My thoughts focused on being a mom this week reminded me of one of my favorite messages from Mothers Day. I often journal while listening to a message, (writing furiously!) key things they are saying along with whatever the Spirit puts on my heart. Here's what i got!
First Timothy 2:15 Woman will be saved during childbearing-if they continue in faith, love and holiness. So i looked up and found some words to describe it are "to restore, make healthy, recover" The focus of Driscoll's teaching is how motherhood "sanctifies" us. Praise Jesus, i am so thankful for sanctification. Huge word that used to intimidate me but i am just so desperate for His work in my life, the process of being made holy, the actual continuing work of life change. My goodness, i know that Him saving me from eternity spent in hell is totally enough, if that was where the resurrection power stopped then that would still be more than any of us deserve. But here's what get's me going, what makes my heart pound fast and temperature rise- sanctification. New life, right here, right now. Paul says we don't have to wait to get to heaven to experience His life saving power we can experience it right now while in this human flesh. The amazing work of being made more like Him! My heart breaks as i see so many believers settling for just getting into heaven. He has come to give us life and life abundantly, here and now. Okay, i guess i should move on to say what i was going to say! ha.
Driscoll focuses on 5 ways Christ sanctifies us through being moms.
1.) We see our own depravity!
Oh yes. I have kept the Holy Spirit busy working on my mouth. I'll never forget my bff calling me when our children were toddlers and saying "Trevor just said a new word! He said he heard Miss. Lori say it" Thankfully i no longer cuss like a sailor. I remember thinking if i could only get this fowl mouth under control i'll be good. Ha! Meet gossip and sarcasm. Sarcasm, funny, witty is what some would call it UNTIL you hear it out of your 10 year old. Another issue is their lack of self control and discipline. Why can't they just keep up on their room, remember to brush their teeth, make sure they have their God time... why can't i make sure i organize my time better to keep up on the home, to be freed up so i am available to serve when the Lord prompts, to eat healthy so i have enough energy to do what He has called me to do. His Word says He is the keeper of time, so there is always enough of it. His Word says that He has given us the power to do everything He has called us to do! So why do i sabotage that by eating nacho's and cheese for lunch! Check out Luke 6:40. They will be like us, for better or worse. He shows us our depravity. He makes me want to repent and be changed.
2.) He teaches us humility.
Simple. We do things for our kids we would never do for anyone else. Change diapers, stay up all night. Oh, the list goes on and on. Philippians 2:7 says Christ gave up His divine privileges to serve us. We are to serve, to think of others as better than ourselves. The first day of motherhood we get a crash course in humility. For some it's the first day of pregnancy(also motherhood) we learn to humbly be on our knees before the porcelain throne.
3.)Being a mom teaches us to endure.
We must persevere. We cannot quit. We cannot become weary in well doing. Let me just say as i'm typing this i am just so grateful to live in a country where "endure" is hardly a term i have to use. Life can be difficult at times, i have certainly endured heartache at times. I just know in times when life seems hard and I begin to think of having to "endure" God will show me how blessed i am. Years ago i read Max Lucado's book "It's Not About Me" it has really helped to shift my perspective in this area (or you could just turn on the news.) Soundtrack currently playing "count your many blessings name them one by one"
4.)He teaches us patience.(deep sigh)
Duh.We teach the same lessons over and over and over. We live in a we want it now society. We have fast food, microwaves and tivo. I'm reminded of Genesis 1 when God spoke and everything happened. I often parent with that same expectation. How thankful I am that God does not parent me that same way! Absolutely there is a time for direct obedience, the problem is my response. We want it, we want it now and i am on the verge of coming completely unraveled if I don't get the end result now. The dailiness of training up our children in the way they should go. Taking the time to explain why we go to church, why we serve, why they need to honor us, why we don't date yet, why we don't watch certain tv shows, why we tithe... Are we teaching our kids decision making. We want them to understand the importance of decision making as adults. "Because i said so" certainly has its time and place but if we are just not wanting to take the time to explain because we are watching Y&R or Grey's Anatomy they may never come to own for themselves the very values and things we are trying to pass on to them. God's Word does not allow for time off when it comes to teaching our kids. It takes patience in building a disciple, as we are discipling them Christ is discipling us.
5.)He sanctifies me by forcing me to have fun!
