In Need Of... Obedience.

There are many things that we can give to God... and there are many things that we can give up for God...

But what does God really want?

Does He want your money? Your talent? Your family? Your time?

Samuel offers this:
"Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice..." (I Samuel 15:22)

God wants obedience above all.

God desires for us to obey Him. And that's what it all comes down to.
We can lead perfect lives if we obey His word, if we listen to His voice.

Look at Abraham... (Genesis 22:1-18)

God gave Abraham a son, and his name was Isaac. This son was to be the heir of Abraham.
At one point, God told Abraham to take his son up a hill and sacrifice him.
Abraham obeyed.
God provided.
Isaac lived.
Abraham was blessed by God.

God provided Abraham with a ram to sacrifice in Isaac's place.

God did not really want Isaac to be sacrificed. He wanted to ensure that Abraham was in complete obedience to His voice. He wanted to make sure that Abraham loved Him more than anything else in the world. So that He could give Abraham the honour of being the ancestor of God's chosen people.

When Abraham listened, without understanding... God provided. God will never lead you where He cannot keep you. God doesn't want to take your life, He wants to give you better life... and the best life you could have is when you follow His leading, and take heed to His Word.

In Need Of... A summary.

So... that wraps up my Kiddie Song blog series ;o) It was more fun than i expected... haha!

And really.... By doing this series, i figured out just how much all of these things were inter-related.

John 15:9-11 says "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in My love. If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love. These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."

Interesting that Jesus says Himself that your joy hinges on the love you have for other people.

And the thing is... If you have the Father's love, that also brings peace to you!
Really.... I think it all boils down to love! If you have love, and you seek to follow God, and choose to be like Jesus, you can have all your heart needs to be healthy!

Love=joy
Love=peace

Romans 15:13 - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In Need Of... ((~~Love Like An Ocean~~))

You know I like to look things up in the dictionary... And if you didn't before, know it now ;o)

OCEAN: The entire body of salt water that covers more than 70 percent of the earth's surface.

I never would have said that. But that's pretty cool if you ask me! The ocean covers more are than land does on earth. (Why then, do they call it earth if there is so much more water?)

That's some pretty big love.

And because it's so big, i've sorta been avoiding talking about it.....

There are so many different aspects of love, and kinds of love and ways to express love that I might just put together a list of books for you to browse and learn about love for yourself!

The same could be said for the ocean... And i don't think we've scoured those depths to the best extent yet... I'm sure we'll be able to find more if we dig (swim?) deeper....

God's love is the best kind of love, though..... He has amazing plans for us (Jer. 29:11), He does amazing things for us, He comforts us, and He never leaves us (John 15:26).

Seriously a huge topic for discussion... I'll try to put together that list of books... Let me know if you think of any good ones?

In Need Of... }}>~ Joy Like A Fountain ~<{{

Alright.... This is not quite as hard to understand as those elusive peaces and rivers...

Joy like a fountain....

If i think about those times when i'm joyful, i feel like a fountain :o) Sometimes i feel as though laughter is just going to bubble up and out of me... It's a great feeling!

But it's the same as rivers.... Fountains CAN be stopped. They can be plugged or blocked.

And, just like with rivers, we have to make sure we don't let our fountain stop flowing... Let that joy keep coming!

Being joyful doesn't mean you have to be happy all the time... It doesn't mean you should feel like laughing when someone tells you their best friend just died... It doesn't mean you should only think pleasant thoughts.

Psalms 51:10-12 - Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation...

The deepest joy comes from knowing that you have that salvation; that you are a child of God. That's really the most important thing.

All the meaning in my life is based on the fact that God is my heavenly Father and He has accepted me as His own. I may not know where my life is headed, and bad things may happen, but God has control over my life and He has a perfect plan. And when i die, i'm going to heaven. That makes me joyful.
Even when i'm unhappy, i still know that i'm loved and cared for by the Creator of the universe. I know that Jesus died on the cross for me because He loved me that much. It makes me sad that i'm a sinful creature and that His death was necessary... But it makes me glad that i can now come to Him with all my needs and, eventually, be with Him for eternity.

Don't let anyone stop that joy. -- (I'm getting a picture from a cartoon.... There's a dam that's about to burst and the character is putting each finger into a hole and then starts using his toes and then someone starts tickling him and he lets go and the whole dam bursts apart.... *lol*)

In Need Of... ~~~ Peace Like A River ~~~

We all need a little peace of mind... But peace like a river? How do you figure?

This is my attempt to understand the metaphor "peace like a river".

Isaiah 48:17-18 - Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go. Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

So... That's where the simile comes from. Now what does it mean?

As usual, i'm going to take a quote from the dictionary ;o)

RIVER: A large natural stream of water emptying into an ocean, lake, or other body of water and usually fed along its course by converging tributaries.

