(no subject)
Despite the expectation I'm sure you all have for a post with all the exciting information about Lam and my visit this last two weeks, I have something else on my mind I wanted to share.
Philippians 4:4-9 (ESV)
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your resonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and sin in me--practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."
Anyone who has spent a reasonable amount of time in church or personal bible study has to have heard this scripture at least once before. I've taught on this scripture at least three times. I've heard this scripture recited as a memory verse, used in sermons and bible studies, and on decorative plaques. Two days ago this scripture came alive to me. Not right away, but slowly through meditation. how did I come across it first . . . . . . (I'm actually trying to remember) . . . .ah yes. Friday night after I had come home from dropping lam off at the airport I started to do some bible surfing for the youth group. I started an entry in my journal citing past sermons and scripture, just sort of brainstorming; letting God speak to me about a message the kids needed. hmmm. . . . interesting thought just occured to me . . . so anyway, while searching scriptures for the kids, I was constantly being spoken to about myself. The interesting thought I just had was that this is the second time this has happened this week, me trying to do something for the kids and God using it for me instead. Anyway, I was in the tub (where I do my best studying and thinking :P) as I was skimming through sermons. I found a lot of different messages that I would write down so I could study later and hopefully get an inspiring word from God for the youth. But as I was going through, other sermons were jumping out inspiring me. So I started two lists, one for the kids and one for myself. Here are the sermon titles that I studied for myself while I was in bed: "The Father's Cure for Anxiety," "A Stronger Prayer Life," "The importance of the Holy Spirit in your prayer life," and the most recent sermon I heard "Listening to God." After studying each of those sermon notes I came up with two scriptures that really stood out. The first being the Philippians scripture I posted, the second being Romans 8:26 "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deeps for words."
Alright, so the Philippains scripture:
I've taught this scripture as sort of a . . . . . mind regiment. A cure for a wayward mind. We all have thoughts we struggle with. They can be fleeting thoughts of which we repent immediately, or they can be inveterate thoughts that at most times we don't realize are there or want to face. Using this scripture as a guide we can sort of litmus test our thoughts: are they pure? true? lovely? just? etc. But this last weekend I've been mulling over this scripture. So many things have popped out at me. For instance: "Let your reasonableness be known to everyone." It's hard to express my reaction to this in words once I realized what was being said. if I were on a messenger program right now I would use the :O face. But it would be more like :OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. I don't think they have a face for :OOOOOOOOOOO. (Yes dani I'm sure semagic has the :O face but my pc is all poopy and I can't use my account :P) Anyway I was thinking, :O I can be reasonable? AND, more than BE reasonable . . . I can let it be known to EVERYONE :O:O:O:O:OOOOOO. Through the years my family has made me feel like reasonableness was an undesireable trait. Whenever Kristy would express a voice of reason it would be shunned or accepted in disdain. I developed a fear of being reasonable. I was self-conscious of it. (This may sound boastful, like I think I'm the most reasonable person in the world, but believe me when I say that is not what I mean). But this scripture just told me I can be reasonable. AND, everyone can know it :D ahhhhhhhh, relief. Now, admittedly I was apprehensive once this thought realized in my mind. I was like, ummm, wait here. Keep reading kristy, there's a catch somewhere. Don't get too ostentatious. So I kept reading. And what happened? God said, "No Kristy. There is no catch. 'Do not be anxious about anything.'" I felt a real blessing from heaven. Alright, I'm getting a little carried away, on the the next epiphany.
Peace: "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Peace, Peace, Wonderful Peace. How many scriptures have I read, hymns have I sung, sermons have I heard that offered peace. And I choose to believe that others have done what I do, saying, "Yes, peace is great :)" and walk around with turmoil in my heart. But with prayer and supplication I will receive peace. So I've translated my desire for peace: Oh how I need peace = Oh how I need to pray. I NEED TO PRAY. Goodness gracious I need to pray. lol. what a goober I am. I have known for quite some time that my lack of prayer is disgusting. I actually use that word when I do pray, "Lord, I am disgusting when it comes to prayer, please help me." Don't get my wrong, I pray. But . . . . for some time now it has not been for my own relationship with God. I pray for people, situations, circumstances, events, my church, the body of Christ. BUT NOT FOR MYSELF. alright, I'm revealing a little too much right now, so on to the next thing.
The "whatsoever" or "whatever" list: true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, all things excellent and worthy of praise. This was the litmus test I used to teach. To be honest, this list was not that different than the ten commandments to me. Lambros openned my eyes to the ten commandments some time back. For an unbeliever the commandments are convictions. To a believer they are promises. That thought rushed to my mind as I read these things. I felt freedom. I can think of lovely things. I can think of true things. I get to do this. This is a gift. I don't have to think of things that condemn me, or confine me. Right now, it's noon. The sun is shining and there is a lit breeze. I can see this out the window from where I'm sitting. In an hour or so I will get to go out and shop with my mother. It's my day off and I get to enjoy it. It's not frivolous for me to be happy about today because 1) it is lovely to think about this beautiful day God has given me and 2) I can praise God for the rest I'm getting. Okay, now I know some of you might say that was stretching the scripture, but I don't think so. There are more serious thoughts to be considered in this scripture for sure, but isn't it great to get to include the more simple things as well?