Okay with my history of OCD (and it is history) Time to have fun was not on the schedule, with having to keep the lines from the vacuum on the carpet and rewrite shopping list 10 time there was no time for fun. Praise God! He used my children time and time again to break through the daily grind of things that won't matter in 10 years or even tomorrow. So many silly moments during completely hairy circumstances. Playing kick ball out front, go fish, old maid, scrabble, i wish i could forget the roller blading phase(ouch, what were we thinking?) Recently we were going through a horrible financial situations, it was September the air was broke and it was hot. Every situation was intensified by the heat, humidity and sweat. My precious Rielly made me a beautiful card that said "mommy thank you for making everyday feel like the air is broke" (surely this will be a future post all by itself!) she went on to say "oh i said that backwards!" and we laughed our heads off!
I know there are so many other ways that God has used my children to sanctify me, it is truly a daily process. I pray i never grow weary of it. Praise the LORD He is blessing me right this moment with a divine opportunity for sanctification. A certain someone has wrote "yuck" all over a certain someone else's Hannah Montana CD and they want justice. Darn Dr. Phil is coming on in 1 minute. just kidding. kind of.
Showing posts with label Fresh WORD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fresh WORD. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Finally. Happy Mother's Day!
Nine Mother's Days'. Nine self loathing, miserable, depressed mothers days. Well now that i read that i make it look like it was only on that day each year that i gave God permission to take me out. Mothers day was simply the day i felt God could hear me better on this particular issue. Please do not for one second think that my ridiculous behavior was any kind of reflection on my sweet babies, mercy no. I have absolutely always loved them with all my heart the problem being my heart was seriously broken.
Strange because i can remember the first night i realized i did not quite think the same as my other mommy friends. We had escaped for a much needed girls night out to Cheesecake Factory, all of us had multiple toddlers at home with dads on babysitting duty. *Sidenote we established that night that it is so not babysitting if he is the dad, oh no. Anyhow, one of my friends mentioned that if anything were to happen to her in no way was her man aloud to remarry. I was shocked, everyone else agreed that no other woman would raise their precious little ones. Light bulb moment here, not that i knew it at that time. There have been several times in my life that i have been made painfully aware that i did not think like other people. Yes, of course this could be a good thing but not so much in this case. I had been a Christ follower for a few years at this point and in my many prayers throughout the day i would continually give God permission to take me out. Nine years of saying the same destructive things over and over. "I suck at this. I am so going to mess them up. Don't punish them because i don't know how to do this. Jesus take me out and give them someone better." Over and over and over. I was terrified they were going to end up like me. My mom left when i was 6, part of me was afraid i was going to do what she did. I suppose i thought she just flipped one day and i was so afraid i just had it in me to do the same thing. Their early years i was so broken.
I joked a couple blogs ago about learning from a book to smile at my children. Fake it till you make it. It worked for me. Thankfully Christ called me out when my oldest was only 2 years old. I had 5 children over 6 years. My house was full of little ones and i learned right along with them. Praying before we ate our meals and at bedtime, bedtime devotions, Jesus Loves Me Cd over and over, memorizing Awana verses with Casey at age 3, learning Veggie Tales virtues(note to self, God IS bigger than the boogy man), being at church whenever the doors were open. My point is that my children had zero resemblance of my childhood but i was still ever so faithful to play that old tape "I suck at this. I am so going to mess them up. Don't punish them because i don't know how to do this. Jesus take me out and give them someone better." Over and over, everyday. Driven by fear of doing what seemed to be mission impossible.
The year was 2004, Mothers Day approaching and my dearest friend was going through a season in her life where she was consumed with worry for her family if something ever happened to her. By this time i had certainly realized that God had given me the gift of encouragement but i just felt in this case i had nothing for her. We were two peas in a pod we were. She was pleading with God to live life to its fullest and i was still continually giving Him permission to take me out and replace me with someone more qualified to do this job. One day i was reading through 1 Kings 3 the story of when Solomon had been made king and he was telling God i am honored, i am young, i need your help- Wait for it!- v.9" for who on their own is able to lead your glorious people?" I had a Jeremiah 23:29 moment. I was and had been head over heels in love with Jesus, feasting on His Word, passionate prayer life for 8 years! The Holy Spirit pretty much spoke to my heart and said "Hello!!! Quit whining We know you can't do this on your own, here look in this Word that you hold so dear and believe it, Solomon the wisest guy on earth, King David a man after My own heart as his dad is saying he can't do it, he can't lead these people. I did not leave him hanging and I AM not going to leave you hanging either. You say you believe in the power of prayer but you continue to give me permission to take you out, if I wanted you out, I would've taken you out. I AM God i really never needed your permission anyway." No kidding, i was laying out in the back yard praying and started bawling, remember it like it was yesterday. The neighbors probably thought those poor kids. just kidding! Okay, honestly, i wish i could say i never played that old tape again, i can not, but i can say that when i do i am immediately reminded that He never asked me to do this on my own and He'll take me out when and if He wants to until then my calling is confirmed. I am so having a Happy Mother's Day. Thank You Jesus.
