This is the embodiment of true love: not that we have loved God first, but that He loved us and sent His unique Son on a special mission to become an atoning sacrifice for our sins. The miracle is that HE loves ME - - this is a very humbling thought - who am I?
Love will never invoke fear. Perfect love expels fear, particularly the fear of punishment. The one who fears punishment has not been completed through love. So we have nothing to fear, we can rest in the fact that He wants, He desires, He's doing all He can to save us (me!) - - I'm the one that makes it so hard.
loving all His other children—even the really annoying ones! While it might seem to be easier to go off and live in isolation rather than put up with those we are not naturally attracted to, there are responsibilities that come with living in a spiritual family. I never thought of it before as a responsibility - - it certainly is a challenge; one I shrink from sometimes
I only read 4 just now and will hopefully read 5 later. I had the same verse picked out about fear and punishment. I like that added line as it's true. It's what I fear or have feared most. Coming from a whacked view of punishment in my childhood I need to be changed by perfect love to not fear God. It's definitely happening and I'm really grateful.
v16 also makes me think. "We have experienced and we have entrusted our lives to the love of God in us...." I think I do more fighting for control than the restful trusting of my life to God. I like the way it's worded and it invites me to meditate on it a bit more.
I re-read all of yesterday's reading to really rest in it. Opened my eyes to some things in myself. Sometimes change happens subtly and other times it's a sudden and various obvious turn. I tend to notice the big curves rather than the subtle ones. Yet, it's the slow and steady curves in the road that end me pointed in the wrong direction and usually for a longer duration as I'm not as alert to them. Hopefully that makes sense. Basically, we're on our guard more with sudden, abrupt changes than we are with the little, innocuous ones.
These chapters in 1 John reminded me of John 15 where the example of the branches and staying connected to the Vine. I can't love without True Love living in me and for that I have to stay connected.
If the Father is the One pruning, then that takes me back to the picture of me, sitting in His lap and Him not allowing or even rejecting things that would not make me the woman He created me to be. Pruning is cutting away, people, things and places that aren't in His plan for me. I can fight and grab for what I want, but as I said last week, that usually ends up pulling me out of His lap.
Gonna stop there, hopefully that was understandable, but maybe it's just for me and where my journey is taking me right now.
thank you Chris for the thought on the slow steady curves vs. the abrupt changes -- I think that is a BIG way the devil works on us - - I need to stay more alert to this.
I was inspired by your 1 John vs Deut morning; and I too went back and soaked a bit in 1 John. What jumped out at me this morning was John's call to love people -- and he was in the hands of some very corrupt, unfair, cruel people when he wrote this. It's like his mind had transcended what was physical and he was living in the spiritual - nothing could phase him - - he had that calmness that we also saw in Jesus at His trial.
"if God loved us so sacrificially, surely we should love one another" so, I'm thinking John actually felt love for the people who persecuted him (again - very much like his Master) So here I am -- whinny whinerson when something seems unfair to me. I believe the anitdote must me to soak in His love and let Him fight my battles in His time. I gotta long way to go, but the first step in inviting the Holy Spirit to invade
Yes, Linda, I too have a Master's in the art of whining. I agree that sitting at His feet or better yet, I prefer in His lap with His arms around me, gives me a different perspective. I just need to rest and trust there. No better place.
I read Nehemiah and I like the praise chapter. As I read, I put myself in there. All the mercy and grace God has shown me; all the stubbornness and disobedience I have shown Him.
9:17 "But You are not like us, God. You are filled with love, compassion, and forgiveness. You endure much with your anger and display Your loyal love; You did not abandon them," So thankful He is not like me.
v28 "Somehow Your mercy is inexhaustible". I'm so grateful it is.
140:7 "O Lord, Eternal One, power of my deliverance, You are my helmet in the day of battle" Great line, "power of my deliverance". Brings hope to my heart to even read it!
141 has that great section of pray in v3-5. I need so much help with my mouth and my thoughts. They are runaway trains most of the time - not good.
I pray all the time that what I want so badly would not be allowed if it would pull me away from God v4. As David says in 140 You are my ONLY God. You are the only One that can really help me (Power of my deliverance).
The teachability that comes in v5 is awesome. I need this humble spirit as well. It definitely is easier to accept correction done in love and with compassion. This usually comes from friends and not family members. Yet, I still need to be teachable. I'm truly a work in progress.
