My family learned a lesson in thankfulness yesterday. There are some things we never think twice about and have very little appreciation for them...well, until they’re missing.
Since my older sister is home for spring break, we decided to hop in the car and drive to a nearby park to take a walk by the river. It was a beautiful spring day–60 degrees, sunny, breezy–you couldn’t ask for prettier weather. Since we were all together, we decided to leave all our cell phones behind and forget about technology for an hour. We had a lovely walk. Being together as a family and enjoying God’s creation at the same time was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon. As we pulled into the garage though, the beauty and peace of the afternoon vanished. We couldn’t find any house keys. My mom thought my dad had them, my dad thought my older sister had them, my sisters thought I had them, and we all assumed my mom would have at least one. But alas, there was no key to be found. We walked over to the neighbor’s house (they have a spare), but they weren’t home. Since we didn’t have any cell phones, we couldn’t even call someone for help. So, we got back in the car, drove to my dad’s office, and spent several hours calling friends on the office phone until someone was able to help us find a key. By that point, our quick excursion had turned into a four-hour long adventure. All because we forgot a little piece of carved metal.
We’re all prone to forget how much we appreciate something until it’s gone. Good health, family, friends–unless something happens and we no longer have them, we rarely forget to say "Thank you" to God for them. Sometimes, the only time we think about these blessings is to complain that they’re not as nice as we want them to be! Instead of rushing to the next thing, we should rejoice in the present and thank God for everything He’s done for us. There are so many we should be thankful for, yet we often fall into the trap of seeing only the annoyances in life. When we can be praising God for the sun, we’re complaining that it’s too hot or bright. Maybe we should invest in a special pair of thanks-tinted sunglasses that will allow us to see things from God’s perspective. There is never a time when you can’t be thankful for at least one thing. When we’re surrounded by a whole universe of God’s creation–what He called good–why don’t we remember to thank Him for His gifts?
Showing posts with label praise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label praise. Show all posts
Monday, March 5, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
God, all nature sings Thy glory!
We sang this hymn in church yesterday--I hope it will help you worship the Creator as it did for us!
“God, all nature sings Thy glory, and Thy works proclaim Thy might;
Ordered vastness in the heavens, ordered course of day and night;
Beauty in the changing seasons, beauty in the storming sea;
All the changing moods of nature praise the changeless Trinity.
“Clearer still we see Thy hand in man whom Thou hast made for Thee;
Ruler of creation’s glory, image of Thy majesty.
Music, art, the fruitful garden, all the labor of his days,
Are the calling of his Maker to the harvest feast of praise.
“But our sins have spoiled Thine image; nature, conscience only serve
As unceasing, grim reminders of the wrath which we deserve.
Yet Thy grace and saving mercy in Thy Word of truth revealed
Claim the praise of all who know Thee, in the blood of Jesus sealed.
“God of glory, power, mercy, all creation praises Thee;
We, Thy creatures, would adore Thee now and through eternity.
Saved to magnify Thy goodness, grant us strength to do Thy will;
With our acts as with our voices Thy commandments to fulfill.”
(Words by David Clowney. Can be sung to Beethoven's "Ode to Joy.")
Monday, January 23, 2012
Whether the weather
In my sunny home state, we are enjoying almost record-setting temperatures for January. It’s 76 degrees outside, and the sun is throwing long shadows off the Spanish moss on the oak trees. We just got home after visiting family on the other side of the country, and we’re still recovering from the dazzling brightness of sun on snow (and, for me, a cold). Both are so pretty–graceful shadows across the backyard and snow-covered fields and forests. God made both. His creation is so beautiful!
Look out the window. Isn’t it amazing what He has made?! Who else could have possibly thought of creating all that He has made? We can’t even think of something new to "create" unless it’s first based off of what God has done. Try imagining a new, undiscovered color; you can’t! Everything we know or imagine is based off of His handiwork. All it took for Him was a single word, and it was. He didn’t stop with creating worlds, people, plants, and animals–He even created seasons! Even with your eyes closed, you can still feel the beauty of His creation. There is no way to escape the evidence of God’s hand in the world.
Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.
Praise the LORD with the harp;
Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.
Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
For the word of the LORD is right,
And all His work is done in truth.
He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap;
He lays up the deep in storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the LORD;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.
(Psalm 33:1-9)
No matter where you are today–whether you’re in the frozen tundra or someplace warmer–you can still see the beauty of God’s creation. Sometimes I get tired of the part of His creation that I see and wish I was somewhere else. Isn’t that wrong? Everything He has made is good; that’s what He said when He made it. Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good (Genesis 1:31). Who are we to complain? We should rejoice in His creation every day!
