I love to do word studies to learn where words originate.
In the definition of the word restoration, we find that something once beautiful, though it lost it's glory, is now being put back together.
I wonder about the breakdown of the syllables which isolates the four letter word REST. I don't know if this is any root of the word but I find it's solo meaning ironically fitting. While we must work to restore something completely, we must also realize that good work is not to be done without some measure of rest. The LORD Himself rested after creating the world and commanded in the OT that peoplet take a day of rest. In the NT we are assured that we can come to Jesus, weary as we often are, as He will give us rest (which we know brings much restoration).
My co worker was explaining to me just yesterday, with a twinkle in her eye, all the highs and lows of restoring the house her and her special friend are working on. My distracted mind went on to think of the endless reality shows presenting multimillion dollar projects that many Americans sit on their back breaking couches to watch, while those on the screen endeavor to polish up the "junk in their lives." It is fun to watch the joy in their faces throughout the process of restoring all kinds of old things; houses, antiques, and so on...
Many people do this for a hobby; some, to save from having to buy a new house, but I'm sure in some way, they all come away with the same satisfying feeling. I thought "what a perfect portrayal of what Christ is doing in all of our lives?" He takes us; dirty, broken and empty, and renovates us from the inside out. He builds us up again upon the love He offers and the new life Him that promises hope and brings joy that is wrought from within, which is then ever beckoning to burst out and appear on our faces and shine in circumstancial disaster.
What once was lost, now is found; what was blind, now sees.
"Though our sins are as scarlet, they shall be white as snow."
"Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin left a crimson stain, HE washed it white as snow."
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
According to your faith...
Many times in Jesus' ministry we saw Him heal, and it was usually (if not always) connected to their ability to believe. In Matthew 9 He says to the blind men "Do you believe that I am able to do this?"
Upon their unanimous "yes," He went on to say "According to your faith let it be to you."
Praise God we have this simple yet magnanimous power invested in us by the grace of God by the power of His Spirit to ever even begin to believe! While the world we walk in is often hopeless, His light shines SO bright wherever He chooses upon when able to see it, we can have but only one response to our Master in Heaven; "Yes God!" ...but we must first believe.
The eyes of our hearts once darkened must be begged open. As He offers us life and deliverance from the powers of darkness to convey us into the kingdom of the rich life He offers us in Christ (Colossians), we can step forward in faith that He will accomplish all that He wants and wills when we ask it in and FOR His name and according to the faith that is in us.
Our church prayer night last night was so uplifting. Praying Scripture with fellow believers is hands down one of the best things we can do with our lives. It offers hope to all; both those praying and those prayed for. If done right, we will not stop at small things but lift of those of our world who are hurting and in need; therefore no one will go unnamed, and the Spirit will intercede for us where and when He knows what we desire, yet have not the words, time or capacity to accomplish.
And so let the theme of our lives be ever praise to Him and let the words of our mouths always be "praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below!..." We can and must believe as He is a God of infinite might which we can only behold once we take the leap of faith in belief and prayer so often written of in His Word. For then and only then, can we cross over from darkness into light.
Upon their unanimous "yes," He went on to say "According to your faith let it be to you."
Praise God we have this simple yet magnanimous power invested in us by the grace of God by the power of His Spirit to ever even begin to believe! While the world we walk in is often hopeless, His light shines SO bright wherever He chooses upon when able to see it, we can have but only one response to our Master in Heaven; "Yes God!" ...but we must first believe.
The eyes of our hearts once darkened must be begged open. As He offers us life and deliverance from the powers of darkness to convey us into the kingdom of the rich life He offers us in Christ (Colossians), we can step forward in faith that He will accomplish all that He wants and wills when we ask it in and FOR His name and according to the faith that is in us.
Our church prayer night last night was so uplifting. Praying Scripture with fellow believers is hands down one of the best things we can do with our lives. It offers hope to all; both those praying and those prayed for. If done right, we will not stop at small things but lift of those of our world who are hurting and in need; therefore no one will go unnamed, and the Spirit will intercede for us where and when He knows what we desire, yet have not the words, time or capacity to accomplish.