1:8 says that if I don't know where my Love is to follow the foot prints of His sheep and I will be led to Him. Hmm, I know God doesn't want us to look at people BUT it is so obvious that He uses people in our lives to lead us to Him, to reveal different things about Him to our hearts. Just look at your own experience. If we start to put them on pedestals then of course we're in trouble, but that is not what He is saying here. It is true that we are the only Bible some people may ever read. 2:3, 4 is to me a display of how much God loves me. He provides for my every need and even if it doesn't look like it, above my head, there is a banner that says I am deeply loved. As I turn my heart from whining to gratefulness, I can't help but see it, my eyes are opened to another dimension. This is where I need to and want to live. So thankful He is helping me in this area.
OK, I'm back!! I went a day backwards and read Psalms, as I hated to miss the Wed Psalms, and loved it loved it.
Chris, I did some processing on the helmet. If you put it together with vs 3; the enemies sharpened their tongues; viper venom hides beneath their lips - - - I think he's talking about the mind games our enemies play on us (and our enemy can even be ourselves) so this could include slander, critisism, taunts, lying - you name it. Yet, HE is our helmet -- all those words bounce off Him, our helmet. (and vs 9 re-affirms that their words will cover them)
141 my prayer, an offering in incense that rises before You; when I stand with hands outstretched pleading - - that's how I want to be. Hands outstretched to Him, not grasping for things the world holds out to me.
I really appreciated 141:3 "Guard my mouth, O Eternal One; control what I say. Keep a careful watch on every word I speak. Don't allow my deepest desires to steer me toward doing what is wrong" This is very very important for me, as I feel like I am such a manipulator - - I want to arrive at the point where God arranges the moves (but I'm SOOO impatient) - - teach me Lord to have open ears and watchful eyes and a heart that can wait.
O - and speaking of watchful eyes "My gaze is fixed upon You, Eternal One" and again, I think of the devotion of Toby, never letting me out of his sight and fretting when I am. Fretting -- never thinking, "good -- now I can do what I want (well -- except maybe to jump up on the couch), but not content until I'm back in his sight --
I like that the troubles I feel are spelled out to Him - - and He cares. I don't spread trouble. "You're the only safe place I know; You're all I've got in this world" and "Lift my captive soul from this dark prison" maybe that last line sounds a little depressive, but if you skip to Rev 21 and 22 -- yup, the glitz of this world is really very dark - - we (I) are so near-sighted. Lift my soul Lord, lift my soul.
Once again I am convinced that Rev is filled with repeat and expand. 1-6 is the overall view; starting with all the strengths and weaknesses of man and God's counsel and promises if man will stay connected, faithful and close -- then a sweeping view of heaven and the closing scenes up to the cliff hanger of the suicidal requests of the wicked.
There's something about the white horse - - we see it in 6 and again at the end of Rev -- maybe a pure movement?
I love the picture of all creation - every creature shouting out His worthiness and blessings. Also that Jesus redeemed people from every tribe and language, people from every race and nation.
I also love the picture of Him standing, waiting, knocking -- he is patient patient; willing to wait until I come - He comes into my situation, sits down with me - eats with me (reminds me of the book where they took off their shoes to run after the girl)
Also - random thought, but popped up in my mind -- "three quarts of barley for a whole day's wage, but do not harm the olive oil and the wine" thinking that olive oil and wine back then were used for healing - - another promise in the time of pain.
The wording in 21 makes it seem like the followers in Tyre were impressed by the HS to ask Paul not to do what the HS had told him to do. Thankfully, Paul had God's perspective of the situation and kept on his journey. I like the comments that the masses want Christianity to make them happy, healthy and wealthy when Jesus told us plainly it wasn't going to be like that.I can get caught up in this thinking as well. And then I can go to the other extreme. The need is to be totally focused on God and listen to His plan for me and obey it. Not being swayed by people, things, etc. I can only stay balanced when my focus is up, on Him. Paul takes Jesus' advice to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. He is very tactful when talking to the mob. Just telling his story. It's a vulnerable moment. How many of us would leave out that God told me to go to outsiders? Because he had to have known that would send them off again. But I think he was more interested in the 1 or 2 who would think about his journey and realize the truth in it and either start or continue their search for truth. Paul had eternal life and he knew it. This world had nothing for him. I'm still growing in this area. Thank You Lord, for not giving up on me.
Acts 22 ends with SUCH a cliff hanger! The floggers pulling back, the commander pulling out his hair, and Paul calmly saying what needs to be said:)
I like it that his friends put Paul in God's will in 21, once they realized they should not be trying to persuade Paul against the road God laid out for him.
I thought about the commenter's thoughts that the narrow road appears to lead to death, but ultimately leads to life, while the broad road appears to lead to life, but ultimately leads to death. Keep focused on Him. Yeah Chris - I like that sentence you put in there - - the world had nothing for him.
This is the embodiment of true love: not that we have loved God first, but that He loved us and sent His unique Son on a special mission to become an atoning sacrifice for our sins. The miracle is that HE loves ME - - this is a very humbling thought - who am I?
