It's Grace

Everyday my reckless decisions unleash more opportunities to become attuned to God's grace toward me; to realize His generosity toward me when I have done NOTHING to deserve it. Actually, I've done everything to incur His hatred, punishment and damnation. There is truly nothing good in me!
In His righteous judgment, I deserve to stumble and perish, to sink in the pit I have made, to catch my foot in the net in which I've been hiding, to be caught in the work of my own hands (from Psalm 9).
Holed up during the arctic blast, we watched movies and had conversations about character's attitudes toward God and their rebellion. Instead of turning to God for purpose and satisfaction they turned to sex, drugs and alcohol. In my rebellion, I tend to turn to food. Yet because of His grace, Jesus says, "You don't have to stay there. Come to Me."

And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O Lord, have not forgotten those who seek you. Psalm 9:10

Because I Come to Him, He awards forgiveness toward my rebellion and all the wickedness and evil propensities in me are replaced with Jesus' perfect righteousness. I trust that's what Jesus did for me. I am reminded of this when I clean up the smudges, crumbs and goo from my little guy's face.
It's typical for me to categorize the wicked as crooked politicians, shrewd businessmen, drug dealers and traffickers, but I am wicked. The ONLY thing that differentiates me from "them" is my choice to come as Jesus invites!
Pray that more would come to Jesus and do not neglect to thank Him for His undeserved grace toward you. 

Why the dark?

Like the rainy, stormy weather this past week, so has been the dark cloud hovering over me. Feelings of uncertainty, heavy-heartedness, and lethargic slowness billow over my being. I don't even know from where these feelings come. I'm a serious person, but not a Debbie-downer.

Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore He instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble His way.
All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.  Psalm 25:8-10

I try do what's right. I sit before the LORD and ask Him to return to me the joy of my salvation. I ask why. I recall His faithfulness. I count my gifts. But the heaviness continues and I feel the blow of being hit by a freight-train. I want to know His way. I want certainty in His direction. My theology believes in His faithfulness but I want to see the purpose of this right now!
What matters is treading with Him! I may never understand this heaviness and uncertainty, but if I am abiding in Him, despite my burdened feelings, even this heavy path is one He's on with me. All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness.
These feelings don't mean that I've derailed. Though I should make sure I don't have unconfessed sin hindering my relationship with Jesus, but if nothing seems unconfessed, then I must just accept that I am only human and I am allowed to feel the whole gamut of emotions. I can still choose to tread with Jesus, to know He's beside me in the darkness ,and that He is good and upright and soon the sun will come out while the dark clouds move on toward the east like after a morning rain.
Do you find yourself in a dark spot wondering why? If anyone understands, it's Jesus. As His time to walk the road to the cross drew near and came upon Him, Jesus knew the darkness. Talk to Jesus about your circumstance. Choose to believe that even this dark path is one He will remain on with you and His love remains with you. I'd love to pray for you, that the sunshine on your heart would rise. Email me here.

Gatepost

Trudging through the day more than springing, I steal away some time to be with my Maker. And He said to me, "I made this day too, so rejoice in this day."
The refrain echoes in my ears for days and opening my Bible to read in context, "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it," I find this often quoted verse is surrounded by the idea of a gate.

Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord;
the righteous shall enter through it.
I thank you that you have answered me
and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord's doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:19-24

I don't think I could build a gate, I'm not handy and not detailed enough. From my quick research, it takes some meticulous skills. Of course the gate must be square, but even more importantly, it must hang from a gatepost. I giggled reading WikiHow.com, "fence posts are necessary for installing a fence…you need posts in order to install a gate." Got it? Posts are a must. The essential post is placed in the ground filled half full of concrete and then set, being certain it is straight and vertical, so that the gate can open and close. When set correctly, the rest of the hole is filled with concrete. The post is like the cornerstone of building, it is the first component of construction of a fence and most important since everything else is set in reference to that post. The gatepost determines the position of the entire structure.
Now takes this idea back to Psalm 118's gate. Eternal life, life beyond this is not automatically given. We don't just get it. When Adam and Eve sinned, that privilege was taken away and guarded:

He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. Genesis 3:24

Though we were separated from the tree of eternal life, all is not lost. God in His mercy made a way to reenter the garden and eat from the tree of life. If there were a fence surrounding that tree of life, Jesus is the cornerstone of the fence and he is the gate.

