A couple of weeks ago after lifting up my husband in prayer I began to converse more deeply with the Almighty. I pondered His heart and the relation between He, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. How could they be separate, yet One? I knew and believed that this was true but couldn’t really figure out how I should come to them in worship… as a whole, separately, or both. I had asked God many times but never got a clear answer. Finally, my questions and inquiries about this were answered and all of my pondering put to rest.
God showed me that He, Himself, is the heart and mind; The Holy Spirit is His Spirit; and Jesus is His flesh. Altogether they equal one whole being but separately they are each a component of God. This answered so many things and brought the Gospel to life in a completely new way for me. The word says that we are created in His image, and this is how that is so. We as people have all of the components that God has because He created us to bear His image.
I also began to see that when we sin it doesn’t just hurt God because we are His creation and His children and He loves us (This is the way that I have been taught), but that He really can relate to us because He knows how much it hurts us. He suffered taking on all of the sin of everyone who will claim Jesus as Lord; everyone who is, was, and will be by dying a horrible painful death that caused His flesh (Jesus) death and excruciating pain, broke His Heart (The Father), and grieved His Spirit (The Holy Spirit). He remembers the pain. He remembers the death. He remembers the suffering. He has mercy. He took on all of that because He loves us and He wanted to understand us that much more. He was willing to go through the death and pain of sin so that He could more closely relate to us. He didn’t have to bring justice into the equation of forgiveness. He is God. He could have decided that He didn’t have to do anything but that forgiveness would be available. But He didn’t. He chose to endure all of our suffering so that He could be that much closer to our hearts. He chose to take the punishment for our sin on Himself to spare us punishment. He is so loving. So perfect. So pure. So kind. He is beyond. He is the Savior King.
I cannot remove the overwhelming joy of the things that God revealed to me, and though for some it might be a simple truth, for me it was a mind-blowing, spirit-stirring, life-changing, breakthrough in worship kind of truth. One that I have never known before.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Mind Pollution
Would I rather hide the pollution in my mind from Jesus or would I rather rid my mind of said pollution? This is a serious question I asked myself last night. I began to engage in an unholy thought, then thought to God, Oh God please do not have heard that. This sat unwell within my soul; stirring up the serious posing of the question, "Would I rather hide the pollution in my mind from Jesus or would I rather rid my mind of said pollution?"
I began to think of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They had sinned and immediately were ashamed and went to hide from God... even though God knew where they were, what they had done, and only EVERYTHING! We spend so much time trying to hide our sin and imperfection from God when we should be laying it at his feet. It is our human instinct to hide our mistakes. If we are ashamed or embarrassed we try to cover it up or forget that it happened. Not only do I do it but I see it with my 2 year old daughter all the time. If she is doing something she is embarrassed about or knows that she shouldn't be she immediately tells me, "No Mom, one second... go over there, Mom." She is hiding it!
I came to the understanding that I should not be telling God to hold on and go away so I can finish up my unholiness and then come back as if nothing happened. I should catch myself in the midst of it and take it captive in the name of Jesus. I should repent and focus on changing that aspect of my life. Just because it is human nature to hide our sin from God, others, or even ourselves does not mean we have to accept that! We are made new by the blood Jesus. Our hearts are pure and our flesh is working against us to tatter them! We need to rebuke our flesh and stand strong in the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells within each of us that has accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. He gives us the power to overcome. We need to embrace it!
I can do everything through him who gives me strength. -Philipians 4:13
I began to think of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They had sinned and immediately were ashamed and went to hide from God... even though God knew where they were, what they had done, and only EVERYTHING! We spend so much time trying to hide our sin and imperfection from God when we should be laying it at his feet. It is our human instinct to hide our mistakes. If we are ashamed or embarrassed we try to cover it up or forget that it happened. Not only do I do it but I see it with my 2 year old daughter all the time. If she is doing something she is embarrassed about or knows that she shouldn't be she immediately tells me, "No Mom, one second... go over there, Mom." She is hiding it!
