Saturday, September 27, 2014

Count it all Joy

God's power is not most revealed in us in those time we are "feeling" up and positive.
But we find Him there most in those times when we are  in the hard places in our lives.   In "the trying of our faith"  Those times when life seems hard beyond our endurance.  Those times when we wake up "feeling" no HOPE  No JOY - like life has flat lined or close thereto.

In choosing to yield that hopeless, joyless "feeling" that seems overwhelming to Christ and saying:

           "Yes LORD - I thank you for being 
           here, in this,  with me. Thank you
           for your divine purpose in my Life".   

It is in this place that we allow room for God's work to be accomplished in our life and the fulfillment of his purposes in us.
   
Fred Borden at Jungle Camp preparing for mission field

James 1  (KJV)
2 My brethren, count it all joy 
when ye fall into divers temptations;      
3 Knowing this, that the trying of 
your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect 
work, that ye may be perfect and 
entire, wanting nothing







Grace Borden at Jungle Camp
     

    1.Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with             God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 
    2 By whom also we  have access by faith into this grace              wherein we stand, and  rejoice in hope of the glory of            God. 
    3 And not only so, but  we glory in tribulations also:                  knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
    4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
    5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of                God  is shed abroad in our hearts by the
       Holy Ghost which is given unto 
us. Rom 5: (KJV)

Monday, September 22, 2014

Thank you LORD for our reason to live



Archimedes - spoken by  Scientists even today as perhaps the best in the world said:  

"Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world."

In a message RC Sproul said:

We have been give a lever -the cross of Jesus Christ, and a fulcrum  on which to place that lever, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  And the world has been moved.   



Sunday, September 21, 2014

We are a gift from God to his son Jesus Christ

Ephesians 1:22-23
And he (God, the father) 
put all things under his (Christ's)  
feet and gave him (Christ) 
as head over all things, 
to the church, 
which is his body, 
the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Do you, do I see, do we Christ's body, see ourselves properly in Christ - that we are God's gift to his son, to be his body.   WOW

We are his hands, his feet, his heart.  We are his love.   Oh LORD, how we  do need.  Only in you can we be your body effectively - if we are totally attached to the head - and taking our actions directly from you - not doing our own thing.


Nothing with breath is alive without their head, so too the body of Christ.  We are only alive in Christ.  Thank you LORD.



Thursday, September 18, 2014

A bit more on Wisdom

Proverbs 7 speaks of lack of wisdom being a factor in our falling into the wiles of an adulterous woman.   The wiles of an adulterous woman are many, not just a physical relationship with a specific woman.

I see these wiles as being  all things we seek in our lives  to gain some kind of instant fulfillment, instant satisfaction or  instant pleasure apart from God.  Even things  that are  not wrong if they function properly.  i.e. eating  or  faithfulness.

There are also those things we do just because it is our desire, excusing it as:   A little won't hurt, or: I want it now.  Anything that seeks to fill  that huge hollow place in our lives by a means that is against God's best plan set out for our lives.    That crater was caused when we choose to go our own way, ans walk in  independence from God.   It is called sin and it stands between us and God and His way - righteousness, peace and joy.  Sorta of like the manufacture of a car has guidelines to get the best use of that car.  God gave us a  manufactures  handbook, the Bible  that we can know God's heart.

The amazing thing is God so loved us he sent his own son to die, and take on himself our sin,  to cleanse us from our sin.   He became the doorway when he shed his blood and we have forgiveness of our sins when we enter in.   He even  comes to the door of our hearts and knocks and all we have to do is open that door.   He does everything, He made the sacrifice, He seeks us.  He knocks on our hearts door and when we invite him in He gives us the right to enter into the inner chamber directly into the presence of  God.  We go into his presence by the Blood of our LORD Jesus Christ. And there we have access to Him and His Wisdom.

LORD,  Thank you for making all we need available. I desire to  walk in your truth


Friday, September 12, 2014

Thank you for your gift of Wisdom

Thank you that you provide wisdom for us through your word.  

In reading about Wisdom my response has always been - that can never be me.  But my heart has been opening up 
to the truth that God makes his wisdom available to all of us. I see in James 1:5 that it is simply to ask.






 James 1:5. 
  
If any of you lacks wisdom,

 let him ask God, 

who gives generously 

to all 

without reproach,

and it will be given him.




I am seeing anew that wisdom is  found by us spending time in the Word of God. The LORD Jesus Christ has not hidden himself from us. 

He wants us to know him - to seek out his heart.   And as we do spend time with him in His Word, and seek to walk in the truths he gives us, he comes alongside and enables us.

He implants His wisdom in our hearts. As we seek him our desire  for him Him grows.  We find renewal of  our minds, and a desire  to walk in His ways.   

