I sure hope you have had the pleasure to hear Sam Storms explain his thoughts on Psalm 16:11.
"You make known to me the fullness of joy and at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
I'm passing on some of his quotes for your consideration.
"We were created for pleasure...not for boredom. We have been given an insatiable desire for it (pleasure). God gave it to us. Don't apologize for it!
There is in your soul an insatiable hunger for happiness. It's a chronic and unending ache for joy. God has hard-wired this into your soul. You have been given an unrelenting passion for pleasure. It's God's 'fault'. This is what it means to be made in God's image. We hunger for fascination and joy....we long to be thrilled! (hence the amusement parks we visit, the sunrises we get up early for to watch, the mathematical equations we pour over to solve, the football games we scream about)
His key statement: " The key to following Jesus is NOT from trying harder but enjoying more."
This principle explains so much of what we do and what we enjoy. Mr. Storms takes us to Greek mythology to give us a demonstration of this principle. Remember Ulysses? Can you see the scene as he is tied to the mast of the ship passing the Sirens? Were it not for the ropes that held him fast, he certainly would have given into their allure. He survived the passage.
Now recall Jason. He also had to journey through the Sirens but didn't use the ropes to hold him to his ship. He brought on Orpheus, a skilled musician, a beautiful musician whose song was stronger than the Sirens. Jason was captivated by a sweeter sound. He didn't just survive; He triumphed.
Okay, question for you? Looking at your life, would you think you were struggling to survive and make it through your difficulties or do see yourself as one captivated by a sweeter sound and thriving? Are we 'white knuckling' it with resolve and willpower? Sounds wearisome. How long can we keep that up?
So what are we driven by? Fear of the consequences of sin? Is that really enough to keep us from the temporary pleasures we enjoy in our sin?
Well, I can answer that for me. No! When I have a temper tantrum with one of my girls and give over self-control, I'm not thinking about the consequences. I'm not holding back. So what thought do I adopt in that moment so I don't keep repeating the fruitless effect of anger on my kids?
I want to be different. What does it sound like in my head?
Let's see...Sam said...."our only hope is in maximizing our pleasure in God." Lord, what is it that I really want in that moment? I want my daughter to obey. I want gratitude, I want, I want.... But what I want, I cannot have and so I argue and fight (hey, sounds like James doesn't it?) Okay, stay with me friends....so I want these things; I want to be in control. I want to be like God because God is in control of everything! But I'm not God! I won't ever be. And so, I can either do the Ulysses thing, grit my teeth, try to resist the urge to yell. Too late. No one tied me up and gagged me.
However, I can choose Jason's approach. Where's my Orpheus? Who will captivate me with a greater pleasure?
"God, somehow there is a pleasure here, a sweeter sound to be heard, a facet of your beauty to be drawn to in this moment. Oh Jesus, sing louder! I need you NOW."
And what's the beauty that draws me to Him? He was confident that His Father would never leave him in his moments of temptation...all but that one moment when He cried out from the Cross.
"Father, why have you forsaken me?"
Did I just get that? He was forsaken once that I would never have to be! Now that's beauty! That's the stuff of all true heroism! What a God. What a man! That's my Hero! His beauty is drawing me in.
And He is for me and with me at that very moment when I'm on the edge of crazy anger. He is assuring me that He is strong and won't leave me alone to deal with it!
Hebrews 13: 5 "I will in no wise desert you or leave you alone in the field of contest or in a position of suffering, I will in no wise let go or loose my sustaining grasp." He's speaking what's true all the time.
My anger won't accomplish what I want. Put it away. Let go of my grip for control and remember it's a process of change. I am changing and so is she. Suspend my judgment and don't expect unreasonable , immediate change just because I am annoyed at the moment. Fair enough. So I go back to what God says is true and rehearse it, repeat it, whisper it, lay hold of it until I believe it.
"How sweet it was all at once to be relieved of all those temporal pleasures and to be rid of the fruitless joys that I once feared to lose...You drove them from me and took their place! You, who are sweeter than all pleasures." Augustine
Sing louder Jesus! Replace my fruitless joys with You.
