haha "welcome to the 21rst Century" where Blogging, Facebooking, Twittering, and texting are all apart of our everyday communication techniques. maybe I did prefer my life as a carefree child when all I knew about was talking face to face with someone and creating my own fun. But the more into this technology stuff I become, the more I realize that it is a gift. It's a gift that we are supposed to use for the glory of God. We can easily tear someone down just by one "status update" and just as easily we can encourage and build one another up. Through this-- through my joy of writing-- I pray with all my heart that God would use me in a pwerful way. That He would speak through me to correct, encourage, and further His kingdom. To God alone be the glory!
So here my journey begins....
Here I will honestly pour out my thoughts, my questions, my story (or rather, God's Story), and things that God places on my heart. God has been unfolding His beautiful plan in my life and He has faithfully been with me through valleys and on the mountain tops. His Story, our story, must be heard and I must faithfully proclaim what the Lord has done in my life and how He made BeAuTy.from.AsHeS
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Freedom through a risen Savior
As i was reading my Bible about the different kings who fell because of their their idolatry, I realized how idolatry hold each one of us in chains. It is something we all struggle with and how in our walk with the Lord it is something we have to daily ask Jesus Christ to set us free. As sinful human beings, we like to idolaize things that do not satisfy us.
Anything that we put in place of God is an idol and it hinders us from finding complete satisfaction and joy in our precious Savior.
In Isaiah 55:1-9 God grievously says to his people, "Come to the waters everyone who thirsts because i satisfy. Why do you spend money on things that don't satisfy you? Come to me that your soul might live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you. My love is steadfast; I will glorrify you. seek me while I am near. Forsake your wicked ways and your unrighteous thoughts. Return to me that I may have compassion on you. I will ubundantely pardon. My thoughts and ways are not like yours. As high as the heavens are, so are my ways and thoughts higher than yours." here God points out key things to breaking free from idolatry and the key to finding complete satisfaction in him.
1. God says we need to come to Him. We need to seek after him. And by doing that, we also have to forsake our wicked ways and forsake unrighteousness. This also includes seeking after righteousness. (Hos. 10:12; Mt. 6:33; Pr. 11:19; Pr. 15:9; 2 Tim. 2:20-26)
2. We constantly want to run to things that don't last. Sin looks attractive at first, but leads to destruction. We must take every thought and action captive to obey Christ so we do not fall into the temptation to love things that take the place of God. (2 Cor. 10:3-5; Eph. 6:10-18; Mt. 26:41; 1 Cor. 10:13)
3. God's covenants and promises are always kept. God is faithful, he is Creator, Redeemer, merciful, gracious, kind, compassionate, Judge, Prince of Peace, Immanuel, Healer and everything that an idol cannot fullfill. (Jos. 21:45; Dt. 7:9)
In Is. 44:6-8
"Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: 'I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let him declare what is to come, and what will happen. Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! is there a God besides me? There is no Rock, I know not any.'"
Here God reminds his people of who he is. That He is first and last and there is no one like Him.
Is. 44:9-20
" All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human...they know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their heart, so that they cannot understand...they feed on ashes; a deluded heart has led them astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, 'is there not a lie in my right hand?'"
Here God warns the people against idolatry and that it won't bring them satisfaction. People who love idols feed on ashes and their deluded hearts have led them astray.
Is. 44:21-22
"Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like a midst; return to me, for I have redeemed you."
The Lord reminds his people whose we are! We are his children and we have been redeemed by him! God begs us to return to him because we are his. He begs us to find everything we need IN HIM and in him ALONE.
How many times have we feasted on ashes or been led astray by our deluded hearts? Or how many times have we given up the satisfaction of our Savior for a lie?
"Therefore, beloved, flee from idolatry." -1 Cor. 10:14 because Jesus said, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." -Jn. 6:35
We were created to find satisfaction in Jesus Christ.
Anything that we put in place of God is an idol and it hinders us from finding complete satisfaction and joy in our precious Savior.
In Isaiah 55:1-9 God grievously says to his people, "Come to the waters everyone who thirsts because i satisfy. Why do you spend money on things that don't satisfy you? Come to me that your soul might live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you. My love is steadfast; I will glorrify you. seek me while I am near. Forsake your wicked ways and your unrighteous thoughts. Return to me that I may have compassion on you. I will ubundantely pardon. My thoughts and ways are not like yours. As high as the heavens are, so are my ways and thoughts higher than yours." here God points out key things to breaking free from idolatry and the key to finding complete satisfaction in him.
1. God says we need to come to Him. We need to seek after him. And by doing that, we also have to forsake our wicked ways and forsake unrighteousness. This also includes seeking after righteousness. (Hos. 10:12; Mt. 6:33; Pr. 11:19; Pr. 15:9; 2 Tim. 2:20-26)
2. We constantly want to run to things that don't last. Sin looks attractive at first, but leads to destruction. We must take every thought and action captive to obey Christ so we do not fall into the temptation to love things that take the place of God. (2 Cor. 10:3-5; Eph. 6:10-18; Mt. 26:41; 1 Cor. 10:13)
3. God's covenants and promises are always kept. God is faithful, he is Creator, Redeemer, merciful, gracious, kind, compassionate, Judge, Prince of Peace, Immanuel, Healer and everything that an idol cannot fullfill. (Jos. 21:45; Dt. 7:9)
In Is. 44:6-8
"Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: 'I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let him declare what is to come, and what will happen. Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! is there a God besides me? There is no Rock, I know not any.'"
Here God reminds his people of who he is. That He is first and last and there is no one like Him.
Is. 44:9-20
" All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human...they know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their heart, so that they cannot understand...they feed on ashes; a deluded heart has led them astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, 'is there not a lie in my right hand?'"
Here God warns the people against idolatry and that it won't bring them satisfaction. People who love idols feed on ashes and their deluded hearts have led them astray.
Is. 44:21-22
"Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like a midst; return to me, for I have redeemed you."
The Lord reminds his people whose we are! We are his children and we have been redeemed by him! God begs us to return to him because we are his. He begs us to find everything we need IN HIM and in him ALONE.
How many times have we feasted on ashes or been led astray by our deluded hearts? Or how many times have we given up the satisfaction of our Savior for a lie?
"Therefore, beloved, flee from idolatry." -1 Cor. 10:14 because Jesus said, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." -Jn. 6:35
We were created to find satisfaction in Jesus Christ.
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