"But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD, at an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me in your saving faithfulness."
Psalm 69:13
The other morning my study time encountered an interruption. I had gotten through just about half of it and one of my little ones came into the closet. He was up, so I had to get prepared for the day before the others joined him. I had to leave for an appointment that morning so I had somewhat of a schedule for that day. So I gathered up my children and set about my day. I knew I would be gone from our house the majority of the morning and afternoon, so I knew I wouldn't get time to read the rest of the word for awhile, and I was upset. Partly because I am a type A and I like to finish what I start and then mostly because I am just really into the Psalms lately, I am finding them so rich!
So I got home that evening and finished up things around my house, to sit down before the Lord in His word..and was utterly amazed. His word was absolutely perfect, I just felt His love envelope my heart. The words I read were absolutely appropriate for the day I had had. However had I read them first, maybe I would not have been coming to God with such a hunger, and a desire for answers to a specific situation. The Lord had used the days' events to prepare my heart for His word. It was an "acceptable time." I read through Psalm 69 this morning and was overwhelmed with awe of the LORD.
David's prayer was first and most obviously to the LORD. God is our one and only hope. There is absolutely nothing man can do to us. (The LORD is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me. Psalm 118:6). As David goes on, he prays asking God in His abundant steadfast love to answer him and at an acceptable time. I think what David is seeking is God's answer in His time! Knowing that God alone will provide that answer he seeks, his heart is filled with the peace of God. How I want the patience that is modeled here. David prays trusting that God will, in His abundant steadfast love provide an answer to his prayer. There is complete trust in his prayer. I need this. I need the complete trust that God alone will answer my prayer with His saving faithfulness. His rescuing truth (in the original Hebrew). His answer to us is often a rescue, isn't it? When I think I know what's best, who the "best" friend is for me, who my spouse should be...God sweeps in at the perfect time with His rescuing truth. Saving me from myself and my stubborn self reliance and draws me near to Him and reveals His will to me. How amazing is our Lord!
Let us call upon Him, trusting in His rescuing truth to captivate our very hearts and lives for His glory!
Showing posts with label rescue. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rescue. Show all posts
1.09.2010
9.25.2009
A Renovation
I think I'm in desperate need of a renovation. Not just a facial one either, where you sand down the cabinets and prime them and paint them a nice color to save some money. I think I'm at the point where I need the Lord to come in an rip out my old cabinets and all I've got stuffed way down inside them, and replace them with His perfect cabinets.
I've been studying through Romans, and I was so captivated this afternoon by Romans 8:6-7, "For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile towards God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God for it is not able to do so." I keep coming back to this, I need the Lord to strengthen me to bring the members of my body under the control of the indwelling Holy Spirit to the glory of God (Col 3:5). So I've been thinking a lot lately what my biggest struggle is. Very quickly the Lord guided me to my mind. So you may wonder well what is going on inside your mind? Well...quite frankly it's just a lot of wondering. No complete thoughts, just aimless wondering. Not discontentment but boredom. I think I think so much that my mind wonders around and gets bored. I'm failing to be fulfilled with the calling God has placed on my life right now to be a mother, and I'm getting "bored" So then what do I do? Well, usually just check the news online. Nothing crazy...or is it? I mean really, I'm failing to bring my flesh into subjection to the Lord. I'm just falling on my face and not being transformed by the renewing of my mind, because it is easier to sit in front of the computer screen during the day when I have a brief interval from the craziness of raising three young boys instead of dig into the Word and risk getting interrupted. Or to stop and take a few minutes to pray and ask the Lord to renew my strength that I may soar with my children through life, and renew my hope in the Lord that all I am doing is not for nothing, but rather of the utmost importance, by laying my life down and cultivating the soil of their souls and pointing them to Jesus at every turn. I mean, even as I sit and type that I am amazed at my sinfulness and how I could ever get "bored" in my everyday life, because I have the privilege to stay at home with these boys and influence them for Christ.
So I turned to the scriptures to see what the Lord has to say about my mind what it should be and what it shouldn't be so I can earnestly beg Him to cultivate those qualities in my heart and mind that would honor Him. I was not too surprised, but just seriously blessed! Our minds should not be depraved (Romans 1:28), in context of this verse we need to be seeking after the Lord and living thankful lives for what we have so that our minds are not depraved and we do not turn away from the Lord.....do I hear the bell? I do, what have I been doing? Instead of taking the time to redirect my thoughts when my mind starts to wonder, I look to the world, check out the weather or the news, rather than stopping and praying or reading a scripture verse, or just thanking God for what He has done in my life. My mind should also not be hostile towards God, I read in Romans 8:6-7, that the mind set on the spirit is life and peace. This blew my mind, peace in the Greek and in this verse can be stated as, "of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is."
