I posted last night on Facebook that I was coming to some realizations that could mean a complete change in my relationship with Christ. I knew there were some verses that spoke to exactly what I was talking about, but I wanted to make sure I had them before sharing what God has placed on my heart. Keep in mind, this really isn't anything new; I haven't discovered something about God that wasn't already known, it's just that I have gained new understanding.
2 John 1:5-6
Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is my commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning that you should walk in it.
I get it. More than just an intellectual understanding, I get it in the very depths of my heart and soul. And it's this "revelation" that has brought me to the realization that the very way I live is going to change. Probably not right away, but in small ways, slowly until I am completely changed. And here it is: We aren't to obey God's commandments so that we can earn His love. Because He first loved us, we respond in love through obedience. But the beauty of it all is that God never forces anyone to choose Him; to love Him. We all have complete free will in the matter. Some hearts are just too hardened towards God's voice, but for others He with waiting quietly, patiently, fully loving them until there is nothing left for them to do but fall into His arms.
Romans 8:1
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Even after being a Christian for so long, I never really understood what it meant to live by God's grace and in God's grace. I think that I've struggled so long with the same sin, that I started to believe the lie that
1. I had to fight it on my own and
2. I had to do something to earn God's love
False. On both accounts. It is God's grace and mercy working in me and through me that I will conquer the desires of my flesh. And I've had God's love all along. There is nothing I can do that will change how He feels about me.
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to the pattern of 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.
God, transform me to be more like You! I don't want to follow after what the world claims is truth; what the world says is "acceptable". Reveal yourself to me through your Word and prayer. Keep my eyes always on the things above, never forgetting the Reason I exist. Let everything I do be for the purpose of glorifying you, not trying to please men, clamoring for approval, but resting in knowing that I already have the approval of the One who really matters.
Burn into my heart the reason I do the things I do for You. Why do I serve? Why do I love? Why do I pray? Why do I fight the temptation to sin? Why do I desire for my friends and family to really know You and why should I be sharing the gospel?
Because You love me.
Monday, June 21, 2010
2 Samuel 18:31-33
Some notes from my quiet time last Wednesday. I actually meant to post this sooner, but you'll get a double dose tonight! I've been reading in 2 Samuel and we're now past the point when David has committed adultery with Bathsheba. As a result of this, he makes a lot of really bad decisions because he's so caught up in his sin...
Verse 31: And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, "Good news for my lord the king! For the LORD has delivered you this day from the hand of all who rose up against you."
Ok, so the messenger appears to be bringing good news to King David here. His enemies have been defeated, but one of those enemies was the King's son, Absalom.
Verse 32: The king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And the Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man."
I get the impression that this poor guy thinks he's giving the King good news. "Everyone who is against you should die like Absalom!" Unfortunately, David's reaction is far from the one the messenger expected...
Verse 33: And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"
First of all, who is this guy? This is the great king, whom God had chosen to lead His people? I don't mean to be disrespectful at all; he did just find out that he had lost his son, but even when the child he had with Bathsheba died, he took it with a lot more grace and dignity than this. Here's what my study notes had to say:
"David is overcome with grief. He has lost another son whom he loved. First he lost Absalom's love and loyalty, and now he has lost Absalom's life and all hope of reconciliation. It is possible that David is beginning to see how God's punishment for his sin with Bathsheba has tragically come to pass..."
One bad decision. One moment of weakness, of heeding to the voice of the flesh and not the voice of God. That was all it took for David's entire life to be turned upside-down. First, he made the decision to commit the act he knew in his heart and soul was wrong. Then, to cover it up, he had one of the best men in his army killed so he could marry that man's wife. So...sad. So depraved. Any yet....
Am I really any better? I sin (ha, like that was some big revelation). Repeatedly. I've struggled with the same sin for years. I see now where that has taken me, and it has left me stagnant in my relationship with God. Who am I to judge? David made one bad decision that lead him down a path away from the Lord. But David was human. Sure, he had the Lord on his side, but even great men, and women, of God make stupid decisions. We all sin. If we didn't, then where is the need for a Savior? Not to say that we should continue sinning just so God can grant us His grace and mercy. Like Paul says in Romans 6: "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death. In order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." Romans 6:1-4
Paul's point is that yes, we will still sin even after dying to our old ways, but as a new creation in Christ, we are to continue to grow in holiness and sanctification, allowing God to work in us and through us as we become more like him.