Psalm 29:2–Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Look out the window. Isn’t it amazing what He has made?! Who else could have possibly thought of creating all that He has made? We can’t even think of something new to "create" unless it’s first based off of what God has done. Try imagining a new, undiscovered color; you can’t! Everything we know or imagine is based off of His handiwork. All it took for Him was a single word, and it was. He didn’t stop with creating worlds, people, plants, and animals–He even created seasons! Even with your eyes closed, you can still feel the beauty of His creation. There is no way to escape the evidence of God’s hand in the world.
Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.
Praise the LORD with the harp;
Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.
Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
For the word of the LORD is right,
And all His work is done in truth.
He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap;
He lays up the deep in storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the LORD;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.
(Psalm 33:1-9)
No matter where you are today–whether you’re in the frozen tundra or someplace warmer–you can still see the beauty of God’s creation. Sometimes I get tired of the part of His creation that I see and wish I was somewhere else. Isn’t that wrong? Everything He has made is good; that’s what He said when He made it. Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good (Genesis 1:31). Who are we to complain? We should rejoice in His creation every day!
Psalm 29:2–Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Not unto us
Not what my hands have done can save my guilty soul;
Not what my toiling flesh has borne can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do can give me peace with God;
Not all my prayers and sighs and tears can bear my awful load.
Your voice alone, O Lord, can speak to me of grace;
Your power alone, O Son of God, can all my sin erase.
No other work but Yours, no other blood will do;
No strength but that which is divine can bear me safely through.
Thy work alone, O Christ, can ease this weight of sin;
Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God, can give me peace within.
Thy love to me, O God, not mine, O Lord, to Thee,
Can rid me of this dark unrest, And set my spirit free.
I bless the Christ of God; I rest on love divine;
And with unfaltering lip and heart I call this Savior mine.
His cross dispels each doubt; I bury in His tomb
Each thought of unbelief and fear, each lingering shade of gloom.
I praise the God of grace; I trust His truth and might;
He calls me His, I call Him mine, My God, my joy and light.
’Tis He Who saveth me, and freely pardon gives;
I love because He loveth me, I live because He lives
("Not What My Hands Have Done," Horatius Bonar)
Psalm 115:1–Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth.
On our own, we can do nothing. We have not memorized a single verse in our own strength–everything we have learned has been by the grace of God. Let’s thank Him and give Him the glory this week at the 2011 National Bible Bee!
Not what my toiling flesh has borne can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do can give me peace with God;
Not all my prayers and sighs and tears can bear my awful load.
Your voice alone, O Lord, can speak to me of grace;
Your power alone, O Son of God, can all my sin erase.
No other work but Yours, no other blood will do;
No strength but that which is divine can bear me safely through.
Thy work alone, O Christ, can ease this weight of sin;
Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God, can give me peace within.
Thy love to me, O God, not mine, O Lord, to Thee,
Can rid me of this dark unrest, And set my spirit free.
I bless the Christ of God; I rest on love divine;
And with unfaltering lip and heart I call this Savior mine.
His cross dispels each doubt; I bury in His tomb
Each thought of unbelief and fear, each lingering shade of gloom.
I praise the God of grace; I trust His truth and might;
He calls me His, I call Him mine, My God, my joy and light.
’Tis He Who saveth me, and freely pardon gives;
I love because He loveth me, I live because He lives
("Not What My Hands Have Done," Horatius Bonar)
Psalm 115:1–Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth.
On our own, we can do nothing. We have not memorized a single verse in our own strength–everything we have learned has been by the grace of God. Let’s thank Him and give Him the glory this week at the 2011 National Bible Bee!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Looking forward to His coming
Several days ago, I was reading a blog and found this quote:
“To wait is not merely to remain impassive. It is to expect—to look for with patience, and also with submission. It is to long for, but not impatiently; to look for, but not to fret at the delay; to watch for, but not restlessly; to feel that if He does not come we will acquiesce, and yet to refuse to let the mind acquiesce in the feeling that He will not come.”
-Andrew Davidson
Doesn't that summarize 2 Peter 3 beautifully?
2 Peter 3:8-14--But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you.
Reading that quote made 2 Peter 3 come alive for me...that's what we're supposed to be doing! Our time on earth isn't supposed to be passively waiting--we need to look forward to it, diligently prepare for it, hasten His coming. Isn't that an exciting thought? The King of the universe is going to come again, and we get to see Him!
P.S. I never read anything else by Andrew Davidson, so I'm not sure if I agree with everything he's written...but I really liked that quote!
