From the Song of Solomon: [The Message]
[woman]
I'm just a wildflower picked from the plains of Sharon, a lily of the valley.
[Her Beloved]
Like a lily among thorns is my darling among young women.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
HIS Words [2]
"The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." Luke 6:25
"Discerning the truth about someone is not judgment. We can recognize all manner of flaws, characteristics, habits, etc. and even accurately assess their condition. As long as our discernment is coupled with the heart of God toward that person, we have not slipped into judgment. Judgment is when you discern something about someone, and harden your heart because of and in response to what you discern. Now you have slipped into the sin of judgment. It will cripple you and it will shape your soul." [bob hamp blog]
My struggle this month has been in understanding truths about judgment, peacemaking and forgiveness...especially as it relates to one particular person.
Luke 6:45 is just one scripture that God spoke to me as it relates to these lessons.
This passage from a blog written by Bob Hamp summed up perfectly my struggle with judgment and helped me to see the significant difference between discernment and judgment.
"Discerning the truth about someone is not judgment. We can recognize all manner of flaws, characteristics, habits, etc. and even accurately assess their condition. As long as our discernment is coupled with the heart of God toward that person, we have not slipped into judgment. Judgment is when you discern something about someone, and harden your heart because of and in response to what you discern. Now you have slipped into the sin of judgment. It will cripple you and it will shape your soul." [bob hamp blog]
My struggle this month has been in understanding truths about judgment, peacemaking and forgiveness...especially as it relates to one particular person.
Luke 6:45 is just one scripture that God spoke to me as it relates to these lessons.
This passage from a blog written by Bob Hamp summed up perfectly my struggle with judgment and helped me to see the significant difference between discernment and judgment.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
HIS Words [1]
Blessed be the Lord, Who bears our burdens and carries us day by day, even the God Who is our salvation! Selah!
God is to us a God of deliverances and salvation; and to God the Lord belongs escape from death.
Psalm 68:19-20
What God Spoke:
This is a strong word to my heart that the God who saved me, who rescued me from eternal death, is the same God who will not only take upon Himself the weight of my daily burdens BUT He will also pick me up and carry me, too.
A picture comes to my mind of Jesus positioning my backpack of burdens on his chest, directly over His heart, and then turning his back to me so that I can be carried piggy-back style. A perfect balance of weight, that won't ever allow me to feel as if my burdens are too much for Him, and because I am on His back, looking over His shoulder at what's ahead of [Us], my burdens are shielded from me, no longer my concern but His.
The main point for me, though, is that I first have to give him my backpack [surrender #1] and then choose to jump up on His back [surrender #2].
And then I see that He is a God of deliverance[s]...plural. This is confirmation that I am not simply delivered from all of my weaknesses, struggles or strongholds upon salvation. Salvation is a one time thing, but the plural form of deliverance means that I am continually being delivered. It's an on-going process.
Prayer:
God, thank you for showing me so much truth in such a small amount of scripture. Help me to fall head first into this ocean of surrender on a daily basis. Remove my self-imposed need for independence, for carrying my backpack and for walking on my own two feet. I stand against my enemy, in Jesus' name, who will continuously attempt to condemn me through the on-going process of deliverance[s]. I stand firm in my salvation, my rescue, from eternal death. Help me to willingly and eagerly jump up into your arms each day so that you can carry me through whatever may come my way...today.
God is to us a God of deliverances and salvation; and to God the Lord belongs escape from death.
Psalm 68:19-20
What God Spoke:
This is a strong word to my heart that the God who saved me, who rescued me from eternal death, is the same God who will not only take upon Himself the weight of my daily burdens BUT He will also pick me up and carry me, too.
A picture comes to my mind of Jesus positioning my backpack of burdens on his chest, directly over His heart, and then turning his back to me so that I can be carried piggy-back style. A perfect balance of weight, that won't ever allow me to feel as if my burdens are too much for Him, and because I am on His back, looking over His shoulder at what's ahead of [Us], my burdens are shielded from me, no longer my concern but His.
