God

Teach Me Your Ways, O Lord

eric — Wed, 12 May 2010 08:41:15 -0500

Psalm 25:4-5 (ESV)
⁴ Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.
⁵ Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.

Isolating God

eric — Tue, 04 May 2010 11:45:28 -0500

Attempting to isolate God to a particular day of the week and specific areas of our lives only, leads to a pretty pathetic existence.

To only "allow" God access to us and our life shows not only do we not trust Him or follow Him, but we don't really want Him to follow us, either.

This just shows that we want to look good; to look pious at a given time that may suit our whims.

It is not at all Biblical. It is not piety. It is merely hypocrisy at it's finest.

4,000 Years of Communication with the Heavenly Father

eric — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 07:57:43 -0500

I was thinking about adoption this morning. How, as Christians, those who acknowledge and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, that we have been adopted by the Heavenly Father; that is, God.

The Bible spans approximately 4,000 years of human history and God's interaction with mankind. We have a written account of God's character which remains consistent from one book to another while being written from the perspective of 40 people that penned 66 books that make up the Bible as we have it today.

"⁴ But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, ⁵ to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. ⁶ Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba,[a] Father." ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir." — Galatians 4:4-7 (NIV)

We have a Heavenly Father that has adopted us as sons and daughters through the final payment for our sins through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. We have a God that has taken the time, over thousands of years, to get through to mankind; to tell us that He wants a relationship with us.

Don't you think that a God pursuing you and making every effort to get through to you is worth responding to?

Please don't spend all your time waiting for God to "call your phone", so to speak. He already has. He's just waiting for you to respond.

If you just need to respond more often, read your Bible, pray and get involved in a local Bible-studying church.

Just respond.

Misplaced Hope Leads to More Frustration

eric — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:09:12 -0600

God brought an interesting realization to me this morning that has to do with getting my hopes up for various things in life. I've heard the phrase, "Don't get my/your hopes up." What God brought to mind was this:

My frustration towards a given certain situation or set of circumstances stemmed from getting my hopes up because of a possibility instead of the One that provided it.

I had misplaced my hope. Instead of continuing to place my hope and trust in God and letting Him handle the situation, I had taken my hope and placed it squarely on what I perceived to be the solution to the problem. I should always keep my hope and trust on Him while thanking him for the newfound answer.

Regardless of the outcome, my hope should not be placed on anything else, but Him.

Child-Like Faith Vs. Acting Like a Child

eric — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:29:46 -0600

Me: Lord, I need this to be done. I'm worn out and tired of waiting for something to happen, here.

God: Wait.

Me: What!? After today and the previous couple of months!?

God: Wait.

Me: I'm tired of waiting. I'm frustrated and angry about all of this.

God: I know you are, but just wait.

Me: I'm at the end of my rope here!

God: The rope is longer than you think. I know it's hard on you now, but just wait.

Me: Why?

God: Because I said so. It's good for you to wait, right now. Trust me.

Me: I don't like it, but I'm worn out from trying to fix it. I mean I've got my tools ready to fix this. Just say the word.

God: Wait.

Me: You like that word, don't you? You know, if you were on Twitter or Facebook I might unfollow you if that's all you'd update your status with.

God: I'll always follow you, though.

Me: I know and I'm glad. Okay, I'll wait. How are you today?

God: Awesome! How are you?

Me: Impatient.

God: I know.

Me: Can you at least send me a calendar invite with a due date on this waiting event?

God: Yes, but you'll have to wait for it. :)

Me: *sigh* Okay, I'm waiting.

God: It's good for you. You'll see.

(to be continued)

Sleepless Night of a Full Mind

eric — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 02:00:03 -0600

Had a lot on my mind and couldn't get to sleep. These verses certainly put all of these various things into a more focused and properly prioritized perspective:

Isaiah 26:8-9

⁸ In the path of your judgments,
O Lord, we wait for you;
your name and remembrance
are the desire of our soul.
⁹ My soul yearns for you in the night;
my spirit within me earnestly seeks you.
For when your judgments are in the earth,
the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

Verse eight is a key verse used at the Passion conferences. I'll never forget being at the first one. God taught me a lot there and I'm grateful for the reminder tonight.

Thank you, Lord for clarity and a focused purpose even when I get wrapped up in the 'what', 'where' and 'how'. All I need to know is the 'who'. You are my help and your presence is more than enough for me. You are all I need to handle any situation. Thank you for your grace, mercy, patience and understanding.

Who Are You Giving Thanks To?

eric — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:15:54 -0600

I was watching TV while washing some dishes tonight and I noticed the St. Jude commercials where Marlo Thomas says, "Give thanks for the healthy kids in your life, and give to those who are not."

I've always thought that was a great slogan and thoughtfully done, but tonight the question came to mind: "But who are they giving thanks to?" I've heard a lot of PSA's (Public Service Announcements) and commercials that talk about giving thanks, but when you think about it, doesn't it seem odd that they never say who we're supposed to give thanks to?

Some might say, "Well, I'm thankful for my husband/wife and children and I tell them I'm thankful for them." That's great, but who gave them to you? My wife would think I was crazy... well, crazier, if didn't thank her for the gift she gave me, but spoke to the gift and told it I was thankful for it and left it at that.

