Thorns FOR Grace

Wahoo!
This is good! Get ready! :)

2 Corinthians 12:7-10
"Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me - to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore, I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong."

I'd never really thought about this passage like this before.
And by "this" I mean .....

*God GIVES us thorns in the flesh SO THAT He can GIVE us His grace.
And ...
*God not only allows but GIVES us tough times so that, in those rough circumstances, His grace can CHANGE OUR LIVES.

It's kind of funny how .... I've read these verses for years, especially verse 9, and it's throwin' a new perspective at me today. :) That's one of the coolest things about God's word. You can read it a million times and never grasp everything He wants you to take away from it.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."

That seems pretty straight forward to me, but when we put it with verses 7, 8, and 10, we see that God doesn't let our thorns "leave" us ... He wants us to understand and experience the power of His grace THROUGH those thorns ... He wants us to understand and experience the power of His grace that not only can, but WILL, overcome our every weakness .......

And ultimately ... CHANGE OUR LIVES.

Condemnation vs. Conviction

So I meant to post this a while back ... I think on the same day as my talk about Colossians 3:3? ....... No .... but anyway ... a few weeks ago, I meant to post these thoughts and didn't .... so here they are now. :)

They are concerning Condemnation and Conviction.

God's been convicting me in mighty ways over the past year ... pushing me to change and let go and ultimately, become more like Him. ... Which is no easy task, as we all know very well. But anyway, from time to time, I feel condemned because I just can't get some things in this Christian walk right. Or I'm not consistent ... whatever the case may be. But recently, I was reminded that I was being selfish in this talking and feeling of condemnation because it was pointing my thoughts back to myself instead of Christ.

And I came to realize ... that's the HUGE difference between conviction and condemnation.

Conviction points us to CHRIST.
Condemnation makes us only think about ourselves.

So yeah! Good stuff!
I hope none of you are battling condemnation. It is AWFUL! I recently came out of the worst condemnation session of my life. It wasn't easy, but once I realized that my false humility (aka - condemnation) was sin in and of itself, my pity parties started to turn around. .... I was so bummed out because I wasn't living the way Jesus wanted me to live ... I was living in sin ... so when I figured out that wallowing in my sin IS A SIN, wow ... I started to change my act. I'm still working on it.

But God's grace is sufficient, and that's what my next post is about! :)

9th Time's a Charm!

So ... the only thing I've ever remembered wanting to do with my life is be a teacher.

I love kids ... teens ... young people.
I love hanging out with them, interacting with them, engaging in conversation with them.
It's my favorite thing to do - ever!

To say that ... if you haven't heard ... I'm taking the Praxis ... again.
And in case you don't remember what that is ...
It's a test (much like the SAT) that you have to pass in order to get into your teaching "blocks," as they're called.
3 sections - math, writing, and reading comprehension.
I passed the math and the writing the first time I took 'em ... but the reading? Whew!
8 times.
Yes ... WHOA!

But maybe the 9th time's a charm, eh?
We shall see. ;)

I'm writing this post more for myself, I guess.
To remind myself that I can't give up.
And I've come to realize that I (obviously) don't know how. :)

So .... it's on to the Praxis once again.
Saturday, January 9, 2010 ....
(Prayers appreciated!) ;)

Onward, Mical! :)

Something Amazing!

This speaks for itself.

Or rather ... our amazing God speaks for Himself. :)

"Everyone longs to give themselves to someone, to have a deep soul relationship with another, to be loved thoroughly and exclusively!

But God to the Christian says, No, not until you are satisfied, fulfilled, and content with me alone. Not until you give yourself totally and unreservedly to me and experience an intensely personal and unique relationship with me alone. I love you, My child, and until you discover that only in Me can your complete satisfaction be found, you will not be capable of the perfect human love that I have planned for you. You will never be totally happily united with another until you are united with me, exclusive of anyone or anything else, exclusive of any desires or longings.

I want you to stop planning, stop wishing, and allow me to give you the most thrilling plan existing - one you cannot begin to imagine. I want you to have the best. Please allow me to bring this to you. You just keep watching me, expecting the greatest things. Keep experiencing the satisfaction that I am. Keep listening and learning the things I tell you. Just wait, that’s all! Don’t be anxious. Don’t worry. Don’t look around at the love others have gotten or the things I have given them. Don’t even look at the things you think you want. Just keep looking off and away, up to me, or you will miss what I want to show you!

