my interactions with people, so I will watch and listen. I will make "judgements" in that sense of the word. But by God's Spirit, may I not fall into a judgmental attitude.</li>
<li>The feelings of not-being-good enough do not have a place in my life. It is never about that. God made me good enough. There may be specific areas in my life where improvement is needed, and by His grace and power I will seek to improve. But, I am good in His sight. I am acceptable and beloved. There is no criteria to which I need to measure myself.</li>
<li>I can spend time thanking God for what He has already done through His Spirit in me. This is bigger than it sounds: Instead of pining for righteousness - I can spend time speaking aloud thanksgiving for the work He has already done and is continuing in me. I can ask for wisdom in how I can cooperate with Him specifically throughout the day. The focus is on faith and God and not on me and activities to "get it right." </li>
</ul>
<br />
<i>Oh dear God, thank You. I can never thank you enough.Your ways are just so much greater and better than mine. Thank You more than I know how to say for what You've done for me in Jesus! Thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for working in me. Show me specific ways that I can cooperate with You today. Help me hear You well today.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-72566681359029977202016-06-18T12:43:00.001-07:002016-06-18T12:45:48.986-07:00Jesus changes all of that<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.vimeocdn.com/video/419522834_1280x720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://i.vimeocdn.com/video/419522834_1280x720.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graphic taken from <a href="https://vimeo.com/album/2277530">Vimeo</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Today I'm looking at <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+2%3A11-13&version=NKJV;AMP;MSG;HCSB;NIV">Ephesians 2:11-13</a>:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429">But don’t take
any of this for granted. It was only yesterday that you outsiders to
God’s ways had no idea of any of this, didn’t know the first thing about
the way God works, hadn’t the faintest idea of Christ. You knew nothing
of that rich history of God’s covenants and promises in Israel, hadn’t a
clue about what God was doing in the world at large. Now because of
Christ—dying that death, shedding that blood—you who were once out of it
altogether are in on everything.(MSG)</span></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429"><span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429"> </span> </span><br />
<span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429">If, when I read a passage, nothing exactly pops out to me, then I look at the passage in 4 ways: what did it mean to the people it was written to, what could it generally mean to people, what are some general applications of this scripture, what does it mean to me personally.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429">What does this passage mean for who this was written to:</span><br />
<span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429">Paul wrote this to the church in Ephesus. For around the past two thousand years God had revealed Himself to the Jewish nation. Starting in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+12%3A1-3&version=NKJV;AMP;MSG;HCSB;NIV">Genesis 12:1-3</a> God called Abraham to follow him and promised that he would be the father of a great nation. God also told Abraham that through him all nations would be blessed. It was the Jewish nation about whom the Old Testament is directly relating their history. The Bible indicates in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+4%3A15-17&version=NKJV;AMP;MSG;HCSB;NIV">Acts 4:16</a> that God had basically allowed the non-Jews to just walk in their own ways. But God's promise to Abraham that through him all nations would be blessed was fulfilled in Jesus. To the church in Ephesus these verses explain that God's salvation is for everyone - not just the Jews. </span><br />
<span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429">What does this passage mean to people in general:</span><br />
<span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429">All people, before they come into a relationship with God through Christ, are outsiders to God's ways. We act according to what seems right to us. Sometimes we show some wisdom and we do alright. Other times we just give in to our sinful nature and end up with all kinds of problems. We don't understand the rich history of how God worked with Israel that is recorded in the Old Testament. We don't see how God is working in the world around us. But Jesus changes all of that.</span><br />
<span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429">What are some general applications of this scripture: </span><span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429"> </span><br />
<ul>
<li><span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429">Don't take your relationship with God for granted, God planned it for you throughout time</span></li>
<li><span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429">Get to know God and His ways better through God's Spirit helping you read the Word and study</span><span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429"> </span></li>
<li><span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429">Don't discriminate against anyone since God loves ALL people</span><span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429"> </span></li>
<li><span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429">Don't see yourself as better than anyone else since God's plan through Jesus is for all people</span><span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429"> </span></li>
<li><span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429">You don't need to feel alone because God's got you with Him</span><span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429"> </span></li>
</ul>
<span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429"><span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429">What does it mean to me personally, what is the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart through this passage:</span></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429"><span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429">I don't have to live like everyone else around me. I don't have to be discouraged by circumstances at work. I don't need to feel hurt or sad that 2 of my 3 sons don't reach out to me very often and I miss them. I can know that God's got good plans for me. I am in on what He is doing.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429"><i><span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429">Oh Father, show me what You're doing here in the world around me. Help me see things through You're way of seeing things so that I can join in Your work. </span></i> </span><span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429"></span><span class="text Eph-2-11-Eph-2-13" id="en-MSG-12429"> </span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-76792442979343939812016-06-04T10:20:00.001-07:002016-06-04T10:21:36.961-07:00What kind of God is this?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://poetrybydeborahann.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/mercy-showers-christian-poetry-by-deborah-ann.jpg?w=383&h=290" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://poetrybydeborahann.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/mercy-showers-christian-poetry-by-deborah-ann.jpg?w=383&h=290" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo from <a href="https://poetrybydeborahann.wordpress.com/category/gods-mercy-poems/">Christian Poetry</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">As I'm reading through <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ephesians+2%3A1-10&version=NIV;MSG;NKJV;AMP">Ephesians 2:1-10</a> my spirit zeros in on this theme of God wanting to do us so much good. In verses 7-8 I'm blown away by this theme (I'm especially partial to the way Peterson paraphrases these verses in the Message):</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: #073763;">Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Then again down in the 10th verse I read:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="footnotes" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; transition: all 0.2s; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="chapter-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="text Eph-2-10" id="en-NIV-29240" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #073763;">For we are God’s handiwork,<span style="font-size: 0.625em;"><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29240U" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29240U" title="See cross-reference U">U</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup></span> created<span style="font-size: 0.625em;"><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29240V" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29240V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup></span> in Christ Jesus to do good works,<span style="font-size: 0.625em;"><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29240W" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29240W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></sup></span> which God prepared in advance for us to do.</span> (NIV)</span></div>
<div class="chapter-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<a href="https://www.studylight.org/commentary/ephesians/2-7.html">Albert Barnes</a> wrote about these verses and I appreciate the ways he says it:</div>
<div class="chapter-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="text Eph-2-10" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">"Such was his love toward those who were lost, that it would be an everlasting monument of his mercy, a perpetual and unchanging proof that he was good"</span></div>
<div class="chapter-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span class="text Eph-2-10" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">As I read these verses I'm hit with this this idea that there is God. The God, the one who is the almighty, all knowing, creator of the universe, ruler of all. This same God is here planning and desiring to do so much good to all mankind. So much good to me. I ask myself - What kind of God is this? That He would want all the time in this world and the one to come to shower grace and kindness on me. That He would prepare good works for me to be about in my life. That He would bother to have a plan for someone like me. What does it say about Him? What does this mean to me?</span></div>
<div class="chapter-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">I want to look at each of these questions burning in my heart. </span></div>
<div class="chapter-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b>What do these verses say about God?</b> As I think and pray about that, this is what comes to my mind:</div>
<div class="chapter-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; widows: 1;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">God thinks about humanity, He makes plans for us</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">God wants to shower humanity with kindness and grace</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">God will do what He wants for humanity through Jesus</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">He wants to save us from the natural destruction that living according to our flesh will result in </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">God wants to give us salvation, He doesn't want to make us work for it</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">He has a purpose for humanity</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">He has good works that he planned for us to do</span></span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><b>What does this mean to me?</b> As I think about pray about it, this is what comes to mind:</span></span></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">I'm loved</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">I've got lots of both kindness and grace in my life </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">I'm created to be an example of how good, kind, and full of grace God is</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">I'm supposed to give what I've received - I need to every day look for ways to extend God's kindness and grace to other people. As I think on this I'm hit right now by the need to be praying throughout the day as I work or live with people - <i>OK Lord, how exactly do You want me to extend Your grace and kindness to this person right now?</i></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">My life is not some thing of chance. God's got a plan for me. He's prepared good stuff for me to be doing. I have purpose.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><i>Oh Father, may Your Word work in me. May I know and experience in my deepest part, Your mercy and kindness. May the joy of these gifts permeate my life. Holy Spirit, please remind and prompt me throughout my days to let You show me how to extend mercy and kindness to the people I encounter.</i></span></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="chapter-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-9686037182354210162016-05-30T13:20:00.000-07:002016-05-30T13:20:02.277-07:00Be Sober<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r8BKQPBi4a8/VU5NfPp6snI/AAAAAAAAB3o/lNg-er20WzU/s1600/roaring-lion.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r8BKQPBi4a8/VU5NfPp6snI/AAAAAAAAB3o/lNg-er20WzU/s1600/roaring-lion.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo from <a href="http://rustyrustenbach.blogspot.com/2015/05/creative-power-of-voice-of-god-satan-no.html">Listening to God Forum</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've never been a devil chaser. I've always been uncomfortable with those types of Christians.<br />
<br />
In fact, just this week I was talking with an employee about her grievous misdeeds that I witnessed from our camera footage at work. I had her look at what I'd seen on camera, and then let her explain her actions from her viewpoint. She talked at length. When, at the end of her monologue, she started to get into talking about Satan getting the best of her, I finally cut her off. <br />
<br />
Yet....<br />
<br />
I try, by God's grace and power, to take the Word at what it says.<br />
<br />
I can't get around this passage here in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+2%3A1-3&version=NIV;AMP;MSG;HCSB">Ephesians 2:1-3</a>, especially the second verse:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>in
which you once walked according to the course of this world, according
to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the
sons of disobedience,(NKJV) </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.gty.org/resources/bible-qna/BQ011413/why-is-satan-called-the-prince-of-the-power-of-the-air">John McArthur</a> points out that the word "world" used in this verse is <i>Kosmos </i>and that it:<br />
<br />
"does not represent simply the physical creation but the world order,
the world's system of values and way of doing things-the world's course
And as Paul makes it clear, the world follows the leadership and design
of Satan"<br />
<br />
John Piper has a truly worthwhile sermon on these very same first 3 verses in Ephesians; it's entitled <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/why-we-need-a-savior-captive-to-an-alien-power-by-nature-children-of-wrath">Why we need a Savior: captive to an alien power, by nature children of wrath.</a>I appreciate how in this sermon Piper explains the analogy of Satan being the prince of the air as well as the corroborating scriptures he brings in to verify that Paul is indeed speaking about Satan in this verse.<br />
<br />
Piper explains the analogy of prince of the air this way:<br />
