Passion

Every Tuesday and Thursday I go downtown and help out at a church in the inner-city of Charleston. The first thing we do is an hour of devotional where we are reading the Bible in a year and spend about 45 min praying for the city, state, country, the church , whatever God lays on our hearts. Then the last 15 mins or so we discuss what God brought to us in the passages that we read for the day.

Well currently we are in the area of Ezekiel 23, Isaiah 51, & Philipians 3. While I was reading Ezekiel, specifically 16 & 17, something came out to me.

Chapter 16 verses 49-58 says:
" 'Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen. Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done more detestable things than they, and have made your sisters seem righteous by all these things you have done. Bear your disgrace, for you have furnished some justification for your sisters. Because your sins were more vile than theirs, they appear more righteous than you. So then, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.
" 'However, I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and of Samaria and her daughters, and your fortunes along with them, so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in giving them comfort. And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to what they were before; and you and your daughters will return to what you were before. You would not even mention your sister Sodom in the day of your pride, before your wickedness was uncovered. Even so, you are now scorned by the daughters of Edom and all her neighbors and the daughters of the Philistines—all those around you who despise you. You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your detestable practices, declares the LORD."

Here Israel, God's chosen people, were more wicked, detestable in God's eyes than Sodom (the destroyed land) and Samaria (the land where people live that Jews refuse to touch them). God said in this passage that He was going to destroy all three but the disgrace was going to be on Israel. The guilt, the shame. Sodom didn't know what they were doing was wrong. Samaria had yet to learn. Israel had known from the start.

What am I saying in this? Sometimes we look at someone else think we are better than them, just because they may or may not be a believer or may be starting they're relationship with Christ. That doesn't mean we are better or they are worst/lower on the totem pole. It just means they have some things to learn just like we do. WE ALL DO!

This life is not about being better than everyone else. It's about learning more about Christ and applying it to our everyday lives. Making mistakes is normal. If we fall, then we just ask God for forgiveness and He'll pick us up.

Remember to run for God passionately, and to not look at everyone else like a judging contest but equally. Mistakes are inevitable, learning is growing.

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8-8-2009

Lord Jesus,
Teach me to not be anxious about what is going in my life and what has gone on in the past few months. To trust in everything that you place in my life. In every situation. You have a reason for it all. You have a reason for the desires that are placed deep in me to share what has gone on in my life and currently to perfect strangers and to show that no matter what the circumstances you are ALWAYS there to love us and be our shoulder to cry on in mourning, to be our support in health situations. No one else on this great earth can understand, can wrap their minds around what we are going through but you. You have been there from the beginning of creation, from when our life stories were written, you knew when we were going to fall, when we were going to hear your name for the first, you knew when every little moment that no one thinks about was going to happen. You were there. You carry us during the hard times, and you laugh with us on the wonderful days. You inspire us. You are everything.

Amen

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Never Put God in A Box

"You have the humble, but bring low those whose eyes are haughty. You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. With your help, I can advance against a troop; with my God, I can scale a wall. As for God, his was is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights. He trains me for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze." Psalm 18: 27-34

"I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4: 13

Psalm 18:29 really jumped out at me this morning. "With Your help, I can advance against a troop; with my God, I can scale a wall."

When King David said this I don't think he just meant this literally, I think he also meant with God's help/might we can take on anything, whether it may be a 10ft wall or a 10,ooo army of demons, which we, in the spiritual realm, deal with every day, moment by moment. We need to take a step back and realize how mighty of a God we really serve and then say to him, I am ready for whatever you have in store for me. He is HUGE!! He is not someone that you just place in a little box on your mantle or in your garage and keep for safe keeping, especially in these current times. He wants to be involved your life, in our lives everyday. With God at our sides, we can take on the world.

Look at what Moses did with the Israelites when he delivered them from capitivity, Moses had been hesistant about doing the job in the first place because he had a problem wiht speech but God wanted him. He said in Exodus 4:11 - 12 "The Lord said to him, 'Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." And he went on to take them out of Egypt and through the Red Sea.

Don't forget about Jesus and his defeating death so we may live?! That's BIGGER THAN BIG.

And Daniel and the Lions Den.

There are examples all throughout the Bible about HOW BIG GOD is. We will never know how Great God's power truly is until we meet him.

If you don't Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, please message me.

Extra Verse: Ephesians 3:20-21

GOD IS.....

You are....
MAJESTIC
GLORIOUS
WONDERFUL
HOLY
BEAUTIFUL
ALL IN ONE
PRINCE OF PEACE
LARGER THAN LIFE
HOLDING THE WORLD IN YOUR HANDS
ALWAYS AROUND ME
MY COUNSELER
MY SHEPHERD
THE MORNING STAR
THE SHOULDER I CAN LEAN ON
MY SURRENDER
MY LIFE GIVER
MY SACRIFICER
MY PAYMENT
THERE ARE NO LOANS, NO DEFERMENTS, NO FOREBARNCES, NO FORECLOSURES, NO BANKCRUPTIES.
YOU HAVE TAKEN CARE OF US FOR LIFE.
YOU ARE MY ULTIMATE DADDY, MY ULTIMATE HUSBAND, MY ULTIMATE MOTHER, MY ULTIMATE BEST FRIEND, MY ULTIMATE EVERYTHING.

YOU ARE THE WAVES OF MY LIFE
EVER CONSTANT
THERE ARE SEASONS
YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO BE SILENT
BUT ALWAYS GOING AND BRINGING IN SURPRISES
THEN THERE ARE SEASONS
YOU'VE WRITTEN TO BE MIGHTY
AND TO MAKE ME FALL ON MY KNEES AND LOVE YOU MORE

IN WHATEVER YOU DO
I LEARN SOMETHING
I OBTAIN SOMETHING TO TAKE ON MY JOURNEY THAT YOU HAVE CALLED LIFE

I CAN'T WAIT TO LEARN MORE!!

GOD IS MY AUTHOR.
GOD IS MY POET...
GOD IS MY MUSICIAN.
GOD IS MY TEACHER.
GOD IS MY EVERYTHING


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