Verse 31: And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, "Good news for my lord the king! For the LORD has delivered you this day from the hand of all who rose up against you."
Ok, so the messenger appears to be bringing good news to King David here. His enemies have been defeated, but one of those enemies was the King's son, Absalom.
Verse 32: The king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And the Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man."
I get the impression that this poor guy thinks he's giving the King good news. "Everyone who is against you should die like Absalom!" Unfortunately, David's reaction is far from the one the messenger expected...
Verse 33: And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"
First of all, who is this guy? This is the great king, whom God had chosen to lead His people? I don't mean to be disrespectful at all; he did just find out that he had lost his son, but even when the child he had with Bathsheba died, he took it with a lot more grace and dignity than this. Here's what my study notes had to say:
"David is overcome with grief. He has lost another son whom he loved. First he lost Absalom's love and loyalty, and now he has lost Absalom's life and all hope of reconciliation. It is possible that David is beginning to see how God's punishment for his sin with Bathsheba has tragically come to pass..."
One bad decision. One moment of weakness, of heeding to the voice of the flesh and not the voice of God. That was all it took for David's entire life to be turned upside-down. First, he made the decision to commit the act he knew in his heart and soul was wrong. Then, to cover it up, he had one of the best men in his army killed so he could marry that man's wife. So...sad. So depraved. Any yet....
Am I really any better? I sin (ha, like that was some big revelation). Repeatedly. I've struggled with the same sin for years. I see now where that has taken me, and it has left me stagnant in my relationship with God. Who am I to judge? David made one bad decision that lead him down a path away from the Lord. But David was human. Sure, he had the Lord on his side, but even great men, and women, of God make stupid decisions. We all sin. If we didn't, then where is the need for a Savior? Not to say that we should continue sinning just so God can grant us His grace and mercy. Like Paul says in Romans 6: "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death. In order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." Romans 6:1-4
Paul's point is that yes, we will still sin even after dying to our old ways, but as a new creation in Christ, we are to continue to grow in holiness and sanctification, allowing God to work in us and through us as we become more like him.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
How Your Identity Determines Your Activity
Something I've been thinking about lately is serving. The fact that I found this video is rather timely, actually (huh, funny how God works that way, isn't it?). Given what I do for the church, I often feel like I'm serving more than my fellow brothers and sisters. If I don't see it, than other people must not be serving. Well, here comes the big ole Gibbs-style smack upside the head: Tiffany isn't in charge of the universe. Just because I don't see a fellow Christian brother or sister serving the church, doesn't mean that they aren't. Only God sees and knows everything. Just like I can't know a person's heart if they don't lay it bare, I can't know where a person is serving unless I see it.
Which then leads me to this question (pertaining a bit more to this video): Why do I serve? Why does anyone serve? What is the motivation for doing the things that we do to serve the church? I love how Mark Driscoll puts it in this clip: "Through the work of God, the grace of Jesus and the love of the Father we receive an identity. Out of that identity there is activity. Not so that God would love us, but because he already has (emphasis mine)." Unfortunately, this may not be the answer for a lot of people. Christians serve for a variety of reasons: it's performance-based; if I do this, than God will love me. They serve because they feel like they have to; "If I don't take care of it, nobody else will. The last main one, I think, is that they serve to cover up past hurts. You don't want to deal with the pain and so if you just keep doing, doing, doing, you don't have to think about the things that are gnawing at your soul.
I'm the first to admit, I'm guilty of every single one of these. I have served countless times with the wrong motivations. But guess what? Motivation is everything! Because God loves me, I serve. Sure, love and acceptance from our fellow man are both wonderful things, but those shouldn't be the reason that I serve. When that becomes our motivation, it is so easy to burn out. To feel like you're just going through the motions.
When you serve to escape the pain, all you're really doing is making it worse. You're not allowing God to meet you where you're at to let him heal you. Serving does not allow you to truly "forget" those things you're running from. When we don't face the pain, it leaves scars over our hearts and those scars inhibit us from experiencing intimacy with God.
But when our motivation to serve becomes an outworking of our identity in Christ, it all comes together and makes sense! There is no longer any burn out because God gives me the strength I need for the day to do the things He has called me to do. I am free to glorify Him through my acts of service because there is nothing holding me back from giving Him my all!
A friend wrote this verse in a thank you card today and I can't begin to tell you how timely it was. Again, it's amazing how God works that way!
