Psalm 86:11
Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.
When I was younger I received a plastic gold necklace with a magnified plastic coated mustard seed inside. It was a treasure to me because of what it stood for. In one of my Sunday School classes during high school, we were talking about faith and moving mountains and mustard seeds (Matthew 17:20, He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.") My best friend Carie brought her plastic necklace with a plastic mustard seed and we thought it very cool that we both had a necklace, symbolizing faith. It became a symbol to she and I both and we found much joy in reading and repeatedly using Hebrews 11:1, "faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see". We applied this verse to everything from homework, family situations, and even our love lives. Not sure that is what the scripture meant....but heh, we were trying.
HOPE, SURE, CERTAIN: Strong words, knowing that you know that you know, not relying on anything of our Human nature but putting everything we are into the Potter's Hands, allowing Him to shape and mold us into the functional art that HE desires.
It has always intrigued me how such a small amount of faith could move mountains. Trying to wrap my mind around the concept was better than counting sheep at night. Just a smidgen, a pinch, a teensy little bit of faith accomplishes much.
Undivided Hearts require faith. Proverbs 3:3-5 says, "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding".
Faith requires trusting in the Lord. I think for many of us, our trust has been broken. Not by God, but by man and therefore, we struggle to trust God's promises. But to truly LIVE, live in the Lord we must "walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7).
Once again, an easy concept to read, but hard to always put into practice. Some of us have more trusting natures than others- but God calls all of us to live a life of faith. The Bible is full of God's promises, reassuring us that what He says He will do, He WILL do. He asks us to step out in faith, and to live a life undivided with Him. To be undivided- living a life of faith is really a requirement.
It is the trust that you give when all earthly circumstances say different, it is knowing that God's promises stand up to whatever trial you are experiencing, and it is looking at a little mustard seed and asking God, like the disciples did, to 'increase our faith!(Luke 17:5)"
All throughout the Old Testament we see elements of trust. Faith handed down through generations- knowing that God would fulfill the vision and promise He made even though it would take generations and hundreds of years.
Genesis 15:5-6
He (God) took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Romans 4:13-14, 18-25
It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless...Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification
So, God made a promise to Abraham and Abraham waited on God, faithfully. He believed God would multiply his heirs and have him be the Father of many nations even when he and Sarah were old and didn't have children, and he believed God when God asked him to sacrifice His son Isaac on an alter.
"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD" Lamentations 3:22-24.
Believing, against all earthly hope, and his faith was credited to Him as righteousness. We have that same ability. We can live a life of believing and trusting God...with faith. Or we can waver and be tossed about not making any progress in our walk with God. James 1:6-7 says, "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord.
To be aligned with God, to trust his ways, to place our hope in God, to have faith and be undivided in Spirit with Him...the questions to ask yourself are:
Do I trust God?
Do I live my life like I believe He can do anything he wants to do?
Do I have faith even when I cannot see ahead of me?
Am I willing to wait on God?
If any answer is 'no' just ask God to "increase your faith!"
1Timothy 1:12-19a
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Sunday, September 16, 2007
An Undivided Heart- Purpose
I was watching a documentary on Billy and Ruth Graham recently. The theme throughout the show was "the grace God provides". Todd has been talking about Grace in his last few sermons and I love the concept of sustaining grace in the midst of crisis or trials. But, in reviewing the Grahams lives and ministry- it was the sustaining grace that God provided on a daily basis.
It kept them steadfast (Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Cor. 15:58), it kept them working for one purpose (then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Philippians 2:2), and it kept them together- even while being apart (It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. Philippians 1:7).
Undivided Hearts. Focused on God's purpose for their lives. Undivided doesn't mean that Ruth and Billy were always in agreement- I love one of the quotes famously said by Ruth, "If both people in a marriage always agree- then one of them is not necessary!" And even though they may not have always agreed, they both remained focused on the one call God gave them. God's grace sustained them through travel, issues with their kids, distance, grief, illnesses, and any kind of trouble.
I always think how hard it must have been on Ruth and the kids with Billy gone for months and months at a time. Our military families experience this as well. Sometimes, we forget, that it was just as hard on Billy and those who are separated from the security and love a home base provides. Todd used to travel so much more than he does now. And yet, it still bothers him to be gone from our house for very long. Hotel Rooms, and strangers, and airports can be very lonely even knowing you are doing it for a greater purpose.
