I happen to like a good gut punch every so often, and this inspired woman hits hard - hard!
10/23/07
10/22/07
*gulp*
I am a huge supporter of our troops and their families, as well as our missions in the Mideast, when I saw this video.....well..*gulp*
Isa 40:29 -31
"He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint."
Isa 40:29 -31
10/5/07
divine appointment
I was just reading this verse and had a few imediate thoughts I wanted to toss up here:
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2:5-8)
Wow.....
Can you imagine even attempting to live by such a standard in todays world?
Yet that's exactly what we are called to do, though some might say "thats a bit much" or "certainly we can still be humble without having to give up to that other person this perfect parking spot that God most assuredly must have just blessed me with"
Then, did God surely say?
"Let this mind be in you" - what mind? this one: "which was also in Christ Jesus" It's pretty plain, methinks.
Just how humble was Christ?
Even though he was "equal with God" he "made Himself of no reputation" . . and then took "the form of a servant" (hey, I can do that!) and made himself into "the likeness of men". -but he didn't stop there: -->GOSPEL ALERT--> he allowed himself to be abased and humiliated all the way to death on a cross - which in those days was considered lower than the lowest form of scumliness.
So next time we get all indignant about MY rights, and MY this or MY any-of-that, we need to take a look again at Christ and His death on the cross and all that that really means. . And not even a hard serious look, even so much as a glimpse into this Truth ought to send us to our face in humility and utter repentance before HIm, we need this daily, a daily check of ourself, I know I do.
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2:5-8)
Wow.....
Can you imagine even attempting to live by such a standard in todays world?
Yet that's exactly what we are called to do, though some might say "thats a bit much" or "certainly we can still be humble without having to give up to that other person this perfect parking spot that God most assuredly must have just blessed me with"
Then, did God surely say?
"Let this mind be in you" - what mind? this one: "which was also in Christ Jesus" It's pretty plain, methinks.
Just how humble was Christ?
Even though he was "equal with God" he "made Himself of no reputation" . . and then took "the form of a servant" (hey, I can do that!) and made himself into "the likeness of men". -but he didn't stop there: -->GOSPEL ALERT--> he allowed himself to be abased and humiliated all the way to death on a cross - which in those days was considered lower than the lowest form of scumliness.
So next time we get all indignant about MY rights, and MY this or MY any-of-that, we need to take a look again at Christ and His death on the cross and all that that really means. . And not even a hard serious look, even so much as a glimpse into this Truth ought to send us to our face in humility and utter repentance before HIm, we need this daily, a daily check of ourself, I know I do.
On a similar note, I'm one of those people who totaly lack patience (in many areas) - but especially when things don't go as planned, mainly the little things, for example:
There was a 30 minute break during the Desiring God Conference on Sat and I really wanted a cup of coffee....there was this little coffee/espresso kiosk in the middle of the main foyer just outside of the auditorium doors where a line of fellow coffee-desperates (a word?) was quickly forming, I imagined we all the same hot steaming cup-o-joe thought-bubble in mind as we all poured out of the auditorium. So I stepped into a line behind about 30 people figuring "ah yes, this shouldn't take longer than 25 or 30 minutes so I should be ok, good people watching too", within 5 minutes I heard someone say "they won't allow you in the auditorium with your coffee". . "oookaayy...." I thought, "I'll just stand by the door with my cup and listen to Dr. MacArthur from the doorway then". Fine.
Every last second of thirty minutes later....I finally am standing at the counter and ready to order: "I'll take one of those blueberry muffins and just a regular cup of coffee please" - "Sorry, we're out of coffee" she says...." "well then I'll just have double americano then please" - that being just 2 shots of espresso into which steamed water is poured to fill the cup, easy enough. She gives me the muffin, (which by the way was warm and delicious!) and points me toward an area where I can "pick up my coffee order" . . "oookaayyy....I had not yet noticed my fellow coffee line comrades-in-waiting in this pick-up area...so I go stand over there and eat my muffin, and wait, and wait, and, wait . . . . (que: crickets).