<br />
"Air is everywhere.<br />
<br />
Air is where we live. Between heaven above and earth beneath is the realm of air, and that is the habitation of man. Sometimes we say things like, "there's excitement in the air". What we mean is that excitement seems to be gripping everybody. Its influence is so widespread that it simply must be in the air.<br />
<br />
That's Paul's point, the influence of the power spoken of in verse 2 is so pervasive, that it can be called the power of the air."<br />
<br />
Scriptures which corroborate that the prince of the power of the air is Satan are:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%206:12&version=NKJV;AMP;MSG;HCSB;NIV">Ephesians 6:12</a>: <span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350">For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.(NIV)</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+12%3A24&version=NKJV;AMP;MSG;HCSB;NIV">Matthew 12:24</a>, note the second part of the verse where the Pharisees are talking about Satan and refer to him as <span style="color: #073763;">"</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514">the prince of demons"(<span style="color: black;">NIV</span>).</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+4%3A4&version=NKJV;AMP;MSG;HCSB;NIV">2 Corinthians 4:4</a> where Paul is referring to Satan as the "</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span class="text 2Cor-4-4" id="en-NIV-28864">god of this age" (NIV, NKJV).</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span class="text 2Cor-4-4" id="en-NIV-28864"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+12%3A31&version=NKJV;AMP;MSG;HCSB;NIV">John 12:31,</a> <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A30&version=NKJV;AMP;MSG;HCSB;NIV">John 14:30</a>, & <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+16%3A11&version=NKJV;AMP;MSG;HCSB;NIV">John 16:11</a> where Jesus refers to Satan as the <span style="color: #073763;">"ruler of this world" (NIV, NKJV)</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span class="text 2Cor-4-4" id="en-NIV-28864"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+4%3A6&version=NKJV;AMP;MSG;HCSB;NIV">Luke 4:6</a> when Satan is bragging to Jesus he proclaims that he has authority over this world.</span> </span></span> </span> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span style="color: black;">It's apparent that Satan has some power in this world. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+2%3A14&version=NKJV;AMP;MSG;HCSB;NIV">1 Corinthians 2:14</a> indicates that the natural man is greatly influenced by this power because he can't understand the things of God. As a Christian, between the pervasive influence of Satan on my culture, and the pull of my own flesh, I can be influenced too.</span> <span style="color: black;">I'm reminded of <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20John%202:15-17&version=NKJV;AMP;MSG;HCSB;NIV">1 John 2:15-17</a> that talks about the sources of temptation, one of which is simply my own flesh. </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><b><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span style="color: black;">What does all of this mean to me, today, in my life? </span></span></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span style="color: black;">Do I need to become a "devil-sighter"? Must I always be on the look out, trying to see where Satan is working? I am reminded of <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter%205:8-9&version=NKJV;AMP;MSG;HCSB;NIV">1 Peter 5:8-9</a> which could be interpreted to indicate that I'm to be on the look out for Satan. However, I'm intrigued by the Amplified Bible translation of these 2 verses in 1 Peter:</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span class="text 1Pet-5-8" id="en-AMP-30474"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert <i>and</i>
cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around
like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.</span> <span class="text 1Pet-5-9" id="en-AMP-30475"><sup class="versenum">9 </sup>But resist him, be firm in <i>your</i>
faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable], knowing that
the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your
brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.]</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span style="color: black;"><span class="text 1Pet-5-9" id="en-AMP-30475">This translation speaks to me about an approach to life, more than about looking for the devil under every rock. I need to seek, by His Spirit within me:</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span style="color: black;"><span class="text 1Pet-5-9" id="en-AMP-30475">to live a well balanced and self-disciplined life</span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span style="color: black;"><span class="text 1Pet-5-9" id="en-AMP-30475">to live in the realization that there are spiritual forces around me</span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span style="color: black;"><span class="text 1Pet-5-9" id="en-AMP-30475">to be firm in my faith</span></span></span></span><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span style="color: black;"><span class="text 1Pet-5-9" id="en-AMP-30475"></span></span></span></span><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span style="color: black;"><span class="text 1Pet-5-9" id="en-AMP-30475"> </span> </span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span style="color: black;">Repeatedly in my life it comes back this. Staying in the word from which
my hope and faith is derived. I'm reminded of <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12%3A1-2&version=NKJV;AMP;MSG;HCSB;NIV">Romans 12:1-2 </a>where I'm told to constantly stay in the Word so His Spirit can change the way I think. God is constantly reminding me to speak His truth and not the lies in the culture around me. <i>Oh Father, You know me. You know that I can't do this on my own. I'm so much like water; I just want to run along the easiest path of least resistance. Change me. Empower me. Help me stay close to You. Because I so desperately need You. Thank You for loving me. Thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit. I can never thank You enough.</i></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span style="color: black;"><i> </i></span></span></span><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span style="color: black;"><i> </i></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span style="color: black;">As I've been doing this study today a song by an old music group named Petra has been coming to my mind: <a href="http://www.streetdirectory.com/lyricadvisor/song/eelocc/not_of_this_world/">Not of this World.</a> You can click this title to find the lyrics and listen.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><u><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><br /></span></span></u></span>
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span style="color: black;"><i> </i></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-6-12" id="en-NIV-29350"><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><b><span class="text Matt-12-24" id="en-NIV-23514"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></b> </span></span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-56221465596491744382016-05-28T09:33:00.000-07:002016-05-28T09:35:04.214-07:00Can't do it on my own<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IU5ztiLopa4/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IU5ztiLopa4/maxresdefault.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo taken from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC18S2KrX6YYdQxfNb4uGUCw">The Vigilant Christian</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If I had any question about getting good on my own, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%202:1-10&version=NIV;MSG;HCSB">Ephesians 2:1-10</a> answers those questions once and for all. Right there, in the first verse, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit Paul writes: <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;">"<span class="text Eph-2-1">As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins"</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-2-1"><a href="http://www.preceptaustin.org/new_page_12.htm#Ephesians%202:1:%20THE%20LIVING%20DEAD">Dr. Wayne Barber</a> explains that:</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-2-1">"The word dead in the Greek language is the word Nekros. It comes from the work nekus which means corpse".</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-2-1">The staff over at <a href="http://www.versebyverseministry.org/bible-answers/could_you_explain_ephesians_21_10">verse by verse ministries</a> made a point that stirred my heart:</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-2-1"> "Just as a corpse cannot revive itself to life, neither can an unbeliever revive his own spirit into new life." </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-2-1">I could not bring salvation to myself. Only God by His grace could bring life to my dead spirit that was separated from Him by my sinful condition. Then, I think about <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians%202:1-10&version=NIV;MSG;HCSB">Colossians 1:6</a> that tells me:</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-2-1"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-2-1">"</span><span class="text Col-2-6" id="en-HCSB-29499">as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him"</span></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-2-1"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-2-1">This brings me to what is stirring in my heart today. The idea that, just as I could not bring my dead spirit to life in Christ, in daily life I continue to be unable to bring about God's goodness on my own. I <i>need </i>Him. It is only by His power that I can change.</span><span class="text Eph-2-1"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times";"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: navy;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-2-1"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "times";"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: navy;"></span></span></span> </span><br />
<b>What does this mean to me, specifically and practically, in my daily life?</b><br />
<br />
I keep struggling to speak words of God's truth and faith over my work situation instead of the words of overwhelm, exhaustion, and don't-want-to-be-there that keep coming to me. Perhaps the whole struggle is because I'm trying to do this instead of asking God to teach me how to rely on His Holy Spirit within me. I'm reminded of Jesus' words in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+11%3A28-30&version=NIV;MSG;HCSB">Matthew 11:28-30</a>, I'm especially fond of the way Peterson has paraphrased them:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Matt-11-28-Matt-11-30" id="en-MSG-10032">“Are you
tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me
and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.
Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced
rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep
company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<i>Oh Heavenly Father, teach me how to walk with You and work with You. Empower me to make time throughout my day to come to You. Teach me Your unforced rhythms of grace.</i>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-25043399718642178062016-05-23T09:16:00.001-07:002016-05-23T09:17:51.099-07:00Called to Hope<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://payload133.cargocollective.com/1/10/337322/4970741/tumblr_mbdxaxywtp1qcwbmno1_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://payload133.cargocollective.com/1/10/337322/4970741/tumblr_mbdxaxywtp1qcwbmno1_1280.png" height="149" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Graphic from <a href="http://www.jeremieclaeys.com/HOPE">Jeremie Claey</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%201:17-18&version=NIV;MSG;ESV">Ephesians 1:17-18</a> (NEV):<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-1-17" id="en-ESV-29207"><sup class="versenum">17 </sup>that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,</span> <span class="text Eph-1-18" id="en-ESV-29208"><sup class="versenum">18 </sup>having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are </span><span class="text Eph-1-18" id="en-ESV-29208"></span><span class="text Eph-1-18" id="en-ESV-29208">the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,</span> </span><br />
<br />
Paul is praying that the Ephesians would increase in their understanding and wisdom of the hope of their calling. Scripture repeatedly shows me this theme of hoping in God: <br />
<br />
Psalm 42:5 (NASB):<br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Why are you in despair, o my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence. </span><br />
<br />
Proverbs 3:5-7 (MSG):<br />
<span style="color: #073763;">Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure everything out on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! </span><br />
<br />
Jeremiah 17:7 (TLB):<br />
<span style="color: #073763;">But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and has made the Lord his hope and confidence.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">I appreciate these <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/what-is-hope">thoughts of John Piper's on hope</a>: "</span></span><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">Hoping in God does not come naturally for sinners like us. We must
preach it to ourselves, and preach diligently and forcefully, or we will
give way to a downcast and disquieted spirit." </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">This is so true. Left to my own, I'll become ungrateful and discontented. I'll get discouraged by circumstances. I need God's Hope. I'm not a baby Christian any more. Babies need to be fed, but adults feed themselves. I need to feed, or as Piper puts it, preach, hope to myself.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">I'm sitting here thinking about areas of my life where I'm hope-challenged:</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">Being able to really make things better at work</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">Things ever being right for my mentally ill sister</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">Having the kind of romantic life I'd like to with my husband</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">Being able to lose weight and be more healthy </span> </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;"> I'm trying to think of practical ways I can preach hope to myself in daily life. The things that come to my mind are replacing lies with truth, engaging in an attitude of gratitude, and listening to hope filled messages.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">I need to pray that I would become aware of the hope-destroying lies in my head. I need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit within me and let Him act like a lie detector for me. When I recognize the lie, I need to replace it with the truth. As I'm reading the word, I need to write down those verses that are truths for areas where I struggle. <i>Oh Father, help me receive Your <a href="http://ati.iblp.org/ati/family/articles/concepts/rhema/">Rhema</a> word. Thank You that You, the God of the universe, are willing to speak to me. May I take the time to come before You so I can listen and learn.</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;">I need to live my life with an attitude of gratitude. <a href="https://paulawhite.org/an-attitude-of-gratitude">1 Thessalonians 5:16-18</a> tells me that this is how God wants His people to live:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text 1Thess-5-16-1Thess-5-18" id="en-MSG-12580">Be cheerful
no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens.
