Ps. 84:1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD of hosts!
2My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God.
3Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
ever singing your praise!
I have seen a few of my friends go home to be with the Lord in the last year or so. I have never really thought as much about Heaven as I have lately. With Andrew's condition worsening it has renewed my thoughts of Heaven again.
I know that Heaven is going to have amazing stones. Stones that look like glass they are so perfect. Brilliant colors, much better than HD or Blue Ray could ever produce. The Light of Heaven is God and the sun pales in comparison to Him. I'm not sure about buildings and water or anything like that, but I do know that as beautiful as Heaven itself is, it will not be the Star of the Show. The Star is God. We will be so enthralled with looking at our Redeemer that everything else will be supporting cast.
The hard surfaces of Heaven will make singing to our Lord amazing; like singing in the shower with millions of perfect voices. Our rest will be the best rest we can remember, like when we were children, with no cares in the world, but in perfect health. Our relationships will be perfect. Our loves will be focused on the Lamb. Our faith will have been perfected. Our Joy will be in front of us for us to behold. Our Peace will have broken down every wall. Our strength will be renewed like the eagle that flies over head. Our gifts will be laid, with joy inexpressible, at Jesus' feet. We will be Home at Last.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
He is my Portion
Ps. 73: 23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
24You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Oh, how encouraging it is to know that God is continually with those who love Him. As a father would comfort his little child with his nearness and physical touch, so our Heavenly Father holds our hand.
There is no knowledge in me that He has not given, no insight into things that I have no understanding that He has not imparted and everyday I am reminded how much I need His counsel. He knows what will happen today and beyond and it is a huge comfort to know He is in control of all of the details of my life. And after my life is finished He will receive me in Glory.
What a day it will be,
when my Jesus I shall,
When I look into His face,
the One who saved me by His grace,
When He takes me by the hand
and leads me through the Promised Land
What a Day, Glorious Day, that will be.
Whom have I in Heaven but You? I can finally say that there is nothing on earth I desire beside You. My flesh is weak, my heart is tired, I cry for your grace and you answer, I plead for your provision and You provide. You are my portion, both here and in Heaven, there is nothing lacking in You and You supply all my needs. All that I need is You, and I need you every minute of every hour. Give me strength to be who you want me to be today, give me joy in sharing Who You are when You give me opportunities to share. Give me peace to rest in Your care and provision, I can not rest w/o You giving me faith to trust Your perfect timing. On my own I don't have faith, but You give faith to those who follow after You, help me to follow Only You. You are my light and my Salvation, of whom, or what, shall I be afraid.
you hold my right hand.
24You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Oh, how encouraging it is to know that God is continually with those who love Him. As a father would comfort his little child with his nearness and physical touch, so our Heavenly Father holds our hand.
There is no knowledge in me that He has not given, no insight into things that I have no understanding that He has not imparted and everyday I am reminded how much I need His counsel. He knows what will happen today and beyond and it is a huge comfort to know He is in control of all of the details of my life. And after my life is finished He will receive me in Glory.
What a day it will be,
when my Jesus I shall,
When I look into His face,
the One who saved me by His grace,
When He takes me by the hand
and leads me through the Promised Land
What a Day, Glorious Day, that will be.
Whom have I in Heaven but You? I can finally say that there is nothing on earth I desire beside You. My flesh is weak, my heart is tired, I cry for your grace and you answer, I plead for your provision and You provide. You are my portion, both here and in Heaven, there is nothing lacking in You and You supply all my needs. All that I need is You, and I need you every minute of every hour. Give me strength to be who you want me to be today, give me joy in sharing Who You are when You give me opportunities to share. Give me peace to rest in Your care and provision, I can not rest w/o You giving me faith to trust Your perfect timing. On my own I don't have faith, but You give faith to those who follow after You, help me to follow Only You. You are my light and my Salvation, of whom, or what, shall I be afraid.
Fiery Trials
"When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply:
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine"
Many of the people who regularly read this blog, read another blog from a friend of ours who the husband may have lost his fight with cancer even a I post. He is a young father, 30-ish with a lovely young wife and 2 young children.
They have been an encouragement to many over the last year and half, or so, in how they have endured this extreme trial in their lives. When I read the post this morning that they were in the ambulance going back to the hospital and that it look like the end was very close, this hymn came to my mind.
I actually have been thinking about the "fire" around me for a couple of days now. The Refiner chooses to refine those He loves. His purpose for refining is that we might be pure and complete when He is finished with us. The impurities are not going to come out if the temperature is not hot, and the hotter it gets the more pure we will be. BUT, that doesn't make the heat less hot. I was thinking about that fact yesterday and was so encouraged by the thought that He knows exactly what temperature each of needs to be purified, and how much heat we can take. He will only give us what we need and can handle. Even more encouraging than that, He also is the One who gives us strength to endure it. He gives us both the trial and the power to endure the trial. "All" we have to do is let Him do His perfect work in us and trust that He will do what is best for us.
Please pray for Grace, the kids and the family that they would have strength in this refining time, that God's peace would be so evident in their lives to all around them and that Andrew would finish strong, as He goes to be with his Savior.
