Matthew 5:7-8 (NKJV)
"Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God."
Well, the "outline for biblical usage" for merciful is, um, merciful. Here's my understanding of it..."Grace is receiving that which we don't deserve; Mercy is not receiving that which we do deserve." There is no commentary in my Bible about this verse, so I'm assuming everyone pretty much agrees on that basic meaning.
In many ways, I think this relates back to being meek - at least the part of it that I struggle with - I don't hold my tongue as often as I should in customer service situations, etc, and I can see how in many cases, I am presented with opportunities to be merciful. I don't think we need to be doormats when it comes to receiving what we've paid for, etc, but I do think there's a way to take care of things while still being merciful. Gonna think on this one some more...
The definition of pure in heart...
1) pure
c) ethically
1) free from corrupt desire, from sin and guilt
2) free from every admixture of what is false, sincere genuine
3) blameless, innocent
4) unstained with the guilt of anything
2) heart
b) denotes the centre of all physical and spiritual life
2) the centre and seat of spiritual life
a) the soul or mind, as it is the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavours
b) of the understanding, the faculty and seat of the intelligence
c) of the will and character
d) of the soul so far as it is affected and stirred in a bad way or good, or of the soul as the seat of the sensibilities, affections, emotions, desires, appetites, passions
I read this verse as saying that those who turn from their sin and seek God sincerely with all of who they are (verses just intellectually) will see Him. Seems easy enough, and yet I know there are sins that I'm holding on to out of selfish desire (no, no, nothing scandolous, but sin nonetheless).
Dylan is up and poking at my computer, so I'm going to end there and just spend some time in prayer.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Shane and Shane's Yearn
Kim asked if I had heard this song, because the post below about hungering and thirsting for God reminded her of it. I said no, but I have - I just didn't realize it. I couldn't find an online version of it (I only looked quickly because there's a lot going on today - we're celebrating PJ's birthday with my Mom, Mike and LinZ), but I did find the lyrics...
"Holy design
This place in time
That I might seek your face, my God
My God
Lord I want to yearn for You
I want to burn with passion
Over You, and only You
Lord I want to yearn for You
I want to burn with passion
Over You, and only You
Lord I want to yearn
Your joy is mine
Yet why am i fine
With all my singing and bringing grain
In light of Him
Oh You give life and breath
In You we live and move
That's why I sing
"Holy design
This place in time
That I might seek your face, my God
My God
Lord I want to yearn for You
I want to burn with passion
Over You, and only You
Lord I want to yearn for You
I want to burn with passion
Over You, and only You
Lord I want to yearn
Your joy is mine
Yet why am i fine
With all my singing and bringing grain
In light of Him
Oh You give life and breath
In You we live and move
That's why I sing
Thursday, September 28, 2006
More beatitudes
So I decided to just go ahead and look at the next two beatitudes...
Matthew 5:5-6 (NKJV)
"Blessed are the meek.
For they shall inherit the earth.
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled."
The definition given for meek is...
1) mildness of disposition, gentleness of spirit, meekness
Meekness toward God is that disposition of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting. In the OT, the meek are those wholly relying on God rather than their own strength to defend them against injustice. Thus, meekness toward evil people means knowing God is permitting the injuries they inflict, that He is using them to purify His elect, and that He will deliver His elect in His time. (Is. 41:17, Lu. 18:1-8) Gentleness or meekness is the opposite to self-assertiveness and self-interest. It stems from trust in God's goodness and control over the situation. The gentle person is not occupied with self at all. This is a work of the Holy Spirit, not of the human will. (Gal. 5:23)
Oh, boy. Let's just say that meekness does not come easy for me in any aspect of my life. I especially love the exhortation that meeknness "stems from trust in God's goodness and control over the situation." I wonder how often He sits up in Heaven and looks down at me just shaking His head because I can't leave a situation alone and trust that He'll take care of it??!!
The next one is one of my absolute favorite verses in all of the Bible: "Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled."
I love the word picture of hungering and thirsting after God, and I've felt that hunger and thirst acutely in my spirit, but so often I fill it with something else. WHY? I have no idea. Sometimes when I'm bored in the afternoon or evening, and I think to myself that it would be a perfect time to dig into God's Word, and then I don't. Instead I veg in front of the TV or on the Internet. What is wrong with me? Why do I push down that hunger rather than fulfilling it????
