Psalms 20:4

11.19.2009

Over the past semester I've been messing around with a chord progression that I was sure I had heard in some song somewhere, but I hadn't been able to find the song. In the past week and a half, and the past few days especially, I've worked on composing a song with these chords, changing how I play them, what order, the rhythm, etc. Making it my own song.

After I got the chords and some semblance of a tune in my head, I began looking for words to put to "my song." I wasn't finding any inspiration, and I was getting busy studying for my next test (American Literature), so I didn't think about it much today.

I took my practice test a couple of hours ago, and I didn't do any where close to how well I wanted - I was aiming for a 75-80%, and I got 57%. A passing score, but not an amazing score. Feeling a little down, I wandered down the hall, and stopped to talk to a couple of other students, in the same class, and Rebekah Johnson, a staff member. Rebekah encouraged me to study some more, but above all to spend time in Scripture, studying God's word. I took her advice, and grabbed my guitar and started searching Scripture.

Apparently randomly, my searches led me to Psalms 20, specifically verse 4, and well...the song below is the result. It was totally God...He put the words and the tune together, and He's given me a lot of peace about the test tomorrow as well. Praise God!

O Lord, grant me, grant me

My heart's desire.

O Lord, grant me, grant me

My heart's desire.

O Lord, O

O Lord, O

O Lord!

O Lord, fulfill, fulfill

All Your plans.

O Lord, fulfill, fulfill

All Your plans.

In me, Lord

In me, Lord

Through You!

Just a thought this morning...

9.13.2009

This post isn't intended to be insanely deep or crazy long or anything...it's just something God brought to my attention during church today.

In Ephesians 5:1-5, God has a little "compare and contrast" section.

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness or nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

God is giving us a sharp distinction between the love of God (vs. 1-2) and the love that the world has (vs. 3-5). God's love is sacrificial, and concentrated on the good of others. The world's form of love is concentrated on self - what I can get for myself, how I can gratify myself.

Just thought I'd share that ;-)

For what it's worth...

9.10.2009

"All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising question on the ground of conscience. For "the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof." If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. But if someone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience -- I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do , not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.                                                                                   -- I Corinthians 10:23-33

 God has given me freedom in many areas, but He has been showing me over the past few weeks that although I may have freedom in these areas, out of respect for another brother or sister's conscience I should refrain from exercising this freedom. As I was reading this passage today, just a few minutes ago, I totally missed that last little sentence. "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." This sums it all up, doesn't it? If I am constantly imitating Christ, then I will be able to exercise freedom. But part of imitating Christ is refraining from exercising all of the freedom that I have been given. It's a radical thought for me, and for most Christians here in America. Have we not been taught from our early childhood that freedom is what our country was founded upon? As a homeschooled kid, I was taught that this freedom is given by God. I was taught that we have God-given rights, including the right to be free. It's radical that as a Christian I am supposed to limit my freedom. Would it not have been easier if God had just laid down the law, if He had just said what we can and can't do?

Up at Journey we studied different "bad" or "evil" heart attitudes. Part of one of the hearts was the fact that in order not to have this heart, we will have to limit ourselves. I hate lines, I hate rules, I hate being told what to do. But God is not demanding - that's the beauty of free will. Yet, as we are told in James, our faith in God is demonstrated by our works. My love of God should be enough to overcome what I want to do, to the point that I no longer want to gratify myself but to glorify God in everything that I do.

Staying here at Verity for the past week has been amazing. Going up to the Northwoods in Michigan was something that allowed me to both bond with my fellow students and to spend a great amount of time alone with God. Today instead of class before lunch Charity Larson told all of us students to just spend an hour alone with God. This post is one of the things that has stemmed from that. Where else, what other college can you go to that would skip class in order to spend time alone with God?

God is good indeed.

What is Love?

1.04.2009

What is Love, according to the Bible? In other words, what is Biblical Love?

Love is a noun and a verb at the same time. It is a willful (of the will) action, yet an emotion also. A choice must be made to continue to love in order for Love to last, but the emotion of Love can come and go. Emotion is a part of Love, a valid part of Biblical Love, but it is not all of Love or even the main part. Biblical Love can be preceded by the emotion of love.

I took a selection of verses about Love that is by no means comprehensive; however, I believe that the following verses are sufficient.

Eccelesiastes 3:8 - 
"a time  to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace."

John 15:13 - 
"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends."

Phillipians 1:9-11 - 
"And it is my prayer that you love may abound more and more, with knowledge and discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."

I Corinthians 13:4-8a - 
"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing,m but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends."

Love is shown to be an action in these verses. We choose to love. God commands us to love one another, not just our friends but our enemies too.

What are the aspects of Love? 

• There is a time to love, and there is a time that is not for loving. (Ecclesiastes)
• Love is sacrificial. (John)
• Love is shown by the lifestyle that I live. (I John)
• Love needs to be (and become) knowledgeable and discerning. (Phillipians) 
• Love has many characteristics. (I Corinthians)
• Love is:
• Patient
• Kind
• Does not envy -- Is content
  
• Does not boast -- Praises others and God for what they have done
  
• Is not arrogant -- Is meek/humble
• Is not rude -- Is polite
  
• Is not insistent on always being right -- Admits when wrong and when others are right
  
• Is not irritable -- Is easy to get along with
  
• Is not resentful -- Is forgiving
  
• Does not rejoice in wrongdoing -- Rejoices with truth
• Bears all things
• Believes all things
• Hopes all things
• Endures all things
• Is never-ending

This is in no way a comprehensive study on what Love is, but this is what I have come up with in my studies over the past few months.