Spiritual Thoughts by Jenny V

Colossians 3:12

2007-12-09T09:25:00.000-05:00

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with
compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

I am God's chosen.
CHOSEN: selected from several; preferred

I am holy.
HOLY: Set apart. Belonging to, derived from, or associated with a divine power; sacred

I am dearly loved.
DEARLY: precious in one's regard; cherished

I shall express compassion.
COMPASSION: a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.

I shall express kindness.
KINDNESS: the state or quality of being kind (favorable)

I shall express humility.
HUMILITY: the quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of one's own importance, rank, etc.

I shall be gentle.
GENTLE: not severe, rough, or violent; mild

I shall be patient.
PATIENT: bearing provocation, annoyance, misfortune, delay, hardship, pain, etc., with fortitude and calm and without complaint, anger, or the like.

Thoughts On Tithing

2007-07-15T14:17:00.000-04:00

Malachi 3: 8 - 11

“Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the Lord Almighty.

Am I robbing God? Ouch. That bites. There was a time when I was doing so. Looking back I feel as if there is a lot to be re-paid. In the past several years, we have been tithing. God has been gracious and as he says, he has poured out his blessings upon us. Shame on me for taking some of it for granted.

I confess, I often find myself consumed with dreaming of things that I'd like to have... a place I'd like to be... and a way of life different than today. I often find myself missing the opportunities of today as I'm lost in sweet dream about tomorrow. Interestingly, my dreams of tomorrow are usually about what I'd like to do in this life instead of what Heaven will be like. God tells us to store up for ourselves treasures in Heaven and not on earth. Why is that so hard? I must remind myself that any day that I find myself in such circumstances that it is Satan who is delighting in it. He's busy tempting me away from heavenly thoughts. He's basking in the glory of my sin... pulling me away from God... preventing me from enjoying what the Lord has for me TODAY.

Dear Lord ~ Please help me to keep my focus on you. You know the plans you have for me. Please mold me in such a way that the desires of my heart parallel that which you desire for me. Push me in the right direction and go before me to prepare the way. Change my heart to seek only you and give me strength to remain a fully devoted follower of Christ in all circumstances. For His glory. Amen.

The Holy Spirit

2007-03-21T07:29:00.000-04:00

We are taking a Disciple II class at church. The study is primarily of Acts. My Ladies Bible Study is also studying Acts. The study of the Holy Spirit is intriguing. Here are some observations:

This marks the beginning of the church
Spirit is recognized by wind and fire
Wind and fire are representations
Those who were filled with the Holy Spirit had particular characteristics - They had followed Christ for a time. They were continuing to build their relationship with Christ, but he was leaving.
In being filled with the Holy Spirit, one experiences the entire triune God.
The Disciples were to set aside all self-desire in order to allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through their lives.
God does not control us but if we strike out our own desires and ask him to fill our hearts for his glory, he will fill us with the Spirit so we can do his work boldy

The personal significance of this learning is surrounded by recent pulls in my life.

I have been praying about "calling"
I have considered a particular ministry
I have been focused on dismissing the desires of my own heart in order to obtain the will of God for my life.

Is it ironic or even coincidental that these things have been tugging on my heart for a time now and just as I begin to focus on them, I'm invited to participate in not one, but TWO classes desiring to dig into the Word of God and learn about the Spirit. One of the ladies said that she has felt called to study this area of the scripture for a time now, and suggested that perhaps it could be more for me than her. IS THIS FOR REAL??? WOW!!! I can so see the Lord at work in my life.

"As a deer pants for the water

So my soul thirsts after you.

You alone are my hearts desire

And I long to worship you.

You alone are my strength, my shield

To you alone may my spirit yield

You alone are my hearts desire

And I long to worship you.

I want You more than gold or silver

Only you can satisify.

You alone are the real joy giver

And the apple of my eye.

Wash Away The Sin

2007-03-11T19:33:00.000-04:00

I often find myself lost in dreaming about things... house, vacation, hobbies, a new truck. Why must I find myself consumed with such thoughts? My prayer is that the Lord would give me sufficient discipline to conquer these thoughts. I desire the Lord to "wash away the sin" of such thinking. Simply put, no such dreaming is glorifying God. It's simply adding frustration and discontent to our lives. Why is my mind not filled with such ferver of the Lord's plans?

