LORD
Thank you for listening to our prayers. Thank you for caring about our small problems. Thank you that your plans are to prosper us and not to harm, but to give us a hope and a future.
Forgive us for getting bogged down in all that's wrong with our lives. Help us to remember you, to remember all that you have delivered us from. To remember how far we have come since we first believed.
This is the day that you have made
and I will be glad and rejoice in it
I choose to let my spirit soar with you
even as my body suffers
I choose to believe that you are in control
because I know i'm definitely not in control.
I choose to believe that I am more than a conqueror
even tho it feels like i'm losing the battle
Because my life is not about me. I belong to you. You bought me for a price - my Saviour's life. Who am I that I should doubt your faithfulness? You have never changed. You are the same 2,000 years ago as you are today.
Why do you care for me LORD?
Why does it matter to you if I don't know how to love?
Why do I matter to you?
Satan is trying to convince me that I would be better off without you. Then I wouldn't have to struggle with my relationships, with living up to an impossible standard. I could enjoy my life and use everything i have to get a head, buy a house, travel around the world. He would definitely stop bothering me and I would live a safe, cruisie easy life.
But I know he's the Father of lies. That he's full of half truths. I don't want to spend an eternity with him. So I would have an easy 60 years but what's that compared to an eternity of HELL?? My life right this moment is only temporary. My problems only temporary.
What are you trying to teach me now LORD? To lean on you more? To love more? To trust more? To believe more?
If I am going to suffer today then fill me with your joy, renew my mind so I can enjoy this day that you have given me. I refuse to focus on the crap. I would rather remember you. Sing your praises even tho I don't feel like it.
For nothing compares to you LORD. I know you love me. I can look back on my life and see your loving hand guiding me. How can I turn my back on you when you have NEVER abandoned me.
I'm going to do things that I love today. Already myles has planned for us to go hang out with family that make me laugh. I have just gotten off the phone with a girlfriend who has bigger problems then me and she sounded so positive. Thanks, LORD, for taking care of me.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Monday, February 27, 2006
my fasting update
Well my first fasting went well. Not only did I manage to make the full 12 hours, but it brought me closer to the Lord. I felt his joy with me as I was tempted and suffering. I rejoiced in knowing him a little better.
It was tough as first, and I reached out in a message to the team...which helped heaps - knowing I was not doing it alone. But I also focused on the Lord. I asked for strength and guidance. I praised him for allowing me to do this.
It was a great day. It reminded me of so many things. That was the best bit. I was reminded of being with the Lord so many times. I went about my day - where I would normally be distracted from thinking about the Lord. Yet on this day I was reminded of him so often - due to my fasting.
I can't wait for the next day!
It was tough as first, and I reached out in a message to the team...which helped heaps - knowing I was not doing it alone. But I also focused on the Lord. I asked for strength and guidance. I praised him for allowing me to do this.
It was a great day. It reminded me of so many things. That was the best bit. I was reminded of being with the Lord so many times. I went about my day - where I would normally be distracted from thinking about the Lord. Yet on this day I was reminded of him so often - due to my fasting.
I can't wait for the next day!
is God a woman?
When asked if more feminine images should be used for God, CS Lewis said: "I shouldn't believe it strongly, but some sort of case could be made out."
Christianity has always insisted that masculine language be how believers address God - because that is how God has revealed himself. One argument in defense of such traditional language goes like this: since God chose to reveal himself in the Bible in masculine terms, we aren't free to alter this language to suit our contemporary, egalitarian tastes.
Can we dismiss the Bible itself as tainted by gender bias? Some say the authors lived in patriarchial times, so that is how they wrote. However, during those times there were a lot of Gods, some societies had God's for everything, and there were female Gods. People in that day were not biased against calling a God a female, if that's what they thought she was.
There are texts which deny that God is human and therefore supposedly imply that, being beyond gender in himself, God may be spoken of as either male or female. Second, there are texts which allegedly attribute feminine characteristics or activities to God, thereby making it OK for us to do the same.
Is God not a man?
Should we take descriptions of God as metaphorical (Psalm 17:8 - "hide me in the shadow of your wings"). Does God have wings? If so, then should we treat descriptions of God as 'he' so literally? The biblical writers are aware God is not male in the crude, bodily sense; and yet they see him as fundamentally masculine.
In Numbers 23:19 it says "God is not a man that he should speak falsely, nor human that he should change his mind." And in 1 Samuel 15:29 it says "He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind." These both say that God is not human, hence not prone to acting contrary to what he has said or changing his mind (as humans do).
