Easter
Today was the Most Comforting verse (Watermark is doing a series called The Most). Jesus wept. Todd said "What moved Jesus to weep was seeing those He loved living in the midst of chaos." I spent most of the service trying not to cry, especially while we were singing. I think, honestly, that writing my definition of God aided in me trying not to cry. B/c as we were singing or Todd would say something about the Lord that reminded me of something I'd written in my definition or in the endnotes. And it just affirmed to me that I have a relationship with the One who made the universe and is in control of it all. And Todd talked some about the hope that Jesus brings. He also brought up the fact that in everything that Jesus went through it was ordered by the Father. They didn't do anything He wasn't in control of. We watched a video at the beginning of the service that I think Todd made. It was to "He has the world in His hands" but it was images/video of like the Holocaust, Katrina, 9/11 the bad stuff that's happened. And it was powerful and such a contrast b/c it's true-despite the sin, devastation, pain, suffering that goes on in the world God is still in control and the world is His. I was reading over notes from my last spring retreat when Neil was talking about the Great Tribulation, when satan has reign on the earth and that is truly a scary thought to me. Like he doesn't have reign now and you can see evil all over the place.
And last night I had quite a few thoughts while I was baby-sitting that I thought I'd share. This was after the kids were asleep. The first thought is that as belivers should we really think that they're are issues in our brother's and sister's lives we shouldn't stick our noses in? Like, I guess, more so for people we know well or are closer too. But even if you see someone falling into sin or notice something about them that is questionable, shouldn't we approach them? Like, if we're supposed to live transparent lives, how much privacy are we supposed to have? I guess I mean for most of this to take place in a community. I remember Neil saying that believes should be the most forthright people out there, but we're not b/c we don't want to hurt someone's feelings or we think it's none of our business. But I think it is our business. But I could be wrong-it happens often.
My other thought that I want to share is that I think I"m kind of waiting for a day when I have "it" all together. But that's never going to happen b/c I"m always going to be a broken, dependent (on the Lord) person in need of grace and guidance and most importantly a Saviour. I can't really remember how this thought came to me. I won't have "it" all together until I get to heaven-where there's no suffering, pain, emotional turmoil. I guess this kind of leads to the fact that our relationship on the Lord never ends, you know there's not a top-dawg award that you get for reaching the end of your relationship with the Lord. I hope that makes sense. Like we never reach a place with the Lord in which we will never need Him. We can choose to depend on ourselves instead of Him and be complacent, which I unfortunately have had a few friends from college do this. And I don't know what to do about it. I don't think there is anything I can do but pray-pray for them to be miserable without Him so that in their despair and misery they turn back to Him. Penny Sparks to me to pray that for a friend once. What is it that makes people turn from fully following Christ? Why do they forget that nothing compares to knowing Jesus Christ? And these people aren't in my life regularly, and I don't think they want to be either. That makes me sad. Anyways, that was a little off subject. Back to the original subject, maybe the Lord reminding me that I'll always be in need of Him, is to further drive into me that I live, move and exist in Him, that everything I need for life and godliness is found in Him.
Well, that's all I have for now. =)
Peace out!!!
And last night I had quite a few thoughts while I was baby-sitting that I thought I'd share. This was after the kids were asleep. The first thought is that as belivers should we really think that they're are issues in our brother's and sister's lives we shouldn't stick our noses in? Like, I guess, more so for people we know well or are closer too. But even if you see someone falling into sin or notice something about them that is questionable, shouldn't we approach them? Like, if we're supposed to live transparent lives, how much privacy are we supposed to have? I guess I mean for most of this to take place in a community. I remember Neil saying that believes should be the most forthright people out there, but we're not b/c we don't want to hurt someone's feelings or we think it's none of our business. But I think it is our business. But I could be wrong-it happens often.
My other thought that I want to share is that I think I"m kind of waiting for a day when I have "it" all together. But that's never going to happen b/c I"m always going to be a broken, dependent (on the Lord) person in need of grace and guidance and most importantly a Saviour. I can't really remember how this thought came to me. I won't have "it" all together until I get to heaven-where there's no suffering, pain, emotional turmoil. I guess this kind of leads to the fact that our relationship on the Lord never ends, you know there's not a top-dawg award that you get for reaching the end of your relationship with the Lord. I hope that makes sense. Like we never reach a place with the Lord in which we will never need Him. We can choose to depend on ourselves instead of Him and be complacent, which I unfortunately have had a few friends from college do this. And I don't know what to do about it. I don't think there is anything I can do but pray-pray for them to be miserable without Him so that in their despair and misery they turn back to Him. Penny Sparks to me to pray that for a friend once. What is it that makes people turn from fully following Christ? Why do they forget that nothing compares to knowing Jesus Christ? And these people aren't in my life regularly, and I don't think they want to be either. That makes me sad. Anyways, that was a little off subject. Back to the original subject, maybe the Lord reminding me that I'll always be in need of Him, is to further drive into me that I live, move and exist in Him, that everything I need for life and godliness is found in Him.
Well, that's all I have for now. =)
Peace out!!!