“To wait is not merely to remain impassive. It is to expect—to look for with patience, and also with submission. It is to long for, but not impatiently; to look for, but not to fret at the delay; to watch for, but not restlessly; to feel that if He does not come we will acquiesce, and yet to refuse to let the mind acquiesce in the feeling that He will not come.”
-Andrew Davidson
Doesn't that summarize 2 Peter 3 beautifully?
2 Peter 3:8-14--But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you.
Reading that quote made 2 Peter 3 come alive for me...that's what we're supposed to be doing! Our time on earth isn't supposed to be passively waiting--we need to look forward to it, diligently prepare for it, hasten His coming. Isn't that an exciting thought? The King of the universe is going to come again, and we get to see Him!
P.S. I never read anything else by Andrew Davidson, so I'm not sure if I agree with everything he's written...but I really liked that quote!
Monday, September 19, 2011
A Christian's praises
O God, my exceeding joy,
singing Thy praises uplifts my heart,
for Thou art a fountain of delight,
and dost bless the soul that joys in Thee.
But because of my heart’s rebellion
I cannot always praise Thee as I ought;
Yet I will at all times rest myself
in Thy excellencies, goodness, and loving-kindness.
Thou art in Jesus the object of inexpressible joy,
and I take exceeding pleasure in the thought of Thee.
But LORD, I am sometimes Thy enemy;
my nature revolts and wanders from Thee.
Though Thou hast renewed me,
yet evil corruptions urge me still to oppose Thee.
Help me to extol Thee with entire heart-submission,
to be diligent in self examination,
to ask myself
whether I am truly born again,
whether my spirit is of Thy children,
whether my griefs are those that tear repenting hearts,
whether my joys are the joys of faith,
whether my confidence in Christ works by love
and purifies the soul.
Give me the sweet results of faith,
in my secret character, and in my public life.
Cast cords of love around my heart,
then hold me and never let me go.
May the Savior’s wounds sway me more than the scepter of princes.
Let me love Thee in a love that covers and swallows up all,
that I may not violate my chaste union with the beloved;
There is so much unconquered territory in my nature,
scourge out the buyers and sellers of my soul’s temple,
and give me in return pure desires,
and longing after perfect holiness.
(This prayer was in my church bulletin; there is no name after it, but I think it is from the Valley of Vision or another Puritan prayer book)
singing Thy praises uplifts my heart,
for Thou art a fountain of delight,
and dost bless the soul that joys in Thee.
But because of my heart’s rebellion
I cannot always praise Thee as I ought;
Yet I will at all times rest myself
in Thy excellencies, goodness, and loving-kindness.
Thou art in Jesus the object of inexpressible joy,
and I take exceeding pleasure in the thought of Thee.
But LORD, I am sometimes Thy enemy;
my nature revolts and wanders from Thee.
Though Thou hast renewed me,
yet evil corruptions urge me still to oppose Thee.
Help me to extol Thee with entire heart-submission,
to be diligent in self examination,
to ask myself
whether I am truly born again,
whether my spirit is of Thy children,
whether my griefs are those that tear repenting hearts,
whether my joys are the joys of faith,
whether my confidence in Christ works by love
and purifies the soul.
Give me the sweet results of faith,
in my secret character, and in my public life.
Cast cords of love around my heart,
then hold me and never let me go.
May the Savior’s wounds sway me more than the scepter of princes.
Let me love Thee in a love that covers and swallows up all,
that I may not violate my chaste union with the beloved;
There is so much unconquered territory in my nature,
scourge out the buyers and sellers of my soul’s temple,
and give me in return pure desires,
and longing after perfect holiness.
(This prayer was in my church bulletin; there is no name after it, but I think it is from the Valley of Vision or another Puritan prayer book)
Monday, August 1, 2011
Rejoice!
1 Samuel 2:1–And Hannah prayed and said:"My heart rejoices in the LORD; My horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.
Psalm 16:11–You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 35:9–And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; It shall rejoice in His salvation.
Habakuk 3:18--I will rejoice in the Lord; I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Philippians 4:4–Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, Rejoice!
Have you ever been reviewing a verse, and suddenly started smiling and laughing, rejoicing in the message of the verse? Some verses seem to demand that you stop for a moment and praise God. Psalm 139–You know my thought afar off..there is not a word on my tongue but, behold, O LORD, You know it altogether...Where can I go from You spirit, or where can I flee from your presence? Philippians 2–Christ humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. How can you read that without rejoicing? Our God is amazing!! And, in His perfect holiness and justice, He took our punishment and saved us from the death that we deserve. He knows our every thought, and yet He still saved us! What could give us greater joy than that? God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
My soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation!
