WHY

Have you ever wondered why God does things? I mean, let's be honest. Some of the things God does-I don't understand. That is until I finally figured out the context of why God does everything.
To the human eye and heart, we would question why God let's children get sick or die? Why houses burn to the ground? Why good people are killed in car wrecks? Why tornados, hurricanes and drought? Why tsunami's or famine?
Then I began to understood that the whole reason anything exists at all is for the GLORY of God. I know there are many who struggle with this thought, because it makes God sound all about God. For some, that is a hard concept, because we want God to be all about us. But if God is all about us, then He isn't really God-we become god to God. For whatever you are most passionate about, most focussed on, whatever you love the most, is the priority of life-that is your God. So for God...it must be God, or He ceases to be. He has no other choice. There is no one like HIM, none to be worshipped or adored. None to be glorified.
Therefore, we exist to glorify God-it is the chief end of man. And Scripture confirms it. Isaiah 43 says we were created for His glory. All throughout Scripture, God affirms it by saying that what He has done, He did for His name's sake-for His glory, that the world may know Him.
I was reading in Isaiah 41 this morning and was reminded once again that the world does not revolve around me or what I want. It revolves around HIM getting glory.

V20 reads:
That they may see and recognize and consider and gain insight as well, that the hand of the Lord has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it.

All He has done, is so that we may see, recognize, consider and gain insight into Him. Knowing HIM and Making HIM known!
ALL FOR YOU

Who is this Jesus?

in whom we have redemption, forgiveness of sin.
the image of the invisible God
the first born of all creation
All things were created by Him and for Him. ALL THINGS!
He is before all things and in Him all things hold together.
He is the head of the body, the church.
He is the beginning.
the firstborn of the dead.
Firstplace in ALL Things.
All the fulness dwells in Him
through Him reconciles all things.
through His blood, peace is made.
through His death, we are presented holy, blameless and beyond reproach.

He is our only hope-of Glory.
Christ in us....the Hope of Glory.
How then can we not live and breathe and move in Him?
It is in Him that we live and move and have our being.
How then can we choose not to die to self?
For to live is Christ and to die is gain.
How then can we live....only in ALL things by Him and for Him.
ALL FOR YOU

Will of God?

Have you ever been seeking the Will of God and wondering what it is? Sometimes that is an easy one. I mean I know the will of God for my life is NOT to live in sin, to walk in disobedience or to live like the world. But what if you are making choices between a good thing and another good thing...how do you know which to choose? How do you know what the WILL of God is in those kinds of situations?
I was reading in Colossians this week. It says that Paul did not cease to pray for the church to be filled with the knowledge of HIS WILL in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Wow...Paul understood our struggles. He understood that we needed to be filled with the knowledge of HIS WILL. So, I began asking the Lord what HIS WILL was and to fill me with that. Romans 12:2 says that we are not to be conformed to this world, but TRANSFORMED by the renewing of our mind, so that you may prove what the WILL OF GOD IS. His will is good, acceptable and perfect.
So what is the Will of God in a nutshell-to be transformed. The process of transformation is not just a one time thing either. It is a process of continually being changed into the Image of the Invisible God-this is His will, good, acceptable and perfect. In fact, Colossians goes on to say that in order to walk in a manner worthy, we must be filled with the knowledge of His Will (transformation!)
A pretty powerful thought when you stop long enought to chew on it.
So, may you be filled with the knowledge of His will (be transformed) with all spiritual Wisdom (the ability to flesh out or apply what you know-not just knowledge) and understanding (the ability to take what you know and mentally understand how it applies to all areas of life.)This is the Will of God for us all! So when choosing between 2 good things, ask....which will bring about transformation through wisdom and understanding and choose that! ALL FOR YOU