And so let the theme of our lives be ever praise to Him and let the words of our mouths always be "praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below!..." We can and must believe as He is a God of infinite might which we can only behold once we take the leap of faith in belief and prayer so often written of in His Word. For then and only then, can we cross over from darkness into light.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Learning How to Die
"He takes our bodies slow..."
The song by Jon Foreman, telling the truth of our very temporal lives as we ought to consider and realize. Our bodies begin to break down once finally fully grown. I realize this now as I'm about at the point where youth begins to while yes "change" is one way to look at it, I believe "fade" is more accurate.
To witness the purity and innocense of three year olds daily with their blemish free and soft seemingly perfect skin, is a falsehood to believe that they should last forever. At the peak of our prime, from 18 to 30, unfortunately often the toils of life begin to snare...and we must know that this shell is not to last.
Oh how I look forward to the perks of eternity, selfishly speaking, to gain resilience and energy everlasting. Yet eternity is only as great as it will be because God is there; we must remember.
He is our sole joy and purpose in life, and as our bodies reflect their perfect creator' THIS is what we must rejoice in; His perfection and ability to create a handiwork that much resembles the kind of God He is.
Thank you God for this life, but may we hold high above anything this world has to offer, the esteem for eternal riches in You and Your glory. May we endure the suffering for a night as true joy comes in the morning!
The song by Jon Foreman, telling the truth of our very temporal lives as we ought to consider and realize. Our bodies begin to break down once finally fully grown. I realize this now as I'm about at the point where youth begins to while yes "change" is one way to look at it, I believe "fade" is more accurate.
To witness the purity and innocense of three year olds daily with their blemish free and soft seemingly perfect skin, is a falsehood to believe that they should last forever. At the peak of our prime, from 18 to 30, unfortunately often the toils of life begin to snare...and we must know that this shell is not to last.
Oh how I look forward to the perks of eternity, selfishly speaking, to gain resilience and energy everlasting. Yet eternity is only as great as it will be because God is there; we must remember.
He is our sole joy and purpose in life, and as our bodies reflect their perfect creator' THIS is what we must rejoice in; His perfection and ability to create a handiwork that much resembles the kind of God He is.
Thank you God for this life, but may we hold high above anything this world has to offer, the esteem for eternal riches in You and Your glory. May we endure the suffering for a night as true joy comes in the morning!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
He set the captives free!
As Christ must assuredly came to deliver us from evil and bring glory to His Name, we should find ourselves more "prostrate in the dust" before Him in humble gratitude than we many times are. He tells us that He came that we "may have life and have it to the full" in John 10. In Isaiah, the foreshadowing of His coming presented for us the hope of "good tidings to the poor, healing for the brokenhearted, and liberty for the captives!"
Yesterday I went to the maximum security prison in Raleigh for a training to enable me access on future occasions. Our church is beginning a ministry to share in the lives of women and men in prison whom are so desperately broken. We know our place in this world and as sinners as awful as they, though we've perhaps not gone to the extent that they have in regard to choices, we are equally inadequate before our God as they, and carry the same hope for salvation!
As our hearts go out to them to see the forgiveness that we have been shown, we know we must remember when we are in a prison and they are there for a reason! But we know we've been given second, third and many more chances to repent of our sin and want them to know the same. Their physical surroundings they may not be able to change, but as we know that is not where true joy lays. There lays yet a potential of real and true freedom from what has imprisoned them in the first place, carrying with it the hope of redemption!
THIS is what I hope to help relay and as many other women of all ages, races and religions poured in the room for our elongated textbook training, there was a sense of sweet fellowship that filled the room. The intentions of empathetic hearts attempted to go where they had not gone before, to show a love we are so grateful to know, to a world that has yet to grab hold of what they are so longing for.
We ourselves were sinners, slaves to sin, but set free by the power of the Holy Spirit and His love, His Word, and His work in our lives.
LORD Jesus, thank you for setting us free from the bondage of sin and give us wisdom to to enable others to take hold of this wonderful truth by the power and for the glory of your Name!
Yesterday I went to the maximum security prison in Raleigh for a training to enable me access on future occasions. Our church is beginning a ministry to share in the lives of women and men in prison whom are so desperately broken. We know our place in this world and as sinners as awful as they, though we've perhaps not gone to the extent that they have in regard to choices, we are equally inadequate before our God as they, and carry the same hope for salvation!
