Soren Kierkegaard wrote:
"In spiritual matters, a person's ideas must be the building he lives in---otherwise, there is something terribly wrong."
Larry Crabb wrote:
"What's wrong with me? A spirit of entitlement. My demand to be treated well that's so often stronger than my desire to treat others well---an it's-all-about-me syndrome. An addictive attraction to pleasure or relief however I can get it. Insensitivity to my impact on others and self-congratulation for how friendly and thoughtful and funny I can sometimes be ad how helpful I am when it's convenient. I wonder if what most keeps me from going all the way with God is complacency? I think I quietly cherish the illusion that I'm really a pretty decent Christian."
Rev 4:11 Falling prostrate, they threw their crowns at the foot of the Throne, chanting,
Worthy, O Master! Yes, our God!
Take the Glory! the Honor! the Power!
You created it all;
It was created because you wanted it.
Rev. 5:4 "They wept and wept and wept that no one was found able." My tears this day are for myself, not for something so noble as this. And that is called a spirit of entitlement. LORD, have mercy on me, a sinner. Even though I've been treated poorly, are my tears for myself or for my family? Myself. Have mercy!
Today I am filled with wonder, fear and anticipation. Heaven, The saints,and the animals are all on the endless cycle of giving praise, glorifiying God, our Soverign-Strong. Time is endless, always was, always will be. Here I am, living my life in a micro-second of time. Yet, He who made Heaven and the Universe cares,loves me and touches my heart.
ReplyDeleteRev.4-7-11 "Holy, holy, holy
Is God our Master, Sovereign-Strong,
The Was, The Is, The Coming.
9 -11"Every time the Animals gave glory and honor and thanks to the One Seated on the Throne—the age-after-age Living One—the Twenty-four Elders would fall prostrate before the One Seated on the Throne. They worshiped the age-after-age Living One. They threw their crowns at the foot of the Throne, chanting,
Worthy, O Master! Yes, our God!
Take the glory! the honor! the power!
You created it all;
It was created because you wanted it. "
Sitting at McDonald's in Dallas just weeping over Christmas gifts or lack of them. So what are my tears really for? Why do I measure worth? My thoughts for myself are so much stronger than my thoughts about others. LORD, have mercy on me!~ Please pray for me this blistery morn in my heart.
ReplyDeleteThere is something always so disappointing to me just after Christmas, sometimes as quickly as Christmas afternoon. A longing comes over me, a sense of missing the mark. It usually catches me off-guard, but this year, I thought about it ahead of time and wondered if I could prevent it. I didn't. I read something this morning that kind of explains it and think it might speak to you, too.
ReplyDeleteFrom Ann Voskamp's blog, Holy Experience:
"The bit of lostness that I always feel deep inside — this lostness is the way of the ones genuinely living, and finding out this is the way to becoming found.
It’s my dazed, desperate drifting — my daily drowning — that drives me wild into that manger, has me on my knees and clinging tight to the plank of wood with a Saviour laying on it. This is the unbelievable rescuing!"
Here is the link for the rest of it, if you are interested.
Saying prayers for an infilling of His Spirit, an infusion of Grace, to take away every other longing, Bev, and for each of us as we struggle with our spiritual complacency, sense of entitlement, acting only when it's convenient.
"One of the Elders said, "Don't weep. Look—the Lion from Tribe Judah, the Root of David's Tree, has conquered. He can open the scroll, can rip through the seven seals." Rev. 5:5
ReplyDeleteI so shortchange the power of Christ to conquer to rip through every seal, every roadblock—the power of Grace in my life. No one is worthy. Not one. Only Christ and He was willing.
We’ve been given a new song to sing: (Rev. 5:8-10)
“Worthy! Take the scroll, open its seals. Slain! Paying in blood, you bought men and women,
Bought them back from all over the earth, Bought them back for God. Then you made them a Kingdom, Priests for our God,
Priest-kings to rule over the earth.”
In full song:
“The slain Lamb is worthy!
Take the power, the wealth, the wisdom, the strength!
Take the honor, the glory, the blessing! Then I heard every creature in Heaven and earth, in underworld and sea, join in, all voices in all places, singing:
To the One on the Throne! To the Lamb!
The blessing, the honor, the glory, the strength, For age after age after age.
The Four Animals called out, "Oh, Yes!" The Elders fell to their knees and worshiped. “
The One on the Throne will pitch his tent there for them: no more hunger, no more thirst, no more scorching heat. The Lamb on the Throne will shepherd them, will lead them to spring waters of Life. And God will wipe every last tear from their eyes." Rev. 7:16-17
Sing of Life. Sing of Salvation. To Christ Alone be all glory, and honor and wisdom and power for age after age!
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ReplyDeletePrecious Pearls, As I read through parts of today's scripture from Rev I could only think of the glorious music Handel wrote in the Messiah of "Worthy is the Lamb". I could hear the music so clear and thankful to know AS I TRUST HIM All is Well.
ReplyDeleteSo much even of what I read in Revelation I don't fully understand. I am just so grateful that Jesus Loves me this I know.
My brain moves from a classic music piece to a very simple child's song. Both pieces of music very important to value system of belief. As a two year old learning to sing Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so. Allowing that knowledge to begin to grow in my soul for the day I could step forward and acknowledge HIM as my LORD and Savior in front of all to know.
Bev, I pray for you as I find myself somewhere in your life as well. 2010 has been quite a year with lots of changes.
I pray for you today as I pray for myself Romans 15:13 May the God of Hope fill you with ALL JOY and PEACE as you TRUST in HIM, so that you may overflow with HOPE by the POWER of the HOLY SPIRIT.
Tomorrow I am to have a 45 minute outpatient surgery that will improve my health. This is one year to the day from my last surgery. 2009 it was my knee and tomorrow 2010 it is my nose.
I am like Bev, I know God is present and yet I have moments when I pray LORD Jesus have Mercy on Me.
I just appreciate knowing I can come to my String of Pearls and request prayer and know you are praying for me.
This is a Song I must Sing of Thanks to you for lifting me up to the Throne of All GRACE.
As my pastor said Sunday Jesus is the answer to whatever need I have and truly HE is the only one that can fully satisfy.
Sylvia
Praying for you, Sylvia for healing, for doctors' skill and for your peace throughout. You have had a very trying year, and He has proved faithful in your wilderness. I will be back in Houston tomorrow and around if you need anything. Love you, Annette
ReplyDeleteOh Sylvia, I am so glad I saw this before your surgery! Yes! Yes! Yes! I will be praying for you. In all our weakness, He is strong! You have been so delightful, so drawn to the heart of God through unbelievable circumstances this year that would have sidelined others. But it's not your option. You always have a song to sing and you'll be singing it Tuesday morn right into that surgery. May you prosper and be in good health from it as we read yesterday! My Love & Prayers! Bev
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