Channels to Prayer

     When problems or darkness arise in my life God wants me to go to Him; He intends me to use it as a channel to prayer.  If I'm doubting, worried, or anxious God wants me to pray.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  Philippians 4:6  ESV

     If I'm depressed, grumpy, stressed, or deeply concerned about something that is out of  my control He wants me to pray and pour out my heart before Him.

Trust in Him at all times, O people;    pour out your heart before Him;    God is a refuge for us.  Psalm 62:8  ESV

      God wants me to rejoice in the Lord all the time.  Rejoicing in Him means rejoicing in who He is, not in who I am or what my circumstances are.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.  Philippians 4:4  ESV

     There is so much in life that God really intends for me to use as a channel to prayer but it is so much more easy for me to go to fake substitutes.  Rarely do I go to the One that truly satisfies.  But honestly only He satisfies.  Sure, I may not find that my needs are "met" right away but every time I feel the ache I pray and God hears, and God is there.  Even when life is dreary I can always go to His smiling face.

Praise is due to You, O God, in Zion,
    and to You shall vows be performed.
O You who hear prayer,
    to You shall all flesh come.
When iniquities prevail against me,
    You atone for our transgressions.
Blessed is the one You choose and bring near,
    to dwell in Your courts!
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
    the holiness of Your temple!  Psalm 65:1-4  ESV

     Lately I've been thinking about a story I read from Amy Carmichael's life.  When Amy first went over seas to serve as a missionary she was shocked when she learned that not all missionaries got along with each other.  When I learn something like that I find it sad and depressing.  I don't want to be like that and I hope to do differently.  But Amy didn't just contemplate it and purpose to do better.  It drove Amy to pray.  It drove her to dig into the Word and pray.  Pray about the situation.  Pray that God would help her to love everyone around her.
     Amy took this difficult situation as a channel to prayer.  But this wasn't the only time she took that opportunity.  Amy was deeply grounded in Christ.  She had a personal relationship with the Lord, and she would spend hours upon hours if need be to seek the Lord in this or that area.  This is what I'm challenged by.

     Lord, please don't let me miss the channels to prayer that You give me.  Please help me in my weakness in praying.  Thank You for always being there.  A simple yet amazing promise that You will never, ever forsake me.  ♥

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The prayer power has never been tried to its full capacity. If we want to see mighty wonders of divine power and grace wrought in the place of weakness, failure and disappointment, let us answer God's standing challenge, "Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not"!   

-J. Hudson Taylor

Powerful Love (Part 2)

This is the second part to my post "Powerful Love."  Read part one here.

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     A Redeemer will come!  Did you read that?  Read it again.

     Why would God the Son intercede for His people?  Why would He love us when we disobeyed Him and even now struggle with the sins of the flesh?  He is going to put an end to this world some day and create a new heaven and a new earth - why not put an end to all of us too?  Couldn't He just create new, different creatures?  Why would He want to make us new?  Why would He want to save us in our filth and brokenness?  Why would He want to intercede for us?  Why would He want to pay the price for us?  Why does He love us?

     Why indeed.  It cannot be explained other than that love is within the very nature of God Himself.  THAT IS POWERFUL LOVE.

     He sent His only Son to earth to walk among the us, and to be crucified in order to bear the full wrath of God.  It is beyond our comprehension the meaning of this sacrifice.  God in His deep love and compassion understood what we cannot:  what He was sending His Son to do.  We cannot understand all that it was to bear God's full wrath.  But God understood and He still sent Jesus to bring us back to Himself.  It was because He loved us.  Not because of what we can offer God but because God is Love.  THAT IS POWERFUL LOVE.

     Jesus Christ left His heavenly throne to come to earth.  He lived how we lived.  He felt what we feel.  He saw what we see (brokenness).  What amazes me the most is that He came in the most humble form: a baby.  He came to earth as an infant.  He had to learn to walk and talk again.  He was completely reliant on those caring for Him.

     Jesus was the Perfect Fulfillment of the Old Testament.  He set an example for us to live by.  He only lived for about 30 years yet He accomplished SO much in those years simply loving people and discipling them.

     In the garden the night of His portrayal is one of the most precious parts in the Gospel books in my opinion.  I will not go into detail commenting on that portion of Scripture right now but I suggest you read it and study it.  Don't just study it academically, read between the lines.  See the anguish that He felt, yet the way He submitted to His Father's will.  See the love in His heart.  Imagine how God the Father felt as Jesus experienced anguish like none other.  See the love in God's heart as He still accomplished His purpose.