ReplyDeleteLove will never invoke fear. Perfect love expels fear, particularly the fear of punishment. The one who fears punishment has not been completed through love. So we have nothing to fear, we can rest in the fact that He wants, He desires, He's doing all He can to save us (me!) - - I'm the one that makes it so hard.
loving all His other children—even the really annoying ones! While it might seem to be easier to go off and live in isolation rather than put up with those we are not naturally attracted to, there are responsibilities that come with living in a spiritual family. I never thought of it before as a responsibility - - it certainly is a challenge; one I shrink from sometimes
I only read 4 just now and will hopefully read 5 later. I had the same verse picked out about fear and punishment. I like that added line as it's true. It's what I fear or have feared most. Coming from a whacked view of punishment in my childhood I need to be changed by perfect love to not fear God. It's definitely happening and I'm really grateful.
ReplyDeletev16 also makes me think. "We have experienced and we have entrusted our lives to the love of God in us...." I think I do more fighting for control than the restful trusting of my life to God. I like the way it's worded and it invites me to meditate on it a bit more.
I re-read all of yesterday's reading to really rest in it. Opened my eyes to some things in myself. Sometimes change happens subtly and other times it's a sudden and various obvious turn. I tend to notice the big curves rather than the subtle ones. Yet, it's the slow and steady curves in the road that end me pointed in the wrong direction and usually for a longer duration as I'm not as alert to them. Hopefully that makes sense. Basically, we're on our guard more with sudden, abrupt changes than we are with the little, innocuous ones.
ReplyDeleteThese chapters in 1 John reminded me of John 15 where the example of the branches and staying connected to the Vine. I can't love without True Love living in me and for that I have to stay connected.
If the Father is the One pruning, then that takes me back to the picture of me, sitting in His lap and Him not allowing or even rejecting things that would not make me the woman He created me to be. Pruning is cutting away, people, things and places that aren't in His plan for me. I can fight and grab for what I want, but as I said last week, that usually ends up pulling me out of His lap.
Gonna stop there, hopefully that was understandable, but maybe it's just for me and where my journey is taking me right now.
thank you Chris for the thought on the slow steady curves vs. the abrupt changes -- I think that is a BIG way the devil works on us - - I need to stay more alert to this.
ReplyDeleteI was inspired by your 1 John vs Deut morning; and I too went back and soaked a bit in 1 John. What jumped out at me this morning was John's call to love people -- and he was in the hands of some very corrupt, unfair, cruel people when he wrote this. It's like his mind had transcended what was physical and he was living in the spiritual - nothing could phase him - - he had that calmness that we also saw in Jesus at His trial.
"if God loved us so sacrificially, surely we should love one another" so, I'm thinking John actually felt love for the people who persecuted him (again - very much like his Master) So here I am -- whinny whinerson when something seems unfair to me. I believe the anitdote must me to soak in His love and let Him fight my battles in His time. I gotta long way to go, but the first step in inviting the Holy Spirit to invade
Yes, Linda, I too have a Master's in the art of whining. I agree that sitting at His feet or better yet, I prefer in His lap with His arms around me, gives me a different perspective. I just need to rest and trust there. No better place.
ReplyDeleteI read Nehemiah and I like the praise chapter. As I read, I put myself in there. All the mercy and grace God has shown me; all the stubbornness and disobedience I have shown Him.
9:17 "But You are not like us, God. You are filled with love, compassion, and forgiveness. You endure much with your anger and display Your loyal love;
You did not abandon them," So thankful He is not like me.
v28 "Somehow Your mercy is inexhaustible". I'm so grateful it is.
140:7 "O Lord, Eternal One, power of my deliverance, You are my helmet in the day of battle" Great line, "power of my deliverance". Brings hope to my heart to even read it!
ReplyDelete141 has that great section of pray in v3-5. I need so much help with my mouth and my thoughts. They are runaway trains most of the time - not good.
I pray all the time that what I want so badly would not be allowed if it would pull me away from God v4. As David says in 140 You are my ONLY God. You are the only One that can really help me (Power of my deliverance).
The teachability that comes in v5 is awesome. I need this humble spirit as well. It definitely is easier to accept correction done in love and with compassion. This usually comes from friends and not family members. Yet, I still need to be teachable. I'm truly a work in progress.
1:8 says that if I don't know where my Love is to follow the foot prints of His sheep and I will be led to Him. Hmm, I know God doesn't want us to look at people BUT it is so obvious that He uses people in our lives to lead us to Him, to reveal different things about Him to our hearts. Just look at your own experience. If we start to put them on pedestals then of course we're in trouble, but that is not what He is saying here. It is true that we are the only Bible some people may ever read.
