His Preservation

One of my favorite things is to wake up in the morning without any kind of alarm clock. I generally set one just in case (especially if I am up late the night before)... but I love it when I wake up before the alarm clock feeling resting and just ready to jump out of bed and start the day. Mornings generally seem rushed with all the little things to get done before leaving for work and most importantly, my time with Him. I was reading random passages this morning and ran across 1 Chronicles 29:17-18 (one of David's prayers).

Since I know, O my God, that You try the heart and delight in uprightness, I, in the integrity of my heart, have willingly offered all these things; so now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here, make their offerings willingly to You. O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, our fathers, preserve this forever in the intentions of the heart of Your people, and direct their heart to You.

All of life is worship. We are worshiping something or someone at all times... may it be that Christ is the object of all of our worship. As Romans 12 says... present yourselves as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God--this is your reasonsable service of worship. It is reasonable because He gave all for us so that we would live no longer for ourselves, but for Him who died and rose again on our behalf.

As I sit here preparing my heart and mind for church this morning, this passage is just so applicable. I know that He sees the ways in which I have worshipped Him... and the times where I have worshipped myself or other things. My prayer is that He would delight in my worship of Him and that He would increase my desire to worship Him more fully and decrease any desire that longs to worship anything other than Him. He must increase, I must decrease! As we gather at our different churches this morning, may He smile upon our hearts of worship and preserve the intentions of our heart to glorify Him throughout the busyness of the days, weeks, and years to come. They must be more than just intentions. We can intend all we want, but if it is not driven by the power of His Spirit, it simply won't happen. May He be All and in all.

The Bearer of Our Burdens

This last weekend, God blessed me with the opportunity to surprise a friend of mine in Texas and show up at his graduation. Steve is a young man who has continually ministered to me through challenging me to continually walk closer to the Lord. After contemplating the pros and cons of going out there for a visit, the expense is so minimal in comparison to the friendship and fellowship that I have found in him. I realize that I am in a special situation where God has blessed me far beyond my needs and has enabled me to do these kinds of things, but it did get me thinking more about how I spend money. In general, I don't spend much money... but sometimes the cost doesn't even compare to the value of that person or their friendship. I think things like... "If they died, I would definitely want to show up at their funeral to tell everyone how the Lord blessed me through them."... yet, would I spend that same money to go and bless them while they live? Yes, I know this thinking can be a slippery slope and I'm not saying that you ought to spend all your money visiting people; however, I do think it is appropriate when God has provided the means, to honor those to whom honor is due... and just seek to be a blessing to them. I am so thankful for this last weekend. I was blessed far more than I was a blessing, I'm sure!

On the flight back, I was sitting next to a 5th grade boy. He was sitting next to me and across the isle was his grandma and little sister. They were traveling from TX to CO from their dad's house to their mom's. It absolutely tore me apart seeing these two children just absolutely broken down thinking over leaving their dad and going back to their mom. They clearly loved them both, but I could just sense the longing they had to have both of them together. The little boy next to me was fighting back the tears and the girl across the isle was weeping in her grandma's lap. I started talking with the boy a bit about school and sports and whatever came to mind... mostly to get his mind off leaving his dad and all of that. I had been praying prior to getting on the plane, that God would give me an opportunity to be a blessing to someone else. He certainly does answer prayer! I had my iPad (that my boss had got for each of us on the development team) with me and that turned into the perfect thing for the flight. We played all kinds of different games together (he was usually better than me). While we were playing, I got to talk with the grandma a fair amount... she was a Christian and so we were able to have some fellowship in the process. The little girl enjoyed playing different games as well. It was just such a huge blessing to me to be able to minister to them in such a small way (for me)... and yet, a big way (for them).

I was reading this evening in Psalm 68 and verses 19 and 35 really jumped out at me.

Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, the God who is our salvation... O God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary! The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!

It was God who was bearing the burden of those two children on the plane and their grandmother. He used me, yes... but He was bearing their burden.

What a blessing it is to be used by Him! Bearing one another's burdens can be one of the most refreshing things because it is Christ who gives us strength. It is when we are trying to bear our own burdens and others in our own strength that we are crushed under the weight of it all. All the while, He is there whispering... Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, 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. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. When the storms of life surround us and we just long for a moment of rest, we would do well to remember Christ sleeping in the boat as the storm was hitting in full fury... that is the picture of His burden being light.

God, help me to always be taking all to You in earnest prayer so that I would "come to you" in the fullest sense. Give me no rest when I am trying to bear my own burdens because I must learn from You... learn that Your burden is light. Grant me true soul-refreshing rest in You as I depend on You, the One who daily bears my burdens.

You Are A Slave

I was reading in Romans 6 this morning... one of my favorite "battle" chapters when it comes to renewing the desire to obey the Lord at all costs. I just love how the Lord will speak so loud and clear when I am in need of it. I have been listening to "The Pursuit of God" by A.W. Tozer on the way to work for some added meditation throughout the day and part of the chapter I listened to was the following:

Anyone who might feel reluctant to surrender his will to the will of another should remember Jesus' words, "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin." We must of necessity be servant to someone, either to God or to sin. The sinner prides himself on his independence, completely overlooking the fact that he is the weak slave of the sins that rule his members. The man who surrenders to Christ exchanges a cruel slave driver for a kind and gentle Master whose yoke is easy and whose burden is light.

I just love how He will drive a point deep into my heart when I need it... and yet He does it in such a kind, loving, gentle and faithful manner. His yoke really is easy, and His burden, light. "His commands are not burdensome." God, help me to continually find submission to You a delight. Tune my heart to sing Your praise.

Simple Truths

I have never been a big reader. This is generally not a good thing because there is so much wisdom to be gained through God's Word and through godly men and women that have gone before us. One of the struggles that I always face when reading something new is, "Should I continue reading even if I've read more than I can apply right now?" I am fearful of listening to truth and it not penetrating my heart. The truth that doesn't penetrate my heart will tend to make my heart harder. Any truth rejected is yet another barrier to tear down. I have come to the conclusion that it is good to continue reading because those truths will come to mind at the right times when I really need to be applying them. At the same time, I do not want to ignore the danger of hearing truth and not responding in full obedience to it. I was reading tonight in Psalm 33 and thinking about how the simple truths within it have such a huge impact on how I live.

Here are just a few phrases from Psalm 33:

The Word of the Lord is upright.

All His work is done in faithfulness.

Let all the earth fear the Lord.

The counsel of the Lord stands forever.

He sees all the sons of men.

He fashions the hearts of them all.

He understands all their works.

The eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him.

He is our help and our shield.

It kind of scares me to read a passage like this. Yes, I rejoice very much in the character of God as described here, but it scares me that I could potentially read these things and ignore the impact that they must have on my heart. Let's just look at the first few for example.

The Word of the Lord is upright: If I truly believe that God's Word is right in every way, I must submit my every thought, attitude and action to His instruction within it. How does this change the way I read the Word?

All His work is done in faithfulness: If He is completely faithful and He is in the process of conforming me into the image of His Son, I must be fully faithful. This also means that I have no excuse. He has never failed at acoomplishing His work and He has never been slow in doing it. He is the perfect Father, the perfect Shepherd, the perfect High Priest, the perfect Sacrifice, the perfect Judge. He does all these things with complete faithfulness and He calls me to be filled with the Spirit and faithfulnes is one of the fruits of the Spirit's work inside me. How ought this to impact how I treat my coworkers? How should this impact the way I treat my family? How does this impact the words I say to friends? How does this change my level of commitment to the Lord and His ways? How does this effect my view of sin? How does this change the way I love the Lord?