This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.</span><span class="text 1Thess-5-16-1Thess-5-18" id="en-MSG-12580"> </span><span class="text 1Thess-5-16-1Thess-5-18" id="en-MSG-12580"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text 1Thess-5-16-1Thess-5-18" id="en-MSG-12580"><span style="color: black;">In <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+4%3A8-9&version=NIV;MSG;HCSB">Philippians 4:8-9</a> direction is given on what to think about:</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text 1Thess-5-16-1Thess-5-18" id="en-MSG-12580"><span class="text Phil-4-8" id="en-NIV-29451">Finally,
brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is
right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if
anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.</span> <span class="text Phil-4-9" id="en-NIV-29452"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text 1Thess-5-16-1Thess-5-18" id="en-MSG-12580"><span class="text Phil-4-9" id="en-NIV-29452"><i><span style="color: black;">Oh Father, help me focus on all that is good in my life and constantly be thanking You. Help me not have such a negative radar where I'm always discontent because things didn't go my way. Please empower me to have an appreciative heart for all that is good in my life.</span></i></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text 1Thess-5-16-1Thess-5-18" id="en-MSG-12580"><span class="text Phil-4-9" id="en-NIV-29452"><span style="color: black;">I'm blessed with so many resources. I drive an easy 40-minute drive to work and it provides me with an opportunity is my car to listen to Christian music and messages. Having those messages on in the car puts my mind in the right place.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text 1Thess-5-16-1Thess-5-18" id="en-MSG-12580"><span class="text Phil-4-9" id="en-NIV-29452"><span style="color: black;">I'm actually feeling really grateful right now. What a thing to be called to - Hope. I'm not primarily called to financial genius, fame, beauty, or war; I'm called to Hope. </span><i><span style="color: black;"> </span></i> </span> </span></span></span></span><br />
Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-43398036192269700172015-11-22T04:56:00.000-08:002015-11-22T04:56:44.594-08:00Endless Energey, Boundless Strength<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51hAin4gT-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51hAin4gT-L.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This is an <a href="http://www.general-ebooks.com/book/83468036-insisting-satan-take-his-fatigue-back-receiving-quick-energy-to-beat-lethargy-and-tiredness-with-new-found-inner-strength-from-god-text-messages-from-jesus-book-48-english-edition">ebook by Rob Hayes </a>(I've never read this book)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This passage that I'm focusing on today, <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+1%3A17-21&version=NIV;MSG;ESV">Ephesians 1:15-23</a>, has long been a favorite of mine. I'm especially <br />
partial to the way it reads in The Message paraphrase:<br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-15-Eph-1-19" id="en-MSG-12425"><sup class="versenum">15-19 </sup><span style="color: #073763;">That’s
why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and
your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn’t stop
thanking God for you—every time I prayed, I’d think of you and give
thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus
Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in
knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see
exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this
glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter
extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless
strength!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"> </span><span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Eph-1-20-Eph-1-23" id="en-MSG-12426"><sup class="versenum">20-23 </sup>All
this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him
on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe,
everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt
from his rule. And not just for the time being, but </span><span class="text Eph-1-20-Eph-1-23" id="en-MSG-12426"><i>forever</i>. He
is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center
of all this, Christ rules the church. The church, you see, is not
peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The
church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills
everything with his presence. </span></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-20-Eph-1-23" id="en-MSG-12426"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-1-20-Eph-1-23" id="en-MSG-12426">I've prayed this over my oldest son since 2006 when he entered into the US Army academy at West Point. I'd heard how rigorous and difficult it was there so I started praying this over him and have continued to pray this over him periodically. </span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-20-Eph-1-23" id="en-MSG-12426"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-1-20-Eph-1-23" id="en-MSG-12426">What's captivated my attention so much about this passage is the phrase "endless energy, boundless strength". I struggle in my life with being tired. I don't know if it's because I have such high pressure jobs, a thyroid condition, or I'm just a less energy kind of person. Whatever the reason, it's a huge struggle for me. I want more energy and I want it bad. Yet somehow in my life there has been a disconnect; I know the Scriptures about God giving us energy and I want to live for Him, but I still find my self oh so tired on a daily basis - why? More importantly, how can I change this?</span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-20-Eph-1-23" id="en-MSG-12426"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-1-20-Eph-1-23" id="en-MSG-12426">As I've been praying about this, reading, and researching I came across an interesting <a href="http://tasteheavennow.net/what_repent_from/strength.htm">article by Barry Hall</a>. I found these statements of his insightful:</span><br />
<br />
<div align="left" style="line-height: 150%;">
"For God to be your God, He
knows He has to presence Himself with you intensely enough for you to be
refreshed by it and be able to trust Him<b>.</b> He designed you with the needs
you have because He wants you to depend on Him--He wants to prove He can be a better God to you than the
little "gods" of this world. Repent by coming
to the place where you can trust God as your adequacy. The apostle Paul
wrote,<span style="color: #073763;"> "Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as
coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God" (2 Cor. 3:5).</span> It
is entirely realistic for you to experience the presence of God to such an
extent that this verse becomes true for you—every moment of every day. "</div>
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-20-Eph-1-23" id="en-MSG-12426"></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-20-Eph-1-23" id="en-MSG-12426"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">"</span></span><span class="text Eph-1-20-Eph-1-23" id="en-MSG-12426"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">The Psalmist wrote, <span style="color: #073763;">"...<span style="background-color: white;">O Lord God, You are my
confidence..." (Psa. 71:5).</span></span> It also says, "<span style="color: #073763;">The Lord is their strength, And He is a
saving defense to His anointed." (Psa. 28:8)</span>. Repenting by trusting
God to draw near and be your strength allows you to experience the
anointing of God.</span> <span style="background-color: white;"></span></span> </span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-20-Eph-1-23" id="en-MSG-12426"><br /></span>
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-20-Eph-1-23" id="en-MSG-12426">"</span><span class="text Eph-1-20-Eph-1-23" id="en-MSG-12426"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"> Your need can be what drives you to draw near to God and
receive His presence. "</span></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-20-Eph-1-23" id="en-MSG-12426"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-1-20-Eph-1-23" id="en-MSG-12426">"</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Repentance is a process of humbling
yourself from thinking you have to achieve His presence and simply
receive it. Repentance will help you find it easier to believe you can
draw near and receive."</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">So, what does all this mean to me?</span></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">I keep thinking about that passage from <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A4-8&version=NIV;MSG;ESV">John 15, the 4th through the 8th</a> verses:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text John-15-4" id="en-MSG-11472"><sup class="versenum">4 </sup>“Live
in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a
branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the
vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"> </span><span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text John-15-5-John-15-8" id="en-MSG-11473"><sup class="versenum">5-8 </sup>“I
am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I
with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be
abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates
from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you
make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can
be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This
is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you
mature as my disciples.<span style="color: black;"> (MSG)</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Last week I looked at how I need to come closer to God, to spend more time in the Word. I haven't done that. I haven't made myself get up earlier and I'm so exhausted by the time that I get home from work that it's a struggle to make myself walk a couple of miles on the Nordic track just so I can get some exercise into my day. Then I crash; I eat dinner in front of the TV and go to bed early.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">So it's got to be in the morning that spend more time with God. To start my day with more than 3-5 minutes reading and thinking about a devotional. I recognize that I need more. Maybe other people don't need more, but I do.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><i>Oh God, please help me. You know how I have such a hard time getting up in the morning. Please help me think about getting up to be with You instead of about getting up to go to work. I'm going to take You at Your Word and, by Your strength and ability, try this. I'm going to get up early daily for the next couple of weeks and dig into Your Word. I need more energy - please teach me how to abide in You and receive Your presence and strength. Thank You that You put up with me. Thank You that You want to be near me. </i> </span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-20-Eph-1-23" id="en-MSG-12426"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-1-20-Eph-1-23" id="en-MSG-12426"><br /></span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-69311654492464990412015-11-07T09:55:00.000-08:002015-11-07T09:55:36.689-08:00Getting my soul into a happy state<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lindseydbriggs.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/photo-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lindseydbriggs.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/photo-19.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lindseydbriggs.wordpress.com/2013/04/17/resting-on-his-promises/">Photo from Lindsy D Briggs</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Today I want to spend some time on <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%201:15-16&version=NIV;MSG;NASB;AMP;PHILLIPS">Ephesians 1:15-16</a> :<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;">ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. </span>(NIV)<br />
<br />
This stood out to me because repeatedly over the past few months God has been prompting me to spend more time in prayer for others. Repeatedly I've failed.<br />
<br />
<b>What is it about spending time in intercessory prayer that makes it so hard?</b><br />
<br />
I've been thinking about this and I've come to the conclusion that the answer to this question is: My Flesh.<br />
<br />
I want what is easy. I want what I want...be that pretty clothes and shoes, TV, food, lightweight reading, day dreams, 30 minutes more sleep in the morning...the specifics aren't what's important - it's that I want whatever it is I want, when I want it. I frequently have lacked discipline. I say I'm going to spend time in prayer, but then I don't, because I'm pursuing these other things.<br />
<br />
So I've come to this study time this morning ready for self flagellation.<br />
<br />
I'm feeling downcast and terrible. I know I'm bad. I'm ready for God to "<i>really give it to me"</i>. But you know what He does instead? As I've been researching, reading and seeking some answers, God has shown me love, grace, and hope. He's supplied me with a different recipe for victory over my flesh:<br />
<br />
<h3>
Keep my heart happy by resting in His promises</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
</h3>
God used an insightful and profound <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-war-within-flesh-vs-spirit">message</a><a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-war-within-flesh-vs-spirit"> by John Piper </a>to help me see this truth. Piper's message was taken from the text of <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%205:16%E2%80%9318&version=NIV;MSG;ESV">Galatians 5:16-18</a> :<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;">But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the
flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the
desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; for these are opposed to
each other, to prevent you from doing what you would. But if you are led
by the Spirit you are not under the law.</span>(ESV)<br />
<br />
I think these verses resound for all of us. I think we all know, all too well, the struggle between the flesh and spirit. I appreciate this insight of Piper's:<br />
<br />
"Conflict in your soul is not all bad. Even though we long for the day
when our flesh will be utterly defunct and only pure and loving desires
will fill our hearts, yet there is something worse than the war within
between flesh and Spirit; namely, no war within because the flesh
controls the citadel and all the outposts. Praise God for the war
within! Serenity in sin is death. The Spirit has landed to do battle
with the flesh. So take heart if your soul feels like a battlefield at
