How Deep the Father's Love...

Have you ever really thought about it? I mean really thought about how much the Father loves us? If you haven't, I encourage you to do so. I probably don't do it often enough, but it is such a humbling realization to sit at the foot of the cross, knowing that God loves us enough to send His only Son to die a cruel, humiliating death in my place. Amazing.

Here are the lyrics to such a beautiful song called How Deep the Father's Love for Us :

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Praise God - He only deserves glory, honor, and praise!

March in a Nutshell

Wow! It's been a month since I've posted! Ok, one more day...but practically a month. I guess I will update you on what all has occurred this month...which isn't much.

I've been pretty busy with school and work, but I did have spring break off for school a couple of weeks ago which was a really nice break from all the craziness. During that week I still had to work, but was able to spend some time with friends as well as catch up on all my homework at the time (which is probably what I should be doing right now)! Also we had a surprise birthday party for my brother's 21st birthday that Friday of spring break! He ended up finding out about it, but it was fun anyways and we learned how to Square Dance!

School is going well I guess. I had to 18 hours of observation in public schools (elementary and high) and 18 hours of tutoring in another elementary school for two of my classes. I just finished all of that up yesterday, so things should start slowing down a little bit. However we only have 4-5 weeks left so projects and papers and finals are going to be due soon.

I just started to run a little bit! I've been wanting to for a long time now, but didn't know if I should. It's only been 1/2 a mile at a time, but I've done it 4 times now, so in all it's 2 miles!!! haha, ok...anyways, I'm just starting out slow and easing myself into it.

I've been having fun driving in my new car I bought at the end of February!! It's a silver 2003 Honda Civic. I'm so blessed to be able to have it. And really I'm so blessed with the life I have been given - godly parents, fun siblings, great friends, a home, a school paid for (for at least this year!), a job, food, clothing, etc... I could probably come up with so much more! - and how often do I take all of these things for granted? Or how often do I complain about things? It's something to think about. But I hope and pray that I will never put any of these things above Christ. 1 John 2:15-17 says "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions - is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." I find myself hungering for the Word all the more and desiring to learn and grow. I have so much to learn.

Nehemiah 9

So, in my quiet times I've been reading through Nehemiah and I just wanted to share with you something that stood out to me. First of all, go read Nehemiah 9, then come back and read what I got out of this chapter. Or go read the whole book... ;)

When I read this chapter it really stood out to me how merciful and faithful our God is. I mean think about it. The Israelites would turn away from God; then God would give them into the hands of their enemies and allow them to suffer. In the midst of their suffering the Israelites would cry out to the Lord. Then God would hear them from heaven and delivered them according to Your great mercies. The phrase "according to Your great mercies" is used three times in this chapter referring to God delivering the Israelites. I'd say its something pretty significant if it's mentioned three times! One of the times it is mentioned in verse 31 which says "Nevertheless, in Your great mercies You did not make an end of them or forsake them, for You are a gracious and merciful God." Back up to verse 17b "But You are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them." He is a gracious and merciful God, ready to forgive!

How many times a day do we turn away from the Lord and fall into sin? I am so thankful that God is a gracious and merciful God, ready to forgive! Do I deserve His grace, mercy, and forgiveness? No, I deserve eternal life apart from God. But God so graciously and mercifully forgave me of my sins and redeemed me by the blood of His Son! No matter how many times I sin and come running to God for forgiveness, He will always forgive me, just like He forgave the Israelites. How encouraging is that? We truly serve a great God!

Bound for the Promised Land!

Today I listened to Jars of Clay sing a song called "On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand." This song is such a great reminder that we are bound; we are bound for the Promised Land! How encouraging these lyrics are to me - reminding me to live in such a way that pleases Christ, because we are indeed bound for eternity with Him if we are His true children! Here are the lyrics to this great song:

On Jordan's stormy banks I stand
And cast a wishful eye
To Canaan's fair and happy land
Where my possessions lie

All o'er those wide extended plains
Shines one eternal day
There God, the Son forever reigns
And scatters night away.

I am bound, I am bound, I am bound for the Promised Land
I am bound, I am bound, I am bound for the Promised Land

No chilling wind nor poisonous breath
Can reach that healthful shore
Where sickness, sorrow, pain and death
Are felt and feared no more

I am bound, I am bound, I am bound for the Promised Land
I am bound, I am bound, I am bound for the Promised Land

When shall I see that happy place
And be forever blessed
When shall I see my Father's face
And in His bosom rest

I am bound, I am bound, I am bound for the Promised Land
I am bound, I am bound, I am bound for the Promised Land

Here's the link to listen to it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtHfLcp1F3U

Lukewarm Christianity

Have you ever considered your life in light of eternity? What is the point of life - why are we here? Are you just living for the here and now? Are you a lukewarm Christian?