I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

This is God's marvelous doing, that Jesus would be the only way for us to taste the tree of eternal life.
Every day I live is a day I should stop and realize that Jesus made a way for me to enter the garden and that means it is a day to rejoice. The joy springs from the saving, the rescuing, the deliverance from peril, an entrance into the garden. I should consistently realize that the gate of righteousness has been opened to me by Jesus who is the gate and gatepost.

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Revelation 22:14

Do we realize how blessed we are? Every day is a day to marvel in the truth of God rescuing us and making a way for us to enter the gate, to eat from the tree of life. I would like to complain about the day: I'm cold. I'm bored. I'm annoyed. I'm overwhelmed. I'm angry. But when I put those grumblings into perspective, my moaning should become rejoicing! I will rejoice in this day and be happy, happy, happy!

Nestled

Touch is not my love language. But even still, I do love the comfort and acceptance I feel when someone I trust wraps arms around me and I feel nestled in their authentic, heart-felt embrace.

From now on, [because we no longer live for ourselves, but for God who is in our hearts], we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come. 2 Thessalonians 5:16-17

In Christ, I am a new creation. Parallel this idea with the concentric measuring cups pictured above. I am like a new cup, nestled in His embrace. When I came to belief in Him, He tossed out my old dirty cup, replaced it with a new righteous cup (Philippians 3:9), that nestles tightly inside Him, Jesus, who sits right inside God--like concentric measuring cups.
What kills me is that even though I got a new cup, I still sin because of the imperfect world I live in. However, "we regard no one according to the flesh" tells me that I can't look at my sin because He cut away that rotting putrid flesh. This is the old that has passed away. Men used to literally see Jesus'  broken, bruised and bleeding human body, but He died and was resurrected with a new, perfect form. That's the future to which I'm compelled to look: my resurrected body (1 Corinthians 15:42-53). Is this what it means to throw off the sin that entangles?

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us… Hebrews 12:1

To not focus on my sin that bogs me down, rather choosing to focus on my righteousness from Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).
I have a friend who just lost 20 pounds and she posted a picture of a 20-pound barbell on Facebook, commenting she was glad to be rid of it; it was heavy! What if she spent her days starring at the 20-pound barbell, wondering how she managed to gain and then lose that 20 pounds? She'd be stuck in the past instead of propelling herself forward.
I need to look to where God calls me forward and feel the comforting embrace of Christ nestled all around me. Yes, I've messed up in the past. But I am new and righteous. In light of eternity, my present state and circumstance don't matter, they will be cut off and replaced with complete holiness.
Picture yourself nestled in Christ. Keep your head up and focus on Christ. See who He made the new you to be, not your sin and past mistakes.

Table

I like to snuggle up in a cozy blanket. Not just in my quiet times, but any time. Sometimes even in the summer. Weird, I know. I followed my bent as I snuggled on the couch in my suite at the Broadmoor. Turning my gaze from the fireplace, I focused on the long, elegant dining table adorned with a huge hurricane shaped centerpiece and flowers. Hmmm. I wonder what it feels like to sit in those large, plush dining chairs, high-backed and heavy as you slide out from under the table. And what if I sat at that table, picturing myself invited to the Lord's marriage supper? I was off the couch in a second (don't worry, my blanket came with me).

At your banquet table, where delectable appetizers sit at each setting, chilled sparkling water dances in each glass, linens are folded, candles flicker, full-table service is offered, and I am adorned with the most beautiful gown of righteousness.

