Monday 28 July 2008

Ye Shall Not Need to Fight

The Lord has been good to me once again. Last week our church hosted the School of Revival and Prayer and God did a mighty work, in my life and the lives of many others. It was absolutely incredible beyond words. He did a mighty work in my life, sweeping out sin in my life as I surrendered many things into His hands. There was something in my life that I didn't know how it was going to work out but I knew that God could do it and wanted to do it. Saturday morning, He confirmed many things through His Word in just a few verses:

2 Chronicles 20:15,17
...Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

I had read these verses before and heard them countless times, but they didn't speak to me like the way they did now. Then I saw God do some amazing things. He showed me something I had known for a long time but I just hadn't seen at this time. Had I seen it a few weeks ago, I would not have gone through the deep struggle I did last week, but then God wouldn't have been able to teach me anything and my love for Christ would not have increased the way it has. I praise Him for his love and mercy.

I know I've shared this quote in another post but I would like to say it again:

"Great faith is the product of great fights. Great testimonies are the outcome of great tests. Great triumphs can only come out of great trials."
-Smith Wigglesworth

Finally, sorry for my lack of posting this month. I'll try to get another one in later on this week. We'll see how the Lord leads. God bless.

Monday 21 July 2008

A Matter of Perspective

I was really blessed today to take some time to free my mind, reflect, and just be quiet before God and allow Him to speak to my heart. Psalm 34:8 says "O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him." Somebody can tell me about the goodness of the Lord. I can open my Bible and read about the goodness of the Lord just as well. But until I taste and see for myself that the Lord is good and experience God myself, I don't really know that...it doesn't mean nearly as much to me.

I've been blessed in my babysitting job. For a long time, I was learning to be content with it, but now I'm actually enjoying it. Today a thought came to me. This eight year old boy really likes to brag about me. He's convinced I'm an awesome chef (I'm glad somebody thinks so), I'm a "pro" at Dutch Blitz, and likewise a "pro" at badminton. Now, I am pretty good at cooking, at least I think so, but I know many people who are much better at it than I am but he doesn't know that. Again, I'm pretty decent at Dutch Blitz, but I know many who are much better at it than me and he's only learning now. He's also fresh at the sport of badminton but so am I. Yes, I played badminton in high school, but the coach's elementary school boys beat me no problem. And had any seniors been in watching me practice, they would have been scratching their heads wondering how I managed to make the team. But see, this eight year old doesn't see that. He's only half as old as I am and lacks experience...he just hasn't seen as much as I have. It's like when I tell a six year old girl that I'm 16, she thinks I'm old. It's a matter of perspective.

So, when I was reflecting on this I remembered a portion of scripture I recently read in Luke 7 where a woman comes to Jesus, washing his feet with her tears, wiping them with her hair and then anointing them. In verse 47, Jesus says "Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little." Thinking of this, a man who is a convicted murderer, who has done all kinds of horrible things and will be spending the rest of his life behind bars, when He discovers God's love and learns what Jesus has done for Him, and that all his sins are forgiven, he will have much greater love for God than someone who was only forgiven a lie he told. To the one that told a lie, salvation, forgiveness, and the remission of sins doesn't mean nearly as much so his love will not be as great. Suppose there was a group of people chosen, for whatever reason, that automatically had eternal life without Jesus, which we know can never happen. But if this were by chance the case, Jesus' death and resurrection and what He accomplished on the cross may not mean anything because they have not experienced what the next person has. He has not experienced the joy and relief when Jesus says "Thy sins are forgiven thee." Does that make any sense? I hardly know how to put it all in words.

Well, that's a bit of what was on my mind tonight. God bless.

