Particular verses -- Mark 5:21-29, Mark 6:5-6
It seems that God often fulfills the expectation of our faith, small and big. One man wants Jesus to come heal his child, another woman just wants to touch his garment and be healed. Both expectations are fulfilled. What kind of box have I put God into? Is there a particular way I believe He won't work or a particular person I think is beyond His reach?
Another example is in Matthew 8:5-13. It is one of my favorite stories. A centurion comes to Jesus asking healing for his servant.
'Jesus responds, "I will come and heal him." But the centurion said, "Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed (...). Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel" (...). And Jesus said to the centurion, "Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed that very moment.' (Emphasis added).
What a wonderful thought, Jesus being surprised! How delightful would it be to know that I could trust Jesus so completely as to actually surprise Him.
I should probably wrap this up but there is one more verse I would like to share. It happens to be my current memory verse. John 15:7-8 (Jesus is speaking).
"If you abide in Me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples."
I'm sure we'll be coming back to this theme of expectations and how God fulfills them. It's one of my enduring fascinations with Scripture. What do you think? What experiences have you had that would seem to bear this concept out in reality?
Thanks for reading everyone.
AS:)
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Exodus 1-2
1:8 -- We can be comfortable, happy, and in a position of power when suddenly something changes that is totally outside our control. The economy crashes, a new boss takes over or an in-law joins the family, getting laid-off or maybe the opposite, getting a massive workload dumped on us when we don't have a spare second in the day.
However, as James suggests, rejoice in these times because...
1:12 -- The more they were afflicted, the more they grew. As that trite saying goes...nothing grows on the mountaintop.
1:17 -- An interesting side-note. The midwives lied and God prospered them. Not exactly what we learned in Sunday school, right? Maybe God has some grey areas that we mere mortals are not aware of in our black and white worlds. Just a thought.
However, as James suggests, rejoice in these times because...
1:12 -- The more they were afflicted, the more they grew. As that trite saying goes...nothing grows on the mountaintop.
1:17 -- An interesting side-note. The midwives lied and God prospered them. Not exactly what we learned in Sunday school, right? Maybe God has some grey areas that we mere mortals are not aware of in our black and white worlds. Just a thought.
You may have noticed...
Given my last post, it is fitting that I have been LAZY for the past....X number of months and not read or posted as consistently as I originally intended. However, I refuse to bow to my outer-self; that lazy, self-centered, whiny, inconsistent, perfectionist spirit that attempts to rule my life. As totally tempting as it is for me to say, "well I've really messed this up, might as well give up right now since it can't be perfect"...I WILL NOT. I refuse to bow to that ridiculous perfectionism. How far am I behind? Not really sure. And I'm not going to go back and try to figure out where I need to be and by when or any of that. I am simply going to start reading and posting and later, when I'm being consistent again, I will review where I am and where I need to be.
You will notice that this post is filled with a lot of I and me. Isn't that typical? The further we get from our true, core, God-directed selves, the more focus is in the wrong place.
Well here you have it folks, and I hope that this might be encouraging for those of you like me; whose perfectionist spirit, the "Resistance" as Steven Pressfield calls it, tends to stop us in our tracks. I've got news for that part of me. SHUT UP.
You will notice that this post is filled with a lot of I and me. Isn't that typical? The further we get from our true, core, God-directed selves, the more focus is in the wrong place.
Well here you have it folks, and I hope that this might be encouraging for those of you like me; whose perfectionist spirit, the "Resistance" as Steven Pressfield calls it, tends to stop us in our tracks. I've got news for that part of me. SHUT UP.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Day 29 -- Tuesday, April 19th, 2011
Read: Genesis 27-30, Job 25-29, Matthew 25
As many chapters as I read today, there was nothing in particular that really jumped out at me. This being the Bible and all, you would think I would gain at least one insight from all that reading! But that's okay...this time I am not going to let it discourage me. In the past when I've reached this point, (i.e., a day that I don't seem to glean an emotional satisfaction from reading) it's been the point I've given up. However, something I read recently said to not attach too much importance to the emotional aspect of reading your Bible because it's not always going to happen. That's very freeing. So I will continue and see what is to come!
As many chapters as I read today, there was nothing in particular that really jumped out at me. This being the Bible and all, you would think I would gain at least one insight from all that reading! But that's okay...this time I am not going to let it discourage me. In the past when I've reached this point, (i.e., a day that I don't seem to glean an emotional satisfaction from reading) it's been the point I've given up. However, something I read recently said to not attach too much importance to the emotional aspect of reading your Bible because it's not always going to happen. That's very freeing. So I will continue and see what is to come!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Day 28 -- Monday, April 18th, 2011
I have fallen behind in the last few days and am now catching up. The following is a hodgepodge (how is that for an ol' fashioned word? :) of thoughts I had this morning.
Matthew 21: 21-22 -- What am I believing for today? Again this concept of the level of your belief being fulfilled is so striking. It says also that the disciples were amazed...again. I wonder, if the disciples are still amazed at this point...does that mean they are still not expecting Jesus to work miracles? I would hope that if I had been walking with Jesus for...however long it had been at this point, that I would be delighted to be seeing Jesus perform miracles, but not amazed. Does that not imply some level of disbelief?
