"Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown." -Leviticus 9:24
Lord as you consume the offering of this life, let me fall facedown before you in joyful worship..
Monday, April 9, 2012
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Passion Week Day 3
Wednesday: no records of what happened on this day
thoughts bouncing around in my head from morning prayer and bible study..
- the battle between faith and fear: the battle the apostles struggled with and my personal battlefield
- Jesus' words from the cross: i can't imagine how much physical pain he must have been enduring, for so many hours at that point, but he makes the great effort to speak about what is on his heart even at that moment - "Father, forgive their sins." grace of mind-blowing proportions.
- ultimate betrayal, loneliness, weariness: the weight of all that burden put on his shoulders so that they would not crush mine
Lord let the gospel sink in once more, do not allow it to become stale to my ears. allow the gospel to bring ashes into flame again, let your love bring to life what was dead in my heart.
Jesus how can i respond to what you have done with anything less than all my praise?
And how can I stand here with You
And not be moved by You?
Would You tell me how could it be
Any better than this?
'Cause You're all I want, You're all I need
You're everything, everything
thoughts bouncing around in my head from morning prayer and bible study..
- the battle between faith and fear: the battle the apostles struggled with and my personal battlefield
- Jesus' words from the cross: i can't imagine how much physical pain he must have been enduring, for so many hours at that point, but he makes the great effort to speak about what is on his heart even at that moment - "Father, forgive their sins." grace of mind-blowing proportions.
- ultimate betrayal, loneliness, weariness: the weight of all that burden put on his shoulders so that they would not crush mine
Lord let the gospel sink in once more, do not allow it to become stale to my ears. allow the gospel to bring ashes into flame again, let your love bring to life what was dead in my heart.
Jesus how can i respond to what you have done with anything less than all my praise?
And how can I stand here with You
And not be moved by You?
Would You tell me how could it be
Any better than this?
'Cause You're all I want, You're all I need
You're everything, everything
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Passion Week Day 2
Tuesday
money and taxes. signs of the end of the age. the greatest commandment. all these things Jesus talked about were so important to him, important enough to take time to teach about it during his final week. he knew what was coming, he knew he had limited time - these are the things that were weighing on his mind, things that he wanted his disciples to know before they were left without their Teacher. but among the grand teachings about hypocrisy and money and the second coming, Jesus took notice of a poor widow's offering at the temple - an offering worth almost nothing in the eyes of this world, but such a precious offering to our Lord. "They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything - all she had to live on." (Mark 12:44)
what a striking difference between me and this widow. she gave everything she owned to God in offering, with a thankful and joyous heart, not afraid to give it all because she trusted that He would provide for her. and me? out of the great wealth that i've been given, still trying to calculate how much i can afford to give, not just in money, but also in time and energy; more often than not, becoming bitter or just weary from giving to the Lord; so very afraid to put all of my life into His hands, wanting control and security. it seems implausible from the world's eyes that Jesus would take notice of such a woman as this widow, but the world couldn't see the heart that was so pure and beautiful to Jesus' eyes. and when i reflect on what Jesus must see in my heart, i know it isn't the heart of this widow. Lord, give me an undivided heart that lives only for You, purify my heart..
Teach me Your ways, Oh Lord
And I will walk in Your truth
Teach me Your ways, Oh Lord
I am devoted to You
Purify my heart's desire
I long to be Your servant
Give me an undivided heart
That I may fear Your name
Give me an undivided heart
No other gods, no other love
No other gods before You
money and taxes. signs of the end of the age. the greatest commandment. all these things Jesus talked about were so important to him, important enough to take time to teach about it during his final week. he knew what was coming, he knew he had limited time - these are the things that were weighing on his mind, things that he wanted his disciples to know before they were left without their Teacher. but among the grand teachings about hypocrisy and money and the second coming, Jesus took notice of a poor widow's offering at the temple - an offering worth almost nothing in the eyes of this world, but such a precious offering to our Lord. "They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything - all she had to live on." (Mark 12:44)
what a striking difference between me and this widow. she gave everything she owned to God in offering, with a thankful and joyous heart, not afraid to give it all because she trusted that He would provide for her. and me? out of the great wealth that i've been given, still trying to calculate how much i can afford to give, not just in money, but also in time and energy; more often than not, becoming bitter or just weary from giving to the Lord; so very afraid to put all of my life into His hands, wanting control and security. it seems implausible from the world's eyes that Jesus would take notice of such a woman as this widow, but the world couldn't see the heart that was so pure and beautiful to Jesus' eyes. and when i reflect on what Jesus must see in my heart, i know it isn't the heart of this widow. Lord, give me an undivided heart that lives only for You, purify my heart..
Teach me Your ways, Oh Lord
And I will walk in Your truth
Teach me Your ways, Oh Lord
I am devoted to You
Purify my heart's desire
I long to be Your servant
Give me an undivided heart
That I may fear Your name
Give me an undivided heart
No other gods, no other love
No other gods before You
Monday, April 2, 2012
Passion Week Day 1
already hungry and feeling weak, but i can feel something coming to life..
Monday
righteous anger, fury. the house of God turned into a place where people are buying and selling, corruption in a holy place - the house of prayer made into a den of robbers. how much sadness Jesus must have felt to see that His people were effectively choosing money over the presence of God, choosing to succumb to greed and materialism within the house of the Lord. and then i look at my own heart - how many times have i chosen this world and its tempting offers over the only One who can satisfy? how many times, in fact, have i done this in the context of church - allowing the banner of serving Him to mask my sin, however unconsciously done? i am just as guilty as the moneychangers and sellers in the temple; i have allowed sin to inhabit and defile the temple that God intended to build in my heart. i need the kind of righteous anger that Jesus had toward this sin - i need to throw it out of my heart, not just be complacent about it, and allow Jesus to begin building again in my heart. Lord, come make this heart a temple for Your presence.
Oh Lord, my heart longs to be
A habitation fit for thee
A place where peace reigns and love can flourish,
A heart where You can feel at home
Oh Lord, I want to be like You
My tongue to speak the words You do
My hands to stretch forth in healing others
My feet to carry the good news
That You are God, You're the Way
You're the Truth and You're the Life
King of Kings, Lord of Lords
Prince of Peace, Lord Jesus Christ
And by Your shed blood, the great Redeemer
You saved my soul, You paid the price
You saved my soul, now take my life
Monday
righteous anger, fury. the house of God turned into a place where people are buying and selling, corruption in a holy place - the house of prayer made into a den of robbers. how much sadness Jesus must have felt to see that His people were effectively choosing money over the presence of God, choosing to succumb to greed and materialism within the house of the Lord. and then i look at my own heart - how many times have i chosen this world and its tempting offers over the only One who can satisfy? how many times, in fact, have i done this in the context of church - allowing the banner of serving Him to mask my sin, however unconsciously done? i am just as guilty as the moneychangers and sellers in the temple; i have allowed sin to inhabit and defile the temple that God intended to build in my heart. i need the kind of righteous anger that Jesus had toward this sin - i need to throw it out of my heart, not just be complacent about it, and allow Jesus to begin building again in my heart. Lord, come make this heart a temple for Your presence.
Oh Lord, my heart longs to be
A habitation fit for thee
A place where peace reigns and love can flourish,
A heart where You can feel at home
Oh Lord, I want to be like You
My tongue to speak the words You do
My hands to stretch forth in healing others
My feet to carry the good news
That You are God, You're the Way
You're the Truth and You're the Life
King of Kings, Lord of Lords
Prince of Peace, Lord Jesus Christ
And by Your shed blood, the great Redeemer
You saved my soul, You paid the price
You saved my soul, now take my life
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