Faith, courage and fear

Today....I was reading Mcmanus, by the pool...and was so challenged by his assessment of Faith. That in order to walk by Faith you must be willing to face your fears. God calls us to great dreams and to have the courage to live them out. Great dreams require great courage. We are seldom afraid when the dream is smaller than us, when we can manage it. But this is not life by faith-but a way to manage our fears. One way to deal with our fears is to surround ourselves with security and predictability-we minimize risk. Whenever God calls us to something, it requires faith...but it also brings fear-because He is summoning us to something bigger than ourselves. And yet God is in the business of transforming the hearts of cowards and calling them to face their fears, by faith and walk out the dream. This requires courage and is why the Lord told Joshua when entering the promised land...be strong-take courage, be courageous, do not be afraid-have faith-I will be with you. Without courage we cannot live the life God wants for us, instead we relinquish life to choose the path of least resistance or ease. Would I rather exist in the now or walk into God's dream for the future. It means facing fears, walking by faith and finding the courage to risk it all. God chooses desperate followers to be leaders. May I be one of those-facing fear, walking by faith, strong and courageous-risking it all. ALL FOR YOU

IN PROCESS

Over recent months, the Lord has continued to stir in my heart a phrase that if you stay around me long enough, will eventually be something you will hear me say over and over again. Why is that? Because I am all about STAYING IN THE PROCESS. I have come to realize that we are ALL IN PROCESS. None of us have arrived and none of us are good. None of us are righteous and not one of us has any worth apart from God-the hope of Glory living in us. We are all in process. Which means most of us are just one big mess and the Lord is at work to conform us more to His Image everyday. It is a PROCESS that the Bible calls Sanctification. God is all about TRANSFORMING who we are into His likeness. But He will not force us. So, our job is to make sure that we stay in the PROCESS. That we don't step out and chase after sin or something else. In order to STAY IN THE PROCESS, we must be willing to lay down our lives that He might live in us. In order to have our mess cleaned up, we must be willing to sacrifice it all for His names sake, for His glory.
The problem is...many of us step out of the process. We start the journey, but we don't finish well. Paul challenges us to finish the race, to run well and to be a finisher...not just a starter. He challenges us to STAY in the PROCESS. For most of us, this is the hard part. Because somewhere along the way, there is something that tempts us to step out of the PROCESS. Although, we can't stay there....God understands. That is why He has given us His Word which is profitable for showing us the process, showing us where we get out of the process, showing us how to get back in the process, and showing us how to stay in the process. (2Tim 3:16)
So, I am thinking all this through....dwelling on the fact that my job is stay in the PROCESS and to help others on the journey to do the same. So, I am walking into Starbucks....and I see the sign. AMAZING....even Starbucks gets the whole idea of the process. So why is that so many in the Kingdom don't? Maybe it is time to have a cup of joe and consider where you are in the PROCESS-in it, on it, off it, need some help back to it? I think if Starbucks can get it....so can you.
Pardon the mess....but we are all in PROCESS!
ALL FOR YOU

THIRSTY

When you are ready for a drink, there is no other way to describe it but THIRSTY. Sometimes being thirsty is great. Because it is when you are thirsty and you get that long, cool, refreshing drink that you realize just how thirsty you were and how to have that thirst quenched. It is in the long, hard drink that you realize that you have been missing the nourishment that you need. Even if for a short time.
We all need times of refreshing, time to get away, get some down time and take a long drink from the fountain. Especially if you have been burning it off faster than you take it in.
Recently, I found my soul was thirsty. I have been burning it at both ends and I needed some time to just taste, see, drink and have my soul satisfied by the only one who can...the Living Water. I took a long, cool, refreshing, revitalizing drink from the fountain and realized-just how THIRSTY I was. It was so renewing to have my soul nourished and revived after much output. It was awesome to sit in the presence of the Holy God and to worship, listen and respond-to drink deeply and to be filled.
It is not as if I don't drink on a regular basis, but it is nice to just step aside and refuel for the journey ahead. It isn't until you step off that you realize just how thirsty you are!
Maybe you are thirsty too....maybe you are longing for that drink. It is offered to all, available to everyone, but it is our choice to drink...all we have to do is come to the water all who thirst...and be filled.
ALL FOR YOU