Let all the earth fear the Lord: This command is to me and to everyone else, but I would do well to take responibility for fearing Him as I ought before attempting to get the whole world to do so lest I fall in the category of one that has cleaned the outside of the cup and still has an inside full of filth. Am I truly living in the fear of the Lord and is this causing my heart to worship Him more, or am I living in the fear of man and doing things to please men rather than God? Do I understand His power enough to flee from any kind of sin at all costs? Do I honor Him in front of my boss, my coworkers, my friends, my family? Am I continually obedient and submissiveto His ways because of my understanding and reverence of Him and the glory He deserves?

I think you can get the picture why it is a bit scary for me to just read a chapter like Psalm 33. The natural tendency is just to move on and check off the chapter as being read, but unless God changes my heart with these things, is it profitable?

God, help me to take Your Word seriously. Use it to cut to the depths of my heart and turn me to fear You as I ought. Turn my heart from any fear of man so that I would serve You without hesitancy. Purify my heart. Teach me to be an effectual doer of the Word and not just a hearer. Guard me from hardness of heart in hearing truth and not applying it. Unite my heart to fear Your name.

My Dependence

It's been a pretty relaxing day today. I worked a little bit more on a little project I was working on in the kitchen, played ulimate frisbee with my family and several students at Cal Baptist University, spent time with the family, and helped a friend of ours with some computer issues. It's not often that I get majorly stuck on a computer issue. Most of them are pretty much the same... or at least have similar methods for resolution of the issue; however, I ran into one tonight that I was unable to resolve in the couple hours that I spent working on it. As I was driving home, God did that gracious nudging that He does so often... "You didn't ask Me for help." I hate when He has to show me that I am working on my own strength and yet so thankful for His faithfulness to do so. His gentle reminders to depend on Him are so needed. For some reason, we think along the lines of... "God, I can't wait until I am strong enough to do this all myself." This thinking is completely contrary to the gospel.

As I think about Christ taking the full wrath of God upon Himself, there is nothing that I can add to the righteousness that I now have in Christ. As Paul says to the Galatians, if we try to add our own righteousness to Christ's for our justification before God, we are left with just our "filthy rag" righteousness... we are still dead in our sins. It is only through completely depending on Christ for the atonement of my sin that I find forgiveness before the holy and just God.

God, thank You for the cross. Thank You for Christ. Thank You for sending Your Son to take Your full wrath so that I bear none of it. Thank You for exchanging my unrighteousness laid upon Christ for His righteousness as a covering for me. Thank You for seeing me, a helpless sinner, just like You see Christ. Thank You for your constant reminders that my dependence must be fully on You. You are my ever present help in time of need. Cause me to turn to You immediately in times of need. Quiet my heart with Your love so that I hear Your clear leading amongst the busyness of life. Make me so in-tune with Your voice that I recognize it and obey it immediately. Thank You again for Christ and for the fact that He has risen and lives to make intercession for us according to Your will. You are so good.

Blessed Fellowship

I absolutely love days like today. The day started with the joy of fellowship in the form of talking and praying with one of my best friends in the world. There really isn't anything I can think of that I enjoy more than that quality time praying together... asking the Lord to work... submitting to Him not only as an individual but as committed brothers. God's invention of fellowship is absolutely brilliant. Had a fun time of playing basketball after that... winning and dunking always make basketball a more joyous experience, but it is a lot of fun regardless. :) It was a very profitable day at work today, I am learning something entirely new and absolutely loving it. This evening was filled with a hands on mini-home-improvement job and fellowship with a wonderful young couple. The Lord used them to be such a great blessing and encouragement to me specifically, but I know He also used them to bless the rest of my family as well. He is so good to me.

I was reading in Ephesians 3 this morning specifically because I wanted to read and pray through verses 14-21. These verse have been very much on my heart for a long time and often come up in my talking with Him.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

I am in continual need of the strength that comes with being filled with His Spirit... the dwelling of Christ in my heart, so that I can understand the depths of His love... not just by myself, but "with the saints"--that is fellowship!

As I meditate on the gospel: my sinfulness and my deserving of God's eternal wrath, Christ having God's wrath poured out on Him on my behalf, I feel like I am so far from being able to understand the depths of His love for me... yet we are to pray for that understanding so that we can be filled up to the fullness of God who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think through His work in us. If that doesn't turn my heart to glory in Christ, I don't know what will.

God, I long to know the depths of Your love for me. Give me a heart of thankfulness. Cause me to meditate continually on Your love so that I love You in return. We like You because and only because You first loved us. We were once separated from You, but now we have been brought near by the blood of Christ. God, thank You for Christ. Put in me a heart that lives no longer for myself but for Christ who died and rose again on my behalf.

When Will It Be Over?

This evening I read the book of Amos. I honestly don't remember the last time I read it, but it has been quite a while. It's not really a book you generally go to for joy and encouragement, but it is inspired by God and profitable! I am saddened by the parallels that I see between the people of Israel as described in Amos and the modern day church. This is not by any means true across the board... but I think we do ourselves great harm not to take responsibility, as men like Nehemiah did, for the unfaithfulness of our nation to God. These words stuck out to me from chapter 8, verses 5-6.

When will the new moon be over, so that we may sell grain? And the sabbath, that we may open the wheat market, to make the bushel smaller and the shekel bigger, and to cheat with dishonest scales, so as to buy the helpless for money and the needy for a pair of sandals, and that we may sell the refuse of the wheat?

I think if we are honest with ourselves before the Lord, we all have done more than our share of living life our own way. While we wouldn't sit in church and say, "When is it going to be over?", we live that way at times. The church as a whole has lost its focus on the treasure of Christ. We seek the next new thing to bring people in the doors so they too can "make their shekel bigger". The fellowship of God's people exhorting one another is no longer the reason we meet, but rather for social interaction that can be found outside the body of Christ. We seek the comfort and encouragement from the Word of God and despise the things that convict us of sin. We have trained our pastors to preach the Word how we like to hear it rather than how the Lord speaks it. We love the Lord as long as He doesn't call us to give up anything for His sake.

God, forgive us for the many ways in which we have forsaken You. Cleanse Your people. Turn our hearts back to You. Don't let our sin go unseen before You, for we desperately need Your shepherding. It is your gentleness that makes us great. Do not grant any peace when we are not fully committed to You. Cause us to turn from sin to serve You, the Living God. Bring Your people together for true fellowship... for speaking to one another with songs, hymns and spiritual songs, for exhorting one another to live for Christ. God, we don't need more social interaction. We need true Spirit-led fellowship with men and women that are passionate about living for You. Put a guard over the lips of our church leaders to proclaim nothing but Your truth. Free them from the fear of man. Give them a passion for You that no longer cares what people might think of their preaching, but only cares to please You, Lord. Bring up godly men and women that will no longer listen to false doctrine. Give them courage. Strengthen their hearts. Use them for Your Name's sake in our churches. Use them amongst Your people. Do whatever it takes to be glorified here once again.

To Love Christ

I have been thinking a bit lately about what it means to just love the Lord. It is a blessing that He has given us little hints of what it ought to be like within our relationships with others whether it be family or friends (or enemies... but we won't go there at this time). :) Do you ever sit down and think, "What would be the most loving thing for me to do right now?" If you don't do that, I would challenge you to start making a habit of it first and foremost in your relationship with the Lord, but also in your relationships with those around you. I was helped a friend of mine with filling out some applications and spiffing up his resume and so I went back and looked at a bunch of my applications and cover letters and letters of recommendation and all that fun stuff. It brought back many memories of many different interviews and challenges and yet pointed me to the incredible faithfulness and loveliness of Christ. I remember specifically in the first couple weeks of work when I was being told to do things that I really disliked... things that weren't making use of my skills... the "dirty work". I remember one of those mornings right before going into work and I heard that clear direction from the Lord... "love him [the person above me]".