I came to the understanding that I should not be telling God to hold on and go away so I can finish up my unholiness and then come back as if nothing happened. I should catch myself in the midst of it and take it captive in the name of Jesus. I should repent and focus on changing that aspect of my life. Just because it is human nature to hide our sin from God, others, or even ourselves does not mean we have to accept that! We are made new by the blood Jesus. Our hearts are pure and our flesh is working against us to tatter them! We need to rebuke our flesh and stand strong in the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells within each of us that has accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. He gives us the power to overcome. We need to embrace it!
I can do everything through him who gives me strength. -Philipians 4:13
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Surrender
God wants your heart... all of the things that we would do to try and please him (e.g. reading the bible, being polite, speaking "Christianese", trying not to sin, etc.) mean nothing without giving him the deepest truth in our lives, our real self, our heart.
Monday, June 27, 2011
My Jesus: Lifegiver
A good friend of mine once said that, “…In this world you will have trouble…” Well, I can most certainly testify to that. The past few years of my life seemed to have been full of that detestable “t” word. I have been bruised, broken, and at my wit’s end on more occasions than you could fathom. My heart has cried out for rescuing from the hurt and pain that I have suffered in this “world”.
Let me start by giving you a little taste of my experiences these past few years. When I was about 6 months pregnant with my first daughter my mother was hospitalized during a near death bout of what would be diagnosed as stage 4 cancer during my 7th month. She fought a good fight against the disease but only 3 months after the confirmed diagnosis was taken home to be with Jesus; which just so happened to land on my sister‘s birthday, July 4th. Then, in what seemed like an instant after her passing, my father began to date my husband’s mother and they were engaged before labor day. My husband’s mother and I have had many issues in the past and were not the best of friends to put it kindly, so as you can imagine this was most certainly not celebratory on my end… not to mention the fact that my mother had only been gone for a whopping 3 months before the engagement. There was many a battle between all of the relatives near and far, and my family who had once stood so close was as divided as the Koreas. This most certainly put a strain on my husband and I causing our marriage to be pushed to the brink of near extinction. Needless to say, there were many roles in my life that were almost immediately damaged or completely cut-off. I was without a mother, a father, a husband, and half of my siblings were pried from my life. Though, I can honestly say that throughout all of the chaos and heartache there was a hope that came anew every morning…
I began to cling (more strongly than ever) to the only thing that I knew could give me the strength to withstand any blow that this world, the enemy, or any human being could throw my way: Jesus Christ. I HAD to trust that He is who He says He is. I HAD to trust that He could do what He says He can do. I HAD to trust that His word is Truth. I had to have faith that my story wasn’t over. I didn’t have a choice in the matter. He loved me (or shall I say loves) and I am His anointed daughter. This was the only thing I had to ensure that I would be able to get myself out of bed and take care of my beautiful first-born daughter. He gave me strength to pray and believe Him for the miracles that He was going to do in my marriage and my life!
I could hear his still small voice through the storm raging in my life reminding me that I am richly filled with His love. That I am not alone. I had the comfort of a mother as he nurtured me through the pain and heartache, just as His word promises in Isaiah 66:11 as he speaks of His gospel and zion... “She will nurse and comfort you, just like your own mother, until you are satisfied. You will fully enjoy her wonderful glory.” As I prayed and fought with my flesh to continue to trust in Him, I had the companionship of a sister or brother… Proverbs 18:24 says: A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. This friend is Jesus! I had the support of a loving father when I need encouragement and discipline just as Psalm 89:26-28 clearly explains: “He shall cry to me, ‘You are my father, my God, and the Rock of my Salvation.’ And I will make him my firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. My steadfast love I will keep for Him forever, and my covenant will stand firm for him.” Most importantly I had God as my Lover and I as His beloved when my husband and I had a divided heart. He says of me (and you), “You have stolen my heart, my sister my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. How delightful is your love my sister my bride! How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume than any spice!” - Song of Songs 4:9-10. I began to see that God’s word was alive and active in my life and most of all in me! He was manifesting His Spirit deep within my being and I was finally coming alive after I felt that I could never really live again.
