You Are God

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.  (Proverbs 13:12)

My heart has been struggling and struggling and fighting over and over again with myself and my own desires that I can't point whether they are of an evil or good source...I have hopes that continue to sit inside me, some that I haven't seen much of anything with...and because of that it makes my heart so sick and weary.

Numerous times, I hear Wait my child.  And wait I do...but it isn't easy. 

I was finally able to express myself better through a song that came to me a couple nights ago...so I want to post the lyrics of that song here.  I have also made the realization of the depth of the hope I have is in the fact that I am not home yet...the real hope that is deferred is the fact that I am still sitting in this world full of sin, deceit, and heartache.  I realize more and more about how homesick I really am, but I find great joy in reading how much my God wants me and how the real revelation is that He wants to show me my perfection through Christ.  It has nothing to do with events down here, but the final perfection I have with Him in His glorious presence. 

I could not see this before...my heart was so engrossed on the fact that my hopes would bring about good things down here...desires that could be met now...now I am not saying that some of my desires are bad.  I see how we, being in God's image and likeness, mirror His desires.  He says he gives us our desires (Psalm 37:4)  I look at how the Garden of Eden was before man was tempted.  I see how those desires are in fact a beauty in God's eyes...however, those desires don't compare with my promised perfection. 

So let us not set our minds on what is down here, pursuing things of this world that will only fade away.  Let us strive to not seek anything or desire anything more than seeing Jesus face to face.  It is a constant struggle, and I realize that looking deeper into my struggles on the surface, they all reflect this agony that I really want to be in perfection with Jesus. 

Set your mind on things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  

(Colossians 3:2) 

...let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him...

(Hebrews 10:22)  

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.  

(Psalm 23:6)  

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.  

(I Cor. 13:7) 

Do not act like the other nations, who try to read their future in the stars.  

(Jeremiah 10:2) 

Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.  And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.  

(I John 3:2-3)

I'm running around again
Rearranging the list inside my head
Why do I keep doing this to myself?  


It's hard to say no
I really want to have control
But I know it's not my call
I'm giving in...over and over saying


You are God
Only God, your love can make me whole
Because you are God
Holy God, your Son has saved my soul
And made me your own


Tossing in my bed
With a heart full of dread
I just can't seem to ever get over this


It haunts me every night
And I want to make it right
Remind me it's not my call
I need to give in...over and over saying


You are God
Only God, your love can make me whole
Because you are God
Holy God, your Son has saved my soul
And made me your own


I'm on my knees again in your Presence
Pouring out every ounce of pride that I have
I can't bear this on my own
I want you to call me Home
But I'll press on, saying 


You are God
Only God, your love can make me whole
Because you are God
Holy God, your Son has saved my soul
And made me your own 

Courageous

This was today's sermon for Father's Day at Grace.  I want to share my notes with you all about what was spoken.

Guys, I hope you find encouragement and perseverance in this, because I am encouraged to know that someday a man like this will stand with me.

Acts 7:54-8:4  Please read.

Courage is defined as "play the man." Courageous, for man, means play the role God has called for your life.

Stephen's story:
-Stephen's trial and witness
-Stephen's reaction in his hour of trial
-Stephen's strength

Verse 57- In a court, the crowd plugs their ears, screams, and charges Stephen...they take him out and in furry begin to stone him...without a death sentence established.  This is a mob, out of pure anger and rage.

verse 59...Stephen was calm.  Why?

He was gazing at God and Jesus in Heaven.

(Ask yourself men...is this the courage you want for yourself?  For your wife?  For your children?)

Outside of Stephen, there was chaos!  He was being killed, stoned...there was so much noise and anger and furry that he was hearing!

But inside Stephen, we see peace.  He was gazing at Heaven.  Stones are flying at him, pain inflicted...but he isn't distracted from the glory above Him.

Verse 55 and 56 is shown as that pillar of courage.  Want to be strong guys?  Want to be bold?  There you go.  This is how Stephen did it...this is how you can do it.

Stephen saw Jesus, and that brought Him peace...because this is what Jesus was to Stephen:
1-Our Reigning King
2-Our High Priest
3-Our Welcoming Witness

1) Stephen is showing that he is in the midst of our Reigning King through his stoning.
2) Stephen is saying we don't need a mediator down here anymore to get to Heaven.   Heaven is here before me!

See, the Jews felt that a priest was necessary to present them to God in the temple.  If the temple wasn't there, and if there was no priest to mediate them before God, then it was hopeless.  Stephen is saying "That's not needed!  Jesus is my High Priest, and I don't have to do anything!"

3) I didn't notice this before...but see that Jesus is standing by the Father.  Don't we usually see Jesus sitting?  What is being said here when Jesus is "standing" at the Father's right hand?

Witnesses in courts would stand in the presence of their client, or the person they were testifying for.  That's what Jesus is doing here for Stephen.  He is saying "I am your witness.  Welcome home Stephen," and Stephen realized this.

What a story...what a message for Father's Day.  Whether you are already a father, or are a soon-to-be or desiring-to-be dad, take heart in this message through Stephen.  What about him can you take in order to be a father of great courage?

Have a blessed day!  Give thanks for your father and Heaven Father and enjoy your earthly father while you still can.

Just Do It

I have finished my book, and soon to start another one I got from a friend.  In as few words as possible, I want to sum up my lesson through this book, life, and God's Word.

Don't wait, just do it.  God isn't going to give me a sign and a wonder...for a while I would read scriptures and say to myself "Wow, God did this, and I know He still can!"  So I wait for it to happen.  Yes, God can.  He does...but why don't I see it now?

Romans  15:4 "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."

We have the written Word of God before us to show us His power and majesty.  Do we need signs and wonders?  I believe that God, in His sovereignty, will use something amazing to shake us and make us move.  God can do whatever God pleases to do.  Who am I to command Him what to do with His power? We need to be careful to not put the Lord God to the test. 

This next verse popped up for me within the last few days: 

Micah 6:8 "He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the LORD require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

God has shown me already what to do...so why should I sit and wait for God to verify something that He has already commanded of me through Scriptures?   In your choices, no matter what they are, are you fulfilling what God actually wants of you? 

So, back to my lesson...Don't wait, just do it.  Every choice you come with, every "huge" decision in your life, evaluate it according to God's actual will for you.  Will it mean loving your neighbor?  Just do it.  Will it bless others?  Just do it.  Will God's love shine through you?  Man, just do it!  Can you see yourself acting like Christ in this?  Do it!  Encourage others to do it if you can't.  The apostles in Acts 6 were faced with a problem, but they didn't ignore it.  Without giving up their calling, they appointed and called someone else to aid in the problem.  If you are already consumed with a calling, seek others who can help.  Encourage others to help meet the need.  You don't have to do everything, and you aren't expected to.  We are a Body of course (Ephesians 1:23 and Romans 12:5)

Don't expect Him to speak to you in a dream to do something.  Don't expect Him to give you warm fuzzies, don't expect Him to move the mountains at your command.   He can...don't limit God's abilities to speak to us.  I'm just saying that I have shifted from expecting signs from God to admiring His promises already spoken to me in His Word.  He has so much He wants you to know...and so much I've missed because of my warped mind-set. 

Don't make the same mistake I did.  Don't miss out on the beauty and value of the Scriptures as God's true Word to us.  That's all we really need.