I love this beautiful, delightful, and fragrant flower!Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Devotions and Reflections.
Today I looked at Matthew 7 in my quiet time and a bunch of verses (pretty much the whole thing) popped out at me. Jesus is speaking and covers a wide range of topics that I will transcribe below:
7:3-5 "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, Let me remove the speck from your eye, and look a plank is in your eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."
I think that sometimes we as fallible human beings are prone to the bad like self-righteous prideful and vain conceit that gives us a false sense that we are always right and it is the other person and the whold world who is wrong or needs to change. If we adjust our view and rid ourselves of that self-righteousness, we may find that the speck we may have seen in our brother's eye was not really the fault of the brother rather a scratch in the lense of the glasses we had worn and the plank in our own eye inhibiting us from seeing reality and truth.
7:7-11 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"
I think three things may be surmised from this passage: the goodness of God, the power of our communication with God through prayer, and the need to step up and do it.
God likens himself to an earthly father and a child. The child asks the father for something he needs and surely the father will provide for the child. This passage tells us that God is like this and so much more, because well, He is God and that father is only human and still has evil tendencies. The second thing to keep in mind is the power of prayer. God says that if we ask (pray), seek (continual prayer and keeping eyes open to the people and situations around you and going on with confidence in the direction of your request), and knock (again pursue with confidence in God and His grace to fulfill your request) and the door will be opened (request answered).
This next passage is critical to the Church in maintaining a biblically sound doctrine that adheres to the essentials of the faith. With our relativistic agnostic culture, it is rather easy to try to soften up or water down the message. When that happens the carriers of the message become less salty, and what is the point of salt that has lost its saltiness? We are to be carriers of the truth. To deny absolute truth would be to deny one of the laws of logic; the law of noncontradiction. Without further ado...
7:13-14"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."
Listening to the last bit of David Wheeler's sermon tonight I felt convicted of being indifferent to my fellow peers and fellow citizens. I go through these calloused stages that render me indifferent as a form of self-preservation and self-defense because if I don't care, then I don't have to feel, or rather I don't have to deal with the feelings I feel when they leak out of their compartmentalized box. I wrote in my previous post about those who are ignorant martyrs who walk around with a lum face as though they had got the worst hand. Have I ever stopped to ask them why they force a half-smile/grimace? have I asked them if there is anything I can pray for them for? For all I know, a tradgedy could have just taken place in their life and are still cleaning up the shattered pieces and piecing them back together. Each person deals with grief differently and I need to have compassion, and ACT on that compassion.
I read Chapter 1 of Building dynamic faith by Jerry Falwell and I suppose these are a few things that God has been showing me today, so Thank you Lord Jesus :)
7:3-5 "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, Let me remove the speck from your eye, and look a plank is in your eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."
I think that sometimes we as fallible human beings are prone to the bad like self-righteous prideful and vain conceit that gives us a false sense that we are always right and it is the other person and the whold world who is wrong or needs to change. If we adjust our view and rid ourselves of that self-righteousness, we may find that the speck we may have seen in our brother's eye was not really the fault of the brother rather a scratch in the lense of the glasses we had worn and the plank in our own eye inhibiting us from seeing reality and truth.
7:7-11 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"
I think three things may be surmised from this passage: the goodness of God, the power of our communication with God through prayer, and the need to step up and do it.
God likens himself to an earthly father and a child. The child asks the father for something he needs and surely the father will provide for the child. This passage tells us that God is like this and so much more, because well, He is God and that father is only human and still has evil tendencies. The second thing to keep in mind is the power of prayer. God says that if we ask (pray), seek (continual prayer and keeping eyes open to the people and situations around you and going on with confidence in the direction of your request), and knock (again pursue with confidence in God and His grace to fulfill your request) and the door will be opened (request answered).
This next passage is critical to the Church in maintaining a biblically sound doctrine that adheres to the essentials of the faith. With our relativistic agnostic culture, it is rather easy to try to soften up or water down the message. When that happens the carriers of the message become less salty, and what is the point of salt that has lost its saltiness? We are to be carriers of the truth. To deny absolute truth would be to deny one of the laws of logic; the law of noncontradiction. Without further ado...
7:13-14"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."
Listening to the last bit of David Wheeler's sermon tonight I felt convicted of being indifferent to my fellow peers and fellow citizens. I go through these calloused stages that render me indifferent as a form of self-preservation and self-defense because if I don't care, then I don't have to feel, or rather I don't have to deal with the feelings I feel when they leak out of their compartmentalized box. I wrote in my previous post about those who are ignorant martyrs who walk around with a lum face as though they had got the worst hand. Have I ever stopped to ask them why they force a half-smile/grimace? have I asked them if there is anything I can pray for them for? For all I know, a tradgedy could have just taken place in their life and are still cleaning up the shattered pieces and piecing them back together. Each person deals with grief differently and I need to have compassion, and ACT on that compassion.
