HELP

OK, here is something for which I have been asking the Lord for help.  I am looking for people in the scriptures who had expectations of either God or man that they felt were unmet....I was given one instance where Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law, in Ruth 1:20 calls herself Mara, Bitter, because the Lord brought her back to her people empty when she left full of sons and a husband.
  
Can you think of places in scripture with such instances? 

Thanks for your input, ladies.
Thanks for the above example, Bambi! 
Love you guys!

YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK

I've been spending time today trying to link my Kindle to this blogspot. I know it can be done in a round about kind of way but I was thinking of a one-click-get-it-over-there-in-a-nanosecond-kind-of-way.  Someone figure it out, please!  I am itching to get it done!


Considering our discussion around my living room last night, we were essentially concluding that we are what we think.  Because there is a war on for our minds, we must take our thoughts captive filling them with the Word of God lit by the Holy Spirit Himself who was given to us at the moment of our salvation.  Fill the mind with the former and the spirit up with the latter and we have our defenses up! 


 With that in mind, I would like to challenge our tiny blogworld with this: post a scripture verse that will raise our hearts and eyes to the Creator. Let's fill each others eyes and minds with God's Word.  Philippians 4:8 says: "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worth of praise, dwell on these things."


Proverbs 23:7 "As a man thinketh, so is he."  


What do YOU think?


Let's hear from everybody, OK?

On 1 John 2:18-29

In studying this passage for a couple of days, my deepest impression, believe it or not, is that the Lord, through John, coveys His deep concern for our hearts and souls.  Warning after warning comes concerning what deceptions will come.  Surely the picture of the antichrist is familiar to believers.  At least it should be.  But how do we know that they are antichrists? 

From the pulpit and the witness in my heart the answer is that we must know the Truth of the Word of God.  Study His character.  Search for scriptural principle.  Stay in context of the whole of scripture.  Then, comparison to the world’s standard can be made.  The lies and deceptions are exposed by the Light of the Word of God.  John’s description of the antichrist is full in the context of 1 John 2. 

1) Many antichrists will arise in the last hour (18)

2) They went out from among us  (19)

3) They are not for us although they will try to appear to be  (19)

4) They deny Jesus  (22,23)

5) They deny the Father  (22,23)

6) They deny the Truth by trying to deceive (26)

Mind you, the enemy of our souls is the father of lies, his native tongue is lying.  He masquerades as an angel of light.  Therefore, we must all the more know the true Light, and the Truth of the Light. The cunning of the deceiver is more insidious than ever now.  So, biblical wisdom and deep faith and trust need to be our tools and weapons.  Every article of our spiritual armor must be in place and reinforced continually so we can stand. Refresh yourself with Ephesians 6:10-18.

I could barely get over the example Pastor Mike used by quoting Karl Marx’s statement of faith eight years before he became one of the most wicked rulers in the 20^th century.  He was clear in his statement but, boy, his heart and soul were never connected to it to have done the treacheries attributed to him. 

Our airways and media are full of such deceivers.  And we would do well to scrutinize before we believe anything but whole counsel of the Truth of God’s Word.

Here is a question I have for you all if you are following Pastor Mike’s sermons or have been studying along with me in 1 John 2. 

The word “anointing” appears in chapter 2 in verses 20 and verse 27 twice. What is this anointing? When did this happen? Why does it matter?

I would love to hear your thoughts.  Your responses mean so much to me.  It is an encouragement to me to see interest in the Lord’s Word and how you take it to heart. 

I am full of anticipation for your response AND to be filled with encouragement by the Truth concerning our confidence in Him and His Promise.

PARKING IN THE SNOW

Where?

We have a snow day from our homeschool co-op today! There was a scramble from about 5 AM till 9 AM with text updates from the TV station and weather services, delays from the school districts, families from our distant locations (Berwick, Troy/Canton, Bloomsburg, Danville) calling to voice concern....whew, it was a relief to get the decision  made and realize...I have a day in my week I had no plans crowding!  Oh Cool!  What to do?!
One of the happiest visions of my morning was when my kids came to me all sleepy-eyed (yes, at ages 16 and 18) for the news of the snow day...kind of a squishy smile, eyes barely opened and cheeks hanging.... and their delight to return to bed for a while longer knowing there wasn't a bit of pressure to which they had to yield today. I feel it too.

I wonder what I'll do? I wonder what you guys are doing today too.

Why don't you write and tell what you are up to today for fun!  Where did you PARK yourself?

I for one, just haven't decided what the next thing is yet....carrot soup and fresh bread, I think!

