Think about His love

Think about His love, think about His goodness

Think about His grace that's brought us through

For as high as the heavens above

So great is the measure of our Father's love

Great is the measure of our Father's love

How could I forget His love

And how could I forget His mercies

He satisfies, He satisfies, He satisfies my desires...

There has been a lot of thinking going on lately but I was reminded last night of what I should be thinking about. As we studied Acts 7 and recounted the history of Israel I was once again reminded about His love, His goodness, His love, and His mercy. Yet the Jews only saw tradition and because of that they lost sight of the God who is behind it all. My heart has been full of bitterness and complaint this past week. I looked at a friend last night and for the first time since we met I felt like I didn't know them anymore. I was filled with feelings of rejection, confusion, and doubt, not only towards this person but towards God.This is a dangerous place to be. I know because each time I'm consumed with these feelings it becomes harder to recover. Each time this happens it becomes harder to think about His love, His goodness, and the fact that He satisfies. I can't say that I'm in a place where I'm okay but remembering to think about Him is a start in letting go. 

The Father's Reproof.

My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord

Or loathe His reproof,

For whom the Lord loves He reproves,

Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

Proverbs 3: 10-11

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:6

Living away from home now means that I no longer have to encounter the daily reproof of my earthly parents however there is still the reproof of  my Father who is in heaven. What is my attitude towards the discipline given by my Father? At school I'm constantly having to correct and remind my students about what they're supposed to do. From day one they are taught that class isn't over until the bell rings but day after day they begin packing up five minutes before the bell rings and day after day I have to remind them of it. It has gotten to the point where I'm tired of reminding them and they've become numb to these reminders. Sometimes I feel like that's my attitude towards the discipline of the Lord. There are certain lessons in my life I refuse to learn even when I know the consequences that must follow and it seems as if I've almost become numb to those consequences.

 Discipline and correction comes from the Father because He delights in us. I have a hard time comprehending this type of discipline because my own tendencies is to give discipline from a place of disapproval but our Father's discipline comes from a place of love. I must learn to confide in Him in all my ways so that my path may be straight. I will fail and I will require correction but may I not reject the discipline of my Father who finds His delight in me. 

What is Love.

Love is patient...

Love is kind...

Love does not act unbecomingly...

Love does not seek its own...

Love is not provoked..

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 

For now we see in a mirror faintly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 

1 Corinthians 13

Been a rough couple of days, thankful for this remember. As the world celebrates what they define as love, I look to the One that is love.

He knows our needs.

I've been having some trouble falling asleep lately and then I'll wake up multiple times throughout the "night" so waking up in the mornings has been someone of a struggle. Last night was another night where I tried to go to bed early but then all these thoughts came flooding into my mind as I lied there. After about an hour I finally decided to pull up the Bible on my phone and this is the passage it opened to:

And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.

Luke 12:29-32

Although I wasn't worrying about what to eat or drink I do worry or become anxious about certain things in my life. It is a comfort to know that our Father knows what we need. He even knows the things that we think we "need". Too often I compare myself to those in the world around me and because of that I begin to worry. Not only will He provide for me needs, He desires to give me the kingdom which that is beyond my understanding. My sight is so limited that I get caught up with these earthly matters and forget that my Father wants to gives me something so much greater. Our Lord is the Great Shepherd, knowing that I can find rest within His flock. 

John 18

Two points from that stood out to me from John 18:

1) The Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees came looking for Jesus with lanterns and torches and weapons. 
It is interesting that after all this time these people felt that they needed to bring lanterns and weapons to approach our Lord. Our Lord is the Light and He has the almighty Power, yet his life on earth was one of one full of peace. He was able to live this life even while knowing why He was here on earth. We are those that have the life of Christ in us, do our lives testify of the character of Christ? Do people feel that they need to approach us ready to fight?

2) Peter was ready to die for the Lord in the garden but could not stand for Him during everyday events.
 I've always looked at Peter's action of cutting of Malchus's ear as one of foolishness but this time I have to admire what he did. Even though he acted in a way that he wasn't supposed to, Peter was ready to defend our Lord even if it meant death. In John 13 Peter declares that he will lay down his life for the Lord and here in John 18 he is ready to do just that. This could be considered a defining moment in Peter's life, a moment where he had to risk his life to stand up for Christ and he was able to do it. I admire Peter in this matter because I'm not sure if I have those real defining moments where I stood up for Christ even to the point of "death". But we find that Peter later denies our Lord three times in moments that were less "exciting". I guess this could be compared to our everyday walk in the world, when the the "Roman cohort" isn't attacking us. How much easier it is to deny our Lord when we go about the mundane everyday tasks? We let our guard down and then we quickly find ourselves denying the life of Christ that is living inside of us.

Functioning in the Body.

I'm quite familiar with the verse in 1 Corinthians that speaks about the many members that make up the Body of Christ but the past few days I've been reflecting on what they actually means for me. We've been having some fellowship about the function of the PGG group within the church and quite honestly I had no idea. We agree that we need to be united by the same vision but to me that's was just Christian lingo that we throw around because it sounds right. In reality we haven't received a clear vision from the Lord and that's why there's been so much confusion.

Being in the PGG group is a unique period of life. We are at a point where we are starting to serve in multiple capacities in the Body: the children's ministry, worship team, middle or high school groups, CGG, adult ministry. This is a blessing but I feel that at times we can easily get lost in these services and lose sight of why we're doing them. I'm not sure if I have the answer but I think that our function as the PGG group within the body is to bear one another's burdens.

Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.

Galatians 6: 2, 10

What better time than now for us to learn to bear each other's burdens and to serve one another, whether through diligent prayer or actual acts of service when prompted by the Holy Spirit. Being single really frees me up from a lot of the responsibilities so I should view this time as a blessing, the perfect time to learn how to function in this way in the body. Who knows what life will be like once I'm married with kids. lol I definitely won't have the same freedom to just drop everything and serve when led by the Spirit. I am however reminded that all this must stem from love. Without the love of Christ it will be impossible to function in this way with a joyful heart. 

A Little Leaven

I was convicted by the Lord today about overstepping the line when it came to trying to make the "right" decision about a situation. Throughout our conversations I felt like we were going in circles and we always ended up more confused than we had started. Tonight I suddenly felt the Lord telling me why things were so confusing, we had forgotten to ask the Lord about His decision. I had allowed man's voice and reasoning to enter into my mind and had blocked out the voice of our Lord, That's why I couldn't feel peaceful about any decision that was being made. So often we seek after the advice of man, and the advice might even be good, but unless we ask the Lord for His way, we will never feel at peace. 

As I was getting ready for bed I was led to read Galatians 5 where it talks about walking by the Spirit. 

You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. 

Galatians 5:7

It doesn't take much, just a little leaven, and we lose clarity in our life. It is only when we walk by the Spirit will we be able to resist the desires of the flesh. We don't need to stray far from this path and all of a sudden the thoughts of the flesh come flooding in and we lose our sense of direction and peace. If He calls us to do something we need to follow, we cannot allow anything else to persuade us otherwise.

I think I was reminded of this not only for myself but that I need to trust the leading of the Spirit in my brothers and sisters. We may not see what they see, but we need to trust that they are sincere before the Lord and that the Lord is working in their life. We all make mistakes but that's why we need the Blood of the Lamb. He is gracious and merciful towards us and as long as we have the heart He can continue to work.