Caleb’s Prayer December 28, 2007

Caleb prayed for our supper last night.  Here is what he prayed:

“Jesus, thank you.  Help us to obey.  Help us obey.  I love you.  Help us obey.  I love you.  Amen.”

A child’s prayer - simple, but exactly the truth.

Enjoying God - life’s real purpose December 28, 2007

This morning, the reason of Christ’s death that I studied was “To Bring Us to God.”  I wasn’t expecting to be hit so hard with truth, because it is truth that I know.  However, God hit me with truth about Him that I have been working through the last few years, and I feel compelled to write.  Too often, God is taken out of salvation.  I don’t mean that he doesn’t participate, we all know that it is His creation.  But when we talk about it, and present it to an unsaved person, we usually leave out the most important part, God. 

How is this?  How many times have you heard salvation messages about how horrible hell is, and that it is a place you don’t want to go?  How many sermons have you heard about being adopted into God’s family, having your sins forgive, and being justified and redeemed?  Think about it, honestly.  I have heard a lot, and yes, they are all true.  I don’t want to go to hell, I am adopted as a son, I am forgiven, justified, and redeemed.  That is not the issue.  The issue is that most often these sermons are focused on what I get out of salvation, and not on God. 

Piper said it like this “Salvation is not good news if it only saves us from hell and not for God.  Forgiveness is not good news if it only gives relief from guilt and doesn’t open the way to God.  Adoption is not good news if it only puts us in the Father’s family but not in His arms.  Many people seem to embrace the good news without embracing God.  There is no sure evidence that we have a new heart just because we want to escape hell.  That is natural, not supernatural.”

Why is this so important?  God created us to enjoy, and savor His glory.  When this is left out of salvation, our lives become full of rules and obligations, instead of lives wanting to be like Christ because of Him.  If we leave out the enjoyment of God, we will not be completely happy and filled.  God says that pleasure is found in Him (Psalm 16:11), and pleasure is meant to be enjoyed.

Feliz Navidad - a Caleb story December 19, 2007

Ok, just a cute short little Caleb story.  He loves to sing, and he sings all the time.  Well, last week we were driving to my parents, and Feliz Navidad came on the radio.  Josh and I started singing, and Caleb joined in by the second repeat.  Here is how he pronounced it:

“Please mommy-dad”

Unleavened Bread December 11, 2007

I have been reading Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die by Piper as part of my devotions, and this morning I was on #15, “To make us Holy, Blameless, and Perfect.”  While I was reading this, one point stood out to me.  1 Corinthians 5:7 “Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, AS  YOU REALLY ARE UNLEAVENED.  For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” (caps mine)  So often in my life I had been taught the duty of change.  I needed to do this to be holy, if I did this I was wrong, and if I didn’t do that I was falling short.  Now, I’m not giving complete freedom, or anything like that.  There are some things the Bible is completely clear on - adultery, lying, stealing, etc.  And, the things that I was being taught really might be the right thing to do, even if the scripture is not 100% clear on the application of the principle.  However, I firmly believe that the way in which it was taught to me was incorrect.  It implied getting me to serve because of guilt, or duty.  Hence, my service wasn’t real, or heartfelt, and it was very easy to turn away from that service.

But, this scripture passage says that I am to remove the old leaven, for I am already unleavened because of Christ.  How does this work?  Here is how Piper put it “We have been made unleavened in Christ.  So we should now become unleavened in practice.  In other words, we should become what we are.”  I think that in realizing this it totally changes the reason for our service.  Because of Christ I am made perfect.  Now, because I am already perfect, that is my reason to change, and serve, and grow, because I see the need to be perfect in my action.  To quote Piper again “We fight against our sin not simply to become perfect, but because we are.“

Midnight Praise December 5, 2007

Ok, so once again God is proving Himself to be so amazing.  We are in the middle of musical stuff beginning, and I am starting to realize that there is more to work on with this musical than we had last year.  Well, I received an email about it tonight and my pride took it completely the wrong way.  I was hurt, frustrated, and feeling like why am I even there when they would rather someone else do it - or that they could do a better job.  I was exhausted, so I went to bed.  But while in bed, God would not let me sleep.  Instead, I just kept thinking about it, and finally I listened to the voice that was telling me I was being prideful.  The email was probably not even meant at all like I took it.  Man, pride stinks!!

So, I lay there deciding what to do, and dreading all the work that needed to be done, and God reminded me as to why I do this work in the firstplace - for HIM!!  I had completely lost my focus, and that, if left to continue, would make me a horrible teacher and example for the students.  So, I got out of bed, apologized to God and the person involved, and now sit here listening to praise.  I feel like it has been forever since I have worshipped - and God has moved me to tears yet again.

Lord, I get so frustrated with my sinful self.  Thank you for reminding me that I need YOU!!  I can’t do this on my own, although I sometimes try and miserably fail.  I love you.  Thank you for the cross, and the power that is has over souls, and sin.  I love you, and am forever grateful.