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My God is…giving me rest Matthew 11:27-29

15 Jul

Matthew 11:27-29 – All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except silent, pause or break time hand gesturethe Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Come to me

Jesus says, “Come to me”. We are to come to Him with all things. He doesn’t tell us to go talk to your best friend, sister, brother or mother. He tells us to come to Him. Why? Because He’s the only one who can actually do anything for us that will have eternal consequences. God is not only concerned with the struggles you’re going through now, but He is also concerned with the condition of your heart and soul. He wants you to come to Him, because coming to Him is a confession of faith. If you come to the Lord, you are showing that you put trust in Him to handle your situation. Coming to the Lord in prayer takes faith. It’s not necessarily a measure of how much faith you have, but when you come to Him, you acknowledge that He exists, and that you think He can change things for you.

All you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens

If you’ve never been weary or carried a heavy burden, this verse is not for you. Read no further. Wait, you’re still reading, I bet you are. No one I know has not gone through a time of weariness. Most have had some very heavy burdens to bear. Some are because of their own actions and some are of other peoples making, but we’ve all had struggles. We’ve all been in pain and hurting. God wants us to come to Him. We don’t need to be hopeless, because we know that God is there for us. He is going to strengthen us and preserve us in all things. He doesn’t get weary or tired, so you know He’ll always be able to help.

Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary,
and the young will fall exhausted; Isaiah 40:28-30

I will give you rest

I don’t know if any of you have suffered with insomnia. I have only battles with short bouts of it in my life, but even those short lived struggles show you how much you need your rest. In fact, here are 10 Surprising Effects of lack of sleep. (click on the link for more information)

1. Sleepiness Causes Accidents

2. Sleep Loss Dumbs You Down

3. Sleep Deprivation Can Lead to Serious Health Problems

4. Lack of Sleep Kills Sex Drive

5. Sleepiness Is Depressing

6. Lack of Sleep Ages Your Skin

7. Sleepiness Makes You Forgetful

8. Losing Sleep Can Make You Gain Weight

9. Lack of Sleep May Increase Risk of Death

10. Sleep Loss Impairs Judgment, Especially About Sleep

Now in our verse above, God doesn’t promise us sleep. He’s not talking about sleep deprivation alone, but also our souls being deprived of rest.

Definition of REST

1: repose, sleep; specifically : a bodily state characterized by minimal functional and metabolic activities
2a : freedom from activity or labor
 b : a state of motionlessness or inactivity
 c : the repose of death
3: a place for resting or lodging
4: peace of mind or spirit
5a (1) : a rhythmic silence in music (2) : a character representing such a silence
 b : a brief pause in reading
6: something used for support
God knows that sleep an rest are necessary for us to function properly, and He wants you to get that kind of rest. Again as we look at the definition of rest, we see so much more to the word than just sleeping or winding down at the end of the day. “The repose of death” is an interesting one. Only in Christ can we truly “rest in peace”, because it is through Jesus that we receive eternal life and know what our future holds. He has provided us with peace of mind about death by saving us through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection. I also like “a place for resting”. What a beautiful image that brings to my mind! I picture myself leaning on God, sleeping with my head upon His shoulder (does God get coyote arm?). Of course the “peace of mind or spirit” definition fits here as well. It is the last one that really rounds out the definition for me. “Something used for support” is a reminder that God is going to prop us up and help us face the difficult time in our lives. We’re never alone, we’ve always God Him behind us, propping us up with His Spirit.
What are you using for support?
 
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Posted by on July 15, 2013 in Matthew, My God is giving me rest

 

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My God is…coming to us Hosea 6:3

12 Jul

Hosea 6:3 – Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord;
his appearing is as sure as the dawn;
he will come to us like the showers,
like the spring rains that water the earth.