I read Chapter 1 of Building dynamic faith by Jerry Falwell and I suppose these are a few things that God has been showing me today, so Thank you Lord Jesus :)
martyr complex.
Dear Heavenly Father, God Most High,
Please help me to work through my bitterness and frustration. It makes me so bitter when people get martyr complexes about them and they think that their situation is the worst on the face on the earth and feel the need to walk around looking constipated with an irritable forced grimace to meet my smile. Do they honestly think that they are the only ones going through trials? Do they honestly think that my life is a picnic with the prairie dogs and a stroll with lollipops, rainbows and unicorns? Ha! But God, my bitterness needs to turn to compassion for they do not know; in short they are ignorant. Lord, I lay down my bitterness at your feet. Please now give me your strength and power to overcome this foothold of sin; bitterness. You are God most high and my Father in heaven. Thank you I can approach you, and for giving me the strength to overcome trials and temptations. Please give me wisdom to know how to uniquely handle all of the situations that will arise today.
Love,
your humble daughter
Please help me to work through my bitterness and frustration. It makes me so bitter when people get martyr complexes about them and they think that their situation is the worst on the face on the earth and feel the need to walk around looking constipated with an irritable forced grimace to meet my smile. Do they honestly think that they are the only ones going through trials? Do they honestly think that my life is a picnic with the prairie dogs and a stroll with lollipops, rainbows and unicorns? Ha! But God, my bitterness needs to turn to compassion for they do not know; in short they are ignorant. Lord, I lay down my bitterness at your feet. Please now give me your strength and power to overcome this foothold of sin; bitterness. You are God most high and my Father in heaven. Thank you I can approach you, and for giving me the strength to overcome trials and temptations. Please give me wisdom to know how to uniquely handle all of the situations that will arise today.
Love,
your humble daughter
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Life of a Biology student.
Today is absolutely gorgious outside, but do I get to revel in it and soak in the sun?
No, no I do not. Why? One may very well ask. My reply: school. It is not that I have any classes today (that is one of the wonderful things about tuesdays and thursdays). Rather I'm up to my neck in studying that I must do for biology and chemistry.
At least it's interesting, for the most part. The only act that remains is to begin. Hence, good day to all of you who get to enjoy the delicious spring weather!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Science.
Today was the first day back and was generally rather successful. There was only one exception; again I failed to turn in my chemistry homework in on time and pretty much bombed the optional quiz because I hadn't studied! Other than that the day was generally good. The weather was fabulous and warm. I took a decent trek but was so tired! I think my legs are readjusting to the hills. Tomorrow is going to be crazy with all of the catch up homework and studying I have to do.
-peace
-peace
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Sunshine.
Today was absolutely gorgious outside so I took the liberty of doing some spring cleaning! I didn't get too much done, but I was able to sweep and clean out the garage floor and cleaned up that old fluorescent light bulb that Bill the handy man thought would be cool to leave here for us to take care of..interesting fellow (and not in the positive reference)! Then I scrubbed the garage door and the front windows/shutters and front door. It's crazy how much dirt builds up over time! Then I unwound the hoses and took them around back to scrub down the doors of the shed and sprayed them down. After that I raked up some of those nasty spike-like things that fall from trees and then raked the leaves out of my herb garden. It's so exciting that there's already things popping up! [Lambs ear, peppermint, spearmint, lemon balm, oregano, sage, chives, lavender, and chamomile!] There is still so much to be done, but at least the work is begun.
Tomorrow will be an early start..I'm working for my g-rents at 6am! So I better hit the sack.
Proverb of the day: Proverbs 11
12"A man who lacks judgement derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue."
13"A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret."
14"For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure."
Tomorrow will be an early start..I'm working for my g-rents at 6am! So I better hit the sack.
Proverb of the day: Proverbs 11
12"A man who lacks judgement derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue."
13"A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret."
14"For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure."
Friday, March 12, 2010
Project Runway
I was just watching Project Runway. Despite the drama between the contestants, I love this show! It is great to see up and coming designers and provides inspiration that any person can make it. I do not mean that any person can make it in the fashion market specifically or particularly. Rather, I mean the general concept. If you throw all of your chips on the table, and all of yourself into something there is a pay day and most of the time those efforts pay back. There is no room for ineptness, apathy, and most certainly not fear. A really helpful quote I just came across on someone's face book was the following:
"Have no fear of perfection--- you'll never reach it."
"Have no fear of perfection--- you'll never reach it."
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