I woke up and spent some time with the Father, and it was so nice and much needed at the time.
Here's the first part of the journal entry for the day:
Isaiah 26:3 - You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on you.
2 Cor. 4:18 - So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather we fix our gaze on things that can not been seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we can not see will last forever.
Fix our gaze = intensely focus
Fix our thoughts = be consumed by only these thoughts and things
Lord, thank You for the answer in Isaiah - trust and fixing my thoughts.
You desire me to be intensely focused on trusting You for the unseen (who You are, Your character, Your presence in my life, You in others, You around every corner). Father, to be fixed on you, distractions have to be dismissed and removed from view. Lord, I know you've removed me from my normal/regular life because there are distractions. Work, ministry, relationships, even TV, and all those other things are distractions.
Ps. 84:10 - A single day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a gatekeeper (door holder!!) in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.
"To dwell in your presence/to be where you are!/ To dwell at your footstool and say that you are/HOLY/MIGHTY/RIGHTEOUS!" - PT & PS
Father, help me to focus/fix my gaze/intensely seek you. When I seek you with all my heart, I will find you. What does it take?
- How can I bless you today?
- Ps. 119:105 - Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
- Heed the advice of wisdom.
- No time like the present!
After having a chance to work through a couple things with the Lord, I got up and got ready for the day. That afternoon, we went to see Iron Man 2. Probably would've helped to see all of the first one, but it is what it is. I liked it, especially how Tony lived everyday like he was dying. Also heard Kris Allen's "Live Like We're Dying" in Journeys while browsing shoes after the water park the day before - seemed like a running theme for me. BTW, I found these amazing dual-tone Converses. I like a lot :)
Anyway, here's my question: How do we live everyday like it's our last day? Pray for a heart like Christ's. Speak up, spread the word about His love, be a light IN the world, experience Him and then hold the door open to let the lost in & let those full of His grace out into the world. Let those needing more back in and send them out to make a difference. Long for His return by accelerating the move of the Kingdom. He told us in Matthew 24:14, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Assist in this move instead of hiding away, huddled and cloistered together, just passing time until Jesus comes to earth. Expect Him around every corner with opportunities for ministry, either for you or from you to another. Receive His blessings AND His correction. Basically, live for the mission, and the end will come.
Yes, Father, I KNOW You're talking to me, too... help my unbelief!
Second part:
Golden Corral, man, with all you can eat baby back ribs and barbecue! Don't you know my brother was HAPPY! It was basically all he could talk about the whole day, and since it's Destiny's favorite place, we heard double the enjoyment. We walk in, pay the fee for the feeding line, and pretty much dig right in. Tommy went after those ribs like there was no tomorrow, and his plate was quite full of swine. Brandy and I balanced out meats and bread with salad, and the girls ate a little of everything. The diversity of food choices and eating habits just among my family is ridiculous, but all God. He created us this way - to be different so no one feels left out or ashamed of themselves. Needless to say, we all ate till we were full and returned to the room feeling good inside. I think we went swimming that night, too, just to work off some of the food. Bless God, Amen!
Just like a buffet, God created so many varieties so everyone could be okay with who they are and what blesses them. In Ps. 139:1-18, the writer declares his awareness of how God created him exactly the way God wanted - v. 13 "you knit me together in my mother's womb" and v.14 "fearfully and wonderfully made". Imagine being knit together! We have a knitting club that meets at our church, and it's amazing to watch these ladies' fingers fly through yarn! It's an intricate, detailed process for the finished piece to be just right, and it takes time. God thought through the process, as detailed and precise as it is, to form us.
Paul talks about who we are as well. In 1 Cor. 9, he talks about being formed to do a work for the kingdom: 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
Paul says become all things that you may win some to the kingdom. God's intricate details inside of us create a person that is able to intricately design a plan that will draw others to the Lord. He didn't give us a brain as well as allow us knowledge of right and wrong to just sit on it and think, "Wow, this is nice". He allowed us these tools to fulfill His mission: to make us more like Him and to draw others inside the doors and into the kingdom.
Louie Giglio (a pretty cool guy) spoke a couple weeks ago about being the light of the world. He explained how being the light of the world meant being in the world, and being in the world meant becoming all things to all men that we may win some to the kingdom. Don't take this as a license for sin b/c that's the FURTHEST from the truth. However, don't judge those that aren't holy, sanctified, and praising the name of Jesus every 20 seconds.
God really does love us the way we are, no matter what we _________ (fill in the blank). He love is amazing, steady and unchanging.
Romans 8:37-39 (The Message)
31-39So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:
They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.
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