This gave me a whole new view (at least experientially) on what it meant to love others... to whole-heartedly seek their best interests, etc. Since then, I have had many such opportunities to grow in this area. The biggest area (and one that I will always be able to grow in) is the area of loving Christ. The strange thing about this is that He is perfectly lovable in every way. This is not at all the case where I am having to seek the other person's best interests regardless of their treatment of me. In this case, He fully loves me regardless of my faults already. There is nothing about Him that is unlovely.

So I must ask myself... "What is best for You, Lord?"... "What would bring You glory today?"... "How can I work for You in these two hours before I get off work?"... "What would please You the most?"... "If You could change anything about me, what would it be?" I heard the song, "While I'm Waiting" from Fireproof on the radio this morning and those phrases, "I will worship while I'm waiting, I will serve You while I'm waiting", just resonated in my heart throughout the day today. It doesn't ultimately matter what He has me doing, but I must continually commit myself to love Him with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. This results in heart-felt worship... not necessarily singing to Him (though that does happen), but the living-sacrifice type of worship. It is the worship of obedience based on love for the most lovable God.

God, make me to love You more... to seek Your will above my own... to seek first Your Kingdom and Your righteousness. Put in me a passion for serving You that cannot be quenched by the passing pleasures of sin. Teach me over and over the joy of serving Christ.

Quick Prayers

We were reading this evening in Nehemiah 2. With God's graciousness in getting me out of a potentially difficult situation (mentioned previously) fresh in my mind... Nehemiah's time and place of prayer really stuck out to me.

So the king said to me, "Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart." Then I was very much afraid. I said to the king, "Let the king live forever Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?" Then the king said to me, "What would you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. I said to the king, "If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it." Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, "How long will your journey be, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time. And I said to the king, "If it please the king, let letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress which is by the temple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go " And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me.

So often we get caught up in the stress of the moment and fail to turn to Him as our source of help. True dependence on the Lord would cause us to turn to Him the moment we face difficulty. I just love this passage because here he is standing in front of one of the most powerful people in the world, very close to death (for looking sad)... the king probably surprised him when he asked what he wanted... and rather than jumping on the opportunity right away, he took it to the Lord in prayer. I don't think he told the king to wait for 2 days... or even 5 minutes. I think this was one of those two second, "Lord help me!", prayers. Sometimes, I think these are the most important. It is those short acts of submission to Him... humbling ourselves before Him... reminding ourselves that we can't do it on our own... that really indicate weather or not we are depending on Him as we ought. To prove that this dependence on the Lord as displayed by Nehemiah wasn't just a fluke, we see him give the glory back to God when the king granted his request. How easy it would have been at that moment to say, "I said the right words and the king let me do what I asked and gave his full support." It was God's doing and Nehemiah recognized that... and not only recognized it, but gave Him glory because of it. This is true dependence on the Lord: turning to Him as a first instinct and glorifying Him for any successes.

God, I so often turn to my own wisdom in tough situations. Help me always to take everything to You in earnest prayer! Change my heart to truly love and depend on You as I ought to. Burn away any desires I have to bring glory to myself, for You tell us that every good thing comes from You. Turn my heart to glorify You. Rid me of the self-glorification tendencies of my flesh. Bring me to the end of myself. Glorify Yourself in me and through me.

Great Gain

Pastor Tim was sick so Eric (our newest elder... as of last week) filled in. It was one of those times where the Lord was obviously working in him to speak the truth of the Word to us. Such a blessing! I needed to hear so many of the things he was saying.

This morning we sang these words: "Hast thou not seen how thy desires all have been granted in what He ordaineth?" These words are so convicting and true in my heart! I can't think of any past desire that He has not fulfilled. Yes, sometimes He changed my desires to line up with His, but He met those needs perfectly! My answer to that question is... Yes, I have seen how all my desires have been and are continuing to be fulfilled through Christ and everything that He has planned. The convicting part comes when I ask myself about my level of trust in Him when it comes to the new desires yet to be fulfilled. Even as I think about this, I am writing the words to this song on a little piece of paper that will be added to my random stash of encouragements/prayer requests that sit in the cup holder of my car.

I am reminded of 1 Timothy 6:6...

But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.

Godliness is not for the purpose of gaining wealth or favor with God. Godliness is an act of love for and submission to God's ways. It becomes great gain when we throw out the need to gain His favor (we can't gain it any more than having Christ as our righteousness anyway). It is gain when we are content with what He has given us and we love and serve Him out of that heart of full satisfactions in what He has granted.

God, I have seen how You have indeed granted all my desires within Your perfect plan. I can't even tell You why I don't fully trust You. I want to... I have no reason not to... but my sinful heart is so prone to dependence on self. Help me to see You as my shepherd! I shall not want! I do not lack any good thing. Help me to pursue godliness with a heart of full contentment in what You have given... for it truly is great gain when it is no longer for me but for You. Christ is my righteousness... and I have no favor to gain from You. Your complete favor is mine in Christ. I want to obey You out of love, for that is great gain.

When He Is On Our Side

Life has been so full lately... all good things, but very full! Today was filled with men's Bible study this morning followed by a missions lunch for some friends that are going to Brazil followed by visiting grandma who recently got out of the hospital and celebration of Jonathan's birthday. A day can't get a whole lot better than that, but I am ready to get some rest, that is for sure!

I was reading some Psalms this evening and was meditating on Psalm 124 and the phrase, "Had it not been the Lord who was on our side..." Oh how easily I take Him for granted.

I have made a commitment of sorts for the sake of purity and not having the appearance of evil not to drive alone in the car with a young lady until the proper time with the right young lady... and with boundaries at that point. I say "of sorts" because I see this in the same light as Christ's teaching on the Sabbath... the Sabbath was created for man, not man for the Sabbath. In the same way, this commitment is for the sake of my purity and her purity. There may be a situation that comes up where it has to happen... but that hasn't happened up to this point. I was at work on Friday and was going to help my boss deliver test materials to a few schools. As I was loading the boxes, he mentioned that I would drive his truck and a young lady that works part time would be assisting me in the delivery. I didn't really know what to say and didn't really say anything. As I made the next trip up that stair case to carry some more boxes down, I sent one of those two second prayers up to the Lord... "God, You know my commitment... help me get out of this!" I didn't know what to say or what to do and I have to admit that my faith was very very small at that point. I was thinking, How am I going to get the courage to say something here?"... or... "Is this one of the exceptions to this conviction of mine?" As I was thinking these things, my boss came up to me and said, "Is it okay if she goes with you?" This was the perfect opportunity to graciously tell him that I would prefer not and that I should be able to deliver the test materials without the help.

As I drove to deliver those test materials I was just floored that God would work in the heart of my boss so as to ask me if it was okay... just to make my life easy. He didn't have to do that. He could have let me battle what to do in that difficult situation, but instead, He graciously got me out of the situation with no awkwardness or anything. I was instantly convicted of my small view of God in that moment and asked His forgiveness for my disbelief. This phrase, "Had it not been the Lord who was on our side..." really reminded me that I would be in a whole lot of trouble if the Lord was not on my side. As verse 8 says...

Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

The reality is that He created my boss and is fully able to work in his heart however He pleases. Sometimes I get the [false] idea that God works only in those that are submissive to Him, but this is absolutely untrue. God works in all men and women as He deems best. God, thank You for Your abundant grace and help in this situation. You are so good and I am overwhelmed that You would care that much about me to make it "easy" for me to deal with that situation. You truly are the strength of Your people. God, You know how I need these little reminders to trust You more than I do. I believe, help my unbelief! Help me to truly know You... know Your character... know Your heart. Turn that knowledge into full belief resulting in full submission and obedience to Your ways. Thank You for Your faithfulness to me.