So... if river=peace, then we can say... Peace is fed by something (ex. a tributary) and empties into something (ex. a lake).

I'm going to say that God is the tributary... He provides us with the peace, He's the stream or spring that feeds the river. Our job is to be the lake, and collect the stream... Be a holding tank for the peace that we receive.

You'll also notice that it says "natural" in that definition. Peace is not a man-made phenomenon. Yes... people can build canals and dams and reroute water... People are also fallible. I've heard of dams breaking and causing catastrophes and canals that redirect so much water that parts of land become arid and incapable of growing anything.
God is the only One who is capable of providing peace.
It's also natural in that people are supposed to be peaceful. It's the way we were made. Looking back to Adam and Eve, they were in a peaceful garden. That's the peaceful existence we were meant to live. That's natural.

I have seen people build dams... Blocking out their source of peace; knowingly or not. Dams made of fear, doubt, unhappiness, cynicism. All of these things can prevent our lives from being peaceful. I challenge you to tear down some of those dams and watch the river flow. :o)

God does NOT want you to live in uncertainty and unrest. He wants you to be in your natural state, the way He created you. As Jesus said,
John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

The world cannot provide you with that peace and Satan is doing his best to steal your peace away... Be on your guard that no dams are being built on your river of peace!

In Need Of... A kiddie's song!!

And so begins a series based on the popular Sunday School song... (and there are actions, too!)

I've got peace like a river,
I've got joy like a fountain,
I've got love like an ocean in my soul (sole ;o)........

Great song... it's a little more lengthy than that, but i decided to just use the last verse to give the overall impression of the song.... Definitely worth learning... If only because the actions are so fun!

In Need Of... A Love that's stronger than life.

I was reading Romans and this verse caught my attention.... Romans 8:38-39 - "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (KJV)"

Those are some powerful and potent things: life, death, power, angels..... But think.... the Love of God is bigger than any of those things! God will still be here and loving me through all my life, and death is no match for His awesome Love. They can't stop Him.

That passage reminds me of a psalm........
Psalm 139:7-11-
Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

I'd suggest reading that whole chapter.... It's amazing the things that God has done and the way He Loves us... It's hard to remember all the things He's done..... That chapter only enumerates a few..... But just look around yourself at all you have and seeeeee that God Loves you! Even when some things aren't going right.... Even when you can't afford to buy groceries for a month.... God provides, He won't stop loving you. No powers, not life, not death can keep Him from loving you.

No matter what i do, or where i go, like the psalm says, He won't leave me. He won't stop loving me............
Nothing can separate me from God and His great love.... not even ME.

In Need Of... Brilliance.

Brilliance:
1. The state or quality of being brilliant, as:
a. Extreme brightness.
b. Exceptional clarity and agility of intellect or invention.
2. Splendor; magnificence.
3. Music. Sharpness and clarity of tone.

(Yeah.. i love definitions, especially when it's a word everyone knows ;o)

Think of something u think is brilliant.... A diamond? A river when the sun hits it just right?..... U tell me :o)

When i think of something brilliant, i think of stars :o)

Have you ever looked outside in the middle of the night? Or when the sun is setting, or rising? Some of those stars are seriously brilliant! And really twinkly! I feel sorry for people who live in the city and never get to see them!

In Revelation 22:16, Jesus calls Himself "the Bright and Morning Star." Jesus says in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

And we know that as Christians, we are called to be like Christ. We are called to be lights, too

Matthew 5:14-16 says You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

I Thessalonians 5:5 - You are all sons of light...

Ephesians 5:8 - For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light...

While Jesus is within me, I am supposed to shine like Him. I am supposed to emit the same light He did and still does.

It's like that song by DC Talk (a little old/outdated, but you probly know of it) "I wanna be in the light as You are in the light/ I wanna shine like the stars in the heavens..."

Or... a little older.....

I John 1:5-7 - This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

That's enough to make a person brilliant :o)

In Need Of... Abundance!

Sheep. They produce wool. They go "baa"..... Who cares?

I do.

I want to be a sheep..... Jesus describes himself as the shepherd... Who wouldn't want to be a sheep when it means u have someone watching over you as good and loving as Jesus?
He says in John 10:11, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep."
Jesus will protect you, guide you, shelter you.... Make sure you have enough to eat and drink.... Ensure that you are healthy and productive each day! Life so good! Love so great! Protection so strong! He gave up His life to make sure that YOURS was saved!

Why would we follow this Good Shepherd (in case you haven't figured it out yet)?

Because just before He said He'd give His life, Jesus said in John 10:10 - "The thief does not come exept to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

He DIED so we can LIVE. Live ABUNDANTLY.