 

Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord

It’s so interesting to me that I found this verse today. I always try to pray before I begin writing my blog, and today I prayed about it, did some other work, cruised around on Facebook and saw this verse featured on the KLOVE page. The reason I find it interesting is that I was having a discussion this morning with a friend of mine. She said she felt like our friendship had drifted from its focus of having God at the center of our friendship. For months now we’ve been praying or doing Bible study most of the time we got together. Lately, I think we’ve veered from that modus operandi. Our women’s Bible study on Tuesdays took a break for the month of July. I think we’re feeling the impact of that, and sadly we’ve not been as vigilant on our prayers together. Sadly, this has allowed Satan to start working his evil in our lives. Today, by the grace of God we were able to refocus ourselves and pray together again. When we are not vigilant, not pressing on to know the Lord, it’s not just that we stop seeking God (though that is bad enough), but that Satan is given the opportunity to encourage us to pull even further away. We may start to back slide on the things the Lord has been changing in our lives. We need to continually press on to know the Lord.

His appearing is as sure as the dawn

We can be sure that every time we come to the Lord to know Him more, He is there. Like in this verse in Hosea, His appearing is as sure as the dawn. Are you worried the sun won’t rise tomorrow? Most of us can emphatically say no. So as sure as we are that the sun will rise tomorrow, we can be sure our Lord Jesus Christ will be there for us each and every time we seek Him. He’s not playing hide and seek with us. He’s playing seek. We are to seek Him, and He will be found.

He will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains that water the earth.

I love this imagery. I love the idea that when He comes to us, He is watering us. He’s giving us what we need so that we may grow. He’s soaking us with His presence. We are so fortunate to have a God who doesn’t just give us what we need, but He gives to us in abundance. We need nothing more than we need to be in His presence. And as we can be sure He will be there, we also know He is there in abundance. We are soaked with Him. We are showered upon by Him, and we are watered with His word. We are able to grow in Him and become all He has planned for us to be.

What are you sure of?

 

 
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Posted by on July 12, 2013 in My God is coming to us

 

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My God is…abounding in steadfast love Numbers 14:18

10 Jul

JesushuggingcryinggirlNumbers 14:18 – ‘The Lord is slow to anger,
and abounding in steadfast love,
forgiving iniquity and transgression,
but by no means clearing the guilty,
visiting the iniquity of the parents
upon the children
to the third and the fourth generation.’

Definition of ABOUND

1: to be present in large numbers or in great quantity : be prevalent
2: to be copiously supplied —used with in or with <life abounded in mysteries — Norman Mailer> <institutions abound with evidence of his success — Johns Hopkins Magazine>
What do you abound in? 
Time for a little reflection. What do you abound in? Can you make a list? They can be good or bad – we’re not looking to bash ourselves, just take an honest look.
Jill abounds in:
  • empathy
  • sarcastic remarks
  • bad language
  • encouragement
  • laziness
  • forgiveness
  • flexibility

God is abounding in steadfast love. God has steadfast love, and he has a lot of it. He is abounding in it. He has large amounts of it. He has more than He could need. Some might say He’s dripping or oozing steadfast love. He abounds so much that whoever He touches with His steadfast love are able to share that steadfast love with others. We love, because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).  Most of the verses in the Bible that use the word abounding are in reference to God’s steadfast love. I think that speaks to the immensity of it. He has tons of it to give, and will never run out. His love endures forever. 

Definition of STEADFAST

1 a : firmly fixed in place : immovable

   b : not subject to change <the steadfast doctrine of original sin — Ellen Glasgow>
2: firm in belief, determination, or adherence : loyal <her followers have remained steadfast>
Not subject to change
God isn’t going to stop loving you. Even if you stop loving Him. He will go right on loving you. He is abounding, oozing, dripping with steadfast love. Unchanging love. His love never ends. How comforting is it to know that God will always love you. You can’t do anything to earn that love or to lose that love. His steadfast love has more to do with Him than with you. He can’t help himself. He’s got so much love. He loves you know matter the condition of your heart, the guilt that you feel, the job that you have, the friends that you make (or don’t) and the bathroom that you clean (or don’t). God’s love is never going to change. It is firmly fixed. Just like the word abounding in the Bible seems to be significantly connected to steadfast love, when you’re talking about steadfast in the Bible it almost always has to do with God’s love. God’s love for you is so immense, so vast that it will never change. It is steadfast.
What are you abounding in?
 