Okay, soundtrack currently playing is David Crowder, Oh Praise Him
Anyone want to share a Jeremiah 23:29 moment?
Strange because i can remember the first night i realized i did not quite think the same as my other mommy friends. We had escaped for a much needed girls night out to Cheesecake Factory, all of us had multiple toddlers at home with dads on babysitting duty. *Sidenote we established that night that it is so not babysitting if he is the dad, oh no. Anyhow, one of my friends mentioned that if anything were to happen to her in no way was her man aloud to remarry. I was shocked, everyone else agreed that no other woman would raise their precious little ones. Light bulb moment here, not that i knew it at that time. There have been several times in my life that i have been made painfully aware that i did not think like other people. Yes, of course this could be a good thing but not so much in this case. I had been a Christ follower for a few years at this point and in my many prayers throughout the day i would continually give God permission to take me out. Nine years of saying the same destructive things over and over. "I suck at this. I am so going to mess them up. Don't punish them because i don't know how to do this. Jesus take me out and give them someone better." Over and over and over. I was terrified they were going to end up like me. My mom left when i was 6, part of me was afraid i was going to do what she did. I suppose i thought she just flipped one day and i was so afraid i just had it in me to do the same thing. Their early years i was so broken.
I joked a couple blogs ago about learning from a book to smile at my children. Fake it till you make it. It worked for me. Thankfully Christ called me out when my oldest was only 2 years old. I had 5 children over 6 years. My house was full of little ones and i learned right along with them. Praying before we ate our meals and at bedtime, bedtime devotions, Jesus Loves Me Cd over and over, memorizing Awana verses with Casey at age 3, learning Veggie Tales virtues(note to self, God IS bigger than the boogy man), being at church whenever the doors were open. My point is that my children had zero resemblance of my childhood but i was still ever so faithful to play that old tape "I suck at this. I am so going to mess them up. Don't punish them because i don't know how to do this. Jesus take me out and give them someone better." Over and over, everyday. Driven by fear of doing what seemed to be mission impossible.
The year was 2004, Mothers Day approaching and my dearest friend was going through a season in her life where she was consumed with worry for her family if something ever happened to her. By this time i had certainly realized that God had given me the gift of encouragement but i just felt in this case i had nothing for her. We were two peas in a pod we were. She was pleading with God to live life to its fullest and i was still continually giving Him permission to take me out and replace me with someone more qualified to do this job. One day i was reading through 1 Kings 3 the story of when Solomon had been made king and he was telling God i am honored, i am young, i need your help- Wait for it!- v.9" for who on their own is able to lead your glorious people?" I had a Jeremiah 23:29 moment. I was and had been head over heels in love with Jesus, feasting on His Word, passionate prayer life for 8 years! The Holy Spirit pretty much spoke to my heart and said "Hello!!! Quit whining We know you can't do this on your own, here look in this Word that you hold so dear and believe it, Solomon the wisest guy on earth, King David a man after My own heart as his dad is saying he can't do it, he can't lead these people. I did not leave him hanging and I AM not going to leave you hanging either. You say you believe in the power of prayer but you continue to give me permission to take you out, if I wanted you out, I would've taken you out. I AM God i really never needed your permission anyway." No kidding, i was laying out in the back yard praying and started bawling, remember it like it was yesterday. The neighbors probably thought those poor kids. just kidding! Okay, honestly, i wish i could say i never played that old tape again, i can not, but i can say that when i do i am immediately reminded that He never asked me to do this on my own and He'll take me out when and if He wants to until then my calling is confirmed. I am so having a Happy Mother's Day. Thank You Jesus.
Okay, soundtrack currently playing is David Crowder, Oh Praise Him
Anyone want to share a Jeremiah 23:29 moment?
Monday, April 14, 2008
Sunday Leftovers
Holy cow. Is that okay to say?