In Need Of... A comfort zone :o)

It's interesting.....
So many people are worried about getting stuck in their "comfort zone"..... There's so much emphasis put on "getting out of your comfort zone" and "making changes in your life in order to grow in your faith."
I don't think it's always necessary to make a change in order to stretch your faith......

Many people reading this blog know me..... They know how, in the recent past, i've had MANY changes, relocations, etc... I've learned how to step out in faith when God decides to move me somewhere......

My problem is, I haven't learned to stay put. I haven't learned how to grow my faith when i'm standing still..... when i'm not trying to find a place to live...

Since i've gotten a job and an apartment (with a one-year lease!), God has found new ways to expand my faith, and to shape my character...... I've had to learn commitment (strange as it may sound).
God is still teaching me about this....
I'm excited! I've actually stopped feeling stir-crazy! When i hit the 4 month mark of living here (at which point i would normally be moving on) i went out and cut off my hair.... lol.... i needed a change.... january was a tough month for me... but as february and then march came in, i've stopped NEEDING a change.

God is sufficient for all my needs. He can provide enough change in a stable environment.... He can make my comfort zone exciting :o)

And if you think about it..... There are so many times when God said to someone "Go to this place to live".... He wanted them to stay there and claim that place.... (Ex. Abram/Abraham... Genesis 12)

But really... whether coming or going, moving or staying, all we have to know is...
John 15:4 - Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
It doesn't matter where u live or how often you move, as long as u abide in Jesus and continue to bear fruit.

In Need Of... Pruning.

so, yeah... Pruning hurts.
And i'm not talking about trimming those overgrown, over-thorned rosebushes, either. (Although that does hurt.)

When God cuts things out of your life, or when He points things out to you that He wants u to cut out on your own... That's the tough stuff...

Learning about yourself, and figuring out what those things are is tough, too......
I've brought myself into a new light recently, and found some things that look ugly.... Things that need to be adressed...

Proverbs 12:1 says "Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid."

So i talk to people... People give me insight. And i talk to God... He corrects me. Sometimes the lesson is hard, but i know that in the end, it'll make me tougher, stronger, and more righteous. It'll help to turn me into someone i want to be... (and that's still a long way off)

It's like they say, "If it doesn't kill ya.... It only makes u stronger." 10points if u can find that in the Bible somewhere. ;o)

"In Need Of... Sushi???"

Just for the heck of it ;o)

I don't know if anyone in the Scriptures ever ate sushi??

In Need Of... A Voice that divides the flames of fire.

Just as i want to be heard, God wants to be heard.
If i want the sovereign Lord of the universe to listen to me, who am i to ignore Him?

This is amazing: (The lines in italics are the ones i was most taken with :o)

Psalm 29 -

Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones,
Give unto the Lord glory and strength.
Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name;
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
The God of glory thunders;
The Lord is over many waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,
Yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes them also skip like a calf,
Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire.

The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
The Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth,
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everyone says, "Glory!"

The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood,
And the Lord sits as King forever.
The Lord will give strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace.

It really makes me wonder how i don't hear Him when He speaks! I must be really out of tune if i can't hear a voice that shakes the wilderness...
But then, if i stop and think..... When i see a beautiful sunrise, or hear great music, or look at the contrast between a white building against a blue, blue sky -- I think of God. And how he created the world to be perfect and how he gives each person gifts to create beautiful things.
Isn't that like hearing His voice? Like getting a reminder that He is there and He is worthy of worship?

In Need Of... Desperation.

I want to be desperate for God. To be intense in my quest to find out who He is. To dwell on Him day and night....
The psalms contain great examples of desperation. Psalm 27:7 says "Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me and answer me. When You said, 'Seek My face,' My heart said to You, 'Your face, Lord, I will seek.'"
So often in the psalms you hear David say, "Hear me Lord!" I can picture that... I can picture me doing that.... Sometimes i want to stand up and holler at God.... "LISTEN TO ME!!!!" lol
Even though i know He listens to me even when i'm whispering, and he hears my every thought.
I know i don't need to have a tantrum to get God to listen to me :o) But sometimes i just don't feel like i'm getting heard. Sometimes, i feel like i'm not desperate to be heard.
Talking to God should be the most important thing i could POSSIBLY imagine.
I want my heart to cry out to God. I want to seek His face with desparation, recklessly casting aside the world, and opening my soul to Him.

In Need Of... Shakin' Up!!

I have discovered (again) that i'm far too complacent. Far too happy to settle for what i have.
I have no real aspirations or goals..... No dreams for the future.
I coast..... i don't have any aim.... i don't have any direction..... i just kinda go where the wind takes me..... Life may be giving me lemons, and i have no problem making lemonade.... but i want fruit punch...
and it's drivin me nutty :o)

I look at people who have goals and i envy them.... I look at people who dream (large or small) and i wish i could emulate them....