Anyway, that's all I have to say for now, I'll post again soon I think. God bless everyone!
Philippians 4:4-9 (ESV)
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your resonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and sin in me--practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."
Anyone who has spent a reasonable amount of time in church or personal bible study has to have heard this scripture at least once before. I've taught on this scripture at least three times. I've heard this scripture recited as a memory verse, used in sermons and bible studies, and on decorative plaques. Two days ago this scripture came alive to me. Not right away, but slowly through meditation. how did I come across it first . . . . . . (I'm actually trying to remember) . . . .ah yes. Friday night after I had come home from dropping lam off at the airport I started to do some bible surfing for the youth group. I started an entry in my journal citing past sermons and scripture, just sort of brainstorming; letting God speak to me about a message the kids needed. hmmm. . . . interesting thought just occured to me . . . so anyway, while searching scriptures for the kids, I was constantly being spoken to about myself. The interesting thought I just had was that this is the second time this has happened this week, me trying to do something for the kids and God using it for me instead. Anyway, I was in the tub (where I do my best studying and thinking :P) as I was skimming through sermons. I found a lot of different messages that I would write down so I could study later and hopefully get an inspiring word from God for the youth. But as I was going through, other sermons were jumping out inspiring me. So I started two lists, one for the kids and one for myself. Here are the sermon titles that I studied for myself while I was in bed: "The Father's Cure for Anxiety," "A Stronger Prayer Life," "The importance of the Holy Spirit in your prayer life," and the most recent sermon I heard "Listening to God." After studying each of those sermon notes I came up with two scriptures that really stood out. The first being the Philippians scripture I posted, the second being Romans 8:26 "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deeps for words."
Alright, so the Philippains scripture:
I've taught this scripture as sort of a . . . . . mind regiment. A cure for a wayward mind. We all have thoughts we struggle with. They can be fleeting thoughts of which we repent immediately, or they can be inveterate thoughts that at most times we don't realize are there or want to face. Using this scripture as a guide we can sort of litmus test our thoughts: are they pure? true? lovely? just? etc. But this last weekend I've been mulling over this scripture. So many things have popped out at me. For instance: "Let your reasonableness be known to everyone." It's hard to express my reaction to this in words once I realized what was being said. if I were on a messenger program right now I would use the :O face. But it would be more like :OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. I don't think they have a face for :OOOOOOOOOOO. (Yes dani I'm sure semagic has the :O face but my pc is all poopy and I can't use my account :P) Anyway I was thinking, :O I can be reasonable? AND, more than BE reasonable . . . I can let it be known to EVERYONE :O:O:O:O:OOOOOO. Through the years my family has made me feel like reasonableness was an undesireable trait. Whenever Kristy would express a voice of reason it would be shunned or accepted in disdain. I developed a fear of being reasonable. I was self-conscious of it. (This may sound boastful, like I think I'm the most reasonable person in the world, but believe me when I say that is not what I mean). But this scripture just told me I can be reasonable. AND, everyone can know it :D ahhhhhhhh, relief. Now, admittedly I was apprehensive once this thought realized in my mind. I was like, ummm, wait here. Keep reading kristy, there's a catch somewhere. Don't get too ostentatious. So I kept reading. And what happened? God said, "No Kristy. There is no catch. 'Do not be anxious about anything.'" I felt a real blessing from heaven. Alright, I'm getting a little carried away, on the the next epiphany.
Peace: "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Peace, Peace, Wonderful Peace. How many scriptures have I read, hymns have I sung, sermons have I heard that offered peace. And I choose to believe that others have done what I do, saying, "Yes, peace is great :)" and walk around with turmoil in my heart. But with prayer and supplication I will receive peace. So I've translated my desire for peace: Oh how I need peace = Oh how I need to pray. I NEED TO PRAY. Goodness gracious I need to pray. lol. what a goober I am. I have known for quite some time that my lack of prayer is disgusting. I actually use that word when I do pray, "Lord, I am disgusting when it comes to prayer, please help me." Don't get my wrong, I pray. But . . . . for some time now it has not been for my own relationship with God. I pray for people, situations, circumstances, events, my church, the body of Christ. BUT NOT FOR MYSELF. alright, I'm revealing a little too much right now, so on to the next thing.
The "whatsoever" or "whatever" list: true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, all things excellent and worthy of praise. This was the litmus test I used to teach. To be honest, this list was not that different than the ten commandments to me. Lambros openned my eyes to the ten commandments some time back. For an unbeliever the commandments are convictions. To a believer they are promises. That thought rushed to my mind as I read these things. I felt freedom. I can think of lovely things. I can think of true things. I get to do this. This is a gift. I don't have to think of things that condemn me, or confine me. Right now, it's noon. The sun is shining and there is a lit breeze. I can see this out the window from where I'm sitting. In an hour or so I will get to go out and shop with my mother. It's my day off and I get to enjoy it. It's not frivolous for me to be happy about today because 1) it is lovely to think about this beautiful day God has given me and 2) I can praise God for the rest I'm getting. Okay, now I know some of you might say that was stretching the scripture, but I don't think so. There are more serious thoughts to be considered in this scripture for sure, but isn't it great to get to include the more simple things as well?
Anyway, that's all I have to say for now, I'll post again soon I think. God bless everyone!