God is amazing, isn't He? I am so excited about what happened earlier tonight (well, technically last night) that I can't sleep! We had our first meeting with the new college group tonight. I was so excited to see all the faces of the young adults that came. I knew some were coming, but others I did not know about. I was so excited to see all of them there because I know God wanted all of them there to fulfill His purpose for this evening. Just thinking about that fact makes me so excited! I can't wait to see who else He is going to bring and what else He is going to do in and through this group! I am blown away every day by the love and grace He pours out on Josh and I, and I can't wait to see the way He is going to continue to pour out His love and grace on all those involved in the group as well! What an awesome, amazing God we serve!
My church just finished reading through Ruth and is now reading through Hosea through their blog. God's timing is so awesome to me! The book of Ruth with Boaz the kinsman-redeemer, and the book of Hosea with God calling him to marry an adulteress. Boaz is a picture to me of what Jesus did for us when He died on the cross. Hosea is a picture of what God did with the Israelites every time they turned away from Him, and what He continues to do to this day with all of us when we turn away from Him. I don't know who God is going to bring to this college group each week, but some of them may have turned their backs on God, or aren't in a place in life that they are really seeking after Him. Whatever the case may be, God is going to continue to pursue them and is going to continue to love them. That knowledge is such a comfort to me, especially on those days when I find myself falling into old patterns, when I don't want to spend time with my Savior. That even though we all mess up, many times a day, God still loves us and still pursues His bride. Thank You, Jesus!
Friday, September 4, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
Identity
For those that aren't aware, Josh and I are starting a college group this week at our church. As we've been preparing for this and spending time with college students, I started thinking a lot about our identity in Christ. It's one thing for me to say I am a Christian and another entirely for me to know what I believe and to know who I am in Christ. I know this has definitely been a struggle for me at times. I know that God loves me and that I am His child, but I don't think I truly allow that to sink in most of the time. I love what 1 John 3:1 says about this:
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." (NIV)
I don't know if the exclamation points were added after the original writing to add emphasis, but I love that they are there! I think we all should be more excited about the fact that we are God's children! He doesn't have to love us the way He does, but he chose/chooses to do so, and I am so thankful for that! I also love the fact that we have been promised so many things through Christ. I love what 2 Peter 1:1b-11 says about it:
"To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (NIV)
That is exactly what I want for my life! I want to be able to escape the corruption of the world and to be able to have goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love be a part of my everyday life. I don't want to be ineffective or unproductive. I want to do all that God has for me to do! I never want to forget that I have been cleansed from my past sins and mistakes. I want to be able to receive a rich welcome into heaven! I also never want to forget what it says in Galatians 2:20:
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (NIV)
I long to live my life each day with the knowledge that Christ lives in me. It is no longer about what I want or what I think is best for me; it needs to be about what Christ wants and has for me! It is my prayer that this will be true in my life, as well as in the lives of all of you who read this. Let's live this week remembering that we are children of God, longing for more knowledge, goodness, self-control...and living the way He wants us to live!
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." (NIV)
I don't know if the exclamation points were added after the original writing to add emphasis, but I love that they are there! I think we all should be more excited about the fact that we are God's children! He doesn't have to love us the way He does, but he chose/chooses to do so, and I am so thankful for that! I also love the fact that we have been promised so many things through Christ. I love what 2 Peter 1:1b-11 says about it:
"To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (NIV)
That is exactly what I want for my life! I want to be able to escape the corruption of the world and to be able to have goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love be a part of my everyday life. I don't want to be ineffective or unproductive. I want to do all that God has for me to do! I never want to forget that I have been cleansed from my past sins and mistakes. I want to be able to receive a rich welcome into heaven! I also never want to forget what it says in Galatians 2:20:
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (NIV)
I long to live my life each day with the knowledge that Christ lives in me. It is no longer about what I want or what I think is best for me; it needs to be about what Christ wants and has for me! It is my prayer that this will be true in my life, as well as in the lives of all of you who read this. Let's live this week remembering that we are children of God, longing for more knowledge, goodness, self-control...and living the way He wants us to live!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Growth
I feel like I am experiencing an amazing time of growth in my life these days. I have such a hunger for God's word and the ability to know Him more. I am currently reading along with my church in Deuteronomy and commenting on their blog with my thoughts. It is so encouraging to have the resources we do these days to be able to instantly post your thoughts and to encourage and sharpen one another with your opinions, whether right or wrong. I am also involved in a women's Bible study each week where we are going through the book "A Woman With A Past, A God With A Future" by Elsa Kok. This week's chapter is called "Believing God". As simple of a concept as that may seem to many, I often times find myself struggling to truly believe in all of God's promises. I know the words of Psalm 18:1-2 are true, that God is our rock, our fortress, and our deliverer, but I don't always live my life taking hold of that truth. I long for the day when I can truly rest in Him and know that He is my refuge and my stronghold, and that nothing I can ever do will change that. My prayer is that I will also learn to keep God's commands so that I can live my life the way He wants me to live it. I also want to trust Him with everything. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6).
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