The definitions...
1) to hunger, be hungry
a) to suffer want
b) to be needy
2) metaph. to crave ardently, to seek with eager desire
1) to suffer thirst, suffer from thirst
a) figuratively, those who are said to thirst who painfully feel their want of, and eagerly long for, those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, strengthened
Some other related verses that I also love...
Psalm 42:1 (NKJV)
"As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So my soul pants for You, O God."
And the promise to be satisfied in Christ...
Revelation 7:16 - 17 (NKJV)
"They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will sheperd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away ever tear from their eyes."
And the same promise from Old Testament prophecy...
Isaiah 49:10 (NKJV)
"They shall neither hunger nor thirst,
Neither heat nor sun shall strike them;
For He who has mercy on them will lead them,
Even by the springs of water, He will guide them."
Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of Your Word. I thank you, Lord, that it is living and breathing, relevant to my life and life-changing if I simply choose to open it up and dig into it. Lord, I thank You for the Holy Spirit that opens my eyes and heart to hear what You have to say to me.
Father, please put that hunger and thirst for You back into my spirit. Lord, I want to long for You, pant after You. I want to experience an insatiable hunger and thirst that can only be filled by You and Your Word. Lord, please forgive me for pushing those feelings down and for choosing other things over time with You. I pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to convict me when I make those choices that reflect my sinfulness. Lord, thank You for not leaving me in the mud and the mire, but for lifting me up and setting my feet on the rock!
Lord Jesus, I pray also that You would teach me to be meek. Lord, I look at your life and how You, as the Son of God, came to the earth in meekness and allowed Yourself to be crucified on the cross, and I realize how very presumptuous it is of me to think that I need to stand up for my own rights in the face of unfairness. Lord, please forgive me for the times that I've done so and ruined a chance to be a witness of Your love. I pray, Lord, that the Holy Spirit would remind me of Your call to be meek and that I would be able to hold my tongue and control my actions in situations where I might otherwise feel the need to take care of it myself.
In Jesus' name, amen.
Matthew 5:5-6 (NKJV)
"Blessed are the meek.
For they shall inherit the earth.
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled."
The definition given for meek is...
1) mildness of disposition, gentleness of spirit, meekness
Meekness toward God is that disposition of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting. In the OT, the meek are those wholly relying on God rather than their own strength to defend them against injustice. Thus, meekness toward evil people means knowing God is permitting the injuries they inflict, that He is using them to purify His elect, and that He will deliver His elect in His time. (Is. 41:17, Lu. 18:1-8) Gentleness or meekness is the opposite to self-assertiveness and self-interest. It stems from trust in God's goodness and control over the situation. The gentle person is not occupied with self at all. This is a work of the Holy Spirit, not of the human will. (Gal. 5:23)
Oh, boy. Let's just say that meekness does not come easy for me in any aspect of my life. I especially love the exhortation that meeknness "stems from trust in God's goodness and control over the situation." I wonder how often He sits up in Heaven and looks down at me just shaking His head because I can't leave a situation alone and trust that He'll take care of it??!!
The next one is one of my absolute favorite verses in all of the Bible: "Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled."
I love the word picture of hungering and thirsting after God, and I've felt that hunger and thirst acutely in my spirit, but so often I fill it with something else. WHY? I have no idea. Sometimes when I'm bored in the afternoon or evening, and I think to myself that it would be a perfect time to dig into God's Word, and then I don't. Instead I veg in front of the TV or on the Internet. What is wrong with me? Why do I push down that hunger rather than fulfilling it????
The definitions...
1) to hunger, be hungry
a) to suffer want
b) to be needy
2) metaph. to crave ardently, to seek with eager desire
1) to suffer thirst, suffer from thirst
a) figuratively, those who are said to thirst who painfully feel their want of, and eagerly long for, those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, strengthened
Some other related verses that I also love...
Psalm 42:1 (NKJV)
"As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So my soul pants for You, O God."
And the promise to be satisfied in Christ...