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Posted by on July 10, 2013 in God is Love, My God is abounding in steadfast love

 

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My God is…not partial Deuteronomy 10:17-18

08 Jul

Deuteronomy 10:17-18 – For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing.money in hand

For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome

No matter how important someone or something is to you, they should not be more important than our God. God is the God of gods. He is more important than anything else in your life, even if you don’t think so. He is the Lord of lords. He has power over even the most powerful. He can change things in an instant. He can heal the sick or heal your heart. He can feed the hungry and protect the widows and orphans. He is mighty. He is awesome. He is the top dog. He is the Alpha and the Omega, beginning and the end. Our God can do whatever He wants. He knows what is best.

Who is not partial and takes no bribe

Definition of PARTIAL

1: of or relating to a part rather than the whole : not general or total <a partial solution>
2: inclined to favor one party more than the other : biased
3: markedly fond of someone or something —used with to<partial to pizza>
It is hard for us to understand God and His absolute power, because when humans get power, it can ruin us. Most people believe, before they gain the power, that they will be different. They will not be corrupted. They will stick to their beliefs no matter what the circumstance. I think that this cynical girl agrees with Lord Acton – Great men are almost always bad men. Often to gain such power they have had to sell themselves out. They have had to bend their beliefs to get what they wanted. I don’t know if it’s always true, but it’s true enough in our day, and in Bible times as well. If it weren’t that way, this verse wouldn’t have to point out that God is different from humans who have power. It wouldn’t have to mention that God is not partial and doesn’t take bribes. Because that is the way government and power has always been, it had to be said the our God of gods, Lord of lords is not corruptible. He is perfect in His power and might, and will not be swayed from what is true. He is not choosing one group over another. He wants all to believe in Him and be saved. But He’s not taking bribes. There isn’t anyway we can earn our way to heaven. We can’t say, Lord if I bring 3 people to know you, how about you let me into heaven. That’s not how it works. God has already done everything for us. We’re not going to get a more important place in heaven because of anything we’ve done down here on earth. Our relationship that we have built with God will continue in eternity. He loves us all and will treat us honestly and fairly in all things, no matter what kind of bargains we try to strike with Him. He is not partial and does not take bribes.
Who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing
Our God is a great God who takes care of us, loves us and has more power than we could ever comprehend. He is perfect. He has absolute power, but will absolutely not be corrupted. He is truth. He is justice. He is compassion.
 
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Posted by on July 8, 2013 in My God is not partial

 

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My God is…examining humankind Psalm 11:4

05 Jul

Psalm 11:4 – The Lord is in his holy temple;

Excuse me, Your God is Showing.

Excuse me, Your God is Showing.

the Lord’s throne is in heaven.
His eyes behold, his gaze examines humankind.

It always feels like…somebody’s watching me

Unlike the creepiness expressed in Rockwell’s song, “Somebody’s Watching me“, this verse was David talking about the confidence he found in knowing his God knew what was going on. David was being encouraged by some to go on the move, because the enemy was close at hand. They wanted him to move away from the trouble instead of facing it head on.

I’ll be moving, I won’t be able to

When I was living in Missouri, I learned about Stephen Ministry, a group that trains to be a sort of peer counselor for those who need someone to talk to no matter what the reason. I had heard about Stephen Ministry long ago, because my Grandma Goldie was one once. When I learned more about it at my church, I thought that was something I might be interested in doing. You had to do 52 hours of training, and commit to a year of service as a Stephen Minister if you were going to sign up to be one. I thought perfect, we’ll be moving for my husband’s internship next year, maybe they would let me do the training even if I couldn’t serve. They graciously agreed. I did the training, and even started into the next year, knowing they wouldn’t assign anyone to me, because I would be moving soon. In the classes we had learned about closure. I was asked how I dealt with ending relationships that were not healthy or had run their course. I said, “I move”. My husband was in the Air Force, and we always knew when the next move was going to happen. We always had an end date for living somewhere. My husband was now out of the military, and he didn’t get placed in an internship that year. We had to stay another year. That meant I had to serve. I had one plan, but God had another. He knew what was going on, and how I needed to grow. He had been watching me.