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us exult and give Him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure"-- for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God." Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God." For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Revelation 19:6-10

Surrounded by authentic, vibrant worship. Wouldn't the goosebumps just rise all over your body?

At that table, the bride is ready (vs. 7). I'm luck to be a woman. I get this. I've been the bride. But to Christ, the Church or believers in Christ are His bride (men included). Just as the engineer chose me, Christ chooses those who will believe in His ministry. As a woman, I know the work and effort the bride goes through before revealing herself to her groom. It's daunting because she wants to look her best. And in that day of the Lord, the song will ring out, "…the Bride is ready.." The Church is ready for Christ to see her face to face. And the Bride is wearing pure, bright white, stunning linen of the finest thread. She's done the work of preparation; not hair and make-up but seeking Him continually, being made holy, allowing the Holy Spirit to empower her to stand firm no matter what and worshiping God. And at that marriage of Christ and His bride, the preparation behind us, we will be complete in His presence at the banquet table and all that remains is worshiping God. Maranatha!

Blessed are those who are invited (9). We are invited to be His Bride. The invitation is blessing enough. After we stand through trials of this life, we will be gorgeously adorned and ready to look Him in the face. Be sure you'll be there. This is one table you won't want to miss!

Stressed out

"…And I pray that Mommy and Daddy wouldn't get so stressed out…" Shaking my head and looking at the engineer, I roll my eyes at this repetitive plea to God from a Christ-following golden head. I want to scream, Why are you choosing to be the reason for the stress? 

Sitting alone with God and my coffee, He speaks to me. Why do you see yourself  any better than they?  

But He was wounded for our transgressions;
He was crushed for our iniquities;
Upon Him was the chastisement that brings us peace,
and with His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

Just a sliver of Jesus' torture, for our benefit, is revealed to me through parenting. In parenting, I often feel rejected, despised, sorrow, grief and disrespected (v. 2). Yet because I love these golden heads, I carry these sorrows (v. 3) while they only see me "stressed out" and afflicted (v. 4). Upon the mother and father is the charge to teach them to be at peace with God (v. 5); to introduce them to God and disciple them. Jesus' sorrow, grief and beatings were extreme; mine are light in lieu of His, but my sin took Him there. Not just theirs. I am no less a sinner than they (v. 6). Yet, Jesus never opened His mouth to complain, yell or correct (v. 7). I open my mouth plenty. Too much. This is not helpful or beneficial to yell and complain. And so I find myself in confession: admitting sin, repenting and thanking Him for forgiveness.

For this sin and all sin, He was put through torturous grief and death (v. 10). Jesus offering His life as a perfect sacrifice for all sin gives me life and prolongs my days (v. 10). This was God's will because He is just (must administer punishment for all sin). Jesus' death sacrifice was our payment for our sin, satisfied God's requirement for justice and made a way for all to be great and righteous before Him (vv. 11-12). 

My sorrow and grief in training them, in teaching them how to be at peace with God is all so that they too might be righteous before God (v. 11). 

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 2 Corinthians 4:9-10

I am "stressed out" so the life of Christ might live in my golden heads.

What area in your life is stressing you? Does this give you a vague glimpse of Jesus at the cross? Do you realize that YOUR sin took Him there? Thank Him for His willingness to give His life and choose to live your life in service so others might find peace with God.

Full of sap and green

 The righteous flourish like the palm treeand grow like a cedar in Lebanon.They are planted in the house of the Lord;they flourish in the courts of our God.They still bear fruit in old age; they are full of sap and green,to declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. Psalm 92:12-15

Why does the writer, King David, choose the palm tree to describe the righteous? Does it foreshadow Jesus' triumphal entry in John 12:13? I'm blessed when God tells me to dig deeper.
Though today we associate the palm tree with vacation, in biblical times, it was a symbol of victory, peace and fertility. It's image was etched in the temple (1 Kings 6:29, 32, 35). Used thirty times in the Bible, yet the palm is only recorded twice in the New Testament. It grows in warm, temperate climates and is an evergreen. Over 2600 species of the palm tree vary diversely in physical characteristics. Don't Jesus' children vary as well? God doesn't have favorites; He adopts all who believe.