So God is not human, and even male. But he is referred to in the masculine in these same scriptures.
Is God a woman because God has feminine characteristics?
In Deuteronomy 32:18 God gives birth: "the God who gave you birth". Psalm 131:2 says "like a weaned child with its mother" suggesting a maternal image. Isaiah 42:14, 49:15 and 66:13 all have maternal images, with Isaiah 66:13 saying "As a mother comforts her son, so will I comfort you". They all show feminine characterisitcs, but even in these cases God is not referred to as a 'she'. Masculine descriptions of 'him' and 'he' still persist.
Indeed, giving men feminine characteristics is in the Bible: In Numbers 11:12 Moses asks "Did I give them birth?". In Galatians 4:19 Paul is likened to a mother saying "I am again in the pains of childbirth...". No one would argue that they are women.
So what is God's image?
You could say that Genesis 1:26-27 tells us that God is the image of man and woman: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." How can both man and woman be in Gods image if God is a 'he"?
Firstly, it seems biblical authors were referring here to God's intellect and will...which we all share. Secondly, common sense says there is no necessary conflict between thinking of God as masculine and holding that both men and women are made in his image. Daughters as well as sons can be "spittin' images" of their fathers.
In summary
So, in summary, God is not a human man. That is clear. (Thank God say all the women of the world!!). But he is clearly referred to as 'masculine'.
Can we refer to God as non-masculine?
But the bible, as far as I can see (and research) does not really explain why God is referred to as a 'he'. So any
justification of God as a 'he' or 'she' seems to be done outside of the bible, and can lend to the same cultural bais that some people may say the early bible writers had. Sounds like a self-defeating exercise to me.
I started with CS Lewis so let me end with him. He said: "...Christians think that God himself has taught us how to speak of him. To say that it does not matter is to say either that all the masculine imagery is not inspired, is merely human in origin, or else that, though inspired, is merely arbitrary and unessential. And this is surely intolerable: or, if tolerable, it is an argument ... against Christianity."
(myles note: I am a 5 minute christian, and notes on this page include research from the internet. So I am happy to be persuaded otherwise!)
Saturday, February 25, 2006
1 samuel
Finished Samuel. Stand out points:
The way the lord blessed the Jewish people with a King even tho it went against his better judgement. It showed their disobedience and lack of trust in him, by demanding someone else to be in charge.
It was them conforming to this world and wanting a ruler like the other nations who would lead them into battle and victories. Rather than the God appointed prophet like Samuel. They were rejecting the heaven model and conforming to the worldly model. And yet he let them have their way. Why? Free will.
Saul, ruled like a worldly king. His rule became all about him and not the LORD. He gave the appearance of obeying the LORD and at crucial times did things which on the surface looked like obedience. But it was not what the LORD had asked him to do. A perfect example of doing something good for God does not equate to doing what God wants you to do.
He was replaced by someone who had the LORD's heart in mind, David.
Three stand out characters in Samuel - David, Abigail and Jonathan.
Jonathan for his faithfulness and lack of ill-feeling, jealousy or arrogance. He was just himself. He gave credit where credit was due. He didn't have any false illusions about himself. He knew that David would be a better and more deserving King. Unlike his Father, he didn't try to hold on to what was not his, he accepted who he was and the future the LORD had for him.
He thought of future generations of his line and did what he could to protect them by making a convenant with David. He believed in the LORD and stepped out in faith.
Abigail was a woman of wisdom, strength and action. She did what she could to protect her family from her husband's stupidity. She took control of the situation and was rewarded by David. She became one of his wives. If I were him I would have had her as one of my advisers because she was a serious problem solver.
David everyone knows about. What cracks me up is the physical description of him. He is someone who did not hesitate to do what he thought was right. He ran into battle against Goliath, full of confidence in his LORD. He had opportunites to kill Saul but did not. He was wise enough not believe Saul and to surround himself with trustworthy people, like Jonathan and Abigail.
He spent so much time on the run and even tho he was afraid he didn't give up. The LORD rewarded his persistence and faithfulness.
And yet I know that his unfaithfulness caused the death of an innocent man, Uriah, because he lusted after Uriah's wife - Bathsheba. How can someone who is described as having the LORD's heart in mind, do something so opposite to the LORD?
Maybe this is an answer to my question before...in a previous post. What is the strength associated with this weakness - sexual temptation. I think men who think they can do anything keep pushing the bondaries of what they can do. It comes hand in hand with confidence. You become over-confident and think because you can do anything then it's ok to do whatever you want.
