Stream Him

Sometimes I feel that there is a cacophony of thoughts noises and chaos in my head. This phase of my life is so busy that when I am “busy” mode many things are lost to me besides what comes next and what needs to be done after that. This adrenaline keeps me going through our days until maybe at 9 or 10 at night I can maybe think about something else besides accomplishing our day. This is how it has to be sometimes. God gives us an amazing brain to multi-task.

What happens when you can’t calm that brain down or when there is a disruption to the schedule? What about our children, husbands, or other people that depend on us to really be there? Most importantly, what of God? Can He enter our thoughts at any time and be welcomed? How do we silence the cacophony?!

“The Lord your God is in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17

This morning as I was driving and really wanting the Lord’s advice on something I thought of this verse. He is above rejoicing over us with gladness and singing. I prayed, “Lord, stream those songs into my mind.” I want to know what He is singing. I want to know what is pleasing Him about my life. I want to know what His thoughts towards me are.

How precious are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake I am still with You. Psalm 139:17-18

Those thoughts of love pouring into our brain will quiet us. The enemy wants to distract us to no end with other thoughts. He wants to put wrong thoughts in our heads and false thoughts about God. If he can keep us thinking of other things, even if they are not “bad” things, then we are losing the voice of God in our heads.

The voice of God will rejoice over us with singing. Do you feel the love in that? What girl wouldn’t fall for a guy singing love songs to her? God is singing over us His love, His unconditional love. He knows every last thing we have done and ever will do good and bad and is still totally in love with us. Rejoice is to exult, or display joy. Do you see why we need this stream of God’s thoughts flowing into us? Our great, marvelous, powerful King wants to exultingly display His joy in us.

Unfathomable, when all of our righteousness is from Him, and we can do nothing to earn it! It is only in this way, with God’s love flowing freely into us, that we can give out to others. Lord Jesus, help us to open our hearts and minds to your overflowing and overwhelming love for us.

BONUS - Read C.H. Spurgeon's October 22nd morning devotional to see how God loves us freely. Click here.

Bought 2

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1

While I promise that Jesus will come along side as we obey Him, we must make that choice to do so. I am sure at some point we have all wanted to avoid Romans 12:1. You have all heard that living sacrifices tend to jump of the altar. Maybe we sneak off or maybe we pretend we don’t see it at all. God still loves us when we do that, but we are the ones to miss out.

God may come to us with an opportunity and we might miss it. We might decide not to obey, even though we are bought, even though we know it is best to obey. How scary to think an opportunity might pass us by because we are unwilling to obey!

“Think of those believers who heard the call of Christ to some specific sphere of service but failed to respond. They have no idea of the present blessings and eternal rewards which they have missed.

It is true that sometimes opportunity knocks only once. Though it is laden with choicest treasures, it may seem at the moment to conflict with personal plans or to involve personal sacrifice. It represents God’s very best for us, but for reasons of our own we let the opportunity pass. We refuse His best and settle for His second best. All the time He is saying, ‘I would, but you would not.’” William McDonald.

If you are following after Jesus and wanting to go after Him strive to reject second best. If you are wondering about a certain course of action pray “God do not let me pass this by if it is You." If it seems crazy and illogical remember, His ways are past finding out (Romans 11:33).

One of my favorite stories is of Jacob wrestling with the Man in Genesis 34. He wrestles all night and finally the Man, really a preincarnate appearance of Jesus, touches Jacob in the hip to injure him. Jacob clings and says, “I will not let you go until you bless me.” Do that to God! He loves that tenacious faith. I am not letting you go until you tell me your blessed path; I do not want “the opportunity to pass.”

Jacob’s blessing was a new name, Israel, meaning Prince with God. When you give yourself fully to God to do His will He gives you newness of life. Your life will have eternal purpose.

Bonus!

This is a bonus post, woo-hoo! Bonuses are good.

Every six weeks Caleb and I study and hymn. This is the first week we are singing "Take My Life and Let it Be," by Frances R. Havergal. She was called the "consecration poet." A few years after she wrote "Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold," she gave away her jewels saying she took this step with "extreme delight... I don't think I ever packed a box with such pleasure."

But what gave me my "intimate God moment" was her response to the doctor telling her she was dying at age forty-two. She said, "If I am really going, it is too good to be true." What intimacy she must have had with Christ! To desire death over living. Often I only desire to be here on earth because obviously I am not supposed to be gone yet. I love my life and family, but to be in heaven with my Jesus, in perfection; I can't even fathom it.

Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.

Take my moments and my days, let them flow in endless praise.

Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.

Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice and let me sing, always, only for my King.

Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from Thee.

Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold.

Take my intellect and use every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will and make it Thine,It shall be no longer mine.

Take my heart, it is Thine own, it shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.

Take myself and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.

Bought 1

You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 1 Corinthians 7:23

Savior I come Quiet my soul remember Redemptions hill Where Your blood was spilled For my ransom Everything I once held dear I count it all as lost Lead me to the cross Where Your love poured out Bring me to my knees Lord I lay me down Rid me of myself I belong to You Lead me, lead me to the cross (Lead me to the Cross - Brooke Fraser)

Ransomed. Redeemed. Bought at a price. All terms of exchange, all indicating ownership. If I am owned by Christ what have I to do but what He wants me to do? Why do we think we have a choice?