Two Are Better Than One

I was blessed incredibly this evening with being able to spend some time talking and praying with a good friend of mine. He is one of those people who I know I can depend on if I ever needed something. If I was to start to stray from the Lord, I know that he would be there to do whatever it takes to draw me back to the Lord. He is an encourager... a true faithful friend. I value him and people like him more than any earthly possession. Christ is the ultimate Friend. He authored faithfulness. He defines love. He is the shepherd the seeks the lost sheep. He is One with the Father in His grip on us that will never let go. I am thankful for Him most of all. I am thankful for the imperfect pictures of Him that He has given me in the form of godly friends. They help me see a little bit more of what Christ is like. As we were talking this evening, I was thinking about Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

I am so blessed to be striving to please the Lord along with other godly young men who strengthen me with their prayers and encourage me with words of truth and wisdom--young men that aren't afraid to speak His truth to me when they know it may be painful. I need more of these men in my life... we need more of these men in our churches.

God, help me to be a faithful friend. Help me to do so without partiality. I am so tempted to do good to those that will do good to me and only to those, but help me to see the big picture so that I truly love You and love others. You have called us to serve one another with our love. Help me to do that to whomever You put in my path no matter how lovable they are... not because I may gain something from it, but for Your glory in their hearts.

Make Certain About His Calling

I generally read a chapter or two or three in the morning and the same in the evening... kind of depending on the point at which I feel "fed". It generally ends up being more reading when I am weakest because I don't feel like I really getting it like I should be and so I figure the little bit that I am getting will add up as I read more. So thankful for the Spirit working in my heart when I am weak. The last few days have been kind of the opposite to some extent... I have been stuck on 2 Peter 1. Every aspect of it is absolutely brilliant! I have been reading it several times throughout the day for the last few days and I get more out of it each time. I highly recommend that you read the whole thing, but I am just going to go ahead and put verses 2-15 here.

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind.

His grace and peace become multiplied to us when we have a true knowledge of Christ... specifically in knowing that He has given us absolutely everything we need to life godly lives. He has given us this amazing blessing so that we could flee from sin and be diligent in our faith (and not in the general term for faith... the James... faith without works is dead type of faith)... producing the fruit of the Spirit. Love must be at the center of our actions. The two greatest commandments are fixed on loving God and loving others. I just love that promise in verse 8... if these qualities are yours and are increasing (we must always be moving forward), we will never be useless or unfruitful! It doesn't make any sense to live any other way... it would be like we forgot that He rescued us from sin! Oh how I need these reminders daily... I am by nature so short-sighted and in desperate need of His continual work in my heart to cause me to move forward in knowing Him, believing Him, and obeying Him. In pressing on in these areas, we obtain confidence in His choosing of us for His purposes... and not only that, when we are doing these things, we will not stumble!

I love the passion of Peters message here... he is reminding them of these things hoping that even after he dies, they will remember these things and live no long for themselves but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

It is such a blessing knowing that it is not ultimately us doing the work.

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

I look forward to the day when that work is complete, but He is doing that work in me now. Let's press on to know the Lord!

Supplier of Your Needs

Life has been so busy here between work and Awana. I wouldn't have it any other way, but it is busy! We are getting ready to leave for Chicago here in a few days. I can hardly wait. I get to drive a few hours tomorrow for work. I kind of jump at the opportunity to drive (even if gas is exceedingly expensive at the moment) because it makes for such great times of fellowship with Him. That is the one big thing I miss about college... the commute time. I do like the shortness of my commute to work. It's a huge blessing... but it is harder to find that quality time with Him. New time of life... new patterns. Anyway, I was thinking and praying through Philippians 4 today and thinking about how often I have missed the context of verse 19. Paul is assuring the Philippians that God will supply all their needs. While it is true that He supplies all of our needs I think we ought to look at the context to get the full impact of the passage.

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction. You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

One thing that jumped out at me was that even Paul says that he was "suffering need"? Yet, he can do all things [suffer hardship] through Christ who strengthens him. We like to pull that verse out and use it for our latest challenge. Perhaps a big test coming up, or a big basketball game. While I don't think it is wrong to use it that way necessarily, this is much more on the serious level. This is a man that is suffering for the sake of Christ saying that he can live with the suffering because Christ enables him to.

This promise that God will supply all their needs is coming right after they have given abundantly to Paul for the sake of Christ. It's called "a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God". When was the last time that you gave sacrificially? I know for myself, it doesn't happen that often. God has more than supplied my needs. These were people that gave out of trust in God. Paul reassures them with the confidence that God will supply their needs... not just because God gives rain to the good and evil, but because God supplies the needs of those that give graciously in obedience to Him. It glorifies Him to provide for our needs. Why are we not dependent on Him? Perhaps it is because we haven't been obedient!

My goal is not to make us feel bad about giving or the lack thereof, but simply to challenge the way that we look at these verses. It's so easy to pick a verse from here or there to cram into our world of need for encouragement and yet the true encouragement comes when we are obedient to His ways and we see Him come through and strengthen us to be obedient when it is hard... or provide for us when we don't see how we are going to make it. I grab verses and hold onto them for encouragement all the time... and I'm not discouraging that... but lets not miss the need for sacrificial obedience. We are called to be "a living sacrifice". I challenge you to think of what that looks like for your day tomorrow. Write it on a sticky note... post it on your facebook wall... do whatever it takes to remind yourself throughout the day that you are a living sacrifice. It is He who strengthens us... it is He who supplies all our needs. It is sheer joy to live as a sacrifice to Him. Let's do it--one day... one moment at a time.

The Foolishness of Men

Not too long ago, I got a Kindle (thanks to my brother and a gift from another friend). This is a strange thing for me to get in that I don't really enjoy reading. I actually got it because of its free lifetime 3G connection... and I don't want to pay for a data plan on my phone. Anyway, it is a great tool. One of the cool features is that it reads to you. I have been having it read Isaiah to me the last couple days. It covers about 10 chapters between my drive to work and my drive back home. It reads fairly quickly and reads verse numbers and titles and everything. This makes it kind of hard to follow at times so you really have to focus when you are listening to it. I have actually found this to be helpful because it causes me to listen more intently and since it is read in a manner which is different than I have ever read it (or heard it read), I am often finding myself noticing new things that I hadn't noticed before because of the change in emphasis. It is all read so "matter of factly". Anyway, today I was listening to Isaiah and you will probably find this kind of funny, but I was literally sitting there in traffic clapping because of how clear and brilliant God is. I didn't know how else to respond other than to clap for Him and how He speaks to my heart through His Word.

Take a look at this section from Isaiah 44 and 46:

Those who fashion a graven image are all of them futile, and their precious things are of no profit; even their own witnesses fail to see or know, so that they will be put to shame. Who has fashioned a god or cast an idol to no profit? Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are mere men. Let them all assemble themselves, let them stand up, let them tremble, let them together be put to shame. The man shapes iron into a cutting tool and does his work over the coals, fashioning it with hammers and working it with his strong arm. He also gets hungry and his strength fails; he drinks no water and becomes weary. Another shapes wood, he extends a measuring line; he outlines it with red chalk He works it with planes and outlines it with a compass, and makes it like the form of a man, like the beauty of man, so that it may sit in a house. Surely he cuts cedars for himself, and takes a cypress or an oak and raises it for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a fir, and the rain makes it grow. Then it becomes something for a man to burn, so he takes one of them and warms himself; he also makes a fire to bake bread. He also makes a god and worships it; he makes it a graven image and falls down before it. Half of it he burns in the fire; over this half he eats meat as he roasts a roast and is satisfied. He also warms himself and says, "Aha! I am warm, I have seen the fire." But the rest of it he makes into a god, his graven image He falls down before it and worships; he also prays to it and says, "Deliver me, for you are my god." They do not know, nor do they understand, for He has smeared over their eyes so that they cannot see and their hearts so that they cannot comprehend. No one recalls, nor is there knowledge or understanding to say, "I have burned half of it in the fire and also have baked bread over its coals I roast meat and eat it Then I make the rest of it into an abomination, I fall down before a block of wood!" He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside And he cannot deliver himself, nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel, You who have been borne by Me from birth And have been carried from the womb; Even to your old age I will be the same, And even to your graying years I will bear you! I have done it, and I will carry you; And I will bear you and I will deliver you. "To whom would you liken Me And make Me equal and compare Me, That we would be alike? "Those who lavish gold from the purse And weigh silver on the scale Hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; They bow down, indeed they worship it. "They lift it upon the shoulder and carry it; They set it in its place and it stands there It does not move from its place Though one may cry to it, it cannot answer; It cannot deliver him from his distress. "Remember this, and be assured; Recall it to mind, you transgressors. "Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure'; Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it. "Listen to Me, you stubborn-minded, Who are far from righteousness. "I bring near My righteousness, it is not far off; And My salvation will not delay And I will grant salvation in Zion, And My glory for Israel.