"Collisions:When Faith and the World Collide" that has been our current message series at my lovely home church. Let me just say that there was a collision in the heavenlies at 9am service. I am pretty sure that i was the only one fully aware and i feel compelled to enlighten whoever stumbles upon my silly blog. So i must first set the scene for you. My childhood years were lets just say "horribly abusive" um, yah, i think that is enough said you can grasp the fullness of what i am saying through the rest of the story. God has done quite the overhaul on my life and it is only through His amazing work i am able to have some form of relationship with my family. That is not to say that it is easy by any means, He has taught me to fight the good fight with holding every thought captive, staying in the Word and face down, nose to the carpet praying. Whew. Needless to say it has been a long, emotionally, exhausting week as i have prepared for a visit. So Sunday morning i am feeling pretty good, the visit is halfway over and my family had said they wanted to go to church with us, so i thought i'm golden i can do this. Worship together, have the Word spoken over us, sounds good, right? We usually go to the 11am because Tony and the kids all serve at 9am so i was on my own. Well Tom, our worship leader is greeting us, going over announcements so i'm sitting there checking out the bulletin when i see the title to todays message "Lust and Immorality" I, sitting in the 3rd row, looked up at Tom and i'm pretty sure he was unaware (considering he didn't come over and give me CPR or anything) said with my eyes "farewell my friend, i am going to die now" See my old way of thinking was pretty much my heart is just going to stop, just stop. For it to explode would be too much emotion, my heart would stop, i would breathe my last breath, i am done. Then he said to stand and say hello, Thorunn i don't know if you felt all your strength leave you during that hug but i took it. All week as i have been praying and pretty much reminding myself of Scriptures that i know God has spoken over my life such as Jer 29:11, lots of times God (cause He knows i love music) will give me a theme song for the moment, this weeks soundtrack has been Amazing Grace (the Lord has promised good to me) and Break Free(we are holding on, holding on to what You've said and You've done) So i began to sing and pray. As i was praying and repeating what God had said "the Lord has promised good to me" Tom stops to reminds us that we need to not get hung up on what songs were going to sing when we come in... TRUE. TRUE. TRUE. But lets remember i am trying to convince myself that this service is not going to be my funeral. Praise God, I have the biggest smile on my face right now as i think of our enormous God, that my brother Tom and i were in a 3 way conversation with the King of the Universe at that moment and we didn't even know it. Mind blowing, truly. So then comes the message. My heart just aches over the path of destruction that can be started off with just a glance, then looking at magazines, then movies, then just the quest for more, i know it well. While digging into the history behind my abuse and the why factor came up, it wasn't as if all of a sudden a monster appeared it started with just a glance, then looking at magazines, then movies, then clubs, then drugs, then chaos, out of control. To have the truth spoken out loud over us and for neither of us to just flat out die (or run), I have no doubt that my Father in heaven was waging war with the enemy of our souls, that He was saying right there the fact that those two can sit next to each other in My house and sing to Me, talk to Me, and listen to My life changing Word is proof of My amazing grace, My resurrection power and My unfailing love. I am not saying that i am still not going to struggle at times but i will say i felt like God was saying to me "It is finished." He once again confirmed to me that i can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Guess how service ended? We usually repeat one of the songs from earlier. Nope. amazing grace. the LORD has promised good to me!
More family coming Wednesday at 1pm, can't wait to see what's next. Yes thats a prayer request.
