Time is up!

Why is there such thing as time? I don't usually ask such DEEP questions. :-) I once heard a pastor say that we such a thing as money to show our heart, and to show the world that there is Someone who is more important than money. I think the same is true of time. We have such a thing as time to show that Christ is more important than time.

I have been really crying out to God to show me how to be a real woman. :-) Right away He opened up an opportunity for me to join an Bible study where I met several real women. They convicted me so badly with just their daily schedule. Believe it or not their schedule showed their submission to Christ! I was shocked... and just a little annoyed. Didn't like the idea of this lesson.

The problem:
I have never been a schedule person because they frustrate me so badly when I can't get them done right and in order. Not having a schedule to keep seemed to free me up, and in a way that is true. You are much freer to do things spur of the moment. That being said my not having a schedule has really been bad for me too. I have lost discipline and lost time. I haven't accomplished tasks that were very important, I have lost money, and I have compromised trading valuable time for invaluable things.

"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16

No, those days are leaving... Submission to God in the orderly and disciplined use of time is coming. There can be no other way. BUT what happens when my plans are frustrated... because that does happen every day. Things come up. And if I know myself and I think I do, I am going to be super frustrated, and I will want to give up.

First: "Commit your work to the Lord , and your plans will be established. " Proverbs 16:3
I need to make sure that the plans I have made are ones that God would have me make. They need to be in accordance with what He has already shown me and will show me delights Him. This way when my plans are interrupted I will have a good idea of whether to go with the flow or hold fast to the schedule. I think they call this straightening out my priorities.

Secondly: "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." Proverbs 19:21
I need to surrender my plans to Him everyday, this will not always mean abandoning my schedule, sometimes when things come up I will have to choose the schedule over the interruption (ie. Discipline). Deciding between sticking with the schedule or overriding it, requires God. That is where my relationship with Christ, my dependence and commitment to Him comes in. He will provide the wisdom I need to make the decisions I need to make.

Lastly: WORK! Discipline. I already know what things have to go, and I am already wishing I didn't have to. But! No one said it would be easy or that I would think it was fun... at least not yet. When I gave up TV, I wasn't sorry. So likely, by and by, I will not miss these things either.
Submission to Christ and His plans for day to day living are part of what makes a girl a woman. The discipline is glorifying God part. I get to make decisions moment by moment that show the world that Christ is more valuable than even the most precious resource we have (time).

Times up! Have to go! :-)

Faithful and Big

2 Samuel 22:31 "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him."

Twenty-ten! Are you kidding me? I feel like a little kid getting ready to ride the Superman rollercoaster at Six Flags. You know the feeling of being forced into a seat, all too near the front, by a pushing, anxious crowd? I can just see myself being strapped into that seat and nervously waiting for it all to start. Just when I've talked myself into a calm-ish state and feel somewhat prepared for the trip ahead the floor drops out from under your feet. That is when it gets interesting.

Staring into the face of year 2010 would not be possible for me if it were not for two truths. Though when you see which truths I am talking about you might laugh because they are so basic, but for me they seem to need constant reinforcement, constant testing and rehashing. Going through year 2010 will not be possible for me if I do not hold onto these truths for dear life, as I might cling to the harness or buckle in a rollercoaster.

The first securing truth: God's faithfulness to me in the past, and His promise of faithfulness in the future.

Jude 1:24-25 "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."

The fact that God is faithful and will be faithful is the grace that gives me the strength/grace to be faithful to Him as well. Christ's faithfulness (in sanctification) to present me faultless before God Almighty and All Holy. In God's faithfulness to receive of my life glory and honor gives me so much peace that I can actually enjoy the sanctification process. I cannot ruin His plans. I cannot ruin His glory. YAY!!!! By the mercy and grace of God, by the reality of HIS faithfulness I can be faithful in laying down my life, my greatest desires, my most treasured friendships, possesions and aspirations for the glory of this faithful King.

" I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." - Romans 12:1

Ahh, that hits close to home. Reasonable service. It gets me everytime. Yes, it is my reasonable service, and I am delighted to do it in light of so great a Salvation,and so great a God. Which brings me to the other securing truth.

The fact that God's plans cannot be frustrated. They cannot be stopped by me nor can they be stopped by someone else.

Psalm 135: 5-7 " For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the sease and all the deeps. He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses."