I just love the clarity here! I don't know about you, but I am so prone to trust in worthless things. Things that can never change anything. It is idolatry of the heart. Sometimes I wish I had a physical "idol" whenever I start to trust things other than Him just as a reminder of how completely foolish it is. Don't take that beyond what I mean by it. I just don't see it as "foolish" sometimes... and I long to trust only Him. I want to see idols of my heart as complete foolishness. There is infinitely little reason to trust in anything except for God and infinitely many reasons to trust fully in God. He alone can change hearts. He alone can deliver. He commands and it is. No purpose of His can be thwarted. He will accomplish all His good pleasure. Oh how I long for this to be my heart's desire... that I would not trust in things made with hands, but in the God who has never failed.

God, there truly is no one like You. There is nothing and no one that can be trusted like You. You are the One that carries me. You are the one that gives me even this next breathe. God, I need You to strip away any idols of my heart. I know I have asked this before, but I plead with You once again to reign fully in this heart that You have purchased with Your blood. You have poured out abundance of riches on me... let me not lose sight of You. Let me not grow weary of dependence on You. Restore my joy in trusting You. Make it my passion. Remind me that Your commands are not in any way burdensome. I ask that You would do all these things for Your pleasure. You will accomplish it. Thank You for Your unending grace in even causing me to desire to please You... for anything good comes from You. There is no one like You. Make Yourself at home on the throne of my heart. Be steadfast and immovable here. Slaughter anything that rivals You in my heart for Your glory.

Your Love is Better Than Life

Pastor Tim preached on the love of God today. It was such a refreshment to my soul. The truths of His perfect, complete, and unending love are truths that I need to be reminded of continually. My understanding of His love plays a very vital part in my love for God. We love Him because He first loved us. I must come to know and understand His love for me so that I know how to live Him and others. How thankful I am that His love is not based on anything that I have done, but on everything that Christ has done. He can love me as a son because of Christ's righteousness. God's wrath for my sin has been completely poured out on Christ. It is for this reason that I joyfully say with David...

O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches, For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.

God, Your love is indeed better than life itself. While I have never known what it is like to not be alive, Your love that never fails has given me confidence that if all I had was Your love, it would be enough. I seek You earnestly, but not as earnestly as I ought to. Put in me the desire to seek You with all of my heart. Let my soul be completely satisfied in You alone. Cause my heart to sing for joy as I meditate on You and Your deeds. Thank You for upholding me. You have been so faithful in guarding my steps. For the sake of Your name, please guard my heart. Guard my steps. Let me be fully satisfied in You so I look no where else. I love You. Help me love You more.

How Much Time?

Do you ever wonder how much time you have on earth? Do you dream of things you want to do before that point? Do you actually pursue those things or are they in the distant future?

I was reminded once again today of the need to make the most of my time. I spent a few hours this afternoon at the hospital visiting a friend who was in a coma for over a month... and then unresponsive for another couple months and is just now starting to be responsive. It was a simple skateboarding accident. All at once, his life was changed... his mouth has not uttered a word for 4 months. He was one of the most energetic people I know. Things have changed. Yet, God is still in control.

I sat there on the hospital bed reading Psalm 27 to him and talking to him about Joshua and God's promise to always be with us. It was hard not knowing if he could even understand what I was saying. I think he could understand... but is so hard when there is no response. It was good to be able to pray with his mom over him... but so hard to see him in that state. I'm thankful that we have an all-wise God who has never once failed in doing what is best.

It did cause me to think about the different things I want to accomplish in life... and what I am doing now to prepare myself to accomplish them. I'm talking specifically about the areas in which we can make a difference for the sake of Christ for eternity. How am I living out the reality of the gospel in my normal everyday life? How is Christ and His call to forsake all and follow Him changing me? These are all questions that I ought to ask myself continually.

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. (Eph. 5:16)

Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. (Col. 4:5)

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven--A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace. (Ecc. 3:1-8)

So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)

God, I ask that You show me my end... remind me of how short my life is, so that I would spend my time wisely. Remind me of the death I must die daily [to sin and my own desires] and of the life that I must live to the fullest in Christ. You have made it clear that there are times for just about everything. Please make Your will clear... show me the things that it is time for. Fix my heart on You and grant courage to make the most of the time that You have given me. Let me not live life without impacting souls for Your glory. Rid me of myself so that I see the opportunities that You are continually placing in my path. Conform my desires to Yours. Make me more like Christ. I want a full life for Your glory. I am Your tool... not one that you need... but one that You have chosen. Please use me as You see fit.

Firm in Your Faith

I was reading in 1 Peter 5 this morning and verses 6-11 caught my attention.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.

I have been thinking much about what humility actually looks like. False humility is such a huge temptation... but when I am laying all my anxiety at His feet, that is humbling. It is an act of submission knowing that I can do nothing about my fears, but He can do everything. I believe that faith has a huge connection to humility. The result of faith is submission and obedience to His ways regardless of if other roads seem easier. It takes humility to take my ideals and throw them aside for sake of following His perfect plan... but when I have my eyes fully fixed on Christ, there is nothing within me that wants it any other way. He confirms and strengthens and establishes us as we obey Him. It is within His nature to do so.

God, my anxious heart needs more of You. You have given me no reason not to trust You... but it is humbling to trust You. Rid my heart of any pride that would be keeping me from true humility. Guard me against the appearance of humility without the heart behind it. Humble me as You deem best. Thank You for Your care. Give me a heart of steadfastness in faith. Plant my feet firm in Your ways so that when the Satan comes to devour, Your grace would be my shelter in time of storm. I ask for Your perfecting work in my heart... and for Your confirming, strengthening, and establishing. I am needy... but You are awesome in splendor. Cause me to tremble before You. Thank You for meeting my every desire. You are all I need. Help me to truly believe that. Tune my heart to sing Your praise. You make everything glorious. Teach me to love You more.

The Dare to Believe

I have been thinking a bit lately about Biblical ways of challenging people to love and serve the Lord. I am kind of turned off by the "try before you buy" type Christianity. When Christ called people to follow Him, it wasn't a "try and see if you like it" kind of thing. It was a "take up your cross and follow me", whole-hearted commitment. It was a "if you love father or mother more than Me, you are not worthy of Me" commitment. Yet we also see Paul pleading with people to be reconciled to God. I struggle in how to balance these things, but as I was reading 1 Peter 2 this evening, I was once again challenged to believe and obey Him and I want to offer this same challenge to you... not with my words, but with His.

We are offered this hope:

He who believes in Him will not be disappointed.

The question is... do you believe it? Do you truly believe that doing things His way will never disappoint you? Do you truly believe that His ways are always best?

Sin is disbelief... a lack of faith (whatever is not of faith is sin... without faith, it is impossible to please God). Obedience is just the outward expression of belief. It is an essential thing, but it is not the foundation. We can pretend to be obedient for a while, but if it doesn't come from a heart of full trust in the God who never disappoints, even that "act of obedience" is deceiving ourselves. My challenge to you is this: think through five big things in which you need to trust the Lord. Write them down. Spend some time reading the Word and write down specific ways in which you must be obedient to His ways regardless of the cost. You will not be disappointed. It is a promise from the Creator of the universe. Trust Him. Obey Him. Love Him.

