I am busy. Obviously. I haven't blogged or even thought about attempting to blog in a looooooong time. =) Lately I have had some nudges ( or actually maybe some very loving shoves ) back toward the direction of blogging.
I have a lot of catching up to do. The kids are growing. God has blessed us with another one, Silas. He hasn't even had an official introduction in here, right? The Lord is moving in me to depend on Him. For real though. Not sometimes, not when I remember. Constantly. He wants me to have peace with him because of Jesus. To rejoice in the hope of the glory of God! Like it says in Romans 5.
"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—"
(Romans 5:1-12 ESV)
I have been thinking about this verse for a while. Also thinking about what it requires. I like that I am being challenged to really think on these scriptures instead of reading through them and not pausing to apply them. Sometimes it's painful and VERY difficult,but it is so worth it. I have to remember " suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us"
I have also been thinking a lot about what it means to be a living sacrifice as described in Romans 12.
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."
(Romans 12:1-8 ESV)
My spiritual worship...hmmmm? Makes me think often what my spiritual worship looks like, Is it really a "living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God?" Well, thankfully, by God's amazing Grace I am holy and acceptable to God! Whew!!!! Because of Jesus' sacrifice I look perfect in His eyes! ( Although in actuality I am not) AMAZING! I don't think I can describe with words the freedom in that. And yet, I feel a DEEP, longing desire to change. To grow more in Him, to sacrifice more, to be more like Christ. To suffer more if for the sake of His name. To turn my life upside down if that's what it takes. It is a hard life. But, because God loved me more than I can imagine and sent his Son to die for me, I can have so much joy! A life filled with abundant blessing! True happiness and contentment! I can feel full and loved all the time. Even when life gets crazy and kids seem endlessly sick. Even when the load seems too heavy to bare and the needs that surround are more than five people should handle but the responsibility falls on me. Even when someone comes to me and can't see when they will ever climb out from under the weight of their sin. I can confidently say that He can sustain!
We have been saved! Why wouldn't we be constantly claiming the glory and mercy of Christ? I am challenged to remember Ephesians 2
" And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
(Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV)
We all are or at one point in time following the prince of the power of the air (Satan). Praise God for releasing me from my sin and bringing me to life! Now, I know I am called to claim Christ and share the good news of the Gospel with EVERYONE! My children, neighbors, family, friends, YOU! There is hope in this world. There really is.
When we don't remember what God's word says we stumble, or at least I do. I forget. I don't want to, I want to grow.
God has stretched us and refined us and is constantly working to grow us more. There is a lot to write about and to say. I want to write, to update, but it can be hard for so may different reasons. The question is will I or can I? We will see. =) For now that is it. Stay tuned....I think.
I have a lot of catching up to do. The kids are growing. God has blessed us with another one, Silas. He hasn't even had an official introduction in here, right? The Lord is moving in me to depend on Him. For real though. Not sometimes, not when I remember. Constantly. He wants me to have peace with him because of Jesus. To rejoice in the hope of the glory of God! Like it says in Romans 5. "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—"
(Romans 5:1-12 ESV)
I have been thinking about this verse for a while. Also thinking about what it requires. I like that I am being challenged to really think on these scriptures instead of reading through them and not pausing to apply them. Sometimes it's painful and VERY difficult,but it is so worth it. I have to remember " suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us"
I have also been thinking a lot about what it means to be a living sacrifice as described in Romans 12.
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."
(Romans 12:1-8 ESV)
My spiritual worship...hmmmm? Makes me think often what my spiritual worship looks like, Is it really a "living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God?" Well, thankfully, by God's amazing Grace I am holy and acceptable to God! Whew!!!! Because of Jesus' sacrifice I look perfect in His eyes! ( Although in actuality I am not) AMAZING! I don't think I can describe with words the freedom in that. And yet, I feel a DEEP, longing desire to change. To grow more in Him, to sacrifice more, to be more like Christ. To suffer more if for the sake of His name. To turn my life upside down if that's what it takes. It is a hard life. But, because God loved me more than I can imagine and sent his Son to die for me, I can have so much joy! A life filled with abundant blessing! True happiness and contentment! I can feel full and loved all the time. Even when life gets crazy and kids seem endlessly sick. Even when the load seems too heavy to bare and the needs that surround are more than five people should handle but the responsibility falls on me. Even when someone comes to me and can't see when they will ever climb out from under the weight of their sin. I can confidently say that He can sustain!
We have been saved! Why wouldn't we be constantly claiming the glory and mercy of Christ? I am challenged to remember Ephesians 2
" And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
(Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV)
We all are or at one point in time following the prince of the power of the air (Satan). Praise God for releasing me from my sin and bringing me to life! Now, I know I am called to claim Christ and share the good news of the Gospel with EVERYONE! My children, neighbors, family, friends, YOU! There is hope in this world. There really is.
When we don't remember what God's word says we stumble, or at least I do. I forget. I don't want to, I want to grow.
God has stretched us and refined us and is constantly working to grow us more. There is a lot to write about and to say. I want to write, to update, but it can be hard for so may different reasons. The question is will I or can I? We will see. =) For now that is it. Stay tuned....I think.
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