His eyes behold, his gaze examines humankind

God looks on us from His throne, and knows what is going on in your life. He knows if you’re addicted to pills, food or alcohol. He knows if you verbally abuse your children when you’re alone with them. He knows if you’re struggling to get out of an abusive relationship. He knows if you’re working hard to turn your life around. He knows if you’re struggling with an illness. He knows if you’ve had a huge success at work. He knows, and He cares. He’s watching. He’s paying attention to what goes on in your life.

In our verses above, David tells those encouraging him to run that God’s eyes behold. David knew that the enemies he faced were not getting away with anything the Father in Heaven didn’t know about. God could see what was going on, and David was sure he didn’t need to turn around and run, because He had the Lord on his side. He had the one who could conquer the enemy on his side, and because God was already watching, examining what was going on, David was assured the Lord would work good on His behalf.

God is watching you, not in a big brother kind of way, but in a caring and concerned way. He knows what’s going on in your life. He wants you to be like David and trust Him to take care of it. Know that He’s got your back. He’s on your side. He knows what’s going on and is going to work it for good.

 

 
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Posted by on July 5, 2013 in My God is examining humankind, Psalm

 

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My God is…not pleased with anyone’s death Ezekiel 18:31-32

03 Jul

Ezekiel 18: 31-32 Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get Doing What's Rightyourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord God. Turn, then, and live.

For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone

These verses come on the heals of God explaining that each person is responsible for their own sins. Their transgressions are their own. They aren’t blamed for their father’s sins, and also the father is not blamed for the child’s sins. He also says that those that turn from their sins are no longer condemned. Why does this matter? Because, “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Because we are sinners, we are not supposed to live in heaven. We are supposed to be condemned for our sins and experience death, a total separation from the love of God. Even when we confess and try to change, we sin. It’s a part of our earthly condition.

Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me

As Christians we struggle with our sin so much. We are pulled one way by our flesh and another way by our Spirit. Remember those pictures of a man with a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other? I think this is the struggle they were trying to represent with that image. We feel torn between our earthly selves and our desire to be closer to God without any of the junk of sin between us. We need to get rid of the sin that keeps us from having a fulfilling life with the Lord (here on earth and on for eternity). God calls on us in this verse to cast away our transgressions. He doesn’t want us to keep them close by. He doesn’t want us to sort of give them up. He’s calling us to throw them as far away as possible from ourselves. To distance ourselves from the sins that entangle us. The sins that get in the way of our relationship with others and especially with Him. He doesn’t want anything to get in the way of the blessings He has in store for us. He loves us.

It can be really hard to distance ourselves from our sins. Especially if we kind of (ok really) like them. Maybe you enjoy having sex with multiple partners. Maybe you don’t care that you binge drink every weekend. Perhaps you’re not that worried about flirting with someone other than your spouse. Maybe you don’t care that you cheat a little on your taxes or wrote some fictional successes on your last resume. Maybe you don’t care, but God does. Not because he likes to keep you under control, but because when you start to do these things, they eat away at your soul. They distract you from God. You start getting problems that complicate your life and divert your focus on God. You get a disease, get crippled in a drunk driving accident, get arrested for tax evasion or any multitude of distractions. But it’s not just these things, but anything that gets in the way of our relationship with God. Sometimes that’s even other relationships. Anything that makes you think about yourself or something else more than you’re thinking about your relationship with God is an unwanted distraction. Be alert to the temptations.

Get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit

It’s not too late. We can get rid of those distractions, or rather God can get rid of them for you. Go to Him in prayer. Tell Him you’ve had enough and that you need His help. Maybe you can use these words from Psalm 51 as a starting point:

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
and blameless when you pass judgment.
Indeed, I was born guilty,
a sinner when my mother conceived me.

You desire truth in the inward being;
therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.

Turn, then, and live

God gave us Jesus Christ to die on the cross to make restitution for our sins. We can’t do this on our own, but God doesn’t want anyone to experience death. He wants to be in a relationship with us forever. He gave us a way out of our sinful demise. He saved us with the ultimate sacrifice; His Son. In response to this awesome love and forgiveness, we now must work to turn from our sins and turn back to the Lord. Keeping our focus on Him, that we might live.

 
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Posted by on July 3, 2013 in My God is not pleased with anyone's death

 

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My God is…the God of all consolation 2 Corinthians 1:2-4

01 Jul

2 Corinthians 1:2-4 – Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the

distraught-woman
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God.