Purpose. That is one of the keys to living a life with an undivided heart. Purpose allows you to align yourself with the Holy God who has good works for you to do, who has plans for you, and who desires that all people come to know Him. Knowing your purpose doesn't always make it easier to live life...sometimes it makes it more difficult. There are difficult decisions to have to make so that you are aligned with what God is asking you to do, sometimes there is pain and heartache- but to not listen, to not do God's will? For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification I Thessalonians 4:7. I have been very uncomfortable when I have chosen to ignore God's voice in my life. The proverbial being inside a fish with my voice echoing off the ribs, and hanging out with half-digested food comes to mind. Who grows up and wants to be Jonah? And yet, there are times we all are. We run from the purpose, the goal that God has set before us.
Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come...We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him... 2 Corinthians 5:5,7-9
And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father...Colossians 1:10-12a
It is obvious to me that to be undivided with God- we must pursue a life of sanctification, set apart for His glory, and to please Him in all things. He is our divining rod against what all things should be measured. And then there are many of us that know God has something even more specific for us to do.
Are you listening? Are you obeying?
It kept them steadfast (Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Cor. 15:58), it kept them working for one purpose (then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Philippians 2:2), and it kept them together- even while being apart (It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. Philippians 1:7).
Undivided Hearts. Focused on God's purpose for their lives. Undivided doesn't mean that Ruth and Billy were always in agreement- I love one of the quotes famously said by Ruth, "If both people in a marriage always agree- then one of them is not necessary!" And even though they may not have always agreed, they both remained focused on the one call God gave them. God's grace sustained them through travel, issues with their kids, distance, grief, illnesses, and any kind of trouble.
I always think how hard it must have been on Ruth and the kids with Billy gone for months and months at a time. Our military families experience this as well. Sometimes, we forget, that it was just as hard on Billy and those who are separated from the security and love a home base provides. Todd used to travel so much more than he does now. And yet, it still bothers him to be gone from our house for very long. Hotel Rooms, and strangers, and airports can be very lonely even knowing you are doing it for a greater purpose.
Purpose. That is one of the keys to living a life with an undivided heart. Purpose allows you to align yourself with the Holy God who has good works for you to do, who has plans for you, and who desires that all people come to know Him. Knowing your purpose doesn't always make it easier to live life...sometimes it makes it more difficult. There are difficult decisions to have to make so that you are aligned with what God is asking you to do, sometimes there is pain and heartache- but to not listen, to not do God's will? For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification I Thessalonians 4:7. I have been very uncomfortable when I have chosen to ignore God's voice in my life. The proverbial being inside a fish with my voice echoing off the ribs, and hanging out with half-digested food comes to mind. Who grows up and wants to be Jonah? And yet, there are times we all are. We run from the purpose, the goal that God has set before us.
Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come...We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him... 2 Corinthians 5:5,7-9
And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father...Colossians 1:10-12a
It is obvious to me that to be undivided with God- we must pursue a life of sanctification, set apart for His glory, and to please Him in all things. He is our divining rod against what all things should be measured. And then there are many of us that know God has something even more specific for us to do.
Are you listening? Are you obeying?
Sunday, September 9, 2007
An Undivided Heart
Sunday nights can be rather hectic for us. Especially during the school year. The kids are coming down from the weekend, and then we head to church, many times with friends, which causes more excitement. After getting dinner on our way home, and dropping off the friends, we arrive at our house.
On one or more Sunday nights this is what happens: As I exit the car, I ask my children to gather their things- the artwork and papers from church, and their dinner. More often than not, I have to get all the leftovers in the car as well as the drinks. I walk into the house after my children with my hands full. I cannot see and I trip over the shoes that are left in the middle of the floor right inside the door. A couple of times the drinks have gone flying, other times the stuff in my arms just falls to the floor. I am usually screeching at this point, VERY ready for all my kids to be in bed! A great ending to a Sunday night don't you think? There are many times when I think I would like to tell Todd...."I will preach and you take the kids home and put them to bed"!
I was meditating on the verse in Hebrews 12. Verse one says "....let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us". And I had the picture in my head of me walking into the house with my arms loaded down. These are the thoughts that came along with the picture:
I couldn't see very well with my arms full
I tripped because I wasn't able to see completely
I couldn't see obstacles in my path because my view was obstructed
If I had shared my burden then I wouldn't have had as much trouble
With my arms full, I cannot help someone else carry their burdens
I cannot hug; comfort others
There is a freedom in letting go of things...things of the earth that have no eternal value, things that hinder us from walking Godly lives. There is a freedom in shaking off the sin that so easily entangles, seeking God's help to overcome. In letting go, I can focus on the joy set before me, weighing everything against value and teachings in God's kingdom, I can praise the Holy Father fully because my hands are free to lift high in praise to Him.So much easier when it is a picture in my head. It is very hard to focus on God when we are holding onto so many other things rather than Him.