How I need to embrace the earthly lot I have and not give in to the "boredom" I so easily fall prey to. Let me assure you ladies there is seldom boring times in my home, I think this is more of a state of mind, almost as if I feel like my mind should be more engaged than just pushing cars around on the floor or teaching writing to a 3 year old. Both activities are seriously important and it's the sinfulness of my heart that allows my mind to wonder and feel as though they are not important. Don't get me wrong, every mother needs a break from her kids so that she can continue to be a godly mother and honor the Lord in her responsibilities. But while I am in the midst of them, I need to be fully engaged in them.
So as I was reading what my mind should not be, I then was recalling Romans 12:2:
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Which tells me clearly what my mind should be!
So immediately I went to the original Greek for the meaning of renewal, because this verse makes it perfectly clear what my mind is in need of, being renewed!!! This is what I LOVE, Renewed here means, "a renewal, renovation, complete change for the better."
I started thinking about myself, my sin and the disgusting state of who I am. While I was thinking on that, I just really thought, how amazing. I need a renovation. I need the Lord to rip out, demolish the old and bring the brand new marching in! Sounds like I need to be saved doesn't it? But I already have given my heart to Christ and asked Him to live in me. I think this is working out my salvation with fear and trembling (phil 2:12). I am living proof that the flesh is a VERY real enemy, and that the battle rages on, however...I know WHO is victorious, and I am thankful for that.
I feel as though my heart has been crying out for a renovation from the Lord for quite some time now. I want the Lord to change my heart for His glory. I've been staying at home for five years now, and I am learning amazing things about myself, and even far better than that, the Lord is teaching me so much and refining me, little by little. I am grateful for a Savior Who died for me while I was yet His enemy, and refuses to leave me alone in my sin. "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways" Romans 11:33
Are you in need of a renovation in your life as well? Be confident in this dear sister, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil 1:6
And rest in this, God's word will not return void, so we know that we can pray His word back to Him with confidence. I would encourage you to pray along with me, I am begging the Lord to "Create in me a pure heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10. I am crying out for Him to "restore to me the joy of His salvation." I am asking that He would lead me daily, giving me the strength to die to self and live to Him for His glory.
I've been studying through Romans, and I was so captivated this afternoon by Romans 8:6-7, "For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile towards God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God for it is not able to do so." I keep coming back to this, I need the Lord to strengthen me to bring the members of my body under the control of the indwelling Holy Spirit to the glory of God (Col 3:5). So I've been thinking a lot lately what my biggest struggle is. Very quickly the Lord guided me to my mind. So you may wonder well what is going on inside your mind? Well...quite frankly it's just a lot of wondering. No complete thoughts, just aimless wondering. Not discontentment but boredom. I think I think so much that my mind wonders around and gets bored. I'm failing to be fulfilled with the calling God has placed on my life right now to be a mother, and I'm getting "bored" So then what do I do? Well, usually just check the news online. Nothing crazy...or is it? I mean really, I'm failing to bring my flesh into subjection to the Lord. I'm just falling on my face and not being transformed by the renewing of my mind, because it is easier to sit in front of the computer screen during the day when I have a brief interval from the craziness of raising three young boys instead of dig into the Word and risk getting interrupted. Or to stop and take a few minutes to pray and ask the Lord to renew my strength that I may soar with my children through life, and renew my hope in the Lord that all I am doing is not for nothing, but rather of the utmost importance, by laying my life down and cultivating the soil of their souls and pointing them to Jesus at every turn. I mean, even as I sit and type that I am amazed at my sinfulness and how I could ever get "bored" in my everyday life, because I have the privilege to stay at home with these boys and influence them for Christ.
So I turned to the scriptures to see what the Lord has to say about my mind what it should be and what it shouldn't be so I can earnestly beg Him to cultivate those qualities in my heart and mind that would honor Him. I was not too surprised, but just seriously blessed! Our minds should not be depraved (Romans 1:28), in context of this verse we need to be seeking after the Lord and living thankful lives for what we have so that our minds are not depraved and we do not turn away from the Lord.....do I hear the bell? I do, what have I been doing? Instead of taking the time to redirect my thoughts when my mind starts to wonder, I look to the world, check out the weather or the news, rather than stopping and praying or reading a scripture verse, or just thanking God for what He has done in my life. My mind should also not be hostile towards God, I read in Romans 8:6-7, that the mind set on the spirit is life and peace. This blew my mind, peace in the Greek and in this verse can be stated as, "of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is."
