Often times I have to remind myself that I am NOT God and that I am subject to Him and not the other way around. One of the things that I struggle with and pray that someday I overcome is trying to "understand" His timing.
I guess that's the main problem, trying to understand, I have come to a point where I am trying not to "understand" God any more. I love Him, I serve Him and I trust Him, and I think it's better that I don't understand His ways. Why would I want to serve a God I figured out? wouldn't that be boring and it wouldn't defeat the purpose of Him being God? Knowing that He is God and that He is good allows me to trust Him and let Him do what He does best, which is make all things work out in HIS timing.
God is amazing, He is not a procrastinator although sometimes we may feel He is taking forever to get something done. He does everything ON TIME, let's keep in mind that our clocks are not syncronized so what may seem as the "wrong" time if it's in His time then that's the right time.
Oh who understands His way? No one and if you want to save time don't even try, let Him be God and do things His way. Remember we are the creation and He is the creator, if you are going to trust anyone with your life, trust Him.
January 24, 2012
September 24, 2011
The love of many will grow cold...
The love of many will grow cold...
It's been a few months since this phrase has been repeating in my head and I cannot ignore it. In the book of Revelation we find Jesus speaking about several churches but one stands out to me, the church of Laodicea. He says to them:
"I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." ESV Revelation 3:15-16
Now here's a different version
"I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You're not cold, you're not hot-far better to be either cold or hot! You're stale. You're stagnant. You make me want to vomit." The Message Rev 3:15-16
Those are some harsh words but what plays over in my head is when He says, I would rather you be cold or hot. Think about what that means, someone who is hot is someone who is after God's heart. They are living holy and are seeking after Him, seeking to please Him. They are truly in love with God and desiring His presence. They are ready to do whatever necessary to have God, to capture His attention. Now someone who is cold is the opposite, they are in the world, living life, telling God blatantly "I want nothing to do with You; I am going to do me now; I don't need You/trust You/believe in You; Leave me alone." Jesus rather you be cold than lukewarm, here is why.
Someone who is lukewarm thinks they know God, they think that they have what it takes to get into heaven. They play church and they are great at it, they attend every service, they raise their hands during praise and worship and they even pray. But they are indifferent about God's presence, they are so numb that they don't feel Him, they have played church for so long they have become desensitized and are no longer capable of feeling God. Not only are they not capable, they don't care to feel His presence. You see it is lukewarm Christians that are keeping cold people from coming to Christ. That is why Jesus says, I rather you be cold because at least if you are cold when I come near you, you are able to react.
This scares me, I don't ever want to become lukewarm. I don't ever want to become indifferent about Him. I want to know when He is the room and when He is not. I want to know that I am doing everything in my power to please Him, to seek Him. I want to long for Him, I want to need Him. The thought of living a life without God scares me. Hell doesn't scare me, burning for all eternity does not scare me, what scares me is not having Him for all eternity, not feeling Him.
I want to give Him my all, I do not want to do this Christian life half-heartily and I certainly do not want my love for Him to grow cold.
If you have grown lukewarm, there is still hope. Here is what He says:
"Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anything hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on His throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches" Revelation 3:19-22
It's been a few months since this phrase has been repeating in my head and I cannot ignore it. In the book of Revelation we find Jesus speaking about several churches but one stands out to me, the church of Laodicea. He says to them:
"I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." ESV Revelation 3:15-16
Now here's a different version
"I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You're not cold, you're not hot-far better to be either cold or hot! You're stale. You're stagnant. You make me want to vomit." The Message Rev 3:15-16
Those are some harsh words but what plays over in my head is when He says, I would rather you be cold or hot. Think about what that means, someone who is hot is someone who is after God's heart. They are living holy and are seeking after Him, seeking to please Him. They are truly in love with God and desiring His presence. They are ready to do whatever necessary to have God, to capture His attention. Now someone who is cold is the opposite, they are in the world, living life, telling God blatantly "I want nothing to do with You; I am going to do me now; I don't need You/trust You/believe in You; Leave me alone." Jesus rather you be cold than lukewarm, here is why.