During last weeks Girls Group Bible Study, I would like to record some notable thoughts:

Discontent may also be a blessing. When we become "comfortable" we risk losing the desire to seek the Lord's will. Michelle notes that she is 'comfortable' in her home, but her husband is not. He feels the Lord calling him into a ministry that may involve moving. If they were both 'comfortable' then they might have no desire to move and thus would potentially dismiss the Lord's prompting.
We are not supposed to be "comfortable" in this world. The world is constantly in search of the next item that will bring them comfort. (i.e. better car, nicer house, etc.) What we truly are seeking is the comfort of heaven. Eternal comfort and peace will be met in Heaven. Why do we waste so much time, money, and efforts? We must learn to be content today.
God has a plan for us today. God wants to walk and talk with us today. We are often caught pressing on for tomorrow and thus we are missing many todays in the process.

Lord, please give me the strength to dismiss the thoughts that fail to bring you glory. Fill my heart with the desires that you have for me and help me to focus accordingly to bring you glory today. For the sake of your son, Jesus. Amen.

Girls Group Re-cap 12/06/06

2006-12-06T22:15:00.000-05:00

So tonight we reviewed 1 Samuel Chapters 1-7. There are a lot of profound messages within. Some of the notables that I need to act on are:

Circumstances are part of God's plan. Things happen in his time.
Find delight in God (not his blessings) Praise him, honor him, and experience fulfillment within him alone.
Maintain relationship with the Lord. Stay in His Word. Recognize His voice and heed His instruction.
Put God first, even before family.
Put faith in God alone.
Allow God's power to help overcome obstacles.
Rid yourself of ALL foriegn gods. Commit yourself to serving Him.
Do Not stop crying out. Pray for others.

Psalm 42

2006-11-06T06:53:00.000-05:00

Psa 42:1
As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God.
Psa 42:2
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?
Psa 42:3
My tears have been my food day and night, While {they} say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"
Psa 42:4
These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go along with the throng {and} lead them in procession to the house of God, With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.
Psa 42:5
Why are you in despair, O my soul? And {why} have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him {For} the help of His presence.
Psa 42:6
O my God, my soul is in despair within me; Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan And the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
Psa 42:7
Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.
Psa 42:8
The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime; And His song will be with me in the night, A prayer to the God of my life.
Psa 42:9
I will say to God my rock, "Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?"
Psa 42:10
As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me, While they say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"
Psa 42:11
Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

I desire to seek the Lord as the author of this Psalm... "thirsting" for God. He has seen me through thick and thin. I admit, there were definitely times when we felt lost, alone, and wondering "Where is God?" Especially when we found ourselves deep within a dream that we thought was obedience, but really wasn't our calling. We must always remember that it is our journies that shape us.

We sang this as a hymn in church yesterday. This Psalm speaks to me, reassures me, and is one that I sing with much heartfelt gratitude towards the Lord.

Psalm 21

2006-11-02T07:28:00.000-05:00

Psa 21:1
O LORD, in Your strength the king will be glad, And in Your salvation how greatly he will rejoice!
Psa 21:2
You have given him his heart's desire, And You have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah.
Psa 21:3
For You meet him with the blessings of good things; You set a crown of fine gold on his head.
Psa 21:4
He asked life of You, You gave it to him, Length of days forever and ever.
Psa 21:5
His glory is great through Your salvation, Splendor and majesty You place upon him.
Psa 21:6
For You make him most blessed forever; You make him joyful with gladness in Your presence.
Psa 21:7
For the king trusts in the LORD, And through the lovingkindness of the Most High he will not be shaken.
Psa 21:8
Your hand will find out all your enemies; Your right hand will find out those who hate you.
Psa 21:9
You will make them as a fiery oven in the time of your anger; The LORD will swallow them up in His wrath, And fire will devour them.
Psa 21:10
Their offspring You will destroy from the earth, And their descendants from among the sons of men.
Psa 21:11
Though they intended evil against You {And} devised a plot, They will not succeed.
Psa 21:12
For You will make them turn their back; You will aim with Your bowstrings at their faces.
Psa 21:13
Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength; We will sing and praise Your power.

I choose to focus on the opening theme of this passage... God's great strength. So often we put our trust in that which is other than our God. My studies in 1 Samuel remind me that we are to put our full trust in God, not so much in the blessings that he has provided. God is my strength. Sometimes I forget about the source of my strength. I must press on in overcoming this.

Powerful God, you are the strength of my life. I praise you for the blessings you have bestowed upon me. Please give me strength and dedication to always trust you first and rejoice because of our relationship . Although I rejoice as a reaction to your blessings, I must praise you first and foremost simply for your love. Amen.