But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God… John 1:12

Ceroxylon quindiuense, Colombia's national tree, is the tallest monocot in the world, reaching up to 60 meters tall. The coco de mer (Lodoicea maldivica) has the largest seeds of any plant, 40–50 cm in diameter and weighing 15–30 kg each. Raffia palms (Raphia spp.) have the largest leaves of any plant, up to 25 m long and 3 m wide (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arecaceae).

The tallest palm in the world is over 190 feet tall! (A tad short of the giant redwoods of California that grow up just over 300 feet.) We are called to be tall, to stand out from the crowd. Many items are harvested from the palm tree: coconut, oils, dates, raffia, palm syrup, ivory nuts, carnauba wax, rattan cane, raffia and palm wood. The believer's fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; Galatians 5:22-23) is to be abundant and diverse. The seed of one fruit among the palms is the largest seed in the world. The seed is fruit's origin…Jesus is our start, where our fruit gets it's nourishment to grow.
Last, the palm tree doesn't have age rings. It shows no age! "They still bear fruit in old age; they are full of sap and green," Psalm 92:14. Believers are never finished working for God.
I can't ignore the cedar in Lebanon. How do these two trees compare? The Lebanon Cedar grows only in one specific mediteranean climate. It too is an evergreen and grows up to 120 feet tall. Its wood was used to build both David and Solomon's palaces and also was used to build ships, houses, and temples because its wood is without knots and not likely to decay. The trunk is uncommonly tall and branches are very wide spreading, making it distinct. We are called to be distinct and without blemish (knots) if we are in Christ!

He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— Colossians 1:22

And we are offered life that never ends (not to decay).

God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:11-13

Lastly, the hebrew root for Lebanon means whiteness. When Christ stands before God on our behalf, God sees us as righteous, not guilty, white. Those who have believed in Christ are not perfect, but the One who covers us is.

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;my soul shall exult in my God,for He hs clothes me with the garments of salvation;He has covered me with the robe of righteousness… Isaiah 60:10a

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Because we are not perfect, this will be a continual confessing on our part. However, He has already forgiven because Jesus was a perfect, willing payment for all our sin; past, present and future sins, that satisfied a just God. 
When we back up to verse 7 in this psalm, we see the picture David ascribes the wicked;
"though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever."

So we see the evil and righteous contrasted. 

• Grass: relatively short, here today and tomorrow frozen, dead, lifeless. 
• Palm and cedar: tall, distinct, evergreen and full of sap, relatively long living.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem on a humble donkey, the people laid down their coats and palm branches for Him to ride (John 12:13). The palm; victory, peace, fruitful, tall, not showing age, diverse. The crowds could have used grass. On our trip to Ethiopia, one little girl and her mother insisted on welcoming a teammate back to their house for coffee. They must have spent hours preparing for her arrival to have covered the dirt floor of their home with grass. Grass; common, not evergreen, here today, gone tomorrow. The crowd choose palm tree branches to honor Jesus; He chose a humble donkey. Someday we too will wave palm branches and He will sit on the throne.

And behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and people and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" Revelation 7:9

Will you be there on that day? This salvation is for all; every nation, tribe, people and language. Does Jesus' righteousness cover your wrong doing? If you're not sure, decide today to accept Jesus' covering. Click here or contact me. If you are in Christ, flourish like the palm, grow like a cedar, by daily planting yourself in the presence of God. Declare that Christ covers you, that He alone is righteous, He is your rock, and you will be fruitful forever, full of the Spirit and evergreen.

