Random Concern - Face vs Promise

I really do want to be more concerned with the person and character of God, not just the promises.

I have realized something very refreshing about God. Which I'm sure isn't a new revelation to a lot of people. But to me it's like a an ice cold glass of milk on hot day (Substitute your favorite beverage for milk). It's always cold, wet, satisfying and refreshing. That is that when I chase after God, His promises come to pass. But the opposite is also true. I get frustrated when I sit around waiting for a promise to manifest and it doesn't happen.

I guess it's part of the whole backwards kingdom logic: last to be first; weak to be strong; humble to be lifted foolish to be wise; die to live. And the opposite is true also. The more I seek the latter the more I feel like the former. What an anti culture dilemma. There's a "squirrel" causing another Random Thought on Promises. I'll leave that alone for now simply knowing that God is faithful to His Promises because He is the "Promise Keeper". All that said because it is so easy to get consumed in chasing the promises instead of the Promise Maker.

Being concerned with the person and nature of God takes on a completely different attitude. It's the true essence of the marriage vows: "in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy," At the time we don't ask the question "how sick, how poor, how bad or how sad?" Though some may act that way in divorce court (another squirrel).

All we know and all we are concerned with and even consumed with is being with the person we are about to call our spouse. Happily Ever After! amen.

This is where I want to be all the time with my God. I want to be concerned about His person. To know him deeper to know Him at a different level. The beauty of it is that when I study and His character, I experience His Person.

Scriptures than like
2 Chronicles 7:14
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

This shows us His character IS merciful, forgiving, healing and loving. And we can experience His person if we would pray and seek His Face. The mistake that we have made is that we have created a formula and we miss the point. This isn't just a promise it's an invitation.

We should accept the invitation to sincerely and seriously seek God's face without any reward. Our concern should be to experience His Person. That process humbles us. His Presence reveals and forces us to turn from wickedness and respond "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined!" (Isaiah 6:5). If we would learn to be satisfied with that we would then learn His Character. We would see a glimpse of how amazing He Is. The manifestation of His promise simply proves His Character.

The new testament gives us a similar invitation in Matthew 6:25-34 to be more concerned about His Kingdom and Righteousness through that He will reveal His Character and Person.
not worry about the .

Here's one more scripture that speaks for itself
Psalm 9:10
Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

The consequence for being concerned about God's Character and Person is promises manifested but that should not be the motivation.

I want my prayer to continue to be that of the psalmist:
My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek. (Psalm 27:8)

I do believe we can have the latter when we submit to the former!!

.

Random Zeal Thought

From the outside looking in ... Zeal could like Madness ... No wonder some people think I'm CRAZY.. :-D

Random Zeal Thought
Thinking like a puppy

Zeal defined
–noun : fervor for a person, cause, or object; eager desire or endeavor; enthusiastic diligence; ardor.
—Synonyms intensity, passion.

2 Samuel 6:22 I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor."

I remember when I first came into a personal relationship with Jesus. An older man said to me "son never let that fire burn out" He was talking about the obvious passion that I had for the LORD my Master. I must have had that excited tail wagging hyper puppy look in my eyes waiting for my Master to throw the ball -- yelping and peeing all over the place.

I also remember while I was dreaming about planting LWF that someone commented about my 'zeal'. That it would be Zeal that would help grow the church. Now that was an encouraging Word. (There was a second part to that, but she never told me. Now for years I've wondered about that).

Truth be told I still am excited for my Master to throw the ball but I've learned not to pee all over the place and to sit, a sign of maturity.

The best part is that when He throws the ball I get to chase it and bring it back to Him.
He then encourages me and I get more excited. I think He likes it when I give it all I've got just to bring the ball (Glory) back to Him.

My RANDOM thought:
Can zeal be taken as arrogance?
Even if it's Zeal towards the Master?
Inside the church by the church?

If we take the above scripture incident out of context and just look at what David said to Michal it sounds very arrogant.

Almost sounds like kids on the playground taunting one another "He chose me and not your father".

If we put it back in the context of who David is, we can begin to see that David was lost in the moment of praise. His surroundings are no longer relevant. Worshiping God is the purpose and center of his 'zeal'

Unfortunately there are some that would see this behavior, call it foolishness and believe that David is just trying to bring attention to himself.

His dancing, leaping could be considered a performance, but it is for an audience of One.