Who is this who comes from Edom,    in crimsoned garments from Bozrah,He who is splendid in His apparel,    marching in the greatness of his strength?“It is I, speaking in righteousness,    mighty to save.” 

Why is Your apparel red,    and Your garments like his who treads in the winepress? 

“I have trodden the winepress alone,    and from the peoples no one was with Me;I trod them in My anger    and trampled them in My wrath;their lifeblood spattered on My garments,    and stained all My apparel.For the day of vengeance was in My heart,    and My year of redemption had come.I looked, but there was no one to help;    I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold;so My own arm brought Me salvation,    and My wrath upheld Me.I trampled down the peoples in My anger;    I made them drunk in My wrath,    and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.” 

I will recount the steadfast love of the LORD,    the praises of the LORD,according to all that the LORD has granted us,    and the great goodness to the house of Israelthat He has granted them according to His compassion,    according to the abundance of His steadfast love.For He said, “Surely they are My people,    children who will not deal falsely.”    And He became their Savior.In all their affliction He was afflicted,    and the angel of His presence saved them;in His love and in His pity He redeemed them;    He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.   Isaiah 63:1-9  ESV

     On the cross Jesus Christ took the penalty for our sins and freed us.

     There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.  Romans 8:1-2  ESV

      Now, if we are in Christ (it is important to realize in the Scripture above the keywords "in Christ") we are free from the law of sin and death!  In Christ we are free to no longer serve the Prince of Darkness but the Good Master, Jesus Christ!  In Christ we are no longer separated from God.  In Christ we are invited not to simply serve God but to become children of God.  What a priviledge!  All this because God loved us - not because there was anything good in us but because God is love.  THAT IS POWERFUL LOVE.

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD;
    my soul shall exult in my God,
for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
    He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.  Isaiah 61:10 ESV

     Jesus lived how we could never live. He fulfilled the law. He lived in perfect righteousness. He is Perfect. It is not that we become righteous and perfect when we accept God's gift of salvation, but in Christ we are made righteous and perfect. Before we could not enter the throne room of grace. But "He has covered me with the robe of righteousness." Jesus Christ IS our Robe of Righteousness.  Jesus Christ IS our Garment of Salvation.  It's like when we get into our clothes each day.  We get into our clothes.  Our clothing covers us.  In a similar way, Jesus Christ is our Clothing spiritually (study the New Testament and you'll see this parallel).  WE are not perfect and righteous on our own.  WE cannot enter into the throne room of grace on our own.  But in Christ we are made perfect and righteous.  In Christ we can enter into the throne room of grace.  In Christ we can fulfill the calling that He has placed on each of our lives (see Isaiah 61:1-3).  In Christ we can live out the impossible.

     Isn't that incredible?!  All this we get, not because of anything we could ever do to deserve it, but because God is Love and loves us.  THAT IS POWERFUL LOVE.

     God has placed a calling on our lives to love as Jesus loved and serve as Jesus served.  This is an impossible calling for us as humans but still we so often try to live it out on our own.  Jesus offers us another solution, if we will only yield ourselves to Him.  We must be in Christ - not holding Him at an arms length.  Jesus offers us an exchange: our weakness for His strength, our defeat for His victory.

     God calls us to love and have compassion and forgive.  We so often try to do this in our own strength, but why?  He calls us to love as He loved.  This love is only explainable in the very nature of God Himself!  Of course we cannot find it within ourselves to love as He loved!  If we would only go to the Source of love.

          Since then we have a Great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  Hebrews 4:14-16

     We ourselves are broken, filthy things.  But He has covered us with the Robe of Righteousness.  Let us then with confidence and boldness draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

     Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.  . . .   By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples. As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.  John 15:4-6,8-11

     Apart from Jesus we can do NOTHING.  But because of Christ, if we are in Him, we can bear fruit, fulfill God's calling for each of our lives, live out the impossible!!  Jesus says to abide in Him.  Don't be discouraged and complain about your weakness.  Instead accept the amazing strength He gives.  "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."

     THAT IS POWERFUL LOVE.

     I am rejoicing this Resurrection Sunday, not because who I am or what I've done, but because God is love.  I hope that you're rejoicing with me.

P.S.  I'm really sorry - I normally check over it all and make sure that all of my grammar/spelling is good, as well as ideas written clearly.  I can't do it right now, but I'll look over it later.

Powerful Love (Part 1)

     One thing that I have been pondering recently is the meaning of the Greek word for "love" in the New Testament.  The love that God has shown us through sending His only Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin is not the love that is known on this earth.  This love does not come from attraction to the the object, for there is not one thing within ourselves that would make us lovable to God.  But this love that God showed us is only explainable by the very nature of God Himself.

     Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is Love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  1 John 4:7-10  ESV

     I haven't made it entirely through the book of Isaiah but I read and meditate on portions that I come across during my Bible reading.  I love pondering the Scripture in Isaiah 59, and reading through it today I decided to keep reading on through chapters 60, 61, and eventually all the way through chapter 66 (the end of the book).  These are very rich passages that are full of prophesies concerning the Redeemer to be sent some 700 years later.  It also include prophesies of the new heaven and new earth still to come.

     Especially because tomorrow is Resurrection Sunday I thought it would be neat to share with you a few of the truths that I've found in these Scriptures concerning God's love, His redemptive plan, and His second return.  But don't just read my comments on them - search through these Scriptures for yourself!  Even if you've read them previously read them again.  I guarantee you will be blessed in doing so (Isaiah 55:10-11).

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     A God all-knowing and all-powerful.  Jehovah-LORD, meaning the self-existing One.  A glorious, perfect God.  One who was full of majesty, power, love, goodness, and grace.

     For His own good pleasure and glory He spoke into the darkness and created light.  He created an amazing world perfect to the very detail.  He created fish in the sea, birds in the air, livestock, and creeping things.  He continually supplies the entire world's power and if He were to withdraw His hand for a single second it would all fall into nothing.  (I saw a verse that had to do with the last sentence but I can't remember where it was right off hand.  I'll have to see if I can find it.)

     Creating man, God set him above all other creation.  In God's own image He created us!  He created male and female that He might have an intimate relationship with Him.  He delighted in His creation and He desired for them to delight in Him.  How amazing Adam and Eve's communion in the garden with God must have been!

     Of course if you've read the first few chapters in Genesis you know how sin and death entered the world.  It was through eating the forbidden fruit that man found separation from God.  Separation that is eternal.

Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
    or His ear dull, that it cannot hear;
but your iniquities have made a separation
    between you and your God,
and your sins have hidden His face from you
    so that He does not hear.
For your hands are defiled with blood
    and your fingers with iniquity;
your lips have spoken lies;
    your tongue mutters wickedness.  Isaiah 59:1-3  ESV

     God's perfect creation which was created for His own glory is now messed up and broken.  We no longer serve the King of kings but the Prince of Darkness.  We are eternally stuck within our own doings.  Unable to turn from selfishness we are not able to once again serve God correctly.  Our final destiny is  to meet the wrath of God.

Their feet run to evil,
    and they are swift to shed innocent blood;
their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity;
    desolation and destruction are in their highways.
The way of peace they do not know,
    and there is no justice in their paths;
they have made their roads crooked;
    no one who treads on them knows peace.  Isaiah 59:7-8  ESV

     We are left in our own pit of brokenness.  We find ourselves with unmet desires, continually searching for the truth.  But is it to be found?

Therefore justice is far from us,
    and righteousness does not overtake us;
we hope for light, and behold, darkness,
    and for brightness, but we walk in gloom. 

For our transgressions are multiplied before You,
    and our sins testify against us;
for our transgressions are with us,
    and we know our iniquities:
transgressing, and denying the LORD,
    and turning back from following our God,
speaking oppression and revolt,
    conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words.  Isaiah 59:9, 12-13 ESV

We have all become like one who is unclean,
    and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
    and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
There is no one who calls upon Your name,
    who rouses himself to take hold of You;
for You have hidden Your face from us,
    and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.
But now, O LORD, You are our Father;
    we are the clay, and You are our Potter;
    we are all the work of Your hand.
Be not so terribly angry, O LORD,
    and remember not iniquity forever.
    Behold, please look, we are all Your people.   Isaiah 64:6-9  ESV

      God is One of forgiveness and grace but He is also One of justice.  We deserve eternal separation from God, eternal punishment, the eternal wrath of God.  There is not one human being on this earth who is perfect - no one to intercede on our behalf.

Justice is turned back,
    and righteousness stands far away;
for truth has stumbled in the public squares,
    and uprightness cannot enter.
Truth is lacking,
    and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. 

The LORD saw it, and it displeased Him
    that there was no justice.
He saw that there was no man,
    and wondered that there was no one to intercede;
then His own arm brought Him salvation,
    and His righteousness upheld Him.
He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
    and a helmet of salvation on His head;
He put on garments of vengeance for clothing,
    and wrapped Himself in zeal as a cloak.
According to their deeds, so will He repay,
    wrath to His adversaries, repayment to His enemies;
    to the coastlands He will render repayment.
So they shall fear the name of the LORD from the west,
    and His glory from the rising of the sun;
for He will come like a rushing stream,
    which the wind of the LORD drives. 