Andrew has been through so much pain the past year or so and if today is his home-going what a blessed time it will be for him. No more sickness, pain, or chemo and the cares of this life will be over as he sits at the feet of Jesus and looks into the eyes of the One who endured the shame and disgrace of the ones He created to die on the cross that this moment would be possible for those who trust in Him.
Hallelujah, what a Savior.
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply:
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine"
Many of the people who regularly read this blog, read another blog from a friend of ours who the husband may have lost his fight with cancer even a I post. He is a young father, 30-ish with a lovely young wife and 2 young children.
They have been an encouragement to many over the last year and half, or so, in how they have endured this extreme trial in their lives. When I read the post this morning that they were in the ambulance going back to the hospital and that it look like the end was very close, this hymn came to my mind.
I actually have been thinking about the "fire" around me for a couple of days now. The Refiner chooses to refine those He loves. His purpose for refining is that we might be pure and complete when He is finished with us. The impurities are not going to come out if the temperature is not hot, and the hotter it gets the more pure we will be. BUT, that doesn't make the heat less hot. I was thinking about that fact yesterday and was so encouraged by the thought that He knows exactly what temperature each of needs to be purified, and how much heat we can take. He will only give us what we need and can handle. Even more encouraging than that, He also is the One who gives us strength to endure it. He gives us both the trial and the power to endure the trial. "All" we have to do is let Him do His perfect work in us and trust that He will do what is best for us.
Please pray for Grace, the kids and the family that they would have strength in this refining time, that God's peace would be so evident in their lives to all around them and that Andrew would finish strong, as He goes to be with his Savior.
Andrew has been through so much pain the past year or so and if today is his home-going what a blessed time it will be for him. No more sickness, pain, or chemo and the cares of this life will be over as he sits at the feet of Jesus and looks into the eyes of the One who endured the shame and disgrace of the ones He created to die on the cross that this moment would be possible for those who trust in Him.
Hallelujah, what a Savior.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Do I love my job?
The question has been asked of me lately "Do you still love your job?".
The reason someone would ask me this, if you don't know me, is that I have said, very often, that I did. Even when I was with Les Schwab, working hard in the tire business, I really did love my job. The things I really enjoy about both of these 2 positions is the people. The people are also the biggest challenge. Sometime it is my own staff that are the challenge, but most of the time it is clients. I really enjoy talking and sharing with both groups, especially now that I really have something important to talk about.
BUT, do I love my job? I think that God is really starting to change my heart in this area. I don't think I have been necessarily a greedy or serious hoarder of material things, though I do have too many clothes. I have never really wanted to have lots of toys, I guess I'm a little boring, but currently I do have way more than I deserve or need. Back to the question; I guess my desire to "get ahead" has diminished considerably in the past 6 months or so. It's not that I'm not trying to be a slacker, it is just that there are now things that are much more important to me than there were before.
So, I enjoy the job God has given me, I want to be a great steward of what He has entrusted to me, I want to impact the world for Him, and I think this is a great place for influence that others might not have, even internationally, but I don't love my job like I used to. I want to be the best Christian employer I can be, and the best granite company around, and make some really nice friends along the way that in the end I will be able to share Christ with because of Who they see in me.
I have been praying very earnestly that God would not let me be satisfied with lesser loves and lesser joys. I do have a great platform for ministry and that is what I am trying to use work for now.
I hope this makes sense, and that it doesn't seem like I'm trying to skirt the question. I am just not entirely sure where my heart really is. Our hearts are deceitful and I do want to be naive about what is going on.
The reason someone would ask me this, if you don't know me, is that I have said, very often, that I did. Even when I was with Les Schwab, working hard in the tire business, I really did love my job. The things I really enjoy about both of these 2 positions is the people. The people are also the biggest challenge. Sometime it is my own staff that are the challenge, but most of the time it is clients. I really enjoy talking and sharing with both groups, especially now that I really have something important to talk about.
BUT, do I love my job? I think that God is really starting to change my heart in this area. I don't think I have been necessarily a greedy or serious hoarder of material things, though I do have too many clothes. I have never really wanted to have lots of toys, I guess I'm a little boring, but currently I do have way more than I deserve or need. Back to the question; I guess my desire to "get ahead" has diminished considerably in the past 6 months or so. It's not that I'm not trying to be a slacker, it is just that there are now things that are much more important to me than there were before.
So, I enjoy the job God has given me, I want to be a great steward of what He has entrusted to me, I want to impact the world for Him, and I think this is a great place for influence that others might not have, even internationally, but I don't love my job like I used to. I want to be the best Christian employer I can be, and the best granite company around, and make some really nice friends along the way that in the end I will be able to share Christ with because of Who they see in me.
I have been praying very earnestly that God would not let me be satisfied with lesser loves and lesser joys. I do have a great platform for ministry and that is what I am trying to use work for now.
I hope this makes sense, and that it doesn't seem like I'm trying to skirt the question. I am just not entirely sure where my heart really is. Our hearts are deceitful and I do want to be naive about what is going on.