times. The sign of whether you are indwelt by the Spirit is not that you
have no bad desires, but that you are <em>at war</em> with them!"<br />
<br />
Earlier in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+5%3A1%E2%80%9318&version=NIV;MSG;ESV">Galatians 5:5-6</a> I find these words:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Gal-5-5" id="en-ESV-29151">For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29151L" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29151L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></sup>wait for the hope of righteousness.</span> <span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29152N" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29152N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></sup>only faith working through love.</span></span> (ESV)<br />
<br />
<span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152">It's faith, trusting in God. It's not me mastering my flesh and denying myself and using "spiritual muscle" that's going to get it done. It's me having faith in God</span><span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152">. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+3%3A1%E2%80%939&version=NIV;MSG;ESV">Galatians 3:1-10</a> really drives this truth home. The 2nd and 3rd verses especially point out this truth:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152"><span class="text Gal-3-2" id="en-ESV-29088">Let me ask you only this: <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29088C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29088C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup>Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29088D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29088D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup>hearing with faith?</span> <span class="text Gal-3-3" id="en-ESV-29089">Are you so foolish?<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-29089E" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29089E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+3%3A1%E2%80%939&version=NIV;MSG;ESV#cen-ESV-29089E" title="See cross-reference E"></a> </sup>Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by<sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-ESV-29089a" data-link="[<a href="#fen-ESV-29089a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]"></sup> the flesh?</span> <span class="text Gal-3-4" id="en-ESV-29090"></span></span></span><span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152"><span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152"> (ESV)</span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152">I grow my faith by thinking on God's Word. <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2010:17&version=NIV;MSG;ESV">Romans 10:17 </a>puts it this way:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152"><span class="text Rom-10-17" id="en-ESV-28190"><span class="text Rom-10-17" id="en-NIV-28206">Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-28206A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-28206A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup> and the message is heard through the word about Christ</span></span></span></span><span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152"><span class="text Rom-10-17" id="en-ESV-28190"><span class="text Rom-10-17" id="en-NIV-28206"><span style="color: #073763;"></span>.</span></span> (NIV)</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0097QL322/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1">George Muller</a><span style="color: black;"> had this insight</span>:</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152">"</span><span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152">I saw more clearly than ever that the first great and primary business
to which I ought to attend every day was to have my soul happy in the
Lord. The first thing to be concerned about was not how much I might
serve the Lord, or how I might glorify the Lord; but how I might get my
soul into a happy state, and how my inner man might be nourished. . . .
Now what is the food for the inner-man? Not <em>prayer</em> but, the <em>Word of God</em>." </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152">John Piper has this to say about Muller:</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152">"</span><span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152">George Müller learned the secret of walking by the Spirit: Meditate on
the precious truths of the Word of God until your heart is happy in God,
resting in his promises."</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152">That's the key!</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152">It's not about feeling guilty or beating myself. It's about seeking God first thing, getting my soul into a "happy state" resting on God's promises. I'm reminded of the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 11:28-30:</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152"><span class="text Matt-11-28-Matt-11-30" id="en-MSG-10032">“<span style="color: #073763;">Are you
tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me
and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.
Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced
rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep
company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly</span>.” (MSG)</span> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152">Currently I take about 3 minutes and read a daily devotion. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. But right now I feel God prompting me to get up 30 minutes earlier and spend more time in His Word. Given all the extreme challenges in my job, and the Spirit's urging me to engage more in prayer for my sons, I need more spiritual nourishment than I'm getting. </span><br />
<span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152"><br /></span>
<span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152"><i>Father I thank You so much that You want me to walk with You. Thank You that You don't lay anything too heavy on me. Teach me how to refrain from being religious and trying to put stuff on myself that's not from You. Teach me how to walk with You. I want to learn Your unforced rhythms of grace. I want to learn how get my soul into a happy state from time with You. I want Your love and power in my life to make a difference at my job. I want to live in freedom from my flesh; to be able to say to no to me and yes to You. I want to grow in praying for my sons and others. I can do none of this on my own. I need You. Thank You so much dear Lord. </i></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="text Gal-5-6" id="en-ESV-29152"> </span> <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-16" id="en-NIV-29223"></span><span class="text Eph-1-16" id="en-NIV-29223"><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29223D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29223D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"> </sup></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-16" id="en-NIV-29223"><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29223D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29223D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"> </sup></span><br />
Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-85353909477431647592015-10-25T12:59:00.000-07:002015-10-25T12:59:12.598-07:00Sealed by the Holy Spirit<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mysanctuarycp.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Sealed-with-the-Holy-Spirit-960x250.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://mysanctuarycp.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Sealed-with-the-Holy-Spirit-960x250.png" height="83" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo from <a href="http://mysanctuarycp.com/multimedia-archive/sealed-holy-spirit/">The Sanctuary Church</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've finally moved on in Ephesians, a little bit. Today I'm pondering <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+1%3A12-14&version=NIV;MSG;NASB;AMP;PHILLIPS">Ephesians 1:12-14</a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"> </a>(NASb):<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NASB-29219"><sup class="versenum">12 </sup>to the end that we who were the first to hope in <sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NASB-29219a" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NASB-29219a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+1%3A12-14&version=NASB#fen-NASB-29219a" title="See footnote a"></a>]</sup>Christ would be <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-29219A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-29219A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup>to the praise of His glory.</span> <span class="text Eph-1-13" id="en-NASB-29220"><sup class="versenum">13 </sup>In <sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NASB-29220b" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NASB-29220b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+1%3A12-14&version=NASB#fen-NASB-29220b" title="See footnote b"></a>]</sup>Him, you also, after listening to <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-29220B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-29220B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup>the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also <sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NASB-29220c" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NASB-29220c" title="See footnote c">c</a>]"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+1%3A12-14&version=NASB#fen-NASB-29220c" title="See footnote c"></a>]</sup>believed, you were <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-29220C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-29220C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup>sealed in <sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NASB-29220d" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NASB-29220d" title="See footnote d">d</a>]"></sup>Him with <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-29220D" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-29220D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+1%3A12-14&version=NASB#cen-NASB-29220D" title="See cross-reference D"></a>)</sup>the Holy Spirit of promise,</span> <span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NASB-29221"><sup class="versenum">14 </sup>who is <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-29221E" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-29221E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup>given as a pledge of <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-29221F" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-29221F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></sup>our inheritance, with a view to the <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-29221G" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-29221G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+1%3A12-14&version=NASB#cen-NASB-29221G" title="See cross-reference G"></a>)</sup>redemption of <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-29221H" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-29221H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></sup><i>God’s own</i> possession, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NASB-29221I" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NASB-29221I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></sup>to the praise of His glory.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NASB-29221">I notice that I see this same wording in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%204:30;2%20Corinthians%201:22;2%20Corinthians%205:5&version=NIV">Ephesians 4:30, 2 Corinthians 1:22, and 2 Corinthians 5:5</a>. All 4 of these references include wording about the Holy Spirit sealing us as God's followers. Three of these references (Ephesians 1:13-14, 2 Corinthians 1:22, & 2 Corinthians 5:5) include the idea of the Holy Spirit being our guarantee of what God has for us to experience in the future.</span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NASB-29221"></span><br />
<h4>
<span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NASB-29221"><b>As I read these verses I find myself asking what does it mean to be sealed with the Holy Spirit?</b></span></h4>
<br />
<a href="http://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/123/sealed-%E1%BC%90%CF%83%CF%86%CF%81%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%AF%CF%83%CE%B8%CE%B7%CF%84%CE%B5-in-eph-113">Bible Hermeneutics website</a> notes:<br />
<br />
The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia suggests the intended meaning is a mark of ownership by God:
<br />
<blockquote>
God by His Spirit indicates who are His, as the owner sets his seal
on his property; and just as documents are sealed up until the proper
time for opening them, so Christians are sealed up by the Holy Spirit
“unto the day of redemption” (Eph. 1:13; Eph. 4:30; 2Co. 1:22). <br />
</blockquote>
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NASB-29221"><a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/sealed-by-the-spirit-to-the-day-of-redemption">John Piper</a> explains being sealed with the Holy Spirit this way:</span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NASB-29221"><b> </b></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NASB-29221"><b> </b>"</span>contained in this word "sealed," it is a message of safety and security
in God's love and power. God sends the Holy Spirit as a preserving seal
to lock in our faith, as an authenticating seal to validate our sonship,
and as a protecting seal to keep out destructive forces. The point is
that God wants us to feel secure and safe in his love and power."<br />
<br />
In this same article, John Piper makes this point:<br />
<br />
"God's great desire for his people is that we feel secure in his love and
in his power. Everything else in life may be unstable—our health, our
family, our job, our education, our society, our world."<br />
<br />
I know that there's so much in my life that is not stable right now. I've got a DON at work who should be my partner in this business we're running for the owner. She's competent and can be very hands on and effective, but she lies and manipulates. Her lies and manipulation make life very difficult for me and sets a poor tone in our building. I'm in the midst of a class action lawsuit at work. My youngest son is trying to get an internship for this summer and has faced many rejections. My middle son has only been on the clean and sober road since April 2015. My oldest son is on a year long deployment in Korea until July 2016 - away from his wife and new baby. I have a course in which I'm currently enrolled that I have no idea how I'm going to complete all the required work prior to the deadlines. Life is just not stable. Not my life. Not anyone's life.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<b></b></h4>