Psalm 16:11–You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 35:9–And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; It shall rejoice in His salvation.
Habakuk 3:18--I will rejoice in the Lord; I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Philippians 4:4–Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, Rejoice!
Have you ever been reviewing a verse, and suddenly started smiling and laughing, rejoicing in the message of the verse? Some verses seem to demand that you stop for a moment and praise God. Psalm 139–You know my thought afar off..there is not a word on my tongue but, behold, O LORD, You know it altogether...Where can I go from You spirit, or where can I flee from your presence? Philippians 2–Christ humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. How can you read that without rejoicing? Our God is amazing!! And, in His perfect holiness and justice, He took our punishment and saved us from the death that we deserve. He knows our every thought, and yet He still saved us! What could give us greater joy than that? God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
My soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation!
Monday, July 4, 2011
Proud to be a Christian
Today is July 4–the day America became an independent country. Fifty-six men agreed to break away from England and become the United States of America–“one nation under God.”
Since the signing of the Declaration, America has fallen away from her Christian heritage. It saddens me to read the news and see how far away we are from God’s law.
Have you ever felt that you are an outside observer numbly watching the news and wondering how these things can be happening?
In some ways, we are. I live in America, but my citizenship is not in America. Philippians 3:20–For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. In our Bible Bee Sword Study, we were told to read the book of 1 Peter as if it was written to us. Who were the real recipients? The Dispersion...the pilgrims, aliens, wanderers...the “poor wayfaring stranger,” as the old gospel song goes. If you’re a wanderer, are you at home? Jesus said that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). My American citizenship is temporal and lasts only as long as I live in America, but my citizenship in Christ’s kingdom is eternal.
Today we celebrate the liberty of our country. Why not use today to celebrate our liberty in Christ? Galatians 5:13 says that we have been called to liberty. We are free from sin–isn’t that amazing? We have been freed from sin, and now we serve our King! Even in a “free” country, we still have to obey some form of government. No earthly government is perfect, but our King is perfect. It is a joy to serve Him!
Jesus taught us to pray to the Father “Your kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10). Revelation 12:10 says, Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down." We eagerly wait for the day when His kingdom will come...and we know it will!
God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Galatians 6:14). On Independence Day, we look back and celebrate the good our country has accomplished–I am proud to be an American! But my identity and true pride do not lie in being an American; rather, they are in Christ. The world is nothing to me, because I am not a citizen of it. We boast in the name of Christ.
I am proud to be called by His name. I am proud to be a Christian.
Since the signing of the Declaration, America has fallen away from her Christian heritage. It saddens me to read the news and see how far away we are from God’s law.
Have you ever felt that you are an outside observer numbly watching the news and wondering how these things can be happening?
In some ways, we are. I live in America, but my citizenship is not in America. Philippians 3:20–For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. In our Bible Bee Sword Study, we were told to read the book of 1 Peter as if it was written to us. Who were the real recipients? The Dispersion...the pilgrims, aliens, wanderers...the “poor wayfaring stranger,” as the old gospel song goes. If you’re a wanderer, are you at home? Jesus said that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). My American citizenship is temporal and lasts only as long as I live in America, but my citizenship in Christ’s kingdom is eternal.
Today we celebrate the liberty of our country. Why not use today to celebrate our liberty in Christ? Galatians 5:13 says that we have been called to liberty. We are free from sin–isn’t that amazing? We have been freed from sin, and now we serve our King! Even in a “free” country, we still have to obey some form of government. No earthly government is perfect, but our King is perfect. It is a joy to serve Him!
Jesus taught us to pray to the Father “Your kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10). Revelation 12:10 says, Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down." We eagerly wait for the day when His kingdom will come...and we know it will!
God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Galatians 6:14). On Independence Day, we look back and celebrate the good our country has accomplished–I am proud to be an American! But my identity and true pride do not lie in being an American; rather, they are in Christ. The world is nothing to me, because I am not a citizen of it. We boast in the name of Christ.
I am proud to be called by His name. I am proud to be a Christian.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Happily ever after
My family has a tradition of setting aside Friday evening as family night. We research the latest BBC adaptions of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell, and all our other favorite authors, and then count the days till we get to watch the movie. When the day finally comes, we leave 21st century America and travel to old England. We become so engrossed in the movie that someone listening to our conversations would think that Lizzie Bennet, Horatio Hornblower, Molly Gibson, and Arthur Clennam were our best friends.
