Better than a delicious coffee drink (even though I love those)...

Oh what beauty!  I just love Romans chapter 8 :) how can so much Good News be packed into one little chapter?  And this is only part of the Bible, only a glimpse of all the goodness throughout Gods Word. Before you read my blog any further- sit down and soak up Romans 8!

I can't tell you how many times I have searched for Gods wisdom, hope, and love...  And then have been led to this chapter in Romans.  Not only are these words comforting but they are also challenging!  Romans 8 presents many questions to my wandering heart:

Am I living by the Spirit, or living for my flesh?  Do I have life and peace, or am I living in death and separation?  Is my heart submitted to Gods laws, or am I acting in hostility towards what God has commanded?  Is my mind set on the Spirit and how I may please The Lord, or am I living to please myself?  These are questions that everyone is faced with when reading Romans 8:6-8...  And I am humbled- because Gods goodness is so evident...  His Spirit is so clearly ready to share life and peace with us if I would only submit my heart!  Yes!  Yes please!  Why would I say no?!

Well, I suppose there is this next part which speaks of suffering...  If you and I are to submit to God, and His Spirit and be: "heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ" it is assumed then that "we suffer with [Christ] in order that we may also be glorified with Him." (Romans 8:17 ESV). This is where it gets hard to submit doesn't it?  When suffering comes along its often hard to look forward to the glory in Jesus Christ that is to come!  

Oh but: "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God." (Romans 8:18 & 19 ESV). May we "wait with eager longing" as we live our lives...  Even in hard times, suffering, and sad news...  The glory ahead is so far beyond any glory we have known it is not even worth comparing to the things we go through day to day!  What blessedness :)

I would love to dissect more of this chapter but house duties call- so I will just dwell in the treat of Gods Words that Ive been able to meditate on.  Praying that my spirit will be submitted to The Lord and that I may reflect His vibrant life and overwhelming peace- even when things aren't going the way my flesh had originally planned :p thank you Jesus for your bigger and better plans!  Amen.

The Call to Have a Heart of Worship...

"Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness." - Psalm 29:2

Oh what glory is due to God!  It is overwhelming and wonderful to think how my life should exist in this all consuming task of acknowledging my Savior in everything.  In thankfulness and joy my thoughts should pour forth praise!

Why is it then that living a life of worship towards my Creator and Sustainer is such a battle most days?  How can it be that my circumstances and emotions  dictate my response to God?  The reality is that He never changes- He is always worthy of praise!  This reality of Truth is beyond what I can always see and always feel and this is where God calls faith to play its part in my lifelong song of worship.  The questions above must be addressed as my human nature, the doubts of my flesh: when I live for my flesh, consumed by my flesh, I am naturally at war with my spirit, at war with God's Holy Spirit who desires to live through me!  

As I worship God I am also called to do so by living a life of discipline- to practice doing what is right and good and wonderful even when it doesn't feel easy.  And miracle of miracles, once I begin to humbly do this, to live by Christ's strength and to listen to His Spirit lead: my flesh no longer is a curse but a means to be thankful, to enjoy Jesus more fully, to sacrifice my body daily as Jesus did and to share with others all that I have been given.

My life is truly blessed!  I am called to live a life of worship, thankful praise to a God I owe everything to...  and He doesn't Lord this debt over me, but rather gives me freedom and love.  He shares with me the responsibility of forgiveness and grace so I may pass it on to others and then with joy I am able to watch others also live in God's freedom and love!

Oh what lies I believe when I am burdened down by fear and bitterness...  God has set me free!  He has set us all free!  Jesus died that you and I may have new eyes to see and to understand His Truth.  We are new creations in Him- set apart for His glory and praise...  Not because He is vain and arrogant- no... Because He is good and kind!  

“A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word ‘darkness’ on the walls of his cell.” - C. S. Lewis

God knows that we need Him!  His power alone can free us from our chains of selfishness and sin.  Hallelujah!

"... the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.  God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” - John 4:23-24

Our Lord and Savior is seeking us actively, asking us to be true worshippers!  We must know His Word and Listen to His Spirit if we are to praise Him in Spirit and in Truth.

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." - Romans 12:1-2

What joy- to be able to meditate on God's Word, to be renewed in my mind with hope and purpose!  Worship simply takes time...  and every moment we are given is from The Lord!  Thank you Jesus for allowing me quiet to focus on you as Nico sleeps in my arms and Saphira kicks and grows inside of me.  My spirit and my flesh are consumed by Your Love!

"Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” - Revelation 4:11

Father of all...

⁸ 

In honor of our ultimate Father, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I wanted to just focus our thoughts on Him this Fathers Day!  Here are some verses about who we are in God and who God is always.  May you be encouraged and inspired to be thankful to our all-powerful Father today and always:

"But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand." - Isaiah 64:8

Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us..." - Malachi 2:10

"So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 

I and the Father are one.”

- John 10:24-30

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

- 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

"one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

- Ephesians 4:5-6

Happy Fathers Day!  Praying blessings over all the men in my life who have been called to be Dads.  May you each be inspired and be led by The Lord as you lay down your lives each day: as you worship our Living God, by parenting your children, loving your wives, and serving others as Jesus did!

