Ten days.
This time on purpose.
Reflection.
I don't like what I see.
Lord God, help me up.
'The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.'
[Proverb 15:33]
November 30, 2009
November 19, 2009
Ch. 574 - To Thine Own Self?
This morning in class a girl prayed regarding a classmate. A peer. A friend. She said, "Sometimes we see people's true colors come out when they are upset." Paraphrased. Because I'm actually writing this on November 27. But that's the gist, if you will. Anyway.
I agree.
I mean, when people are upset, they tend to say things that are filled with passion. Emotion. And more often than not, those things are hurtful. Raw. And they follow up with something like, "I'm sorry... I didn't mean for it to sound that way. I was angry." But here's the thing. You may not have meant to say something a certain way... but chances are, the feeling behind what you said was real. It's fuel for what you say. So really, no matter how you direct something, the source remains the same.
But here's what's been bothering me.
Shouldn't we see people's true colors... always?
I think so.
I wish.
STOP HIDING.
STOP PRETENDING.
We're flawed.
We're sinful.
And even though people say 'they know' they are and so they turn to God and thus put their true selves out there because "His opinion is what matters most!"... they don't truly do so. It's evident.
We care too much about what others think of us and aren't trusting enough to confide in one another. Confess. Repent. Be encouraged and loved.
'Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.'
[Galatians 6:2]
James 5:16.
I'm simply tired of feeling like I don't see people for who they are.
It's becoming difficult to see people as the person God created them to be.
And that includes me.
I agree.
I mean, when people are upset, they tend to say things that are filled with passion. Emotion. And more often than not, those things are hurtful. Raw. And they follow up with something like, "I'm sorry... I didn't mean for it to sound that way. I was angry." But here's the thing. You may not have meant to say something a certain way... but chances are, the feeling behind what you said was real. It's fuel for what you say. So really, no matter how you direct something, the source remains the same.
But here's what's been bothering me.
Shouldn't we see people's true colors... always?
I think so.
I wish.
STOP HIDING.
STOP PRETENDING.
We're flawed.
We're sinful.
And even though people say 'they know' they are and so they turn to God and thus put their true selves out there because "His opinion is what matters most!"... they don't truly do so. It's evident.
We care too much about what others think of us and aren't trusting enough to confide in one another. Confess. Repent. Be encouraged and loved.
'Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.'
[Galatians 6:2]
James 5:16.
I'm simply tired of feeling like I don't see people for who they are.
It's becoming difficult to see people as the person God created them to be.
And that includes me.
November 18, 2009
Ch. 573 - Plea
'Hear my voice when I call, O Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. ... Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.'
[Psalm 27:7,9-10]
[Psalm 27:7,9-10]
November 17, 2009
Ch. 572 - Not Good Enough
Seven days.
Man oh man...
A lot can happen in seven days.
Say, creation.
Theories aside, that is.
As always: no excuses.
Moving forward.
So to be honest, not a lot has happened.
But that's my own fault.
I haven't been pursuing God too greatly as of late.
Because I am human.
[In other words, dumb.]
Oh, but my sincerest apologies to all you brainiacs out there...
i.e. members of Mensa.
"I'll do better."
Right, Natalie, right.
I think I can more easily answer one of my questions from my last post.
[No.]
' "Consider this, you who forget God,
or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue:
He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me,
and he prepares the way
so that I may show him the salvation of God." '
[Psalm 50:22-23]
Man oh man...
A lot can happen in seven days.
Say, creation.
Theories aside, that is.
As always: no excuses.
Moving forward.
So to be honest, not a lot has happened.
But that's my own fault.
I haven't been pursuing God too greatly as of late.
Because I am human.
[In other words, dumb.]
Oh, but my sincerest apologies to all you brainiacs out there...
i.e. members of Mensa.
"I'll do better."
Right, Natalie, right.
I think I can more easily answer one of my questions from my last post.
[No.]
' "Consider this, you who forget God,
or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue:
He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me,
and he prepares the way
so that I may show him the salvation of God." '
[Psalm 50:22-23]
November 10, 2009
Ch. 571 - Conviction [Squared]
... Shout-out.
One of my favorite professors spoke at chapel today. : ) Now, he doesn't use big, fancy words to show us that he knows his stuff. He doesn't seem to be a fan of formality and he's not always the most eloquent speaker in the school. And sometimes he says things that he probably should have thought about before letting the words come out. Yep - he's a trouble-maker... but he's impactive. Passionate. He tells it like it is. He doesn't skirt around certain issues. He doesn't sugarcoat what he believes to be important, and he challenges those around him to do better. Be better. Not just for themselves or their friends or their families or their significant others... but for God. Which is exactly what we should be doing.