This last Friday, after finishing Our Mutual Friend, I was thinking about how nice happy endings are. All the good people end up happily married, and all the bad guys end up either dead or unhappy bachelors (since of course in English drama the married state represents ultimate bliss). With Dickens, it feels a lot more complex, but it generally boils down to that=) Something in us longs for a happy ending. When a bad guy gets what’s good and a good guy gets what’s bad, our sense of justice starts yelling at the author. We want a good ending. God made us that way. He, the Author of life, promises us that He has already written a happy ending for us.
Revelation 21:4-5--And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
In Bible Bee the past few weeks, we’ve been studying about inheritance, salvation, and suffering. In a good story, the good people end with some sort of inheritance or treasure that usually comes about through a redemptive process. Normally, the redemptive process involves suffering. Why do we enjoy watching good characters suffer? Through the suffering, they grow up into stronger characters. They become deserving of the happy ending–the inheritance–that we sincerely hope will happen.
In real life, we don’t usually go through a challenging year and then find ourselves possessors of large fortunes. The inheritance that we’ve been promised isn’t an earthly inheritance; we will only find it in heaven. Oftentimes, we hear Romans 8:28 quoted to us when we’re struggling. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Why do good people suffer? What about the trial that never results in any good? God doesn’t promise us that He will make all things work together for good in our lifetime; He promises is that He will make all things work together for good in His plan. Sometimes the good doesn't come till after our lifetime; we see the good when we are in heaven. Maybe Dickens wrote a good chapter-long ending at the end of 600 pages, but God promises a good ending for all of eternity! Praise God for His promises!
This last Friday, after finishing Our Mutual Friend, I was thinking about how nice happy endings are. All the good people end up happily married, and all the bad guys end up either dead or unhappy bachelors (since of course in English drama the married state represents ultimate bliss). With Dickens, it feels a lot more complex, but it generally boils down to that=) Something in us longs for a happy ending. When a bad guy gets what’s good and a good guy gets what’s bad, our sense of justice starts yelling at the author. We want a good ending. God made us that way. He, the Author of life, promises us that He has already written a happy ending for us.
Revelation 21:4-5--And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
In Bible Bee the past few weeks, we’ve been studying about inheritance, salvation, and suffering. In a good story, the good people end with some sort of inheritance or treasure that usually comes about through a redemptive process. Normally, the redemptive process involves suffering. Why do we enjoy watching good characters suffer? Through the suffering, they grow up into stronger characters. They become deserving of the happy ending–the inheritance–that we sincerely hope will happen.
In real life, we don’t usually go through a challenging year and then find ourselves possessors of large fortunes. The inheritance that we’ve been promised isn’t an earthly inheritance; we will only find it in heaven. Oftentimes, we hear Romans 8:28 quoted to us when we’re struggling. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Why do good people suffer? What about the trial that never results in any good? God doesn’t promise us that He will make all things work together for good in our lifetime; He promises is that He will make all things work together for good in His plan. Sometimes the good doesn't come till after our lifetime; we see the good when we are in heaven. Maybe Dickens wrote a good chapter-long ending at the end of 600 pages, but God promises a good ending for all of eternity! Praise God for His promises!
Monday, June 6, 2011
I am a...
“I am a vile, polluted lump of earth.” I often wonder what Mrs. Watts must have thought when her young son showed her an acrostic of his name beginning with that line. Have you ever felt like that–vile and polluted? When you open your Bible and start memorizing verses, have you felt horrified at how dirty you are compared to how holy God is? The past few days, I have been convicted about what a sinner I am. All those verses we’re learning about our holy and righteous God, a God who cannot abide wickedness–and then here am I: A vile, polluted lump of earth. How can I–a sinner–commune with Him? He cannot look on wickedness (Habakkuk 1:13).
Yet His grace is sufficient. I am a great sinner, but Christ is a greater Saviour (John Newton). Christ’s blood washes away my dirty sin. Because of Him, we can approach the throne of grace with confidence, knowing that we are forgiven! Knowing His forgiveness toward us changes our fear to love. Instead of fearing the God who destroys the wicked, I can love the Man who saved me.
As Ephesians 3:12 says, we have access with confidence through faith in Him. Having confidence in His love, we cannot help but seek Him. Aren’t you looking forward to a whole summer of intense study of the Bible?
Psalm 119:10–With my whole heart I have sought You...
For those who are interested...here is Isaac Watts' whole acrostic:
"I" - I am a vile, polluted lump of earth
"S" - So I've continued ever since my birth
"A" - Although Jehovah, grace doth daily give me
"A" - As sure this monster, Satan, will deceive me
"C" - Come therefore, Lord, from Satan's claws relieve me.
"W" - Wash me in Thy blood, O Christ
"A" - And grace divine impart
"T" - Then search and try the corners of my heart
"T" - That I in all things may be fit to do
"S" - Service to Thee, and Thy praise too.
