Friday, April 30th, 2010
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Tuesday, April 20th, 2010
I realized this morning how deeply I’ve been judging God and telling Him – “He should’ve done it better!” This life just feels too hard sometimes. I also realized that this is me playing god, saying that I have a better idea. Chapter 11 of God for Everyone tells us that “Without God, we are hopelessly lost and alone, and in pain. With God we have hope with the loss, isolation and pain. Either way this life is full of struggle, frustration, and challenge. According to Scripture, this is not a bad thing it just hurts –very, very badly.[1] God allows this system. He uses it to get our attention, and to perfect our character. He designed creation perfectly; but Adam and Eve rejected the plan-A design. God is infinitely creative, and flexible enough to make plan-B work. Plan-B honors our first parent’s choice to “know evil”. We now must live in this body which is spiritually dead, and function in this spiritually dead world and learn: “know therefore and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the Lord your God.”[2]”
I need to get my focus back on God when I’m feeling the heat of the struggle. I am not remembering how much worse it was outside of the wings of God’s protection-I’ve gotten very spoiled and bratty under here. I’m only thinking about me -and not God’s agenda. I’m wanting paradise now (and throwing a tantrum because I can’t have it!) However, It’s my job right now to submit to the challenges that are perfecting my character here – in this difficult situation. As soon as I realized that, I got my focus back on God, and I felt better. Just remembering what our purpose is, re-focuses us and takes away much of the sting of the pain in the process, for misery loves company! – And God is with us in this place. “Jesus Christ came and proclaimed a radical new world view: ‘This world is lost, and I Am the way out. This world is backwards, and those who are poor, humble, and in pain are blest for they see the TRUTH of this REALITY.’” (from chapter 11)
[2] Jeremiah 2:19c.
Tags: Pain, struggle, suffering
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Thursday, April 15th, 2010
Everyone wonders what True success is. There are very nearly as many definitions as there are people inhabiting the earth! Yet today I stumbled across God’s definition as I was studying Isaiah 31:
When we do these things God will protect us, deliver us, pass over us, and rescue us (verse 5)
And we will escape God’s sword of war (verse 8).
That is a pretty clear standard of success!
“How” – you ask? I cover fifteen ways in Chapter 9 of the God for Everyone e-book.
Check it out to save yourself a lot of struggle!
Tags: standard of success, success, True Success
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Sunday, April 4th, 2010
It’s passover week. During the origional struggle between God and Pharoah, God made it very clear that He considers the first fruits of human endeavor His. He took the lives of the first borns of all Egypt making the point, and yet in His abundant grace He “passed-over” the first-borns of Israel who were consecrated to Him. We were commanded to celebrate Passover and remember -forever! God knows we tend to forget. Some things are just too important to relegate to that ignored pile. God knows we require effort to focus on things. Jesus was celebrating Passover (having the Seder feast) as His last supper (See Chapter 9). The last meal He ate was an act of consecration to God as He remembered that God had set His people free to serve Him and were no longer slaves to other gods. Jesus’ leadership required sacrifice. He knew that He was facing death.
I talk about this much in God for Everyone, but today, I’m reveling in the eternal freedom from the perminent kiss of death. I too have been resurrected (freed to live eternally in God’s presence in one form or another); By Christ’s overcoming of death and resurrection to eternal life. Christ made a way and I am following. It is still a daily struggle (and will remain so until He returns again to set things right – see chapter 10); but it is so worth it. Especially on days like today – it is far and away the most beautiful spring I’ve ever experienced here this year, and I am surrounded by the beauty and fragrance of overwhelming blooms; it is a quiet, peacefully light-grey morning and I am obediently focusing on God’s choice to overcome death and offer abundant-life to me (also in chapter 10) . The gratitude consumes me and I am thankful beyond words that though I face a death of my own desires daily and fight Satan’s fears constantly, there is an overcoming power that is at work in me and I am noticing it. I am one day closer to an eternity in perfection with a God who left no stone unturned in searching for a way to bring me into union with Divinity.
Tags: last supper, Passover, resurrection, sacrafice, Seder
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