"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple filled with smoke. "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." Isaiah 6:3-5
I have been reading the book The Joy of Fearing God by Jerry Bridges and this past chapter describes the Transcendent Majesty of our Lord. In ancient Bible times, the lepers (sick people who were contagious) would have to stand at a distance from civilization and scream, “Unclean! Unclean!” in order for them to keep the people from being contaminated. Bridges says, “Isaiah uses [the words unclean] of himself. If leprosy typified sin, then Isaiah saw his sinfulness as moral leprosy.”
I went to a wedding last weekend, and I was amazed by the beauty of the bride. It made me think of my state before Christ. I was ugly and contagious in my sin. I can only imagine my pride which is viewed as leprous boils on me. My self-righteousness that is soiled rags attempting to cover my body. Every sin that I have and will commit is caked on me like mud.
Yet Christ, the Holy of Holies, chose me. He laid down His life for His bride. I can come to Him in white, radiant before the bridegroom, Jesus Christ. When I walk down to commit my life to Him, to love and cherish, honor and be faithful to Him, I can be pure and holy at His expense. I don’t have to wear rags any more. I don’t have to scream “Unclean!” before a Holy God. He makes me pure so that I can approach Him. What glorious love He has for us!
We are all sinful and have gone our own ways. We fall short of a holy and righteous God. We cannot approach Him, without the help of some outside force.
There is good news! Our savior has chosen to take upon our sin and shame. He made himself nothing taking upon not only our sickness and sin, but our death.
And there’s even better news! God not only became man to die the death we deserved, but he gives us life, righteousness, purity, cleanliness, holiness. He makes us a new creation. Glory to Him!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Same Power
“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think according to the power at work within us, to Him be the glory in Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21
The power of the Spirit of Christ lives in me.
The same power that used a foster child to lead the entire nation of Israel out of slavery.
The same power that used a little boy to kill a giant.
The same power that kept three men from being incinerated in the fiery furnace.
The same power that consumed a soaking wet bull on an altar.
The same power that placed a baby in a virgin’s womb.
The same power that healed the lame, gave sight to the blind, and loosened the tongue of the mute.
The same power that calmed the storm and fed 5,000 men from 2 fish and 5 loaves.
The same power that conquered the grave lives in me.
Glory to God!
The power of the Spirit of Christ lives in me.
The same power that used a foster child to lead the entire nation of Israel out of slavery.
The same power that used a little boy to kill a giant.
The same power that kept three men from being incinerated in the fiery furnace.
The same power that consumed a soaking wet bull on an altar.
The same power that placed a baby in a virgin’s womb.
The same power that healed the lame, gave sight to the blind, and loosened the tongue of the mute.
The same power that calmed the storm and fed 5,000 men from 2 fish and 5 loaves.
The same power that conquered the grave lives in me.
Glory to God!
The Same Power
“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think according to the power at work within us, to Him be the glory in Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21
The power of the Spirit of Christ lives in me.
The same power that used a foster child to lead the entire nation of Israel out of slavery.
The same power that used a little boy to kill a giant.
The same power that kept three men from being incinerated in the fiery furnace.
The same power that consumed a soaking wet bull on an altar.
The same power that placed a baby in a virgin’s womb.
The same power that healed the lame, gave sight to the blind, and loosened the tongue of the mute.
The same power that calmed the storm and fed 5,000 men from 2 fish and 5 loaves.
The same power that conquered the grave lives in me.
Glory to God!
The power of the Spirit of Christ lives in me.
The same power that used a foster child to lead the entire nation of Israel out of slavery.
The same power that used a little boy to kill a giant.
The same power that kept three men from being incinerated in the fiery furnace.
The same power that consumed a soaking wet bull on an altar.
The same power that placed a baby in a virgin’s womb.
The same power that healed the lame, gave sight to the blind, and loosened the tongue of the mute.
The same power that calmed the storm and fed 5,000 men from 2 fish and 5 loaves.
The same power that conquered the grave lives in me.
Glory to God!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Child Like Faith
Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. Luke 18:17
I just returned from helping clean up a friend's aunt's house in Phil Campbell. It was destroyed by the tornado and a group of nearly 30 UNA students went to clean up for the day. It was so sad to see the horrible damage of the houses and lives of those people, but the thing that was the most sad was when I saw children playing in it.
There was a little boy at the house we were cleaning up, and he had no clue how terrible things were. I'm sure that that is a good thing. He just played around as he normally would. I brought him back a stuffed dog that I found in a pile of stuffed animals scattered on the road because they had been ripped out of their houses. He was so delighted to see it and play with it.
As we drove out of Phil Campbell, I also saw two girls playing frisbee outside of a completely demolished house. There was no roof, no walls, nothing inside, just a foundation. It was such a surreal mental picture. Everything else had crumbled away, yet here were these girls living their lives on like it was a normal day.
I kept thinking, how is this even possible? Do they not see the rubble? Are they not worried about their house being totally gone? Then I realized: these children have parents who love them and take care of them. Their parents protect them and and have their best interest in mind. The children trust that despite the storms and devastation, that everything is going to be ok.