This concept of me having my arms full and holding on to ‘stuff’ kept bouncing around in my head. Because, if we are holding tight to things, people, etc. than we cannot hold on to Him, and our view is blocked- obstructed and we are more likely to trip. The lesson- to hold loosely(...or not overload your arms anyway..).
We are to hold loosely, while He, being God and all, holds on to us. He is always there just waiting for us to seek Him, You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart I will be found by you," declares the LORD (Jeremiah 29:13-14a).
He is never far from us: "He is the God who made the world. He also made everything in it. He is the Lord of heaven and earth. He doesn't live in temples built by hands. He is not served by human hands. He doesn't need anything. He himself gives life and breath to all people. He also gives them everything else they have. From one man he made all the people of the world. Now they live all over the earth. He decided exactly when they should live. And he decided exactly where they should live. God did this so that people would seek him. Then perhaps they would reach out for him and find him. They would find him even though he is not far from any of us (Acts 17:24-27).
I was thinking about the phrase 'hold loosely'. I tried to find it in the Bible and could not. I realized that we use this phrase in the Christian walk based on Abraham's experience in Genesis 22 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2022:1-14&version=31). We see that God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, something Abraham valued, loved, and had waited on for many years. Abraham was faithful and went to follow through with God's commands. In the end, we see God providing another way to satisfy His desire for a sacrifice...but we need to understand that God does not choose to intervene in a crisis of faith. To assume that there is always another provision in the face of a crisis is to limit God’s sustaining grace in our lives. It limits our ability to trust completely if we trust ‘only until we are rescued’.
We are to be willing to hand over everything, allowing no other thing to come before or in the way of following the Almighty God and His commands: Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life Prov. 4:13. Holding loosely...
All my life I have heard this story of Abraham and Isaac. They both had to trust their Fathers completely. When my parents were teaching Sunday School, my father did a drama based on Genesis 22. My little brother was two at the time and was brought in. My dad called him up to the front and asked him to lie down. Grant, fully trusting his father who loved him greatly, went with no hesitation. He lay down and my father held a knife over him...there were many tears and fear over this dramatic picture. But...it was the trust of Grant and the pain in my father's eyes that have stayed with me. My father was hurting even though he knew he wasn't really going to do any harm to Grant.
And I have to ask.... am I willing to hold loosely to my children? To my husband? To my relatively easy life? How much am I willing to let go so that I am holding tightly to the instructions of the Bible? How much do I trust the Father in Heaven? Do I trust that He really will hold on to me?
I do know that we don't know until such a time arrives. Because it is only then that God gives you the strength, and grace, to handle what He has put before you. (Hebrews 4:16) Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
So there is no reason to worry, to anticipate, or to fear. But, we should spend our time on this earthy being open to the movements of God and His Holy Spirit. Learning to love him with an undivided heart- even when it is painful.
Psalm 86:11
Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.
My prayer based on this verse:Lord, teach me how you want me to live. Enable to follow your truth. Help me to hide your words in my heart so that when I am tested or burdened, I can recall your Living Word. Give me a heart that doesn't want anything more than to worship you and all that worship involves- my whole heart, my whole spirit, my whole life. And with great trembling, I lay all that I am at your feet.
*NOTE* I wrote this blog right before going to Frontline on Sunday night. As I heard Todd's sermon...I realized that God was working in us both with the same message in different ways. Funny how the Holy Spirit can do that.
On one or more Sunday nights this is what happens: As I exit the car, I ask my children to gather their things- the artwork and papers from church, and their dinner. More often than not, I have to get all the leftovers in the car as well as the drinks. I walk into the house after my children with my hands full. I cannot see and I trip over the shoes that are left in the middle of the floor right inside the door. A couple of times the drinks have gone flying, other times the stuff in my arms just falls to the floor. I am usually screeching at this point, VERY ready for all my kids to be in bed! A great ending to a Sunday night don't you think? There are many times when I think I would like to tell Todd...."I will preach and you take the kids home and put them to bed"!
