Wednesday, June 20, 2007

All Things


by Steve Pettit
Ask the Crucified One who authored his death and He will reply, "My Father." If crucified by the will of God, as horrifying as the experience was, it must end in triumph! "The fullness of joy is to behold God in every-thing!

Seen rightly, even pain and suffering are agents of God's steadfast love, escorting us into glory. He will expose our inadequacies, but only to reveal Himself as our adequacy. He will identify our weaknesses, so his strength might become ours by experience.when we begin to see life with GOD at the center, we have ears to hear Him say,

"I dug your pits of fear, in order to intimately fill you with my perfect love. I dashed your house of dreams to personally build your house of life on unshakable reality. I meant your hellish despair . . .it drove you into my heavenly hope. I caused you to experience that haunting hollowness of heart so you might be filled, intimately and personally filled . . . with MY LIFE."

Thursday, June 14, 2007

today

One year ago today began one of the most amazing years of my life. It started with two people who have directly influenced my life in profound and very different ways. One, with the best of intentions, taught me the deep hipocracy and lack of belief that plagues the "church" today. I am thankful for this lesson because I am much more aware of satans handywork and how to fight it. The confusion and lack of true obediance to Christ that I see in so many people (including myself) is deeply saddening. I pray that hearts will turn towards Him and wait for His voice and not that of a corrupted church. The other individual, a dear friend, taught me that there will never be satisfaction in anything or anyone besides our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I also learned that I will forever be a slave to Christ and that doing 'whatever I want' is a straight road to hell. A friend that will walk with you through these lessons is true and faithful. Through the trials of this past year I have learned so much from the Lord through the many people He has put into my life. I can honestly say today, June 15, 2007, that I am better because of all of it.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

good news

He chooses us exactly as we are, with every facet of our humanity. We may well laugh at the strangeness of His choices, but that is no business of ours. He paid the highest price possible for us — the price of His own Son’s blood — so we had better get busy choosing ourselves if He has chosen us. To not accept those He accepts is to insult Him.
-Norman P. Grubb

Monday, June 11, 2007

Open Eyes

why am I walking around with my eyes closed all of the time? Running into things, mistaking one thing for another and surely not getting where I want/need to be. Yeah, I see all of the stuff of this world but im sick of seeing the same old crap. What does our almighty God and Creator see? Our apostle Paul prayed that we would be "enlightened in the eyes of our hearts", that we may see the Truth beyond the use of our eyes that see into this world. Oh God, that the eyes of my heart would be enlightened. I am so tired of only seeing half way. His eyes, I want His eyes. To see as He sees and react as He reacts to His world. Of course, Jesus was our best example of His eyes in this world and we see the life of miracles and wonders that ensued. My prayer today- His eyes.

Friday, June 8, 2007

surviving the storm

so how many times have I heard how God see's through our storms of life and that He is always taking care of us. No matter how many times I heard it, I didnt fully understand it until last night in Joplin, MO. Shane and I (on our way to St. Louis) were traveling through a severely severe Tornadic storm that very well could have crushed us at any given moment. In the midst of the chaos and midnight darkness we cried out to the Lord and proclaimed the Truth that He see's through every storm and can send angels to protect us. All for His glory!!! We made it through and more than ever I believe that He can see through the darkest of clouds and can protect us from the fiercest of attacks. "because of His GREAT MERCY we surrender ourselves as living sacrafices" Thank you Lord!! What a great experience!!