The LORD God reigns even if we think He doesn't
The LORD God reigns even if we think He wasn't
The LORD God reigns even when we've lost our way
The LORD God reigns even when our bodies decay
The LORD God reigns even if we say He's not real
The LORD God reigns even if we say He's not ideal
The LORD God reigns even when we fail to confess
The LORD God reigns even when we are in distress
The LORD God reigns because He always does
The LORD God reigns because He always was
The LORD God reigns for He is supreme over All
The LORD God reigns for He is the LORD of All
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Did You Know
Did you know that there are some things that God cannot do? Here's a list: He cannot sin, fail, break His covenants, deny Himself.
Did you know that to put God first means He must be the center of our everything?
Did you know that there is only one way for us to be fruitful in doing God's work? His way!
Did you know that God is not on our time schedule nor is He subjected to it?
Did you know that nothing or no one could unsettle or unseat God? Yes, no one and nothing!
Did you know that God wants us to be contented in Him and not in anything or in any other?
Did you know that God's will for our lives is not mysterious? It's all in the Bible.
Did you know that even if God granted us permission to judge Him He will still be blameless?
Did you know that to put God first means He must be the center of our everything?
Did you know that there is only one way for us to be fruitful in doing God's work? His way!
Did you know that God is not on our time schedule nor is He subjected to it?
Did you know that nothing or no one could unsettle or unseat God? Yes, no one and nothing!
Did you know that God wants us to be contented in Him and not in anything or in any other?
Did you know that God's will for our lives is not mysterious? It's all in the Bible.
Did you know that even if God granted us permission to judge Him He will still be blameless?
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Loving Obedience
Have you ever had a moment where you desire to do something out of love, not duty? You get to a place where your commitment is because of love. You serve because it is a passion. Your thoughts, feelings, and will are all in. You experience yourself becoming a lover. Before, you were a doer. You focused on doing in order to experience love. You fought to be loved. You felt you have fallen short of it. You thought love will continue to evade you. You worked and worked in order to feel, to give, to know, to hear, and to experience love.
But, it was there all along. There for real. There for free. There in full. There in steadfastness. There in perfection. There in purity. Yet, you kept striving to achieve it. You were determined to earn it. So, you thought doing will make you worthy of it. You willed yourself to love, but you got tired. The harder you fought the more tired you became. The more you strove the less love you had. The less you experienced. The less you shared. Truth is that love is not from us. That means no amount of work. That means no level of determination. That means that no pity party. That means no craving for it was sufficient to create love. That means nothing we could do would have brought love. You obeyed out of fear. You obeyed for appearance. You obeyed out of duty. You obeyed, but your heart was not in it. Love was missing. You screwed up many times. You sought to regain love through work after you sinned. You thought you had to earn something given freely. What pride? What misunderstanding? What deceit?
But, in a moment when you have just sinned you got it. Weird, right? Not in a moment of striving. Not in a moment of doing good. Instead in a moment when you have just disobeyed. You want to do the norm. You know, work to get back in a right standing. So, you could say you earn love. Like you always thought. Like you were told. Like you were led to believe. This time it's different. The love you sought to earn has finally captured you. The love you worked to earn has finally captivated you. The love you strove to achieve has coveted you. The love you desire wants to court you. This love covers you. It has been covering you, and will always cover you. It was always jealous for you, and will always be jealous for you. It was patient, and will always be patient. It was kind, and will always be kind. It was steadfast, and will always be steadfast.
Now you are getting it. Now you are seeing it. Now you are believing it. Now you are receiving it. Now you are allowing it to hold you. Now you are trusting in it. Now you are realizing the truth of it. Now you are surrendering to it. Not out of fear. Not out of duty. Not to give an appearance. No! It is for real. What was and is always real is now accepted by you. You are loved! So, you put away striving to earn it. You open your heart, head, and hand to receive more of it. Your emotions, thoughts, and will you submit to it. In each and every moment. You are in that sweet spot. In that secret place. Not just today. But every day. And you don't want to leave. You are contented there. You find rest there. In the bosom of this love. In the safety and shelter of this love. Now, your obedience begins to be out of love. You love to obey. You obey because you love. Even when you fall. Even when you sin. You are grieved by your sins.
But now you trust in this love. You don't run from this love in those moments of sin and pain. You run to it. There is no fear anymore. Because this love is perfect. And it is removing all of your fears. For that is what this love does. You say, for real, I Love You LORD! Why? Because He has loved you first. Now, you can't but respond to His love with love. It becomes refreshing, powerful, and transforming. Thanks God for Your Love! You are Awesome!