How I need to embrace the earthly lot I have and not give in to the "boredom" I so easily fall prey to. Let me assure you ladies there is seldom boring times in my home, I think this is more of a state of mind, almost as if I feel like my mind should be more engaged than just pushing cars around on the floor or teaching writing to a 3 year old. Both activities are seriously important and it's the sinfulness of my heart that allows my mind to wonder and feel as though they are not important. Don't get me wrong, every mother needs a break from her kids so that she can continue to be a godly mother and honor the Lord in her responsibilities. But while I am in the midst of them, I need to be fully engaged in them.
So as I was reading what my mind should not be, I then was recalling Romans 12:2:
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Which tells me clearly what my mind should be!
So immediately I went to the original Greek for the meaning of renewal, because this verse makes it perfectly clear what my mind is in need of, being renewed!!! This is what I LOVE, Renewed here means, "a renewal, renovation, complete change for the better."
I started thinking about myself, my sin and the disgusting state of who I am. While I was thinking on that, I just really thought, how amazing. I need a renovation. I need the Lord to rip out, demolish the old and bring the brand new marching in! Sounds like I need to be saved doesn't it? But I already have given my heart to Christ and asked Him to live in me. I think this is working out my salvation with fear and trembling (phil 2:12). I am living proof that the flesh is a VERY real enemy, and that the battle rages on, however...I know WHO is victorious, and I am thankful for that.
I feel as though my heart has been crying out for a renovation from the Lord for quite some time now. I want the Lord to change my heart for His glory. I've been staying at home for five years now, and I am learning amazing things about myself, and even far better than that, the Lord is teaching me so much and refining me, little by little. I am grateful for a Savior Who died for me while I was yet His enemy, and refuses to leave me alone in my sin. "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways" Romans 11:33
Are you in need of a renovation in your life as well? Be confident in this dear sister, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil 1:6
And rest in this, God's word will not return void, so we know that we can pray His word back to Him with confidence. I would encourage you to pray along with me, I am begging the Lord to "Create in me a pure heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10. I am crying out for Him to "restore to me the joy of His salvation." I am asking that He would lead me daily, giving me the strength to die to self and live to Him for His glory.
3.06.2009
For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as it the LORD our God whenever we call on Him? Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgements as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today? Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons. Deut. 4:7-9
Sisters, this is our LORD! The one who is near to us, the covenant keeping God of all creation who is near to us as we call upon Him in prayer! Read how in this passage of scripture the Lord puts together how near He is to us, His people, with the charge to keep our souls diligently so as to not forget the things which our eyes have seen that they would not depart from our hearts all the days of our lives, and then He lovingly leads us into making them known to our children and grandchildren. What a blessing. The Lord is available to us whenever we call upon His name, His availability is simple because of the blood of the Lamb.
One of my favorite prayers came from the mouth of Daniel, "O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Your name; for we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion. O Lord hear! O Lord forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name." Daniel 9:18-19 (emphasis mine)
See, we are a great nation and have righteous judgements and statues because of HIM! Who God is. We are to keep our souls diligently and draw near to God because of who He is, not because of anything we have done! We're to watch over our hearts with all diligence and not let God's words depart from our eyes so that when our dear sisters come to us in complete despair and ready to give up on their marriages, or at their wits end with their children and have no idea what to do next, we can lovingly rest in the arms of Jesus with them. We can point each other to His word and comfort one another with it. We can cry out to God in full confidence praying His word back to Him and trusting in His perfect will, because He HEARS us! The sweet words in Deuteronomy must bless your soul. God has given us an identity..we are HIS people. He has put His Name on our souls! God didn't just put His name on us without cost, He willingly laid down the life of His Son so that you and I may call upon His name, and name it as our own!
I'm completely humbled that the Lord Himself hears my prayers and I am utterly amazed at God's perfection. The more I learn of the Lord and the more I seek Him in His word the more I realize my need for Him is so much more than my finite mind can grasp. The more I see who He is revealed in the sweet pages of Scripture the more I realize....I know nothing, and can not even begin to fathom the richness of our God. He truly is matchless.
