"Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart..."
What things do we as Christians, as humans tend to delight in? Maybe I should replace delight with the word focus. What do we focus on? Money? Clothes? Feelings? Relationships? Music?(that's a big one for me) Self-image? Work? Sports? Is it completely wrong to have a focus in all of these areas? No, we need to have some focus on these areas so they improve our lives. But, the trouble comes when we completely focus, we place all our joy, the whole of our heart, and the energy of our bodies into these areas.
Maybe I can make my point in this way: The Bible does not say delight yourself in the things of the world to get the things of the world. It says delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. That means taking joy in, meditating on, searching out, praying through, struggling through the Word, and who God is and what His desires are. This does not mean that if you delight in the Lord...he's going to make you the richest man or woman on the face of the planet. But it does mean that through this delighting, the Lord will change your heart to reflect Him, and His desires.
What are you delighting in?
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
My debtedness
So recently I was reading a note of a friend, and she said one thing that really stuck out in my mind: "I am His, and I follow His word because to Him I owe everything" That really got me thinking about what Christ has done fore me. He sent His only Son, His most beloved, to earth-a filthy land, full of sin and wickedness-to live and be a living example, and to give up Himself and die the most painful death, and bear the weight of not only my sins, but every sinner.
I've had many people do many sweet, and thoughtful things for me...and they mean a lot, but I can't say any human has ever given their son to die so painfully so that I could live.
Wow, I never really thought about the words to Amazing Grace-His grace saved this wretch. I really am a wretch. I owe everything thing to Him because His grace completely covers my wretchedness.
There is absolutely nothing in my life that I can say that I do not owe to Him. All must be placed before Him at the altar and the dross must be burned off to produce a pure vessel. And trust me, there is a lot of dross building up in this heart of mine.
Amazing Grace how sweet the sound,
that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found.
Was blind, but now I see.
I've had many people do many sweet, and thoughtful things for me...and they mean a lot, but I can't say any human has ever given their son to die so painfully so that I could live.
Wow, I never really thought about the words to Amazing Grace-His grace saved this wretch. I really am a wretch. I owe everything thing to Him because His grace completely covers my wretchedness.
There is absolutely nothing in my life that I can say that I do not owe to Him. All must be placed before Him at the altar and the dross must be burned off to produce a pure vessel. And trust me, there is a lot of dross building up in this heart of mine.
Amazing Grace how sweet the sound,
that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found.
Was blind, but now I see.
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
discipline.
I Corinthians 9:26-27 "So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep in under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified."
I have been thinking about these verses a lot lately, and not because I need to get out and start exercising again. There is something so motivating in the example of physical discipline. Paul alludes to the fact that the runner and the boxer don't just do what they do for the fun of it. There is a methodical and logical reason for them to regulate and discipline what there body does under all kinds of circumstances. How similar it is for us as Christians to regulate and discipline our spiritual bodies to withstand all kinds of life's circumstances. This is so important! Imagine if the runner only trained on cool days, how would he be able to endure the race on a hot humid day? What if the boxer only used a speed bag, he would never know how much force was really needed to knock his opponent off balance.
Now let's look at the Christian. If he only trains on good days, or only knows how to get through good days, how will he be able to get through the rough days/circumstances? His training flaw is that he only saw the opportunity to learn when he felt good. In order to be able to endure through all kinds of situations, the Christian must train to withstand all kinds of pressures. How is this done? By grace. It's only by God's graciousness that He allows us to endure hard and easy circumstances, and it's by his strength can we get through those rough ones. Can we do it on out own? Of course not, if we could than what would be the point of discipline? Our training must teach us to go to the same place no matter good or bad-our knees. How else is this training done? Along with prayer is dedication to the Word-digging, planting and watering. Dig up the soil of your heart, plant the Holy Spirit, and water with the Word. In order for the plant to grow to endure any weather that is thrown its way it must be fed and watered. We, as Christians, must also be fed and watered the Word. God is our gardener, He has planted Himself in us, and He gives us the food and water needed to grow to endure the hardships of this life.
What a neat picture of our Lord. He saw us in the lot of despair, and dug us up, and transplanted us into His garden. Then He tends us and waters us to grow up to be beautiful healthy plants in His garden....I think I'll have to work on that analogy some more, but it's a start.
Well, for now, I'll leave you with this-how is your training going?
I have been thinking about these verses a lot lately, and not because I need to get out and start exercising again. There is something so motivating in the example of physical discipline. Paul alludes to the fact that the runner and the boxer don't just do what they do for the fun of it. There is a methodical and logical reason for them to regulate and discipline what there body does under all kinds of circumstances. How similar it is for us as Christians to regulate and discipline our spiritual bodies to withstand all kinds of life's circumstances. This is so important! Imagine if the runner only trained on cool days, how would he be able to endure the race on a hot humid day? What if the boxer only used a speed bag, he would never know how much force was really needed to knock his opponent off balance.
