Dear James (A Later Disciple of Jesus)--
Here I am again getting into the Word that you provided so long ago to the churches--the NEW churches of Jesus Christ--and once again it brings me to tears. But, this time they are tears of joy. May I tell you why?
Journaling this morning I wrote about this verse in the Holy Bible: James 5:15. From THE MESSAGE, it says "Believing prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet. And if you've sinned, you'll be forgiven--healed inside and out."
What I actually wrote must have come from my darkest parts and made a huge exclamation because instead of the word forgiven, I wrote the word forgotten. In my long life, I wonder, could I have not believed forgiveness would come to a little girl who had resisted repentance and would not say she was sorry? Perhaps I am reading too much into this childhood episode and a mere slip of the tongue while writing in my journal.
Forgotten? That's not who God is! He does not rate us as to when or how we might have sinned; he cares about whether we have repented and if we are willing to be HIs totally. That means meforgetting the sin and remembering God's forgiving Spirit. That's who God is, and more.
I ask, James the Disciple, that you ask the Lord Jesus to take my heart and purify it from the hand of Satan who seems to joyfully yank the chain wrapped around my heart. Yes. I believe His hand is right now lifting up that chain, this very moment, and I can breathe in the truth. Yes, Lord Jesus, I have not been forgotten because of my stubborn, willful nature. I know I have been forgiven.
The "chains are gone. I've been set free. O God, my Savior has ransomed me!"
Praise God Forevermore! And thank you, Brother James and my dear,sweet Lord!
Jo (And thanks also for the use of the music, "My Chains Are Gone."
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
I AM A PERVERT!
I expect I owe anyone possibly reading this an explanation of the horrendous title of my expose'. This is not about sexual perversion. Depending upon your point of view it may be about something worse.
In my daily journaling of the Scriptures,I happened upon Mark, chapter 3, somewhere around the 29th and 30th verses. (The Message does not fully identify the verses. It's my best guess.) It reads: "There's nothing done or said that can't be forgiven. But if you persist in your slanders against God's Holy Spirit, you are repudiating the very one who forgives." Following that (to prove my point)it says, "...sawing off the branch on which you're sitting, severing by your own perversity all connection with the One who forgives."
Perversity is a noun which comes from the adjective "perverse", which means "turning away from what is right or good; to be corrupt." Therefore, by this examination of words, I am a pervert. I don't like being a "pervert". I don't even like being "corrupt". But I have corrupted the beautiful gift given to all of us by Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. How? Well, that's the crux of it.
I must not have totally accepted healing, for I often suffer from the insane thought that I am, for the most part, either to blame, therefore ashamed, or blaming someone else for--whatever. I fight like crazy (and some think I really am!) to not blame or shame, but when I don't fight it off with a stupendous battle, I get stuck in what I call "limbo". When I finally recognize what I'm doing to myself,and or another, I go to the Lord, repent, and pray that I will again receive or give this most gracious gift--forgiveness.
What happens in the brain and heart before I recognize what I am doing? My thinking has become corrupt; I have allowed my thoughts to become perverted. They need to be sorted out. Did I do something wrong, unkind, or stupid? Yes. I did. What can I do about it? I can talk to whomever I have hurt, intended or unintended. I can turn the other cheek, or everything could backfire and we would all be worse off, for "limbo" can take a long time sometimes to go away. I can and must ask forgiveness, both of God and the person involved, believing "I AM FORGIVEN."
Too often there is people damage which I then fight through by going to them and asking forgiveness. I must ask forgiveness of God and any other involved, and BELIEVE I AM FORGIVEN. God will forgive when I repent--always. Others may or may not forgive, but their forgiveness is not crucial; only our meaningful asking for it is crucial. I must never--again-- question the great privilege God has given me through his death on the cross--forgiveness.
If I don't ask for forgiveness or believe I am not forgiven, guess what? You're right..I'll be in "limbo", which I call another form of hell.