Yet His grace is sufficient. I am a great sinner, but Christ is a greater Saviour (John Newton). Christ’s blood washes away my dirty sin. Because of Him, we can approach the throne of grace with confidence, knowing that we are forgiven! Knowing His forgiveness toward us changes our fear to love. Instead of fearing the God who destroys the wicked, I can love the Man who saved me.
As Ephesians 3:12 says, we have access with confidence through faith in Him. Having confidence in His love, we cannot help but seek Him. Aren’t you looking forward to a whole summer of intense study of the Bible?
Psalm 119:10–With my whole heart I have sought You...
For those who are interested...here is Isaac Watts' whole acrostic:
"I" - I am a vile, polluted lump of earth
"S" - So I've continued ever since my birth
"A" - Although Jehovah, grace doth daily give me
"A" - As sure this monster, Satan, will deceive me
"C" - Come therefore, Lord, from Satan's claws relieve me.
"W" - Wash me in Thy blood, O Christ
"A" - And grace divine impart
"T" - Then search and try the corners of my heart
"T" - That I in all things may be fit to do
"S" - Service to Thee, and Thy praise too.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Giving back to God
On Saturday, my sister and I competed in our biggest piano competition of the year–as did several thousand other kids. The fine arts building and nearby theater building were both crowded with people rushing back and forth, hurrying to get to the next practice or event before the doors closed. Stress levels were high.
That morning, I prayed that I could play to the best of my ability and that I could glorify God. This last year, my heart has changed so much–instead of separating my music from God and being driven by success, I am trying to give God the glory through my music. Although I have been a Christian for well over a decade, it wasn’t until recently that I began to understand what it really means to give my life entirely to God. In giving my life to God, I have found fulfilment and purpose. For every disappointment I have in life, He shows me a higher and better way. Piano has been no exception. It was one of the last things I could give over to Him, one of the things that meant the most to me. Yet now that I have given it to Him, He has given it back to me tenfold. I never had so much fun playing piano in my life! When I gave my music to God, He showed me how to use it to glorify Him. How much more fulfilling is life when its purpose is to glorify God!
Matthew 25:20-22 So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
Has God given you a talent that you gave back to Him? What happened?
That morning, I prayed that I could play to the best of my ability and that I could glorify God. This last year, my heart has changed so much–instead of separating my music from God and being driven by success, I am trying to give God the glory through my music. Although I have been a Christian for well over a decade, it wasn’t until recently that I began to understand what it really means to give my life entirely to God. In giving my life to God, I have found fulfilment and purpose. For every disappointment I have in life, He shows me a higher and better way. Piano has been no exception. It was one of the last things I could give over to Him, one of the things that meant the most to me. Yet now that I have given it to Him, He has given it back to me tenfold. I never had so much fun playing piano in my life! When I gave my music to God, He showed me how to use it to glorify Him. How much more fulfilling is life when its purpose is to glorify God!
Matthew 25:20-22 So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
Has God given you a talent that you gave back to Him? What happened?
Sunday, May 1, 2011
The royal wedding
Did any of you watch the royal wedding on Friday? I must confess–I woke up early to watch it (other than family movie nights, I think I’ve watched TV only one or two other times this year...). I really enjoyed it. Even though Prince William and Kate may not necessarily be strong Christians, the ceremony was full of some of the most beautiful, God-glorifying hymns they could have chosen, and they actually had Kate’s brother recite Romans 12! It was definitely worth waking up early to watch!
I imagined what it must have been like to receive an invitation to the wedding. That would be so exciting! To be able to meet real princes and princesses, to see Westminster Abbey, to hear those hymns live–I would never forget it. Wouldn’t it be fun to meet the queen? I have a friend who met her when he was younger (and I was just a bit jealous when I heard!). Then, I remembered what I had written just last week: Jesus is the King of kings, and we will get to meet Him! What is Queen Elizabeth compared to Him? As I was thinking about meeting the King of all kings, I remembered another exciting promise. We are invited to His wedding feast! Revelation 19:6-9 tells us about the wedding of the Lamb. And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” Wow! We are not the "lucky" few invited to the British royal wedding, we are the blessed believers who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb! How infinitely more wonderful is that!
After watching Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding, it’s hard to imagine a bigger wedding. Perhaps we won’t see a bigger wedding on earth. But the wedding supper of the Lamb is guaranteed to be far more glorious than any earthly wedding; and, the best part about it for us is that we’ve been invited!