It’s true, God is my comforter. He has filled every role in my life that is or has been lacking and has never let me down. You know that quote I had written in the beginning of this article was actually something said by Jesus and is quoted in the bible in John 16:33… and it didn’t end there. He went on to say… “but take heart! I have overcome the world.” Sure, I have faced trouble. I have been up to my eyes in it. But the truth is that with Him, I was always able to find His peace.
Please know that it was Jesus who gave his life to share in a miraculous romance, a sacred bond, with you. He promised that if you would come into communion with him that he would never leave nor forsake you, His beloved. He died for the opportunity to have you fall in love with Him just as he is madly in love with you. His beautiful spirit is calling your name... Will you answer?
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, so that whoever shall believe in him shall not perish but shall have eternal life.” -John 3:16
Let me start by giving you a little taste of my experiences these past few years. When I was about 6 months pregnant with my first daughter my mother was hospitalized during a near death bout of what would be diagnosed as stage 4 cancer during my 7th month. She fought a good fight against the disease but only 3 months after the confirmed diagnosis was taken home to be with Jesus; which just so happened to land on my sister‘s birthday, July 4th. Then, in what seemed like an instant after her passing, my father began to date my husband’s mother and they were engaged before labor day. My husband’s mother and I have had many issues in the past and were not the best of friends to put it kindly, so as you can imagine this was most certainly not celebratory on my end… not to mention the fact that my mother had only been gone for a whopping 3 months before the engagement. There was many a battle between all of the relatives near and far, and my family who had once stood so close was as divided as the Koreas. This most certainly put a strain on my husband and I causing our marriage to be pushed to the brink of near extinction. Needless to say, there were many roles in my life that were almost immediately damaged or completely cut-off. I was without a mother, a father, a husband, and half of my siblings were pried from my life. Though, I can honestly say that throughout all of the chaos and heartache there was a hope that came anew every morning…
I began to cling (more strongly than ever) to the only thing that I knew could give me the strength to withstand any blow that this world, the enemy, or any human being could throw my way: Jesus Christ. I HAD to trust that He is who He says He is. I HAD to trust that He could do what He says He can do. I HAD to trust that His word is Truth. I had to have faith that my story wasn’t over. I didn’t have a choice in the matter. He loved me (or shall I say loves) and I am His anointed daughter. This was the only thing I had to ensure that I would be able to get myself out of bed and take care of my beautiful first-born daughter. He gave me strength to pray and believe Him for the miracles that He was going to do in my marriage and my life!
I could hear his still small voice through the storm raging in my life reminding me that I am richly filled with His love. That I am not alone. I had the comfort of a mother as he nurtured me through the pain and heartache, just as His word promises in Isaiah 66:11 as he speaks of His gospel and zion... “She will nurse and comfort you, just like your own mother, until you are satisfied. You will fully enjoy her wonderful glory.” As I prayed and fought with my flesh to continue to trust in Him, I had the companionship of a sister or brother… Proverbs 18:24 says: A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. This friend is Jesus! I had the support of a loving father when I need encouragement and discipline just as Psalm 89:26-28 clearly explains: “He shall cry to me, ‘You are my father, my God, and the Rock of my Salvation.’ And I will make him my firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. My steadfast love I will keep for Him forever, and my covenant will stand firm for him.” Most importantly I had God as my Lover and I as His beloved when my husband and I had a divided heart. He says of me (and you), “You have stolen my heart, my sister my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. How delightful is your love my sister my bride! How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume than any spice!” - Song of Songs 4:9-10. I began to see that God’s word was alive and active in my life and most of all in me! He was manifesting His Spirit deep within my being and I was finally coming alive after I felt that I could never really live again.
It’s true, God is my comforter. He has filled every role in my life that is or has been lacking and has never let me down. You know that quote I had written in the beginning of this article was actually something said by Jesus and is quoted in the bible in John 16:33… and it didn’t end there. He went on to say… “but take heart! I have overcome the world.” Sure, I have faced trouble. I have been up to my eyes in it. But the truth is that with Him, I was always able to find His peace.