So, do as I say and not as I've done--accept your imperfection with a prayer and the imperfection of others with a turn of the cheek and a prayer and take, blessedly, what Jesus died for: absolute forgiveness, absolutely now.
Are we still friends? Do you forgive my tendency for "limbo"? I'll forgive you!
Ever, Jo. (Once a Pervert)
In my daily journaling of the Scriptures,I happened upon Mark, chapter 3, somewhere around the 29th and 30th verses. (The Message does not fully identify the verses. It's my best guess.) It reads: "There's nothing done or said that can't be forgiven. But if you persist in your slanders against God's Holy Spirit, you are repudiating the very one who forgives." Following that (to prove my point)it says, "...sawing off the branch on which you're sitting, severing by your own perversity all connection with the One who forgives."
Perversity is a noun which comes from the adjective "perverse", which means "turning away from what is right or good; to be corrupt." Therefore, by this examination of words, I am a pervert. I don't like being a "pervert". I don't even like being "corrupt". But I have corrupted the beautiful gift given to all of us by Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. How? Well, that's the crux of it.
I must not have totally accepted healing, for I often suffer from the insane thought that I am, for the most part, either to blame, therefore ashamed, or blaming someone else for--whatever. I fight like crazy (and some think I really am!) to not blame or shame, but when I don't fight it off with a stupendous battle, I get stuck in what I call "limbo". When I finally recognize what I'm doing to myself,and or another, I go to the Lord, repent, and pray that I will again receive or give this most gracious gift--forgiveness.
What happens in the brain and heart before I recognize what I am doing? My thinking has become corrupt; I have allowed my thoughts to become perverted. They need to be sorted out. Did I do something wrong, unkind, or stupid? Yes. I did. What can I do about it? I can talk to whomever I have hurt, intended or unintended. I can turn the other cheek, or everything could backfire and we would all be worse off, for "limbo" can take a long time sometimes to go away. I can and must ask forgiveness, both of God and the person involved, believing "I AM FORGIVEN."
Too often there is people damage which I then fight through by going to them and asking forgiveness. I must ask forgiveness of God and any other involved, and BELIEVE I AM FORGIVEN. God will forgive when I repent--always. Others may or may not forgive, but their forgiveness is not crucial; only our meaningful asking for it is crucial. I must never--again-- question the great privilege God has given me through his death on the cross--forgiveness.
If I don't ask for forgiveness or believe I am not forgiven, guess what? You're right..I'll be in "limbo", which I call another form of hell.
So, do as I say and not as I've done--accept your imperfection with a prayer and the imperfection of others with a turn of the cheek and a prayer and take, blessedly, what Jesus died for: absolute forgiveness, absolutely now.
Are we still friends? Do you forgive my tendency for "limbo"? I'll forgive you!
Ever, Jo. (Once a Pervert)
Thursday, October 7, 2010
IS GOD ON THE MOVE?
Journaling is important to me. I journal 6 days a week; but Sunday? uh uh. What I learn or take from Sunday is important to me, too. A good sermon gets me to thinking and thinking gets me to learning and learning gets me to improving my journaling. Someday I hope my children's children's children and onward get something out of all these words.
Now as to the recent journaling I want to talk about here. Zechariah 2:13 caught my attention. From The Message it says, "Quiet, everyone! Shh! Silence before God. Something's afoot in His holy house. He is on the move!"
Well, you know Zechariah and his visions. He had a good many. But in his third vision he could see many godless nations had connected to Zechariah's own God. Yet, God was again choosing Jerusalem, reclaiming Judah's inheritance in the Holy Land. Zechariah warned the people to be silent before God.
Seems interesting, right? Would that God spoke to us, even if we were to be quiet, saying, "Hey! I'm working in your churches right now. I'm bringing the Holy Spirit into your lives big time. Wake up and see! Listen! Don't shrug me off! I am on the move!