Revelation 7:16 - 17 (NKJV)
"They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will sheperd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away ever tear from their eyes."
And the same promise from Old Testament prophecy...
Isaiah 49:10 (NKJV)
"They shall neither hunger nor thirst,
Neither heat nor sun shall strike them;
For He who has mercy on them will lead them,
Even by the springs of water, He will guide them."
Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of Your Word. I thank you, Lord, that it is living and breathing, relevant to my life and life-changing if I simply choose to open it up and dig into it. Lord, I thank You for the Holy Spirit that opens my eyes and heart to hear what You have to say to me.
Father, please put that hunger and thirst for You back into my spirit. Lord, I want to long for You, pant after You. I want to experience an insatiable hunger and thirst that can only be filled by You and Your Word. Lord, please forgive me for pushing those feelings down and for choosing other things over time with You. I pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to convict me when I make those choices that reflect my sinfulness. Lord, thank You for not leaving me in the mud and the mire, but for lifting me up and setting my feet on the rock!
Lord Jesus, I pray also that You would teach me to be meek. Lord, I look at your life and how You, as the Son of God, came to the earth in meekness and allowed Yourself to be crucified on the cross, and I realize how very presumptuous it is of me to think that I need to stand up for my own rights in the face of unfairness. Lord, please forgive me for the times that I've done so and ruined a chance to be a witness of Your love. I pray, Lord, that the Holy Spirit would remind me of Your call to be meek and that I would be able to hold my tongue and control my actions in situations where I might otherwise feel the need to take care of it myself.
In Jesus' name, amen.
It's so easy to get off track...
Well, I didn't really have a quiet time yesterday, and because I had made a commitment to do it, not doing so really affected my whole day. I have figured out that the problem stems from having work to do in the morning. I have two short 5-minute segments each morning yesterday through tomorrow this week, and I got wrapped up in those instead of my quiet time. Even though they don't take a long time, it was still enough to throw everything off. So I think I won't be taking on any more morning work for awhile!
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Psalm 39:4-6 (NKJV)
"'Lord, make me to know my end,
And what is the measure of my days,
That I may know how frail I am.
Indeed You have made my days as handbreadths,
And my age is as nothing before You;
Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor.
Surely every man walks about like a shadow;
Sureley they bust themselves in vain;
He heaps up riches,
And does not know who will gather them.'"
And what is the measure of my days,
That I may know how frail I am.
Indeed You have made my days as handbreadths,
And my age is as nothing before You;
Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor.
Surely every man walks about like a shadow;
Sureley they bust themselves in vain;
He heaps up riches,
And does not know who will gather them.'"
Psalm 38:17-18 (NKJV)
"For I am ready to fall,
And my sorrow is continually before me.
For I will declare my iniquity;
I will be in anguish over my sin."
And my sorrow is continually before me.
For I will declare my iniquity;
I will be in anguish over my sin."
Psalm 32:3-5 (NKJV)
"When I kept silent, my bones grew old
Through my groaning all the day long.
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was turned into the drought of summer.
I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,'
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin."
Through my groaning all the day long.
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was turned into the drought of summer.
I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,'
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin."
Hymns!
Wow, I am so excited this morning. I absolutely LOVE hymns. I have been meaning to get a hymnal for some time now, and I think I would like to start collecting them (you can get beautiful ones, 100 years old and older, off eBay). Anyway, this morning I realized that www.blueletterbible.org now has some hymns linked to certain verses. That got me thinking, and so I did a Google search, and there are tons of hymn sites on the web. I spent 20 minutes just now going through and singing some of the ones on this site. Okay, I didn't actually sing out loud because the music was coming through my headphones, and I didn't want to wake the dead. Yeah, while I love to sing, I'm one of those people the pastor is referring to when he says God doesn't care what you sound like! I'm slightly kidding in that I can carry a tune if I have music, but I just don't have a very pretty voice, especially at the key that most of these hymns were recorded at, and everybody else in my house is still sleeping!
Beatitudes
I have always loved the Beatitudes, and yesterday I transcribed a sermon focusing on the first two...
Matthew 5:3-4 ->
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted."