Living to Please Christ

This week was a good, but stressful one at work. Several unexpected things came up (an internet service provider company messed up the routing to our website which took down almost half our customers... had to get test materials delivered with one days notice... etc.). It all worked out well in the end, but it was a bit stressful at times. I am thankful for His grace and help through this week. I have been thinking quite a bit about what it means to please God rather than man this week. I am in constant need of reanalyzing my heart and asking Him to show me the areas in which I am not fully pleasing Him. This evening I was reading in Deuteronomy 12 and verses 5-11 caught my attention.

But you shall seek the Lord at the place which the Lord your God will choose from all your tribes, to establish His name there for His dwelling, and there you shall come. There you shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the contribution of your hand, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock. There also you and your households shall eat before the Lord your God, and rejoice in all your undertakings in which the Lord your God has blessed you. You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes; for you have not as yet come to the resting place and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you. When you cross the Jordan and live in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security, then it shall come about that the place in which the Lord your God will choose for His name to dwell, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution of your hand, and all your choice votive offerings which you will vow to the Lord.

Obviously, a lot of these things don't apply in the practical sense... we don't offer burnt offerings now. However, what God is teaching them through this is something I need to be continually reminded of. I am thinking specifically if the emphasis on doing what is right... doing it at the right time... and at the right place. The purpose is to please Him. The place in which God has chosen for His name to dwell is your heart (if He is your savior and Lord) and my heart. We are not to do whatever is right in our own eyes. My job (even in the areas in which I am called to be a leader) is not to think of a great plan and then carry it out. That is "leaning on my own understanding" and "doing whatever is right in my own eyes", but rather, my job is to seek the Lord, rejoice in Him, rest in Him, offer the living sacrifice of my heart to Him, and do what is right in His eyes. It is for His fame that we must live.

God, I ask that You would make my ways straight as I acknowledge You in all my ways. In order for You to do that, You must first give me a heart that acknowledges You and seeks Your will above my own. I ask that You would reveal to me any area in which I am doing what is right in my own eyes and turn my heart to do only what is right in Your eyes. Continue teaching me what is pleasing to You and give me the courage to live it out day by day, moment by moment. Strengthen your Spirit in me and cause me to continually present myself as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to You. It is the only reasonable thing that I can do since You have ransomed me. "Faultless I stand, with righteous works not mine. Saved by my Lord's vicarious death and life. I cling to Christ and marvel at the cost. Jesus forsaken, God estranged from God. Bought by such love, my life is not my own. My praise, my all, shall be for Christ alone." God, give me that heart--a heart that understands the depth of Your love for me and responds with living for You alone.

Being Wholly Illumined

It's hard to believe how fast time is flying... we are already half way through January! If the rest of the year goes anything like these first couple weeks, it is going to be an awesome year. Pastor Tim preached last week on the passage in Luke 20 where Jesus is responding to whether or not they ought to pay taxes to Caesar and He responded, "Whose likeness and inscription does it [the coin] have?... Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." I have always wondered about this passage in that in reality, all things belong to God. Pastor Tim made the point that in Genesis 1, we are created in the image of God. So, whose likeness and inscription do we have? Render to God, the things that are God's!

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

It never ceases to amaze me at how He takes His Word and continually drives it into my heart. I am so thankful for His work and perseverance. We were reading the other night in Luke 11 during family devotions and I have been pondering over verses 32-36.

No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness. If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part in it, it will be wholly illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays.

God calls us to "watch out" that the light in us does not become darkness. We must guard our hearts so that we have "no dark part in it [our heart]".

God, I ask for You to purify me as You did the sons of Levi as they were preparing to come before You. I want to be wholly illumined with the light of Christ. Shine the light of Your Word on any area of darkness in my heart. "O God of hosts, turn again now, we beseech You; look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine, even the shoot which Your right hand has planted, and on the son whom You have strengthened for Yourself." You are the One that both plants and strengthens the hearts of man. I ask that You would look down and that You would utterly destroy any darkness so that I would be strengthened for Your sake. Fill my heart with a longing for complete obedience. Grant courage and help for Your glory in my heart.

Just the Beginning

Life and work has resumed at full speed once again. There have been some interesting changes at work including many more responsibilities on my plate. It is a good thing... but it is challenging to prioritize all the different tasks being thrown my way. It's been very much enjoyable though. I actually spent about an hour taking staples out of test booklets today. I am continually amazed by the work that God has done in my heart. I remember the first time I was asked to do such tedious tasks at work... and how I really was not in any way happy to do it. By His grace, I am able to take joy in such tasks now. It really comes down to living "not for yourself". God has graciously showed me many areas in which I have been far too self-centered and given me opportunities to make Him the priority and in doing so, serving others.

I was reading this evening in Deuteronomy 3 and verse 24 jumped out at me.

O Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Yours?

This is Moses talking. This is the Moses that was saved at birth by Pharoah's daughter. This is the Moses that God spoke to in the burning bush. This is the Moses that God used to part the Red Sea. This is the Moses that God gave the 10-Commandments. This is the Moses that God used to bring the plagues on Egypt. If this Moses says that all these things are just the beginning of God's greatness and the strength of His hand... I have so far to go in knowing and trusting Him. There is a huge difference between "knowing" and "believing". May He continually cause us to reflect on His amazing works and meditate on His deeds so that our minds and hearts are filled with the knowledge and full belief in His infinite power and worth.

God, I ought not be surprised by Your marvelous deeds... for You can do all things. I want my love of Your works to increase and my surprise by them to decrease. I have so far to go in knowing You. I long to see Your marvelous deeds and know without a shadow of a doubt that You can do far more and yet I also want to value Your works more than I do now. Unite my heart to fear Your Name. I don't fully understand how this can happen in this heart of mine, but You did this work in the heart of Moses. You can do it in my heart. Help me to trust You so much more than I do.

His Complete Control

I was reading some Psalms this evening before bed and my eye was caught in Psalm 33:10-18.

The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance. The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men; from His dwelling place He looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, He who fashions the hearts of them all, He who understands all their works. The king is not saved by a mighty army; a warrior is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a false hope for victory; nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope for His lovingkindness.

The frustration of my plans is one of the most valuable graces of God on my life. It is humbling when things don't go like I plan them... and He fully intends them to be so. I need that. I need His constant reminder of His complete control over everything. While I am responsible to take action as He leads, there is no strength apart from Him. There is no victory without Christ. It is on this hope for His lovingkindness that I fix my eyes as I enter this new year. I have made several "resolutions" (many of them are not so much resolutions as they are areas that I want to make progress in). I believe these things are God's will; however, I am fully aware that they may not happen as I think they will. This will be His grace in the form of frustration of my plans. This is His goodness upon my life. It is His perfect plan to keep me dependent on Him. In this, I rejoice greatly and look forward to living moment by moment for His glory in 2011.

Not Too Much... Not Too Little

It's been a great week of fun with the family. We have had a lot of wonderful time together from going up to the mountains and playing in the snow/hiking (and falling on rocks while protecting the camera and cell phone in each hand). haha This is pretty much my first time off since starting the new job back at the beginning of July... and it has been very nice and refreshing. One thing that I have often prayed is that God would not bless me beyond what I am able to handle, because I have seen how I am prone to self-dependence when things are going well. I ran across this passage in Proverbs 30:7-9 the other day that I completely forgot about.

Two things I asked of You, do not refuse me before I die: Keep deception and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is my portion, that I not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the Lord?" Or that I not be in want and steal, and profane the name of my God.