I used to think that I was a great believer in God's Soveriegnty. ("He that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall") I remember saying, "I just can't fellowship with this person because they don't believe in the Sovereignty of God!" At least this person is honest about their unbelief, because when "push came to shove" I obviously didn't believe in the Sovereignty of God either. I have been so fearful to make a decision, and fearful about the decisions and actions of other people that will directly affect me. I allowed this sin full reign and made it a comfy place in my heart. So proud... So proud to think that others or that I could frustrate Gods plans. So selfish to serve my plans instead of the Lord. So unfaithful and idolitrious to behave as a victum in the hand of a little god (my own creation). So vile to rebel against those laws and governors that God has placed in my life to instruct and direct me. Wow. God's grace must be very very great! I have found myself crying several times, Oh WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM!!! Thank God, for Jesus Christ, who is a GREAT Savior. For by His greatness I have hope!

Do you know what makes a rollercoaster fun? The buckle. I garuntee you, they would not be fun if I couldn't be strapped in securely. I love roller coasters, and I feel certain that as a servant of this Faithful and Soveriegn God I will love year 2010 complete with its twists, turns, dips, and speed. It is in His hands and He is my buckler.

" I am God. and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My cousnel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.'" - Isaiah 46:9-10
Amen!

Thou Who thus has loved me, give me love like this!

Many crowd the Savior's Kingdom,
Few recieve His Cross,
Many seek His consolation,
Few will suffer loss
For the dear sake of the Master,
Counting all but dross.

Many sit at Jesus' table,
Few will fast with him
When the sorrow cup of anguish
Trembles to the brim-
Few watch with Him in the garden
Who have sung the hymn.

Many will confess His wisdom,
Few embrace His shame,
Many, should He smile upon them,
Will His praise proclaim;
Then, if for a while He leave them,
They desert His Name.

But the souls who love Him truly
Whether for woe or bliss,
These will count their truest heart's blood
Not their own but His;
Saviour, Thou Who thus hast loved me,
Give me love like this.

-Unknown Author

Saviour, Thou Who thus hast loved me, give me love like this!

<3

From prayer that asks that I may be
Sheltered from the winds that beat on Thee,
From fearing when I should aspire,
From faltering when I should climb higher,
From silken self, O Captain, free
Thy soldier who would follow Thee.

From subtle love of softening things,
From easy choices, weakenings,
Not thus are spirits fortified,
Not this way went the Crucified,
From all that dims Thy Calvary,
O Lamb of God, deliver me.

Give me the love that leads the way,
The faith that nothing can dismay
The hope no dissapointments tire,
The passion that will burn like fire,
Let me not sink to be a clod:
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.

-Amy Carmichael

Delight

I LOVE GOD. Talking about Him, hearing about Him, reading about Him, and thinking about Him are the greatest pleasures of my existence. I was thinking about Joel Osteen the other day when I saw the cover of one of his books. His smile was so big it was about to split his face wide open. The name of the book, I cannot remember, but it was something about the joy of the Lord and finding strength in God. As I turned the book over I thought, "This man delights in God too!" How can that be?! He seems happy to talk about God. He has devoted countless hours to writing about God and teaching things about Him. He seems overall delighted in his relationship with God. I think that it is fair to say that if I asked him what he enjoyed the most he would say that God was what he enjoyed the most. So I was wondering and asking God the difference was between my delight in God and Joel's?

It is a good thing to delight in the Lord, and Scriptures talk about it numerous times. David talks about how much he loves God and delights in His commands. Also, Psalm 14:1 "A fool hath said in his heart there is no God". Even Darwin was blown away with the brilliant design of the eyeball, and himself said that considering evolution when looking at the eyeball was... absurd. Of course only God could have created that! So basically the fact that I delight in God just shows me that I am not stupid. Even people who don't believe in God find Him amazing. And there I was thinking that Joel and I were something for delighting in God. Pshaw! There was needed hit to my pride. :-) God is a brilliant Creator, perfectly perfect; He mightily mighty; He is justly just; He is honestly honest, and this list goes on. Who couldn't delight in that?! THAT is humbling and rightfully so!!

So all this brought me to an entirely new question: The question is not who delights in God... The question is who does God delight in? Jeremiah 9:23-24 is just one of the verses that lets us know what God delights in.

"Thus says the Lord: Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD."

And as it says in Jeremiah 9:23 and 24, and in many other places in the scripture God delights in steadfast love, justice and righteousness. He hates selfishness, unjust behavior, and unrighteous acts, thoughts, etc,. The only one that God could possibly delight in is Christ. By this standard Joel Osteen and Grace Chambers are what my brother would call "Epic Failures". On the other hand, Christ is the only one who meets that standard of being steadfastly loving, just, and righteous. God recognized this, and told us all through His Word (several times) that He did delight in His Son. "This is my Son in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17, 12:18, 17:5, Mark 1:11, Luke 3:22) To gain the delight of God we must be sinless as Christ, which is what Christ made possible at the cross for those who will repent of the way we want to live and will give our life to follow Him. Sadly this just might be where Joel and I are different... Anyone can delight in God, but to gain the delight of God that is what is truly important.