We so often talk about what we're doing "for God" and the good that comes from our being Christian [or our attempting to do and be so...].
"I'm in church every Sunday!"
or
"I'm preaching the Gospel!"
or
"I'm going on mission trips!"
or
"I'm working with [church] youth!"
And that's good.
That's great.
Positive thinking, right?
"Focus on who you want to be and who you are - not who you used to be or who you aren't!" or "Think about the cans rather than the cannots!" Yadda, YADDA, YADDA.
Anyway. The thing is, I think we do need to focus on what we're not doing now and then. Bring out the negative aspects of your life on purpose, you know?
We say we're going to change [repent].
We constantly talk things up.
But we don't change.
And we certainly don't "walk the talk". Cliché, I know... but it works.
We don't focus on God.
We don't make sacrifices.
We don't give offerings.
We don't hand over everything of ourselves to Him.
Idols.
Obsessions.
They consume us.
We are surrounded by them and they affect us to a greater extent than we most likely realize. It's not necessarily about how much money or time we find ourselves investing in them; it's how far apart they separate us from our Lord God. Obviously both money and/or time aid in that separation, but we don't have to spend a terrible amount of either on our obsessions for them to come between us and God.
......
Does Christ know who I am?
What are my obsessions?
......
'Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.'
[1 Corinthians 6:9-10, emphasis my own]
One of my favorite professors spoke at chapel today. : ) Now, he doesn't use big, fancy words to show us that he knows his stuff. He doesn't seem to be a fan of formality and he's not always the most eloquent speaker in the school. And sometimes he says things that he probably should have thought about before letting the words come out. Yep - he's a trouble-maker... but he's impactive. Passionate. He tells it like it is. He doesn't skirt around certain issues. He doesn't sugarcoat what he believes to be important, and he challenges those around him to do better. Be better. Not just for themselves or their friends or their families or their significant others... but for God. Which is exactly what we should be doing.
We so often talk about what we're doing "for God" and the good that comes from our being Christian [or our attempting to do and be so...].
"I'm in church every Sunday!"
or
"I'm preaching the Gospel!"
or
"I'm going on mission trips!"
or
"I'm working with [church] youth!"
And that's good.
That's great.
Positive thinking, right?
"Focus on who you want to be and who you are - not who you used to be or who you aren't!" or "Think about the cans rather than the cannots!" Yadda, YADDA, YADDA.
Anyway. The thing is, I think we do need to focus on what we're not doing now and then. Bring out the negative aspects of your life on purpose, you know?
We say we're going to change [repent].
We constantly talk things up.
But we don't change.
And we certainly don't "walk the talk". Cliché, I know... but it works.
We don't focus on God.
We don't make sacrifices.
We don't give offerings.
We don't hand over everything of ourselves to Him.
Idols.
Obsessions.
They consume us.
We are surrounded by them and they affect us to a greater extent than we most likely realize. It's not necessarily about how much money or time we find ourselves investing in them; it's how far apart they separate us from our Lord God. Obviously both money and/or time aid in that separation, but we don't have to spend a terrible amount of either on our obsessions for them to come between us and God.
......
Does Christ know who I am?
What are my obsessions?
......
'Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.'
[1 Corinthians 6:9-10, emphasis my own]
November 9, 2009
Ch. 570 - "I am not my own."
(1 Corinthians 6:19)
Alright.
Time to focus inward.
Readying myself.
Time to reach out.
Returning.
Answers to prayer.
Patience with people.
God is faithful.
And good.
Always.
'But he who united himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.'
[1 Corinthians 6:17]
Alright.
Time to focus inward.
Readying myself.
Time to reach out.
Returning.
Answers to prayer.
Patience with people.
God is faithful.
And good.
Always.
'But he who united himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.'
[1 Corinthians 6:17]
November 8, 2009
Ch. 569 - In, Through, and With God
' "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives..." '
[John 14:27]
[John 14:27]
November 7, 2009
Ch. 568 - "I" Hate
'To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.'
[Proverbs 8:13]
'I' is Wisdom.
Interesting.
[Proverbs 8:13]
'I' is Wisdom.
Interesting.
November 6, 2009
Ch. 567 - Mismatched
How much time do I spend thinking about heavenly things, in comparison to worldly things? What are my [major] distractions from spending time with my Lord God? Annnd why do I tend to disregard certain things that are important in my growing in Christ?
I suppose I need to define importance. I also need to prioritize...
Gah.
I don't feel like I'm doing what God wants me to.
Not a pleasant feeling.
PROCLAIM.
I can't.