I think these two things are the source of most of the "hard times" we face in life. We either have too much, and our hearts are turned from Christ to the love material things or feel self-sufficient... or we have too little... and because of that, we don't trust His sovereignty in providing for us. I have gone through times of both of these things this year. While having too much seems like a good problem, it is hard to continually trust the Lord when He has blessed so abundantly. It is not at all a lack of His work that makes it hard to trust Him, but the temptation is for us to depend on ourselves... to rest in the security of our jobs or our future plans. How many times has He taken your plans and changed them? How many times has He taken the very thing you depended on away from You? May I suggest that this is the amazing love of the all-wise Father. We see a pattern in the lives of the Israelites, and if I am honest, I can see much the same pattern in my own heart even if it doesn't show on the outside in the same way that it did with the Israelites. God blessed them abundantly... they turned their own way... God made their circumstances so that they had to depend on Him... they turned from sin and trusted Him again... He blessed them... they turned their own way... etc.

God, these words... Your words in Proverbs 30 are so wise. I do not desire a life of ease. I am scared to pray that, but I want more than anything to walk with You all the days of my life. I ask for Your amazing love and grace in always providing what I need. I don't ask for more than that, though You have given much more than what I need. I ask for Your help to continually depend on You now in this time of plenty... and ask for Your help in the times where I don't feel like I have enough. Plant Your Word deep inside my heart so that my response, whether I have much or little, is that of contentment in Your perfect plan. Teach me dependence and trust in You so that my heart is not one that is wavering based on circumstance, but rather a heart of steadfastness in trusting and living for Your fame.

Merry Christmas!

It's time for a confession... I have never really cared for Christmas music. The reason for this is that so often unrealistic things are mixed in with the theology of the song and it just annoys me. I guess I don't like to sing about things if that isn't how it actually was. This year, I ended up leading the choir at church for practicing Christmas songs, so I decided to make more of an effort to like Christmas music... to take the good for what it is and let the rest go.

There really is more good in Christmas music than I had previously seen. I feel bad even admitting this since everyone I know seems to love Christmas music, but I think you'll survive. There has been a few songs that have caught my eye this Christmas and so I thought I'd take the time to share a couple of those and really think through them.

Check out these verses of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.

O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.

It is sad that I haven't really taken the time to think through these Biblically-grounded words. I love how this song describes different aspects of God and shows our desire for Him to come and work out His plan in our hearts. I don't want these to be just words that we sing, but truly the desire of our hearts.

Verse 2 of What Child is This? caught my attention.

Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

This is packed with truths from John 1, Isaiah 53 and Philippians 2. Oh that we would hear "the silent Word pleading"... His call to come and die so that we might live.

The song that stood out to me most by far was O Holy Night.

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our Friend!
He knows our need—to our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy Name!
Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!

Do we feel His worth? Even more than that, do we know His worth? Does the hope of knowing His worth give us this "thrill of hope"? What a gift!

Are we walking by faith? Do we realize the humility in which the King of all kings came? Do we realize that He has called us His friends? Do we realize that He understands our every weakness? Does this reality cause us to be like Him and humble ourselves before Him in awe and worship?

He has taught us to love... but are we truly loving one another? Are we making ourselves of little reputation for the sake of others? Are we esteeming others more highly than ourselves? His commands are not burdensome! They come from the very heart of love. His Gospel is the absolute only way to have peace with God. He has come that we would know Him, be like Him and know the hope of His coming... and that in knowing this hope, we would purify ourselves and watch as He looses the chains of sin and death. If that isn't a cause for hymns and songs of joy, I don't know what is! Let all that is within us praise His holy Name! Christ is indeed the Lord... we must praise His name forever!

God, forgive me for singing these words so blindly. Thank You for these powerful words of truth. Cause my heart to overflow with the joy of Christ. Cause both my words and actions to praise Your name as long as I live. Thank You for sending Your Son to take on frail human flesh so that we could know You. Let the wisdom that You pour out continually guide my every action. Guard me from turning to the right or to the left. You who order all things in a mighty way, lead me to the full joy of walking in obedience to You. May my heart proclaim Your glory.

A Good Name

It has been a pretty relaxing week at work... the schools are out for Christmas, so the phones almost never ring. It has been fun getting to work on more exciting projects and less on customer issues, though I do greatly enjoy interacting with different customers. It is nice to have a little change for a week or two all the same. My boss pulled me into his office a while back (I thought I might be in trouble for something, though I didn't know what)... he showed me an email that he had received regarding how grateful one of our customers was for some things that I had done. The reason I mention this is because I was reading Proverbs 22 this evening... verse 1 says:

A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, favor is better than silver and gold.

I was reminded of this incident when I read these words, but maybe not how you'd expect. The things I had done for this customer were small. Yes, I was nice, yes, I was helpful, but these things were small. I am glad that they were thankful, but an email does not define "a good name". A good name is not based on a couple things that you do, it is based on your life... your character... who you are at the core. Yes, I enjoy the emails from people that have never met me that are happy about something I did, but I so much more want to really have a good name.

It glorifies Christ when we have a good name because we are representing Him. Someone recently pointed out to me that Daniel and Joseph in the Bible never had anything bad said about them. They had good names. But, look at the results of this "good name" that each of them had... it was the glory of God! When Daniel makes it clear that it is God that both gave and revealed the dream, the king responds, "Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery." It is with this intent that we must live--to glorify Him in all things. He exalts [gives a good name to] the humble, but He is opposed to the proud. In the case of both Daniel and Joseph, they had small challenges at times and big challenges at other times, but in each case, they responded with full submission and obedience to the ways of the Lord... honest, faithful, of highest integrity, no compromise, steadfast, immovable, wise, courageous, gracious, strong, etc. May He grow us in these areas as we pursue a good name for His glory.

Living to the Fullest

Christina and I had the blessing of getting to hang out with a young couple that moved out not too long ago. It is such a blessing to see two Godly individuals wholeheartedly desiring to serve Him together. It was a great time of fun and fellowship... definitely some much needed refreshment.

I was praying as I was jogging up the stairs to the office on Monday morning something that I pray quite often... specifically that God would teach me to number my days so that I would present to Him a heart of wisdom. I don't know how many days He has given me. He may call me home tonight... now, I don't sense that that is His plan, but I need that constant reminder so that I am living life to the fullest for His glory. I was reading tonight in Psalm 39. Take a look at verses 4 and 5.

Lord, make me to know my end and what is the extent of my days; let me know how transient I am. Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Selah.

It is not until we get to the "end of ourselves" that we can truly cherish Christ. Life is not about me... even if I live that way at times. Life truly is about Christ. I am one of the millions of people that has the privilege of serving Him with this moment. I have a choice... I can serve me in this moment, or I can serve Him in this moment.

God, I ask that by Your grace, You would bring me to the end of myself. Would You humble me and show me how small I am so that I would cherish You how I ought to. Help me to cherish this moment and use it to serve You. You even give to Your beloved in their sleep. It is a humbling thing to have to sleep! It means that life goes on without me. Thank You for the reminder of this each and every day. Remind me of my dependence on You. Give me a God-centered urgency about eternally significant things. Would You not have told me the number of my days if it was best for Your glory? Use the uncertainty of the future to stir within me a greater passion for Your glory. Make me a servant like Your Son.

The Proof of Trust

You may remember the song that most of us have sung many times... "Trust and Obey". It is such a simple song and yet the truths of it and really quite profound. Obedience is a result of trust. When we were little and mom said, "Don't go in the street", we obeyed out of trust... at least those of us that lived. :) She told us this because she had good intentions for us. She wanted us to be safe. In the same way, the commands of God are not a limiting thing. In the words of John, "His commandments are not burdensome". Yes, His commandments are limiting... and yes, that is a good thing! I have just been pondering these things much over the last few days because I so much want to trust Him with all of my heart. I wish I could say that I trust Him with all of my heart, but my lack of full unselfish obedience leads me to the conclusion that I must come to--I really don't trust Him! I have taken the lies of Satan as the thing to depend on. I say it that way because I need to hear it... and it is absolutely true. Disobedience is simply trusting Satan more than God. We love how lenient Satan is... don't we? We love that added freedom... to do what we please... don't we?

