I CAN GO BOLDLY BEFORE GOD !!!If you could talk to anyone who would it be? Maybe a loved who passed on too soon. Maybe your favorite rock or movie star? The president or the pope? I find it amazing that I can go boldly before God -the one who created everything. It kind of like knowing the owner of a candy who sneaks you an extras piece of fudge every now and then but so much better. It doesn't matter whether I'm excited over good or sad over a child one of my kids are going though; I can take it before the throne of God. He will always be there to celebrate and grief with me. So thankful for thi
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Colossians 3:1-4 New International Version (NIV)Living as Those Made Alive in Christ" Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."
Growing up in a house full of boys; I've play a game or two of hide n seek (yep, that's how you say it!). The best time to play hide n seek is just when it's getting dark. You can see people but you can't tell who it is. We always had a "base", it was usually a tree. So when you saw shadows hanging around the tree, you would count the shadows to see how many were still hiding. We get to play hide n seek with Jesus a hide in God's shadow. We have people all day long trying use and corrupt us. The Enemy wants us to come of the shadow and play with Him. We are protected by God shadow no matter where we go. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39 KJV)
I think that most of us can admit that we feel alone at times. Its not that we feel like we're not saved or that we feel unloved. We just feel alone and by ourselves. We may try to fill the lonely, empty feeling with work or family; we may use drug, or alcohol, maybe technology, or some of us (ME!ME!ME!) try to sleep it away. Whatever we do, it can't quench that feeling of loneliness; in fact, most of the time it leaves us feeling emptier and EXHAUSTED! I read somewhere that God allows these times in our lives so we will draw closer to him. I'm really bad about turning towards people, especially my husband, when I feel alone.I have in my prayer journal that says "I need to depend on God to meet my expectations and not Barrett" I think Roman 8, verse 38 & 39 are so important to remember when we go through times where we feel empty and alone, because when we understand that God and nothing change then it makes those those times of feeling and alone more bearable.
If you know me at all, you know I am the QUEEN of "I'm Sorry" Land. Half of the the things i apologize for are not even my fault. I just feel like if I inconvenience anyone or hut the I need to say I'm sorry. I feel like people are trying to help and take care of me and if something goes wrong then it must be my fault.
While I know God has freed me of my sins, I continually hear those voices in my head that say; "you don't deserve this", "this is for other people, not you" or "don't you think you have met your 'limit' with God? It's hard for me to see who I am in Christ because I am looking at the situation through a dirty windshield, whereas God can see it much clear than I ever will. I have to learn to trust more in what God's saying and less in how I feel. Growing I was a Daddy's girl ~ one of the perks of being the only daughter of 6 children. I may or may not have been a little bit spoiled. (Stacia was a Daddy's girl too - being 19 years older, we didn't have to compete!) Unless he was really, really mad at me I could get about whatever I wanted. There was just something about going to my daddy made me feel safe and loved.
We can feel the same way with God - probably even more so. I can tell God stuff I would have never told my Daddy. (I said I was a Daddy girl, but not a stupid one'.) God knows everything anyway. All I have to do is pray and I know He hears me. Complete means to make whole or perfect. As a disabled woman my view of completeness is probably not that as someone who isn't disabled. It's being able to walk and talk like "normal". being treated like every one else and not being looked down upon because you're seen as lesser of a person because you don't fit into this world. To be honest, most people feel this way. No matter who you are, we all have flaws that we may be ashamed or simply wish we didn't have.
There is good news though; we have been made complete through our faith in Christ. While we should be jumping for joy for this knowledge, it may be bittersweet because we want too feel complete NOW. I want to close my eyes, click my heals and dance all the way down the yellow brick road. This may never happen. It doesn't mean God doesn't love me; it simply means that He's not ready to show my completeness yet. This can be so frustrating though. We know that we are complete in Christ, but we'r still living in a world where people still view us as broken. It hurts; and God knows that. We have to have faith that one day soon God's promises will be fulfilled we will be revealed as how God's sees us. I can't wait!!! Forgiveness may be the hardest I struggle with being a Christian. Paul said; "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life." (1 Tim 1:15-16 NIV)
My automatic thought is if Paul sinned, then what chances do we have? I love Paul, but I think we tend to put him on a pedestal and forget that he was human an have the same sin nature we do. I think as believers (and non believers alike) sometimes so we do 1 of 2 things; we feel so guilty we think God could never forgive us or we think; yes, I sinned, but look at what so&so did, I thin as a believer we should approach forgiveness somewhere in the middle. Yes, God has forgiven all our sins, but that doesn't give us permission to go out and do what ever we want. There are always consequences to what we do and honestly the consequences can seem worse than the sin because we are not able the spiritual reality of our sin. I must admit I haven' always like my body was a temple. It's hard to see that when most people appear "normal" in your eyes. I know God is holy and perfect I realize that no matter what I do I can't be like that. My body and my voice denies it. I've always known loves me, but this temple was in ruins.
When I was 23, a friend and I took a last minute trip to Florida. She had recently go a tattoo and I had wanted one for years. I knew the bible says in Leviticus 19:28 “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD." While I'm not going to debate that this verse is talking about tattoos, I did get my tattoo strictly because I didn't see my body as God's temple and felt like I wanted something pretty on my body. I have a small teddy bear holding a rose on the inside of my ankle. I wanted something discrete that I could hide, but show off when I wanted too. Barrett hates it and it's to tell your kids not to get tattoos when you have (especially when they're 5). Do I regret it??? I want to yes, but I still really like my tattoo. I regret the fact that I didn't see my body as God's temple. I was so focused on my flaws, that I refused to see what God had done in my life and the possibilities of what He's going to do in my life. I know I will receive a new body and I also know that He has forgiven me for not seeing my body as His temple. 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. ts hard for me to phantom that I am one spirit with the Lord. He is so holy and I don't think I am. But the Bible does call us holy. To be holy is to be a separated people. I may not always understand scripture; I just have to believe it.
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