I was meditating on the verse in Hebrews 12. Verse one says "....let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us". And I had the picture in my head of me walking into the house with my arms loaded down. These are the thoughts that came along with the picture:
I couldn't see very well with my arms full
I tripped because I wasn't able to see completely
I couldn't see obstacles in my path because my view was obstructed
If I had shared my burden then I wouldn't have had as much trouble
With my arms full, I cannot help someone else carry their burdens
I cannot hug; comfort others
There is a freedom in letting go of things...things of the earth that have no eternal value, things that hinder us from walking Godly lives. There is a freedom in shaking off the sin that so easily entangles, seeking God's help to overcome. In letting go, I can focus on the joy set before me, weighing everything against value and teachings in God's kingdom, I can praise the Holy Father fully because my hands are free to lift high in praise to Him.So much easier when it is a picture in my head. It is very hard to focus on God when we are holding onto so many other things rather than Him.
This concept of me having my arms full and holding on to ‘stuff’ kept bouncing around in my head. Because, if we are holding tight to things, people, etc. than we cannot hold on to Him, and our view is blocked- obstructed and we are more likely to trip. The lesson- to hold loosely(...or not overload your arms anyway..).
We are to hold loosely, while He, being God and all, holds on to us. He is always there just waiting for us to seek Him, You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart I will be found by you," declares the LORD (Jeremiah 29:13-14a).
He is never far from us: "He is the God who made the world. He also made everything in it. He is the Lord of heaven and earth. He doesn't live in temples built by hands. He is not served by human hands. He doesn't need anything. He himself gives life and breath to all people. He also gives them everything else they have. From one man he made all the people of the world. Now they live all over the earth. He decided exactly when they should live. And he decided exactly where they should live. God did this so that people would seek him. Then perhaps they would reach out for him and find him. They would find him even though he is not far from any of us (Acts 17:24-27).
I was thinking about the phrase 'hold loosely'. I tried to find it in the Bible and could not. I realized that we use this phrase in the Christian walk based on Abraham's experience in Genesis 22 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2022:1-14&version=31). We see that God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, something Abraham valued, loved, and had waited on for many years. Abraham was faithful and went to follow through with God's commands. In the end, we see God providing another way to satisfy His desire for a sacrifice...but we need to understand that God does not choose to intervene in a crisis of faith. To assume that there is always another provision in the face of a crisis is to limit God’s sustaining grace in our lives. It limits our ability to trust completely if we trust ‘only until we are rescued’.
We are to be willing to hand over everything, allowing no other thing to come before or in the way of following the Almighty God and His commands: Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life Prov. 4:13. Holding loosely...
All my life I have heard this story of Abraham and Isaac. They both had to trust their Fathers completely. When my parents were teaching Sunday School, my father did a drama based on Genesis 22. My little brother was two at the time and was brought in. My dad called him up to the front and asked him to lie down. Grant, fully trusting his father who loved him greatly, went with no hesitation. He lay down and my father held a knife over him...there were many tears and fear over this dramatic picture. But...it was the trust of Grant and the pain in my father's eyes that have stayed with me. My father was hurting even though he knew he wasn't really going to do any harm to Grant.
And I have to ask.... am I willing to hold loosely to my children? To my husband? To my relatively easy life? How much am I willing to let go so that I am holding tightly to the instructions of the Bible? How much do I trust the Father in Heaven? Do I trust that He really will hold on to me?
I do know that we don't know until such a time arrives. Because it is only then that God gives you the strength, and grace, to handle what He has put before you. (Hebrews 4:16) Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
So there is no reason to worry, to anticipate, or to fear. But, we should spend our time on this earthy being open to the movements of God and His Holy Spirit. Learning to love him with an undivided heart- even when it is painful.
Psalm 86:11
Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.
My prayer based on this verse:Lord, teach me how you want me to live. Enable to follow your truth. Help me to hide your words in my heart so that when I am tested or burdened, I can recall your Living Word. Give me a heart that doesn't want anything more than to worship you and all that worship involves- my whole heart, my whole spirit, my whole life. And with great trembling, I lay all that I am at your feet.
*NOTE* I wrote this blog right before going to Frontline on Sunday night. As I heard Todd's sermon...I realized that God was working in us both with the same message in different ways. Funny how the Holy Spirit can do that.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Celebrating Raney Grace
My youngest daughter is growing up. She is now four and a half and tells people that fact quite often. It is so funny to hear her talk about life 'when she was three'. As much I truly rejoice in my children growing...it has been hard to release my youngest. Her temperament is either pure joy or pure angst- and I revel in her personality, though it can be trying at times.
Raney doesn't embrace change, loud noises, or darkness very well. She is cautious, and has her own way of comforting herself- which is usually quite repetitive
Regarding change:
from her first day of school which is also a church so the rooms serve two purposes
Mom, why doesn't the music room have music?
I don't know Raney- sometimes it does and sometimes it has chairs.
Oh yeah, Things change. GranJan said things change. Do things change mom?
Yes Raney.
