...everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
For ME and anyone else who might need the reminder today...
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
The Voice That Matters
...everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
Note from me: I wrote this entry on March 25. Life has been so wacky and busy that I never got around to publishing it or anything else since then. Even though the timing and dates are all wrong I'm going ahead and publishing this now. There has been so much under-handed dealings at the White House since this time it will make your head spin. I needed to read the prayer journal entry again ... because I easily lose heart these days over losing our freedoms in this wonderful country.
******************************
It is sometimes stressful and overwhelming to realize our voice is not being heard.
Our children don't always listen to our voice. If we have little ones they can flat out ignore what we say and do what they want anyway. If we have teenagers the same is true. Husbands? Forget it. I'm convinced they are masters at "tuning us out".
When someone (whether it's me or a teenager or spouse or whomever) doesn't listen to our good advice it is almost always because they think they know what is better for them over whatever it is that we are trying to say/warn/predict/instruct/help. You get the idea.
As an American living in a Republic, usually defined as "a government of the people", it is hard to swallow when we see our government ignoring the majority of the people's desires on any given bill or vote.
Such was the case this past weekend when backroom deals, intimidations, and pay-offs were the ticket for a ram-down-our-throats bill the house of Representatives were being forced to vote on. Just like the first time they voted on it they were forced to stay through the weekend, for crying out loud, to take a vote.
Suffice to say everything about the way it was brought about and voted on was all wrong.
The administration that is in office right now thinks they know better what we need than we know for ourselves. Elected officials are supposed to represent the voice of the people. They are supposed to serve the people whom they represent.
Our elected officials are not listening to the overwhelming majority of voices in this country. Every poll consistently inidicates that the majority do not want a nationalized government take over of our healthcare system!
As one voice I have done everything I can do short of marching to Washington. I've tried to stay informed (which Lord knows is monumental considering the confusion that has gone on around this bill) written letters, e-mails, and made phone calls to my elected officials letting my dissent be clear.
Needless to say I am very disappointed in the outcome. I'm not in despair. I'm not thinking the world has come to an end. I haven't given up hope. But I am disgusted and mad about it.
No matter what any government decides, or elected official misconstrues, or authority of the land decides, or turn of events in this world it is my position/decision as a believer to let the peace of God rule in my heart. Not an easy thing when you feel 'out of control' due to authorities trying to take away your freedoms.
Regardless of the situation I turn to the Truth. The word of God. The words of God to me. The voice of the Lord.
It brings me back to the center of my soul. It levels my head. It soothes my wounds. It calms my fears. It reminds me of Who I belong to no matter what happens. It gives me confidence~~ not in man or any institutions~~ but in WHO God is and that everything about my life (and the lives of those that matter to me) matters to Him.
{Just for the record... I'm not one of those that just says "God is in control so not to worry." Briefly... no, I believe God has given His body~ His church ~ authority while on this earth to do His work and the work of His kingdom. It is our responsibility to know what that is and to get it done through the power and strength of Jesus Christ, our head. A subject way to deep to cover in this post but I've seen a lot of talk in Christian circles trying to explain away why this vote went through that somehow makes us feel better if we just say, "Oh well, God is in control."}
A Page From My Prayer Journal:
On Monday morning, March 22, after a restless night because of the tactics of the White House, God so faithfully helped me to center my soul with the most soothing words. This is how I wrote it in my journal...
Teach me how to live, O Lord. Ps. 27:11
13)Yet I am confident that I will see the Lord's goodness while I am here in the land of the living.
29:4-9 in part
... the voice of the Lord is powerful
... the voice of the Lord is full of majesty
... the voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars
... the voice of the Lord strikes with lightning bolts
... the voice of the Lord makes the desert quake
... the voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks and strips forests bare
11) The Lord gives his people strength ...
The Lord blesses them with peace.
