Friday, April 9, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
A Lifetime of Sanctification
"...asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." Colossians 1:9-12
"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." James 1:5-8
So many times in this life I find myself lost, confused, paralyzed with fear as I look towards an uncertain future. How quickly do I forget the timeless truths that the Father tenderly speaks to me through His Word. My eyes can be so focused one day and the next, it is as if I woke up a different person. The lies and the deceit of this world quickly, yet ever so subtly slither their way into my heart. And when I leave provision for the flesh, the Enemy wastes no time finding a secure foothold. I'm left wondering, "What in the world happened?" To go from trusting God and being so confident in His promises to doubting whether or not He is good and really cares about my life. It seems so ridiculous because well it is! Yet I've found myself here.
Tears, frustration, despair, fear. All these are my companions in this time. I can do nothing but fall to my knees and cry out to Him. Sometimes it is lying on my bed with the Word open before me, calling to mind His promises and feel miles from my heart.
By God's wonderful grace, He takes notice of me, in my confusion and despair and rescues me. He forgives my sin, my heinous doubt and cleanses me. For when I confess my sin "He is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) Never has He left me to drown in my despair. I love Him for that.
"I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me therefore I will call on him as long as I live." Psalm 116:1-2
It is overwhelming how He comes, time and time again. Each and every moment faithfully staying true to His Promises, conforming me more and more to the image of His Son. Praise God I'm not who I was a year ago, even a week ago for that matter!
I say all of that because I cannot God has once again reminded me...no, rescued me from my sin and Satan's deception. The two verses at the top of the page are two passages that God breathed. The first was given to me by a wise man who has been faithfully speaking truth into my life for three or so years now.Thank God for people like that. The second was pure Holy Spirit, as He convicted me of how double-minded I was acting.
I continue to wrestle with my life direction and many decisions that are in my wake could very well set the coarse for the rest of my life. I'm moving into an even greater realm of unknown, very unfamiliar territory. In the midst of the uncertainty I forgot the beautiful promises of my Father. I took my eyes off the Author and Perfecter of my faith. Wisdom has been my cry and prayer for sometime now. I'm so proned to second guessing myself and allowing the words of others to plant seeds of doubt. Even a seemingly encouraging and harmless conversation with a brother or sister in Christ.
I'm such a people-pleaser sometimes, that I try to conform myself to what I think they want me to be or do. Yikes. I repent of that evil. Because by God's grace I will "...walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." May I live to please God and God alone! With this conviction also came the gentle reminder to fix my eyes once again on Him who is above, not on the earthly things that are passing away. The promises came flooding back into my mind and heart. I am Sovereign. I am Good. In My right hand are pleasures forever. My way is Truth. I will lead you. I will sustain you. It is for My glory that you live.
So tonight, by the Grace of God my eyes are back on Him. I don't want to be the double-minded man who doubts. I want to be the man who yearns to please His Father by walking in the way of wisdom and understanding that I might bear fruit in every good work.
May Christ be glorified in me.
"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." James 1:5-8
So many times in this life I find myself lost, confused, paralyzed with fear as I look towards an uncertain future. How quickly do I forget the timeless truths that the Father tenderly speaks to me through His Word. My eyes can be so focused one day and the next, it is as if I woke up a different person. The lies and the deceit of this world quickly, yet ever so subtly slither their way into my heart. And when I leave provision for the flesh, the Enemy wastes no time finding a secure foothold. I'm left wondering, "What in the world happened?" To go from trusting God and being so confident in His promises to doubting whether or not He is good and really cares about my life. It seems so ridiculous because well it is! Yet I've found myself here.
Tears, frustration, despair, fear. All these are my companions in this time. I can do nothing but fall to my knees and cry out to Him. Sometimes it is lying on my bed with the Word open before me, calling to mind His promises and feel miles from my heart.
By God's wonderful grace, He takes notice of me, in my confusion and despair and rescues me. He forgives my sin, my heinous doubt and cleanses me. For when I confess my sin "He is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) Never has He left me to drown in my despair. I love Him for that.
"I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me therefore I will call on him as long as I live." Psalm 116:1-2
It is overwhelming how He comes, time and time again. Each and every moment faithfully staying true to His Promises, conforming me more and more to the image of His Son. Praise God I'm not who I was a year ago, even a week ago for that matter!
I say all of that because I cannot God has once again reminded me...no, rescued me from my sin and Satan's deception. The two verses at the top of the page are two passages that God breathed. The first was given to me by a wise man who has been faithfully speaking truth into my life for three or so years now.Thank God for people like that. The second was pure Holy Spirit, as He convicted me of how double-minded I was acting.
I continue to wrestle with my life direction and many decisions that are in my wake could very well set the coarse for the rest of my life. I'm moving into an even greater realm of unknown, very unfamiliar territory. In the midst of the uncertainty I forgot the beautiful promises of my Father. I took my eyes off the Author and Perfecter of my faith. Wisdom has been my cry and prayer for sometime now. I'm so proned to second guessing myself and allowing the words of others to plant seeds of doubt. Even a seemingly encouraging and harmless conversation with a brother or sister in Christ.
I'm such a people-pleaser sometimes, that I try to conform myself to what I think they want me to be or do. Yikes. I repent of that evil. Because by God's grace I will "...walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." May I live to please God and God alone! With this conviction also came the gentle reminder to fix my eyes once again on Him who is above, not on the earthly things that are passing away. The promises came flooding back into my mind and heart. I am Sovereign. I am Good. In My right hand are pleasures forever. My way is Truth. I will lead you. I will sustain you. It is for My glory that you live.
So tonight, by the Grace of God my eyes are back on Him. I don't want to be the double-minded man who doubts. I want to be the man who yearns to please His Father by walking in the way of wisdom and understanding that I might bear fruit in every good work.
May Christ be glorified in me.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Raw
Oh heart of mine
Though dulled by the world
the ache remains, the longing persists
I want to love
But it slumbers within
I yearn to love
but it alludes my selfish grasp
I ache to love
because it is what You made this heart for.....
"in faithfulness you afflicted me...."
I believe that, Father. I really do.
Though dulled by the world
the ache remains, the longing persists
I want to love
But it slumbers within
I yearn to love
but it alludes my selfish grasp
I ache to love
because it is what You made this heart for.....
"in faithfulness you afflicted me...."
I believe that, Father. I really do.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