But, it was there all along. There for real. There for free. There in full. There in steadfastness. There in perfection. There in purity. Yet, you kept striving to achieve it. You were determined to earn it. So, you thought doing will make you worthy of it. You willed yourself to love, but you got tired. The harder you fought the more tired you became. The more you strove the less love you had. The less you experienced. The less you shared. Truth is that love is not from us. That means no amount of work. That means no level of determination. That means that no pity party. That means no craving for it was sufficient to create love. That means nothing we could do would have brought love. You obeyed out of fear. You obeyed for appearance. You obeyed out of duty. You obeyed, but your heart was not in it. Love was missing. You screwed up many times. You sought to regain love through work after you sinned. You thought you had to earn something given freely. What pride? What misunderstanding? What deceit?
But, in a moment when you have just sinned you got it. Weird, right? Not in a moment of striving. Not in a moment of doing good. Instead in a moment when you have just disobeyed. You want to do the norm. You know, work to get back in a right standing. So, you could say you earn love. Like you always thought. Like you were told. Like you were led to believe. This time it's different. The love you sought to earn has finally captured you. The love you worked to earn has finally captivated you. The love you strove to achieve has coveted you. The love you desire wants to court you. This love covers you. It has been covering you, and will always cover you. It was always jealous for you, and will always be jealous for you. It was patient, and will always be patient. It was kind, and will always be kind. It was steadfast, and will always be steadfast.
Now you are getting it. Now you are seeing it. Now you are believing it. Now you are receiving it. Now you are allowing it to hold you. Now you are trusting in it. Now you are realizing the truth of it. Now you are surrendering to it. Not out of fear. Not out of duty. Not to give an appearance. No! It is for real. What was and is always real is now accepted by you. You are loved! So, you put away striving to earn it. You open your heart, head, and hand to receive more of it. Your emotions, thoughts, and will you submit to it. In each and every moment. You are in that sweet spot. In that secret place. Not just today. But every day. And you don't want to leave. You are contented there. You find rest there. In the bosom of this love. In the safety and shelter of this love. Now, your obedience begins to be out of love. You love to obey. You obey because you love. Even when you fall. Even when you sin. You are grieved by your sins.
But now you trust in this love. You don't run from this love in those moments of sin and pain. You run to it. There is no fear anymore. Because this love is perfect. And it is removing all of your fears. For that is what this love does. You say, for real, I Love You LORD! Why? Because He has loved you first. Now, you can't but respond to His love with love. It becomes refreshing, powerful, and transforming. Thanks God for Your Love! You are Awesome!
Monday, March 12, 2012
Consider these
Jesus did not die for our excuses, but for our sins. Stop making excuses! Let us be honest and with humility confess and repent of all sin.
We are to enjoy life, but not by the world's standards or definition. For the world cannot offer us joy because it does not have a clue to what joy really is and how it is attained.
Professing that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior is a lie if we do not do what He says.
The only view of God that we must accept is the high view, in which He is seen and revered as holy! holy! holy!
If we believe in God, then we will embrace all of what the Bible says about Him.
To argue half-truths is foolish for it is an argument to prove a lie.
It is easy to be deceived when we are not immersed in and in love with the truth.
The human race suffers from a degenerate heart condition (i.e., sin) that no legislation is fully capable of healing.
If God is truly our everything we would have no other gods.
God is only the center of our lives when we center our lives on Him.
Whatever our hearts are full of will pour out in our daily lives, even if we try to conceal it.
Where do you place your confidence when you pray? Is it in the words you pray or in God to whom you pray?
The Bible reveals God's heart (pure and perfect) and our hearts too (polluted and proud). So, whose heart will you trust?
Are you aware that God knows and has the best plan for your life? Your plan, though best in your eyes, does not even come close. This is because He created you. You did not create yourself.
Why are we so slow to believe and trust in God who knows, controls, and has a perfect plan for everything? Yet, we are quick to believe and trust in people.
As a blind person cannot give sight to him/herself neither can people dead in sin give give themselves life.
We are to enjoy life, but not by the world's standards or definition. For the world cannot offer us joy because it does not have a clue to what joy really is and how it is attained.
Professing that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior is a lie if we do not do what He says.
The only view of God that we must accept is the high view, in which He is seen and revered as holy! holy! holy!
If we believe in God, then we will embrace all of what the Bible says about Him.
To argue half-truths is foolish for it is an argument to prove a lie.
It is easy to be deceived when we are not immersed in and in love with the truth.
The human race suffers from a degenerate heart condition (i.e., sin) that no legislation is fully capable of healing.
If God is truly our everything we would have no other gods.
God is only the center of our lives when we center our lives on Him.
Whatever our hearts are full of will pour out in our daily lives, even if we try to conceal it.
Where do you place your confidence when you pray? Is it in the words you pray or in God to whom you pray?
The Bible reveals God's heart (pure and perfect) and our hearts too (polluted and proud). So, whose heart will you trust?
Are you aware that God knows and has the best plan for your life? Your plan, though best in your eyes, does not even come close. This is because He created you. You did not create yourself.