I will have to call GranJan and tell her things changed at my school.
Regarding loud noises:
Thunder often causes Raney to sleep in the playroom and constantly yell down, "I'm not afraid of thunder, Mom, but I can sleep in the playroom right?"
This phrase is also used for firecrackers, or loud motorcycle noises and is repeated until she falls asleep.
Also, she is afraid of the noise of various toilets flushing. So, we have to wait until she covers her ears before we flush...needless to say the automatic flushers are quite traumatic for her.
She went on a scary ride at Disney World- and we still talk about it to this day. She is working through everything all the time.
Parker and Katherine get pretty tired of the repetition in Raney's vocabulary. She also somewhat speaks her own language and sometimes Katherine acts as her interpreter to those not around all the time.
always means never i.e You never ask me to get my clothes!
never means always i.e You always let me go outside and play in the street!
mote means remote i.e. Where's the mote, mom?
maked means naked i.e. Look Mom, I'm maked!
sagna means lasagna, spaghetti and anything with red sauce
noodles applies to anything with noodles
and daddy's food means chicken and vegetables
Raney also is one of the most compassionate of my children. She feels deeply for her brother and sister...and always wants to share what she has with them. She loves praise music and sings or hums to most all songs (irritating her siblings) but Todd and I love that she remembers the words and always wants to know what they mean.
She was my surprise child...and continues to surprise me on a daily basis. Sometimes they are good surprises and other times the surprises exhaust me. It is time for me to let her grow up, to challenge her insecurities, to encourage her to reach past her fears, and to allow her to fall sometimes.
Tough Love. Such a hard dichotomy to embrace.
Raney doesn't embrace change, loud noises, or darkness very well. She is cautious, and has her own way of comforting herself- which is usually quite repetitive
Regarding change:
from her first day of school which is also a church so the rooms serve two purposes
Mom, why doesn't the music room have music?
I don't know Raney- sometimes it does and sometimes it has chairs.
Oh yeah, Things change. GranJan said things change. Do things change mom?
Yes Raney.
I will have to call GranJan and tell her things changed at my school.
Regarding loud noises:
Thunder often causes Raney to sleep in the playroom and constantly yell down, "I'm not afraid of thunder, Mom, but I can sleep in the playroom right?"
This phrase is also used for firecrackers, or loud motorcycle noises and is repeated until she falls asleep.
Also, she is afraid of the noise of various toilets flushing. So, we have to wait until she covers her ears before we flush...needless to say the automatic flushers are quite traumatic for her.
She went on a scary ride at Disney World- and we still talk about it to this day. She is working through everything all the time.
Parker and Katherine get pretty tired of the repetition in Raney's vocabulary. She also somewhat speaks her own language and sometimes Katherine acts as her interpreter to those not around all the time.
always means never i.e You never ask me to get my clothes!
never means always i.e You always let me go outside and play in the street!
mote means remote i.e. Where's the mote, mom?
maked means naked i.e. Look Mom, I'm maked!
sagna means lasagna, spaghetti and anything with red sauce
noodles applies to anything with noodles
and daddy's food means chicken and vegetables
Raney also is one of the most compassionate of my children. She feels deeply for her brother and sister...and always wants to share what she has with them. She loves praise music and sings or hums to most all songs (irritating her siblings) but Todd and I love that she remembers the words and always wants to know what they mean.
She was my surprise child...and continues to surprise me on a daily basis. Sometimes they are good surprises and other times the surprises exhaust me. It is time for me to let her grow up, to challenge her insecurities, to encourage her to reach past her fears, and to allow her to fall sometimes.
Tough Love. Such a hard dichotomy to embrace.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Discipline, Exercise, and Wisdom
Job 28:28
And he said to man, 'The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.'
Psalm 111:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Exercise....bleh! Getting healthy....double bleh! Being married to a reformed food junkie/couch potato.....triple bleh!
Yes, in my life, I have been convinced, convicted, whatever you want to call it, that it is time for me to pursue a life of health. And that means discipline...gag, cough, gag, bleh! Discipline means change, and work, and something new. And I really don't like change very much. God is so funny and has such a great sense of humor in having me married to a man of many changes!
Discipline can also be applied to our spiritual walk as well. I have an easier time with this one though I still like it to be 'free formed'. And just like exercise, there are times when you have to push through the awkward discomfort to reach a better goal, a higher goal.
Last night in our small group, our cooler than cool head chica, led us on a journey through various disciplines based on two main books "So you want to be like Christ" by Chuck Swindoll and "Celebration of Discipline" by Richard Foster, while also using her own convictions. She talked about cultivating.... Prayer, Worship, Evangelism, Serving, Silence, Solitude, Confession, Study, Journal, and Celebration.