I imagined what it must have been like to receive an invitation to the wedding. That would be so exciting! To be able to meet real princes and princesses, to see Westminster Abbey, to hear those hymns live–I would never forget it. Wouldn’t it be fun to meet the queen? I have a friend who met her when he was younger (and I was just a bit jealous when I heard!). Then, I remembered what I had written just last week: Jesus is the King of kings, and we will get to meet Him! What is Queen Elizabeth compared to Him? As I was thinking about meeting the King of all kings, I remembered another exciting promise. We are invited to His wedding feast! Revelation 19:6-9 tells us about the wedding of the Lamb. And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” Wow! We are not the "lucky" few invited to the British royal wedding, we are the blessed believers who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb! How infinitely more wonderful is that!
After watching Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding, it’s hard to imagine a bigger wedding. Perhaps we won’t see a bigger wedding on earth. But the wedding supper of the Lamb is guaranteed to be far more glorious than any earthly wedding; and, the best part about it for us is that we’ve been invited!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Victory!
Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory! (1 Corinthians 15:54)
Why does it matter that a Jewish carpenter who lived 2000 years ago lived to tell about when He was crucified by the Romans?
1 Corinthians 15:21-22– For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
Romans 6:3-11–Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 2:8–For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.
1 Peter 1:3--Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:57–But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Because we believe that that Jewish carpenter still lives, we also can live. His death gave us hope, life, and the victory.
Have a wonderful day rejoicing at Christ’s resurrection from the dead and His redemptive work in us!
He is not here, for He is risen!! (Matthew 28:6)
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
When the things of life don't go our way....
If you been around for any period of time, you know and understand that things don't always go the way we want them to. Life brings struggles, hardships, conflicts, and situations that we don't want. We cannot change this. We don't control what life brings us. But we can control how we respond to the situations....and that's what really counts. How do we choose to respond to the circumstances? So many times, when things don't go my way, I respond selfishly and in anger. I want to complain, pout, and blame people. I want to think negatively about it. BUT, this is not the way that I should respond. I, as a follower of Christ, need to respond to situations in a Christlike manner. I need to view the hardship/conflict/situation through Biblical lens. I need to think about the circumstance positively. I need to remember that God was the One that gave me this situation. He is the One that orchestrates all the affairs of men. He has a purpose for it and even though it looks like nothing good could come out of the situation, ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD! I need to trust Him and know that His ways are far above my ways. I need to choose to look to Him and choose to praise Him.
Right now my family is going through a really tough situation. As I look at the situation through human eyes, I think that the situation is impossible to fix! But God is able!!!! With Him all things are possible! He can change hearts and heal hurts! He is in control! And so, I cry out to Him for help, comfort, strength, and wisdom. And if it is not His will to fix the situation as I would like, I will still love Him. Even though I can see nothing good that can come out of this situation, I will still trust His Word that He does work all things together for good to those who love God and to those who are called according to His purposes. God's ways are always higher and better than mine. He is sovereign over all the affairs of men. He is still in control and I praise Him for that. What a great God I serve!
So, when you find yourself in a situation that you don't like, look to Jesus! He has a purpose for all events in life. Make a conscious choice to think positively and to praise God no matter what. Choose to do what is right and to respond to whatever situation in a Christlike manner. Even when your world seems to be falling apart, remember that it's all apart of Christ purpose for your life - to conform you to more to His image. God is in control and He understands the situation better then you do. Go to Him for comfort in the midst of distress, for peace in the midst of conflict, for direction in the midst of confusion, for joy in the midst of heartache, for strength in the midst of weakness, for hope in the midst of despair. Cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you. "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength," Isaiah 26:3-4. Ultimately, God uses hardships and un-liked situations to bring us closer to Himself, to show us that He's in control and that we can trust Him. This is one of the things that the Lord has been teaching me as I walk through a hard time - this is some of the good that has come from it. I'm so glad that I belong to the One who cares for me and will use every event in my life to conform me more into His image. I need to do my part and respond to these situations in a way that honors Him and always be looking for the good that comes from it.
Let's get our eyes off our circumstances and get them on to the One who orchestrates them. When we do, we will experience the blessings of having the peace and joy of God which we otherwise would have missed.
From Psalm 34
"I will bless the Lord at all times! His praise shall continually be in my mouth! My soul shall make it's boast in THE LORD! The humble shall hear of it, and be glad. Oh magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together! I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered be from all my fears! They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed! This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them! Oh, taste, and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who trusts in HIM!" - Psalm 34:1-8
Wow. There is so much packed into this passage! "I will bless the Lord at all times." That means even when I'm tired of doing school, when I'm sick, when I don't understand what God is doing, and when I fail. I should always be blessing the Lord! His praise should continually be in my mouth! My life should be a constant act of worship. Now, this doesn't mean we never stop talking and singing, and that we can never be quiet. God tells us to "Be still, and know that He is God." It's good to be quiet. I think this "blessing the Lord" is an attitude as well. An attitude that doesn't change when the situation changes, but is constant, because God is constant, and always deserves our praise!
