Tuesday, February 7, 2012

God loves

Isn't it ironic that the idea that I am a "special case, unique and different than everyone else" will keep me from doing what God and science have already proven works and I will continue to seek an alternative to the Truth-plain and simple.
The Irony is that God calls us to celebrate our uniqueness by joining together and to quit bending the truth to bow down to us and our self centered demands.
The problem with the first line of thought that the rules don't apply to me because I am so special is that I am deceived and don't really understand how special I really am! Keeping the rules because they work is different than breaking them to prove that they can't rule over me! The rules do rule, like it or not!
God has been effusive and patient with me while I refuse to do things the way He says works. I am humbled by His Grace. There is nothing in His Word that is not true, try to find an option-I dare you.
We love Him because He first loved us-
That's right, until you and I can grasp that we don't contribute to the "why" He chose us and loves us, we can't love Him or anyone back. We are stuck in a place of pride when we somehow believe that we are directing the world around us and trying to point His love towards us by virtue of how awesome and right we are. His light is on us all along, He is watching and loving and I wonder if any of my children acted in such a way what I would think of them?
I do know what it is like to be trying to lead your child in doing what is good and right, even though they can't see it and they then accuse me of selfishness and lack of love for them, because of my attention for them!
He gives us guidelines for our own good, not His.
He loves us first, we love Him back.
When once and for all again and again we remember that HE LOVES US-
Is there anything I wouldn't do for His Love? Not to earn it, but in response to it?
How far am I willing to go, how deep is it anyway? What keeps me from stepping off into it>What am I afraid of?
1 John 4:19
"We love because he first loved us."
"4 But[c] God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—" Ephesians 2:4-6

"may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ," Ephesians 3:18

Sunday, February 5, 2012

CONTENTMENT

con·tent·ment
   
noun
1.
the state of being contented; satisfaction; ease of mind.

Today Maury and I met again with Pastor Jimmy and gave an update of where we are at. mainly our discussions revolve around our finances. I realized today that there are parts of me that have risen up to the surface like flies in the cream. Stuff that I freely share and assume is just the way I am, the way of the world one might say. When I am pressed about these attitudes I talk about them like they don't belong to me, like someone left them in a basket on my doorstep and I just decided to take them in because I had no choice. Lord, forgive me!
Contentment, that is what we are lacking. Here I am, all defensive about our position in life, wanting to prove to everyone that we are able to get it all together and quit being needy once and for all. I have been more concerned with what others may think because I am the one with the problem of thinking way too often about others and what I think of them!
ARGHHH
Wretched woman that I am!
This is stuff I have had in me, God is doing a 'deep cleanse' and bringing this stuff up so that I, yes, I- can repent. I was missing the point.
I always think of contentment as a cop out. Like it gives my life a stamp of approval and a "well done" check mark in the todo box. That is not true,
it is possible to be content and also be the change, just ask Ghandi;
“Man’s happiness really lies in contentment.”
“Healthy discontent is the prelude to progress.”

I can be content and accept who I am, how I am and give God all the Glory He is worthy to receive. I can find the place between presumption and pride-it is called humility. Love is the only way to find it. God is so patient with me.
Then I can accept who you are, how you are and give God all the Glory for that too.
I can be passionate, purposeful and forgiving
Yet the truth remains;
apart from Christ-I can do nothing.
Jesus, I need you
I am called again to conviction, repentance and gratitude
It amazes me how blind I can be, to my own stuff of course.
God's mercy is amazing, His Grace abounds and Holy Holy Holy is the LORD almighty