Galatians 6:9 "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Praises
Apparently there's a lot to write about today :-)
In addition to reading Psalm 75 today, I also read Psalm 50 and was encouraged by verse 23.
"The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who orders his way rightly
I will show the salvation of God!" Psalm 50:23 ESV
In context, God has told his people that He doesn't need their sacrifices of animals; He made it all, He owns it all. What He desires is for us to come before Him with a thankful heart, delighting in His presence, living just and kind lives in fellowship with His people. So while there are always things to be thankful for, I thought it would be good to write some of those things down and share them with others so that you can rejoice in the Lord with me!
Things I am thankful for (In no particular order):
In addition to reading Psalm 75 today, I also read Psalm 50 and was encouraged by verse 23.
"The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who orders his way rightly
I will show the salvation of God!" Psalm 50:23 ESV
In context, God has told his people that He doesn't need their sacrifices of animals; He made it all, He owns it all. What He desires is for us to come before Him with a thankful heart, delighting in His presence, living just and kind lives in fellowship with His people. So while there are always things to be thankful for, I thought it would be good to write some of those things down and share them with others so that you can rejoice in the Lord with me!
Things I am thankful for (In no particular order):
- Truth
- Forgiveness
- Friends
- Family
- The smell after a good rain
- Rain
- The sun
- The colors of the leaves in the fall
- The newness of life in spring
- Food to eat
- A roof over my head
- The laughter of a child
- Hugs
- A kind word, especially after a hard day
- Love
- Opportunities to serve
- Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross
- God's Word
- Babies
- Our pastors
- The willingness of other people to serve
- My job
- My co-workers
- God's mercy
- That I am forgiven and loved
- This world is not my home; I have something infinitely better to look forward to!
- That I can still freely worship God without fear of persecution
- Freedom
- All of you :-)
- Music
- A sunrise
- A sunset
- Rainbows and the true meaning behind them
- God's promises
- God's unending, unfailing love
- That I can truly know God in an intimate way
- Answered prayer
- That God is in control
- Life
He's Got the Whole World in His Hands...
Do you ever wonder where songs come from? What motivated the songwriter to pen those particular lyrics? Whenever I'm reading in Psalms and I come across a verse that corresponds directly to a song we sing in church, I always get a little excited. "Oh! So that's where that came from!" I was just reading Psalm 75 and verses 2 and 3 caught my attention. I don't know that this is where that particular song came from, but that's what popped into my head :-)
"At the set time that I appoint
I will judge with equity.
When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants,
it is I who keep steady its pillars." ~Psalm 75:2-3, ESV
Ok, so first of all, what an awesome reminder of God's sovereign control! Even now, when it seems that the world is teetering on the edge and the devil is attacking from all sides, He is holding it steady. When it seems like everything is falling apart, God has a plan and a purpose for you. With all of the uncertainty surrounding us, I take such comfort in knowing that "The battle is not yours, but the Lord's." (2 Chronicles 20:15) I don't hold everything together, God does. And it's a good thing too, because I would fail miserably! And so would we all.
I also love that He "will judge with equity." God is not biased; He does not have favorites. For the Christian, there is nothing anyone can do to make Him love us any more or less than He already does. Even for the non-believer, He still loves you just as you are; He just desires for you to place your faith and trust in Him! In the end, God will judge all mankind fairly, based on His standard. Perhaps it may not seem fair in the eyes of man, but man's opinion isn't the one that matters here.
"At the set time that I appoint
I will judge with equity.
When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants,
it is I who keep steady its pillars." ~Psalm 75:2-3, ESV
Ok, so first of all, what an awesome reminder of God's sovereign control! Even now, when it seems that the world is teetering on the edge and the devil is attacking from all sides, He is holding it steady. When it seems like everything is falling apart, God has a plan and a purpose for you. With all of the uncertainty surrounding us, I take such comfort in knowing that "The battle is not yours, but the Lord's." (2 Chronicles 20:15) I don't hold everything together, God does. And it's a good thing too, because I would fail miserably! And so would we all.
I also love that He "will judge with equity." God is not biased; He does not have favorites. For the Christian, there is nothing anyone can do to make Him love us any more or less than He already does. Even for the non-believer, He still loves you just as you are; He just desires for you to place your faith and trust in Him! In the end, God will judge all mankind fairly, based on His standard. Perhaps it may not seem fair in the eyes of man, but man's opinion isn't the one that matters here.
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