Note from me: I wrote this entry on March 25. Life has been so wacky and busy that I never got around to publishing it or anything else since then. Even though the timing and dates are all wrong I'm going ahead and publishing this now. There has been so much under-handed dealings at the White House since this time it will make your head spin. I needed to read the prayer journal entry again ... because I easily lose heart these days over losing our freedoms in this wonderful country.
******************************
It is sometimes stressful and overwhelming to realize our voice is not being heard.
Our children don't always listen to our voice. If we have little ones they can flat out ignore what we say and do what they want anyway. If we have teenagers the same is true. Husbands? Forget it. I'm convinced they are masters at "tuning us out".
When someone (whether it's me or a teenager or spouse or whomever) doesn't listen to our good advice it is almost always because they think they know what is better for them over whatever it is that we are trying to say/warn/predict/instruct/help. You get the idea.
As an American living in a Republic, usually defined as "a government of the people", it is hard to swallow when we see our government ignoring the majority of the people's desires on any given bill or vote.
Such was the case this past weekend when backroom deals, intimidations, and pay-offs were the ticket for a ram-down-our-throats bill the house of Representatives were being forced to vote on. Just like the first time they voted on it they were forced to stay through the weekend, for crying out loud, to take a vote.
Suffice to say everything about the way it was brought about and voted on was all wrong.
The administration that is in office right now thinks they know better what we need than we know for ourselves. Elected officials are supposed to represent the voice of the people. They are supposed to serve the people whom they represent.
Our elected officials are not listening to the overwhelming majority of voices in this country. Every poll consistently inidicates that the majority do not want a nationalized government take over of our healthcare system!
As one voice I have done everything I can do short of marching to Washington. I've tried to stay informed (which Lord knows is monumental considering the confusion that has gone on around this bill) written letters, e-mails, and made phone calls to my elected officials letting my dissent be clear.
Needless to say I am very disappointed in the outcome. I'm not in despair. I'm not thinking the world has come to an end. I haven't given up hope. But I am disgusted and mad about it.
No matter what any government decides, or elected official misconstrues, or authority of the land decides, or turn of events in this world it is my position/decision as a believer to let the peace of God rule in my heart. Not an easy thing when you feel 'out of control' due to authorities trying to take away your freedoms.
Regardless of the situation I turn to the Truth. The word of God. The words of God to me. The voice of the Lord.
It brings me back to the center of my soul. It levels my head. It soothes my wounds. It calms my fears. It reminds me of Who I belong to no matter what happens. It gives me confidence~~ not in man or any institutions~~ but in WHO God is and that everything about my life (and the lives of those that matter to me) matters to Him.
{Just for the record... I'm not one of those that just says "God is in control so not to worry." Briefly... no, I believe God has given His body~ His church ~ authority while on this earth to do His work and the work of His kingdom. It is our responsibility to know what that is and to get it done through the power and strength of Jesus Christ, our head. A subject way to deep to cover in this post but I've seen a lot of talk in Christian circles trying to explain away why this vote went through that somehow makes us feel better if we just say, "Oh well, God is in control."}
A Page From My Prayer Journal:
On Monday morning, March 22, after a restless night because of the tactics of the White House, God so faithfully helped me to center my soul with the most soothing words. This is how I wrote it in my journal...
Teach me how to live, O Lord. Ps. 27:11
13)Yet I am confident that I will see the Lord's goodness while I am here in the land of the living.
29:4-9 in part
... the voice of the Lord is powerful
... the voice of the Lord is full of majesty
... the voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars
... the voice of the Lord strikes with lightning bolts
... the voice of the Lord makes the desert quake
... the voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks and strips forests bare
11) The Lord gives his people strength ...
The Lord blesses them with peace.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
How Do We Live?
...everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
I've been a student of the Bible for a long time. I make that statement to establish a fact not at all in a proud way. Sometimes I don't even like to admit it. Surely I should be further along in my journey.
No matter how long you've been a Christian it is the words of God, from the Bible, that provides the bread of life we are to live by. So most Believers believe this. Right?