My prayer for myself and others is that we are not lukewarm Christians; that we live life to the fullest and understand why we were created. Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

Revelation 3:15-16 says "I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth."

We cannot be lukewarm about Christianity...it's all or nothing. You are either a follower of God, or you're not. You can't be both. Matthew 6:24 says, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." You either love God or you don't.

I want to live for God to the fullest. I want to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. I want to study His Scriptures and grow closer to Him. I want to love Him.

Psalm 63:1-5 "O God, you are my God: earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in you name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips". - I pray that this will be true and evident in my life. God alone is worthy to be praised!

Double Predestination?

In Sunday School at Grace Community Church, Pastor Brian Harvey is going through Ephesians with the college and career group. We just started this study a few weeks ago and have already hit some pretty deep stuff, for instance: predestination. I will attempt to explain from my notes...I don't know how many people read this, but even if no one does, it helps me to process my thoughts and see what I learned by writing it out; so here goes!

Predestined means to decide upon beforehand according to His (God's) will. God predestined those whom He saves. Also, this term, predestined, is always used to say that God saves someone - not that condemns them. So, the question was brought up, "what about Romans 9:22-23?" Does it teach double-predestination - since God chooses some people to be saved, He also condemns the rest. No it doesn't teach that. Romans 9:22-23 says,

What if God, desiring to show His wrath and to make known His power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of His glory for vessels of mercy, which He has prepared beforehand for glory.

So are these verses saying that God predestines or decides on beforehand those who spend eternity apart from Him? Let's look at some passages in Scripture:

James 1:13-14 "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God,' for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He Himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and entice by his own desire."

This passage is very clear - No one can say, "God made me do it." God tempts no one; when man sins, it's his own fault.

Go back to Romans 9:21 - "Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?" A better word for "dishonorable" is "common". Believers and unbelievers are alike, but we serve different purposes. It is not saying that one person is saved and another is condemned. Unbelievers were not designed for destruction, just common usages. (I hope I haven't lost you yet...this is pretty hard to understand - especially the way I'm writing it. Sorry!)

Anyways, let's keep going to verses 22 and 23. The word "prepared" is used in both of those verses, but they mean different things. In the English, the word "prepared" is the same verb and means the same thing. In the Greek, however, "prepared" doesn't mean the same thing. Let's take a look. In vs. 22 "prepared" is a passive verb; so God is not an active agent in preparation They themselves already prepared themselves. But, in vs. 23 "prepared" is an active verb; God is actively preparing some to save. So even though it's the same word, there is a difference.

Although God does not prepare some for condemnation, He does allow sin to continue to ultimately be used for His glory - to proclaim His glory. Think of the story of Pharaoh and Moses. God allowed Pharaoh to harden his heart and continue in sin for His (God's) eternal purposes. God puts His hand of grace on some, but not others, allowing them to continue in sin.

Do any of us deserve to be saved? That would be a definite NO! We are all on the path to destruction. None of us deserve salvation, but God chooses to save some of us. Why do we ask the question, "How come they aren't saved?" Instead we should be asking, "Why am I saved?"

So, does this passage teach double-predestination? No, it:

1. Shows God's wrath
2. Make His powers known
3. Makes known the riches of His glory in mercy

The purpose of it all is to give God glory and to show His glory.

Are we ever going to grasp this fully? Probably not. Deuteronomy 29:29 "The secret things belong to the Lord out God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law." - We won't understand it unless God reveals it to us.

Update

So, I don't really have anything to write about...but I wanted to post something because I hadn't in a while. =] Anyways, I'll just give you a little update on my life.

Currently I'm memorizing Hebrews. I'm not sure why I chose this book, but it's a great book and I encourage everyone to study it! I've been memorizing it since Christmas break and have finished the first three chapters! 3 down 10 to go! I would like to finish before the summer, but we'll see.

Life is very busy this semester...I'm always running around here and there and everywhere. I'm starting to go to two different schools to observe/tutor for two of my classes. I went for the first time this past Friday and was in a fourth grade class. I will be going again this coming Thursday to the same school and hopefully Friday to the other school. I have to have a total of 36 hours altogether this semester - 18 per class. I hope this is making sense...? Anyways, it is keeping me very busy.

I still don't know for sure what I want to major in...it's so hard to decide what to do when I don't really want to do anything; (Okay, I want to do something - be a homemaker!). But while I'm waiting for that to happen, Lord-willing, I'm looking for something to do in the meantime and school seems like the best option. I just need to trust in the sovereignty of God. Easy to say, hard to do. I feel like I worry about it way to much...I need to let it all go and rest in Him.

Well that's a mini-update of what's going on in my life right now. I don't want to bore you too much! ;) haha