Please know that it was Jesus who gave his life to share in a miraculous romance, a sacred bond, with you. He promised that if you would come into communion with him that he would never leave nor forsake you, His beloved. He died for the opportunity to have you fall in love with Him just as he is madly in love with you. His beautiful spirit is calling your name... Will you answer?
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, so that whoever shall believe in him shall not perish but shall have eternal life.” -John 3:16
Friday, May 20, 2011
Grieving Israel
As I sit in sadness and repent of the sins of my fathers and the fathers before them, I feel tears welling up in my eyes. I can't help but be perplexed by the insanity of the American people in thinking that we have the right to take families from their homes without cause or reason... tearing innocent children and newborn infants from the comfort of their own bedrooms. Taking the place of security from the mothers and fathers of these beautiful souls, the place that they worked hard to provide for these darling babies. The four walls that have offered them shelter and protection from the outside elements. The place they have had comfort in knowing that after a long day they could go and be at peace in that safe haven. Why would we believe that a God who has a love for his people so strong that it results in holy jealousy would allow us to take His beloved and separate them from the land that he created for them... that they would be apart from all of their holy sites and places of worship. Why would we ever think he would allow us to get away with it? When will we see that this is not just politics, land, and a nation; these are people, families, children, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, cousins, and friends. How long will the world try to completely massacre the Jews with their sick idea of a Jewish genocide offering a peaceful utopia? How can the President of this country think that there may be a "credible answer" to a crude and evil root to the question posed as: "How can one negotiate with a party that has shown itself unwilling to recognize your right to exist?" When will we realize that we cannot decide who has a right to exist? When will we realize that this is a spiritual battle. That this is between good and evil. Between God and Satan. The Jews are God's chosen people. The Muslims... are not. They belong to their father, the devil. We, as a nation, are falling under judgement. What can we do now? The prophecies are being set into motion and are being fulfilled. The events that are taking place are all part of a supernatural plan. Do we have the power to change it? No. But we can have the will to pray for the children of the Most High; and the hope to protect our brothers and sisters, including those in this ravaging and self-destructive nation. We can hope that the Lord will soon come and that we will meet up with him in the air as our souls are showered in sacred bliss , like his word promises. We must stand firm in our faith and share the love of Jesus Christ. We must stand firm and hold to our Christian values. We must pray for the Jews. But, above all, we must share the Good News and the love of God because we are simply not promised another day to do it. May the Lord bless you and keep you.
If you are unaware of the things that are taking place in the world concerning Israel, Palestine, and our "Commander in Chief", I recommend that you do some research and get educated. Our nation's future is at stake through the choices being made concerning these issues.
Sources: http://www.foxnews.com/world/index.html; http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/19/obama-middle-east-speech-_n_864153.html?ncid=webmail; The Holy Bible
If you are unaware of the things that are taking place in the world concerning Israel, Palestine, and our "Commander in Chief", I recommend that you do some research and get educated. Our nation's future is at stake through the choices being made concerning these issues.
Sources: http://www.foxnews.com/world/index.html; http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/19/obama-middle-east-speech-_n_864153.html?ncid=webmail; The Holy Bible
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Sacrificial Joy; You
I have so much to fear; though I need not fear at all.
As I grapple with my flesh, I am reminded:
I am the joy of HIS sacrifice.
As I grapple with my flesh, I am reminded:
I am the joy of HIS sacrifice.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
May It Please You
I inhale your sweet incense
You offer me myrrh
Cleanse me with hyssop
My life, be pure
Breathe life into me
Wash my soul
I need purity
White as snow
Renew your spirit
Bring your peace
To a contrite heart
A child in need
May it please you
You offer me myrrh
Cleanse me with hyssop
My life, be pure
Breathe life into me
Wash my soul
I need purity
White as snow
Renew your spirit
Bring your peace
To a contrite heart
A child in need
May it please you
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