Now let's play "what if." What if all this fear that's rolling around between the Muslim people and the Christian people is a wake-up call from God meant for us believers? What if we may be facing a kind of war ahead between Christians and unbelievers, not necessarily Muslims, but all unbelievers of Jesus Christ being the Son of God? What would be our instant thought? How would we react? What would be expected of us? How many of us as Christians are mature enough to not fall back to a safer life? Would I be able to stay steadfast in my faith? Would you?
The whole world would be at risk. Life as we know it would be changed. The churches might be...gone. We wouldn't be sure who was and who wasn't a Christian. There would be persecution.
Someday there really will be persecution. Everything that Jesus went through from humiliation to death will be waiting for us! Would our faith be able to carry us through....anything?
I can't answer for you and as for myself....well, I don't know that I can answer that either. I can only hope that I would latch on to Jesus' hand and not let go. In fact, I'm asking Him, right now, to take both my hands, my eyes, my ears, and my mind most of all that I may see clearly, hear rightly, and love Him completely and mature to completion in the hands of the Holy Spirit. If I don't, I may never get to say, "Lord, forgive them...for they know not what they do."
What time is it , Lord? Are you on the move? I pray for more and more of your Holy Spirit to guide me through this possible new era of the Church. Wake up, Church---Here we go!!!
With hope, jo
Now as to the recent journaling I want to talk about here. Zechariah 2:13 caught my attention. From The Message it says, "Quiet, everyone! Shh! Silence before God. Something's afoot in His holy house. He is on the move!"
Well, you know Zechariah and his visions. He had a good many. But in his third vision he could see many godless nations had connected to Zechariah's own God. Yet, God was again choosing Jerusalem, reclaiming Judah's inheritance in the Holy Land. Zechariah warned the people to be silent before God.
Seems interesting, right? Would that God spoke to us, even if we were to be quiet, saying, "Hey! I'm working in your churches right now. I'm bringing the Holy Spirit into your lives big time. Wake up and see! Listen! Don't shrug me off! I am on the move!
Now let's play "what if." What if all this fear that's rolling around between the Muslim people and the Christian people is a wake-up call from God meant for us believers? What if we may be facing a kind of war ahead between Christians and unbelievers, not necessarily Muslims, but all unbelievers of Jesus Christ being the Son of God? What would be our instant thought? How would we react? What would be expected of us? How many of us as Christians are mature enough to not fall back to a safer life? Would I be able to stay steadfast in my faith? Would you?
The whole world would be at risk. Life as we know it would be changed. The churches might be...gone. We wouldn't be sure who was and who wasn't a Christian. There would be persecution.
Someday there really will be persecution. Everything that Jesus went through from humiliation to death will be waiting for us! Would our faith be able to carry us through....anything?
I can't answer for you and as for myself....well, I don't know that I can answer that either. I can only hope that I would latch on to Jesus' hand and not let go. In fact, I'm asking Him, right now, to take both my hands, my eyes, my ears, and my mind most of all that I may see clearly, hear rightly, and love Him completely and mature to completion in the hands of the Holy Spirit. If I don't, I may never get to say, "Lord, forgive them...for they know not what they do."
What time is it , Lord? Are you on the move? I pray for more and more of your Holy Spirit to guide me through this possible new era of the Church. Wake up, Church---Here we go!!!
With hope, jo
Monday, August 30, 2010
Stand and Be Heard
While reading a bit of God's word this morning, I came across a message given by God to Ezekiel in Chapter eleven. There was a lot of mayhem going on in Judah in that day, especially in the city of Jerusalem and God must have needed someone to talk to that he trusted would listen. Ezekiel was his man. So, God showed Ezekiel about twenty-five men standing around at the gate of the city. Verse 2 of chapter 11 in THE MESSAGE reads as follows: "God said, "Son of man, these are the men who draw up blueprints for sin, who think up new programs for evil in this city..." And verse 4 says, "Oppose them, Son of man. Preach against them."