<h4>
<b> What does the seal of the Holy Spirit mean to me in the midst of the instability of life?</b></h4>
<br />
1. The Holy Spirit teaches us God's truth - see<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A26-27%3BJohn+14%3A15-+17%3B1+John+5%3A6&version=NIV"> John 15:26-27, John 14:15-17, 1 John 5:6</a>.<br />
In the midst of the instability of life I can know what is real and true.<br />
<br />
2. The Holy Spirit gives us supernatural power - see <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+15%3A13%3B+Romans+15%3A19%3B+1+Corinthians+2%3A4%3B1+Corinthians+4%3A20%3B1+Thessalonians+1%3A5&version=NIV">Romans 5:13 & 19, 1 Corinthians 2:4, 1 Corinthians 4:20, 1 Thessalonians 1:5.</a><br />
In the midst of the instability of life I am not left to deal with it all on my own power. <br />
<br />
3. The Holy Spirit changes us - see <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galations+5%3A16-26&version=NIV">Galatians 5:16-26</a><br />
In the midst of the instability of life I get frustrated with myself, but if I cooperate with God, His Spirit within me will produce changes.<br />
<br />
<i>Oh Father, I need You to change me. Change my heart so that it will be completely Yours. Convict me each day when I'm making myself and/or others things ahead of You. Help me open up to You and Your Word and live my life according to Your ways. Please bring to my mind Your truth. Please help me receive Your Power so I can deal with all that is before me. Empower me so that I can see supernatural results and favor in my life. May I always bring glory to You.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><span id="ctl00_ctl00_MainContent_SubMain_lblContent" itemprop="text" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.6em;"></span> <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-4-30" id="en-NIV-29303"><sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29303C" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29303C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"> </sup></span> Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-63858329248043482602015-10-11T17:16:00.000-07:002015-10-11T17:18:14.374-07:00What does it mean to be for the praise of Christ's Glory?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.crabapplefbc.org/sites/crabappleV2/resources/1c5a0c63-3ee1-4e99-b66f-c610093ddacf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.crabapplefbc.org/sites/crabappleV2/resources/1c5a0c63-3ee1-4e99-b66f-c610093ddacf.jpg" height="164" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.crabapplefbc.org/For-the-Praise-of-His-Glory"><i>Photo from Crabapple 1st Baptist Church</i></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm still working my way through <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%201:3-14&version=NIV;MSG">Ephesians 1:3-14. </a><br />
<br />
Today what really hit me was this repeated idea found in these verses:<br />
<br />
v.6a-"to the praise of his glorious grace"<br />
<br />
v.12-"<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219">in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory."</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219">v.14b-"</span><span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221">until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.".</span></span><br />
<br />
<h3>
<b><span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221">What does it mean to be to the praise of His Glory?</span></span></b></h3>
<b><span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221"> </span></span></b><span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221">I found some insights from other writers on this topic</span></span><b><span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221">: </span></span></b><br />
<b><span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221"> </span></span></b><span style="color: black;"><span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221">* <a href="http://biblehub.com/commentaries/ephesians/1-6.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></span></span></span><b><span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221"> </span></span></b><span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221">:</span></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221"><br /></span></span>
That is, for the acknowledgment by all God’s creatures of the
gloriousness of His grace; or, in other words, for the acknowledgment
that God’s essential glory is best manifested in His grace—that He
“declares His almighty power most chiefly in showing mercy and pity.” So
in <a href="http://biblehub.com/context/exodus/33-18.htm" title="And he said, I beseech you, show me your glory.">Exodus 33:18-19</a>, to the request, “Show me Thy glory,” the answer is, “I will make my <span class="ital">goodness</span> to pass before thee . . . and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious.” (Comp. <a href="http://biblehub.com/context/exodus/34-5.htm" title="And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.">Exodus 34:5-7</a>.)
He is pleased to consider His glory best realised in the spectacle of
souls redeemed and regenerate by His grace, and to decree that it should
be thus realised for our sakes.<br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221">* Chrysostom, an early church father, said this in his <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/230101.htm">1st homily on Ephesians</a>:</span></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221"> </span></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221">The Divine nature <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08673a.htm">knows</a> no want. And wherefore then would He have us praise and glorify Him? It is that our <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09397a.htm">love</a>
towards Him may be kindled more fervently within us. He desires nothing
we can render; not our service, not our praise, nor any thing else,
nothing but our <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13407a.htm">salvation</a>; this is His object in every thing He does. And he who praises and marvels at the <a href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06689a.htm">grace</a> displayed towards himself will thus be more devoted and more earnest. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221">* <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/predestined-for-adoption-to-the-praise-of-his-glory">John Piper</a> had these thoughts:</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221">"</span></span><span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221">the glory of God is what we were made to see and enjoy for all eternity.
Nothing else will satisfy our souls. Therefore if God does not exalt
himself for us to admire and enjoy, then he is unloving. That is, he
does not give us what we need."</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221">* The <a href="http://www.reformed.org/documents/wsc/index.html?_top=http://www.reformed.org/documents/WSC_frames.html">Westminister Shorter Catechism</a>:</span></span><br />
<br />
<b>Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?</b><br />
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God,<a href="http://www.reformed.org/documents/wsc/WSC_fn.html#fn1" name="fn1" target="fn_window">[1]</a> and to enjoy him forever.<a href="http://www.reformed.org/documents/wsc/WSC_fn.html#fn2" name="fn2" target="fn_window">[2]</a><br />
<b>Q. 2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?</b><br />
A. The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments,<a href="http://www.reformed.org/documents/wsc/WSC_fn.html#fn3" name="fn3" target="fn_window">[3]</a> is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.<a href="http://www.reformed.org/documents/wsc/WSC_fn.html#fn4" name="fn4" target="fn_window">[4]</a><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221"></span></span><br />
<h3>
<b><span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221">What does being to the praise of His Glory look like in daily life?</span></span></b></h3>
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221"></span></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221">These are some thoughts that come to my mind:</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221">* Spend some time away from others and alone with God each day. During this time make sure to think on the goodness of God. Singing praises to Him and speaking aloud of His goodness. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221">* </span></span>Throughout my day praise God for all the gracious things he does and has done for me.<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221"> - God has done enough for me in Jesus that I have reason to praise Him every day.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221"> - He also gives me blessing every day if I will but take time to recognize and appreciate His blessings. The fact that I wake up in the morning, the beauty of nature around me, the small goodness in each day.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221"> - My daily thoughts should center on all the blessings of God. I should refrain from getting caught up in the negativity around me each day. I need to face reality and deal with negative things and events but I don't need to ruminate and stay in the negative things. </span></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221"> - Every day my speech should be filled with words of gratitude for God's blessings. I should constantly be appreciative.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221">* Live my life in a way that brings honor to God.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221"> - Be a person of excellence at my work.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221"> - Be a person who everyone knows that my word is as good a gold, that they can trust me because I'm honest and act with integrity.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221"> - Be a person who allows God to show me what He wants me to see in situations and and who relies on His wisdom.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221"> - Notice others. Care about the people around me in practical ways appropriate to the life situations. That might mean overlooking minor annoyances from my husband. It could mean helping out one of my department directors. It might look like me seeing that someone seems tired or discouraged and giving them encouraging words. It could mean me sending an appreciative note to someone. Taking time to listen to my son's hopes and dreams and encouraging him. Etc.</span></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221"><br /></span></span>
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><span class="text Eph-1-14" id="en-NIV-29221"><i>Oh Father, THANK YOU! I can never thank You enough for all You've done for me. Help me to notice all Your blessings in every day and to appreciate all You've done, and are doing, for me. May Your Holy Spirit in me empower me to keep my mind on those positive things and my words ones of gratitude. Oh Father may my life bring glory to Your name. Empower me please that I would be a person of excellence, honesty and integrity. Heighten my awareness to the people around me and show me ways to practically care about others. Thank You so much.</i>...</span></span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-89282327245777446592015-09-27T11:27:00.000-07:002015-09-27T11:27:10.057-07:00Glorifying of the adopting grace<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.grace-life.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Glorifying-God.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.grace-life.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Glorifying-God.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo from <a href="http://www.grace-life.org/2015/09/glorifying-god-iii/">Living Grace Fellowship</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm still thinking about <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+1%3A4-6&version=NIV;MSG;KJV">Ephesians 1:4-6. </a><br />
<br />
God loves all humanity so much that He made us the focus of His love. God loves me so much that I am the focus of His love.<br />
<br />
What affect does, or should, that have on me?<br />
<br />
I read a <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/glorifying-god-by-being-compelled-by-god-s-love">compelling post</a> on this very topic by John Piper over at Desiring God. I want to look at 3 quotes from that post here:<br />
<br />
"I think, if you said to the average American student that “being
loved” is not an experience that terminates on you, they would look at
you with perplexity and wonder: Where else would it terminate? I’m the
one being loved. How could it not finally be about me? That’s why it
feels so good — someone finally took notice of <i>me</i>. Cared for <i>me</i>. Valued <i>me</i>.
And that sense is so strong and so natural and so obvious to most
people that the thought that there might be a better way to be loved, a
more satisfying way to be loved, a stronger way, is simply
inconceivable."<br />
<br />
"God loved us in eternity before we were created, and he planned to make
us his children by adoption. And the aim of this love was “the praise of
the glory of his grace.” He <i>loved</i> us this way that we might
praise his grace. <b>The ultimate aim of our adoption is the glorifying of
adopting grace</b>. A regenerate person loves to praise God’s grace in our
adoption. A nominal Christian simply loves the natural benefits of
adoption."<br />
<br />
"The final decisive question is: Why does God, who loves us so much,
and who makes much of us so extremely, remind us again and again that he
does all this for his own glory? Why does God remind us over and over
that he makes much of us in a way that is designed ultimately to make
much of him?<br />
The answer is this: <i>Loving us this way is a greater love.</i> God’s love for us, that makes much of us <i>for his glory</i>, is a greater love than if he ended by making <i>us</i> our greatest treasure, rather than himself. Making himself our end is a greater love than making us his end.
The reason this is greater love is that <i>self</i>, no matter how glorified by God (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Rom 8.30" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Rom%208.30" target="_blank">Romans 8:30</a>),
will never satisfy a heart that is made for God. God loves you
infinitely. He sent his Son to die that he might have you, and that you
might have him (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="1 Pet 3.18" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/1%20Pet%203.18" target="_blank">1 Peter 3:18</a>).
He will not let you settle for wonderful and happy thoughts of self.