And then, when you are ready, I will surprise you with a love far more wonderful than any you would dream of! You see, until you are ready, and until the one I have for you is ready (and I am working even at this moment to have both of you ready at the same time), until you are both satisfied exclusively with me and the life I have prepared for you, you won't be able to experience the pure beautiful love that exemplifies your relationship with me - this is Perfect Love!

And dear one, I want you to have this most wonderful love. I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with me. I want you to be able to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty, perfection and pure love that I offer you in myself. (It is possible!) Know that I love you utterly. I am God, believe me, trust me, wait on me...and be satisfied."

"Your Life is Hidden with Christ in God"

I've been really stuck on this idea of "setting our minds on things above."

I really, really think God wants me to grab hold of this powerful concept and make it my own.

So ... by way of doing that, I've been trying to memorize Colossians 3:1-17.

If you haven't read this recently, go back and read it again - right now, if you can!

It's amazing stuff!

I've been taking one verse a week ... I'm on verse four this week.

And as I dedicate more time to memorizing and meditating on these words, I am renewed.

I've been struggling ... and ...

I am pushing.

I am pressing in.

I am striving.

I am fighting ... it's an internal battle that's been raging for what seems like forever.

But I can't give up.

And in not giving up but pressing in to Jesus, I find renewal in the promises of His word.

As I dwell on these verses more and more, I learn to come to conclusions about who God wants me to be and how He wants me to live ... for Him.

And that's where the promises come from.

And it's been so rewarding searching out these promises.

One of my heart's greatest desires is to live wholly for Jesus, to not be distracted by my pain, my trials, my worries, my sin ... I just want to live for Jesus and focus on him .... instead of worrying all the time.

Colossians 3:3 has a promise that I get excited about!

The context is needed to find the promise .... 

The previous verse says ... "Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things."

There's the command.

And when we "set our mind on things above," we get the promise that comes in verse 3.

"For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

When we set our mind on things above, we are hidden in Christ.

Here are some thoughts I wrote down a few days ago ....

Colossians 3:3 - "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

~ "You have died" - meaning, the old self has died ... been kicked out! ... so that the new self can move in and take over!  Yes!

~ "Your life is hidden with Christ in God" - meaning, you are so consumed with Jesus that you are not distracted by what happens in the world ... or in your life.

~ When we truly put on the new self, we are focused on Christ - it's like we're hidden from our worries, our problems, and our sin .... so much so that we don't get distracted by anything else.

And that's all I need to remember. :)

P.S. To: Stop Beating Yourself Up

P.S.
Whoa! Almost missed an important thought! And we don't want to miss this!

Just because we are not supposed to beat ourselves up about our sin doesn't mean that we have an excuse to go on sinning. Noooo sirrreey!

Now! Instead, we want to HONOR GOD ... and instead of condemning ourselves, we can bask in this FREEDOM:

"There is now NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ Jesus."
Romans 8:1

So we don't have an excuse to sin ... we have an excuse to LIVE IN FREEDOM!
FREEDOM IN JESUS!
Wow! That is better preachin' than you think!
I know I need it today!
Thank you, Lord!

So Stop Beating Yourself Up Already!

So here's a wake-up call for ya'll ... mostly for ME!

I've been really upset with myself lately because I just can't seem to get this trusting God thing down. He is perfect ... never-failing ... He never fails ME! ... He's constant, faithful ...

So why the heck do I fail to trust?
Well, I've been reading that Having a Mary Spirit book a lot lately, and it talked about a guy named Brother Lawrence ... and this guy's thoughts got me thinking about this concept of beating myself up over my sinfulness.

I realized that I need to stop beating myself over my sin because beating myself up over sin IS A SIN! Sheesh maneesh. I really can't get it right, huh? ;) Ha ha! And I can laugh about it now because of these thoughts ....
I shouldn't give so much energy to beating myself up over my sin because that way of thinking is self-centered. When I put myself down because I sin, I often fall into self-pity and selfish thoughts.

"Why do I keep messing up?"
"Why can't I get this right?"
"What do I need to do to fix my sinfulness?"

Brother Lawrence took an attitude of "I can't forsake sin without You, Lord!" When we realize that GOD is the only one who can give us the ability to overcome our sin, then we will learn to say, "Lord Jesus, I will continue sinning in these ways unless YOU step in and save me. Help me, Mighty God. I can't do this without YOU."

It's that simple. We can do NOTHING without Christ, and when we try to win the victory over sin without Him, we always fail.