But I need to.
And I want to.
God will help.
I have passions.
"Fire shut up in my bones."
But sometimes I feel that they die down to mere embers.
I don't like it.
What's the fuel of the fire?
'But if I say, "I will not mention him or speak any more in his name," his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.'
[Jeremiah 20:9]
I suppose I need to define importance. I also need to prioritize...
Gah.
I don't feel like I'm doing what God wants me to.
Not a pleasant feeling.
PROCLAIM.
I can't.
But I need to.
And I want to.
God will help.
I have passions.
"Fire shut up in my bones."
But sometimes I feel that they die down to mere embers.
I don't like it.
What's the fuel of the fire?
'But if I say, "I will not mention him or speak any more in his name," his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.'
[Jeremiah 20:9]
November 5, 2009
Ch. 566 - Tough to Love? So What?
' "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. ... If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?" '
[Matthew 5:44, 46-47]
[Matthew 5:44, 46-47]
November 4, 2009
Ch. 565 - Undesired Necessity
'Blessed is the man you discipline, O Lord, the man you teach from your law.'
[Psalm 94:12]
[Psalm 94:12]
November 3, 2009
Ch. 564 - Wanted: A Jolt!
I'm tired.
I don't want to go to my afternoon classes.
I don't want to read my Bible.
I don't want to pray.
I just... don't.
I need some inspiration.
Motivation.
And whatever other cool -ation words there are that fit my situ-ation.
God is good.
I am not.
' "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good - except God alone." '
[Mark 10:18]
I don't want to go to my afternoon classes.
I don't want to read my Bible.
I don't want to pray.
I just... don't.
I need some inspiration.
Motivation.
And whatever other cool -ation words there are that fit my situ-ation.
God is good.
I am not.
' "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good - except God alone." '
[Mark 10:18]
November 2, 2009
Ch. 563 - One Body, One Goal? Eh.
Why are there unreached people groups?
"They're hard to reach..."
Agreed.
But I also believe that we always seem to think that "someone else" will do it. We may be a whole as the Church... but individual people make up that Church. And we all have our own hearts and minds. Sad as it is, we don't live as one person, as one body. We don't attempt to think with one mind in general. I mean, it's near impossible to do so, I think, because God created us to be unique and different. And that's really cool. It's just that I don't feel we all have the same vision or goal. So first of all, reaching those unreached people groups may or may not be a priority, depending on who you're talking to. Next, we are a stagnant people these days. We're lazy. We like things done quickly. We like to see results right here, right now.
"Out of sight, out of mind."
My brothers and sisters, this should not be.
Think. Pray. Wait. Go.
'And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For god was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.'
[Colossians 1:18-20]
"They're hard to reach..."
Agreed.
But I also believe that we always seem to think that "someone else" will do it. We may be a whole as the Church... but individual people make up that Church. And we all have our own hearts and minds. Sad as it is, we don't live as one person, as one body. We don't attempt to think with one mind in general. I mean, it's near impossible to do so, I think, because God created us to be unique and different. And that's really cool. It's just that I don't feel we all have the same vision or goal. So first of all, reaching those unreached people groups may or may not be a priority, depending on who you're talking to. Next, we are a stagnant people these days. We're lazy. We like things done quickly. We like to see results right here, right now.
"Out of sight, out of mind."
My brothers and sisters, this should not be.
Think. Pray. Wait. Go.
'And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For god was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.'
[Colossians 1:18-20]
November 1, 2009
Ch. 562 - Worthy in His Sight
' "O my God, I am too ashamed and disgraced to lift up my face to you, my God, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens." '
[Ezra 9:6]
' "... We are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence." '
[Ezra 9:15]
These words come from a prayer of Ezra.
I thank God that we are no longer able to follow this example of prayer. The words would be spoken in vain, because we are free from the chains of sin and guilt. Yes, we sin. But we are sanctified and thus made worthy to stand in God's presence. What's more, He lives inside of us. So even when we feel worthless... when we feel like the lowliest of life on the entire planet... when we feel unloved and unwanted... God is in our presence and we are in His.
Praise Him for His grace.
[Ezra 9:6]
' "... We are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence." '
[Ezra 9:15]
These words come from a prayer of Ezra.
I thank God that we are no longer able to follow this example of prayer. The words would be spoken in vain, because we are free from the chains of sin and guilt. Yes, we sin. But we are sanctified and thus made worthy to stand in God's presence. What's more, He lives inside of us. So even when we feel worthless... when we feel like the lowliest of life on the entire planet... when we feel unloved and unwanted... God is in our presence and we are in His.
Praise Him for His grace.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)