I'm not saying it's wrong to tell people you are thankful for them, but it certinly seems incomplete. If you are going to acknowledge that you were given something wonderful in life doesn't it seem reasonable that someone carefully planned and gave it/them to you at the exact moment you needed it/them?

Here are some of my favorite Bible passages to consider:

Jeremiah 29:11-13: "¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. ¹² Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."

John 3:16-18: ¹⁶ “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."

Psalm 9:1:"I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds."

So I ask again, who are you giving thanks to?

The Call to Preparation

eric — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:21:00 -0600

I'll never forget the time God spoke to my heart to pack my backpack with an extra jacket, two pairs of clean socks and an umbrella. I was at a college retreat with other friends from church. The weekend had a typical retreat schedule and like most evenings, we were going to have a time of worship and a speaker would provide the sermon/lesson. I remember that tug at my heart not to go that evening. God didn't want me to go. What I learned that night has stuck with me ever since. God was calling me to be prepared. With that still, small voice that Elijah heard on the Mount, God told me to pack my backpack and proceeded to tell me what to pack. Some probably think it's lunacy, but He wanted me to pack an umbrella, two pairs of clean socks and an extra jacket. I was curious and I wanted to obey Him so I packed my backpack.

Next, He said to go for a walk and He would show me what to do. I went for a walk. I walked around for about two hours or so and went in the areas I was being directed. There were very few other people that hadn't gone to the service that night, but God used them to teach me something valuable.

The weather that weekend had been wet and rainy. It was raining enough that night to get you wet enough to make you pretty cold. It was at that time that I saw someone pulling their sweatshirt above their head (they had another shirt underneath). It was then that I knew what I had been prepared for. I acted on what I had and offered my umbrella and extra jacket. They thanked me, but said they were okay and they went on their way.

While walking some more, I came across two people with sandals and socks on. Obviously, their socks were soaked. Again, I knew what I had been prepared for. I offered both of them the extra pairs of socks I had and told them how God had prepared me for this. They said that was great and they appreciated it, but they were really doing okay.

I was then directed in another area and watched as some people were walking farther ahead and getting quite wet. I shouted out to them that I had an umbrella if they wanted it. It could be they just didn't hear me or they ignored me. Either way, I still had everything I had packed in my backpack.

What I learned that night was that I need to recognize God's Call of Preparation. I wasn't called to force an umbrella, socks and a jacket on people. I was simply called to pack a bag, walk and offer to help those in need.

In the Bible, we have a lot of examples of God calling people to take action:

In Exodus 3:10-12, Moses has approached the burning bush and God is speaking to Moses:
"¹⁰ Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”¹¹ But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” ¹² He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
In Jeremiah 1:4-8, God called Jeremiah:
⁴Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ⁵ “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” ⁶ Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” ⁷ But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. ⁸ Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.”
In Isaiah 6:8, God is calling Isaiah:
⁸ And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
In Matthew 4:18-22, God's Son, Jesus Christ, calls the twelve disciples:
¹⁸ While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” ²⁰ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. ²¹ And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. ²² Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

The initial responses to God involved either excuses or immediate action. Moses and Jeremiah made excuses and God kept reassuring them that He would be with them (they eventually went and did as directed). Isaiah, Simon (Peter), Andrew, James and John immediately took action.

With my backpack experience, God's instructions were consistent with these men. He said exactly what to do, where to go and assured me He would be with me. He remains the same to this day.

God is preparing you for something. Just like the previously listed scriptures, God doesn't say, "Who here has the best speaking ability?", "Who has a way with kids?", "Who can run the fastest, jump the farthest, and bench press the most? "

No, He doesn't do that. God knows what you are capable of; what your strengths and weaknesses are. He knows that you can't do it without His help and guidance. He wants you to grow in your trust of Him and use you in the lives of others and you can't do that until you trust Him.

So, what is God preparing you for? What has He asked you to do?

Are you going to make excuses? Or are you going to place your trust wholly in Him and take immediate action?

Sacrificing Our Needs

eric — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:35:04 -0600

I've learned today that God will ask us to sacrifice when WE are in need, for someone else who is also in need.

He will ask you to give, when what you have to give is what you were depending on; the very object you desperately need.

This leaves you wholly and completely dependent upon Him. You are more open to what He wants for you in your education of who He is and in what way HE wants you to be blessed.

Will I trust him with all I am and all I have?

Will you?

General Thanksgiving

eric — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:38:10 -0600

By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America

A PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establifh a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;-- to enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

(signed) George Washington

Source: The Massachusetts Centinel, Wednesday, October 14, 1789

God

Teach Me Your Ways, O Lord

Isolating God

4,000 Years of Communication with the Heavenly Father

Misplaced Hope Leads to More Frustration

Child-Like Faith Vs. Acting Like a Child

Sleepless Night of a Full Mind

Isaiah 26:8-9

Who Are You Giving Thanks To?

So I ask again, who are you giving thanks to?

The Call to Preparation

Sacrificing Our Needs

General Thanksgiving

By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America

A PROCLAMATION

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