Seed

Quickly pulling the covers straight...this is making my bed these busy days. Its soft brown hue in contrast to the deep brown catches my attention. From the front walk this small daisy seed has traveled to the heights of my own bedroom. Brushing the how aside, I ask God, why a seed this morning?
My mind settles on the change in pace this week has brought with it. A schedule packed with little buffers, the evenings spent serving a community alongside ours with games, treats and sharing truth of Jesus. Ah, yes, we are planting seeds and who knows where these seeds with land and on which kind of soil they will settle. But even more, closer to home, I think of the seeds planted in the hearts of my own golden heads. Am I nourishing the seeds with righteousness, seeds of peace and joy? Not so these busy days, too many thorns of annoyance, anxiety, stress, impatience.
Jesus forgive me for throwing thorns at my little ones instead of nourishing the seeds in rich soil.
Are you planting and nourishing seeds or dropping thorns? Ask Jesus for forgiveness and the Spirit to lead you in righteousness, peace and joy.

Serving in

I am God's servant (Romans 14:4, 18). He saved me to work and before I was born, He prepared work for me to do for Him (Ephesians 2:8-10).

The expected motivation for the work in Romans 14:17 & 18, jolts me: 

..for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who is serves Christ in righteousness, peace and joy, is acceptable to God and approved by men.

First, remember that the kingdom of God is within the believer and it's not temporary (as is eating and drinking) but permanent. When you believe Christ as God's only Son and accept His sacrifice as sufficient payment to God for your sin, the Holy Spirit comes to live in you...that's the kingdom of God within you forever. Since this is a permanent and welcome invasion in your life, we should be concerned about lasting things:

1. Righteousness - God's standard of rightness & perfection, declared about us by Him.
2. Peace - Here it means the absence of confusion. Therefore, consistent and firm conviction that will not confuse others in regards to your motives and decisions. Further, God first declared peace with us  (Romans 5:1) so now we are to pursue to end hostility with others.
3. Joy - Chara, exceeding gladness that results in thankfulness. We are to rejoice with those who rejoice (Romans 12:15).

All three pillars are gifts from God to us. And when righteousness, peace and joy are driving factors of our acts of service, they are pleasing to God and others. Being approved by men is a bonus, what I desire most is to be acceptable to God.

First, I ask myself, am I serving? Then, I need to access my motives. Am I serving in righteousness, lack of confusion (peace) and joy? Consider these questions:

• Do I pursue truth in all situations? (Rather than assumptions or gossip.)
• Do others clearly and consistently see through my words, actions and attitudes why I serve?
• Do I build others up by my service?
• Do I serve with so much joy that it causes myself and others to be thankful?

These questions are convicting. I see need for improvement and adjustments. Especially in the area of mothering. I often jump to conclusions or assume the golden heads' disobedience or omission. Taxed, I often complain about my circumstance instead of realizing that I am blessed no matter the situation. What kind of example is that to my family and others? My words and body language often tear down their little hearts. I need a tune up, focusing on righteousness, peace and joy.
Ah, words. There is much power in the spoken or written word. A struggling, insecure 9-year old compassionate golden head who's momma told her she's beautiful, knows without a doubt that she is beautiful despite what the mean girls at school say. I know it all too well myself, I still recall, sitting on mom's bed, caught shaving my arms because I thought the hair on them was ugly and mom saying, "You're such a pretty girl." From that moment on, I knew deep down that I was pretty simply because my mom said it. There's something about a mother's affirmation. I don't even believe the sincerity in the engineer's words when he says I'm beautiful. They feel as words of obligation, not heart-felt conviction...but mom saying I look beautiful in my bridesmaid dress...now I know my worth.
In my own life, the power of these words is affirming as I struggle with my own beauty and value. Is the key to overcoming my insecurity, building others with my own words?

Pursue the things (righteousness, lack of confusion and joy) which make for peace and the building up of one another. Do not tear down the work of God (others)...Romans 14:19-20.

I am determined to affirm others (in truth) in the area of my weaknesses (esp. beauty and value). It may not be their struggle but to me, it takes eyes off self and places it on others.