I stand there maybe another 15 minutes and my new-found-in-Christ patience is wearing thinner and thinner by the minute in this flesh-o-mine. Finally the gal says out loud "double americano /double latte" - I reach out over/between a few other heads only to have some guy come up and grab (what I thought was MY americano..wha-huh?? Croiky's! (a word stolen from my aged and wonderful Auntie Marge :)
So I keep waiting, Dr. MacArthur has now been speaking for about 17 minutes, and I notice that the people who I'd been standing in line with not only in front of me but behind me have long since disappeared, I am sure with coffee's, double/triple espresso/mocha/carmel/hazelnut/breve/skimmed whatever-da-hecks in hand.
Lovely, I've been passed over.
Patience?
Well, if you "knew me when" - I most certainly would have complained to someone -*she says with feigned indignancy*, but these days, thank Goodness I have been liberated from such trivial irrations.
Christ has indeed replaced this heart of stone in me with one of flesh - that is the first and foremost focus, that it is Christ who does this work in us, the Spirit being in us as the "hierarchy" if you will - - by which all other reasoning takes place in my life.
On the lower hierarchival plane (if that makes sense): being over 40 does help *smile*.
Here is something else that well factors in all of this for me, something I've thought more and more of the past few years:
The men and women who right now, today, even this moment are over in Iraq and Afghanistan (as well as other parts of the world) doing what they are doing for me - for us, for this country, for our children and grandchildren... and all the many dis-comforts (thats putting it MILDLY) that that means for them, well,, my goodness....I have no more words to say about it.
So, I've been standing in line all this time and yes, of course I'm perturbed, but instead of getting madder and madder like I would have in the past, I kept thinking to myself: "ok Lord, so what da got for me here? - just more lessons in patience? - ok, I'll take that!", but then it also occurred to me that some sort of encounter that I wouldn't otherwise have had was imminent, and that's always an intriguing thought.
So I take my dbl americano and whisk off to stand in the doorway (I'm sure I was the umpteenth person to ask that sweet doorman permission to enter, coffee-in-hand and stand at the door to listen and sip) - so I'm standing there, trying to "get into" what John MacArthur was saying while sipping on this impossibly HOT coffee (and I DO like it hot, but mann!) - when all of a sudden guess who walks by me? Someone I admire, alot..and would have never thought I would meet, that would be none other than Mr. Phil Johnson, as well, a bonus to this was meeting the Woman behind him - his wife Darlene!
(a quick note): I realize there is alot more to Phil than just the Pyromaniacs blog, that just happens to be first place I'd heard
of him. Also, I realize that he and Darlene were manning the Grace To You booth all weekend, but God knew that that fact would have gone right over my head and I never would have noticed, because: a) - I had no clue they would be there and b) - I spent all available extra time perusing the "2 acres" of books - (actually it was about 10-15,000 sf, thats still alot! so we'll let that one go ;p )
So that's my Desiring God Conference story, I know I know, there was SO much more to that whole weekend this little story, indeed it was RICH beyond all my expectations. I suggest anyone who wants to know more (much better than I could ever convey) go to the Desiring God website and see/hear for yourselves the incredible messages of the weekend! And by the way, how absolutely awesome of them to make all of this material available to anyone, online, for free!
God is so awesome!!
(2Ch 30:9)
There was a 30 minute break during the Desiring God Conference on Sat and I really wanted a cup of coffee....there was this little coffee/espresso kiosk in the middle of the main foyer just outside of the auditorium doors where a line of fellow coffee-desperates (a word?) was quickly forming, I imagined we all the same hot steaming cup-o-joe thought-bubble in mind as we all poured out of the auditorium. So I stepped into a line behind about 30 people figuring "ah yes, this shouldn't take longer than 25 or 30 minutes so I should be ok, good people watching too", within 5 minutes I heard someone say "they won't allow you in the auditorium with your coffee". . "oookaayy...." I thought, "I'll just stand by the door with my cup and listen to Dr. MacArthur from the doorway then". Fine.