“And a Redeemer will come to Zion,
    to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the Lord.   Isaiah 59:14-20  ESV

     A Redeemer will come!  Did you read that?  Read it again.

     Why would God the Son intercede for His people?  Why would He love us when we disobeyed Him and even now struggle with the sins of the flesh?  He is going to put an end to this world some day and create a new heaven and a new earth - why not put an end to all of us too?  Couldn't He just create new, different creatures?  Why would He want to make us new?  Why would He want to save us in our filth and brokenness?  Why would He want to intercede for us?  Why would He want to pay the price for us?  Why does He love us?

     Why indeed.

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     This post is getting very long so I've made a second part to this post.  View the next post here.

Satisfied

 . . . My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, saith the LORD.  Jeremiah 31:14 ESV

Cross references: Psalm 119:68; 107:9 

     Last night I was reading a few verses from Jeremiah 31, and the verse above especially stood out to me.  I love to meditate on the goodness of the Lord!  There's something about the Lord's goodness that is just so pure, so wonderful, and so satisfying.

     These past few weeks God has been really challenging me in the area of trust.  Proverbs 3:5 says to trust in the Lord with all my heart.  Keyword: All.  It is so easy to just trust in the Lord partially, still holding worry and doubts.  Yet God has challenged me, "I promise that I am working all things for good in your life (Rom. 8:28), and whether you trust Me or not, I will accomplish My purpose (Isaiah 14:24; 2 Tim. 2:13).  But will you do as I have commanded, and trust in Me with all of your heart (Prov. 3:5), or will you continue to live a life of worry and doubt (James 1:6, 8)?"

     I've chosen trust.  Yet even so, being the sinful creature that I am I do not have the ability to trust in God fully.  ". . .For without Me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5).  Nothing.  Apart from Jesus I can do nothing.  That's a pretty strong statement and yet it's true.  Only Christ can enable me to trust in God with ALL of my heart.

     It's been really interesting these past few weeks.  I mean it's been a good kind of interesting.  Not good because of circumstances, but good because God is good.  ♥
     God is good.
     Oh, I love that truth!
     No matter what my circumstances are, He is good .
     He is my Solid Rock, with no variation, or shadow due to change.

     These past few weeks have been challenging in ways I'm not used to (serious, last-minute things coming up).  In other ways life has been "normal" but I've found myself wanting to doubt His faithfulness in the tiniest areas of my life.  Even when I am faithless He remains faithful (2 Tim. 2:13).  Praise Him for that!

     As I have been abiding in Christ, I have seen amazing fruit.  I have been able to take my eyes off my forever-changing circumstances and instead fix them on my never-changing God (Js. 1:17; Heb. 13:8).  At times when it would have been so easy for me to worry or be nervous due to unforeseen circumstances, I was at peace.  I could just rejoice because I am content, or in another word, satisfied with God's goodness.

For He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Psalm 107:9  ESV

Every Moment Is Holy

     This is a blog post that I typed out several months ago, and then saved, but never published.  I don't remember why I never published it, or exactly when this was, but I'm guessing sometime in January.

--January 2014--

Then He said, "Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."  Exodus 3:5 NASB

      As Christians, we are made perfect in Christ.  Christ is Holy aka God is Holy.  God is with us every moment of every day.  Not just in church, not just at Bible study.  He's with us when we wake up in the morning, and get our coffee.  He's with us when we go to school, or work.  He's with us when we come home.  He's with us when we run low on milk, and have to run to the store.  He's with us when we're running late, or on time.  He's with us even when the cat threw up a hairball on the carpet.
So here's an interesting thought: If God is with us all the time, doesn't that mean that every moment is holy?
In Exodus, it is recorded that God tells Moses, "...remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."
Right now, as you read this on the computer, it is a holy moment.  You are "standing" on holy "ground."

     Now with that thought, how does it make you think towards your life?  With that thought, how should it affect you?  What does it mean to you in the morning when you are first waking up?  What does it mean to you when you get your morning coffee?  What does it mean to you when you go to school, or work as the case may be?  What does it mean to you when you come home?  What does it mean to you when you find that you're low on milk and end up running to the store for some more?  What does it mean when you're late for something you should have been on time for?  What does it mean to you when you're about to run out the door, just to find that the cat threw up a hairball onto the carpet?

     This is something that a person shared last Sunday morning, and it's really stuck with me ever since.

     God is always working all things for good, big or small.  It doesn't matter whether I scream, shout, complain, or just grumble.  He promises to work all things for good, and this week He has shown me that in a very real way.

     So with these two thoughts, I'm left examining my own actions: how do I respond?