Well, I am not Ezekiel, or even a kissing cousin to this great prophet, but I do have a propensity to want to speak to others of things about which I feel deeply. In other words, I do have the characteristic of a prophet without the skill, wisdom, or audience. ( I have no idea if anyone ever reads this blog, but I guess that's going to have to be up to God! Is not my job, man.) Still, Verse 4, although spoken to Ezekiel, just may be a call to me to get off my duff and do something.
Our world is full of the kind of leaders that Ezekiel saw at Jerusalem's gate--leaders who seek to gain money and power for themselves, who promise one thing and intend another. Some encourage the innocent to participate in their scams or even be part of their scams, finally bringing total disaster to the innocent and power to themselves. We see it daily in the news, some "blueprint for sin" that is being brought about. We cannot trust those who promised us truth and service for our good, and then are deaf and blind to the needs of those counting on them--the people!
Disception rules. And we become desolate and feel alone. We can't always discern which leader is being honest and which is not. Being human, leaders sometimes get caught up in their own wants, not realizing they are sacrificing the one thing we voters, we the public, expect from them--honesty. If they tell us they are all for us--they better be. Nothing less than "all" is honest.
No man is perfect. And neither is the public--you and me. Our leaders will be imperfect; they will fail us. But, it should not go by unnoticed. If it does go unnoticed, it might be tried on us again! No, that won't do. We wouldn't let our kids get by with being dishonest and we must not let our leaders play the game either. They may be forgiven, but, by gum, they should at least hear from us. Dishonesty plays a terrible game. A great spiral begins, spinning down to distrust, and finally to un-love, which hurts the family, the neighborhood, the city, and the nation.
So send a letter, make a phone call, write an Email, don't waste your anger. Use it! Inform the leader who has disappointed you how y0u feel and why you feel it. Like God said to Ezekiel, "Oppose them, (sons and daughters) of man. Preach against them!"
And, pray like mad! For with the power of the Holy Spirit and the truth we have to tell, we can make a difference in our world. Don't wait until it is too late!!
Fondly, jo
Well, I am not Ezekiel, or even a kissing cousin to this great prophet, but I do have a propensity to want to speak to others of things about which I feel deeply. In other words, I do have the characteristic of a prophet without the skill, wisdom, or audience. ( I have no idea if anyone ever reads this blog, but I guess that's going to have to be up to God! Is not my job, man.) Still, Verse 4, although spoken to Ezekiel, just may be a call to me to get off my duff and do something.
Our world is full of the kind of leaders that Ezekiel saw at Jerusalem's gate--leaders who seek to gain money and power for themselves, who promise one thing and intend another. Some encourage the innocent to participate in their scams or even be part of their scams, finally bringing total disaster to the innocent and power to themselves. We see it daily in the news, some "blueprint for sin" that is being brought about. We cannot trust those who promised us truth and service for our good, and then are deaf and blind to the needs of those counting on them--the people!
Disception rules. And we become desolate and feel alone. We can't always discern which leader is being honest and which is not. Being human, leaders sometimes get caught up in their own wants, not realizing they are sacrificing the one thing we voters, we the public, expect from them--honesty. If they tell us they are all for us--they better be. Nothing less than "all" is honest.
No man is perfect. And neither is the public--you and me. Our leaders will be imperfect; they will fail us. But, it should not go by unnoticed. If it does go unnoticed, it might be tried on us again! No, that won't do. We wouldn't let our kids get by with being dishonest and we must not let our leaders play the game either. They may be forgiven, but, by gum, they should at least hear from us. Dishonesty plays a terrible game. A great spiral begins, spinning down to distrust, and finally to un-love, which hurts the family, the neighborhood, the city, and the nation.
So send a letter, make a phone call, write an Email, don't waste your anger. Use it! Inform the leader who has disappointed you how y0u feel and why you feel it. Like God said to Ezekiel, "Oppose them, (sons and daughters) of man. Preach against them!"