Not even a saved, glorified self. He will not let your glory, which he
himself creates and delights in, replace his glory as your supreme
treasure. That would not be love."<br />
<br />
<br />
2 Corinthians 5:14 notes that: <span class="text 2Cor-5-14" id="en-NIV-28892"><span style="color: #0b5394;">For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. </span>(NIV)</span><br />
<span class="text 2Cor-5-14" id="en-NIV-28892"><br /></span>
<span class="text 2Cor-5-14" id="en-NIV-28892"><a href="http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/049-compelledbylove.html">Roy Allen</a> notes that this word compel "</span><span style="font-size: small;">means
to powerfully urge along a line of conduct. Force is not involved, but
some impulse is so great that it evokes a strong intellectual and
emotional inclination to respond appropriately. In this case, the
impulse is the love of Christ, which is so immense that it demands a
response as complete and radical as His love for us."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">So, <b>what does a complete and radical response to this great love look like?</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2022:34-40&version=ASV;AMP;KJV;NIV;MSG"> Matthew 22:34-40</a> records when a lawyer asked Jesus what was the greatest commandment and was told that the first is for us to love God with all our heart, soul and mind. Jesus said that the second greatest commandment is for us to love our neighbor like ourselves.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/love-god-with-your-everything">Jason Rouchie</a> makes the point that "</span><span style="font-size: small;">From the heart “flow the springs of life” (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Prov 4.23" data-version="esv" href="http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Prov%204.23" target="_blank">Proverbs 4:23</a>),
and without one’s will, desires, passions, affections, perceptions, and
thoughts rightly aligned, the life of love is impossible"</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">How do I align my will, desires, passions, affections, perceptions, and thoughts?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The only way I know if through prayer, reading the Word, and gratitude. By taking time each day to bare my heart before the Lord, to be quiet, and lean in to Him. By reading His Word and thinking about it. When I watch a movie, scenes from it will play over in my mind. When I become entrenched in the Word, it changes the way I think. Living a life a gratitude causes me to look at things differently. Gratitude causes me to be on the look out for ways God is blessing me each day and to express my appreciation.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Loving people rides on the heels of loving God because God loves people.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians+5:17-19&version=ASV">2 Corinthians 5:17-19</a> tell me that I am to have a ministry of reconciliation. To <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/reconcile">reconcile</a> means to win over to friendliness, to bring into agreement or harmony, to restore. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I adore the way Peterson paraphrases some of the word in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians%204:4-5&version=NIV;MSG">Philippians 4:4-5</a> by saying that we're to </span><span style="color: #0b5394;">Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="text Phil-4-4-Phil-4-5" id="en-MSG-12502"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">These are the kinds of activities my life should be about. As I'm thinking of this some very specific life situations come to my mind:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">My medical director at work who's always trying to pull me into his alliances against other doctors or my DON. I need to stop speaking poorly about him. I need to speak words to him of ways we can work together.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">I need to not get upset at my husband when he does little things that I find irritating. I need to pray for God's strength in me to over look offenses and work to be strongly united.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">I need to seek to work together with my DON at work and leave the many problems with her integrity, manipulations and lying to God.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">I need to ask the Holy Spirit to make me aware of when I'm getting an attitude toward people or looking down on them. To quicken a desire in me to want everyone's good. </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="text Phil-4-4-Phil-4-5" id="en-MSG-12502"></span></span> <i>Oh Father, help me be completely Yours. May my will, desire, passions, affections, perceptions and thoughts be rightly aligned. Oh Father produce in me the fruit of self discipline. Help me be able to get up earlier each day so I can spend more than 5 minutes with You. Help my heart to be stayed on You all day long. Give me Your love for others. Give me Your grace that I will get into work together with people instead of alliances against them. Help me never to enter into the sin of other people but always to love them and show them that I am on their side as a human being.</i></span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-74488333814322814362015-09-26T11:05:00.000-07:002015-09-27T10:03:50.268-07:00What does it mean to be the focus of His love?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://genconyouth.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/gods-love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://genconyouth.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/gods-love.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo from <a href="http://www.raynipeavy.com/2015/02/26/we-are-the-focus-of-gods-love/">Raynie Peavy</a></i> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm still looking at <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%201:3-14&version=NIV;MSG;KJV">Ephesians 1:3-14. </a><br />
<br />
Today what stands out to me is best represented verses 4-6. I read these verses in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%201:4-6&version=NIV;MSG;KJV;AMPC;CEB">5 different versions</a>, but the way Peterson paraphrases it in The Message delights me most:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">Long before he laid down earth’s
foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his
love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided
to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took
in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his
lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">God really loves humanity, and me too.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">My head knows this but it doesn't really reach my heart every day in every way. I'm fascinated by the fact that later in this letter Paul prays that the Ephesians would be able to comprehend and experience God's love:</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">Ephesians 3:17B-18 (NIV)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><span class="text Eph-3-17" id="en-NIV-29269">I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,</span> <span class="text Eph-3-18" id="en-NIV-29270"><sup class="versenum">18 </sup>may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><span class="text Eph-3-18" id="en-NIV-29270"><span style="color: black;">Paul obviously thinks it is important that we grasp the immensity of God's love for us.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><span class="text Eph-3-18" id="en-NIV-29270"><span style="color: black;">Why is that? </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><span class="text Eph-3-18" id="en-NIV-29270"><span style="color: black;">Joyce Meyers in an<a href="https://www.blogger.com/many%20people%20don't%20really%20know%20how%20much%20He%20loves%20them,%20because%20if%20they%20did,%20they%20would%20act%20a%20lot%20differently%20than%20they%20do.%20Read%20more%20at%20http://www.christianpost.com/news/the-truth-about-gods-love-112881/#qkrTIBRf0qgHl6J4.99"> article</a> over at the Christian Post voiced my thoughts on this issue with these words:</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><span class="text Eph-3-18" id="en-NIV-29270"><span style="color: black;">"</span></span></span></span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><span class="text Eph-3-18" id="en-NIV-29270"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></span>many people don't really know how much He loves them, because if they did, they would act a lot differently than they do"<br />
<div class="copy-paste-block">
<br /></div>
<div class="copy-paste-block">
Somehow I know, deep down in my spirit, that it is understanding God's love in an experiential way that will change the way I live. I don't think that guilt, fear, or shame will do it. Only love.</div>
<div class="copy-paste-block">
</div>
<div class="copy-paste-block">
Just last week our pastor spoke about "cheap grace". He emphasized how God loves us so much and we can not cheapen his love by living in sin. The pastor was talking about people who accept Christ just to avoid hell and then live as they want. I think part of the problem is the whole hell thing. I believe that our church has it all wrong. I don't believe this God Who loves us so much just cuts us off the moment we die and shuts the gates of heaven. I believe that His love is so great that the gates of heaven are always open. If we reject him here in this life, then when we're separated from Him after death. But we're still able to come to Him. That love is so great that the need to focus on being good is gone.<br /> </div>
<div class="copy-paste-block">
</div>
<div class="copy-paste-block">
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2023:7&version=ASV;AMP;KJV">Proverbs 23:7</a> says that as we think in our hearts so we are. I believe that when I truly know I am loved, then I will experience the freedom from the bondage of sin. My response to this great love of God's for me will be to more than gladly live my life as He wants. My response will be to reach out and seek His Holy Spirit's power within me to change me and give me power over temptation and sin.</div>
<div class="copy-paste-block">
<br /></div>
<div class="copy-paste-block">
<br /></div>
<div class="copy-paste-block">
Brennan Manning, in his book <i>The Ragamuffin Gospel</i>, shares this account:</div>
<div class="copy-paste-block">
<br /></div>
<div class="copy-paste-block">
"Over a hundred years ago in the Deep South, a phrase so common in our Christian culture today, <span style="font-style: italic;">born again</span>,
was seldom or never used. Rather, the phrase used to describe the
break though into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ was "I was
seized by the power of a great affection". These words described both
the initiative of God and explosion within the heart when Jesus, instead
of being a face on a holy card with long hair and a robe with many
folds, became real, alive and Lord of one's personal and professional
life."</div>
<div class="copy-paste-block">
</div>
<div class="copy-paste-block">
I adore that phrase <i>Seized by the power of a great affection. </i></div>
<div class="copy-paste-block">
</div>
<div class="copy-paste-block">
May I be seized by the power of His great affection, His love, for me. </div>
<div class="copy-paste-block">
</div>
<div class="copy-paste-block">
<i> </i></div>
<div class="copy-paste-block">
<i>Oh heavenly father, thank You. May Your Holy Spirit in me increase my understanding and experience of Your love for me. May I be seized by Your great love for me. May this love change the way I live. May I be ever constantly shedding selfishness and self centered-ness. May I see other people as You do. May my actions toward everyone in my day be those of love.</i></div>
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><span class="text Eph-3-18" id="en-NIV-29270"> </span> </span> <br />
<br />
<br />Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-46829026245180615892015-09-07T10:51:00.000-07:002015-09-07T10:51:40.222-07:00The mystery of the church<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.agodman.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/the-church-is-the-mystery-of-christ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.agodman.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/the-church-is-the-mystery-of-christ.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from <a href="http://www.agodman.com/blog/tag/the-completing-ministry-of-paul/">A God-Man in Christ</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%201:3-14&version=NIV;MSG;KJV">Ephesians 1:3-14 </a>has many themes.<br />
<br />
Today I'm looking at this mystery referred to verse 9 (NIV):<br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-9" id="en-NIV-29216"><span style="color: blue;"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>he<sup class="footnote" data-fn="#fen-NIV-29216c" data-link="[<a href="#fen-NIV-29216c" title="See footnote c">c</a>]"></sup> made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ</span>,</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-9" id="en-NIV-29216">There are two main aspects to this mystery that I see.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-9" id="en-NIV-29216"><b>The first aspect of the mystery is that God allows everyone to be part of His church</b>. <a href="http://www.gty.org/resources/study-guides/40-5179/introduction-to-ephesians">John Mac Arthur</a> explains this part of the mystery this way: </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-9" id="en-NIV-29216">"In Ephesians 3:3 Paul expresses a key thought relative to the church, "By revelation he [God] made known to me the mystery" The mystery 'in other ages was not make known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit" (v.5). Verse 6 identifies the mystery: "That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, the partakers of his promie in Christ by the gospel." A mystery in the biblical sense is something that had been hidden in the past but is now revealed in the New Testament. the book of Ephesians presents the mystery of the church. The hidden secret of the past (v.5), revealed to Paul in the present (v.3), was that jew and Gentile alike would be one in Christ's body - the church."</span><br />