Quick Update
The senior girl I told you about yesterday has informed us that her dad is keeping her from school, at least today, to take her to a psychiatrist to have her evaluated.
Pray that she would be wise in her answers and that God would show His power by turning the heart of the interrogator towards Himself. He can and does do miracles.
Pray that she would be wise in her answers and that God would show His power by turning the heart of the interrogator towards Himself. He can and does do miracles.
Overcome
1 John 5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
This passage has so much in it that I can't even begin to write about them all, but there are a few things that stick out to me here.
There are some key words that pop out of this paragraph, so God must want us to pay attention to them. They are "Everyone", "love", "God" and "commandments". Even if you don't add any more word to these 4 you can really get the idea. "Everyone who loves God keeps His commandments". The opposite must then also be true. Everyone who does NOT love God does NOT keep His commandments. We need to examine our lives, personally, to see if we are truly obeying His commandments.
I love the statement, "His commandments are not burdensome". For those who love Him this is totally true, but for those who don't, His commandments are a lot of work. This should also help you to test your faith and love for Him. Are His commandments burdensome for you, or are they your joy and rest? Is it a chore for you to read and pray, or is it your delight? We are to make our calling and election sure and this is a good way to examine your faith.
The last thing is, "Faith is the victory that overcomes the world". It is hard to have our faith tested, especially if it seems like the trial keep coming. BUT, when God is the One who gives the trial and He is the One who gives us the faith to endure the trial-with joy- it is then that we can see His working in our lives and this builds our faith even more and gives us confidence that He is working all things together for our good.
If God is giving you trials right now that you can't handle, thank Him because He is the One who has to get you through them anyway and now you have to depend on Him, instead of trying to do it on your own. He works in our lives for our good and because He loves us. It's not easy, but it is possible because of Him.
Father, keep working in our lives that we might see Your love for us in all that You have for us. Though the burning away of the dross is painful now, we can rejoice that You love us enough to take the time to purify us. Give us grace to endure, joy to show the world Your goodness, faith to trust and love for others as we share all that You are with them.
Another quick thing. Consciously take the time to tell of His work in your life today. Don't keep His working to yourself, many will be encouraged by your testimony and then give Him praise for what He has done. Live out loud.
This passage has so much in it that I can't even begin to write about them all, but there are a few things that stick out to me here.
There are some key words that pop out of this paragraph, so God must want us to pay attention to them. They are "Everyone", "love", "God" and "commandments". Even if you don't add any more word to these 4 you can really get the idea. "Everyone who loves God keeps His commandments". The opposite must then also be true. Everyone who does NOT love God does NOT keep His commandments. We need to examine our lives, personally, to see if we are truly obeying His commandments.
I love the statement, "His commandments are not burdensome". For those who love Him this is totally true, but for those who don't, His commandments are a lot of work. This should also help you to test your faith and love for Him. Are His commandments burdensome for you, or are they your joy and rest? Is it a chore for you to read and pray, or is it your delight? We are to make our calling and election sure and this is a good way to examine your faith.
The last thing is, "Faith is the victory that overcomes the world". It is hard to have our faith tested, especially if it seems like the trial keep coming. BUT, when God is the One who gives the trial and He is the One who gives us the faith to endure the trial-with joy- it is then that we can see His working in our lives and this builds our faith even more and gives us confidence that He is working all things together for our good.
If God is giving you trials right now that you can't handle, thank Him because He is the One who has to get you through them anyway and now you have to depend on Him, instead of trying to do it on your own. He works in our lives for our good and because He loves us. It's not easy, but it is possible because of Him.
Father, keep working in our lives that we might see Your love for us in all that You have for us. Though the burning away of the dross is painful now, we can rejoice that You love us enough to take the time to purify us. Give us grace to endure, joy to show the world Your goodness, faith to trust and love for others as we share all that You are with them.
Another quick thing. Consciously take the time to tell of His work in your life today. Don't keep His working to yourself, many will be encouraged by your testimony and then give Him praise for what He has done. Live out loud.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Administrative stuff
Just a couple of notes for those who are following.
I had to change the colors, because there are so many nice colors I can't keep just using the same ones:)
Please feel free to post a comment, as it does encourage others when you share your thoughts, even if you don't want to have your own blog, you can just post on mine when you want to. Thanks to those of you who are posting comments.
I am writing down my thoughts for my own soul food, as it is therapeutic for me, and if others are encouraged along the way, Praise God who is working through me. I could not be doing this if He was not working on my heart.
Share your joys and struggles along the way. You really don't know who will be challenged and encouraged.
Go live it out!
I had to change the colors, because there are so many nice colors I can't keep just using the same ones:)
Please feel free to post a comment, as it does encourage others when you share your thoughts, even if you don't want to have your own blog, you can just post on mine when you want to. Thanks to those of you who are posting comments.
I am writing down my thoughts for my own soul food, as it is therapeutic for me, and if others are encouraged along the way, Praise God who is working through me. I could not be doing this if He was not working on my heart.
Share your joys and struggles along the way. You really don't know who will be challenged and encouraged.
Go live it out!
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