So no wonder I keep failing. How 'boutcha try letting Jesus win the battle, crazy woman?

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit. Apart from Me you can do nothing."
John 15:5

One Step at a Time

I've been reading a book called Having a Mary Spirit. It's a book Joanna Weaver wrote after Having a Mary Spirit in a Martha World. Remember me talking about that one several months ago? Well, Having a Mary Spirit is an excellent book. Lots of great insight and Biblical truths. It's been both a conviction and an encouragement.

Here's a quote that really is amazing ... it comes from chapter 4 of this book. :)

"God intends this life to be a walk of faith. so, as we obey one step at a time, the next step will come into view. As we practice obedience, the voice of the Spirit becomes clearer, His instructions more definite."

Dwell on that today. It's really good stuff! Keep trusting. Keep obeying. Just one step at a time.

Things Above Part 2

Again …
Colossians 3:2
Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.

Christ’s Standards for Our Lives Part 2: 2 Corinthians

1:4 – Comfort others with the comfort God gives you.
1:12 – Live in holiness and Godly sincerity, not in the flesh.

2:15 – Live your life so that when people see you, talk to you, or even think about you, they are reminded of Jesus.
2:16 – Live your life for Christ, which brings life. Don’t live for yourself, which brings death.
2:17 – Do not corrupt the word of God.

3:5 – You are adequate in Christ alone. You are nothing by yourself.
3:17 – Jesus – His work in your life through the Holy Spirit – is what frees you from sin!
3:18 – God is making you more like Jesus everyday.

4:1 – We have a ministry (a life!) to live well!
4:7 – The greatness of power is from God, not us.
4:10-12 – We must live our lives to honor Jesus’ sacrifice so that His life will give life to our mortal bodies.
4:16-17 – Do not get down because these trials and heartaches – if you overcome them – will help you receive eternal life.
4:18 – Don’t get too caught up in what you can see and feel – pleasures, pains – ‘cause they are only temporary. Do put all your attention on things that you can’t see or feel – Jesus, His purposes – ‘cause they will last forever.

5:1 – Tent vs. Kingdom of Heaven … where is your real home?
5:2-4 – We must live for eternal things, not temporal things.
5:7 – Walk by faith.
5:9 – Make it your greatest aim to please the Lord.
5:11 – Fear the Lord.
5:14 – Live in such a way that the love of Christ controls you … how must you live? What must you do (let go of) to allow Christ’s love to control you?
5:15 – Do not live for yourself … live for Christ … and honor the sacrifice He made for you.
5:18-20 – What must you do to be reconciled to God?
5:21 – We are the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus. Honor Him!

6:1 – Do not dismiss or dishonor the greatness of the power of God’s grace.
6:14 – Do not marry or get attached to people who don’t love Jesus.
6:17 – Be separate, different, set apart from the world.

7:1 – Get rid of fleshly desires, and work on becoming more and more holy.
7:9-10 – God allows sorrow to bring us to repentance, repentance that genuinely changes our hearts. So embrace trials!

8:3 – Give freely and joyfully to everyone around you.
8:4 – Support fellow Christ-followers.
8:5&7 – Continually give yourself to God and to others.
8:21 – Value honorable things.
8:24 – Prove your love. Be genuine.

9 – Ministry --- Readiness --- Zeal --- Boasting --- Prepared --- Unprepared --- Shame
--- Sow well – reap well
--- Give cheerfully
--- Obedience --- Confession --- Contribution --- Grace

10:5 – Take every thought captive for the honor and glory of Jesus.
10:17-18 – Only boast in the Lord.

11:3 – Live a simple and pure Christian life … simply and purely devoted to Christ.

12:7 – Allow your trials to humble you.
12:9-10 – Bask in God’s grace, and wait on His power to be made known to you.

13:5 – Examine your walk. Are you taking your faith seriously?


Amazing! ..... So let's soak 'em all up! And then? What should we study next? :D

I Wanna Wait Like This!

My Surrender Sister over at Rant, Repose, and Ruminate posted some amazing thoughts on her blog not too long ago ... and I really got hit with this little snipet.

Let's really learn to wait ... to really savor God's work in our lives as we wait on Him!
Wanna keep trying with me?

"There is a kind of waiting that is good for the soul, it builds it stronger, purges it of all trifling thoughts, purifies the expectations, makes one more like Jesus Christ, and builds a mighty faith within."

Reprogrammed ... Oh Lord, let this be our prayer!