These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates (own minds) judgements that are true (righteous) and make for peace (lack of confusion in regards to my own motives). Zechariah 8:16

Survey your area of service, and if needed, ask God to graciously move you toward righteousness, peace and joy.

Righteousness

Memorizing the beatitudes, something has struck me that I've gnawed on for weeks:

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Matthew 5:6

There is something in this teaching of Jesus' that I believe sets what should be a daily aim for believers. I think on these words individually, collectively. Blessed: possessing the favor of God, being marked by fullness from God, said of one who becomes a partaker of God's nature through faith in Christ (2 Peter 1:4). The believer now has the Holy Spirit within them and as a result should be fully satisfied no mater the circumstances.

Blessed = having God's kingdom within one's heart

Blessed is the one who is in the world yet independent of the world. His satisfaction comes from God and not from favorable circumstances. And notice that this blessed is already, past tense. If you hunger and thirst for righteousness right now, you're already blessed. (But hold on because there's something even greater coming.)
But what does it really mean to hunger and thirst for righteousness? I really want to be that woman. But how? What does that look like? First, hunger and thirst: I can't fully grasp what it is to be truly hungry.  But a craving for thirst is something I recall. I was driving home late one night so incredibly thirsty and no water in the car. I was thirsty when I began the trip and the three hour journey was as long as ever without water to quench my thirst. The engineer called to check on me a half hour from home, "I am so thirsty, all I can think about it getting home and drinking huge glasses of water." I had to admit that I was too stubborn to stop and buy some at a gas station (I really just wanted to get home to water and sleep). I recall that water was truly the only thing I could think about. And is that how I approach the righteousness of God? Is He the only thing I can think about?
I love David's song in Psalm 42:1-2,

As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so my soul for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.

If you go on to read the rest of Psalm 42, you'll see David crying out to God, admitting a downcast heart, a life in turmoil. But his resolve is to hope in God, to praise Him. David can do that because He has a insatiable thirst for God. He wants God more than a fix to his problems.
Now, contrast hunger and thirst with satisfaction: Longing and craving or complete contentment. On the day of perfection, my longing and craving for God's righteous claim on my life will be complete and I will be content, full if you will.
And what about the word righteousness? There is much to study and learn of this Greek word: dikaisune. I can not contain it all. But in brief understanding, I learn that the righteousness of God is the claim God has on man's life. This is a gift (Romans 3:24) and man must accept this gift of righteousness by having faith in Christ. God then simultaneously performs the miracle of making us new (2 Corinthians 5:17) and is constantly changing our character to make us like Christ.
Romans 2:13 declares that there is a set time in the future when the doers of the law will be declared righteous. I connect these passages and see that when that time comes (when I stand before God) I will be fully righteous (perfect) and completely satisfied.
So to be craving righteousness right now is to look ahead to the future on the day when perfection comes, to strive to become conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29), to walk justly (Micah 6:8), to make God's priorities my priorities (Matthew 6:33), to meditate on & wrestle with understanding His Word (Psalm 119, Joshua 1:8) just to name a few.
So I see that this is now (blessed) but also future (for we will be satisfied). What a gracious (gift-giving) God we have who loves us so much that He would bless us now and completely satisfy us when we meet Him face to face.

In what ways do you think we should we should be hungering and thirsting for righteousness?

See

Just finished a book called, The Uncommon Woman by Susie Larson. I really enjoyed my time with her book and Scripture in hand (highlighter and pencil too.) One of many truths, that was revealed to me vividly as I studied was really stopping to look at Matthew 5:8:

Blessed be the pure in heart for they will see God.

Parked in the middle of the beatitudes, I'm not sure I've ever really given this one thought. The point Susie made is that when we have pure hearts, we can see God...at work in others.
One of my many struggles is judging others. I feel horrible confessing that. (Remembering the truth of Proverbs 28:13, "Whoever covers his sins will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.") So I do confess this and forsake this attitude and action of mine. What I have come to realize it that when I judge others, I am simply not sure of my own standing with God. I am loved my God beyond measure, He thinks of my constantly, He never lets go of my hand. When I see myself this way (solid and grounded in Christ), I am able to see others as Christ sees them and Christ in them. I am able to Christ at work in their lives. I am able to love them because I can begin to grasp just how much I am loved.