AN OXYMORON

1/11/11

For the word of God, which is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, has pierced and penetrated me to the dividing of my soul and spirit, my joints and marrow, judging the thoughts and intents and motivations of my heart. Nothing, even my inmost motivations, is hidden from God’s sight.  Everything in my heart, soul and mind is laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom I must give account. Therefore, since I have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, I will hold firmly to the faith I do profess. For my high priest, who is able to sympathize with my weaknesses, has been tempted in every way, just as I am—yet was without sin.  Therefore, I will approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that I may receive mercy and find grace and help in my time of need. Derived from Hebrews 4:12-14

I have gotten to like action/suspense movies.  It surprises me too…everyone stay calm.  The sound and movement and tension are a psyche for me.  Since I have begun to watch more of these types of shows and movies, I have seen broad sword battles on the screen.  Narnia, Braveheart, Gladiator. If I was ever able to stay awake for one, I’d venture to say that the Lord of the Rings movies had their fair share of them too.

Broadswords, as I understand them, are weapons used for cutting, most of which could dismember or decapitate the enemy. Lethal. http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/Broadsword.htm    You have to be mighty to wield one of these offensively.

As I have been studying scripture, I find that the Word of God is “sharper than any two-edged sword”. It comes to bear on us to the dividing of our souls and spirits, to expose the thoughts, intents and motivations of our hearts.  The heart of man is desperately wicked, who can know it; even the saved heart. The spirit is made new, but we carry it around in this flesh/body of ours that is bound by the curse of sin. So God sees fit to do this dissection.  I see God as a warrior. He is a Defender taking whatever measures necessary to keep his protectee from harm.

I see the work of His Word as a surgery of sorts. Have you ever had the privilege of observing surgery?  The skilled surgeon’s hand manipulates the scalpel to open up the covering of our skin and connective tissue to expose what lies underneath.  Is he looking for an injury, a diseased organ, something to repair?  In any of these cases, a skillful incision must be made.  The accomplished surgeon probes with intent and completes the task. I see God as a surgeon. He is One who skillfully opens and repairs or excises that which is diseased to make His beloved well.

God’s Word has been both of these to me recently. He’s jealous. He will not share His glory or worship with another. His name is Jealous. (Ex 34:14). He is a consuming fire, a jealous God, in response to the idolatrous heart. (Deut 4:24). Shoosh, there are many places where God’s jealousy surfaces and it is always because of His beloved’s wandering, idolatrous, adulterous heart. His beloved is so precious that He will do anything to rescue her from others. Enter the broadsword!

As expectations bind some of my most treasured relationships, God has lovingly shown me that even though these are most valuable, they are not supposed to be supreme.  He alone is the Only One worthy of all of my heart. When I impose any expectation on another to meet a need for or in me that is fully God’s to penetrate, I am sabotaging the relationship and giving God less than all of me. This realization came to me recently. The crush of unmet expectations was incapacitating.  All I could do was wag my head…for days…outwardly and in my heart…what a bloody mess!

Then came the infantile response, “What does this mean about this relationship? Is it all just a terrible, shallow, weak accord?” Blame and victimization for my misunderstanding God’s point was seeking vent! Lord help me!

Finally, the Word’s surgical procedure excised what was poisoning my heart.  I tried in my own strength to right my heart.  And with each attempt I saw that my effort only proved to expose my inabilities. I couldn’t forgive, couldn’t be unconditional, couldn’t give.  But, the excision brought the remedy, the Truth of God for me.  “Reckon it dead…but alive to Christ.”Rom 6:11.

Is that it? Yep. Every time the disappointment arises again, reckon it dead. Every time the anger boils, reckon it dead.  When the tide of bewilderment and misunderstanding rises, reckon it dead. You know why I can? Jesus can sympathize with me in every way. He went before me in flesh, but never sinned so I could know He knows. I can boldly approach Him because He invites me to come and ask and pour out my heart and receive Grace. Oh, beloved of the Lord, because I am alive in Christ, He is my living Head, my Defender, Shield, Buckler, Maker, Husband, Friend, Author and Finisher of my Faith, Redeemer, Counselor, my Prince of Peace!  I am part of His Body for whom He provides and cares. I am forever bound to the One who never disappoints, is always Good, infinitely deep in Mercy and Love and Grace.

You know what an oxymoron is? It’s a phrase in which the parts are contradictory, ie. “deafening silence”, “new classic”, “living dead”.  I see God’s love and care for me as an oxymoron. His Love is the devastating Healer of my soul making my heart sick for Him to heal. It is not cruel in any way. No, He is Goodness. He is Compassion. And in Grace, He meets my need.