As our hearts go out to them to see the forgiveness that we have been shown, we know we must remember when we are in a prison and they are there for a reason! But we know we've been given second, third and many more chances to repent of our sin and want them to know the same. Their physical surroundings they may not be able to change, but as we know that is not where true joy lays. There lays yet a potential of real and true freedom from what has imprisoned them in the first place, carrying with it the hope of redemption!
THIS is what I hope to help relay and as many other women of all ages, races and religions poured in the room for our elongated textbook training, there was a sense of sweet fellowship that filled the room. The intentions of empathetic hearts attempted to go where they had not gone before, to show a love we are so grateful to know, to a world that has yet to grab hold of what they are so longing for.
We ourselves were sinners, slaves to sin, but set free by the power of the Holy Spirit and His love, His Word, and His work in our lives.
LORD Jesus, thank you for setting us free from the bondage of sin and give us wisdom to to enable others to take hold of this wonderful truth by the power and for the glory of your Name!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Songs of Scripture
There is nothing like reading the Word and a song pops up in your head. Music is a gift from God that I don't think we can thank Him enough for. What a blessing to help memorize!
John Foreman has multiple songs that ring in my head when reading Scripture.
God is my shepherd, I won't be wanting.
He makes me rest in fields of green, and quiet streams.
Even while I'm walking through the valley of death and dying.
I will not fear cause you are with me, you're always with me.
Shepherds staff comforts me....
So uplifting to the soul!
He also writes of this life in ways that bring to our minds the "ought-i-tude" I like to call it. We ought to think on these things; "a mirror is much harder to hold," "Learning How to Die," and so many more.
Thank God for language that expresses only the surface of the truth that lies at the feet of our lives' purpose. Thank God for His Spirit who intercedes for us as our words cannot express even the slightest of what He deserves.
But oh the mercy that follows us...just as the song also says "surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Amen.
John Foreman has multiple songs that ring in my head when reading Scripture.
God is my shepherd, I won't be wanting.
He makes me rest in fields of green, and quiet streams.
Even while I'm walking through the valley of death and dying.
I will not fear cause you are with me, you're always with me.
Shepherds staff comforts me....
So uplifting to the soul!
He also writes of this life in ways that bring to our minds the "ought-i-tude" I like to call it. We ought to think on these things; "a mirror is much harder to hold," "Learning How to Die," and so many more.
Thank God for language that expresses only the surface of the truth that lies at the feet of our lives' purpose. Thank God for His Spirit who intercedes for us as our words cannot express even the slightest of what He deserves.
But oh the mercy that follows us...just as the song also says "surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Amen.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Wisdom from King Solomon and the pen of Paul
These two writers wrote some of my favorite passages; they are simple, to the point and very applicable!
Proverbs says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom. SO we know that as we revere our God and come to know Him all the more we will indeed increase in wisdom.
As we lead our lives, or follow them, we find that through the mundane and cyclical pattern that it rolls on it can be a bit tolling on our bodies and minds. I've also been reaffirmed by the messages by my father in law Ken Rudolph, as he spoke recently on the Lord's Prayer and the part we must beg God daily for our daily bread in a world where we are so in need of His help. Give us this day our "daily bread! And lead us not into temptation!" and so on. We cannot get away from the curse in this world yet can and must cling to the hope, truth and wisdom that helps us along and that gives us joy amidst it all!
Ecclesiastes also says that in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases in knowledge increases sorrow. I think this is because just as we are more aware of the curse around us, the hope of our present life fades extremely so and thankfully especially in comparison with the only joy that can be found eternal; that is in Christ. At least we have this hope! Without it we would be better to be ignorant and pretend throughout our innocent little lives that everything is fine or at least in our ignorantly blissful little minds. All until the end it would be at least; then there would be the greatest tragedy of all! We must then live in light of the truth that Christ brings us, that He Himself is our wisdom.
So then the way we ought to live and how it is to look among this fallen world is clearly expressd through the pen of the apostle Paul as he writes about the wisdom of this world and how God really crushes it in comparision to the greatness of his power and knowledge that supercedes all.