Why are we so slow to believe and trust in God who knows, controls, and has a perfect plan for everything? Yet, we are quick to believe and trust in people.
As a blind person cannot give sight to him/herself neither can people dead in sin give give themselves life.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Worship Forever
The Bible is full of worship. People and creation worshiping God, Most High. In the book of Revelation, there are glimpses of worship in heaven. The elders, the living creatures, the angels, the great multitude of saints are all worshiping God. Before His throne. In His temple. Their worship is forever. Unto the God who is forever. Such an experience will indeed be out of this world. It will be more than awesome. It will be a new, greater, an incomparably refreshing and higher exalted form of worship. I look forward to it because I will be in God's presence. There my worship will be truly full, complete, pure, and perfect. That said, I did not always have this desire and mentality. God grew and developed it in me. He continues through my daily experiences.
In my very early Christian life, I was somewhat repulsed at the thought of worshiping God forever. It seemed boring to me. It did not seem productive. Note, the selfish outlook in my view. I thought worship was only in singing of songs, not a lifestyle. That said, it was my immature thoughts. I wanted to decide what worship was and how God should be worshiped. My wisdom was indeed foolishness. Pride, and thus sin, was at the center of my heart. My pride, and thus sin, did not want to give to God what was due Him. Additionally, my mind did not know what worship meant. My heart had not yet come to understand what worship is. My strength was yet to experience what it means to worship. My entire being (i.e., heart, mind, strength) did not yet take in the fragrance and essence of worship.
Where am I now? Oh my dear friends, not where I was. God has been transforming my life. My mind has come to know and is increasing in its knowledge of God. My heart has come to understand and is increasing in its understanding of God. I am learning how to spend my strength for God. My entire being is taking in in increasing measure the fragrance and essence of God. Now I worship. Not only in words, but in thoughts and in actions. God is the one who has brought about the change. He has worked for my good. That is, He has opened my mind and heart. He has empowered and filled me. All for His purpose. To worship Him with all my mind, heart, strength, and all of me. In everything and everywhere. At all times!
Now, worship is the lifestyle I seek to live. I can't get enough of it. Not only in songs, but in thoughts and words and actions. In everything. I don't worship perfectly, fully, nor completely. Not yet. It will be fulfilled in the next life. However, I will not become complacent because of the not yet. I can't. Not after tasting how great living a life of worship is to my entire being. Add to this the fellowship with other believers who desire to live a life of worship. What you is an incomparable experience that is a sweet fragrance to God. No other fellowship is like it. No other lifestyle comes close. The desire and pursuit to worship God by our lifestyle is heavenly. It is filling. So, I thank God that He has opened my mind and heart. That He has empowered and filled me. He did all of this and continues to in order that I may worship Him in increasing measure here on earth. The time is coming when I will do so in full, complete, pure and perfect way. FOREVER!!!
In my very early Christian life, I was somewhat repulsed at the thought of worshiping God forever. It seemed boring to me. It did not seem productive. Note, the selfish outlook in my view. I thought worship was only in singing of songs, not a lifestyle. That said, it was my immature thoughts. I wanted to decide what worship was and how God should be worshiped. My wisdom was indeed foolishness. Pride, and thus sin, was at the center of my heart. My pride, and thus sin, did not want to give to God what was due Him. Additionally, my mind did not know what worship meant. My heart had not yet come to understand what worship is. My strength was yet to experience what it means to worship. My entire being (i.e., heart, mind, strength) did not yet take in the fragrance and essence of worship.
Where am I now? Oh my dear friends, not where I was. God has been transforming my life. My mind has come to know and is increasing in its knowledge of God. My heart has come to understand and is increasing in its understanding of God. I am learning how to spend my strength for God. My entire being is taking in in increasing measure the fragrance and essence of God. Now I worship. Not only in words, but in thoughts and in actions. God is the one who has brought about the change. He has worked for my good. That is, He has opened my mind and heart. He has empowered and filled me. All for His purpose. To worship Him with all my mind, heart, strength, and all of me. In everything and everywhere. At all times!
Now, worship is the lifestyle I seek to live. I can't get enough of it. Not only in songs, but in thoughts and words and actions. In everything. I don't worship perfectly, fully, nor completely. Not yet. It will be fulfilled in the next life. However, I will not become complacent because of the not yet. I can't. Not after tasting how great living a life of worship is to my entire being. Add to this the fellowship with other believers who desire to live a life of worship. What you is an incomparable experience that is a sweet fragrance to God. No other fellowship is like it. No other lifestyle comes close. The desire and pursuit to worship God by our lifestyle is heavenly. It is filling. So, I thank God that He has opened my mind and heart. That He has empowered and filled me. He did all of this and continues to in order that I may worship Him in increasing measure here on earth. The time is coming when I will do so in full, complete, pure and perfect way. FOREVER!!!
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