ReplyDelete2:3, 4 is to me a display of how much God loves me. He provides for my every need and even if it doesn't look like it, above my head, there is a banner that says I am deeply loved. As I turn my heart from whining to gratefulness, I can't help but see it, my eyes are opened to another dimension. This is where I need to and want to live. So thankful He is helping me in this area.
OK, I'm back!! I went a day backwards and read Psalms, as I hated to miss the Wed Psalms, and loved it loved it.
ReplyDeleteChris, I did some processing on the helmet. If you put it together with vs 3; the enemies sharpened their tongues; viper venom hides beneath their lips - - - I think he's talking about the mind games our enemies play on us (and our enemy can even be ourselves) so this could include slander, critisism, taunts, lying - you name it. Yet, HE is our helmet -- all those words bounce off Him, our helmet. (and vs 9 re-affirms that their words will cover them)
141 my prayer, an offering in incense that rises before You; when I stand with hands outstretched pleading - - that's how I want to be. Hands outstretched to Him, not grasping for things the world holds out to me.
I really appreciated 141:3 "Guard my mouth, O Eternal One; control what I say. Keep a careful watch on every word I speak. Don't allow my deepest desires to steer me toward doing what is wrong" This is very very important for me, as I feel like I am such a manipulator - - I want to arrive at the point where God arranges the moves (but I'm SOOO impatient) - - teach me Lord to have open ears and watchful eyes and a heart that can wait.
O - and speaking of watchful eyes "My gaze is fixed upon You, Eternal One" and again, I think of the devotion of Toby, never letting me out of his sight and fretting when I am. Fretting -- never thinking, "good -- now I can do what I want (well -- except maybe to jump up on the couch), but not content until I'm back in his sight --
I like that the troubles I feel are spelled out to Him - - and He cares. I don't spread trouble. "You're the only safe place I know; You're all I've got in this world" and "Lift my captive soul from this dark prison" maybe that last line sounds a little depressive, but if you skip to Rev 21 and 22 -- yup, the glitz of this world is really very dark - - we (I) are so near-sighted. Lift my soul Lord, lift my soul.
Once again I am convinced that Rev is filled with repeat and expand. 1-6 is the overall view; starting with all the strengths and weaknesses of man and God's counsel and promises if man will stay connected, faithful and close -- then a sweeping view of heaven and the closing scenes up to the cliff hanger of the suicidal requests of the wicked.
ReplyDeleteThere's something about the white horse - - we see it in 6 and again at the end of Rev -- maybe a pure movement?
I love the picture of all creation - every creature shouting out His worthiness and blessings. Also that Jesus redeemed people from every tribe and language, people from every race and nation.
I also love the picture of Him standing, waiting, knocking -- he is patient patient; willing to wait until I come - He comes into my situation, sits down with me - eats with me (reminds me of the book where they took off their shoes to run after the girl)
Also - random thought, but popped up in my mind -- "three quarts of barley for a whole day's wage, but do not harm the olive oil and the wine" thinking that olive oil and wine back then were used for healing - - another promise in the time of pain.
The wording in 21 makes it seem like the followers in Tyre were impressed by the HS to ask Paul not to do what the HS had told him to do. Thankfully, Paul had God's perspective of the situation and kept on his journey.
ReplyDeleteI like the comments that the masses want Christianity to make them happy, healthy and wealthy when Jesus told us plainly it wasn't going to be like that.I can get caught up in this thinking as well. And then I can go to the other extreme. The need is to be totally focused on God and listen to His plan for me and obey it. Not being swayed by people, things, etc. I can only stay balanced when my focus is up, on Him.
Paul takes Jesus' advice to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. He is very tactful when talking to the mob. Just telling his story. It's a vulnerable moment. How many of us would leave out that God told me to go to outsiders? Because he had to have known that would send them off again. But I think he was more interested in the 1 or 2 who would think about his journey and realize the truth in it and either start or continue their search for truth.
Paul had eternal life and he knew it. This world had nothing for him. I'm still growing in this area. Thank You Lord, for not giving up on me.
Acts 22 ends with SUCH a cliff hanger! The floggers pulling back, the commander pulling out his hair, and Paul calmly saying what needs to be said:)
ReplyDeleteI like it that his friends put Paul in God's will in 21, once they realized they should not be trying to persuade Paul against the road God laid out for him.
I thought about the commenter's thoughts that the narrow road appears to lead to death, but ultimately leads to life, while the broad road appears to lead to life, but ultimately leads to death. Keep focused on Him. Yeah Chris - I like that sentence you put in there - - the world had nothing for him.