The more I think about this truth, the more it makes sense to me when I read other scripture. I John 2:10 says,

Whoever loves his brother abides in the light and in him there is no cause for stumbling.

I am pure in heart when I love others and am standing in His Light. So when I'm in this state (abiding with Him, loving others, in the Light), I can see God and I abide in His presence, His Light, so there is little chance for me to stumble into sin because I'm not groping around around in the dark.
Even in Luke 6:28, "bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you," I see that if my immediate response to personal attacks is to fall on my face in prayer for those who use and abuse me, then I will be purifying my heart and I will see God at work in their lives and mine.
As a mom, my golden heads driving me batty, whether being disobedient or just annoying, I find myself asking God to purify my heart so I can see Him at work in them.
I hope this challenges others in some way, so that they too will think about how having a pure heart will allow them to see God.

Blessed

Friday, June 29, 2012

Today, I got a word of encouragement from my younger sister. It was very kind and resonated with something I’ve learned this past week in my study of Romans 4. In chapter 4 alone, the phrase “credited as righteousness” is used 11 times! As I studied the greek word for credited, logizomai, I realized it essentially mean the God puts righteousness in my account that I will have to settle up with him on my day of judgment. Now, I don’t deserve righteousness, but condemnation. But righteousness is instead imputed to me in a substitutionary manner because what I do deserve (eternal death) was placed on Christ. I feel undeserving, guilty. But Zodhiates says, “the imputation of righteousness whose correlative is freedom from guilt.” Ah, yes, Romans 8:1, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Right after Paul’s first introduction of crediting righteousness to my account, he quotes Psalm 32:1-2, saying those who receive this crediting are blessed, this crediting is a blessing. But digging into the greek for blessing, makarios, I find that means marked by the fullness from God. It means you’ve found satisfaction from God, not favorable circumstance. So when I read, “I pray that your family will be blessed in all you say and do,” and I know that as an American society really, what more blessing could we ask for, I think, I don’t need to be blessed, I need to realized that I am blessed. Lord, forgive me for finding my satisfaction in favorable circumstances instead of from You.