Every last second of thirty minutes later....I finally am standing at the counter and ready to order: "I'll take one of those blueberry muffins and just a regular cup of coffee please" - "Sorry, we're out of coffee" she says...." "well then I'll just have double americano then please" - that being just 2 shots of espresso into which steamed water is poured to fill the cup, easy enough. She gives me the muffin, (which by the way was warm and delicious!) and points me toward an area where I can "pick up my coffee order" . . "oookaayyy....I had not yet noticed my fellow coffee line comrades-in-waiting in this pick-up area...so I go stand over there and eat my muffin, and wait, and wait, and, wait . . . . (que: crickets).
I stand there maybe another 15 minutes and my new-found-in-Christ patience is wearing thinner and thinner by the minute in this flesh-o-mine. Finally the gal says out loud "double americano /double latte" - I reach out over/between a few other heads only to have some guy come up and grab (what I thought was MY americano..wha-huh?? Croiky's! (a word stolen from my aged and wonderful Auntie Marge :)
So I keep waiting, Dr. MacArthur has now been speaking for about 17 minutes, and I notice that the people who I'd been standing in line with not only in front of me but behind me have long since disappeared, I am sure with coffee's, double/triple espresso/mocha/carmel/hazelnut/breve/skimmed whatever-da-hecks in hand.
Lovely, I've been passed over.
Patience?
Well, if you "knew me when" - I most certainly would have complained to someone -*she says with feigned indignancy*, but these days, thank Goodness I have been liberated from such trivial irrations.
Christ has indeed replaced this heart of stone in me with one of flesh - that is the first and foremost focus, that it is Christ who does this work in us, the Spirit being in us as the "hierarchy" if you will - - by which all other reasoning takes place in my life.
On the lower hierarchival plane (if that makes sense): being over 40 does help *smile*.
Here is something else that well factors in all of this for me, something I've thought more and more of the past few years:
The men and women who right now, today, even this moment are over in Iraq and Afghanistan (as well as other parts of the world) doing what they are doing for me - for us, for this country, for our children and grandchildren... and all the many dis-comforts (thats putting it MILDLY) that that means for them, well,, my goodness....I have no more words to say about it.
So, I've been standing in line all this time and yes, of course I'm perturbed, but instead of getting madder and madder like I would have in the past, I kept thinking to myself: "ok Lord, so what da got for me here? - just more lessons in patience? - ok, I'll take that!", but then it also occurred to me that some sort of encounter that I wouldn't otherwise have had was imminent, and that's always an intriguing thought.
So I take my dbl americano and whisk off to stand in the doorway (I'm sure I was the umpteenth person to ask that sweet doorman permission to enter, coffee-in-hand and stand at the door to listen and sip) - so I'm standing there, trying to "get into" what John MacArthur was saying while sipping on this impossibly HOT coffee (and I DO like it hot, but mann!) - when all of a sudden guess who walks by me? Someone I admire, alot..and would have never thought I would meet, that would be none other than Mr. Phil Johnson, as well, a bonus to this was meeting the Woman behind him - his wife Darlene!
(a quick note): I realize there is alot more to Phil than just the Pyromaniacs blog, that just happens to be first place I'd heard
of him. Also, I realize that he and Darlene were manning the Grace To You booth all weekend, but God knew that that fact would have gone right over my head and I never would have noticed, because: a) - I had no clue they would be there and b) - I spent all available extra time perusing the "2 acres" of books - (actually it was about 10-15,000 sf, thats still alot! so we'll let that one go ;p )
So that's my Desiring God Conference story, I know I know, there was SO much more to that whole weekend this little story, indeed it was RICH beyond all my expectations. I suggest anyone who wants to know more (much better than I could ever convey) go to the Desiring God website and see/hear for yourselves the incredible messages of the weekend! And by the way, how absolutely awesome of them to make all of this material available to anyone, online, for free!
God is so awesome!!
"...for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him."
(2Ch 30:9)
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