As we reprogram our hearts and our minds to operate according to God's truth .....
our lives are CHANGED.

Things Above Part 1

Colossians 3:2
Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.

Christ’s Standards for Our Lives
Things Above Part 1: 1 Corinthians

1:8 – Be blameless … without sin.
1:10 – Do not be divided but of the same mind.
1:20 – Consider the wisdom of the world to be foolishness.
1:31 – Boast only in Christ.

2:1 – Be humble. Focus on Jesus.
2:5 – Put your faith in God, not men.
2:1-5 – Set an example of humility and a focus on God so that others will see you and put their faith in God rather than men.
2:7 – Speak God’s wisdom.
2:15 – Examine everything.
2:16 – Have a mind like Jesus.

3:1-4 – Do not walk as mere men – be mature in your relationship with Jesus.
3:10 – Lay a foundation … make that foundation Christ Jesus … build on that foundation of Christ … and be careful how you build.
3:16-17 – Live as God’s temple, and do not destroy His temple.
3:21-23 – Do not boast in men on account of what you have because everything you have belongs to you, but you belong to Christ … and Christ belongs to God. …. So since you belong to Christ, act like it!

4:1 – Be a servant of Christ. Be a good steward of the things of God.
4:2 – Be trustworthy.
4:5 – Do not pass judgment.
4:16 – Imitate people who live for Jesus.

5:11 – Get away from any man who proclaims Christ but doesn’t live for Him.

6:1-7 – Don’t freak out when someone wrongs you.
6:8 – Don’t sue someone or make their faults known if your faults are just as bad or worse.
6:12 – Don’t do something just to do it – be sure you have the right motives, and be sure it does not control you.

7:23 – Do not become slaves of men.
7:32-34 – Unmarried: focus on the things of God while you are undistracted.
7:35 – Secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.

8:2 – Be humble.
8:9-10 – Be careful in the way that you live. God may not convict you about certain things, but you are an example. Be careful not to make someone else stumble.

9:19-23 – See things from other people’s perspectives so that you can see where they’re coming from, which gives you the opportunity to be more effective in winning them to Christ.
9:24 – Run this race of life to win! In order to win, you must work at it, train hard, and not be a slacker!
9:25 – Exercise self-control … and work toward that imperishable prize – eternity with Jesus!
9:26 – Run this race of life intentionally!

10:12 – Be careful how and what you boast about. Depending on what you’re boasting in, you will fall.
10:14 – Run away from idolatry.
10:23 – Don’t assume that just because the law says something is okay, it really is.
10:24 – Consider other’s interests before your own.
10:27-29 – Set and example. Don’t cause other people to sin.
10:31 – Do everything for Jesus!

11:1 – Imitate those who imitate Christ.
11:28 – Examine your heart before you take communion … and this is such a great rule for every area of our lives.

12:8-10 – Find out what your spiritual gifts are and grow in them.
12:15-25 – Don’t think you are more or less important than other people because God has gifts for everyone, and everyone is needed for His plans.
12:18 – God’s in charge, and He knows what He’s doing.
12:28 – Gifts again.
12:31 – Desire the gifts of the Spirit … use the gifts you have … and grow in the gifts you don’t have.

13:2 – Possess the right motives.
13:4-8 – Be patient and kind. Don’t be jealous of others. Don’t brag about yourself or about the things you have. Don’t be full of yourself. Don’t act like a fool. Don’t be selfish. Don’t hold a grudge against someone or lash out at them when you’re wronged. Don’t get excited about or tolerate sin. Get excited about the things of God. Bear with others, and bear all situations. Believe the truth, and believe that God is who He says He is. Hope in Christ. Endure through hardships. Don’t fail to live for and love Jesus first and foremost.

14:1 – Pursue a greater love for God and a greater love for His people. Desire spiritual gifts.
14:12 – Encourage others with your gifts.
14:20 – Be mature in your thinking. Do not know evil well.
14:40 – Spiritual gifts must be done for the right reasons – for the encouragement of the Body.

15:2 – Believe in the word of God – cherish it, and do what it says.
15:33 – Don’t act like or take part in the lives of those who believe the resurrection is untrue because bad company corrupts good character.


16:13 – Be alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be mature in your walk with Jesus. Be strong in your faith and character.
16:14 – Do everything in love. Love Jesus first and foremost, and then everything you do will come from the love you have for Him.
16:20 – Say hello to everyone with the love of Christ.

Stay tuned for Part 2! :D Coming soon!