He gives us divine help when we are struggling and he forgives us when we fail and sin.  We can run to him in repentance for our sin and He gives us His forgiveness and love. 

Thank you LORD for your bountiful gift of wisdom.

Saturday, September 6, 2014

This picture makes my heart rejoice in the beauty the LORD has given.
Thank you LORD for the many avenues of praise and worship.  We are not left wondering what we have, as mankind, to give to the LORD.   One of the Psalms I love so deeply because of it's rich options is Psalm 150.


Praise the LORD  

In His Sanctuary -  a physical place set aside to worship.    I also see that place 
is within my own heart where ever I am
In His mighty heavens  - I see this that there is no place where we cannot 
worship Him.
For His mighty deeds - both past as revealed in scripture, and in our                 in our own lives  daily.
According to His excellent greatness - because who he is calls forth our praise.

Some ways to worship are given:

Trumpet; lute; harp, tambourine, dance; strings; pipe; cymbals;
Cymbals emphasized as Loud, Clashing Cymbals.
Finally, if we have breath - use that breath to PRAISE THE LORD
These all utilize music in one form or another.


There are other ways given to offer praise.
Raising our hands - Psalm 63:4; 
Bowing down prone before the LORD - Psalm 66:4; 
Leaping - Acts 3:8; 
Shouting- Psalm 98:4; 
Whispering/ meditation - Psalm 1:2;  
In our thoughts, and on our tongue - Psalm 145:5; 
Singing - Psalm 47;6,  
And how we live - 1 Peter 2:9.

We are shown in the Word of God that we can praise our creator, Savior and living God with our whole being.  PRAISE the LORD




Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Thank you for direct counsel on our thoughts LORD


    Philippians 4:8 (ESV) 
   
Finally, brothers, 
whatever is true,
Whatever is honorable,
whatever is just,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, 
whatever is commendable,
IF there is any excellence,
If here is anything worthy of praise,
THANK ABOUT THESE THING



This appears to be a very specific list of God's ideas about our thoughts. I've been hearing some about something called "Cognitive Therapy" speaking about changing your negative thoughts to positive ones.

As I've pondered this personally, I have felt that though yes, I have negative thoughts on my own, once I go to that place they become much worse, and get increasingly negative as I dwell there. I believe there is an aspect where my initial thoughts can change into a bombardment of thoughts from the great enemy Satan. It is no longer just me. For me this verse has become increasingly relevant. I can change the thoughts, yes. It has to be a deliberate choice. But it's not just positive thoughts in the place of negative thoughts but Godly thoughts, those that bring HIM into the arena. Thoughts that need to start with praise of the LORD and reaffirming who He is and then reforming those thoughts after His kinds of thoughts.

i.e. I am feeling like nobody loves me LORD. Thank you that you love me. Open my understanding to see the people and events in my life in a true light. If there are those that don't love me, LORD guide me to a Godly love toward them. Where in truth they do love me, let me see that truth.

I know this is a bit simplistic, and there are deep issues in our minds and thoughts we have to capture and change but it seems to me our first stop in change is to begin with Praise to our LORD. And seeking understanding and change found in His promised wisdom and insight.


Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Thank you for the gift of imagination.

Thank you for the gift of imagination.  We can use our imaginations righteously.  I come to this because of two things.   The Hebrew language is  a picture language.  In English we have many picture words also, but we tend to think more in concepts I think.  I don't know about those who speak Hebrew but I find picturing things helps.   

Some of my pictures of God are drawn from my own personal memories but we don't all have good memories of Fathers to aid us in picturing God as a father.    I did for which I am deeply thankful but even so, the pictures I call up and find comfort in, are those of the LORD as my Father and are more from my imagination rather than from memories.  


 My most comforting imagination is that I am curled up in the arms of the LORD, with my head under his chin and snuggled in to be comforted when I'm afraid or downhearted or hurt.  

A powerful comforting imagination is  also that of the LORD sitting beside me as I go to sleep, my murmuring love to him and feeling his love for me his daughter.  

I sometimes imagine us laughing together, or maybe more of a chuckle.  

I also imagine his love shown in a time of discipline.  The discipline is there but I imagine him showing me where I had sinned and his heart about that sin.  Then I felt his loving call to repent. His loved fills my heart as I see anew the price he has paid for my sin.  It makes me want to walk in His ways, and turn away from mine.  His  love makes me desire to yield and obey.  So LORD, I thank you. I love you so much.  

There are no verses on this concept but maybe it can be seen in the verses that show the LORD knows all the thoughts and intents of our hearts.  He is our ever present LORD, not a LORD afar off.