A Hard Teaching...

Notes, quotes, and paraphrases from a sermon by John Piper entitled: "Don't Waste Your Life"

"When horrific events take place we need to ask: What would Jesus want us to learn from this, about not wasting our lives?  I think Jesus would say, just as in Luke 13:2-5: '... Unless you repent you will all likewise perish...'  Jesus is compassionate and kind, He weeps," and He comes to display Gods love and salvation, "but His goal is not to make everyone happy!  He doesnt need to make excuses for Gods actions.  Are you astonished at the magnitude of this calamity, don't be. You should be astonished that you are not among the ones who died- for we all deserve to die and perish!  If we are alive, we should question what it is that The Lord desires of us."

John Piper went on to mention Job and his reaction to the destruction of his children: "Blessed be the name of The Lord, He has given and He has taken away."  He went on to mention Hannah, who desperately wanted a child and she acknowledge God as thenone who holds life and death in his hands.  And so he concludes: If any of us lives through the night, or if I do, it is only by grace!

"Your life is in God's hands.  He never does anyone wrong.  Whether he takes your life or lets you live: you belong to God!  Therefore He knows what life is for- and the only way not to waste your life is to key off of the Almighty and to know what he would have you be."

"Jesus has something to say about this because He is really jealous that you don't waste your life today.  Jesus is jealous for you!  I think He would say to you: 'a person's life does not exist in the abundance of his possessions.'"

"Who knows when God will say: "this night your soul will be required from you."  Your life is not about accumulating things!  No sane person on his deathbed ever comforted himself with his possessions that his life was well spent."

Matthew 16:24-25, "If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."

"It is possible to waste your life.  Few things make me tremble more than wasting my life.  As a child I would wake up and run into the kitchen and see this sign: "Only one life, twil soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last."  And it communicated to me very early on that a life could be wasted.  Don't waste it!  I decided early on that I did not want to waste my life, and I cried out to God about it."

"What a tragedy in America that billions of dollars are invested every year to waste the rest of our lives: it's called retirement. For some it goes like this: "you worked for it, enjoy it" and so they live in relaxation, comfort, and ease.  While so many are still in need," not just physical need but spiritual need.  "We are going to join them, and be sucked in, unless we decide that our treasure is Christ- it will take a massive measure of grace to rescue us from this culture!"

"So now the question is: what is an unwasted life?  What would that be?  How can I not waste my life, this text is the answer: Philippians 1:20-21."

"The unwasted life is one that puts Christ on display as supremely valuable" -because He is!  "How does Paul make Christ look great?  He counts everything else in comparison to Jesus Christ as a loss...  Because of the treasure Christ has become to him." 

"Make Christ look great, that's why you exist.  This is Paul's all consuming passion.  My expectation and hope is that Christ will be shown great in me and in my body whether in life or in death."

Philippians 3:7-8.  How does Paul make Christ look great?  By experiencing Christ as such a treasure that every thing else in His life was as loss compared to knowing Jesus Christ."

"How do you make Christ great in your life?  Money, food, clothes, friends, and family are given to you so that you may live in such a way that it will be plain to the world these are not your treasures- Jesus Christ is!  Use all that you have been give to show the world that you treasure Jesus Christ above all things!  Get it- and if you dont get it yet, then pray!  Pray that you would treasure Jesus Christ above everything else in life!"

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." -Philippians 1:21

"If death is to be gain, Christ must be more precious to you than everything you leave behind.  Then when the world looks on, they will be able to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is valuable!  Life and death are given to you- they are gifts- in order that you may display the supreme glory of Jesus Christ."

"This treasuring of Him... is most clearly seen in what you are willing gladly to risk and sacrifice, if He calls, in order to have more of Him!  "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  Do you want more and more, is He your treasure?  Labor in prayer for authenticity!"

"'Magnifying Christ by being satisfied in Him' was the passion in Paul's life- it was not the American dream of escaping hardship.  He wanted to make Christ's life more vivid for all to see!  Are you going to buy into the American dream or live by the cross, and treasure Jesus beyond all else?!"

"'Always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in you.'  - 1 Peter 3:15.  Has anyone asked you about your hope lately?  Maybe it's because it looks like your hope is in the same thing as everyone else, worldly goods and possesions and not Jesus Christ."

"Embrace Christ, embrace suffering, and embrace the reward of knowing Him!  If your passion is to display Christ then my prayer is that, your life will have the words 'this life was not wasted for Jesus' written all over it.  May you hear the words at the end of your life: 'well done good and faithful servant.'"

Led by the Holy Spirit versus Grasping for Control...

What a week!  As with many other weeks really, there have been many blessings and many hardships.  This week has seemed especially taxing on my emotions though.  I feel like I've been on a roller coaster and it all seemed to start last Saturday with my family's humbling news about my husbands journeyman program.