And, pray like mad! For with the power of the Holy Spirit and the truth we have to tell, we can make a difference in our world. Don't wait until it is too late!!
Fondly, jo
Monday, August 16, 2010
ARE YOU FOR OR AGAINST?
To be truly honest, I should let you know right off that I'm "for." Just what I'm not against will be clear soon. That is, again to be honest, I try to always be "for." Sometimes, well, sometimes it's questionable whether I really am "for" because I have a lot of human traits yet which only indicates that God isn't finished with me yet.
And that's what, or rather Who, I'm "for." God. And His Son, who is part of God. Or who is God, whichever way you like to say it. I'm open on that point. But the older I get, the less I am open. Now, don't get me wrong--I'm open to a lot of things, but not about God, or God's teachings. Let me say that I would call myself a gentle believer. I won't fight anyone over my opinions, because whose to say that I am right? But, for me, what I've come to trust and where I've come to grow is not so much what I believe about God, but God Himself, both as a father, and as a son, and now, as a spirit.
Having said all this, I came to an important conclusion after reading John 12 the other day. The Message, and I quote Jesus' words, "First, they wouldn't believe, then they couldn't--again, just as Isiah said: "Their eyes are blinded; their hearts are hardened, so that they wouldn't see with their eyes and perceive with their hearts. And turn to me, God, so I could heal them......" " Jesus continued, "That's all I have to say. What the father told me, I tell you."
I felt like Jesus was speaking directly to me because it occurred to me that I am one of "the people" to whom both Isiah, and Jesus, were speaking--those who have stubborn hearts.
That's you and me and our children and grandchildren and all others to follow. We may not still be totally stubborn, having believed Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was raised into Heaven to be with the Father, but we can't entirely say that we are not stubborn. Think a bit. Yesterdays may have shown some stubborness. Uh huh! But Jesus forgave all that. How about today? Or tomorrow? Yep. If you're anything like me, you'll probably have a bit of stubborness here and there. Some of us will have more than others and it usually shows up about the time we realize God wants one thing--and we want another. It is an innate human trait. From the time we were babies, we wanted what we wanted and we wanted it NOW!
So what will it take for us to stop stubborn refusals to listen for God's voice as instruction, watch with open eyes for His needs, His work in the world, His grace, peace, and mercy. Can we admit we may be wrong in our views about whether God exists?Could Jesus really rise from the grave? No? Can God do anything? And what about all the tragedies in the world. Why didn't God stop them if God can do anything?
I don't have any great answers, but I trust God does know what He's doing and that He does have a plan. And who am I to expect to have an answer! Even the angels, even Job didn't have an answer. God is God and God's plans will only be understood in retrospect.
So who is "for" God and the hope that God always brings? We can live in stubborn denial, or we can live in hope. Denial leads to despair. Hope leads to fulfillment, peace, and fellowship with Christ the Lord.
I welcome you to add your two cents to this commentary. And I truly hope, and pray, that there are lots of you out there who are "for" God, and if not---Peace be with you. But you should know, I pray God will bless you to pieces and that you will know it!!
Always His, jo
And that's what, or rather Who, I'm "for." God. And His Son, who is part of God. Or who is God, whichever way you like to say it. I'm open on that point. But the older I get, the less I am open. Now, don't get me wrong--I'm open to a lot of things, but not about God, or God's teachings. Let me say that I would call myself a gentle believer. I won't fight anyone over my opinions, because whose to say that I am right? But, for me, what I've come to trust and where I've come to grow is not so much what I believe about God, but God Himself, both as a father, and as a son, and now, as a spirit.
Having said all this, I came to an important conclusion after reading John 12 the other day. The Message, and I quote Jesus' words, "First, they wouldn't believe, then they couldn't--again, just as Isiah said: "Their eyes are blinded; their hearts are hardened, so that they wouldn't see with their eyes and perceive with their hearts. And turn to me, God, so I could heal them......" " Jesus continued, "That's all I have to say. What the father told me, I tell you."
