Psalm 143

The Christmas Break has given me the opportunity for several much needed things. I have had time to visit family and friends I have not seen in awhile, take care of several errands I have been putting off, make good use of my gym membership, catch up on rest, de-stress, and more importantly spend quality uninterrupted time with God.

In all honesty I have taken more advantage of my couch rather than my bible during my de-stress time so far. However, the other day my quiet time delivered a prayer for me and in digging deeper I found some other psalms containing words that continue to resonate within my heart.

Psalm 143 says:
¹Hear my prayer, O LORD;
give ear to my pleas for mercy!
In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
² Enter not into judgment with your servant,
for no one living is righteous before you.

³For the enemy has pursued my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
⁴Therefore my spirit faints within me;
my heart within me is appalled.

In the New King James version in verse 4 is says that his heart is distressed. From this verse I realized the battle within my own heart and the need for me to accept it for what it really is and confess my struggle, my distress before my Lord.

⁵ I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
⁶ I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.

I love these two verses in response to being in a trial and hope to make this my response. To remember previous times when God has provided and protected me. And times when he has shown me and led me to the right path in the midst of venturing miles away from it. How could remembering those times not cause a person to reach out to God and realize their desperate need for Him?

⁷ Answer me quickly, O LORD!
My spirit fails!
Hide not your face from me,
lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
⁸ Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.

As humans we are impatient but how can we prevent our impatience from getting the best of us? Verse 8 asks God to let us hear of His love in the morning. What can I do to encourage this to happen? Maybe setting aside morning devotional time, beginning my day with prayer before I even get out of bed, or praising Him out loud with song...even in the shower! I believe in preparing our hearts at the start of our day we will hear of his steadfast love and know the way we should go. This also reminds me of Psalm 62:5 where we are reminded to only have expectations of God, others can disappoint you if you have expectations. Expect God to be a part of your entire day.

Psalm 25 speaks of lifting up your soul to the Lord and was actually the reference for a song by Cory Asbury called "You Are My Hope" and my favorite line is the pre-chorus: "No one who waits on the Lord will ever be put to shame".

⁹ Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD!
I have fled to you for refuge!
¹⁰ Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God!
Let your good Spirit lead me
on level ground!

¹¹ For your name’s sake, O LORD, preserve my life!
In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
¹²And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies,
and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
for I am your servant.

I like to continue comparing different versions of the bible and take notice of different words used. They are synonymous but some words speak stronger to certain hearts. In verse 11 the New King James version says: "Revive me, O LORD, for Your name’s sake!" and that is what my prayer will be during this time. Asking God to revive me, my mind, heart, and soul.

The new year is approaching and though I am tempted to make numerous resolutions I am realizing that God wants me to focus on just one. Allowing Him to heal the broken areas of my life and rejuvenate my spirit so I can continue improving and becoming the woman He has called me to be.

"God loves you exactly the way you are. But refuses to let you stay there." -Max Lucado

Philippians (Part Three)

Philippian Generosity 4:10-13

^“But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.”

Reading this verse I am reminded of how we sometimes belittle the power of prayer and giving to someone through prayer, caring for someone through prayer. I was looking for a quote I remembered hearing awhile back but instead found this one that is along the same lines:

"You yourself can influence more people for God by prayer than in any other
way. It is not the only thing you must, but the greatest thing you can do."

-Wesly Deuwel

Though we may not always be able to give financially or in any other material way we can always give in the greatest way.

My love language for showing love is giving gifts. Every time I go to the store I see something I think someone else should have. Sometimes I get carried away with the idea and depend on this love language to show love more than any other way. When the suggestion is made to pray for someone that I can’t give to I initially feel as if it’s not enough. Surely there is something else I can do right? What else could fulfill the duty of giving love as entirely as going before God and making a request on another’s behalf?

Maybe the issue isn’t about faith in God to provide but wanting credit for providing. I know I always have to check my intentions before giving a gift. Is my gift-giving self-centered? Am I hoping to gain anything?