<br />
<span id="ctl00_ctl00_MainContent_SubMain_lblContent" itemprop="text" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.6em;"></span><br />
<span id="ctl00_ctl00_MainContent_SubMain_lblContent" itemprop="text" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.6em;"> </span><span class="text Eph-1-9" id="en-NIV-29216">Throughout the Old Testament we see the nation of Israel as God's people. In <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+12:1-3&version=NIV">Genesis 13:1-3</a> we see that Abraham encountered God who promised Abraham that He would make a great nation from him. Then we read in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+6:6-8&version=NASB">Exodus 6:6-8</a> about how God considered the Israelites to be His people and delivered them from Pharaoh in Egypt. Throughout the rest of the Old Testament we see Israel turning from God, and God loving them and bringing them back to Himself. In the New Testament we have the writers revealing that this great God doesn't only love Israel, but He also loves everyone else.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-9" id="en-NIV-29216">Ephesians 1:10 says (JKJV):</span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-9" id="en-NIV-29216"></span><br />
<br /><span style="color: blue;"><span class="text Eph-1-10" id="en-KJV-29217">That in the dispensation
of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in
Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-10" id="en-KJV-29217">These verses tell me that God is going to gather all things together in Christ. <a href="http://www.awmi.net/reading/online-bible-commentary/#/ephesians/1/10">Andrew Womack</a> presents the common Evangelical thought on this verse:</span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-10" id="en-KJV-29217"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-1-10" id="en-KJV-29217">"</span>The thought is that God is bringing everything together under the
headship or Lordship of Jesus. That has always been God’s purpose and
plan, and it will be accomplished. Those who do not make Jesus Christ
preeminent and Lord over their lives are entirely out of focus with the
eternal purpose of God."<br />
<br />
But I question this because the text says ALL things. It does not say only those who make Jesus Lord. To me it seems that these verses are saying that God always had a plan for humanity to be His. That there will be a time to come when God will get what He wants and ALL things will be gathered to Him.<br />
<br />
Ephesians 1:12 says (KJV):<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;"><span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-KJV-29219">That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><b>A second aspect of this mystery is that the church will be to the praise and glory of God.</b> Ephesians has this theme throughout the book. In Ephesians 2:6-7 we see it again (NIV):</span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue;"><span class="text Eph-2-6" id="en-NIV-29236">And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,</span> </span><span class="text Eph-2-7" id="en-NIV-29237"><span style="color: blue;"><sup class="versenum">7 </sup>in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus</span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-2-7" id="en-NIV-29237">So the church, those who first trusted in Christ, will be to His praise and glory and used to show His grace. <u>Who will the church show God's glory and grace to? </u></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-2-7" id="en-NIV-29237"><u><br /></u></span>
<span class="text Eph-2-7" id="en-NIV-29237">This is such a big question that I'm going to save that as a separate study.</span><br />
<span class="text Eph-2-7" id="en-NIV-29237"><br /></span>
<b><span class="text Eph-2-7" id="en-NIV-29237">What does the mystery of the church mean to me?</span></b><br />
<span class="text Eph-2-7" id="en-NIV-29237"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219">Right away two things come to mind:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"></span><span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219">Since Christ died for everyone, then everyone is important. If God sees everyone as important, than I need to as well.</span></li>
<li><span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219">Since the Church is to show God's glory, grace, and kindness, then I need to live in such a way that my life shows these things.</span><span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"> </span></li>
</ul>
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-1-12" id="en-NIV-29219"><i>Oh Heavenly Father, help me see people the way You do. Help me be aware of how my actions affect others. May Your Holy Spirit in me cause me to be more considerate of my husband and not think it's OK to be a little selfish or rude since we live together in daily life. Help me to notice the people at the store, or gas station, or where ever else I go and see ways I can practice Your grace and kindness. Help me to go through my day at work completing those tasks that I need to complete, but also help me to really see people and treat them as important. Holy Spirit please convict me when I'm getting it wrong. Please send people in my life to help me see when I'm not making people important or showing your glory, grace, and kindness. Please send people in my life who do this really well that I can learn from. May I show Your glory, grace, and kindness in my life. </i></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-9" id="en-NIV-29216"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-1-9" id="en-NIV-29216"><br /></span>
<br />
Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-72774849164672287822015-08-29T11:54:00.000-07:002015-08-29T11:56:22.978-07:00God is Good<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.scottwendal.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/God-is-good-Article-Template.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.scottwendal.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/God-is-good-Article-Template.png" height="140" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Graphic from <a href="http://www.scottwendal.com/2014/01/15/god-is-good-all-the-time/">Scott Wendall</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Ephesians 1:3 in the Message version says it this way:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">How blessed is God! And what a
blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes
us to the high places of blessing in him.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">I appreciate what <a href="http://www.gty.org/resources/study-guides/40-5179/the-believers-life-in-christ">John Mac Arthur says</a> about this verse:</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">"</span>The Greek word translated "blessed" is <u>eulogetos</u>, from which we derive the English word <u>eulogy</u>.
It means to "speak well of someone." Paul begins verse 3 by saying that
God is good. In fact, Jesus says in Matthew 19 that "there is none good
but one, that is God" (v. 17). And God is good whether we perceive Him
to be or not."<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"></span><span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><span id="ctl00_ctl00_MainContent_SubMain_lblContent" itemprop="text" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.6em;"></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>I read through Ephesians 1:3-14 this morning and thought I'd go through that whole passage. Then I started re-reading and can't get past this third verse. I want to spend some time today thinking on what the Bible has to say about God being good; what that means, what it means to me, and how it can impact how I live.</b><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><br /></span>
<b><span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">I want to look at some other places in the Bible that I'm told God is good:</span></b><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">* From the very beginning of the Bible I see God and his creative actions described in <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"></a><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%201:4,%2010,%2012,%2018,%2021,%2025&version=NIV">Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, & 2</a>5 as good.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">* <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Timothy%204:4;Psalm%20107:1;Psalm%20118:1;Psalm%20136:1&version=NIV;MSG;KJV">1 Timothy 4:4</a> speaks to the fact that both God and all He creates are good. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">* <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20119:68;Psalm%20107:1;Psalm%20118:1;Psalm%20136:1&version=NIV;MSG;KJV"> Psalm 119:68</a> tells me that God's very nature is good. </span><br />
<br />
* <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2033:5;Psalm%20107:1;Psalm%20118:1;Psalm%20136:1&version=NIV;MSG;KJV">Psalm 33:5 </a> tells me that God is so good that the earth is filled with His goodness.<br />
<br />
* <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lamentations%203:19-33;Psalm%20107:1;Psalm%20118:1;Psalm%20136:1&version=NIV;MSG;KJV">Lamentations 3:19-33</a> is one of my favorite scripture passages. The 25th verse especially speaks to the fact that God is good to those who seek after Him. Good is who God is.<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"> * Repeatedly in the Psalms we're told as God's followers to give thanks to God because He is good. To cite a few of these scriptures there's <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20106:1;Psalm%20107:1;Psalm%20118:1;Psalm%20136:1&version=NIV">Psalm 106:1, 107:1, 118:1, & 136:1</a></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">* <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2025:8-11;Psalm%20107:1;Psalm%20118:1;Psalm%20136:1&version=NIV">Psalm 25:8-11</a> tells me that God in His goodness will instruct me in how to live well</span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">*<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A16-18&version=MSG;NIV"> James 1:16-18</a> makes it clear that every good gift is from God</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><b>What does it mean that God is good?</b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><b><span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"> </span></b><span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">I appreciate how</span><span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"> <a href="https://bible.org/seriespage/20-god-so-good">Richard L.Strauss</a> explains it:</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"> "</span>First of all, God Himself is good; that is, He is
everything that God should be—the ideal person, the sum total of all
perfection. There are no defects or contradictions in Him, and nothing
can be added to His nature to make Him any better. He is excellence to
an infinite degree, possessing every desirable quality, and therefore of
inestimable value. God is good.
Because God is Himself the highest and greatest good, He is also the source and fountain of all other good."<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">God is the standard for Good.</span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><b>What does it mean to me that God is good?</b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">I want a good life. The fact that God is good; that He creates good things, shows me how to live in goodness, and gives good gifts - it all makes me want God. I want to learn about Him. I want to know Him. I want to think about Him. I want to seek after Him. I want live my life in obedience to Him.</span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><b> </b></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><b>Today I'm thinking on 2 simple things the fact that God is good means to me:</b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><b>1. God's goodness provides me with a standard of what is good</b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">There are messages all around me as to what is good and how I can obtain "the good life". Ethics in the workplace are sometimes transitory. But God is unchanging (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2023:19-20;Psalm%20102:25-27;Hebrews%2013:8;1%20Timothy%201:17&version=NIV">Numbers 23:19-20, Psalm 102:25-27, Hebrews 3:18, 1 Timothy 1:18</a>). As I learn about Him and how He functions, how He works in people's lives, what He calls me to - this shows me what is truly good. This shows me where my life focus needs to be.<b> </b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><b>2. Remembering God's goodness keeps me encouraged. </b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">Although the earth is filled with God's goodness, planet earth is fallen (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+3%3A17-19%3B+Romans+15%3A12-20&version=NIV">Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 15:12-20</a>). Life is not perfect. Stuff happens and sometimes my life is difficult. I do things that I don't want to do. I mess up and I'm disappointed in myself. I see people I know and care about encounter painful circumstances and events. I see tragedies on the news and in the world around me.</span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><b> </b></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">I could become discouraged.</span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><b></b><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">One way to keep from discouragement is to think on God's goodness.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">I appreciate these thoughts from <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/life-is-hard-god-is-good">John Piper</a>:</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">"</span><span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">when Marshall came to speak to the Wheaton alumni a few years ago down
at Wheaton and told this story, he said, at the end of his talk, summing
it all up, “Life is hard and God is good. Life is hard and God is
good.” That is the meaning of Lamentations. That is the meaning of Job.
You might say that is the meaning of the Bible. Life is hard and God is
good. And many of you are right in the midst of proving it to be so now.