You may have not even noticed that I used very Biblical terms to describe the center of our sinfulness... "love"... "freedom". We were once slaves to sin, but now we are free in Christ. Satan takes these very important parts of our life in Christ and turns it around making us feel like His commandments are burdensome... that we are "in bondage"... etc. We are not.

I am thinking of 1 John 2:15-17.

Do not love the world nor the things in the world If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

Elsewhere it states that God has come to destroy the works of the devil... and He says that he who sins is of the devil. Do we really want to work in such a way that God will come and destroy us? Do we not realize that God is no respecter of persons? Yes, He loves us so much that He sent His Son to die in our place, but let us not lose sight of the fact that He has come to destroy some of the things that we have a "love" for. Let us lay aside the sin that so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us! He is the author and finisher of our faith. We will reap if we do not grow weary in doing good.

God, you know of my lack of trust in You ever more than I do. You know all the ways in which I have loved the things of this world. You know the lies that I have believed. I am not telling You something new. You did not make sin desirable. Your Word is so full of reasons to not sin... and yet, I do. I can't even "surrender all" to You if I want to. It is Your Spirit that enables any kind of good thing to come out of this heart. I do surrender all, not with my own strength, but through Christ who gives me strength. I ask that You would strip from my heart any love for the things that You have come to destroy. Give me Your heart about the things of this world... give me Your heart about eternally significant things. Tear down any walls that keep me from trusting You fully. Cause me to bear the fruit of obedience. Make Your will my most passionate desire, my deepest love and my strongest foothold.

His Wisdom

As a family, we used to read a Psalm and a Proverb every morning... we have now ventured out into many other books (currently Ephesians). But, it has been a little while since I have really spent time in Proverbs. I am in great need of His wisdom these days and so I thought I'd read Proverbs again after my minor prophet detour the last few weeks. Anyway, I ran across this excellent section at the beginning of Proverbs 2 that I really needed to hear.

My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments within you, Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the Lord And discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, Guarding the paths of justice, And He preserves the way of His godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness and justice And equity and every good course. For wisdom will enter your heart And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; Discretion will guard you, understanding will watch over you.

This also reminded me of Philippians 4:6-7...

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

It brings such peace knowing that if we lack wisdom, we can ask Him and He will give it. The true knowledge of Christ will guard our hearts and guide us in His ways. It is when we diligently seek Him with all of our hearts that He promises to be "found by us".

God, You have said that if anyone lacks wisdom, they can ask of You and You will give it. I definitely lack wisdom and so I ask, knowing that You will provide it. As I seek Your guidance in prayer and in Your Word, I ask that You would lead and guide me... that You would guard my heart and mind... that You would lead me in "every good course"... that my soul would find Your wisdom to be pleasant... that You would humble me so that I would truly seek Your wisdom and see my own for what it is... that You would provide Your grace so that I would not lean on my own understanding... that I would know You and Your ways and not just know, but understand and live according to Your will. Strip anything away that is not of You and unite my heart to fear Your name.

Not Just Another Thanksgiving

I was thinking this morning about this day we call Thanksgiving. I was thinking about how I don't want to get lost in just going with the traditions... eating turkey, being with family, having fun, and miss the purpose of Thanksgiving. This thanksgiving, my focus of thanks has been mostly centered around the people God has placed in my life to "strengthen my hand in God" as Jonathan did for David.

God has given many abundant blessings... actually, life being one of those. Having had a somewhat close call with a punctured lung a few weeks ago was a reminder of just how frail my life is. The Lord's faithfulness has been so real this last year... seeing Him provide everything plus some for the mission trip to Mexico... seeing how He protected there and caused everything to run smoothly... seeing how He took me out of the job that I was kind of stuck in and moved me to a more long-term (Lord willing) job... seeing how He prepared me for the challenges of this new job... seeing how He has provided for our family's needs on a day by day basis... etc. There have been countless more ways that God has been faithful to me over this last year... in fact, God defines faithfulness. Anything that He does is faithful. It is impossible for Him to be unfaithful... even when I am completely unfaithful.

I was thinking this evening about how important thankfulness is. I did a search earlier today and read more from it on BibleGateway... I was just searching for the word, "thanks". I didn't get as far as I would have liked, but the concept of giving thanks is absolutely central to our daily life. Something I hadn't noted before is that they actually had people set up specifically for the purpose of giving thanks to God. How cool would that be? "What do you do for work?"... "Oh, I give God thanks." Okay, now I have be honest and admit that I didn't study it to the point of knowing how much time they spent doing this, but it was important enough to set specific people in charge of giving thanks to God. If it was that important to them, it ought to be just as important to me. My life ought to be centered around Him... and as it's centered around Him... seeing His continual faithfulness, it ought to overflow with giving of thanks for His unending faithfulness and love.

One of His acts of faithfulness to me is bringing many godly people into my life to "strengthen my hand in God". To those that have made such efforts, I cannot tell you how much it means to me. Thank you.

God, I am so thankful for Your unending faithfulness, yet, I am not nearly as thankful as I want to be. Would You, by Your grace, give me a heart of thankfulness. Do not allow me to credit myself with the blessings that You pour out so continually. It is not because of my faithfulness that Your bless, but truly, only because of the righteousness of Christ on my behalf. So, help me not lose sight of that. Help me never to grow weary of giving thanks to You. May it not be just another act of lip-service, but an accurate reflection of my heart. Help me be more thankful. Help me love You more. Thank You for the cross.

Repetitive Prayers

I have been thinking about prayer quite a bit lately. This may sound strange, but I am kind of more scared to pray now than every before. Perhaps part of it is that I am praying some "scary" things... things that require a trust in Him that is beyond what I feel like I can handle, yet I know that with His strength, He can and will enable me to do anything that He calls me to do. I know that fear (as in being afraid) isn't the proper response to answered prayer, but I have to be honest and say that when I am praying things that I am scared to pray... knowing full well that He will answer it... it kind of scares me! I trust Him, but my timid heart fears how He might answer it. He has never once failed me in any way... so I don't know why I fear His next plan. It is a constant battle to fully trust Him with all of my heart.

I have also been thinking about praying the same kinds of things over and over again. I was telling God on the way home from work all the different things that I am tired of praying for and He graciously reminded me of the following passages.

Luke 11:1-8
It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples." And He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. 'Give us each day our daily bread. 'And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.'" Then He said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; and from inside he answers and says, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' "I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

Luke 18:1-8
Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, saying, "In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. "There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.' "For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.'" And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? "I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"

Genesis 32:24-32
Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob's thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. Then he said, "Let me go, for the dawn is breaking." But he said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." So he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." He said, "Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed." Then Jacob asked him and said, "Please tell me your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And he blessed him there. So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, "I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved." Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh. Therefore, to this day the sons of Israel do not eat the sinew of the hip which is on the socket of the thigh, because he touched the socket of Jacob's thigh in the sinew of the hip.

Matthew 15:21-28
Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon. And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed." But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, "Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us." But He answered and said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" And He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." But she said, "Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." Then Jesus said to her, "O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed at once.

God, would You give me Your grace and help to come boldly before Your throne. Strip away the self-centered fear that my heart is so prone to and fill me with a desire to do nothing other than Your will... no matter what it costs. Fill my heart with Your desires. Help me not grow weary in prayer, but to press on in faith just how You instructed us to pray--with Your will as my focus, and with much perseverance. Conform my will to Yours alone. Give me courage to take the next step. Glorify Yourself in me... no matter what it takes.