The main point for me, though, is that I first have to give him my backpack [surrender #1] and then choose to jump up on His back [surrender #2].
And then I see that He is a God of deliverance[s]...plural. This is confirmation that I am not simply delivered from all of my weaknesses, struggles or strongholds upon salvation. Salvation is a one time thing, but the plural form of deliverance means that I am continually being delivered. It's an on-going process.
Prayer:
God, thank you for showing me so much truth in such a small amount of scripture. Help me to fall head first into this ocean of surrender on a daily basis. Remove my self-imposed need for independence, for carrying my backpack and for walking on my own two feet. I stand against my enemy, in Jesus' name, who will continuously attempt to condemn me through the on-going process of deliverance[s]. I stand firm in my salvation, my rescue, from eternal death. Help me to willingly and eagerly jump up into your arms each day so that you can carry me through whatever may come my way...today.
Monday, October 19, 2009
My Words
But let the uncompromisingly righteous be glad; let them be in high spirits and glory before God, yes, let them jubilantly rejoice! ~Psalm 68:3
God spoke to me last night at Encounter; a night that focused on all the different aspects of worship, from clapping and raising our hands, to bowing down, to dancing, to shouting, to praying and singing new songs freely from my heart to God's.
At the end of the night, this verse in Psalms was placed on my heart in the midst of singing, so I went back to my seat to look it up. Could it have been any more clear about God's perspective on our night? And then it hit me...this immediate "knowing" of where God wants to take me next...take me now.
In my blogging, I've always focused on my words, what I feel in my heart, or what's taking place in my life on that given day. In the moment that I read the above verse, I felt Jesus ask my heart this question, "What about My Words?" I didn't kick the dirt and exclaim, "Oh man, I've blown it again?" Actually, I stopped and really thought about His question. What about His words?
So, starting today, that's what I'm focusing on for "now". I want to record what God speaks to me through His Words for the time being. I may just include scripture, I may include any other thoughts He gives me to go along with scripture. But my focus will be on what He's saying...not me.
God spoke to me last night at Encounter; a night that focused on all the different aspects of worship, from clapping and raising our hands, to bowing down, to dancing, to shouting, to praying and singing new songs freely from my heart to God's.
At the end of the night, this verse in Psalms was placed on my heart in the midst of singing, so I went back to my seat to look it up. Could it have been any more clear about God's perspective on our night? And then it hit me...this immediate "knowing" of where God wants to take me next...take me now.
In my blogging, I've always focused on my words, what I feel in my heart, or what's taking place in my life on that given day. In the moment that I read the above verse, I felt Jesus ask my heart this question, "What about My Words?" I didn't kick the dirt and exclaim, "Oh man, I've blown it again?" Actually, I stopped and really thought about His question. What about His words?
So, starting today, that's what I'm focusing on for "now". I want to record what God speaks to me through His Words for the time being. I may just include scripture, I may include any other thoughts He gives me to go along with scripture. But my focus will be on what He's saying...not me.
Friday, September 4, 2009
My Personal 21 Day Challenge
Months ago I read a friend's blog who had written about a 21 day 'afternoon anger' challenge she ventured into with Jesus by her side. I was so moved by her honesty about her struggle with this specific kind of anger and the creative way she tackled this issue with Jesus...a 21 day challenge to do it differently...a 21 day challenge to give her weakness to Jesus and let him change her. Read that here:
I was reading a blog on Destiny In Bloom with the subject matter of sex in marriage. Although I've never documented any issues regarding my sex life, I am more than confident that Jesus is calling me to step out into "REAL" and be brave enough to put my challenge here...knowing that my SisNBff and husband may not be the only ones who read this blog. Jesus has been calling me to be really REAL for a couple months now. No hiding. no pretending. So the D.I.B. blog struck a cord in me. Read that blog here:
So here's my challenge:
For Jesus to bring back the physical passion in me for my husband and to supernaturally increase my libido that has died due to [I believe] major hormone shifts in me that began a few months after turning 40...and I got married right before my 40th birthday.