Definition of CONSOLE

: to alleviate the grief, sense of loss, or trouble of : comfort

The Father of mercies and the God of all consolation
In August of 2012, we were watching the landing on Mars, and my sons said a phrase I had never heard before…”Like a Boss”. Perhaps you’re like me and didn’t know this phrase, but as you can imagine, it means that you’re the best at something. It’s like you are in charge of all things that have to do with that subject. You’re a pro. You owned it. Basically that you know what you’re doing and it shows. God isn’t “like a boss of mercy and consolation, He is the Father of all mercies. He created mercy. He is the God of all consolation. You can’t get any more “Boss” than God.

Who consoles us in all our affliction
“If God brings you to it, He’ll see you through it.” I don’t know if God brings all things on us. I think somethings He would rather we didn’t get ourselves into, but no matter what He can bring us through it. I also believe that going through affliction, persevering and clinging to God draws us closer to God and others. Romans 5:3-5 says, “And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,  and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,  and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” We definitely go through some rough stuff in life. But with Christ we can get through it. When we rely on God, and see His faithfulness after we’ve come through something horrible, our faith is increased. We know that God has given us strength to endure the pains of today, but that we are promised a future that is without pain and suffering with Him in heaven.

So that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God
I’ve seen it time and time again, in my life as well as the life of my friends. Our sufferings of today are our connections of tomorrow. Whether it is a life altering diagnosis, a miscarriage, a rough marriage, bankruptcy, childlessness, being single, or whatever it is you’re going through, someone else has gone through it too. Being able to talk with others who have faced similar (though each situation is unique) problems, gives us consolation. God has brought us through things that were horrible. At the time we didn’t think we would make it through. They seemed too painful, to hopeless or unbearable. But, by the Grace of God, we did make it through. I’ll bet most of us have gone through something really tough. I would also bet that most of us have been able to console someone else because of what we went through. Hearing that others survived helps us to persevere through our plight, then be able to help others. I know that’s how it felt whenever I met a mother of twins. They would see me with my little twin babies and look at me reassuringly saying, “It gets easier”. That gave me hope. They had seen and experienced the frustrations that come in the early years of raising twins, and knew it would get easier. They were right, but their consolation was comforting and encouraging.

Our Pain becomes a blessing
Sometimes our pains can even turn out to be a blessing. An opportunity for growth in our families, churches and communities. We’re able to connect with people on a deeper level than we were before. We’re able to see God at work in our lives and the lives of others. We see purpose in our suffering. We grow and are strengthened in relationships and faith. Next time (or maybe right now) as you go through a time of suffering, look for how God might use this in the future. Think about who might be blessed by knowing what you’ve gone through. How you might help someone who feels like there is no one else out there going through these same things. Maybe they need to know that not all families are kind. Maybe they need to know that they can survive the pains of this world. Maybe they need to know that you came through bankruptcy, that the Lord provided even when it seemed impossible. Maybe they need to know that your marriage wasn’t always easy. Maybe they need to know that one day their baby will sleep through the night. But they certainly need to know that in the end, the Lord their God wants them to spend eternity with Him in heaven. He has big plans for them, and not all of them are just here on earth. He wants to continue to bless them into all eternity. There is hope in the consolation from our Lord.

Who is consoling you?
 
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Posted by on July 1, 2013 in 2 Corinthians, My God is the God of all consolation

 

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My God is…Bringing out their host Isaiah 40:26

26 Jun

Isaiah 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high and see:night sky with stars
Who created these?
He who brings out their host and numbers them,
calling them all by name;
because he is great in strength,
mighty in power,
not one is missing.

Star Gazing

One of the things I loved to do as a child was to go star-gazing with my dad. Depending on the temperature, we would bring pillows and blankets and lay on the hood of the car, using it like a big lounge chair. We usually did that when there was a meteor shower, but any time I look up to the stars, I think of my daddy. I’m sure it is this experience that inspired me to sign my dad and I up for an astronomy class my senior year in high school. It was held in an observatory in a high school across town on Saturday mornings (a miracle for most teenagers). We learned so much on those early mornings. It was truly fascinating. There is always more to learn about our universe.