Remember God
“What one thing about God in Christ speaks directly into today’s trouble? … Just as we don’t change all at once, so we don’t swallow all of truth in one gulp. We are simple people. You can’t remember ten things at once. Invariably, if you could remember just ONE true thing in the moment of trial, you’d be different. Bible “verses” aren’t magic. But God’s words are revelations of God from God for our redemption. When you actually remember God, you do not sin. The only way we ever sin is by suppressing God, by forgetting, by tuning out his voice, switching channels, and listening to other voices. When you actually remember, you actually change. In fact, remembering is the first change.”
- David Powlison
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
A Heart Devoted to God
Dear ones...how goes the reading? I am listening to the book on CD while I travel. I wish you could hear Elizabeth's voice. It's so soothing and kind. Anyway, as I promised here are a few things for you all to engage with to help us on our journey of becoming women after God's own heart:)
Martha and Mary...a familiar story but I pray for fresh eyes to see it again today. See Luke 10:38-42. Remember " Martha was so busy doing things for the Lord that she failed to spend time with the Lord." Mary however made worship of the Lord her top priority. Time with Jesus was at the top of her to-do list:) She made a choice that indicated a heart of devotion. She knew she had to do a few things to be with Jesus. She couldn't just "go with the flow" Hey remember...she was in Martha's house and there was definitely a flow going on!
What things can you do this week to
....cease your busyness
....stop all activity and
....set aside secondary things
One thing I've done is enter my daily practices into my phone calendar! Yep, it's there. At 6 a.m. my phone calendar goes off with the song "You Make Me Smile" and reads out...."Hey sunshine! See you on the couch." It really helps me. Let me know if you are doing anything new or something you've been doing that helps you stay on track. Thanks Maggie for the "no bible; no breakfast" rule. That made us laugh. Also, can't you all just see little Lydia's sweet face saying, "Mommy, so when do you read your bible?" Precious.
Here's a quote to ponder:
"Modern civilization is so complex as to make the devotional life all but impossible. It wears us out by multiplying distractions and beats us down by destroying our solitude, where otherwise we might drink and renew our strength before going out to face the world again."
Maybe you already have a scheduled time already. My schedule changes in the summer so I have to adjust things. If you are like me, today is a great day to make that choice and put it in your schedule (or phone calendar) Remember...something is better than nothing. Aim for consistency even if its just a little bit each day. "Great lives are made up of many little disciplines."
Sweet friends, I don't want us to miss the best thing for us. You don't want to either! It will be said of us as was said of Mary, "she has chosen the better thing and it will not be taken from her."
Martha and Mary...a familiar story but I pray for fresh eyes to see it again today. See Luke 10:38-42. Remember " Martha was so busy doing things for the Lord that she failed to spend time with the Lord." Mary however made worship of the Lord her top priority. Time with Jesus was at the top of her to-do list:) She made a choice that indicated a heart of devotion. She knew she had to do a few things to be with Jesus. She couldn't just "go with the flow" Hey remember...she was in Martha's house and there was definitely a flow going on!
What things can you do this week to
....cease your busyness
....stop all activity and
....set aside secondary things
One thing I've done is enter my daily practices into my phone calendar! Yep, it's there. At 6 a.m. my phone calendar goes off with the song "You Make Me Smile" and reads out...."Hey sunshine! See you on the couch." It really helps me. Let me know if you are doing anything new or something you've been doing that helps you stay on track. Thanks Maggie for the "no bible; no breakfast" rule. That made us laugh. Also, can't you all just see little Lydia's sweet face saying, "Mommy, so when do you read your bible?" Precious.
Here's a quote to ponder:
"Modern civilization is so complex as to make the devotional life all but impossible. It wears us out by multiplying distractions and beats us down by destroying our solitude, where otherwise we might drink and renew our strength before going out to face the world again."