Matthew 21: 23-27 -- They did not have the courage to stand behind their question/conviction that Jesus was a fake and therefore were not rewarded with life-giving truth.
Genesis 25: 29-34 -- Proof again that we can make the dumbest decisions based on our momentary and immediate desires. Esau throws away his future and birthright based on his stomach. How easy it would be to judge that except for the fact that I know I have done variations on the same theme over and over again.
Genesis 26: 6-11 -- Isaac repeating the actions of his father in saying that Rebekah was his sister and not wife. Hmmmm....perhaps that actions of parents rub off on their children? Hence, the sins of the fathers are repeated upon their sons.
Matthew 21: 21-22 -- What am I believing for today? Again this concept of the level of your belief being fulfilled is so striking. It says also that the disciples were amazed...again. I wonder, if the disciples are still amazed at this point...does that mean they are still not expecting Jesus to work miracles? I would hope that if I had been walking with Jesus for...however long it had been at this point, that I would be delighted to be seeing Jesus perform miracles, but not amazed. Does that not imply some level of disbelief?
Matthew 21: 23-27 -- They did not have the courage to stand behind their question/conviction that Jesus was a fake and therefore were not rewarded with life-giving truth.
Genesis 25: 29-34 -- Proof again that we can make the dumbest decisions based on our momentary and immediate desires. Esau throws away his future and birthright based on his stomach. How easy it would be to judge that except for the fact that I know I have done variations on the same theme over and over again.
Genesis 26: 6-11 -- Isaac repeating the actions of his father in saying that Rebekah was his sister and not wife. Hmmmm....perhaps that actions of parents rub off on their children? Hence, the sins of the fathers are repeated upon their sons.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Day 17 -- Thursday, April 7th, 2011
Read: Genesis 20, Job 20, Matthew 20.
Meditated on: Genesis 20.
I have read 60 chapters as of today. I cannot remember a time before that I have read this amount of scripture. I am happy about this, though that means that my standard is low, which is not such a great thing...
Reading in Genesis certainly gives one some perspective...like a bird's-eye view of human stupidity and unfaithfulness. In chapter 20, Abraham again portrays Sarah as his sister instead of his wife, and again the ruler of the land takes her as his wife. It happened before in chapter 12, when Abraham travels to Egypt. He is making this decision based on the fear that, since Sarah is beautiful, the ruler will kill Abraham and take her anyway. I guess it's easier to give one's wife away voluntarily?
The stunning lack of faith in God's protection and provision, perpetrated twice in this particular fashion, at first leads me to judge Abraham's actions severely. But of course, that is not what reading the Bible is all about. I begin to think of my own, repeated lack of faith in certain areas of my life and can condemn myself even more severely than I can these old-testament patriarchs.
Most of all my Lord, I struggle with fear. I fear that I am not able enough, skilled enough, or smart enough to make good business decisions. Though time after time You have blessed my effort and brought me abundance, still I confess that I have a scarcity mentality.
I wish You would simply strike this fear from my character...yet I know this is rarely how You work. Instead, I trust that You will give me opportunities to grow through the fear. I trust that You will continue to bless my efforts and I praise You for allowing me to be satisfied in You as You glorify Yourself in me.
Meditated on: Genesis 20.
I have read 60 chapters as of today. I cannot remember a time before that I have read this amount of scripture. I am happy about this, though that means that my standard is low, which is not such a great thing...
Reading in Genesis certainly gives one some perspective...like a bird's-eye view of human stupidity and unfaithfulness. In chapter 20, Abraham again portrays Sarah as his sister instead of his wife, and again the ruler of the land takes her as his wife. It happened before in chapter 12, when Abraham travels to Egypt. He is making this decision based on the fear that, since Sarah is beautiful, the ruler will kill Abraham and take her anyway. I guess it's easier to give one's wife away voluntarily?
The stunning lack of faith in God's protection and provision, perpetrated twice in this particular fashion, at first leads me to judge Abraham's actions severely. But of course, that is not what reading the Bible is all about. I begin to think of my own, repeated lack of faith in certain areas of my life and can condemn myself even more severely than I can these old-testament patriarchs.
Most of all my Lord, I struggle with fear. I fear that I am not able enough, skilled enough, or smart enough to make good business decisions. Though time after time You have blessed my effort and brought me abundance, still I confess that I have a scarcity mentality.
I wish You would simply strike this fear from my character...yet I know this is rarely how You work. Instead, I trust that You will give me opportunities to grow through the fear. I trust that You will continue to bless my efforts and I praise You for allowing me to be satisfied in You as You glorify Yourself in me.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Sidetracked
I have not posted for a week now. Last Thursday something happened concerning my small business that made me so angry I was hardly coherent. It took me nearly the whole week to be able to order my thoughts and get back on track. It makes me think of Proverbs 16:32, "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city." I am not ashamed of how I handled my anger. I didn't lash out or say or do anything while I was angry, but I did allow myself to meditate on it; and it has consumed much of my mental energy. I am still on track as far as the reading goes, but have simply not posted anything. I regret this because there is so much wonderful material this week! But regardless, I'm back on track and ready to continue this journey!
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