“Not that I speak in regard to need…”

Paul was appreciative of the Philippians for their act of giving, not the gift itself. It is good to give and Christ-like to desire to give. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

“…for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content…”

The rest of verse 11 hits home, hard. A psalm was placed on my heart this week and that is 62:5. It has been a source of calm in my anxious mind on several occasions throughout college and now after. It says, “Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him.” This is the new living translation. Other translations say “soul” instead of “all that I am” and “expectation” instead of “hope”. Our soul, our core, should only hope for, only expect for, God to come through. He has always promised that He will, we just have to trust. With this trust comes contentment. When we allow ourselves to expect things from people, our job, church, or anything else that makes up our life other than God, we will more often than not find ourselves disappointed. Discontented. When we expect God, who never fails, to provide we are satisfied.

“I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”

So I had to look up the word abased and found that it means to humiliate, lower, and to humble. Abound has quite the opposite meaning, to be prevalent, plentiful, and abundant. Basically, Paul knows how to live with nothing and with everything and so should we.

We cannot allow our circumstances to dictate our joy. A wise statement I was so blessed with in college. Having God makes having anything else insignificant in comparison. We should be able to do more than just survive living in meager or abundant conditions, because our God is more than enough. With Him our life is overflowing with greater treasures than what we can purchase at Best Buy or The Gap.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

I love how these scriptures build on each other so beautifully. Paul consistently writes in a way that prepares the reader for the next verse. Teaching them the mindset they should have to take on the next bit of wisdom. When we understand how desperately we need God to not only satisfy our needs but to help us provide for others, we will find that our reliance empowers us.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 says, “Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

We usually realize how much we are in need when we feel weak. Accepting this need and allowing ourselves to depend fully on God allows God to work more fully through us. And even though He knows when we’re struggling, we have to ask Him for help. We have to trust that we truly can do anything with the strength of Christ.

Taking a step back, I think God wanted me to write this so I could read it myself.

Advent Conspiracy

Last year I accepted a challenge to give in a different way at Christmas. Rather than spend money and time searching for "perfect" material gifts I would use that money and put it towards worthy causes in the name of those I wanted to honor at Christmas time. They still received something from me at Christmas, joy. To continue this new tradition I have set up a First Giving advocacy page specifically for Living Water International. Visit my site and learn about this amazing organization. Pray about giving. If you had any intention of spending money on me this Christmas, my wish is for it to go here.

www.adventconspiracy.org has other wonderful ideas for giving and serving this Christmas season. Consider the challenge, watch some videos, read the blog, and put a plan into action of how you can help others see and feel the true meaning of Christmas.

His birth was an act of love, revolutionary love. Honor your King with acts of love.

If you would like more information about Living Water International please visit their site at:
http://www.water.cc/

Philippians 4 (Part Two)

Part Two: Philippians 4:8-9

Meditate on These Things

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”

I have fallen in love with these two verses this week. I read a commentary that described this list: “noble, just, pure, lovely, good report, virtue, praiseworthy as fruit and the food of the mind that is guarded by the peace of God. When we put these things into our mind, they stay in our mind and then come forth from us.” (http://www.enduringword.com/commentaries/5004.htm)

It makes me think of the saying you are what you eat. When you eat unhealthy things (as delicious as they might be) it can negatively affect your outward appearance. Much like I evaluate my eating habits I’ve had to question and evaluate my thought life. Am I choosing to take in the positive joyful spirit that the Lord provides? Does my outward appearance reflect this?

This week has been hard at times to focus on the positive. So I began to surround myself with the positive. In church Sunday we discussed thanksgiving, appropriate for the season, and I realized what could be more positive than giving thanks? It truly is good for the soul to thank others. You just can’t feel bad after you genuinely step back, reflect on the love another has shown you, and show your appreciation.

God has given me so many people to thank and I wish I had the perfect settings to thank them each individually. Maybe those settings will reveal themselves as time goes on.

Something else I really love about verse 8 is the word meditate. Although meditating and praying are not quite the same things I think when both are present in a person’s spiritual life they complement each other. When we meditate our thoughts are held captive. We are focused. In this state we are more likely to clearly hear God’s commands and obey.

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2

My challenge for myself is to continue meditating on the things mentioned in Philippians 4:8 and protect this meditation by looking to God and not the world, allowing his word to renew my mind daily. Something I’ve heard in a kids’ Sunday school program is, “Let’s breathe God in *inhale* and breathe the world out *exhale*.”