The pastor, who did indeed sound as though he had reached a place of being poor in spirit and mournful compared with other sermons of his I have transcribed, talked about begging God to make him poor in spirit, or humble, and to cause him to mourn the sins in his life.
This morning, this is my prayer to God, that He would humble me before Him, that I would realize with a growing awareness how little I am in the sight of the Almighty God and yet be filled with awe that He would love me with perfect love and send His Son to die on the cross for me. It's not that I don't realize these things intellectually, but I wonder if I would struggle to get up for my quiet time if I truly, truly believed them in my heart. I wonder if I would let a single opportunity go by without sharing the love of Christ with someone if I had reached that place...
I also pray that the Holy Spirit would convict my heart of any and all sin in my life. It's so easy to look at myself and think, "Hey, I'm doing pretty good," when the reality is I am a wretched sinner in need of forgiveness every moment of every day. I am afraid that if He were to show me all of my sin at once, it would be an unbearable load, and yet I do want to be on my face, mourning before God, that I might realize my need for Him and repent.
Matthew 5:3-4 ->
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted."
The pastor, who did indeed sound as though he had reached a place of being poor in spirit and mournful compared with other sermons of his I have transcribed, talked about begging God to make him poor in spirit, or humble, and to cause him to mourn the sins in his life.
This morning, this is my prayer to God, that He would humble me before Him, that I would realize with a growing awareness how little I am in the sight of the Almighty God and yet be filled with awe that He would love me with perfect love and send His Son to die on the cross for me. It's not that I don't realize these things intellectually, but I wonder if I would struggle to get up for my quiet time if I truly, truly believed them in my heart. I wonder if I would let a single opportunity go by without sharing the love of Christ with someone if I had reached that place...
I also pray that the Holy Spirit would convict my heart of any and all sin in my life. It's so easy to look at myself and think, "Hey, I'm doing pretty good," when the reality is I am a wretched sinner in need of forgiveness every moment of every day. I am afraid that if He were to show me all of my sin at once, it would be an unbearable load, and yet I do want to be on my face, mourning before God, that I might realize my need for Him and repent.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Psalm 16:1-2, 5-11 (NKJV)
"Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.
O my soul, you have said to the Lord,
"You are my Lord,
My goodness is nothing apart from You."
O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You maintain my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance.
I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;
My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
I have set the Lord aways before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
For You will not leave me soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures evermore."
O my soul, you have said to the Lord,
"You are my Lord,
My goodness is nothing apart from You."
O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You maintain my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance.
I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;
My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
I have set the Lord aways before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
For You will not leave me soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures evermore."
Psalm 12:6-7 (NKJV)
"The words of the Lord are pure words,
Like silver tried in a furnace of earth,
Purified seven times.
You shall keep them, O Lord,
You shall preserve them from this generation."
Like silver tried in a furnace of earth,
Purified seven times.
You shall keep them, O Lord,
You shall preserve them from this generation."
Psalm 5:1-3, 7-8, 11-12 (NKJV)
"Give ear to my words, O Lord,
Consider my meditation.
Give heed to the voice of my cry,
My King and my God,
For to You will I pray.
My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord;
In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up.
"But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;
In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.
Lead me, O Lord, in Your rightesousness because of my enemies;
Make Your way straight before my face.
"But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;
Let those also who love Your name
Be joyful in You.
For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him with a shield
Consider my meditation.
Give heed to the voice of my cry,
My King and my God,
For to You will I pray.
My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord;
In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up.
"But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;
In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.
Lead me, O Lord, in Your rightesousness because of my enemies;
Make Your way straight before my face.
"But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;
Let those also who love Your name
Be joyful in You.
For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him with a shield
My right to sleep...
Well, this morning as I lay in bed contemplating getting up for my quiet time, I realized that I've taken sleep and made it an idol in my life. How can something I don't get be an idol??? :P I often set my alarm to get up for my quiet time and then when it goes off, I am simply too tired. God cannot possibly expect me to get up without getting enough sleep just to do my devotions...could He?