I felt like Jesus was speaking directly to me because it occurred to me that I am one of "the people" to whom both Isiah, and Jesus, were speaking--those who have stubborn hearts.
That's you and me and our children and grandchildren and all others to follow. We may not still be totally stubborn, having believed Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was raised into Heaven to be with the Father, but we can't entirely say that we are not stubborn. Think a bit. Yesterdays may have shown some stubborness. Uh huh! But Jesus forgave all that. How about today? Or tomorrow? Yep. If you're anything like me, you'll probably have a bit of stubborness here and there. Some of us will have more than others and it usually shows up about the time we realize God wants one thing--and we want another. It is an innate human trait. From the time we were babies, we wanted what we wanted and we wanted it NOW!
So what will it take for us to stop stubborn refusals to listen for God's voice as instruction, watch with open eyes for His needs, His work in the world, His grace, peace, and mercy. Can we admit we may be wrong in our views about whether God exists?Could Jesus really rise from the grave? No? Can God do anything? And what about all the tragedies in the world. Why didn't God stop them if God can do anything?
I don't have any great answers, but I trust God does know what He's doing and that He does have a plan. And who am I to expect to have an answer! Even the angels, even Job didn't have an answer. God is God and God's plans will only be understood in retrospect.
So who is "for" God and the hope that God always brings? We can live in stubborn denial, or we can live in hope. Denial leads to despair. Hope leads to fulfillment, peace, and fellowship with Christ the Lord.
I welcome you to add your two cents to this commentary. And I truly hope, and pray, that there are lots of you out there who are "for" God, and if not---Peace be with you. But you should know, I pray God will bless you to pieces and that you will know it!!
Always His, jo
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
THE PROPHECY OF NAHUM
I think that I have mentioned before that I journal every day except Sunday. That's the way I learn, listen, see, experience at many levels the Word of God. I usually read from THE MESSAGE as the word pictures from today's language seems to stick with me more, and it also makes the words and ways of Jesus easier for me to understand.
Having said that, I want to share with you a few phrases that hit home while I was reading today. It hasn't to do with particular people (this is not about politics!)but it does seem to fit with our times, today's times, the major problem and situation--the war in Afghanistan. So, the following is a quote from THE MESSAGE, Introduction to Nahum.
"The stage of history is large. Larger-than-life figures appear on this stage from time to time, swaggering about, brandishing weapons and money, terrorizing and bullying. These figures are not, as they suppose themselves to be, at the center of the stage--not, in fact, anywhere near the center. But they make a lot of noise and are able to call attention to themselves. They often manage to get a significant number of people watching and even admiring: big nations, huge armies, important people. At any given moment a few superpower nations and their rulers dominate the daily news. Every century a few of these names are left carved on its park benches, marking rather futile, and in retrospect pitiable, attempts at immortality.
"The danger is that the noise of these pretenders to power will distract us from what is going on quietly at the center of the stage in the person and action of God. God's characteristic way of working is in quietness and through prayer. If we are conditioned to respond to noise and size, we will miss God's word and action.... Don't admire or be intimidated by this enemy. They are going to be judged by the very same standards applied to us."
Of course, Nineveh/Assyria was the world's central concern in the time of the prophet Nahum. But, Israel's sins needed to be addressed as well. In Jesus time, it was the Romans, but the Jews missed the mark even more. Not so different today. Nahum gives us all something to think about. "A good skunk smells his own hole first." (quote from Grandpa Eaton circa 1940's)
So, I'm going to do a lot of praying. No one in today's conflict is perfect. Praying for the truth through education on all sides of our current conflict just may get us to someday live together peaceably. What God's will is in this we do not know. I only know that He's the One in charge.
Until next time, jo
Having said that, I want to share with you a few phrases that hit home while I was reading today. It hasn't to do with particular people (this is not about politics!)but it does seem to fit with our times, today's times, the major problem and situation--the war in Afghanistan. So, the following is a quote from THE MESSAGE, Introduction to Nahum.