"Collisions:When Faith and the World Collide" that has been our current message series at my lovely home church. Let me just say that there was a collision in the heavenlies at 9am service. I am pretty sure that i was the only one fully aware and i feel compelled to enlighten whoever stumbles upon my silly blog. So i must first set the scene for you. My childhood years were lets just say "horribly abusive" um, yah, i think that is enough said you can grasp the fullness of what i am saying through the rest of the story. God has done quite the overhaul on my life and it is only through His amazing work i am able to have some form of relationship with my family. That is not to say that it is easy by any means, He has taught me to fight the good fight with holding every thought captive, staying in the Word and face down, nose to the carpet praying. Whew. Needless to say it has been a long, emotionally, exhausting week as i have prepared for a visit. So Sunday morning i am feeling pretty good, the visit is halfway over and my family had said they wanted to go to church with us, so i thought i'm golden i can do this. Worship together, have the Word spoken over us, sounds good, right? We usually go to the 11am because Tony and the kids all serve at 9am so i was on my own. Well Tom, our worship leader is greeting us, going over announcements so i'm sitting there checking out the bulletin when i see the title to todays message "Lust and Immorality" I, sitting in the 3rd row, looked up at Tom and i'm pretty sure he was unaware (considering he didn't come over and give me CPR or anything) said with my eyes "farewell my friend, i am going to die now" See my old way of thinking was pretty much my heart is just going to stop, just stop. For it to explode would be too much emotion, my heart would stop, i would breathe my last breath, i am done. Then he said to stand and say hello, Thorunn i don't know if you felt all your strength leave you during that hug but i took it. All week as i have been praying and pretty much reminding myself of Scriptures that i know God has spoken over my life such as Jer 29:11, lots of times God (cause He knows i love music) will give me a theme song for the moment, this weeks soundtrack has been Amazing Grace (the Lord has promised good to me) and Break Free(we are holding on, holding on to what You've said and You've done) So i began to sing and pray. As i was praying and repeating what God had said "the Lord has promised good to me" Tom stops to reminds us that we need to not get hung up on what songs were going to sing when we come in... TRUE. TRUE. TRUE. But lets remember i am trying to convince myself that this service is not going to be my funeral. Praise God, I have the biggest smile on my face right now as i think of our enormous God, that my brother Tom and i were in a 3 way conversation with the King of the Universe at that moment and we didn't even know it. Mind blowing, truly. So then comes the message. My heart just aches over the path of destruction that can be started off with just a glance, then looking at magazines, then movies, then just the quest for more, i know it well. While digging into the history behind my abuse and the why factor came up, it wasn't as if all of a sudden a monster appeared it started with just a glance, then looking at magazines, then movies, then clubs, then drugs, then chaos, out of control. To have the truth spoken out loud over us and for neither of us to just flat out die (or run), I have no doubt that my Father in heaven was waging war with the enemy of our souls, that He was saying right there the fact that those two can sit next to each other in My house and sing to Me, talk to Me, and listen to My life changing Word is proof of My amazing grace, My resurrection power and My unfailing love. I am not saying that i am still not going to struggle at times but i will say i felt like God was saying to me "It is finished." He once again confirmed to me that i can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Guess how service ended? We usually repeat one of the songs from earlier. Nope. amazing grace. the LORD has promised good to me!
More family coming Wednesday at 1pm, can't wait to see what's next. Yes thats a prayer request.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
An ark for Easter?
Palm Sunday has always had a tender place in my heart. I will forever have seared in my memory, 11 years ago peeking in my Casey (then almost 3) Sunday School class and seeing them all waving palms bigger then them and shouting Hosanna! Hosanna! I so wish i had a picture of that moment, she was absolutely beaming and yet at the same time taking this very seriously. Funny, cause she still gets that same look today. Well feeing very inspired i thought i would do a little craft project with my girls in celebration of Easter. The girls had taken their naps and woke up to a table full of supplies. Let me say that our picture we made was a masterpiece! At the time Tony and I were separated and i was living with my dad. The girls could not wait for him to get home to show him what they had created. He smiled and they went off to play. Then as he was rummaging around in the refrigerator he said "Lori, you know that Easter has nothing to do with Noah's Ark, right?" The importance of telling you he was in the fridge was important so he could not see the look of horror on my face! God let me feel that rush of embarrassment and confusion all on my own. He is so good. Of course i replied "yeah i know that, duh, it was just a craft dad" Panic. Panic. Panic. I still till this day have absolutely no idea what i thought the connection was. Ark, rainbow, doves???
I am so grateful that God is so gracious with me! I believed Him for salvation, i was baptized, i have no doubt that my eternity was secured at this time in my life.
I count it as a true gift that I can remember when my heart started to pound for Him, something inside me changed that day i saw Casey waving those palm branches and shouting Hosanna! Making that silly picture of the Ark at Easter was the first time i ever craved God's Word, i would say i was desperate for it. Sad to say i had to wait for it. Much to my surprise the word Easter was not in the back of my pink KJV bible, concordance, dictionary, not in there. I suppose i was still to prideful to dare ask anyone what it meant, mostly because it seemed that i was the only person who had obviously no idea. (FYI John 18-20) I was desperate to know what was in the Bible. A week later our pastor was preaching from the book of Acts and how the Bereans were of more noble character because they didn't just listen to what they were taught they wanted to see it and know it for themselves. I say all this to say that again, God has revealed to me, that He has relentlessly pursued me. That i crave and love His Word the way that i do is just as foreign to my flesh as if an ark has anything to do with Easter. From seeing my little girl shouting Hosanna, to making an Ark for Easter, to learning from the bereans that i should read my Bible, to a dear woman sending me a study on the book of Colossians (see Sunday Leftovers ) All this from Palm Sunday to Mothers Day 1997! From humble beginnings, He has been absolutely relentless with me. Ephesians 2:8-9.
