"Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me." Job 40:7
Does God demand from us? If so, what? What could the Creator of the universe possibly need from us? Nothing! He doesn't need anything from us. He does however, want our hearts. He demands our desire for him. We can't be in thisrelationship with him just for what we can get out of it. We must be committed to service, dedicated to the Kingdom. I love this stanza from a worship song by Hillsong United:
"Heal my heart and make it clean.
Open up my eyes to the things unseen.
Show me how to love like you have loved me.
Break my heart for what breaks yours.
Everything I am for your kingdom's cause.
As I walk from earth into eternity."
"Break my heart for what breaks yours. Everything I am for your kingdom's cause," let that settle on you for a couple minutes. I have to ask myself, does my heart break for the things that break God's heart? Or am I too wrapped up in myslef to care about how much my neighbor is hurting? God wants everything we are all the time for his "Kingdom's cause." Am I ready to respond to that?
The Lord really loves us and he wants us to love him and one another, with the same passion He has. The Enemy on the other hand, is successful if he can just keep us one level below that which God wants. The Lord is telling Job, a mighty godly man, by the world's standards that he he has missed the mark and needs to "man-up" and take his place back on God's team. Now more feeling sorry for your shortcommings Job ("John"), its time to be ready to be "demanded of" by God. If we are ready, then God also promises he "will declare (us) unto him." In other words, God has our back!
Father, forgive me for being so prideful and selfish that I would not hurt for the things that hurt you and love my fellow man enough to care about how it breaks your heart. Restore my life and make me useful again. Cleanse me in the blood of the Lamb and fill me with your Holy Spirit. Show me Lord how to love like you love me and use all of me for your Kingdom's cause. I lift my praises to the heavens and declare that you are the King of kings and the Lord of lords! I love you Father! Please use me and strengthen my resolve to respond like you would. I pray in earnest and in the name of
Friday, May 23, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Pride
"How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!" Obadiah 6
The Lord has been dealing with me lately concerning pride. I hadn't thought much about having a problem with pride until I started listening to God more carefully. I never read Obadiah either until I heard God say Obadiah 5,6. In my ignorance, I tried to find Obadiah 5:6 only to realize the book was only a single chapter but so very powerful.
I read these obscure verses, "If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes? How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!" and thought, huh? Lord, what are you trying to tell me? thieves? robbers? grapes? What does this have to do with me?
My research on Obadiah uncovered that the purpose of the book is to announce the destruction of Edom because of her pride and sin against Judah. Further, I learned that Edom and Judah's feud started with Esau and Jacob. In the Book of Genesis is told the story of how Esau's pride allowed him to be tricked by his brother Jacob into giving away his birthright to his younger brother Jacob. This incident resulted in a long fought feud between the brothers which carried onto their ancestors in Edom and Judah during the time of Obadiah.
The more I uncovered about the prophet and heard from God, the more parallels I saw between my Pride (Esau/Edom) and the will of God (Jacob/Jesus "the lion of the tribe of Judah . Obadiah was writing to comfort Judah by announcing Edom's destruction and Judah's restoration and deliverance in the Day of the Lord. Simultaneously, the Lord announced to me the destruction of Pride in my life so that he could use me more effectively for his Kingdom. What an awesome God!
I am still a long way from totally breaking the power and influence of my Pride. I think partially because it is so subtle and manifests itself in so many different ways. I am however grateful that the Lord is peeling it away layer by layer.
Father, forgive me for the sin of Pride. Help me to recognize the many faces of pride in my life so that they can be isolated and removed by the root. Heal me by the blood of Christ and restore me into a usable servant. I love you Father and I am so thankful for your grace. Help me to continue to hear your still small voice as you tear down the strongholds in my life. I ask these things in the Name above all names, Jesus Christ! Amen
The Lord has been dealing with me lately concerning pride. I hadn't thought much about having a problem with pride until I started listening to God more carefully. I never read Obadiah either until I heard God say Obadiah 5,6. In my ignorance, I tried to find Obadiah 5:6 only to realize the book was only a single chapter but so very powerful.
I read these obscure verses, "If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes? How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!" and thought, huh? Lord, what are you trying to tell me? thieves? robbers? grapes? What does this have to do with me?
My research on Obadiah uncovered that the purpose of the book is to announce the destruction of Edom because of her pride and sin against Judah. Further, I learned that Edom and Judah's feud started with Esau and Jacob. In the Book of Genesis is told the story of how Esau's pride allowed him to be tricked by his brother Jacob into giving away his birthright to his younger brother Jacob. This incident resulted in a long fought feud between the brothers which carried onto their ancestors in Edom and Judah during the time of Obadiah.
The more I uncovered about the prophet and heard from God, the more parallels I saw between my Pride (Esau/Edom) and the will of God (Jacob/Jesus "the lion of the tribe of Judah . Obadiah was writing to comfort Judah by announcing Edom's destruction and Judah's restoration and deliverance in the Day of the Lord. Simultaneously, the Lord announced to me the destruction of Pride in my life so that he could use me more effectively for his Kingdom. What an awesome God!
I am still a long way from totally breaking the power and influence of my Pride. I think partially because it is so subtle and manifests itself in so many different ways. I am however grateful that the Lord is peeling it away layer by layer.
Father, forgive me for the sin of Pride. Help me to recognize the many faces of pride in my life so that they can be isolated and removed by the root. Heal me by the blood of Christ and restore me into a usable servant. I love you Father and I am so thankful for your grace. Help me to continue to hear your still small voice as you tear down the strongholds in my life. I ask these things in the Name above all names, Jesus Christ! Amen
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