"The stage of history is large. Larger-than-life figures appear on this stage from time to time, swaggering about, brandishing weapons and money, terrorizing and bullying. These figures are not, as they suppose themselves to be, at the center of the stage--not, in fact, anywhere near the center. But they make a lot of noise and are able to call attention to themselves. They often manage to get a significant number of people watching and even admiring: big nations, huge armies, important people. At any given moment a few superpower nations and their rulers dominate the daily news. Every century a few of these names are left carved on its park benches, marking rather futile, and in retrospect pitiable, attempts at immortality.
"The danger is that the noise of these pretenders to power will distract us from what is going on quietly at the center of the stage in the person and action of God. God's characteristic way of working is in quietness and through prayer. If we are conditioned to respond to noise and size, we will miss God's word and action.... Don't admire or be intimidated by this enemy. They are going to be judged by the very same standards applied to us."
Of course, Nineveh/Assyria was the world's central concern in the time of the prophet Nahum. But, Israel's sins needed to be addressed as well. In Jesus time, it was the Romans, but the Jews missed the mark even more. Not so different today. Nahum gives us all something to think about. "A good skunk smells his own hole first." (quote from Grandpa Eaton circa 1940's)
So, I'm going to do a lot of praying. No one in today's conflict is perfect. Praying for the truth through education on all sides of our current conflict just may get us to someday live together peaceably. What God's will is in this we do not know. I only know that He's the One in charge.
Until next time, jo
Thursday, July 29, 2010
GOOD , OLD HEZEKIAH!
Poor old Hezekiah! Sick as a dog. Even sicker. Deathly sick. He prayed to God and God gave him a reassuring sign. But the sign, instead of making Hezekiah grateful, made him arrogant, which, of course, made God angry. Stupid, stupid, stupid Hezekiah. It's really stupid to make God angry, right?
Hezekiah loved God. He was a great King, Judah's king. He was a picture of a man on the way to death who loved God and prayed for healing. No mistake so far. God answers his prayer. Hezzie gets well. Hezzie, dumb and dumber, says something like, "God so loves me. He must be very pleased with me to grant me healing! So watch out, folks! The great Hezekiah is back!" Arrogance has a way of assuming we deserve the most for our least.
God has such a generous spirit. Why would He not grant a request to someone who asks? Then, wouldn't it be more holy to be humbled by God's consent to our request? Or would we be more like Hezzie and have assumptions of our worthiness? "I have been faithful to God. Yes. God will say "Yes." "
If I thought to receive a "yes" only because I deserved it, I would receive nothing. There is no room for arrogance, no place to entertain thoughts of what I deserve for God isn't measuring my worth. God is only interested in revealing His worth.
Indeed, God is worthy, always. Let me count the ways....
God is generous.... and nothing I can do would make me worthy of His generosity. Lord, I am grateful for all You are. jo
Hezekiah loved God. He was a great King, Judah's king. He was a picture of a man on the way to death who loved God and prayed for healing. No mistake so far. God answers his prayer. Hezzie gets well. Hezzie, dumb and dumber, says something like, "God so loves me. He must be very pleased with me to grant me healing! So watch out, folks! The great Hezekiah is back!" Arrogance has a way of assuming we deserve the most for our least.
God has such a generous spirit. Why would He not grant a request to someone who asks? Then, wouldn't it be more holy to be humbled by God's consent to our request? Or would we be more like Hezzie and have assumptions of our worthiness? "I have been faithful to God. Yes. God will say "Yes." "
If I thought to receive a "yes" only because I deserved it, I would receive nothing. There is no room for arrogance, no place to entertain thoughts of what I deserve for God isn't measuring my worth. God is only interested in revealing His worth.
Indeed, God is worthy, always. Let me count the ways....
God is generous.... and nothing I can do would make me worthy of His generosity. Lord, I am grateful for all You are. jo
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