Oh, God, may I have this kind of faith! I so often want to be the "adult" and worry about every detail of my future. I want to plan ahead so I can figure it all out. When devastation happens, I look up and wonder why these things happen, and fear wht the next step is. Forgive me for trying to do this without the faith of a child. You are my Father, and You have my best interest in mind. Let me trust in You to provide and protect me. That You have my best interest in mind. Help us not to be so caught up in the Whys that we forget the Who, which is You. You are in charge, and You have a bigger plan for us. Thank You for loving us enough to be our DAD.
I just returned from helping clean up a friend's aunt's house in Phil Campbell. It was destroyed by the tornado and a group of nearly 30 UNA students went to clean up for the day. It was so sad to see the horrible damage of the houses and lives of those people, but the thing that was the most sad was when I saw children playing in it.
There was a little boy at the house we were cleaning up, and he had no clue how terrible things were. I'm sure that that is a good thing. He just played around as he normally would. I brought him back a stuffed dog that I found in a pile of stuffed animals scattered on the road because they had been ripped out of their houses. He was so delighted to see it and play with it.
As we drove out of Phil Campbell, I also saw two girls playing frisbee outside of a completely demolished house. There was no roof, no walls, nothing inside, just a foundation. It was such a surreal mental picture. Everything else had crumbled away, yet here were these girls living their lives on like it was a normal day.
I kept thinking, how is this even possible? Do they not see the rubble? Are they not worried about their house being totally gone? Then I realized: these children have parents who love them and take care of them. Their parents protect them and and have their best interest in mind. The children trust that despite the storms and devastation, that everything is going to be ok.
Oh, God, may I have this kind of faith! I so often want to be the "adult" and worry about every detail of my future. I want to plan ahead so I can figure it all out. When devastation happens, I look up and wonder why these things happen, and fear wht the next step is. Forgive me for trying to do this without the faith of a child. You are my Father, and You have my best interest in mind. Let me trust in You to provide and protect me. That You have my best interest in mind. Help us not to be so caught up in the Whys that we forget the Who, which is You. You are in charge, and You have a bigger plan for us. Thank You for loving us enough to be our DAD.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Jars of Clay
20But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? Romans 9:20-21
Tonight I had the privilege to watch my friend on the potter's wheel. It looks so simple and easy when we watch it in movies (It Takes Two anyone :)But this is such a complex subject. She kept trying to get one spot to be straight, but it would not give in. Finally she had to just cut part of the top of it off so that it would be even.
This is so much how we are in our lives! We are sitting on the potter's wheel of the world with the ultimate Creator wanting to mold and shape us. Yet we don't want to give into places where it hurts or where it's difficult. Finally He has to let the pain happen so that we can be smooth and good vessels. It may hurt and we may not understand, but who are we to question what the potter does to us? His plans are bigger to make a beautiful masterpiece!
Tonight I had the privilege to watch my friend on the potter's wheel. It looks so simple and easy when we watch it in movies (It Takes Two anyone :)But this is such a complex subject. She kept trying to get one spot to be straight, but it would not give in. Finally she had to just cut part of the top of it off so that it would be even.
This is so much how we are in our lives! We are sitting on the potter's wheel of the world with the ultimate Creator wanting to mold and shape us. Yet we don't want to give into places where it hurts or where it's difficult. Finally He has to let the pain happen so that we can be smooth and good vessels. It may hurt and we may not understand, but who are we to question what the potter does to us? His plans are bigger to make a beautiful masterpiece!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
God in a Cloak of Humanity
"But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Hebrews 9:26
There is so much I have been learning and journaling about, yet have not had the chance to write it all down. I've really been thinking about what we learned at the Campus Outreach meeting last night. The topic was "Racial Reconciliation" and how we have achieved racial "equality" but not as much racial "integration" in our world today. Yet the blood of Christ runs deeper than race or ethnicity. He is the ultimate example of reconciliation despite the barriers that we put up between him and us.
Yesterday I could not stop thinking about everything Jesus has never experienced and had to face when he stepped down from heaven onto this earth. Can you imagine? He came from a place that had no skin color, no racism, no discrimination, no fearing for your life, no hunger or thirst, no gossip, no rape, no slavery, no disease, no locks for your doors, no insecurity, no hatred to a place that was the opposite. It was not strange that he talked with Samaritan women or touched outcast lepers. He showed that they could approach Him despite what the world told them. What love He must have for us!
He dove from the stars into ugly humanity because He loved us well. He's the only one who deserved glory, yet He died once for all. May I realize this and bring glory to my Savior who was the perfect example to us.
There is so much I have been learning and journaling about, yet have not had the chance to write it all down. I've really been thinking about what we learned at the Campus Outreach meeting last night. The topic was "Racial Reconciliation" and how we have achieved racial "equality" but not as much racial "integration" in our world today. Yet the blood of Christ runs deeper than race or ethnicity. He is the ultimate example of reconciliation despite the barriers that we put up between him and us.
Yesterday I could not stop thinking about everything Jesus has never experienced and had to face when he stepped down from heaven onto this earth. Can you imagine? He came from a place that had no skin color, no racism, no discrimination, no fearing for your life, no hunger or thirst, no gossip, no rape, no slavery, no disease, no locks for your doors, no insecurity, no hatred to a place that was the opposite. It was not strange that he talked with Samaritan women or touched outcast lepers. He showed that they could approach Him despite what the world told them. What love He must have for us!
He dove from the stars into ugly humanity because He loved us well. He's the only one who deserved glory, yet He died once for all. May I realize this and bring glory to my Savior who was the perfect example to us.
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