Easter 1997! Happy to say there is no evidence of trauma from mommy's lack of wisdom! Truth is they probably knew the truth before i did!
I am so grateful that God is so gracious with me! I believed Him for salvation, i was baptized, i have no doubt that my eternity was secured at this time in my life.
I count it as a true gift that I can remember when my heart started to pound for Him, something inside me changed that day i saw Casey waving those palm branches and shouting Hosanna! Making that silly picture of the Ark at Easter was the first time i ever craved God's Word, i would say i was desperate for it. Sad to say i had to wait for it. Much to my surprise the word Easter was not in the back of my pink KJV bible, concordance, dictionary, not in there. I suppose i was still to prideful to dare ask anyone what it meant, mostly because it seemed that i was the only person who had obviously no idea. (FYI John 18-20) I was desperate to know what was in the Bible. A week later our pastor was preaching from the book of Acts and how the Bereans were of more noble character because they didn't just listen to what they were taught they wanted to see it and know it for themselves. I say all this to say that again, God has revealed to me, that He has relentlessly pursued me. That i crave and love His Word the way that i do is just as foreign to my flesh as if an ark has anything to do with Easter. From seeing my little girl shouting Hosanna, to making an Ark for Easter, to learning from the bereans that i should read my Bible, to a dear woman sending me a study on the book of Colossians (see Sunday Leftovers ) All this from Palm Sunday to Mothers Day 1997! From humble beginnings, He has been absolutely relentless with me. Ephesians 2:8-9.
Easter 1997! Happy to say there is no evidence of trauma from mommy's lack of wisdom! Truth is they probably knew the truth before i did!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Delivered.
Delivered? Strange word really. Used to really kind of freak me out actually. The first time i heard it was 10 yrs ago at a recovery group meeting for people struggling with addictions. I remember several people were giving testimonies of how they met Christ and were immediately delivered of their addictions. Well, let me say that i was perplexed (that could of been the drugs as well) because i was not immediately feeling any kind of deliverance from my drug addiction. So i, like a 6yr old pledging to not eat my carrots, always kind of had a bad taste in my mouth when it came up. Real mature i know. Then there were other times i'd be around people who would kind of throw that word around like-i'm in deliverance ministry. My response was probably something like "great, good for you" Too afraid that if i asked exactly what that meant they would want to somehow deliver me. That seemed scary. lol Praise Him that He makes the foolish wise.
So why all this scary(lol) talk about deliverance? I found out its actually quite encouraging and beautiful. duh. In my Bible study a couple weeks ago (Beth Moore-To live is Christ) I was reading 2Tim 3:10-11 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long suffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.
According to my definition of deliver, i would have to disagree. Remembering of course that i never asked what it meant, didn't want to know, which makes me again foolish. See in Acts 14:6 Paul was in Iconium & he escaped being stoned. However in Acts 14:19 Paul was in Lystra and there was no escaping, they stoned him and dragged him outside the city gates because they thought he was dead. Yet Paul says he was delivered from both. (I am currently reminded of my friend Adrienne saying "wait for it, Lori, wait for it" as i was figuring out the amazingly crazy ending to The Village, very dramatic moment, i'm not easy to surprise) Are you even still reading? Okay, so here is the fun part. Rhuomai. I know isn't it great.Rhuomai is the original word for delivered in 2Tim 3:11 it means "to drag along the ground, to draw or snatch from danger, to rescue, deliver-more with the meaning of drawing to oneself than merely rescuing from someone or something " Hallelujah! I have often joked that my Christian walk has been more of a crawl, apparently i was not even crawling but being "dragged along the ground" God doesn't always stop the stoning, the unemployment, the foreclosure, the divorce, the cancer, the jail sentence, the loss of a loved one, the IRS, the physical pain & suffering, the rebellious child, he doesn't always release us immediately from a bondage to drugs, alcohol, food, fear, insecurity...what He does is He draws us closer to Himself. God is relentless with us, we must persevere to know Him, to love Him. To trust that no matter how we mess up or how long we've been dragging He works all things out according to His purpose. Jesus as you draw us close to You help us to press into You, Your Word, Your ways. Help us to remember we are never alone, nothing is beyond repair when we know the Creator, You have a plan for each of us we just have to wait for it!