Our minds cannot fathom it all, and that is where faith trumps out the fear of the unknown and where the miraculous accomplishes things not fully known to man. His wisdom is a treasure we ought to seek for continually and the wisdom and attainment of worldly acceptance is relentlessly empty.
“For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” …. “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”
“And my speech is not with human wisdom..” (1 Corinthians 1 and 2)
So let us then not toil as we often do in despair of the curse brought onto our lowly earth and bodies, but rejoice in the hope that we were created with purpose for someone greater and higher and wiser than we even know, yet have the hope of knowing greater as we seek Him and can be found fully in Him forever and ever! Eat, drink and enjoy the labor of your hands; or else truth be told, life will be miserable!
Proverbs says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom. SO we know that as we revere our God and come to know Him all the more we will indeed increase in wisdom.
As we lead our lives, or follow them, we find that through the mundane and cyclical pattern that it rolls on it can be a bit tolling on our bodies and minds. I've also been reaffirmed by the messages by my father in law Ken Rudolph, as he spoke recently on the Lord's Prayer and the part we must beg God daily for our daily bread in a world where we are so in need of His help. Give us this day our "daily bread! And lead us not into temptation!" and so on. We cannot get away from the curse in this world yet can and must cling to the hope, truth and wisdom that helps us along and that gives us joy amidst it all!
Ecclesiastes also says that in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases in knowledge increases sorrow. I think this is because just as we are more aware of the curse around us, the hope of our present life fades extremely so and thankfully especially in comparison with the only joy that can be found eternal; that is in Christ. At least we have this hope! Without it we would be better to be ignorant and pretend throughout our innocent little lives that everything is fine or at least in our ignorantly blissful little minds. All until the end it would be at least; then there would be the greatest tragedy of all! We must then live in light of the truth that Christ brings us, that He Himself is our wisdom.
So then the way we ought to live and how it is to look among this fallen world is clearly expressd through the pen of the apostle Paul as he writes about the wisdom of this world and how God really crushes it in comparision to the greatness of his power and knowledge that supercedes all.
Our minds cannot fathom it all, and that is where faith trumps out the fear of the unknown and where the miraculous accomplishes things not fully known to man. His wisdom is a treasure we ought to seek for continually and the wisdom and attainment of worldly acceptance is relentlessly empty.
“For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” …. “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”
“And my speech is not with human wisdom..” (1 Corinthians 1 and 2)
So let us then not toil as we often do in despair of the curse brought onto our lowly earth and bodies, but rejoice in the hope that we were created with purpose for someone greater and higher and wiser than we even know, yet have the hope of knowing greater as we seek Him and can be found fully in Him forever and ever! Eat, drink and enjoy the labor of your hands; or else truth be told, life will be miserable!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Understanding our salvation
So how do we know we are moving? How do we know our Christian walk isn't just something we've taken ahold of, like a kite in the wind, yet just plopped down to sit rather than run to watch it fly.
It's kind of like a ship. When we ride on a ship we know we are moving because everything we pass gets closer and eventually passes on. It is the same with life; we move because life changes around us and those objects or circumstances that arise may even be too close for comfort, yet will indeed pass away if we steer straight and don't allow them to be a boulder to crash into.
God promises to carry us through if we take ahold of what He says. He tells us in Romans through the pen of Paul, that as Christ endured suffering even to death, He has risen to brings us life and that through Him we are MORE than conquerors. Nothing will be able to separate us; life or death, angels or demons, anything present or to come, the greatest heights or depths, nor any other thing created by the hand of God Himself will be able to separate us from Him and His love.
So then our movement comes from the hand of God as from His hand came everything that is as Hebrews says "God who spoke through prophets and now His Son whom is appointed all things through whom He made the worlds." Also, the Psalmist expresses in this reality of God, that His works are manifold and in wisdom have been made. "The earth is full of His possessions,..living things both small and great."
We know if we steadily trust His hand, that when life happens we have THE source of it to draw from. Hopefully we will draw from it every day to keep our well full of water so that should a drought occur, we will not thirst.