He brought out their host

I like this part of the verse for today. That term “brought out” may mean something different to women than to men. When someone says, “That really brought out ______________.” What do you think would finish that sentence? I was thinking, “her eyes”. So what do we mean when we say that about someone’s eyes?

Definition of BRING OUT

1a : to make apparent
  b : to effectively develop (as a quality)
2a : to present to the public
  b : to introduce formally to society
3: utter
I like to think that God “brought out” the heavenly host, because it is His glory they reveal. I like the second definition of bring out too. I like the idea of God presenting and introducing us to the stars. Revealing to us His majesty through the amazing workmanship He put into the stars.

The First Astronomer

God is the first astronomer. In our verse we’re told God numbered the stars. He called them all by name. This goes along so well with that definition of bringing out meaning to introduce them to society. I can picture it now… God is in the observatory on one of those Saturday mornings. He’s not looking at His notes. He’s pointing to the stars and telling us the unique qualities of each one. He tells us the name He gave the stars, and even how many there are in the heavens. He knows all about them.

He who brings out their host and numbers them,
calling them all by name

Now lets apply this to what God feels about us. If he pays attention to the stars, knows them by name and number, we can also rest assured that He knows us by name. No matter how many of us there are in the world, He knows us. He knows our specific characteristics that make us unique, and He could teach a whole class on the uniqueness of you. He created you and the stars, and knows every inch of you. He knows how you work and how you love. He cares about you, and calls you by name. He’s bringing out the best in you. He’s working so that others can see you as a reflection of Him.

What’s He bringing out in you?

 
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Posted by on June 26, 2013 in Isaiah, My God is bringing out their host

 

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My God is…fighting for me Psalm 35:1-3

24 Jun

Psalm 35:1-3 – Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;My God is fighting for me
fight against those who fight against me!
Take hold of shield and buckler, and rise up to help me!
Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers;
say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”

Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me

Definition of CONTEND

intransitive verb
1: to strive or vie in contest or rivalry or against difficulties :struggle
2: to strive in debate : argue
transitive verb
1: maintain, assert <contended that he was right>
2: to struggle for : contest

What are you contending with? What are you fighting against? Is it something worth fighting for? In our lives we fight over a lot of things. We have a lot of things to contend with on a daily basis. Sometimes we feel like we’re contending with traffic, spouses, children, work and so much more. Sometimes we create the drama and contention ourselves. We see others as against us and everything becomes a battle. That’s not what God wants for us. He fought the battle against sin and won.

fight against those who fight against me

What if you didn’t fight? What if you took a step back and didn’t feel the need to prove that you were right or to fight for your way? What would happen? What if you trusted the Lord to fight your battles for you? I wonder if you’re thinking right now, but what if He doesn’t help me? When we give things over to God, we get a bit impatient. We want to see results quickly. We want the other person to admit that we were right and they were wrong. We want them to suffer for the unkind way they treated us. God’s way may not look like that. He may work in different ways. He may make them learn a lesson, but it might not be that you’re smarter, right or cuter than them. He may want them to learn humility, kindness or patience. Maybe He’s teaching that to you as well.

This weekend, my son was in a baseball tournament. They won their first game, but as they were about to start the second game, the coaches realized there were kids from a higher league on the other team. They asked the coaches from the other team about it and they denied that they were upper league players, but one of the kids admitted it. My son’s team began the game under protest. My son (a right fighter of sorts) was very upset that they were cheating. I told him to let his coaches fight this battle. Well, toward the end of the game, the manager of the tournament came over and had the other team forfeit because they had played using inappropriate players for this tournament. The coaches had fought the fight for their players. God does the same thing for us. At first it didn’t look like their “protest” was going to get the team anywhere. You couldn’t tell that it was being sorted out. But it was. The game was played as normal, but the outcome was anything but normal. Our team lost, but they won. Our lives are not always as clear-cut as we would like them to be. People try to cheat and steal to get ahead. They’re willing to tear you down to build themselves up.

say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”