I would not even presume to say what He would have you do in a moments like this because one thing I have learned intimately over the last year is that He calls different people to do different things, and when we begin to judge others in their relationship with Christ, it is simply a reflection on our own sin and weakness. 1 Corinthians 8 talks about God convicting some people not to eat meat that had been offered to idols while others could look at it as just food and eat it without stumbling.
Anyway, for some reason, this is what God has convicted my heart, and I would be lying to say I was glad! Morning by morning, however, I am going to do my best to keep my priorities in proper order, which means getting up for my quiet time regardless of how tired I am. I'm sure I will fail, but I pray that He would love me more perfectly than I even love my two year old and patiently show me again and again.
So this morning I got up before my alarm. I did not want to, but I found myself anxious to begin what promises to be a trying day, as I definitely got very little sleep last night (Dylan has her first cold and was up with a stuffy nose all night). I was praying, "Lord, please show me how you would have me begin my day," as my Bible studies have not yet arrived. So I decided to start with some journaling to clear my thoughts.
Another thing God has been showing me is that the way I pray about sleep is ineffective because it is so me-centered. You see, on those nights when one or both girls is not sleeping well, I find myself begging God, "Please let her go back to sleep. Please, help her sleep. Please, Lord, make her sleep for just three hours." The Holy Spirit showed me quite clearly that what I need to be praying is, "Lord, please give me the strength to make it through this night. Please strengthen me as I face tomorrow. Give me peace. Help me to be the mother You've called me to be."
To tell the truth, although I have been praying this for the past few nights, I am scared to do so. Why, you ask...well, sometimes when you pray for such things (as in the case of patience), God answers the prayer not by magically providing the thing you're praying for but by providing you with a multitude of opportunities to practice it. EEK! So along with my prayer for strength, I have also been reminding God that He knows how much I can handle and promises not to give me any more than that!
Anyway, those are just some lessons I'm learning. I think what I will do now is read some Psalms and spend some time just in communion with my God!
I would not even presume to say what He would have you do in a moments like this because one thing I have learned intimately over the last year is that He calls different people to do different things, and when we begin to judge others in their relationship with Christ, it is simply a reflection on our own sin and weakness. 1 Corinthians 8 talks about God convicting some people not to eat meat that had been offered to idols while others could look at it as just food and eat it without stumbling.
Anyway, for some reason, this is what God has convicted my heart, and I would be lying to say I was glad! Morning by morning, however, I am going to do my best to keep my priorities in proper order, which means getting up for my quiet time regardless of how tired I am. I'm sure I will fail, but I pray that He would love me more perfectly than I even love my two year old and patiently show me again and again.
So this morning I got up before my alarm. I did not want to, but I found myself anxious to begin what promises to be a trying day, as I definitely got very little sleep last night (Dylan has her first cold and was up with a stuffy nose all night). I was praying, "Lord, please show me how you would have me begin my day," as my Bible studies have not yet arrived. So I decided to start with some journaling to clear my thoughts.
Another thing God has been showing me is that the way I pray about sleep is ineffective because it is so me-centered. You see, on those nights when one or both girls is not sleeping well, I find myself begging God, "Please let her go back to sleep. Please, help her sleep. Please, Lord, make her sleep for just three hours." The Holy Spirit showed me quite clearly that what I need to be praying is, "Lord, please give me the strength to make it through this night. Please strengthen me as I face tomorrow. Give me peace. Help me to be the mother You've called me to be."
To tell the truth, although I have been praying this for the past few nights, I am scared to do so. Why, you ask...well, sometimes when you pray for such things (as in the case of patience), God answers the prayer not by magically providing the thing you're praying for but by providing you with a multitude of opportunities to practice it. EEK! So along with my prayer for strength, I have also been reminding God that He knows how much I can handle and promises not to give me any more than that!
Anyway, those are just some lessons I'm learning. I think what I will do now is read some Psalms and spend some time just in communion with my God!
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Devotionals/Bible studies
Well, I have prayed and prayed that God would show me what to do in my quiet times. I have tried a bazillion different things, and none quite seem to hit the spot, and I never stick with anything for too long. So, He has provided more than enough fodder for Bible study and conversation with Him through several Bible studies.
I am currently committing to 30 days of prayer for Muslims during Ramadan as well as learning more about their culture and beliefs. My sister and I are doing this together, using this site.