This year I'm asking the Holy Spirit (I really mean it ... again) to help me LIVE what I know. Not by mere fact of the law... please don't misunderstand.
I get it that the Holy Spirit resides in me and He is my helper, my counselor, the one who comes along side of me. I get it that we grow only as we get our nourishment and strength from God.
I want to LIVE it. I want to be more aware of pleasing Him because of His love and mercy for me than I am in what people think or don't think.
I want HIM to be the regulator of my life in every way ... big and small.
I've been a student of the Bible for a long time. I make that statement to establish a fact not at all in a proud way. Sometimes I don't even like to admit it. Surely I should be further along in my journey.
No matter how long you've been a Christian it is the words of God, from the Bible, that provides the bread of life we are to live by. So most Believers believe this. Right?
When I read the Bible I have always started with the text and, with the help of the Holy Spirit, draw out its meaning. In context. Using cross referencing and the principle of two or three witnesses as a way to establish the Truth and meaning of the text.
Does this mean I am always right? or that I live it out perfectly? I'm not saying that. I'm simply stating some facts and trust that my dear readers will understand my point.
There is another way to study the Bible. It is when you start with an idea or conviction THEN search for text or verses to prove your point.
I find the latter to be quite prevelant in Believer's lives in our modern day culture.
This is the way cults justify their beliefs. It is also the way so called "sincere Christians" use this style of interpretation in order to justify greed, lust, divorce, you name it... there are countless other sins that can be justified when the Bible is approached in this way.
This is the way cults justify their beliefs. It is also the way so called "sincere Christians" use this style of interpretation in order to justify greed, lust, divorce, you name it... there are countless other sins that can be justified when the Bible is approached in this way.
It is actually easy to pursue just about any lifestyle we choose, then find Bible text to argue that it is quite all right to live that way.
My sincerest heart is to form my concepts and principles of life ... my entire belief system based on starting with the Holy Writ, reverencing each word, leaning my entire personality on the Holy Spirit to help me understand it, and then LIVE IT OUT.
I've failed so many times. And oftentimes it is in the nagging sins and character flaws that haunt me over and over again. Like anger for instance. When I realize I'm angry I've learned (finally) to stop and ask myself why. Almost always it is MY emotional response to feeling hurt or helpless. Hurt comes from situations involving those people who matter to me most... helpless comes from things going on in our world (whether personal or otherwise) that I feel I can't 'do' anything about.
In my anger I could go find scriptures to justify being angry at seemingly justifiable hurts and circumstances affecting me whether directly or indirectly. I mean Jesus got angry and overturned the tables in the temple.
But when I read the Bible in context... the Bible written to New Testament Christians... I find answers. Not excuses for my sin.
Your anger can never make things right in God's sight. Be quick to listen (really great advice), slow to speak (that's a challenge), and slooooooow to get angry... James tells me (James 1:19-20).
I've failed so many times. And oftentimes it is in the nagging sins and character flaws that haunt me over and over again. Like anger for instance. When I realize I'm angry I've learned (finally) to stop and ask myself why. Almost always it is MY emotional response to feeling hurt or helpless. Hurt comes from situations involving those people who matter to me most... helpless comes from things going on in our world (whether personal or otherwise) that I feel I can't 'do' anything about.
In my anger I could go find scriptures to justify being angry at seemingly justifiable hurts and circumstances affecting me whether directly or indirectly. I mean Jesus got angry and overturned the tables in the temple.
But when I read the Bible in context... the Bible written to New Testament Christians... I find answers. Not excuses for my sin.
Your anger can never make things right in God's sight. Be quick to listen (really great advice), slow to speak (that's a challenge), and slooooooow to get angry... James tells me (James 1:19-20).
I get it that the Holy Spirit resides in me and He is my helper, my counselor, the one who comes along side of me. I get it that we grow only as we get our nourishment and strength from God.
I want to LIVE it. I want to be more aware of pleasing Him because of His love and mercy for me than I am in what people think or don't think.
I want HIM to be the regulator of my life in every way ... big and small.
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