Cry out to God, seek Him in prayer and in His beautiful word. He is an amazing and awesome God who LOVES us! I know myself, and I know my own sins and to know that my God accepts me and loves me is utterly amazing. Sometimes I get upset with my children when they continue to disobey, and I'm short or lose my cool and do not honor God in my parenting, and most every time the Lord sweetly whispers to my soul, but Brittany...you too continue to disobey, and I am here passionately pursuing your heart day after day, and drawing you near to Myself, picking you up when you fall and keeping our relationship right all because of Jesus!
God refines us sisters, He seeks after our hearts and pursues us and changes us daily. It's His unfathomable kindness that leads our hearts to repentance (Romans 2:4) and allows us to see ourselves for who we really are, unrighteous sinners in desperate need of a Savior (Romans 3:10). Whether He is using your children's disobedience or obedience or your relationship with your spouse...or a friend or whomever or whatever He chooses...God is after your heart! So keep your heart and soul diligently sisters! Keep watch over yourself...encourage yourself with the Word of God and pursue Him in prayer...and then turn around and make known to your children and grandchildren what the Lord has done in your life.
To God be the glory!!
"but I discipline my body, and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself may not be disqualified." 1 Cor 9:27 Let us discipline ourselves that we may teach our children, and live in a manner worthy of the gospel (phil1:27) and then in personal relationship with God continue on as His student to His glory!
Sisters, this is our LORD! The one who is near to us, the covenant keeping God of all creation who is near to us as we call upon Him in prayer! Read how in this passage of scripture the Lord puts together how near He is to us, His people, with the charge to keep our souls diligently so as to not forget the things which our eyes have seen that they would not depart from our hearts all the days of our lives, and then He lovingly leads us into making them known to our children and grandchildren. What a blessing. The Lord is available to us whenever we call upon His name, His availability is simple because of the blood of the Lamb.
One of my favorite prayers came from the mouth of Daniel, "O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Your name; for we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion. O Lord hear! O Lord forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name." Daniel 9:18-19 (emphasis mine)
See, we are a great nation and have righteous judgements and statues because of HIM! Who God is. We are to keep our souls diligently and draw near to God because of who He is, not because of anything we have done! We're to watch over our hearts with all diligence and not let God's words depart from our eyes so that when our dear sisters come to us in complete despair and ready to give up on their marriages, or at their wits end with their children and have no idea what to do next, we can lovingly rest in the arms of Jesus with them. We can point each other to His word and comfort one another with it. We can cry out to God in full confidence praying His word back to Him and trusting in His perfect will, because He HEARS us! The sweet words in Deuteronomy must bless your soul. God has given us an identity..we are HIS people. He has put His Name on our souls! God didn't just put His name on us without cost, He willingly laid down the life of His Son so that you and I may call upon His name, and name it as our own!
I'm completely humbled that the Lord Himself hears my prayers and I am utterly amazed at God's perfection. The more I learn of the Lord and the more I seek Him in His word the more I realize my need for Him is so much more than my finite mind can grasp. The more I see who He is revealed in the sweet pages of Scripture the more I realize....I know nothing, and can not even begin to fathom the richness of our God. He truly is matchless.
Cry out to God, seek Him in prayer and in His beautiful word. He is an amazing and awesome God who LOVES us! I know myself, and I know my own sins and to know that my God accepts me and loves me is utterly amazing. Sometimes I get upset with my children when they continue to disobey, and I'm short or lose my cool and do not honor God in my parenting, and most every time the Lord sweetly whispers to my soul, but Brittany...you too continue to disobey, and I am here passionately pursuing your heart day after day, and drawing you near to Myself, picking you up when you fall and keeping our relationship right all because of Jesus!
God refines us sisters, He seeks after our hearts and pursues us and changes us daily. It's His unfathomable kindness that leads our hearts to repentance (Romans 2:4) and allows us to see ourselves for who we really are, unrighteous sinners in desperate need of a Savior (Romans 3:10). Whether He is using your children's disobedience or obedience or your relationship with your spouse...or a friend or whomever or whatever He chooses...God is after your heart! So keep your heart and soul diligently sisters! Keep watch over yourself...encourage yourself with the Word of God and pursue Him in prayer...and then turn around and make known to your children and grandchildren what the Lord has done in your life.
To God be the glory!!
"but I discipline my body, and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself may not be disqualified." 1 Cor 9:27 Let us discipline ourselves that we may teach our children, and live in a manner worthy of the gospel (phil1:27) and then in personal relationship with God continue on as His student to His glory!