To cultivate:
to prepare and work on; to promote or improve the growth of (a plant, crop, etc.) by labor and attention. to develop or improve by education or training; train; refine ;foster. to devote oneself to (an art, science, etc.).
Cultivating each one of these to attain true intimacy with Christ (see past blog on intimacy). I realized very quickly that my journey into wisdom was closely tied to the spiritual disciplines. I love it when God starts to put the pieces of the puzzle together!
I kind of made light of the verse regarding the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom in my previous post. I now realize how true and deep that verse actually is. "Fear of the Lord" = reverential trust, deep affection and wanting to honor by walking in the way of the Creator, holy admiration, the understanding that He is God...and we are most definitely NOT.
And that truly is the beginning. The chief proponent of our Christian walk and journey into wisdom. Wisdom is a spiritual gift and also a result of a live lived completely under the influence of the Almighty God and all his commandments.
We must know Him. Pursue Him. Exercise spiritual disciplines in our lives so that the marathon we are running is consistent, and pleasing to our Heavenly Coach. Throwing off all the sin that so easily entangles us (Hebrews 12:1-3), shaking off any obstacles in our path, running straight towards the open arms of God- the only one we should actively try to please.
Jennifer, our head chica, challenged us to write a goal for our lives. I.E. "To know God better" and write it in the front of our Bible- living each day with that goal in mind- making that mission statement, goal, or calling forefront in our Christian walk. We are to be in constant training...never laying a hold of it until we are in Heaven.
Praise be to God whose Love endures forever.
Job 28: 12-28
"But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? "Man does not know its value, Nor is it found in the land of the living. "The deep says, `It is not in me'; And the sea says, `It is not with me.' "Pure gold cannot be given in exchange for it, Nor can silver be weighed as its price. "It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, In precious onyx, or sapphire. "Gold or glass cannot equal it, Nor can it be exchanged for articles of fine gold. "Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned; And the acquisition of wisdom is above that of pearls. "The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, Nor can it be valued in pure gold.
"Where then does wisdom come from? And where is the place of understanding? "Thus it is hidden from the eyes of all living And concealed from the birds of the sky. "Abaddon and Death say, `With our ears we have heard a report of it.' "God understands its way, And He knows its place. "For He looks to the ends of the earth And sees everything under the heavens. "When He imparted weight to the wind And meted out the waters by measure, When He set a limit for the rain And a course for the thunderbolt, Then He saw it and declared it; He established it and also searched it out. "And to man He said, `Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.'
And he said to man, 'The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.'
Psalm 111:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Exercise....bleh! Getting healthy....double bleh! Being married to a reformed food junkie/couch potato.....triple bleh!
Yes, in my life, I have been convinced, convicted, whatever you want to call it, that it is time for me to pursue a life of health. And that means discipline...gag, cough, gag, bleh! Discipline means change, and work, and something new. And I really don't like change very much. God is so funny and has such a great sense of humor in having me married to a man of many changes!
Discipline can also be applied to our spiritual walk as well. I have an easier time with this one though I still like it to be 'free formed'. And just like exercise, there are times when you have to push through the awkward discomfort to reach a better goal, a higher goal.
Last night in our small group, our cooler than cool head chica, led us on a journey through various disciplines based on two main books "So you want to be like Christ" by Chuck Swindoll and "Celebration of Discipline" by Richard Foster, while also using her own convictions. She talked about cultivating.... Prayer, Worship, Evangelism, Serving, Silence, Solitude, Confession, Study, Journal, and Celebration.
To cultivate:
to prepare and work on; to promote or improve the growth of (a plant, crop, etc.) by labor and attention. to develop or improve by education or training; train; refine ;foster. to devote oneself to (an art, science, etc.).
Cultivating each one of these to attain true intimacy with Christ (see past blog on intimacy). I realized very quickly that my journey into wisdom was closely tied to the spiritual disciplines. I love it when God starts to put the pieces of the puzzle together!
I kind of made light of the verse regarding the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom in my previous post. I now realize how true and deep that verse actually is. "Fear of the Lord" = reverential trust, deep affection and wanting to honor by walking in the way of the Creator, holy admiration, the understanding that He is God...and we are most definitely NOT.
And that truly is the beginning. The chief proponent of our Christian walk and journey into wisdom. Wisdom is a spiritual gift and also a result of a live lived completely under the influence of the Almighty God and all his commandments.
