Craving God

So I have started a new journey of learning to crave God more than food, comfort, pleasure or anything else that tries to distract me and drag me off captive. Lysa Terkeurst has put together a book and bible study called Made to Crave that I am working through.

I had seen Lysa's book before Christmas but was not really interested. Then after Christmas and once again poisoning myself with all kinds of junk food, I saw it again and God spoke to my heart and I knew I had to do this study. So I ordered the book and study and began watching the Made to Crave live webcasts while I waited for them to arrive.

Four weeks ago I was feeling so tired and dragged out and sickly. I had missed church the day before and couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. Then a thought came that I should try exercising. "But I don't feel well!" I rationalized. "Well just try it and if you feel worse, stop and lay down." the thought responded. So I did. Far from feeling worse, I felt great after! I couldn't believe how much better I felt! How foolish am I that I don't do this thing which makes me feel so well physically and mentally, I thought. Why is it I crave what is bad for me instead of God who desires my best? So I have chosen to live a new lifestyle for God and choose Him over food that is permissible but not beneficial, choose exercise over lazyness, strength over weakness. God desires what is best for me which is also what glorifies Him most. When I am healthy and strong then I am better equipped to serve Him and follow the call he has on my life.

Father God, help me to follow the nudging of the Holy Spirit as I venture on this new lifestyle. May all I say and do be glorifying to you. Help me to turn to you when I am tempted in any area of my life and choose you. I was made to crave You first and foremost for you alone are what satisfies. Thank you for not leaving me in the mud and mire but lifting me up and setting my feet on the firm rock of your faithfulness and salvation!
Amen

September 4, 2010

As I read my bible this morning I was reading Gen. 3 and Isaiah 21 and Psalm 46. I love how God can take any part of His Word and bring it together in our hearts to speak to us. In Gen. Chapter 3 Eve is deceived by the serpent and, with her husband beside her, disobeys God and begins the accumulative destruction of all things. In Isaiah it talks about the Lord's destruction of Babylon and in Psalm 46 it speaks about the Lord's ability to destroy and protect. I love the words that jump out in Psalm 46 though, “be Still and know that I am God”. With all that I read, that sums it up. God is God. We will fall, the world will die, nations will fail and still God is God! “be still.....” I am to rest in that one immovable, unchangeable, eternal truth. God is God. Praise you Father for the peace and joy this brings to my heart. Thank You for your unchangeable nature!

Patricia E

Isaiah 5:19

" to those who say" Let God hurry, let him hasten his work so we may see it. Let it approach, let the plan of the Holy One of Israel come, so we may know it." Isaiah 5:19
When I first read this verse this morning, I did not really grasp its meaning. It is speaking to a people who are demanding to know God's plan and essentially mocking Him and not believing He is real.
All I saw at the time was what I needed to see. That God has a plan! He has a plan and it WILL come. Not in our time but His. He also has included you and me in that plan according to Ephesians 1:11-14. By the blood of Christ. I needed to hear that this morning when feelings of purposelessness and lies of Satan were trying to re-wallpaper my mind.
God has a plan and I am part of it. All I need to do is obey. To lay my life before Him each morning and seek His will not mine. To be faithful in the small things and leave the big up to Him. I am not to demand God show me His whole plan, merely what I need to do today. To follow in his footprints and do my best.
Father God, thank you for your Word and for your promises.

Heavy hearted

Life is just plain hard sometimes. Especially when I don't spend enough time with God. I have much to be thankful for but I still only see that which is breaking my heart at the moment. No, my sons aren't taking drugs or living wild lives, my health is relatively good and no one I know is dying in the near future. I have a good husband and a home and food in my cupboards but my heart is aching. It aches to be loved. It aches for all the love I have poured in to my children for 20 plus years to be returned, somewhat. It aches to be wanted by those I care about. It aches for significance and respect and to be valued.
I know, I know, I have all that in Christ and it should be enough but some days I need the tangible kind. The days I forget I have the resurrecting power of Christ dwelling in my soul. When I take my eyes off God and spend a little less time seeking Him out. Times when I just want to chuck it all and become a hermit. I forget how powerful and deadly sin is and coast along until I feel the pull of the vortex dragging at my soul and heart and mind.
Forgive me Father for getting lazy. I know you have what is best in mind for me and all things happen for a reason. After all it is not about me....but You. Fill me with Your unchanging, everlasting, boundless love so I can face each day recalling the resurrecting power you have promised dwells in me.

The Hands of Christ

I have been reading a book Donna lent me by Anne Graham Lotz called 'Just Give Me Jesus' and she was talking about the hands of Christ being bound by the soldiers in the Garden of Gethsemane. That image has been planted in my mind and I have been mulling it over. I have this beautiful picture of Christ’s hands bound together with leather at the wrists and spread palms up in a way that is beseeching and an offering. These hands were not soft, gentle hands but the calloused, roughened hands of a labourer, a stone worker and carpenter. These were the hands belonging to the Creator of you and I and all that we see around us. These were the hands that gently spread mud on a blind man’s' eyes and healed them. These were the hands that scooped up children and placed them on his lap, lovingly speaking to them. These hands gave a son back to his grieving mother. These hands were bound, wrenched, forced to carry a rough hewn cross and had spikes driven through them for us. Think about that. Not only had these hands been innocent and loving during their time on earth but they were the hands of God incarnate! And he offered them up for us! Beautiful hands of a Saviour, rough, bloody and bound. However they are no longer bound but are now offered in intercessory prayer for us who believe and offered in love to those who are lost and suffering in the darkness of this world. Oh Lord, thank you for your saving hands.

Welcome

Welcome to my very first blog. I hope you enjoy the thoughts I share here and look forward to feedback. I am very excited to be starting this new venture.