11.01.2008
Pumpkins Still Need Carving, Even Five Years Later
This morning, my youngest walked into my room and said, "Hey mom, it's halloween today." Ahh, yes it is. I forgot. Then as I began to think about halloween, because we let our kids participate..but we don't get into all the craziness of it, I began thinking...I have three pumpkins to carve...and today is the day! Then, I remembered, 5 years ago, the Lord gave us a really special day together as we 'carved' pumpkins. I thought I'd update that blog and share with you...I pray you are blessed by it.
(the following is my 'halloween' blog from '08,
the above is my sweet 5 year old with three pumpkins ready to be carved)
So here sits this 16 pound pumpkin on my kitchen counter for the last two weeks....every time I look at it, it's begging the question..."what am I going to do with this crazy huge pumpkin?" So today, as my spouse was out of town and we've already passed halloween... and I do not bake pies...I thought..alright here goes...I vaguely remembered from my childhood how nasty the inside was of a pumpkin and how slimy the seeds were...but I've got boys so they should enjoy it. We got started...rather I got started my two oldest boys sat at the counter and watched...it was tough. Seriously the pumpkin was hard to cut into. Finally I got to the inside and it wasn't nearly as disgusting looking as I thought it would be. So I instantly thought...ah this should be easy. Well...it wasn't too bad at first, we started digging out the slimy seeds, and yes they loved it...we collected them, because I wash them and bake them for a snack.
We're elbow deep in pumpkin seeds and goo and the Lord reminds me of something I had heard, I think while at the Seminary. People are like Pumpkins! So I asked my oldest...I said, "can Mommy tell you about how pumpkins and people are similar?" He said yes...and I told him, we are like the pumpkins and Jesus is like the carver...when we ask Him into our hearts...He comes in...and He takes all the yucky stuff out and replaces it with His light...just like we take all the yucky stuff out of a pumpkin and put a candle into it to make it shine. Okay...he's 4 he wasn't overly impressed....but all day I kept thinking about that...and even now I as I'm reflecting on it...you know...it was TOUGH to cut into that pumpkin. Just like me.
I'm tough to "cut into" I'm stubborn, I have to learn lessons over and over...I'd be arrogant to even say that there are certain things I've got "whipped" because I know that uttering those words opens me to the possibility of failing..."let him who thinks he stand take heed lest he fall" 1 Cor 10:12 Okay...so I've been recently struggling with my attitude with my kids.... I absolutely love them...I mean I would do anything for them, I want them to love Jesus so bad it hurts....I want them to be God-fearing, God-honoring leaders in His church...but I've just been really struggling with them lately...okay I've got an almost 3 year old who will not obey...the words "strong-willed" do not hold a candle to his behavior...and my almost 5 year old seems to be just down right mean to get attention...all the while this precious 4 month old just wants some love from Mommy. Going in 3 different directions is not easy... it's tough and gets tougher everyday. Parenting is tough.
And as I was teaching my son about pumpkins and how they parallel our lives and our relationship with Jesus..I just kept praying...God SHOW me Yourself...I NEED you to change me and give me the love and the strength because I am overwhelmed...I've been begging God to speak to me from His word...I need that so intensely I just can't give up....I won't give up....because I know in ALL things God is teaching me...He's working out sanctification in my life to His greater glory...and there are days when I just feel so callous and so tough to cut into (like that pumpkin) I feel like not even God's word can get through because I'm such a sinner...and then I read "Arise, cry aloud in the night, at the beginning of the night watches; pour out your heart like water before the presence of the LORD." Lamentations 2:19...I thought, I I can do that because I just need HIM!!!
2 Timothy again... "...and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." 2 Timothy 3:6-7 How my heart longs for a steadfast immovable spirit as in Psalm 51:10...how desperately I need to have His love increase and overflow within me as in 1 Thes 3:12, and how fervent I must be about praying without ceasing 1 thes 5:17.
So this morning as I was carving out that pumpkin every time I would scrap away a layer of the "yucky stuff" I'd think I was almost done...and I'd dump out what I had scraped off only to reveal a little bit more that needed to be scraped off.....this adventure I'm on...following after Christ, is like that...every time God refines my heart and scraps off a little more of the yucky stuff that has to go for His glory to shine bright...it reveals a little more that needs to go....and what I noticed was this...sometimes I could scrap really hard and sometimes I could scrap gently...it just depended on how nasty the yucky stuff was....so I guess I'm more like a pumpkin than I thought....and how thankful Iam that Jesus is the Master carver and I know He has a perfect image of what He is making me into...not some haphazard drawing of an unskilled artist...Praise God!
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