Now let's look at the Christian. If he only trains on good days, or only knows how to get through good days, how will he be able to get through the rough days/circumstances? His training flaw is that he only saw the opportunity to learn when he felt good. In order to be able to endure through all kinds of situations, the Christian must train to withstand all kinds of pressures. How is this done? By grace. It's only by God's graciousness that He allows us to endure hard and easy circumstances, and it's by his strength can we get through those rough ones. Can we do it on out own? Of course not, if we could than what would be the point of discipline? Our training must teach us to go to the same place no matter good or bad-our knees. How else is this training done? Along with prayer is dedication to the Word-digging, planting and watering. Dig up the soil of your heart, plant the Holy Spirit, and water with the Word. In order for the plant to grow to endure any weather that is thrown its way it must be fed and watered. We, as Christians, must also be fed and watered the Word. God is our gardener, He has planted Himself in us, and He gives us the food and water needed to grow to endure the hardships of this life.
What a neat picture of our Lord. He saw us in the lot of despair, and dug us up, and transplanted us into His garden. Then He tends us and waters us to grow up to be beautiful healthy plants in His garden....I think I'll have to work on that analogy some more, but it's a start.
Well, for now, I'll leave you with this-how is your training going?
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Winter Wonderland
So my days at home are numbered...in fact I have to be back at school on Sunday. Thankfully I was able to go skiing yesterday with a friend from camp and his youth group. I had an awesome time, though right now I really, really sore...but my soreness will only last a couple days.
Anyways...
I have really exciting news.....can you guess??
I'm working at camp this summer...not sure what exactly what I'm doing but I have a job!!!PTL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyways...
I have really exciting news.....can you guess??
I'm working at camp this summer...not sure what exactly what I'm doing but I have a job!!!PTL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Winter Wonderland
So my days at home are numbered...in fact I have to be back at school on Sunday. Thankfully I was able to go skiing yesterday with a friend from camp and his youth group. I had an awesome time, though right now I really, really sore...but my soreness will only last a couple days.
Anyways...
I have really exciting news.....can you guess??
I'm working at camp this summer...not sure what exactly what I'm doing but I have a job!!!PTL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyways...
I have really exciting news.....can you guess??
I'm working at camp this summer...not sure what exactly what I'm doing but I have a job!!!PTL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Strange things are happening....
Ok so it really isn't that strange, it just sounded good.
Anyway, I'm getting close to the end of the semester and I'm ready to be home for break, though I'm not really looking forward to working a lot and being exhausted, but I do have some things to look forward to ;-)
I have been really stressed lately, not because of my classes, but because of decisions that I have to make and things that have been happening. I feel like spliting in two just so I can make everyone happy and still get they things that I greatly desire...I'm learning to totally leave it to God. Some of you know what I'm talking about, but others prolly are lost....that's ok, it's better that way until some things resolve.
I need to get some work done so ttyl!
Betsey Ross
Anyway, I'm getting close to the end of the semester and I'm ready to be home for break, though I'm not really looking forward to working a lot and being exhausted, but I do have some things to look forward to ;-)
I have been really stressed lately, not because of my classes, but because of decisions that I have to make and things that have been happening. I feel like spliting in two just so I can make everyone happy and still get they things that I greatly desire...I'm learning to totally leave it to God. Some of you know what I'm talking about, but others prolly are lost....that's ok, it's better that way until some things resolve.
I need to get some work done so ttyl!
Betsey Ross
Monday, November 06, 2006
The Choral Festival was pretty sweet!!!!!
David Rasbach from Bob Jones Academy was our guest director-which was pretty sweet in itself....then singing a whole bunch of awesome songs....And then hanging out with some friends from LC.....(Will, Nate and Callie)
It was tiring, but still really fun, though I'm a little behind from having to miss some classes.
I'm excited about this weekend...on Thursday my sisters are coming down and staying overnight, then on Friday I finally get to go home for the weekend(I haven't been home all semester).....g2g I've got a ton of OT reading to do.
Betsey
David Rasbach from Bob Jones Academy was our guest director-which was pretty sweet in itself....then singing a whole bunch of awesome songs....And then hanging out with some friends from LC.....(Will, Nate and Callie)
It was tiring, but still really fun, though I'm a little behind from having to miss some classes.
I'm excited about this weekend...on Thursday my sisters are coming down and staying overnight, then on Friday I finally get to go home for the weekend(I haven't been home all semester).....g2g I've got a ton of OT reading to do.
Betsey
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