Sometimes we just need to hear this again and be reminded of what we know. Read it aloud and let these truths permeate your heart, mind, and soul today.
Romans 8:35-39
Who can separate us from the love of Christ?
Can affliction or anguish or or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
As it is written: Because of You we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.
No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ our Lord!
It's difficult comprehend, but we can be separated from everything else, and need to live that way. It's not that we shouldn't care about other things and people: we just need to remember that it all can be taken from us. God's love can't. Much peace comes when we are secure in that knowledge.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
The Everyday
What do you do when the everyday seems to get in the way? I've had a great day here, but when it came time to write a blog, I felt I had nothing to say.
I have talked to God a lot today, though. I was thanking Him profusely for helping me to start healing. I've been in pain over the last several days and have not been able to enjoy myself very much. After pleading with the Lord - more than three times - the pain started to subside. Yesterday, every times I was at least comfortable for a half hour, I thanked Him. Today I've been able to thank Him even more, and I hope to soon be able to praise Him all day.
Even though I was praising Him, I felt as though I wasn't learning anything from Him. At first I thought that was a bit of a failing on my part. But we were created to praise and glorify Him. Sometimes in my desire to learn and grow, I forget to take more than a few hours, to worship Him.
I was feeling like my everyday life was getting in my way of learning from God, but He used it to show me that praising Him needs to be the foundation of my everyday. The learning and growing comes after that.
How are you praising God in your everyday today?
I have talked to God a lot today, though. I was thanking Him profusely for helping me to start healing. I've been in pain over the last several days and have not been able to enjoy myself very much. After pleading with the Lord - more than three times - the pain started to subside. Yesterday, every times I was at least comfortable for a half hour, I thanked Him. Today I've been able to thank Him even more, and I hope to soon be able to praise Him all day.
Even though I was praising Him, I felt as though I wasn't learning anything from Him. At first I thought that was a bit of a failing on my part. But we were created to praise and glorify Him. Sometimes in my desire to learn and grow, I forget to take more than a few hours, to worship Him.
I was feeling like my everyday life was getting in my way of learning from God, but He used it to show me that praising Him needs to be the foundation of my everyday. The learning and growing comes after that.
How are you praising God in your everyday today?
Monday, October 5, 2009
Map Quest And Sin
We are in the Washington D.C. Area right now and it's beautiful! The drive up here was very long though and since we don't make the trip that often, we printed out the directions on Map Quest. Knowing how detailed they are, I put my starting point as Murfreesboro instead of my house, but was still given minute turns from the square.
Looking at the map, I realized that were 16 different “directions”. One was for .2 miles, yet another one was for 349.0 miles, but they both counted as one direction. Isn't that just like sin? No matter how big or small the sin is, it still counts. There are longer periods we have to deal with the consequences on the "bigger" ones, but they count as a sin just same.
We have a holy God who can not have sin in presence: No matter how big or small. And we sin. So, without His grace we could not enter into His presence. Just like every .01 miles counts as a direction, every sin counts as well.
Thank you Lord for Your grace. Thank you that my sins won't travel with me to You.
Looking at the map, I realized that were 16 different “directions”. One was for .2 miles, yet another one was for 349.0 miles, but they both counted as one direction. Isn't that just like sin? No matter how big or small the sin is, it still counts. There are longer periods we have to deal with the consequences on the "bigger" ones, but they count as a sin just same.
We have a holy God who can not have sin in presence: No matter how big or small. And we sin. So, without His grace we could not enter into His presence. Just like every .01 miles counts as a direction, every sin counts as well.
Thank you Lord for Your grace. Thank you that my sins won't travel with me to You.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Praise
Sometimes there is nothing that needs to be said more than praises to God.
Psalms 34:1-10
I will praise the Lord at all times;
His praise will always be on my lips.
I will boast in the Lord;
The humble will hear and be glad.
Proclaim with me the Lord's greatness;
Let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord the Lord, and he answered me
And delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to Him are radiant with joy;
Their faces will never be ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
And saved him from all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps
Around those who fear Him, and rescues them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
How happy is the man who takes refuge in Him!
Fear the Lord, you saints,
For those who fear Him lack nothing.
Young lions lack food and go hungry,
But those who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing.
You know what else I like about this psalm? It was written by David after he pretended to be insane to keep from being captured or killed by a foreign king. Perhaps we don't praise the Lord in our insane moments enough.
Psalms 34:1-10
I will praise the Lord at all times;
His praise will always be on my lips.
I will boast in the Lord;
The humble will hear and be glad.
Proclaim with me the Lord's greatness;
Let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord the Lord, and he answered me
And delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to Him are radiant with joy;
Their faces will never be ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
And saved him from all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps
Around those who fear Him, and rescues them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
How happy is the man who takes refuge in Him!
Fear the Lord, you saints,
For those who fear Him lack nothing.
Young lions lack food and go hungry,
But those who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing.
You know what else I like about this psalm? It was written by David after he pretended to be insane to keep from being captured or killed by a foreign king. Perhaps we don't praise the Lord in our insane moments enough.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Alive
We've all heard and read that the Word of God, the Bible, is alive. Have you ever really taken the time to think that through? God is so beyond our understanding, that He is able to make specific, written words live. They don't come alive - they are alive.
Think of it: Words written 3000 years ago, still teach and speak to us in very real personal and corporate ways. That's mind blowing in and of itself. Another amazing thing to ponder is what John 1:1,14 says. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Think of it. Our God is so powerful that He can make His Words becoming living flesh and then place Himself within them to save us. It's not a metaphor - it's real. So, if we love God, we have to love His Word.
How much have you loved and appreciated Him lately?
Think of it: Words written 3000 years ago, still teach and speak to us in very real personal and corporate ways. That's mind blowing in and of itself. Another amazing thing to ponder is what John 1:1,14 says. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Think of it. Our God is so powerful that He can make His Words becoming living flesh and then place Himself within them to save us. It's not a metaphor - it's real. So, if we love God, we have to love His Word.
How much have you loved and appreciated Him lately?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)