So what then do we do and say concerning Zeal?

I want to be so consumed with Worship that if I happen to say or do something that looks foolish. Then let me be a fool for Jesus.

Master throw the Ball and I'll bring it back to YOU... and I won't let the Squirrels distract me !!

Random Shadow Thought

I was thinking about Psalm 23 today. That started me thinking about Shadows so I posted on my Facebook:

"walking through the valley of the SHADOW of death.

I'm not scared;

I only FEAR that I don't have enough time left to tell the world that there is NO time left"

Random Shadow Thought

As I allowed my mind to think randomly about life's ups and downs, valleys, mountains, life, death and shadows -- I realized that the Psalmist didn't say that he was walking through the "Valley of Death" but the "valley of the SHADOW of death".

SO I began to notice a couple things about shadows. Shadows are a forcast of the real thing or even a forcast of something to come. A shadow is not real but a projection of a real thing. If we see a shadow approaching we can safely assume that someone or something is approaching but it's not here yet.

The idea of walking through an area where death is approaching gripped me, if only for a second. The realization is that we have nothing to be scared of even if death is approaching.

We are covered by the Blood of the Lamb. In the same way the angel of death passed over the homes when he saw the blood of the lamb (Exodus 12). Death must also passover us because of the Blood (1 Peter 1:19).

So what is this "valley of the Shadow of death" that we are walking through? We can all agree that we are in the last days known as the end times. Death is approaching; the shadow is the forecast. People will die and will have to give an account -- the judgement. The judgement is death.

We don't have much time to tell the world about the gift of eternal life that comes through Jesus. We are out of time to convince people that excuses will not work on Judgement Day. That the only way to escape judgement is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Yes, I walk through Reading and I have no fear because God is with me. The truth is that I'm running out of time because I know the shadow of death is approaching and there are so many people that don't have a personal relationhip with Christ.

Lord help me!! I desire for more people to proclaim that they will live in Your House forever!

....

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever.

How Super is the Man?

I want to confess that being random is lots of fun. I don't have to write and then when I do I can write about anything. (currently laughing at myself) Journalling Out of The Box.. haha.. side stitch... (ouch!!)

Today one of my Facebook Friends made a comment that really got me thinking.

"Superman's not brave. You can't be brave if you're indestructible. It's every day people, like you and me, that are brave knowing we could easily be defeated but still continue forward."

I admit I am a Smallville Fan and hope that my apprecation for science fiction doesn't change your opinion of me. Or maybe it will for the better.. (not going down that random rabbit trail today) I heard someone say it's okay to watch Smallville because they play the hottest christian music. LOL

Random thought -- How super is the Man?

Thinking -- What are the things that can destroy?

It's true Clark Kent has no worries of the natural things that can destroy, well except for Kryptonite. But what about the intangible things? The things you can't touch, taste, see or hear? --- rejection, hurt, despair, worthlessness, dependence --- I'm sure there is more.

I started thinking what we have in common with superman. Then I realized that if have recieved Jesus Christ as our personal savior then the very promise is eternal life. That means that we are just as indestructible as Kal-El. We will live forever! WooHoo!!

But even that realization doesn't make us anymore or less brave. The truth is that we still have to deal with those emotions. It's how we deal with those emotions that make us Brave.

When we were in Disney this past summer. My eight your old was scared of the "Tower of Terror"

So was I. The lesson for the day was that Courage doesn't come from the absence of Fear but in the presence of Fear. I would say to him "courage is.." and he would say "pressing through fear"

So how do we deal with the intangible things that can destroy even Superman?

I believe we need to rest on the truth.. The bible says "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear," 1 John 4:18

We realize the very thing that we are scared of.

We do what it is we know we are supposed to do in light of that fear.

That means that we step through with what we know and not what we see (called faith)

And even if that fear is manifested we trust and realize that our value isn't on what other people say think or believe but in Who God is to us and who are to HIM!

None of this is easy. But it's the Random thought to deal with each time we encounter the things that can really destroy us...

Is MORE of God Random or Radical?

A devotional I was reading ended with this prayer:

"Lord, not more people, but more of You. Let me wait upon You, keep me faithful, send Your Holy Spirit. If You then send growth as well, I'll thank You and see it as an added blessing. Amen."

This particular prayer took me into so many random thoughts that I felt like my tiny brain was going to explode. There is so much going on right now and then... This prayer...