So why all this scary(lol) talk about deliverance? I found out its actually quite encouraging and beautiful. duh. In my Bible study a couple weeks ago (Beth Moore-To live is Christ) I was reading 2Tim 3:10-11 But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long suffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.
According to my definition of deliver, i would have to disagree. Remembering of course that i never asked what it meant, didn't want to know, which makes me again foolish. See in Acts 14:6 Paul was in Iconium & he escaped being stoned. However in Acts 14:19 Paul was in Lystra and there was no escaping, they stoned him and dragged him outside the city gates because they thought he was dead. Yet Paul says he was delivered from both. (I am currently reminded of my friend Adrienne saying "wait for it, Lori, wait for it" as i was figuring out the amazingly crazy ending to The Village, very dramatic moment, i'm not easy to surprise) Are you even still reading? Okay, so here is the fun part. Rhuomai. I know isn't it great.Rhuomai is the original word for delivered in 2Tim 3:11 it means "to drag along the ground, to draw or snatch from danger, to rescue, deliver-more with the meaning of drawing to oneself than merely rescuing from someone or something " Hallelujah! I have often joked that my Christian walk has been more of a crawl, apparently i was not even crawling but being "dragged along the ground" God doesn't always stop the stoning, the unemployment, the foreclosure, the divorce, the cancer, the jail sentence, the loss of a loved one, the IRS, the physical pain & suffering, the rebellious child, he doesn't always release us immediately from a bondage to drugs, alcohol, food, fear, insecurity...what He does is He draws us closer to Himself. God is relentless with us, we must persevere to know Him, to love Him. To trust that no matter how we mess up or how long we've been dragging He works all things out according to His purpose. Jesus as you draw us close to You help us to press into You, Your Word, Your ways. Help us to remember we are never alone, nothing is beyond repair when we know the Creator, You have a plan for each of us we just have to wait for it!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
INHALE!
Just wanted to say I am (at the risk of sounding corny) completely loving Jesus today. I can say my thoughts all day have been consumed with Him. My mind keeps replaying His Word over and over. Daniel 1:8 decide ahead of time not to defile yourself-kept me out of trouble today! He is light and there is no darkness in Him at all! Just completely saturated in His Word. I am amazed sometimes at how I just actually crave the Word. Like I just need it and it fills me up. Like if that is all I had I could live off of it. Just completely satisfied. That's how I'm feeling today.
What gets me is that today has been a great day. There are certainly days when I've been dwelling in a pit and just need a rope to get me up. So yeah then i need it. But not today. The kids and i woke up horrendously late for school, we had 15min. to get dressed, brush hair, teeth, shoes on, the whole deal and there was no freaking out. No yelling at one another to hurry up, everyone got off to school with smiles. I had a nice day at work (doesn't happen often) even got to encourage 4 other co-workers. I got home at the same time as kids. Rielly and I talked for an hour about how God's love just shines threw her and how we need to pray for our friends who aren't so shiny. Sam and I made Valentine candy. We were able to eat a family meal together that I so happily (not always my mood) prepared. I took a shower before 8pm. Overall great day and i still crave the Word. Just a breath of fresh air! 2Timothy 3:16 all Scripture is God breathed-INHALE!
What gets me is that today has been a great day. There are certainly days when I've been dwelling in a pit and just need a rope to get me up. So yeah then i need it. But not today. The kids and i woke up horrendously late for school, we had 15min. to get dressed, brush hair, teeth, shoes on, the whole deal and there was no freaking out. No yelling at one another to hurry up, everyone got off to school with smiles. I had a nice day at work (doesn't happen often) even got to encourage 4 other co-workers. I got home at the same time as kids. Rielly and I talked for an hour about how God's love just shines threw her and how we need to pray for our friends who aren't so shiny. Sam and I made Valentine candy. We were able to eat a family meal together that I so happily (not always my mood) prepared. I took a shower before 8pm. Overall great day and i still crave the Word. Just a breath of fresh air! 2Timothy 3:16 all Scripture is God breathed-INHALE!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Sunday's Leftovers
Funny thing happened Sunday morning. God drove home a lesson that He has taught me a thousand times. And He did it in the first five minutes of service. Earlier in the week I had learned an interesting word that I couldn't get out of my mind, still can't, don't want to. Get this-it's actually Mandarin Chinese, Ling xiu (leeng SHE-oo) Ling means spirit or soul and Xiu means repair. Ling xiu=soul repair! They use this word for their Christian daily devotional time. Well whats not so funny is I woke up in quite a foul mood Sunday morning, I was tired, then I was angry because I was tired, had to go to work after church...silly but I just couldn't shake it-mad at life. Went to church and our worship pastor Tom asked if any of us just felt the need to be there this morning, just felt like if you didn't come something bad was going to happen(not like in a weird way, like God's going to get you-we're not like that-God is not like that:)) This brings me to another thing that God has relentlessly been reminding me of. Acts 9:5 Amp AndSaul said, who are you Lord? I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting. [b]It is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you to keep kicking against the goad [to offer vain andperilous resistance]. (Also in Acts26:14) Two things totally got me here!