But our salvation, our saving grace is not from us, it is from our Lord. He can sort out all of our problems, and when we allow Him to take the lead in our battles, they often get over more quickly and turn out better than we could have expected. So back to that question, what would it look like if you didn’t fight battles, but instead handed them over to God? Would you get walked all over, or would the Lord take up the battle for you and allow you to have victory over the evil in your life? I believe that if you give your troubles to Him, He will be your salvation. He will be trustworthy. The beauty is that when God fights your battles, He’s not worried about your pride. When I get into a fight or an argument, usually it is because I am beating a dead horse trying to prove that I am right. My pride gets in the way of progress. I am willing to bleed to death if I could just get the other person to say, “You’re right Jill”. But to be honest, usually when I’m in a fight, I’m not right. I’m fighting because I’m embarrassed I made a mistake. Or I might be fighting because I felt slighted (another pride and entitlement issue). But it is not because I’m trying to protect others, provide for others or correct some other injustice. I am more selfish than that. So if I stopped fighting and hand my frustration over to God, I can promise you it would come out better than me taking care of it on my own.

What do you have to contend with?

 
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Posted by on June 24, 2013 in My God is fighting for me, Psalm

 

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My God is…the builder of all things Hebrews 3:3-4

21 Jun

Hebrews 3:3-4 – Yet Jesus is worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house has more honor building-a-housethan the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.)

What deserves more honor? 

Just this morning I heard a story on the news (about making it legal to have cameras in the Supreme Court). They were saying how the Justices enjoyed their anonymity. One Justice mentioned how she was walking down the street in front of the Supreme Court and a gentleman asked her to take his photo. Just him. He didn’t know she was one of the Supreme Court Justices. If he had, wouldn’t he have wanted to be in the picture with her than having her take his picture?

Yesterday my son made a really good catch in his baseball game. It was one of those catches no one (maybe not even he) thought he would catch. It was a really great play, but it wasn’t the play itself that I was impressed with, it was the one who made the play.

Yet Jesus is worthy of more glory than Moses

For the Jews, Moses was a big deal. He’s still a big deal, but for them he was a really really big deal. God had used him as the deliverer of the Israelites. He was an archetype, or a representation of the one who would come  to deliver all people from sin and death. What was meant to be evidence that Jesus was the Messiah became a stumbling block for many Jews at the time of Jesus. They had a hard time putting anyone above Moses.

Just as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself.

Pretend you are going to see a special showing of your all time favorite movie. You know, the one with your favorite all time actor. Now pretend you’ve got VIP passes and are getting the royal treatment. Red carpet, paparazzi flashing shots of you, and of course special seating. Just before you get into the theater, Your favorite actor appears. He asks if you would like to forgo the movie and go to dinner with him at his favorite restaurant, his treat. Which would you choose? I know I would choose dinner. Even though the other is an awesome event, meeting the person who made the movie is a bigger deal. You can see the movie on DVD, but you may not meet the actor again.

For the Jews at the time of Jesus, it was pretty hard to choose Jesus over the VIP passes. They knew they already had it good, so why ruin a good thing and change their plans? They didn’t get that the feast they would have with Jesus would far outweigh the special treatment they would get from their peers and acquaintances.

For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.

A house can be beautiful, amazing even, but the amazing thing is that someone thought of it, and was able to carry it through. The builder is given the accolades, not the house. If you want a house that is really spectacular, you have to find a builder who is capable of creating such a home. Without that builder, you wouldn’t be as sure of getting a great house.

If you know the name Béla Károlyi, you can maybe understand this a little more. He’s a famous gymnastics coach (remember Mary Lou Retton?). He coached many Olympic athletes. If you were one of his gymnasts, you may get some accolades (OK, a lot if you’re winning medals). Who was usually the first person a gymnast would hug we she is done? Her coach. Why, because she knows without him, she wouldn’t be as great a gymnast.

Psalm 150:6 

“Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”  No matter what we do, no matter how important we feel, our successes begin with God. He is the builder of all things. That’s why everything that breathes should praise the Lord. He is the builder of them. He’s the one who thought you up, drew the blueprints and erected the amazing person that is you. He deserves the praise for all of your accomplishments. Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

Who is your builder?

 
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Posted by on June 21, 2013 in Hebrews, Matthew, My God is the builder of all things, My God is the Creator

 

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