Maybe you already have a scheduled time already. My schedule changes in the summer so I have to adjust things. If you are like me, today is a great day to make that choice and put it in your schedule (or phone calendar) Remember...something is better than nothing. Aim for consistency even if its just a little bit each day. "Great lives are made up of many little disciplines."
Sweet friends, I don't want us to miss the best thing for us. You don't want to either! It will be said of us as was said of Mary, "she has chosen the better thing and it will not be taken from her."
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
A Walk Around the Block :)
What a blessing to have you all in my living room last night. I can't stop thinking of your stories. I felt like Ruth in the field of Boaz...I got to glean so much and return home so full and joyful!
Seth is under the gift of concentrated prayer. People change when we pray. History changes. Courses change. Curses fail; blessings come! Darkness is swallowed up in Light! We will trust the Lord. I read in the book of Jude this a.m. It's the famous doxology..."To Him who is able to keep you from falling and present you blameless..." He is able and He is eager. Thank God He's not just able and reluctant. Oh no...never! May He become more beautiful to you today. May you experience in your inner man another measure of His wisdom. I hope you see Him in new places. He is working on all levels.
This morning I was walking around a neighborhood and passed a familiar sight...big moving van parked out in front with garage door open and new boxes open and ready to be packed for the move. What wasn't familiar was what happened when I passed by the young mom who was loading her two precious blonde children in her jeep. I thought, "wow Lord...wonder where her husband is. Wonder if he is overseas right now and she is left to do this move alone. Maybe this isn't her first move alone. I wonder if she has any friends here. Respect began to well up in my heart for all these military women who do this type of thing all the time. But another thing welled up too...the Lord's presence.
"Lisa, pray for her today as you walk by. I hear. I see. Do you believe that you passed her today accidentally? No. I wanted you to see her and pray for her. This is how I work." You see dear ladies, these are the "mere edges of His ways..." This is how God encouraged me today and no doubt He used my silent prayers to bless that sweet mom with her two babies and retriever. Oh how He cares and acts!
I hope you will enjoy your reading and the CD. I already love you all so much!
Seth is under the gift of concentrated prayer. People change when we pray. History changes. Courses change. Curses fail; blessings come! Darkness is swallowed up in Light! We will trust the Lord. I read in the book of Jude this a.m. It's the famous doxology..."To Him who is able to keep you from falling and present you blameless..." He is able and He is eager. Thank God He's not just able and reluctant. Oh no...never! May He become more beautiful to you today. May you experience in your inner man another measure of His wisdom. I hope you see Him in new places. He is working on all levels.
This morning I was walking around a neighborhood and passed a familiar sight...big moving van parked out in front with garage door open and new boxes open and ready to be packed for the move. What wasn't familiar was what happened when I passed by the young mom who was loading her two precious blonde children in her jeep. I thought, "wow Lord...wonder where her husband is. Wonder if he is overseas right now and she is left to do this move alone. Maybe this isn't her first move alone. I wonder if she has any friends here. Respect began to well up in my heart for all these military women who do this type of thing all the time. But another thing welled up too...the Lord's presence.
"Lisa, pray for her today as you walk by. I hear. I see. Do you believe that you passed her today accidentally? No. I wanted you to see her and pray for her. This is how I work." You see dear ladies, these are the "mere edges of His ways..." This is how God encouraged me today and no doubt He used my silent prayers to bless that sweet mom with her two babies and retriever. Oh how He cares and acts!
I hope you will enjoy your reading and the CD. I already love you all so much!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
BookClub
Hi friends. This thought came to me one restless night. Use my blog to stay connected with you all as we embark on the book, A Woman After God's Own Heart. I hope you all will avail yourself of the tool. One of the things I want to do is build our momentum. It's been my experience that I am often more talkative after meeting together; I've had time to process and think about what others have shared. Anyone else had that experience? So please....let's get on this 'blogger highway' and discuss the book as we read. I want (we want!) to hear from you. What's on your mind? It's helpful to include the page number so we can all look up the sentence or paragraph. Feel freedom to include links or songs that are meaningful to you. I want us to be eager to get together for the next bookclub. Monday June 28 :)
Our first meeting we will be discussing Part 1: The Pursuit of God.
