But are you REALLY excited?

I read this verse: "Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when he appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming" (1 John 2:28). As I read it, I asked myself, "Am I really excited about Jesus coming back or am I still embarrassed about the ways that I've messed up?" Shame and guilt are powerful weapons. A lot of times, we are the ones smacking ourselves with them. But Jesus wants us free. He wants us to be EXCITED about his return. It truly is going to be an amazing reunion. No shame. No guilt. So I say: COME!

To be able to say this one day...

"I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do." - John 17:4

Jesus said these words to the Father before he would be arrested and crucified. Oh that I could say these same words with all confidence that I too had done everything that the Father called me to do. To finish his work and to bring him glory in the process is my heart's cry.

Wow - What a Perspective to Have!!

"Our vision is so limited we can hardly imagine a love that does not show itself in protection from suffering. The love of God does not protect His own Son .. . He will not necessarily protect us – not from anything it takes to make us like His Son. A lot of hammering and chiseling and purifying by fire will have to go into the process." - Elisabeth Elliot

The Beauty of CHOICE

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. - Galatians 1:3-5

I don't pretend to know Greek, but I can read the writings of others who do. So tonight, I decided to do that. The Greek word for will here is thelema. "So what?", you might be thinking. But then I read this: "equivalent of CHOICE."

CHOICE: "an act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities. (a). the right or ability to make, or possibility of making, such a selection. (b). a range of possibilities from which one or more may be selected. (c). a course of action, thing, or person that is selected or decided upon."

You know what that means? It was God's CHOICE to rescue us. He didn't have to. He was not forced. Rather, he had a desire/will and acted upon that. With choice comes yearning/longing. In other words, whether or not you are a Christian, God's desire for you began with him choosing. If you are reading this without a relationship with Christ, I pray that this moves you closer to receiving his gift of rescuing. If you do know Christ, I pray this both humbles and ignites you once again.

I'm not sure if this does anything for you, but it has caught fire within me once again.

Still Struggling with Martha

Read the following from my journal from this morning: "I thought that I would have this amazing quiet time this morning because of how much I need [God]. However, I've read your word and nothing. I've even read out of Psalms to get away from just doing Acts, and nothing." Did you see that word right before "Acts"? Doing. I have preached on the difference between Mary and Martha. I have shared with others how important it is to be like Mary, just willing to sit at Jesus' feet. And the problem that I'm realizing is this: I don't like to sit still — not even with Jesus. I am so about producing that I am not resting. I am so about doing that I am not being with Jesus.

Kind of humbling to be shown the same thing once again.

Wrestling with my kids...

My boys are so much fun. Wrestling with my three-year-old and my one-year-old is becoming a true joy for me. Why? Because I kick butt. Of course I hold back a lot and let them start to win (even letting them "win" other times) so that have some fun beating up on dad. But when I've had enough, I just up and move them out of my way.

I recently looked at Jacob and his wrestling match with God. The passage says this: "And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him" (Genesis 32.24b-25).

I picture God holding back as he wrestles with me. I have fun during those matches, at times, while other times they frustrate me. And when we've gone long enough, he just does what he has to do to remind me that he's the one in charge. And honestly: I wouldn't have it any other way.

A Little A.W. Tozer

"When I think of the angels in heaven who veil their faces before the holy God who is totally truthful, I wonder why every preacher does not begin preaching about God—who He is, His attributes, His perfection, His being and why we love Him and why we should trust Him!" (Jesus, Author of Our Faith).