Wednesday, February 29, 2012
March Scripture Memory Verse
Kim, Joel 2:13 - Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. NIV
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Sometimes
Sometimes life is difficult and sometimes you just don't feel like praying. Sometimes past defeats and hurts stare you right in the face. Sometimes you just can't seem to "want to" press in. Sometimes you just don't feel born again or filled with the Spirit of God. Sometimes you just don't feel like listening to worship music or watching another Bible study on DVD. In the words of Beth Moore, "Anyone?!?"
In those "sometime" moments, however, if you'll listen intently, closely, you'll hear a whisper that pushes, nudges you to press in. Sometimes, yes, sometimes we forget that we are in a spiritual battle. The enemy cannot take our salvation because we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. However, we can allow circumstances, feelings, emotions, and even hormones dictate our worship, our response to God. We can also listen more intently to the enemy for he is constantly whispering in our ear, as well.
He tells us that life is difficulty - don't pray (It won't make a difference anyway). The battle over our past defeats and hurts has not been won. Why press in? Born again? Well, are you?!? Filled with the Spirit of God? Are you sure?!? Why listen to that music anyway? Why study the Word?!?
One of my favorite songs is by Chris Tomlin - Our God. Part of the chorus goes something like this: Our God is greater; Our God is stronger; God, you are higher than any other; Our God is healer; awesome in power, our God...our God!
Our God, my friends...He is our God. He is greater than he who is in the world. He is stronger than our enemy. He has sealed you with the Holy Spirit and no one, not one, not any (see Romans 8) can snatch you out of His hand! No one can separate you from the love of Christ!
So how do we respond during those "sometime" moments? Press in! Cry out to Him and He will hear us. Be filled with the Spirit and put on the whole armor of God (see Ephesians 6:10-18) daily. We are to be like the Apostle Paul - pressing onward and like King David - encouraging ourselves in the Lord. It is all worth it! He is worth it!
In those "sometime" moments, however, if you'll listen intently, closely, you'll hear a whisper that pushes, nudges you to press in. Sometimes, yes, sometimes we forget that we are in a spiritual battle. The enemy cannot take our salvation because we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. However, we can allow circumstances, feelings, emotions, and even hormones dictate our worship, our response to God. We can also listen more intently to the enemy for he is constantly whispering in our ear, as well.
He tells us that life is difficulty - don't pray (It won't make a difference anyway). The battle over our past defeats and hurts has not been won. Why press in? Born again? Well, are you?!? Filled with the Spirit of God? Are you sure?!? Why listen to that music anyway? Why study the Word?!?
One of my favorite songs is by Chris Tomlin - Our God. Part of the chorus goes something like this: Our God is greater; Our God is stronger; God, you are higher than any other; Our God is healer; awesome in power, our God...our God!
Our God, my friends...He is our God. He is greater than he who is in the world. He is stronger than our enemy. He has sealed you with the Holy Spirit and no one, not one, not any (see Romans 8) can snatch you out of His hand! No one can separate you from the love of Christ!
So how do we respond during those "sometime" moments? Press in! Cry out to Him and He will hear us. Be filled with the Spirit and put on the whole armor of God (see Ephesians 6:10-18) daily. We are to be like the Apostle Paul - pressing onward and like King David - encouraging ourselves in the Lord. It is all worth it! He is worth it!
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