You might feel silly but you should try it!

Philippians 4 (Part One)

I am a terrible blogger. I tried earlier this year, in January, and haven’t blogged since. I didn’t think I would make another attempt but God is transitioning me into a new season, and I feel giving my blog a second chance is quite fitting. I need an outlet, a place to express what I am feeling but for a specific intention, to encourage someone other than myself with what God reveals to me as I study His word.

God brought a message in church this morning that I couldn’t leave just floating in my head. I had to look into it. I knew He had more for me to discover but I had to pursue it. I was sure it would be worth it because there was a promise of peace, something I am desperate for and I know I am not alone in that.

Philippians 4, an incredible chapter of an incredible book has provided comfort in my life on many occasions. Not an accident that I encountered it today. Before I really got into studying I knew I could outline my study with a set of instructions I took away from church earlier:
• Rejoice always
• Be anxious for nothing
• Pray

I am only going to focus on verses 4-7 for the time being.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!”

Verse 4 is where I got the first instruction from pretty easily. It instructs us to rejoice and not just when we feel like it but always. In college I heard on numerous occasions to not let my joy be dictated by my circumstances. Rejoicing is expressing joy, and just as I had been advised to do before God’s word also reminds us to express joy, pure joy, regardless of what we’re going through. (James 1:2) Paul understood how important having this attitude of unshakeable joy is that he repeated himself. He knew, before he laid out his message, the mindset his listeners needed to have.

“Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.”

Here we are reminded of one of the fruits of the spirit, gentleness. Gentleness describes a person’s heart that has released to God all of their anxieties and understands that He is in control. A gentle person doesn’t allow their spirit to grow restless over a worry or trial, but instead asks God to take it away so it doesn’t affect their disposition. This is a quality Christ showed everyone, not just his disciples but all men. We can’t only show gentleness to those who are easy to be gentle and patient with. As a teacher of junior high students I find myself struggling everyday with gentleness. It is hard to have patience and not let my irritation get the best of me sometimes. I tend to be gentler with students who are respectful and cooperative, when it’s the disrespectful and uncooperative students who need a gentle spirit most. The end of this verse reminds us of the eternal view we must have, that Christ’s return is coming. It places a sense of urgency on being gentle and obeying the word of the Lord as well as provides a purpose. Why should I be gentle even to those that cause me so much grief? Because in the end God will make every wrong right in our crazy world. He will settle the score. We must let Him fight the battle.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God…”

The bible has punched me in the face, in Christian love of course, with this verse more times that I can count. Anxiety is a huge struggle for me and is for all of us at some point. We all worry, we’re human. We want and expect a lot out of our life and the people in it when we should really just want and expect God’s will. And yes that was way easier to type than to practice. This verse has quite a few parts so let’s break it down:
• “Be anxious for nothing” This is not a suggestion, it is a command. When we are anxious we hold on to things in a weak attempt to control them. Eventually we have to let go, and beginning that process is easier the earlier you start.
• The next three parts all revolve around communication with God:
o “but in everything by prayer” Talk to God about everything
o “and supplication,” Ask God for something
o “with thanksgiving,” Thank God for all things
o “let your requests be made known to God…” God knows our requests, but he wants our participation, so tell him what they are.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Here is a promise I desire in my current state, peace. After analyzing the verse before I don’t feel this one needs much explaining. I’ve been told exactly what to do to have peace guard my heart and mind. Now I have to follow His instructions. Rejoice always, be anxious for nothing, and pray.

It will be a good week.

whirlwind

I am really glad I made the most of my break and the free time I had without school responsibilities. Once my week of classes started two weeks ago I have been caught up in the busy-ness of being a student teacher. I absolutely adore my new students and my mentor teacher but with the neverending to-do list consuming my thoughts I have neglected my Lord. I have not fought for my quiet time.

Well, Friday came and after eating dinner and collapsing on the couch I attempted to work on one of the many pending assignments. I was completely exhausted and after loosing focus more times than I can even remember I came to a realization. Even though my quality time with God isn't a percentage of my grades at school it is vital for my spiritual life. And when I checked my priorities and rearranged them to what they should be, what I desire them to be, spiritual life definitely ranks higher than school.

