Being human is so hard sometimes. I love God. I wish I could serve Him perfectly down here, but all too often I find out how fallible I am. I sin, and I hate it. I wish my flesh-nature would just die, and then I could be free of it. One day I will be completely free, but until that time... G’rrrr.
Paul says this: (Romans, Chapter Seven) 18 I know that good does not live in me—that is, in my human nature. For even though the desire to do good is in me, I am not able to do it. 19 I don't do the good I want to do; instead, I do the evil that I do not want to do.
1Ti 6:11-12 But you, man of God, avoid all these things. Strive for righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Run your best in the race of faith, and win eternal life for yourself; for it was to this life that God called you when you firmly professed your faith before many witnesses.
Heb 12:1 As for us, we have this large crowd of witnesses around us. So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us.
With God’s help, and if I apply myself, I can stay focused on Jesus and on letting Him live through me, rather than focusing on myself or the world and living the way it does.
God said this about Job: (Job, Chapter One) 8 "Did you notice My servant Job?" the Lord asked. "There is no one on earth as faithful and good as he is. He worships Me and is careful not to do anything evil."
There is another place in the Bible where God said to someone who was praying to Him (I can’t remember the verse): Not even if Noah, Job, or Daniel were asking Me would I do it. Something to that effect. So that implies that the quality of our relationship with God affects how much He listens to us!
I want to be as faithful as Job, Noah, and Daniel. I want to be in their league. However, as of now, I’ve got a ways to go.
More on this Race we call Life:
1Co 9:24-27 Surely you know that many runners take part in a race, but only one of them wins the prize. Run, then, in such a way as to win the prize. Every athlete in training submits to strict discipline, in order to be crowned with a wreath that will not last; but we do it for one that will last forever. That is why I run straight for the finish line; that is why I am like a boxer who does not waste his punches. I harden my body with blows and bring it under complete control, to keep myself from being disqualified after having called others to the contest.
Discipline. Hmmmm. Not one of my best qualities right now. It’s so easy to get sidetracked in this world. I must focus to do my best.
2Ti 4:7-8 I have done my best in the race, I have run the full distance, and I have kept the faith. And now there is waiting for me the victory prize of being put right with God, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that Day—and not only to me, but to all those who wait with love for Him to appear.
And then sin will be gone forever!!! :D Amen.
Meanwhile, Run the Race. Run the race TO WIN IT!
P.S. I meant to mention it earlier, but the song you used to be listening to (these two weeks) is called Oronoco Flow and was performed by Celtic Woman.
Friday, October 28, 2005
Saturday, October 01, 2005
Mandatory Camping!!!
Hey! Look what I found in the Bible! Mandatory camping! Yaaayy!!!
Nehemiah 8:13-18:
13 "The next day the heads of the clans, together with the priests and the Levites, went to Ezra to study the teachings of the Law. 14 They discovered that the Law, which the Lord gave through Moses, ordered the people of Israel to live in temporary shelters during the Festival of Shelters. 15 So they gave the following instructions and sent them all through Jerusalem and the other cities and towns: "Go out to the hills and get branches from pines, olives, myrtles, palms, and other trees to make shelters according to the instructions written in the Law." 16 So the people got branches and built shelters on the flat roofs of their houses, in their yards, in the Temple courtyard, and in the public squares by the Water Gate and by the Ephraim Gate. 17 All the people who had come back from captivity built shelters and lived in them. This was the first time it had been done since the days of Joshua son of Nun, and everybody was excited and happy. 18 From the first day of the festival to the last they read a part of God's Law every day. They celebrated for seven days, and on the eighth day there was a closing ceremony, as required in the Law."
They had to go camping, even if it was in their own "backyard", to celebrate the Festival of Shelters! And all the people loved it! (Of course they did)! And they read God's Word everyday!!! WOOT!
All right! There can be no more excuses! Camping is no longer optional!!! :D
Nehemiah 8:13-18:
13 "The next day the heads of the clans, together with the priests and the Levites, went to Ezra to study the teachings of the Law. 14 They discovered that the Law, which the Lord gave through Moses, ordered the people of Israel to live in temporary shelters during the Festival of Shelters. 15 So they gave the following instructions and sent them all through Jerusalem and the other cities and towns: "Go out to the hills and get branches from pines, olives, myrtles, palms, and other trees to make shelters according to the instructions written in the Law." 16 So the people got branches and built shelters on the flat roofs of their houses, in their yards, in the Temple courtyard, and in the public squares by the Water Gate and by the Ephraim Gate. 17 All the people who had come back from captivity built shelters and lived in them. This was the first time it had been done since the days of Joshua son of Nun, and everybody was excited and happy. 18 From the first day of the festival to the last they read a part of God's Law every day. They celebrated for seven days, and on the eighth day there was a closing ceremony, as required in the Law."
They had to go camping, even if it was in their own "backyard", to celebrate the Festival of Shelters! And all the people loved it! (Of course they did)! And they read God's Word everyday!!! WOOT!
All right! There can be no more excuses! Camping is no longer optional!!! :D