My randomness today begins with wanting to just jump up and agree with this type of prayer. How beautiful, simple but yet so intimate. More of YOU LORD, fill me to overflow!

As I mutter those words a small voice in my own head asks --> Has this become another cliche prayer? Do we really understand what we are praying for? Do I know? Or does it feel good praying it?

I'm quickly reminded of what the presence of God has done through out scripture:

At the Temple dedication

-- More of God? What if it means being paralyzed with awe?

Isaiah in the presence of the LORD cried "Woe to me!" and "I am ruined!" (Isa 6)

-- More of God? What if it means realizing how insignificant I am in His Presence?

At Mount Sinai when God showed up they trembled with fear and said "do not have God speak to us or we will die." (Ex 20)

-- More of God? What if it means death?

To ask God for more of Him is absolutely radical. It goes beyond a random thought or a feel good experience. When we intentionally make this request we begin to get a little glimpse of Him.

It's this glimpse that makes us cry out, desire, plead for more. The amazing part is that the more of Him we receive the More of Him we have to give or there won't be enough room for more of Him...

So then I say more of YOU LORD!! Paralyze me, Crush me, Kill me if YOU must but fill me with More of YOU!

Random Drowning Thought

Someone is drowning! what do you do?

Throw them a life preserver?

Jump in after them?

My knee jerk response to this random question would be "BOTH"!! -- But as always my mind begins to wander. (caution -- being in my mind is not a safe place at times -- jk)

Now the hard questions are asked. You know?!? the what if's of life that make Black and White turn into Grey.

Would our reaction change if the person drowning was different?

Stranger, Friend, Enemy, Child, or Spouse...

The hope here is that we would react the same for each one of them. Nevertheless the urgency and desperation would feel different. Maybe few people would admit if it were a stranger or someone we didn't like that maybe we would hesitate. Silently that someone else would come to the rescue.

Here's another what if... What if we didn't know how to swim? Would our response change in comparison to someone that does know how to swim? These random questions are necessary to ask.

The truth is that it wouldn't matter if I knew how to swim or lost my life for someone I love. I would jump in and trust the life preserver would save us both.

When I was in High School I remember the purpose of wrestling practice. The coach drilled into us every move. We practiced slow, fast, alone and with others. He wanted us to know those moves better than we know ourselves. He was teaching us to counter and react for every move the opponent would make. There was no doubt. If the our opponent would try to take us down by our legs ... our body would naturally sprawl out and counter.

This is the very reason why these questions need to be asked. We need to practice and know what our response would be if we came across someone who was dying -- regardless of who they are.

Another random thought crosses my mind now. Are we aware of how many people are drowning around us? The urgency may be different but the result is still death.

There are people drowning; hurting, struggling, hopeless and helpless...

Anyone willing to jump and let Jesus be the Life Preserver?

People really don't care how much we know until they know how much we care!

Randomness of being convinced

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

How random is being convinced? I mean to be really convinced. To know without a single doubt that something is absolutely true.

I sometimes think that I would be the only person that would admit that there are something’s that I know are true but still hope for. I know that faith "is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Heb 11:1). It's being sure of hope and certain of what is not seen! That's why it's called Faith; because if you could see it, it would be called FACT.

The writer of Romans (Paul) had to go through a process of being convinced. This gives the impression that there was a move from faith to fact. If we studied the life of Paul we would see that he lived a life convinced of this fact.

So I have to wonder in the randomness of being convinced. How would we respond or even act if we were convinced [fact] about God's love for us?

The random thought crossed my mind that some might just go on and do whatever it is that they wanted [sin], like a spoiled teenager. But I'm not sure about that. I don't think our teenagers are completely convinced how much and how we love them. If they really knew we wanted the best for them and were trying to protect them and want to see them grow into God’s best for them; how would they respond. Some teenagers have convinced themselves that they know best and all we want to do is control them. I wonder if God sees us the same way?

I believe that our response should be different if we were convinced, truly convinced. Walking convinced of God's Love makes us confident that no matter what comes my way I will not be separated from His Love. That type of love then should motivates us to love others no matter how they feel or think of us. Now that is powerful!

How would truly believing God Loves you -- no matter what -- change your thoughts and actions in the next 24 hours?

Would you take a risk and pray for someone, in public or at work?
Would you invite someone to church?
Would you stop and help someone?
What would you risk?