Someone who is lukewarm thinks they know God, they think that they have what it takes to get into heaven. They play church and they are great at it, they attend every service, they raise their hands during praise and worship and they even pray. But they are indifferent about God's presence, they are so numb that they don't feel Him, they have played church for so long they have become desensitized and are no longer capable of feeling God. Not only are they not capable, they don't care to feel His presence. You see it is lukewarm Christians that are keeping cold people from coming to Christ. That is why Jesus says, I rather you be cold because at least if you are cold when I come near you, you are able to react.
This scares me, I don't ever want to become lukewarm. I don't ever want to become indifferent about Him. I want to know when He is the room and when He is not. I want to know that I am doing everything in my power to please Him, to seek Him. I want to long for Him, I want to need Him. The thought of living a life without God scares me. Hell doesn't scare me, burning for all eternity does not scare me, what scares me is not having Him for all eternity, not feeling Him.
I want to give Him my all, I do not want to do this Christian life half-heartily and I certainly do not want my love for Him to grow cold.
If you have grown lukewarm, there is still hope. Here is what He says:
"Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anything hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on His throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches" Revelation 3:19-22
August 17, 2011
Loving Him Back
The word of God says that we love Him because He first loved us. God loved you while you were in your mess, He loves you the way you are but when He comes into your life He brings change. There are days when I wonder how can a Holy God love me? How could He want me? I am a sinner and even after I asked Him to become Lord of my life I continue to fall and make mistakes. Sometimes I feel like I couldn't possibly love Him back.
The hardest part for me is admitting that someone could love me enough to die for me, that the creator of the universe would love me enough to give all that He has to have me. My mind cannot understand why would He send His ONLY Son for me. There are times when I feel worthless, I evaluate my life and I feel like a complete failure. But His love abounds, He reminds me who I am and what I mean to Him daily. I am His beloved, I am the one He loves and continues to love even when I fall short of His Glory.
Loving Him back is the easiest and the most challenging thing I have ever had to do. How could I not love the One who died for me? How could I resist Him? How could I refuse to answer His call? I have tried, I have run away, I have ignored His voice only to find myself in His arms.
We need to learn to love Him back, we need to learn to respond to His love. We are capable of loving Him back only because He first loved us. Had He not sent Jesus to die on a cross and pay our debt we couldn't love Him back, our sins would hold us back, our guilt and shame would keep us bound but it's His love that sets us free. Free to love, free to dance for Him and sing to Him.
I challenge you to love Him back, even when you think you are not worthy, especially when you feel like you don't deserve His love just LOVE HIM BACK!!! Learn to see yourself the way He sees you, He sees you and He falls deeper in love with you. He sees you and He counts the sacrifice made on the cross well worth it. He sees you and He doesn't regret creating you.
The hardest part for me is admitting that someone could love me enough to die for me, that the creator of the universe would love me enough to give all that He has to have me. My mind cannot understand why would He send His ONLY Son for me. There are times when I feel worthless, I evaluate my life and I feel like a complete failure. But His love abounds, He reminds me who I am and what I mean to Him daily. I am His beloved, I am the one He loves and continues to love even when I fall short of His Glory.
Loving Him back is the easiest and the most challenging thing I have ever had to do. How could I not love the One who died for me? How could I resist Him? How could I refuse to answer His call? I have tried, I have run away, I have ignored His voice only to find myself in His arms.
We need to learn to love Him back, we need to learn to respond to His love. We are capable of loving Him back only because He first loved us. Had He not sent Jesus to die on a cross and pay our debt we couldn't love Him back, our sins would hold us back, our guilt and shame would keep us bound but it's His love that sets us free. Free to love, free to dance for Him and sing to Him.
I challenge you to love Him back, even when you think you are not worthy, especially when you feel like you don't deserve His love just LOVE HIM BACK!!! Learn to see yourself the way He sees you, He sees you and He falls deeper in love with you. He sees you and He counts the sacrifice made on the cross well worth it. He sees you and He doesn't regret creating you.
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