It reminds me of that verse in corinthians everything is permissable but not everything is beneficial. Because I can do anything does not make it good for me.
David could do whatever he wanted. He knew no boundaries. Every man wants to be like this. To be king in their little world, to be able to do anything they want.
my niv notes describes David as having an indomitable spirit which according to my dictionary means unyielding, untiringly persistent. He never gives up but keeps trying until he succeeds. This shows up the story of him throwing himself at the LORD's mercy to save his child born out of his adultery. He didn't give up until the child died. Then he dusted himself off, ate and went back to his life.
David was not someone who dwelt on his mistakes. He stuffed up, asked for forgiveness and moved on. The LORD showed how AWESOME and faithful he is...he truly does forgive us...David's son Solomon became King. Solomon was his second son to Bathsheba. But all this isn't in 1 Samuel, I just know David's story!
The way the lord blessed the Jewish people with a King even tho it went against his better judgement. It showed their disobedience and lack of trust in him, by demanding someone else to be in charge.
It was them conforming to this world and wanting a ruler like the other nations who would lead them into battle and victories. Rather than the God appointed prophet like Samuel. They were rejecting the heaven model and conforming to the worldly model. And yet he let them have their way. Why? Free will.
Saul, ruled like a worldly king. His rule became all about him and not the LORD. He gave the appearance of obeying the LORD and at crucial times did things which on the surface looked like obedience. But it was not what the LORD had asked him to do. A perfect example of doing something good for God does not equate to doing what God wants you to do.
He was replaced by someone who had the LORD's heart in mind, David.
Three stand out characters in Samuel - David, Abigail and Jonathan.
Jonathan for his faithfulness and lack of ill-feeling, jealousy or arrogance. He was just himself. He gave credit where credit was due. He didn't have any false illusions about himself. He knew that David would be a better and more deserving King. Unlike his Father, he didn't try to hold on to what was not his, he accepted who he was and the future the LORD had for him.
He thought of future generations of his line and did what he could to protect them by making a convenant with David. He believed in the LORD and stepped out in faith.
Abigail was a woman of wisdom, strength and action. She did what she could to protect her family from her husband's stupidity. She took control of the situation and was rewarded by David. She became one of his wives. If I were him I would have had her as one of my advisers because she was a serious problem solver.
David everyone knows about. What cracks me up is the physical description of him. He is someone who did not hesitate to do what he thought was right. He ran into battle against Goliath, full of confidence in his LORD. He had opportunites to kill Saul but did not. He was wise enough not believe Saul and to surround himself with trustworthy people, like Jonathan and Abigail.
He spent so much time on the run and even tho he was afraid he didn't give up. The LORD rewarded his persistence and faithfulness.
And yet I know that his unfaithfulness caused the death of an innocent man, Uriah, because he lusted after Uriah's wife - Bathsheba. How can someone who is described as having the LORD's heart in mind, do something so opposite to the LORD?
Maybe this is an answer to my question before...in a previous post. What is the strength associated with this weakness - sexual temptation. I think men who think they can do anything keep pushing the bondaries of what they can do. It comes hand in hand with confidence. You become over-confident and think because you can do anything then it's ok to do whatever you want.
It reminds me of that verse in corinthians everything is permissable but not everything is beneficial. Because I can do anything does not make it good for me.
David could do whatever he wanted. He knew no boundaries. Every man wants to be like this. To be king in their little world, to be able to do anything they want.
my niv notes describes David as having an indomitable spirit which according to my dictionary means unyielding, untiringly persistent. He never gives up but keeps trying until he succeeds. This shows up the story of him throwing himself at the LORD's mercy to save his child born out of his adultery. He didn't give up until the child died. Then he dusted himself off, ate and went back to his life.
David was not someone who dwelt on his mistakes. He stuffed up, asked for forgiveness and moved on. The LORD showed how AWESOME and faithful he is...he truly does forgive us...David's son Solomon became King. Solomon was his second son to Bathsheba. But all this isn't in 1 Samuel, I just know David's story!
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Stressed
Well as this week gets closer to the end the more stressed I seem to be getting. I still have not found a job and I am getting a bit worried. I'm trying to just trust the Lord and put all my faith in him, but it has not been easy.
I've had few interviews but nothing has come from it yet.
Also for the first time I said no to my brother today which has not made me feel to good but I know he has to learn and he will never learn with me always being there to help him. So I have just have to give it to the Lord and try not to feel to guilty about it.
So Lord I don't no what you have planned for me but I just pray that you will continue to help me put all my trust in you.
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