Someone just told me (as i'm writing this):
"I think that you... can do whatever you set your mind to. Now all we have to do, is find something to focus your mind on."

Me in a nutshell? Perhaps.

In Need Of... More humility.

I experienced a reprimand today. It may or may not have been called for, but it was definitely needed.
I was not living the way i am called to live in Christ. I was not doing things with a servant heart. I was not living I Corinthians 10:31.
So God granted me discipline... and by His mercy, there was no permanent damage.

God is willing to discipline us, IF we are willing to humble ourselves to accept it. Then we have to be humble enough to realise that we needed the discipline.

I thank God that He has shown me how to change my ways, and i know by His grace only will i be able to change.

I Peter 5:5b-10 - ...Be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about seeking whom he may devour.
Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

In Need Of... Holy words.

One speech that strikes me everytime i read it....that calls me to read it every now and then....Acts 7:2-53, Stephen speaking in front of the council and the high priest.

I tell ya... That guy knew his stuff!!

It's a must read. It's like the whole old testament in 2 pages :o)

Stephen was able to stand in front of the whole council... Some of the most important people in Israel and give them a history lesson. HOW did he do that?? (this should be on that tv show ;o)

Stephen had power given to him by the Holy Spirit. Stephen was "full of faith and power [and] did great wonders and signs among the people (Acts 6:8)."

I want faith like that... To be able to stand up in front of people, or even just one person, and PROVE my faith! I want the Holy Spirit to be able to speak TRUTH through me!

Listen to this! Acts 7:55-56 - "But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, 'Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!' "

That's incredible faith!!

And moments after that, Stephen went to be with Jesus. Acts 7:59-60 - "And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, 'Lord, do not charge them with this sin.' And when he had said this, he fell asleep."

More proof of his incredible faith...

I want to be like that. I want to be filled with that Holy Spirit power.

In Need Of... The Walk.

If you think about it..... The way you walk says something about you.
It's easy for me to stereotype...... "These people walk a certain way." Example: Models, athletes, ganstas, girls, guys, guys with really big egos (lol... u know that swagger!)...........etc........

There's a special walk for Christians, too... It should be just as visible to people, but it's much more difficult to learn those steps. It's more about how you portray yourself to the world than about how you put one foot in front of the other.

Philippians 1:27 says: Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel...

Philippians 2:14-16 - Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God wihtout fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

That's the walk... Showing people through your actions that you are a Christian; that you are trying to live as Jesus lived. Proving who you are on the inside by what you do on the outside.

In Need of... Desire.

I had a bit of an eye-opener today... I've been all about trying to have enough discipline to sit down and study God's Word.
Today, while reading a devotional book, I realized that it shouldn't be about discipline. It should be about devotion. Not about dedication to doing something, but DESIRE to love Someone.
My study habits should directly reflect how much i love Jesus. How much i want to spend time with Him, be like Him, and LOVE Him.
I first need to LOVE Him. And then i will desire to spend TIME with Him. And then i will come to KNOW Him.

It's interesting..... The sermon in my church today was about marriages, and how men and women (should) express their love and receive love. Pastor Marc spoke about the differences between the genders and how it's tearing marriages apart, because people aren't willing to embrace those differences.
One of the text references was Genesis 1:27 - So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Something that JUST struck me....... God shares the qualities of love of both of the genders.
So when you say that men want to be respected, and that is how they receive love - God is the same. He must be respected.
And when you say that women desire time, and appreciation, and that is how they receive love - God is the same!
(See Ephesians 5 for more insight into how a relationships should be!)

To tie that into the original thought................

The same way i would want to love my spouse, i should love God. The same way i desire to be loved, i should love God. I need to repect Him, spend time with Him, and appreciate Him (among other things!)...
When that happens, i will desire to be with Him on a daily basis.

"And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord..." - Jeremiah 29:13-14

In Need Of... Fresh Water.

I was reading the book of James tonight.... Some great stuff in there.
I came across some great verses that stuck out to me.

James 3:10-11 - Out of the same mouth proceed blessing an cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?

James is talking about "the tongue". Also known as, "things we say".

I know i have trouble controlling mine on occassion (as many can testify to). I also know i'm not the only one out there with that problem...

James says: With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God (2:9).

Striking the difference, and the hypocrisy. I use my mouth to bless God - the fresh water - and i use it to say mean things about the people He created in His image - the bitter/salt water.

I am ashamed.

As soon as i read that verse i realized how easy it is to do. I realized that, unwittingly, i probably do just that more than once a day. I realized that i probably cut people down more often than i praise God.

I am very ashamed.

I can only pray that God will help me to see what i am thinking to say before i say it... and pray that God will help me control myself........ and eventually...... i will not even think up bad things to say. I take God at His word when He says: ...God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you... (James 4:6-8)

So i draw near.