Look at the next section... "My soul shall make it's boast in the Lord! The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together!"
It's all about God! This whole passage rings out this marvelous truth! Life is about Christ! Our soul's boast should be in the Lord! The psalmist says, "Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt HIS name together!"
These next few verses are some of my favorites..."I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears! They looked to Him, and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed! This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them!" There are many times when I do not seek the Lord like I should, but when I realize my sin, and come back to actively seeking Him, this is a passage I cling to. When we seek God, HE ANSWERS US! I love how verse five then says what happens when we look to Christ, and are seeking Him... "and they were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed!" If that doesn't fill you with joy, and give you a reason to bless the Lord, I don't know what else will! Dwell on this truth! Think about the fact that GOD ALWAYS ANSWERS, and let it put you in wonder of Him! Verse six confirms again what was just said. "This poor man cried out, and The Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles!" Then, in verse eight, is where this deliverance is spread past just one person, to "all those who fear HIM." This wondrous gift is for everyone who fears the Lord! Isn't our God gracious to forgive us, and give us strength over and over?! I'd challenge you today... Taste, and see that the Lord is good!
Wow. There is so much packed into this passage! "I will bless the Lord at all times." That means even when I'm tired of doing school, when I'm sick, when I don't understand what God is doing, and when I fail. I should always be blessing the Lord! His praise should continually be in my mouth! My life should be a constant act of worship. Now, this doesn't mean we never stop talking and singing, and that we can never be quiet. God tells us to "Be still, and know that He is God." It's good to be quiet. I think this "blessing the Lord" is an attitude as well. An attitude that doesn't change when the situation changes, but is constant, because God is constant, and always deserves our praise!
Look at the next section... "My soul shall make it's boast in the Lord! The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together!"
It's all about God! This whole passage rings out this marvelous truth! Life is about Christ! Our soul's boast should be in the Lord! The psalmist says, "Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt HIS name together!"
These next few verses are some of my favorites..."I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears! They looked to Him, and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed! This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them!" There are many times when I do not seek the Lord like I should, but when I realize my sin, and come back to actively seeking Him, this is a passage I cling to. When we seek God, HE ANSWERS US! I love how verse five then says what happens when we look to Christ, and are seeking Him... "and they were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed!" If that doesn't fill you with joy, and give you a reason to bless the Lord, I don't know what else will! Dwell on this truth! Think about the fact that GOD ALWAYS ANSWERS, and let it put you in wonder of Him! Verse six confirms again what was just said. "This poor man cried out, and The Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles!" Then, in verse eight, is where this deliverance is spread past just one person, to "all those who fear HIM." This wondrous gift is for everyone who fears the Lord! Isn't our God gracious to forgive us, and give us strength over and over?! I'd challenge you today... Taste, and see that the Lord is good!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Psalm 9:1-2
"I will praise you O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High."
Several things strike me about these verses:
1. "With my whole heart" - wow! Our hearts are so desperately wicked, we don't even know the depths of our own sin. And yet, God sees our desires, He sees Jesus' righteousness credited to our account. My desire is that my whole heart praises God, but there is so often a rebellious part of it that wants my own way. May we beg God every day to purify our hearts!
2. "I will" - sometimes you have to make yourself do it:) "I will praise You" - even when I'm discouraged. "I will praise tell of Your marvelous works" - even when I don't understand what You're doing. "I will be glad and rejoice in You"- even when the world's pleasures are tempting. "I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High" - because no matter what I'm facing YOU ARE THE SAME, YOU ARE WORTHY TO BE PRAISED!
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High."
Several things strike me about these verses:
1. "With my whole heart" - wow! Our hearts are so desperately wicked, we don't even know the depths of our own sin. And yet, God sees our desires, He sees Jesus' righteousness credited to our account. My desire is that my whole heart praises God, but there is so often a rebellious part of it that wants my own way. May we beg God every day to purify our hearts!
2. "I will" - sometimes you have to make yourself do it:) "I will praise You" - even when I'm discouraged. "I will praise tell of Your marvelous works" - even when I don't understand what You're doing. "I will be glad and rejoice in You"- even when the world's pleasures are tempting. "I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High" - because no matter what I'm facing YOU ARE THE SAME, YOU ARE WORTHY TO BE PRAISED!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)