Matthew 7:22-23 "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

So the point of sharing this whole thing is this: Are you one who delights in God, but finds that God cannot delight in you? You aren't the only one. God has said that many people delight in Him, in His strength and power, but He finds no delight in them, because of their sin. (Matthew 7:23, and 25:41)The difference between you and them is that you are on this side of judgement and you can find forgiveness and freedom from sin now, through Christ. Don't delay. It truly is a delight to know that I not only can delight in God now but that I will be able to delight in Him throughout all eternity.

One Day Closer

Luke 12:37-38 "Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants."

These verses make me so excited! Jesus really is coming and He is coming soon. I cannot wait for that day, but one thing I would love to know: Will I be ready? Will He find me watching and working diligently, faithfully for Him? What exactly will I be doing when He does come?

When Jesus comes (if He comes while I live) I want Him to find me on the edge of my seat so to speak, ready to bounce out of this world into the next at any moment. I want to be enjoying the daylights out of Him, His Word, His glory, etc. Wouldn't it be nice (I think I am speaking mostly to girls with these examples. :-)) to meet Christ having been a faithful and submissive worker like Ruth, or a bold ambassador like Esther? Wouldn't it be wonderful to be found a faithful sutdent of God's Word like Mary? I think any of these would be wonderful, but I wonder how I will meet Him?

While I am still in bed because of this "character building" (lol) surgery, I have had time to think about what I should be doing when I actually can move. :-) Here is one of the verses I have been thinking about:

Jesus said in John 9:4 "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."

These last few months have drug by so slowly I felt like time had literally stopped. Thankfully it didn't. :-) Even as slow as these last months have been... they are gone and they are not coming back. My time on this earth is very short. I got here just a few years ago and I'll be leaving soon too. The thought of this could send me into a panic attack, "SO-gasp-MUCH-gasp TO DO gasp!" However it doesn't, because I know that what I have done or will do has nothing to do with whether or not I am Christ's and He is mine. That being said what I am doing on earth is a prelude to what I will be doing in heaven. So I really cannot be waiting until then to get started. Now is the time to obey, now is the time to repent, now is the time to praise, now is the time to thank, now is the time to worship, etc, etc, you get the idea.

1 John 4:10 "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins."

Wow! That is great great love. And we only love Him because He first loved us. When you do something for someone you love, does it feel like a chore? NO. It really doesn't. It is a pleasure. It is delightful, fun, thrilling, and every other good word there I can't think of at this moment. So if obeying God is so easy and fun, why don't I do it? Well that is the difference between here and heaven. My redeemed spirit wars constantly against my flesh, and that is what makes this rough. But I don't have to be afraid because Christ overcame the world and He will provide a way of escape from temptation. He is very faithful. Now back to what I meant to talk about: What kind of things do I need to be doing to get ready for His coming? How can I trim my lamps, and tirelessly watch for Him?

I can be about what He has given me to do NOW. Broadly speaking this would be like, studying the Scriptures, encouraging my family, and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ (the Church), sharing the gospel, etc. Specifically it means that I have to stop wasting time. There are so many time wasting traps these days, that before I even realize it I am sucked these traps. But God has asked that I be READY when He comes, and that means putting away the distractions that have nothing to do with watching for Him. Guys, He is coming and coming soon!

"Be ye therefore ready also for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not." -Matthew 25:40

May the Lord Find Us Faithful by Mac Lynch

"God has not given us the spirit of fear, But has given us the strength to obey.
With power and sound mind, with love the unfailing kind, Oh, be not ashamed of His way.

[Chorus] May the Lord find us faithful, May His Word be our banner held high.
May the Lord find us faithful, Everyday tho' we live tho' we die.

No man that seeketh after things of this life, Is a soldier, who passes the test.
Be faithful, be working, be running, be serving, Be searching His word for His best.

[Chorus] May the Lord find us faithful, May His Word be our banner held high.
May the Lord find us faithful, Everyday tho' we live tho' we die.

Living or dying may honor be Thine. From this wretched life, You loved and forgave.
A life that is on fire, be only our heart's desire, Be faithful from now to the grave.

May the Lord find us faithful. May His Word be our banner held high. May the Lord find us faithful every moment, Every day, every hour! Everyday tho' we live tho' we die..."

This song is so beautiful and so very encouraging. The tune is very catchy too (can't get it out of my head today), but I can't find it on youtube, so you will just have to imagine it. :-)