We must know Him. Pursue Him. Exercise spiritual disciplines in our lives so that the marathon we are running is consistent, and pleasing to our Heavenly Coach. Throwing off all the sin that so easily entangles us (Hebrews 12:1-3), shaking off any obstacles in our path, running straight towards the open arms of God- the only one we should actively try to please.
Jennifer, our head chica, challenged us to write a goal for our lives. I.E. "To know God better" and write it in the front of our Bible- living each day with that goal in mind- making that mission statement, goal, or calling forefront in our Christian walk. We are to be in constant training...never laying a hold of it until we are in Heaven.
Praise be to God whose Love endures forever.
Job 28: 12-28
"But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? "Man does not know its value, Nor is it found in the land of the living. "The deep says, `It is not in me'; And the sea says, `It is not with me.' "Pure gold cannot be given in exchange for it, Nor can silver be weighed as its price. "It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, In precious onyx, or sapphire. "Gold or glass cannot equal it, Nor can it be exchanged for articles of fine gold. "Coral and crystal are not to be mentioned; And the acquisition of wisdom is above that of pearls. "The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, Nor can it be valued in pure gold.
"Where then does wisdom come from? And where is the place of understanding? "Thus it is hidden from the eyes of all living And concealed from the birds of the sky. "Abaddon and Death say, `With our ears we have heard a report of it.' "God understands its way, And He knows its place. "For He looks to the ends of the earth And sees everything under the heavens. "When He imparted weight to the wind And meted out the waters by measure, When He set a limit for the rain And a course for the thunderbolt, Then He saw it and declared it; He established it and also searched it out. "And to man He said, `Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.'
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Boiling Frogs and Godly Wisdom
James 3:13-18
13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness
Wisdom. An often misunderstood word, character trait, and gift of the Holy Spirit. As often as it is misunderstood, it is even more often abused by its use in various ways or descriptions.
A couple of women in my small group have recently asked for wisdom in their prayer requests. That made me think about what exactly wisdom is and why should we want it in our lives. Then I went to Texas to see my family and my mother had been seeing the James passage fleshed out in her own life- God was using it...and she passed it on to me.
Matthew Henry has this to say about wisdom, "True wisdom may be known by the meekness of the spirit and temper. Those who live in malice, envy, and contention, live in confusion; and are liable to be provoked and hurried to any evil work. Such wisdom comes not down from above, but springs up from earthly principles, acts on earthly motives, and is intent on serving earthly purposes. ...It has no disguise or deceit...but it is sincere, and open, and steady, and uniform, and consistent with itself."
I find it interesting to see that true wisdom of God has fruits and a path- found on a journey. Wisdom is listed as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and I know the more we seek Godly wisdom for God's purposes- he is faithful to give it (If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matt.7:11).
James gives us a summary of worldly wisdom v. Godly wisdom. Their end results are very different and a great tuning fork of wisdom in our own lives. Worldly wisdom is motivated by a heart of envy and selfishness, spurred on by the world, the flesh and ultimately the devil himself. It may be subversive and not overt...seeping into our lives through pride, puffed up knowledge or perceived righteousness. A great concept of this I heard most of my life in regards to sin- and pride is definitely a sin- is how if you put a frog in water and then let it boil- the frog dies because he adjusts to the hot water rather than jumping out- and ulitmately dies. Sin does the same thing to us- if we adjust our lives to the world- the result is death. In much the same way, worldly wisdom, if left unchecked, results in a life of confusion and ungodly acts, pleasing self and not God.
In contrast, Godly wisdom comes from a pure and humble heart and is grown in a righteous life that results in peace. It is quick to hear and slow to speak, not hypocritical- consistent with the teachings of God in Scripture. And peace as a result is a very rare and much desired commodity in this day and age.
People seem to always use the verse that that the 'fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom' and yet there are countless other verses regarding wisdom in the Bible. Most of them are connected to understanding. I love that- it is not just a talking wise head (like the wizard in oz) but one that listens and understands as part of the wisdom. I love this passage in Proverbs 8. It defines what the fear of the Lord is and also talks about what can co-habitate with wisdom.
Proverbs 8:12-13
I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion.13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.
Wisdom can, and often does accompany those with years and experience but it is not exclusive the trait of the 'aged'. I recommend reading Job 32 and 33. It is a recounting of Elihu, son of one of Job's friends. He ended up challenging the conclusions reached by Job as well as the the friends- his voice was one of wisdom in spite of his youth. Job 32:6-9 says, "So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite spoke out and said, "I am young in years and you are old; Therefore I was shy and afraid to tell you what I think. 7 "I thought age should speak, And increased years should teach wisdom. 8 "But it is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding. 9 "The abundant {in years} may not be wise, Nor may elders understand justice.