Wednesday 16 July 2008

Patience

Gulp. Whether we're stuck in traffic, late for something or it involves siblings, patience is something we could probably all use another dose of. I was reading in Luke when I came across this verse where Jesus is explaining the parable of the sower:

Luke 8:15
But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Bring forth fruit with patience. Upon reading this I thought "Is patience perhaps not only a good thing to possess but also a necessary thing in living the Christian life?" But first, lets define the term patience. Oxford Canadian Dictionary defines patience as the capacity to accept or endure delay, provocation, or hardship calmly without anger. I also looked it up in a concordance and in the Greek, patience means cheerful endurance. In some cases, it also means longsuffering. So now, not only is patience just enduring without anger, but enduring cheerfully.

Romans 5:3-5
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
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.

So, if patience works experience, experience hope, and that hope maketh not ashamed, then I think it's safe to say that patience can be very beneficial.

1 Timothy 6:11
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

As children of God, we are called to pursue patience, along with righteousness, godliness, faith, love, and meekness.

Hebrews 6:12
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Promises come along with patience as well.

James 1:3,4
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Wow! That's beyond incredible.

2 Peter 1:5-9
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge;
And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

Who wants patience by now? Notice that patience along with all these other qualities not only need to be in us, but they need to abound so that we may be fruitful and grow in the knowledge of our Lord.

I think by now, it's safe to say that patience is not only a good option, but a needful thing; not an easy thing, but a necessary one. There are also many wonderful things that come along with it. So I suppose that's enough of my rambling but when you take many different portions of scripture on one topic, you can get much more out of it and makes these qualities much more desirable.

Thanks for reading and I hope you got something out of it. God bless!

Monday 14 July 2008

Rejoice!

Yes, it's been a week again since I last posted. Where to start? Last week, God was really pruning, chastising, and refining. I'm learning to rejoice in the Lord, even when my circumstances aren't all that great and just learning what it really means to know God. Not just knowing about God or who He is but really know God. I had the chance to listen to Love With Shoes On and God's really been asking me "Have you counted the cost?" We had Otto Koning at our church this weekend and I was reminded once again that yes, there is a cost to consider. Along the same lines, He's also asking me "Are you willing? If I ask you to do this, will you be obedient?" It's been a time of learning, reflecting, growing, and loving God more. He's just always becoming more real in so many ways; it's amazing!

Something came up today that I really need to seek God's will and direction in. So if God lays it on your heart to pray for me, it would be sincerely appreciated.

Blessings!

Tuesday 8 July 2008

O Worship the Lord

1 Chronicles 16:31-34
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth.
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.
Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh the judge the earth.
O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

I absolutely love this passage of scripture...it's so poetic. Here we have nature, creation, God's creation personified, worshiping THEIR Creator. He's not just our Creator, but their Creator as well and they praise His Name as well. It's something my imagination cannot picture.

Just a few verses earlier in verse 29, David says "worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness." And I have to ask what does it mean to worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness? First of all, I see worship in holiness, that is, we are to be holy. Beauty: holiness is beautiful. So when we worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness, we do just that. Or what do you think?

Psalm 27: 8
When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

Glory to our King!

Thursday 3 July 2008

God is Working

It's been almost a week since I last posted...it feels like yesterday. This week has gone by much faster than I initially anticipated. I know my posts haven't had very much in them lately but that doesn't mean my life is boring right now. Completely the opposite, actually. God has been doing a marvelous work in my life. It's not easy, but He's with us even through the fiery trials. I'm learning so much and He speaks to me in such everyday ordinary things if I'm willing to listen and learn. I'm learning not to get distracted in my life but rather to focus on the task at hand; serving my Lord and Saviour where He has placed me right now. Otherwise the results may not be so good at all. I hardly know what to say...words don't do justice what I've been learning and God's marvelous works in my life, even if I tried to explain.

The last few weeks I've often gone back to the Psalms for words of strength and encouragement.

Psalm 63:7, 8
Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.

One day I randomly turned to Psalm 60 and something caught my attention:
Psalm 60: 9-12
Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?
Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst cast us off? and thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies?
Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.

Isn't that amazing! It reminds me of Job.

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on His hands
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
-Selah, Before the Throne of God Above

God bless you and keep you. Give Him praise.