At least if you would trust him, if I could persuade you this morning
that God is trustworthy in it, and if you held on to it, you would
discover that life is hard and God is good."</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>How does the fact that God is good affect my life?</b><br />
<br />
<b>Two ways I want God's goodness affects my daily life:</b><br />
<br />
<b>1. I want to be thankful (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians%205:18;Ephesians%205:20;Colossians%203:15-17;Philippians%204:6-8;2%20Corinthians%209:15&version=NIV">1 Thessalonians 5:8, Ephesians 5:20, Colossians 3:15-17, Philippians 4:6-8, 2 Corinthians 9:15</a>).</b><br />
<br />
A huge part of being thankful is choosing to focus on all the good things God's given me instead of focusing on the negative things around me.<br />
<b> </b><br />
I benefit from<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4IRgQ_lkV4"> Joel Osteen's</a> thoughts on choosing to be thankful:<br />
<br />
"Choose today to let the peace of Christ rule in your heart and have an attitude of gratitude toward the Lord. Even if you have things that are upsetting you, take a step of faith and begin to thank God for his goodness in your life. Thank Him for working behind the scenes on your behalf. As you do, you will walk forward into the life of blessing He has in store for you!" <br />
<br />
<b><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></b>
<b><span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">2. I want to show God my gratitude for His goodness by giving to others.</span></b><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"> <a href="http://www.gerhardy.id.au/pent12_02.htm">Vince Gerhardy</a> makes this great point:</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6">"The thinking of the world is that everything is mine to keep and mine to use in whatever way I choose. When God is put at the center, we realize that everything is his and he gives it to us to use not just for ourselves but for the care of others, the work of the church. As God has given to us, we start giving to others - the best way to show our gratitude.". </span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><br /></span>
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><i>Oh Father, I thank You that You are a good God. Help me to live my life in gratitude. May my heart and lips overflow with gratitude to You throughout the day. May I continually see ways I can give to others every day. May I extend Your goodness to others.</i></span><br />
<span class="text Eph-1-3-Eph-1-6"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-88180936446966548872015-08-22T11:56:00.000-07:002015-08-22T11:56:01.436-07:00Failure to follow through sometimes causes a detourSince I didn't complete my follow through from my last time in Ephesians, I want to look at some verses the Lord brought to my mind when I was praying for forgiveness just now.<br />
<br />
I read <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lamentations%203:19-33&version=NIV;MSG;NASB;NLT">Lamentations 3:19-33</a> out of 4 different versions. I'm especially delighted by the Message paraphrase of these verses:<br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="text Lam-3-19-Lam-3-21">I’ll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Lam-3-19-Lam-3-21">the taste of ashes, the poison I’ve swallowed.</span></span><br /><span class="text Lam-3-19-Lam-3-21">I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Lam-3-19-Lam-3-21">the feeling of hitting the bottom.</span></span><br /><span class="text Lam-3-19-Lam-3-21">But there’s one other thing I remember,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Lam-3-19-Lam-3-21">and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:</span></span></span> <br />
<div class="poetry top-1">
<div class="line">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="text Lam-3-22-Lam-3-24" id="en-MSG-8689"><sup class="versenum">22-24 </sup><span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span>’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Lam-3-22-Lam-3-24">his merciful love couldn’t have dried up.</span></span><br /><span class="text Lam-3-22-Lam-3-24">They’re created new every morning.</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Lam-3-22-Lam-3-24">How great your faithfulness!</span></span><br /><span class="text Lam-3-22-Lam-3-24">I’m sticking with <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span> (I say it over and over).</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Lam-3-22-Lam-3-24">He’s all I’ve got left.</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span><div class="poetry top-1">
<div class="line">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="text Lam-3-25-Lam-3-27" id="en-MSG-8690"><sup class="versenum">25-27 </sup><span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span> proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Lam-3-25-Lam-3-27">to the woman who diligently seeks.</span></span><br /><span class="text Lam-3-25-Lam-3-27">It’s a good thing to quietly hope,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Lam-3-25-Lam-3-27">quietly hope for help from <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span>.</span></span><br /><span class="text Lam-3-25-Lam-3-27">It’s a good thing when you’re young</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Lam-3-25-Lam-3-27">to stick it out through the hard times.</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span><div class="poetry top-1">
<div class="line">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="text Lam-3-28-Lam-3-30" id="en-MSG-8691"><sup class="versenum">28-30 </sup>When life is heavy and hard to take,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Lam-3-28-Lam-3-30">go off by yourself. Enter the silence.</span></span><br /><span class="text Lam-3-28-Lam-3-30">Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions:</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Lam-3-28-Lam-3-30">Wait for hope to appear.</span></span><br /><span class="text Lam-3-28-Lam-3-30">Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face.</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Lam-3-28-Lam-3-30">The “worst” is never the worst.</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span><div class="poetry top-1">
<div class="line">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="text Lam-3-31-Lam-3-33" id="en-MSG-8692"><sup class="versenum">31-33 </sup>Why? Because the Master won’t ever</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Lam-3-31-Lam-3-33">walk out and fail to return.</span></span><br /><span class="text Lam-3-31-Lam-3-33">If he works severely, he also works tenderly.</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Lam-3-31-Lam-3-33">His stockpiles of loyal love are immense.</span></span><br /><span class="text Lam-3-31-Lam-3-33">He takes no pleasure in making life hard,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Lam-3-31-Lam-3-33">in throwing roadblocks in the way</span></span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<br /></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Lam-3-31-Lam-3-33">Wow. What a great God! I'm ever so grateful for His mercy.</span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<br /></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Lam-3-31-Lam-3-33">I'm also thinking about trying a time of just "waiting for hope" when I'm stressed or struggling with temptation. Taking a few moments just for silence before God. </span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Lam-3-31-Lam-3-33"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Lam-3-31-Lam-3-33">The other passage God brought to my mind was 1 John 1:9. I read <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+1%3A5-15&version=NIV;MSG;NASB;NLT">1 John 1:5-10</a> out of 4 versions. Verses 8 & 9 out of the NIV especially speak to my heart:</span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="indent-1"><span class="text Lam-3-31-Lam-3-33"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span class="text 1John-1-8" id="en-NIV-30549"><sup class="versenum">8 </sup>If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.</span> <span class="text 1John-1-9" id="en-NIV-30550"><sup class="versenum">9 </sup>If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.</span></span></div>
<div class="line">
<br /></div>
<div class="line">
<span class="text 1John-1-9" id="en-NIV-30550">I'm so glad that He forgives me when I ask and that He makes me clean. May I take a few moments each evening to seek His forgiveness. </span></div>
</div>
<br />
<br />Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-67696462660378296332015-08-22T11:35:00.002-07:002015-08-22T11:35:40.510-07:00What's the good if I don't follow through?I'm disappointed in myself.<br />
<br />
I have not followed through with all the applications from my time in the Word last week.<br />
<br />
This is the self evaluation of my follow through:<br />
<ul>
<li>I've continued to spend time daily in the Word briefly in the morning.</li>
<li>I started a prayer journal that includes a lot of prayers for my sons, my daughter in law, some for John, some for his daughter Mary & son Troy, and for my friend Sheila.</li>
<li>I only prayed with this prayer journal X1</li>
<li>I did not pray during the work day.</li>
</ul>
<br />
What I'm going to do about that:<br />
<ul>
<li>Add items into my prayer journal for my DOR and trust receptionist</li>
<li>Start a brief time of reflection and prayer when I squeeze in a lunch break at work </li>
</ul>
<i>Oh Heavenly Father, I'm so grateful that Your mercies are new every day. Please forgive me for not following through. Thank You that Your Word assures me that You are faithful to forgive my sin and cleanse me of all unrighteousness. Thank You so much. Help me live in obedience to You. Please help me make better use of my time.</i>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8337460114788648678.post-73568986298336185502015-08-16T09:50:00.001-07:002015-08-16T09:50:17.808-07:00How can I be faithful to God?As I think about the faithfulness of the church of Ephesus I'm asking how I can be faithful.<br />
<br />
When I googled that question, I saw that Wikihow told me <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Faithful-Christian">5 steps</a> on how to be a faithful Christian: read the Bible, pray, ask myself in the situations of life what Jesus would do, avoid temptation and tempting situations, and go to church. That's not such a bad list.<br />
<br />
Promise Seed Ministries had some interesting <a href="http://www.promiseed.com/articles/stacy/ephesians/eph3.html">thoughts on faithfulnes</a>s as well. This site had some Bible verses referred to as the author made his points:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians%204:3-8&version=NIV;MSG">1 Thessalonians 4:3-8</a> - These verses talk about giving dignity to your body and avoiding sexual sin. They also talk about caring for the concerns of other people.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians%205:23&version=NIV;MSG">1 Thessalonians 5:23</a>- This verse talks about how it is God who will make us blameless.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+3%3A16-17&version=NIV;MSG">1 Corinthians 3:16-17</a> - This is the verses where we are reminded that our bodies are God's temple and that He lives in us,<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+6%3A14-7%3A1&version=NIV;MSG">2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1</a> - In these verses we are being urged to purify ourselves from everything that contaminates our body and spirit. We're urged to separate ourselves from evil things and told to not be yoked with unbelievers.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8337460114788648678#editor/target=post;postID=7356898629833618550">2 Timothy 2:14-21</a>- These verses talk about how we need to turn away from evil so we can be more useful to God. We are to do our best to present ourselves to God as people who are able to utilize His Word and do His work.<br />
<br />
The writer over at <a href="http://www.promiseed.com/articles/stacy/ephesians/eph3.html">Promise Seeds</a> put it this way:<br />
"<em style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28px;">The characteristic of faithfulness is an outgrowth of walking in the experience of this separation. </em><span style="background-color: #ffffcc; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28px;">Moreover, faithfulness concerns maturing in our relationship with God. The presence of the Lord produces the state of being called sainthood. </span><em style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28px;">Nonetheless each saint must learn to live as a reliable, dependable follower of Christ Jesus</em><span style="background-color: #ffffcc; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28px;">."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ffffcc; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #ffffcc; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28px;">There's always this balance between having a relationship with God and Him working these desired qualities into our character, and doing what we need to do to grow in these character qualities.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ffffcc; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #ffffcc; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28px;">So what do I, today, believe God is telling me to do as a response to these verses and thoughts?</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Continue spending time each morning in His Word</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Be faithful to continue in this study in Ephesians</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Talk with God more, grow this relationship. Specifically: * During my work day make a time for a meal break and spend a bit of time reflecting on the day so far, talking with God about it. * Spend some times in the evenings praying for each of my sons, my DOR, and my trust account receptionist. Maybe even write out some of these prayers.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="background-color: #ffffcc; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #ffffcc; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 28px;"><br /></span>Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15692160455833039396noreply@blogger.com0