1 Samuel

2006-10-25T07:29:00.000-04:00

The reading of the first few chapters is very intriguing to me. Some of it has great meaning to me (Hannah's story) but there is so much more to be learned of it. I have spent a lot of time gleaning from this text. Allow me to expand upon a couple of thoughts:

1) Hannah recognizes that no matter what the "blessing" may be, she recognizes God's goodness, giving him the glory, and not placing her happiness in "the blessing" primarily.

2) In chapter 3, it seems that Eli has perhaps been lax in his relationship with the Lord. He does not readily recognize the Lord's calling of Samuel until the 3rd call. Was her perhaps "giving up" after he was informed that the Lord would not honor those who do not honor the Lord? It does not seem that he would have been a very great example for Samuel to study under now does it. All in all, I have gleaned from this that even in these times, those in "ministry" (meaning leadership positions) are REAL people. They struggle with sin like everyone else.

3) It seems that Eli allowed his family to become more important than the Lord. He allowed them to interrupt the sacred rituals of the worship/sacrifice time. Instead of correcting them, he let them go and for this reason his family would suffer in time. This poses a harsh reality for parents - not just spiritual leaders.

James 4:13-17

2006-07-30T08:43:00.000-04:00

Jam 4:13
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”
Jam 4:14
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
Jam 4:15
Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.”
Jam 4:16
As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.
Jam 4:17
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

This passage reminds me that God is in control. Someone once asked me "What are your plans after Seminary?" My response was "We'll go wherever God sends us." She proceeded to explain how profound that answer may be. She often heard students recite their own plans, destinations, and dreams and explained that we so often forget that God is in control.

In my travels, I have learned that the road map of life has so many different directions. We must train ourselves to hear the Spirit calling us this way or that. It's the journey that teaches us. Blessings abound regarless of the route, so long as we keep the eternal perspective in the forefront of our travels.

Verse 14 reminds us that life is shiort. We must not waste it. Occasionally we are reminded of our own mortality. When we lose a loved one, we realize how short life really is.

Verse 17 reminds us that we are to be obedient. As the Spirit instructs us, especially throught the paths of life, we must obey. To ignore creates guilt, which is derived from sin. The Lord had plans for us in going to Seminary. He also changed our direction sending us home. His timing was perfect.

Lord, speak to me and align your plan for my life. Let me understand my calling and bless me for being obedient. Fill my heart with the desires that you have for me so that through the actions of my life I may proclaim your glory.

Amen.

James 3:1-2

2006-06-18T22:43:00.000-04:00

Jam 3:1
Let not many {of you} become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.
Jam 3:2
For we all stumble in many {ways.} If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.

This passage has recently been very close to my heart. I have read it over and over and over and concluded that this passage is speaking to me as an answered prayer. Keith and I struggled with the realization that we were not to complete seminary training. One might suggest that we were never actually "called" to the ministry; however the Lord certainly placed us in the right place at the right time according to his plan. We believe that the Lord called us also away from that place and has other plans for us.

This passage actually implies some relief of sorts for us. We WERE teachers, but only for a short time. I pray that the Lord's grace covers any mistakes we may have made during those adventures and thank him that we are relieved of these duties for the time being. I do feel that the Lord will call us back into youth ministry eventually, but he's allowing us to rest and re-charge for a time now.

Given this warning that "teachers" will be judged more strictly is definitely an eye opener. It reminds me that we must be so careful and deliberate when serving in a teaching role. It also mentions the fact that ONE leader can cause a multitude to stumble. Sometimes we do not realize how much the younger generation looks to us as leaders. I can remember a time in seminary when I cleaned off the movie shelf disposing of any movies that I felt may have been viewed as inappropriate. I figured that if the youth saw them on our bookshelf, then they should be permitted to watch them.

Being called to ministry... to be a teacher... is a calling to live a particular standard. One thing I learned at seminary is that these people who are called to this purpose are actually "real" people. They struggle with sin just like anyone else. I think sometimes we think of our church leaders as those who struggle less with sin, but this is not so. They struggle daily with much the same sins as anyone else.

To be free from this assignment for this time is very precious; however we pray that God will lead us along his path showing us our next assignment as it comes. We also pray for willing hearts and spirits as his will is revealed to us.

Reference

2006-06-18T22:36:00.000-04:00

I found the most useful reference online. It is called The Blue Letter Bible. This resource allows one to look up a verse or verses and if you ask it for "translations" it will list out numerous translations. The reason that this is useful is that in conducting serious Bible study, one should consider multiple versions in his or her study. Try it.