Sex has been a challenge for me for over a year. It's not that I don't enjoy it. It's not that we have bad or boring sex. It's just that I can feel that my body has taken a dramatic downturn in the physical capacity of my sex drive. I basically don't have one. And that lack of sex drive makes the thought of sex feel like a chore instead of what I know it to be. I hate the fact that I'm 42 and that the thought of sex doesn't excite me. Once I'm involved, I'm ok. But pushing past the mental frustration of "oh, we have to do it again?" is taking it's toll on me and my relationship with my husband. I keep saying that I'll try to do better. I'll try to put myself out there - force myself to want it - and hope it makes a difference. The problem is: I don't just feel like forcing myself to want to have sex. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place and I want change.
I do believe that most of what I'm experiencing could be improved dramatically through a correct balance of hormones. The problem with that is the cost of natural hormone replacement. It's just not in our budget right now and may not be for some time to come.
So here I am, turning to Jesus. Or, more accurately, he's prompted me to turn to him. I can't claim this challenge as my own. I felt that tug at my heart. I knew who it was. So I'm thinking if Jesus is calling me to this challenge then he must have a reason. I don't know what he has planned, but I'm excited to see what the next 21 days holds.
See you back here [for the results of this particular blog] on Friday, September 25th!
PS - This blog is dedicated with YOU in mind...My Groom!
Ris' 21 Day Challenge with JesusThat day a seed was planted in my heart; a knowing that one day Jesus would ask me to walk out a challenge like this with him. I didn't know when, and I didn't know on what issue that challenge would focus. Today, that challenge surfaced.
I was reading a blog on Destiny In Bloom with the subject matter of sex in marriage. Although I've never documented any issues regarding my sex life, I am more than confident that Jesus is calling me to step out into "REAL" and be brave enough to put my challenge here...knowing that my SisNBff and husband may not be the only ones who read this blog. Jesus has been calling me to be really REAL for a couple months now. No hiding. no pretending. So the D.I.B. blog struck a cord in me. Read that blog here:
Destiny In BloomAs I'm writing this, a thought pops into my head...I've been walking out a challenge already: the challenge to be fully real in every situation that I'm facing and to put myself out there without the masks and without the safety net. Oooh, how fun! This official 21 day challenge is like a challenge-within-a-challenge that already exists.
So here's my challenge:
For Jesus to bring back the physical passion in me for my husband and to supernaturally increase my libido that has died due to [I believe] major hormone shifts in me that began a few months after turning 40...and I got married right before my 40th birthday.
Sex has been a challenge for me for over a year. It's not that I don't enjoy it. It's not that we have bad or boring sex. It's just that I can feel that my body has taken a dramatic downturn in the physical capacity of my sex drive. I basically don't have one. And that lack of sex drive makes the thought of sex feel like a chore instead of what I know it to be. I hate the fact that I'm 42 and that the thought of sex doesn't excite me. Once I'm involved, I'm ok. But pushing past the mental frustration of "oh, we have to do it again?" is taking it's toll on me and my relationship with my husband. I keep saying that I'll try to do better. I'll try to put myself out there - force myself to want it - and hope it makes a difference. The problem is: I don't just feel like forcing myself to want to have sex. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place and I want change.
I do believe that most of what I'm experiencing could be improved dramatically through a correct balance of hormones. The problem with that is the cost of natural hormone replacement. It's just not in our budget right now and may not be for some time to come.
So here I am, turning to Jesus. Or, more accurately, he's prompted me to turn to him. I can't claim this challenge as my own. I felt that tug at my heart. I knew who it was. So I'm thinking if Jesus is calling me to this challenge then he must have a reason. I don't know what he has planned, but I'm excited to see what the next 21 days holds.
See you back here [for the results of this particular blog] on Friday, September 25th!
PS - This blog is dedicated with YOU in mind...My Groom!
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