Then, there was Sunday, we all were sick with colds and exhausted...  I thought we had our babies area covered with leaders at church that morning but all our main leaders and their families were sick too!  A crazy thing that hasn't really happened before, and really, God had it covered anyway because a couple of other lovely women stepped in instead.  It was just a morning full of surprises!

Then Monday rolled along, groceries, cleaning, meal making, getting better still, and playing as much as I could with Nico...  Not too crazy, but busy enough.

Tuesday morning was another wild ride though, our friend Ezekiel came over at 4:30 in the morning while his parents raced off to the hospital because his mom had gone into labor with baby number two!  So my little guy and I enjoyed a day with our friend Ezekiel and went to visit with and meet our new baby friend, Asher, on Wednesday.  My grandfather in Texas had a huge heart surgery that day too!  And then my father in law went in for a more minor surgery right after that.  Wednesday was a day of many prayers and much rejoicing!

After those exciting two days, we decided to lay low on Thursday.  A few bills and letters to write and some shopping to do, but then we took it easy.

Mostly because we knew Friday was going to continue in adventures.  Nico and I planned to drive with my aunt to Seattle for the day, in order to visit another homeschooling mom!  It was a good thing- a stretch for my little Nico, as far as traveling in one day is concerned, but he survived- and I was encouraged as I listened in on and observed two godly women most of the day.  Which brings me to today and my inspiration for this post...

We all had a discussion about what it looks like, feels like, is like...  To be led by the Holy Spirit.  Something we all agreed on as being an often overwhelming way to live!  And, as we also agreed, whenever we are overwhelmed it is easy to just cry.  In other words, it can just be emotionally exhausting to live by the Holy Spirit- he asks things of us that we feel are crazy sometimes and he wants us to obey Him even when we don't get the results we want from doing so.  The key is to listen and obey!

Oh to listen and obey...  What an almost ironic thing to have to learn daily from my lord and Savior, as though I am a toddler in training!  That is, I am training my toddler to listen and obey right now ;) and so it's funny to be teaching something to my little guy that I am only learning how to do myself.

"For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law." - Galatians 5:17-18

Whoo!  What an amazing truth- and what an incredible freedom we have in jesus christ!  Writing out this crazy week is such a release.  It is good to remember that my life is in Gods hands!

Wouldn't you agree that it is good to know God grasps you firmly in his loving hold? 

"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry,“Abba! Father!”" - Romans 8:14-15

May you continue into this next week with the security of His Love and the faith to walk in His steps- even when it feels crazy ;)

Be aware- when you pray for humility...

This is a two-fold entry: serious and humorous, because lets face it, life is a mixture of both of these attributes; thankfully our God is a God of balance!

("A false balance is an abomination to The Lord, but a just weight is his delight." Proverbs 11:1).  I recently prayed for humility and patience as I was waiting for The Lord to answer some specific prayers. 

("The fear of The Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor." - Proverbs 15:33)

 Many of you may have heard to watch out when you pray for patience, because God will make you exercise it ;p well, the same is true when you pray for humility- and I managed to squish both virtues into one little prayer...  You may imagine what happened next...  

Yes, humility has been my bread and butter these past few days.  Between being misunderstood in the way I communicate or failing at different things altogether, I feel like I have had a good portion of humble pie.  And then, God decided to take me up on exercising some patience too!  One prayer I was specifically asking God to give favor towards, has been postponed and was not granted favor the first go around, and yet, He has not said no...  He has just very clearly said, not yet.  So, I will continue to wait and pray, by the Lord's strength, in His humility ;)

God indeed is a good God and answers our prayers when they are aligned with His will: may I remind you, as I seemed to have forgotten, humility and patience are definitely within His character and therefore His will!  "Ask and you shall receive..." is exactly what happened- yes His Words are true.  See for yourself, ask wholeheartedly, and He will reveal Himself to you, for He wants us to know Him!

So, while I feel like I may be in the same boat as when I first started praying, I happen to have a new view.  Life is more beautiful after every humbling experience we encounter, for it is part of the way Christ helps us die to ourselves and live more fully in Him.  Praise The Lord again for His perfect example of enduring humility... patiently... and while I may have been too afraid to consciously pray this before now, may He give me the grace to do the same!

"I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." - Ephesians 4:1-3

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.  Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.  In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him." - 1 John 4:7-9

In the end...

 "For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.  And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." - Romans 8:32-33

"Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!" - Psalm 31:24

The call and response of Scripture!  I love how God knows exactly how I feel and then He shares the words that I need to hear, just in time to refocus my thoughts on Him.  Emotions are so strong and real, they can be all consuming, and oftentimes when I least expect them to be.  And yet, they will change and fade as emotions always seem to do!  This is why my faith cannot be based solely on how I feel.  Faith requires steadfastness...  Patient hope...  Faithful endurance...  Consistent focus on what lies ahead!  

The ultimate answer is, of course, Jesus. Simply and overwhelmingly, the awe-inspiring presence of my wonderful Creator for eternity.  My hopeful end, and also my new beginning, rests in my Savior's Love!

"Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit." - Ecclesiastes 7:8