Refresher Course

With all of the desires, demands and deceit that constantly pull at our hearts, we need continual refreshers, reminders as to life's purpose. With a flesh as stubborn and strong-willed as a two year old in full tantrum, I must re-train myself daily as to why I exist and why God has given us all that He has. And He has certainly given so much...


Blessings in the physical realm:
Born in America
Freedom
A Bible
Parents that love
A husband that adores
Children given by God
A home to live in
Food, clothes, cars
Health
The list could go on & on...

Blessings in the spiritual realm: (Ephesians1)
"Every spiritual blessing in Christ"-
Chosen
Made holy & blameless
Loved
Predestined
Grace
Redemption through blood
Forgiveness of sins
Given Holy Spirit to seal inheritance
The list could go on & on

BUT WHY? WHY has God blessed us in these countless ways? This is where my reminder lies... tucked away in Ephesians 1:12

"...in order that we...might be (exist) for the praise of his glory."

Lord remind me that I exist for the praise of your glory. All that we are, all that you have given us is for that very reason. For the praise of your glorious Name. Without this truth and perspective daily guiding us, life makes no sense. I become central & that is a far cry from the design we live safest by. May we keep eyes fixed upon the One who's praise & glory we were created for.

Come Awake

This song reminds me of a scripture the Lord impressed upon me years ago. Psalm 88:12 says "Are your wonders known in the place of darkness or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?"

The Lord has called us to wake up and see His wonders. To behold His glory. If we don't hear from the Lord, feel His presence, sense His work, see His hand moving in our lives... Could it be that we are in the land of oblivion? He IS near. He Is here. It's time to awaken from the land of oblivion and behold our God. We are created to stand in awe at the wonders of our God... the righteous deeds of our Savior and GIVE HIM GLORY FOR IT.

Awaken my heart Lord to see. Come awake and praise your God.

The Secret of Burning

"It's the secret place that lights our fire, that sets us burning. God's word is fire (Jeremiah 23:29), and His presence is totally engulfed in fire (Ezekiel 1:4, 27). When you approach God, you are drawing near to the great blazing inferno of the ages. To be set on fire, you must get close to God. When you feel cold, distant, and 'out of it spiritually', it's time to retreat to the closet, place yourself before the fireplace of His word, and allow the intensity of His face to restore your fervency.

The secret to staying ablaze for Jesus is not responding to altar calls (as good as those are); it's not in having someone lay hands on you and pray for you (as valid as that is ); it's not in listening to a good teaching tape of the latest worship CD; the only sure source for staying white-hot is devoting yourself consistently to the place-of-the-shut door. It's the place where 'the spirit of burning' (Isaiah 4:4) ignites your soul as you gaze upon His glory with an unveiled face (2 Cor. 3:18).

Do you desire greater compulsion for the secret place? Invite the Burning One, the Holy Spirit, to ignite the eternal flame of His fiery jealousy in your life."

Secrets of the Secret Place - Bob Sorge

He Has Spoken to Us

"In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to US by His son..." (Hebrews 1:1)

We no longer need a priest to speak to God on our behalf, there is no longer a curtain to separate us from His presence, no cloud of glory to tremble at from a distance...

He now dwells among us. He hears us. He speaks to us. Will I slow down to listen? To hear. To experience. To see.

Lord slow my busy heart. Beckon me to your feet that I may hear what you would say. Align my will with that of my God and my King.

"The lips of the righteous know what is fitting,
but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse."
(Prov. 10:32)

The Secret of Listening

"There is nothing more glorious in all of life than hearing His voice! Hearing God's voice has become the singular quest of my heart, the sole pursuit that alone satisfies the great longings of my heart.

For this reason I strongly advocate for a prayer life that is comprised mostly of silence. It's a great delight to talk to God, but it's even more thrilling when He talks to us.

I do not mean to give the impression that hearing God's voice is my daily experience in the secret place. Far from it! Most days I come away with unfulfilled longings, unrequited initiatives, unanswered prayers, unrealized aspirations, deferred hopes, and incomplete understandings.

But then along comes one of those days- you know what I mean- when heaven leans over and God speaks a word directly to your heart. He breathes upon a portion of scripture and personalizes its meaning precisely to my felt need. Oh what glory! That moment is worth all of the knocking and seeking of the preceding days. I will endure moments of silence if He will but speak one creative word from His mouth to my spirit."

(Bob Sorge from Secrets of the Secret Place)

Don't Waste Your Life

Speaking to a large conference in regards to not getting sucked into the cultural lies and distractions that surround us, John Piper said the following:

"You're gonna join them, unless at this stage of your life you make some very radical decisions, commitments, choices... About where your treasure is.

Do not assume that you will not be sucked in. Because every stage of your life in this Disney-Land called America, there are powerful forces working to get you to waste your lives. It will take a massive work of grace to rescue you from the clutches of this culture... To which many of you are totally enslaved."

(John Piper- In reference to his book entitled Don't Waste Your Life)

"When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I AM He." John 8:28

This is true in our lives as well. Until every other exalted thing in my life is torn down, leaving Christ alone lifted up to His rightful place of supremacy, I will never understand who it is I am dealing with. I will never understand the God whom I claim to worship.

Tight Fists & Prayer

“If anyone shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.” Proverbs 21:13

R.A. Torrey in his book How to Pray says this in regards to our attitude of giving and it's relation to prayer:
“There is perhaps no greater hindrance to prayer than stinginess, the lack of liberality toward the poor and toward God’s work. It is the one who gives generously to others who receives generously from God. ‘Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6: 38) The generous man is a mighty man of prayer. The stingy man is the powerless man of prayer…

Many a man and woman who is seeking to find the secret of their powerlessness in prayer need not seek far; It is nothing more nor less than downright stinginess. George Mueller was a mighty man of prayer because he was a mighty giver. What he received from God never stuck to his fingers; he immediately passed it on to others.”

Oh Lord may we be openhanded- looking for ways to give what you have placed in our hands. Where I am tight-fisted, reveal my attitude of greed and help break the fingers that so desperately want to cling.

The Influence of a Mother

How can eternity influence a mother's daily tasks? I think you'll enjoy this 2-minute clip from John Piper. So so very good:

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/MediaPlayer/2988/Audio/

What is Your Quest?

"Nothing can replace the confidence and authority that comes from hearing from God. Hearing God's voice has become the singular quest of my heart, the sole pursuit that alone satisfies the great longings of my heart."

(Bob Sorge: Secrets of the Secret Place)