In the verse above we see the Corinthians had become slaves of men. How do we become slaves of men? We look at society and live the way they live. We’re slaves to our culture, to fitting in and doing what is accepted. Radically following after Christ is not acceptable in our society, in case you haven’t noticed.

Here is the other way we become slaves of men. We become a slave to our own will. Tonight Pastor Matt discussed something similar. Here’s my summary of it: Do you want to be a true follower of Christ, not just a saved Christian? Here is where the line is drawn. We can go ahead, either not seeking God’s will or just thinking we are in it, but it is a sin of presumption. “Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins,” David said in Psalm 19.

We can’t presume to know what God wants for us without seeking Him for His will, then, of course we should do it! Can I tell you though, that in my experience, Jesus has never made it harsh? He never asks us for more than we can give. There’s an old song I think of when I think of walking with Christ. “A bruised reed He shall not break, His gentleness has made me great.” If anyone is a bruised reed it is me. Breakfast with my children can make me unstable. Recently I was facing a bit of trouble and I did not want to do something I knew God wanted me to do. He gave me these encouraging words, again from David, “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me,” Psalm 138:7. You know what? He did revive me. I promise too that He will walk along side you as you take steps to obey Him.

To be continued…

PS – The verse about a bruised reed is in Isaiah 42:3 and the verse saying His gentleness has made me great is 2 Samuel 22:36.

How Sweet are Your Words

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’” Matthew 7:21-22

Do these words scare you? Maybe not scare, but make you wonder? I can buy that there will be people who have done miracles, even in Christ’s name, and will not be in heaven. There are false prophets out there. That is what Christ is warning about in the verses previous to these. What makes me wonder is the self deception. They believed they were saved. That makes me involuntarily shudder. Self-deception surely is the worst kind.

“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:23

I imagine it must be worse for the self deceived person than the outright sinner at judgment time. The words from God, a crushing blow, “I never knew you, leave my presence, you who practice wickedness.” Lawlessness in the Greek is a condition of someone without the law, either being ignorant of it or violating it. But they prophesied in His name! But they were ignorant of the word of God, the definition even says they held it in contempt.

Dear sisters, the best way to know Jesus, to grow in Him is to read your bible. Read a gospel and fall in love with Him. When you read the gospel you hear Jesus say sweet things like, “She has done what she could,” to Mary, who poured ointment, her entirety, out on her Savior. You feel the passion and indignation when Jesus throws the tables over in the temple. You see Him take time for the untouchables. You come face to face with the cross and don’t know what to do, say, or think, so you worship.

I have had moments where the word of God has pierced my soul. I have had times when one verse changed the course of my life. Then there are times when I read a chapter but am thinking about my to do list. There are times I do not want to read my bible. I’d rather read a striking devotional or a different book entirely. I’d rather sleep. How close then am I to the one who holds the word of God in contempt?

The Shulamite said to her beloved something I think we should say to ours; “Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm.” I need something stronger than me to keep my priorities aligned with God and His word. Pray, pray, for that help from the Holy Spirit to understand and desire the word of God in your life. Then we can say with David, “How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psalm 119:103).”

1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

First Love

I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; ³ and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Revelation 2:2-3

Did you know at the time this was written Ephesus was a second generation church? Probably most of the members there had grown up knowing about God. Look at what they were doing: they worked hard for the Lord, they knew the scriptures because they could not bear with those who were evil and they tested the apostles. They did and they knew.

I come from a second generation church. I have always known the Lord, saved from when I was six. But my glimpses of God were usually at retreats or “special times.” I would read my bible, pray, serve, and even went on a missions trip. I knew and I did, and sometimes I was led by God and sometimes I felt His presence.

Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Revelation 2:4

I knew though, I don’t remember how, but I knew there was more. So I set off in search of answers. The Holy Spirit was always a mystery to me. I decided to read a book called “The Holy Spirit,” by Billy Graham. It is easily understandable and it has a balanced view. There is nothing to fear in reading this book, and the understanding it gives is priceless.

I remember the first time I prayed to be filled with the Holy Spirit… and I felt, well, not much different. But almost every day since then I have prayed and what has happened is I have returned to my first love. God has changed my heart to desire holiness, and given me the power to live it out. I am imperfect as ever... but I have in me the One who can change me.

I wanted more, and am now amazed at the life I have in Jesus. Scripture is alive, real, and active in my life. A few years ago I went through months of reading Song of Solomon over and over because whenever I read it I could not escape being intoxicated with the presence of God and His love for me. Intimacy with God is life transforming and will bring you as deep as you want to go with God.

Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. Revelation 2:5

Do you want more than your Sunday service filling? If you remember a time of being in love with Jesus and want to go back it is as easy as turning to Him and asking for help. Ask to be filled with His Holy Spirit, for the first time or the thousandth. Whether it has been a week or years He is ready to meet you wherever you are. Once you taste of that deep intimate love He has for you, there is no doubting it. There are times when my mind and heart drift back to my austere notion of God but I am jerked back to reality when I reflect on His love for me. He is so kind, good, loving, merciful, gracious… yes, He is altogether lovely (Song of Solomon 5:16).