LinZ and I are also doing this Bible study together: Purity Challenge, Training Youth in the Battle for Purity, from Setting Captives Free.
My play group/small group is also going to start a new Bible study as soon as our small group leader decides on a study and gets it okay'd with our pastor.
Finally, I would really like to do this study from Setting Captives Free as well: The Lord's Table. Now, I don't really have a weight issue, so this may seem like a funny study for me to be doing, but I have been convicted that food plays an entirely unhealthy role in my life, and I believe that God desires for me to go through this study. It will have to wait until the Ramadan study ends, though, because I don't think I can add any more to my plate!
I am currently committing to 30 days of prayer for Muslims during Ramadan as well as learning more about their culture and beliefs. My sister and I are doing this together, using this site.
LinZ and I are also doing this Bible study together: Purity Challenge, Training Youth in the Battle for Purity, from Setting Captives Free.
My play group/small group is also going to start a new Bible study as soon as our small group leader decides on a study and gets it okay'd with our pastor.
Finally, I would really like to do this study from Setting Captives Free as well: The Lord's Table. Now, I don't really have a weight issue, so this may seem like a funny study for me to be doing, but I have been convicted that food plays an entirely unhealthy role in my life, and I believe that God desires for me to go through this study. It will have to wait until the Ramadan study ends, though, because I don't think I can add any more to my plate!
Things to blog about...
These are some things I'd like to blog about in the coming days (weeks???)...these are all things that I've been thinking about but have not made the time to blog about on the other blog.
1. An evangelical rosary (how's that for an attention grabber?)
2. Christian narcissism (thanks, Pastor Mike, for this one!)
3. My purpose in life
4. Balance
5. Do I truly love Christ?
6. Purity
1. An evangelical rosary (how's that for an attention grabber?)
2. Christian narcissism (thanks, Pastor Mike, for this one!)
3. My purpose in life
4. Balance
5. Do I truly love Christ?
6. Purity
A new blog
Well, I've decided to start a new blog. Why, you ask?
1. We are currently going through a sermon series at church called Revolution. Today's message was about a revolution in us and being part of a revolution. I want to reflect Christ's love every single day to others, and I want others to see His work in me and be drawn to Him, not because of who I am but because of Him in me! As a work at home mom of two under two (for 9 more days!), the Internet is my best chance to connect with others on a regular basis!
2. In order to go to the next level with Christ, I know I need to have DAILY quiet times with Him. Oh, I try, but I fail more often than I succeed. It's not that He's not a part of my daily life, because He is. I am in constant communication with God my Father, Christ His Son, and the Holy Spirt on a daily basis through prayer. But I rarely find the time to sit down and just rest in His presence and listen to what He has to say to me. This is what I crave.
3. I plan to use this blog as a daily journal of sorts to share my struggles and victories and the lessons He's teaching me for several reasons:
1. We are currently going through a sermon series at church called Revolution. Today's message was about a revolution in us and being part of a revolution. I want to reflect Christ's love every single day to others, and I want others to see His work in me and be drawn to Him, not because of who I am but because of Him in me! As a work at home mom of two under two (for 9 more days!), the Internet is my best chance to connect with others on a regular basis!
2. In order to go to the next level with Christ, I know I need to have DAILY quiet times with Him. Oh, I try, but I fail more often than I succeed. It's not that He's not a part of my daily life, because He is. I am in constant communication with God my Father, Christ His Son, and the Holy Spirt on a daily basis through prayer. But I rarely find the time to sit down and just rest in His presence and listen to what He has to say to me. This is what I crave.
3. I plan to use this blog as a daily journal of sorts to share my struggles and victories and the lessons He's teaching me for several reasons:
- I want to be able to look back and see how far God has brought me over time. I want to see answers to prayers, victories in my life and the lessons I've learned.
- I believe that others might benefit from not only my struggles but Christ's work in me and the victories over those struggles.
- I hate writing in a journal by hand, but we all know I'm log winded and love to blog. I also think committing to blogging daily will provide me with some accountability.
4. Finally, I need to start a second blog so that I can start catching up with Sarah. (Just kidding....kinda!)
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