We know that when sin rears it's ugly head also, the truth of God's word will not return void, and His Spirit Himself will intercede for us when we have not the words. He is our helper who abides with us forever; whom the world cannot receive because it knows Him not. We know Him because He dwells in us and will not leave us (John 14). God also reveals His many wonders to us through His Spirit. "For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of man but his own spirit? Even so no one knows the things of God except His Spirit. We have this Spirit from Him, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God!"
How beautiful are the words of God to those who believe!?
This is how we understand our salvation; while day by day His mercies pour over us to reveal once again His greatness and power, our finiteness is seen and our therefore need for such a Savior. When our minds can't comprehend this, we can bow our knees and pray for one another as Paul did that God would grant to us the riches of His glory to be strengthened with His might and that He may then dwell with us while being rooted in such a great love. We know the message of the cross is foolishness to the world but to those who believe it is the power of God!
We know that love is what makes the world go round and pretty much solves all problems. The root of our sins stem from a lack of love so often, yet when we grasp how wide the love of God is, we are able to cope with the fact that there is no one that can love us more than Him we need not rely on men for this fulfillment.
We can then go forth pouring out His love on others, which will then enable the world to spin again. If we sit to long and wait for anything to move we will grow stir crazy. We must then be proactive in stirring up love amongst one another as love covers a multitude of sins and surpasses any attempts that this world and their forces of evil and egotism can approach.
After all, it is the God of heaven and earth, the LORD almighty who created all including love itself, and who is able to accomplish more than we could ask or think.
So help us God, to understand the salvation you've freely given us and the love that accompanies it which is able to conquer all!
It's kind of like a ship. When we ride on a ship we know we are moving because everything we pass gets closer and eventually passes on. It is the same with life; we move because life changes around us and those objects or circumstances that arise may even be too close for comfort, yet will indeed pass away if we steer straight and don't allow them to be a boulder to crash into.
God promises to carry us through if we take ahold of what He says. He tells us in Romans through the pen of Paul, that as Christ endured suffering even to death, He has risen to brings us life and that through Him we are MORE than conquerors. Nothing will be able to separate us; life or death, angels or demons, anything present or to come, the greatest heights or depths, nor any other thing created by the hand of God Himself will be able to separate us from Him and His love.
So then our movement comes from the hand of God as from His hand came everything that is as Hebrews says "God who spoke through prophets and now His Son whom is appointed all things through whom He made the worlds." Also, the Psalmist expresses in this reality of God, that His works are manifold and in wisdom have been made. "The earth is full of His possessions,..living things both small and great."
We know if we steadily trust His hand, that when life happens we have THE source of it to draw from. Hopefully we will draw from it every day to keep our well full of water so that should a drought occur, we will not thirst.
We know that when sin rears it's ugly head also, the truth of God's word will not return void, and His Spirit Himself will intercede for us when we have not the words. He is our helper who abides with us forever; whom the world cannot receive because it knows Him not. We know Him because He dwells in us and will not leave us (John 14). God also reveals His many wonders to us through His Spirit. "For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of man but his own spirit? Even so no one knows the things of God except His Spirit. We have this Spirit from Him, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God!"
How beautiful are the words of God to those who believe!?
This is how we understand our salvation; while day by day His mercies pour over us to reveal once again His greatness and power, our finiteness is seen and our therefore need for such a Savior. When our minds can't comprehend this, we can bow our knees and pray for one another as Paul did that God would grant to us the riches of His glory to be strengthened with His might and that He may then dwell with us while being rooted in such a great love. We know the message of the cross is foolishness to the world but to those who believe it is the power of God!
We know that love is what makes the world go round and pretty much solves all problems. The root of our sins stem from a lack of love so often, yet when we grasp how wide the love of God is, we are able to cope with the fact that there is no one that can love us more than Him we need not rely on men for this fulfillment.
We can then go forth pouring out His love on others, which will then enable the world to spin again. If we sit to long and wait for anything to move we will grow stir crazy. We must then be proactive in stirring up love amongst one another as love covers a multitude of sins and surpasses any attempts that this world and their forces of evil and egotism can approach.
After all, it is the God of heaven and earth, the LORD almighty who created all including love itself, and who is able to accomplish more than we could ask or think.
So help us God, to understand the salvation you've freely given us and the love that accompanies it which is able to conquer all!
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