Before we even begin the book I want to say this....this book is primarily focused on the disciplines we can follow to place ourselves before God to transform us.
Remember Elizabeth's comment about the "path of disciplined grace"
"It is discipline, because there is work for us to do. It is Grace, because the life of God which we enter into is a gift we can never earn...Discipline in and of itself does not makes us righteous, it merely places us before God....The transformation...is God's work"
Of first importance is that we truly understand that no discipline makes us acceptable to God. Jesus Christ did that work on His cross. He perfectly lived and died. That's all done. Ours now is the joy of living out the good of those realities; to get on with the good works He has prepared for us. We would miss the whole point if all our discussion and meeting were lost on working harder for God. May I present the idea that it's quite the opposite. All that we are going to discuss is birthed out of Jesus' work. We get to shatter the alabaster box at His feet and fill the room with that sweet aroma of worship and devotion for all that He has done for us. And not only that, but He enthusiastically welcomes us to come join Him in the work He is doing today on the earth. Indeed, it is a wonderful time to be alive! I can't wait to see what treasures are store for each one of us!
See you Monday. :)
Here's a link to feast on. www.offirstimportance.org
Our first meeting we will be discussing Part 1: The Pursuit of God.
Before we even begin the book I want to say this....this book is primarily focused on the disciplines we can follow to place ourselves before God to transform us.
Remember Elizabeth's comment about the "path of disciplined grace"
"It is discipline, because there is work for us to do. It is Grace, because the life of God which we enter into is a gift we can never earn...Discipline in and of itself does not makes us righteous, it merely places us before God....The transformation...is God's work"
Of first importance is that we truly understand that no discipline makes us acceptable to God. Jesus Christ did that work on His cross. He perfectly lived and died. That's all done. Ours now is the joy of living out the good of those realities; to get on with the good works He has prepared for us. We would miss the whole point if all our discussion and meeting were lost on working harder for God. May I present the idea that it's quite the opposite. All that we are going to discuss is birthed out of Jesus' work. We get to shatter the alabaster box at His feet and fill the room with that sweet aroma of worship and devotion for all that He has done for us. And not only that, but He enthusiastically welcomes us to come join Him in the work He is doing today on the earth. Indeed, it is a wonderful time to be alive! I can't wait to see what treasures are store for each one of us!
See you Monday. :)
Here's a link to feast on. www.offirstimportance.org
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Mary Kay and Katie
You never know what a phone call will bring. I still don't have caller id so sometimes I just have to rely on my voice recognition skills (or lack thereof) to identify callers. Other times I'm totally at a loss, hoping for some "clue" that will reveal who I'm talking to!
Last night I heard from my childhood friend, Wendi. We've know each other since we were 7 years old. That's 39 years! Wow....anyway, after a few moments of jubilation, the conversation became very somber. Another mutual friend of ours just received the worst news...Her nine year old daughter, Katie, has been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Please, all of you who still believe that God's miracles have NOT ceased for our day, please pray for her. She lives in L.A. All I know is that a few weeks ago she was just like any other little girl, playing soccer and enjoying life. Mary Kay and Bob are her parents. She has an older sister. I believe she is 12.
Thank you friends. "Daily bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the love of Christ."
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Real Estate
Hi family and friends. Ellie Mae...I especially wanted you to see this. I passed my real estate exam! Yep...I'm joining Tim and together we have a plan to do this real estate thing. I've been consumed for more than a month (60 hours of Principles of Real Estate) plus study time just getting ready for my exam. I enjoyed learning all the new terminology and the general scope of what this field is all about. Today I met with Tim's broker; soon to mine as well. He says that being a team will really bring some stuff out...good and not so good. I'm especially excited to work with Tim and learn from him. Wow...I can't wait to meet all these new friends and see God's plan unfold.
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