Many times in the past, but not enough in the recent days, I have prayed for wisdom for a given situation. I used the word in regards to telling my children what to do the other day and had to find a definition to satisfy them. I used one Todd uses often- which is basically- knowing what is the right thing to do and then doing it. But, wisdom, true wisdom, doesn't seem to be a one stop shop- but multi-layer and multi-dimensional and ultimately life giving. Jesus came to confound the wise...his ways are foolishness to the world- we must fight worldly wisdom and not allow it to come into our lives under the guise of reason, intellect, or false teachings.
I close with this passage in Proverbs 4 and could have used the entire chapter:
4 he taught me and said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live. 5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you;embrace her, and she will honor you.
13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness
Wisdom. An often misunderstood word, character trait, and gift of the Holy Spirit. As often as it is misunderstood, it is even more often abused by its use in various ways or descriptions.
A couple of women in my small group have recently asked for wisdom in their prayer requests. That made me think about what exactly wisdom is and why should we want it in our lives. Then I went to Texas to see my family and my mother had been seeing the James passage fleshed out in her own life- God was using it...and she passed it on to me.
Matthew Henry has this to say about wisdom, "True wisdom may be known by the meekness of the spirit and temper. Those who live in malice, envy, and contention, live in confusion; and are liable to be provoked and hurried to any evil work. Such wisdom comes not down from above, but springs up from earthly principles, acts on earthly motives, and is intent on serving earthly purposes. ...It has no disguise or deceit...but it is sincere, and open, and steady, and uniform, and consistent with itself."
I find it interesting to see that true wisdom of God has fruits and a path- found on a journey. Wisdom is listed as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and I know the more we seek Godly wisdom for God's purposes- he is faithful to give it (If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matt.7:11).
James gives us a summary of worldly wisdom v. Godly wisdom. Their end results are very different and a great tuning fork of wisdom in our own lives. Worldly wisdom is motivated by a heart of envy and selfishness, spurred on by the world, the flesh and ultimately the devil himself. It may be subversive and not overt...seeping into our lives through pride, puffed up knowledge or perceived righteousness. A great concept of this I heard most of my life in regards to sin- and pride is definitely a sin- is how if you put a frog in water and then let it boil- the frog dies because he adjusts to the hot water rather than jumping out- and ulitmately dies. Sin does the same thing to us- if we adjust our lives to the world- the result is death. In much the same way, worldly wisdom, if left unchecked, results in a life of confusion and ungodly acts, pleasing self and not God.
In contrast, Godly wisdom comes from a pure and humble heart and is grown in a righteous life that results in peace. It is quick to hear and slow to speak, not hypocritical- consistent with the teachings of God in Scripture. And peace as a result is a very rare and much desired commodity in this day and age.
People seem to always use the verse that that the 'fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom' and yet there are countless other verses regarding wisdom in the Bible. Most of them are connected to understanding. I love that- it is not just a talking wise head (like the wizard in oz) but one that listens and understands as part of the wisdom. I love this passage in Proverbs 8. It defines what the fear of the Lord is and also talks about what can co-habitate with wisdom.
Proverbs 8:12-13
I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion.13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.
Wisdom can, and often does accompany those with years and experience but it is not exclusive the trait of the 'aged'. I recommend reading Job 32 and 33. It is a recounting of Elihu, son of one of Job's friends. He ended up challenging the conclusions reached by Job as well as the the friends- his voice was one of wisdom in spite of his youth. Job 32:6-9 says, "So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite spoke out and said, "I am young in years and you are old; Therefore I was shy and afraid to tell you what I think. 7 "I thought age should speak, And increased years should teach wisdom. 8 "But it is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding. 9 "The abundant {in years} may not be wise, Nor may elders understand justice.
Many times in the past, but not enough in the recent days, I have prayed for wisdom for a given situation. I used the word in regards to telling my children what to do the other day and had to find a definition to satisfy them. I used one Todd uses often- which is basically- knowing what is the right thing to do and then doing it. But, wisdom, true wisdom, doesn't seem to be a one stop shop- but multi-layer and multi-dimensional and ultimately life giving. Jesus came to confound the wise...his ways are foolishness to the world- we must fight worldly wisdom and not allow it to come into our lives under the guise of reason, intellect, or false teachings.
I close with this passage in Proverbs 4 and could have used the entire chapter:
4 he taught me and said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live. 5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you;embrace her, and she will honor you.
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