1.       Sun Tea

2.       Sitting on the engineer’s lap in his “office”

3.       Going to Target field with the engineer

4.       Seats in the shade

5.       Kettle corn

6.       Little old Farmington

7.       Collecting cups from sporting events

8.       Not getting hit by the train or the car

9.       Laughing about it later

10.   Ending the date perfectly

11.   Sleeping with the sheet on because its cool enough

12.   The calculating one calling me to tell me about her day at grandmas

13.   Opportunity to have Sechler cousins overnight

14.   Plans that give Micah a hope and a future

15.   Seeing spiritual growth in the calculating one

16.   Guarding my time in the morning with God

17.   Having my girls home again

18.   Swapping Caleb for Braelyn

19.   Having to drive two vehicles because we have too many kids

20.   Grandpa Great coming to the party

21.   Dar driving him

22.   The engineer praying before dinner

23.   Bean Salsa getting 5 Stars

24.   Providing a meal for our family

25.   Birthday ice cream jello-cake in the shape of a butterfly

26.   The calculating one’s new hat and sunglasses

27.   The engineer being okay with 6 little girls in his house

28.   Getting more solar lights for the flower bed

29.   Four cousins on one air matress

30.   Four cousins in the hot tub

31.   Having a hot shower after 6 baths

32.   Perfect weather for slip & slide

33.   Mom & Dad helping with errands for the party

34.   Watering the garden

35.   Carter’s seal stunt that inspired everyone to try it

36.   Saving the cucumber plant

37.   Carter & Daniel surfing down the slip & slide

38.   Watching the dads do slip & slide

39.   The engineer burning his back because he did more sliding than he thought

40.   Having a campfire because the girls cousins got to stay

41.   Watching them roast marshmallows & eat s’mores & s’moreos

42.   Timing Braelyn while she burned her mallows

43.   Cowboy gulf with the engineer, the compassionate one and Braelyn

44.   Crush, Mountain Dew, sunglasses & four cousins posing for a picture

45.   Email from Ashley

46.   Grandpa stopping to see Micah

47.   Listening to the cousins play

48.   Canny bucks for bringing friends

49.   NOT vacuuming before the party

50.   Working WITH the engineer

51.   Slippers on in summer

52.   Bakery buns

53.   Free coupons at McDonalds

54.   “Take all the time you need”

55.   Rebekah sitting next to me in the chair

56.   Hanging out with the big 4 in the sunroom

57.   Taking six kids to the lake

58.   Being with the VanKlei ladies

59.   Cousins getting the golden heads out of comfort zone on the tubes

60.   Pizza & movie party starting at 9:30pm

61.   Traci calling me

62.   Family night board game & movie

63.   Water balloons with or without water

64.   Traci sharing Isaiah 26:3

65.   “Normal” routine

66.   Where you are…there you are

67.   Visit with Heather

68.   The Oasis

69.   Humid, hot growing weather

70.   Being an hour from Rochester

71.   Micah’s smiles

72.   Bringing the Sechler three Italian

73.   The golden heads being patient and not whining at the hospital

74.   Knowing we can bring more goodies to them

75.   Texting with mom

76.   Jessica keeping the other Sechler three

77.   Quiet 4^th of July

78.   Ginger Pye with the big girls

79.   Meat thermometer

80.   Night to myself

81.   Coffee ice cream with oreos

82.   Able to run 4-miles

83.   Cold shower to cool my body

84.   Clothes wet from sweat

85.   Ability to memorize

86.   Golden heads giving each other pedicures

87.   Cool down in forecast

88.   Clouds to block sun’s intensity

89.   Cooler temps for Celebrate Freedom

No condemnation

Monday, June 18, 2012

The more I think about myself. The more I hate myself. My character is so far from God’s standard of righteousness. I find myself analyzing my actions and heart condition: I am sometime rude and cutting toward the engineer. I was especially horrible when we visited his sister last. I am a crabby, sarcastic, belittling mother at times. I am selfish. I am embarrassed and frustrated with myself. Sometimes, I see myself outside myself and I see Christ so perfectly as I respond in ways that are not first nature to me: Calm and patient with the girls, constantly encouraging to Derrick. Gracious toward those who typically drive me crazy. Calm in stressful situations. And other times, seeing myself as I am in my natural, mortal, flesh state: crabby, belittling, rude. I can identify with Paul in Romans 7, “I am doing the very thing I hate.” Only God though my faith in Christ Jesus can set me free from this body of death. I need to confess my sin, and receive His offered forgiveness and live knowing that, “there is now NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ Jesus,” Romans 8:1.

Still, this is hard to live out. Another place where faith comes in: faith that I am forgiven. Faith that when God justified me, He simultaneously performed the miracle of regeneration and is continually changing my character. I do not obey and want to change my sinful behavior because of fear of the consequences but because His grace changes my character and makes me just. I am a child of God, I exercise rights as His child and act as His child. I am liberated from guilt and power of sin but not the presence of sin.

Thanks be to Jesus for His indescribable gift!

1.       Watching the dragon fly with the girls for the first time

2.       Showing the girls lighting bugs

3.       Hot summer night sitting on the front porch

4.       5% back on Delta plan ticket

5.       Airport taxi

6.       Dry basement after so much rain

7.       Basement shelter in the storm

8.       Culver’s frozen custard

9.       Messing up the boisterous one’s order so I got frozen custard

10.   Swimming with the golden heads two days in a row

11.   Sand castles and sand birthday cakes

12.   Staying at the lake until 6