#1)God is hugely amazing and nothing like us(duh-i know) Stephen had just been martyred, practically at Paul's feet and Jesus wasn't coming after him in a I'm going to get you sort of way. He is love. He is able to completely be there for Stephen and yet at the same time completely be there for Paul. He loves them both equally. He ached for Stephen's situation, the Word tell us that Christ rose to His feet, standing at God's right hand. At the same time He loved Paul and had such compassion for him, he didn't say I AM going to get you, or your going to make this up to me and be my servant. Christ didn't NEED anything from Paul. He said let me tell you, this does not end well for YOU. Which brings me to
#2) I cannot count how many times I have heard His Spirit say the same thing to me. The Word tells us, the Spirit prompts us, He always gives us a way to escape temptation... I will say I was stunned when I read that verse, the Bible says His Word is alive and I say- no doubt. I'm still overcome with emotion now just thinking about it. I learned early on about having a "personal" relationship with Christ and can truly say I have had one for the past 12 years but it just hit me a fresh. God speaks to us, not only through His Word but in our soul. I immediately was reminded of when I was battling drug addiction and can say before I would get high heard those words "this is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you" Times where I did not hold every thought captive, knowing full well I was flirting with deep depression-guess what I heard "this is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you" And certainly in respect to my recent chains i am carrying around, buying our first home (much to expensive, fixer upper) two new cars, that we so needed, gotta drive something (yeah right) I then again heard "this is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you" Obviously, i did not listen. The grief in knowing the King of the Universe was speaking to me & i did not listen...Back to Sunday morning, my attitude was in bad shape. When Tom stopped and asked if any of us just felt the need to be there this morning, just felt like if you didn't come something bad was going to happen... Guess what I heard-attitude check! Keep flirting with oh what a miserable life and "this is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you"
Ling xiu=soul repair. Lord give us ears to hear!
#1)God is hugely amazing and nothing like us(duh-i know) Stephen had just been martyred, practically at Paul's feet and Jesus wasn't coming after him in a I'm going to get you sort of way. He is love. He is able to completely be there for Stephen and yet at the same time completely be there for Paul. He loves them both equally. He ached for Stephen's situation, the Word tell us that Christ rose to His feet, standing at God's right hand. At the same time He loved Paul and had such compassion for him, he didn't say I AM going to get you, or your going to make this up to me and be my servant. Christ didn't NEED anything from Paul. He said let me tell you, this does not end well for YOU. Which brings me to
#2) I cannot count how many times I have heard His Spirit say the same thing to me. The Word tells us, the Spirit prompts us, He always gives us a way to escape temptation... I will say I was stunned when I read that verse, the Bible says His Word is alive and I say- no doubt. I'm still overcome with emotion now just thinking about it. I learned early on about having a "personal" relationship with Christ and can truly say I have had one for the past 12 years but it just hit me a fresh. God speaks to us, not only through His Word but in our soul. I immediately was reminded of when I was battling drug addiction and can say before I would get high heard those words "this is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you" Times where I did not hold every thought captive, knowing full well I was flirting with deep depression-guess what I heard "this is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you" And certainly in respect to my recent chains i am carrying around, buying our first home (much to expensive, fixer upper) two new cars, that we so needed, gotta drive something (yeah right) I then again heard "this is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you" Obviously, i did not listen. The grief in knowing the King of the Universe was speaking to me & i did not listen...Back to Sunday morning, my attitude was in bad shape. When Tom stopped and asked if any of us just felt the need to be there this morning, just felt like if you didn't come something bad was going to happen... Guess what I heard-attitude check! Keep flirting with oh what a miserable life and "this is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you"
Ling xiu=soul repair. Lord give us ears to hear!
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