My Beloved is jealous for me and I should not keep Him waiting any longer.

Romans 8:18-21

What I have reflected on today... (if a funny looking word is in parentheses its Greek)

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”

Romans 8:18-21

As I read and analyzed these four verses I went from considering hopelessness to having certain hope (elpis).

Verse 18 basically says that the sufferings we are experiencing cannot come close to being compared with the glory God will inevitably reveal to us because they are not eternal. Our sufferings last mere seconds compared to eternal glory in heaven with our Father, if we could compare the two. Concerning suffering I came across a thought that suffering prepares us to participate in the glory to come, and is a tool used to conform us into His image. This refreshed my view of suffering. I so easily forget that suffering as Christ did, for His sake, is a privilege. Suffering is not meant to harm us (Romans 8:28) but to strengthen us for our good, for our God. I think if I remembered this on an hourly basis others would see my delight in the Lord.

I misinterpreted verse 19 when I first read “sons of God” and thought Jesus alone. Jesus is the Son of God but here the idea read earlier in verse 14 is remembered, that we who believe are His children. We are the sons of God. I also thought of the “eager longing” as impatient rather than an earnest expectation (apokaradokia). Realizing what is being eagerly longed for changes the view of the nature of the longing. What is being expected is of God, the only expectation we should ever have (Psalm 62:5). James 5:7 reminds us to patiently wait. Apekdechomai, to patiently but expectantly wait. Creation is expectantly awaiting God to reveal us in our glorified bodies. “The revealing of the sons of God” (apokalupsis) is when the uncovering of the fully mature sons of God will take place. That is something to eagerly long for!

Verse 20 threw me for a loop. When sin entered the world so did corruption and therefore futility. Nothing that exists here on earth is as God intended it to exist. God did subject creation to futility (mataiotes) it did not choose this, “for the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly,” but why? Sin. And because of sin creation can never achieve the state of perfection it originally was on its own. Here hopelessness entered stage left. I began to question the purpose of my efforts to do right for others and for the environment. Why do we even try when nothing we do will ever make it better? Then I remembered love. We were not made to make everything better. We were made by God, for God, to showcase who He is and in that love others. I guess I felt hopeless because I always desire to fix things, and when I say this I don’t mean flat tires. Relationships, broken hearts, grief those are things I make feeble attempts at fixing. I needed to be reminded that I alone cannot reconcile relationships, mend broken hearts, and heal those plagued with grief. But God can. And with this came not just hope but certain hope (elpis).

Verse 21 finishes what 20 started in explaining what is to be hoped for. “That the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” What is to be hoped for is freedom. Freedom that can be seen. Eleutheron means it will be set free and will be shown to be free. God will set creation free and creation will be restored to the way He originally intended for it to be. Being reminded of how God is in complete control and then remembering this is necessary.

During my study I came across a great commentary that included a wonderful insight of Martin Lloyd-Jones:

I wonder whether the phenomenon of the Spring supplies us with a part answer. Nature every year, as it were, makes an effort to renew itself, to produce something permanent; it has come out of the death and the darkness of all that is so true of the Winter. In the Spring it seems to be trying to produce a perfect creation, to be going through some kind of birth-pangs year by year. But unfortunately it does not succeed, for Spring leads only to Summer, whereas Summer leads to Autumn, and Autumn to Winter. Poor old nature tries every year to defeat the "vanity" of the principle of death and decay and disintegration that is in it. But it cannot do so. It fails every time. It still goes on trying, as if it feels things should be different and better; but it never succeeds. So it goes on "groaning and travailing in pain together until now." It has been doing so for a very long time.... but nature still repeats the effort annually. But, it will be set free one day from this corruption "into the freedom of the glory of the children of God."

For me I compared this thought of the four seasons in nature to the seasons we as believers experience. Just as Ecclesiastes 3 states, “To everything there is a season…” and as we journey through each season of our lives we shouldn’t allow room for discouragement when we fall short. Even when we feel a cycle of high and then low seasons occurring we must remain humble and remember the greater purpose for all that we do.

^“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14