Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands

I have been reading this book, by Paul David Tripp, in preparation of the MB Reformed Women's Retreat and am feeling so convicted right now.  God's Words about having idols in our hearts has really being hitting me.  Then when I think about where MY heart really is, I almost start to panic.  Is my need for my students, children, spouse, my clients to believe in God, and really get His love and care becoming a MONSTER WANT as Tara Barthel puts it.  At what point does my good desire become a demand, and then I judge them if they do not serve God the way I think they should, and if they do not serve Him the way I think they should do I punish them by ignoring them, or mocking, criticizing?  Wow, sounds like the progression of an idol doesn't it?

Then I start thinking of my own journey as a child of God.  At what point did my serving God just because my parents did, doing the things they taught me just because that's how it's DONE in the Reformed Church, become my own faith?  When did I realize that THERE REALLY IS A GOD!!!  And He loves ME!!!  ME with all my dirt, my conniving, spoiled, me first ways!!!  Is that what it means to be reborn?  When Jesus is teaching Nicodemus (John 3) about having to be born again, is this what He means?  That it's the time when our faith in God is REALLY our own and not just what we think our parents, teachers, pastors want us to believe?

Continuing to read Tripp's book, he talks about fruit stapling.  When an apple tree bears bad fruit year after year, what do we do about it?  Do we go out there with a couple of baskets of good apples, cut off the bad apples and staple the good apples onto the tree?  Sounds pretty silly doesn't it but isn't that what we/I so often do?  When I want God/people to think I'm pretty good, do I say the right words, do the right things, but all the while inside I'm grumbling about everything. Is my heart really right with God?  Because that's the point of Tripp's little stapling story.  If the root is bad the tree will never bear good fruit.  The only way for the root to get better is to nourish it and feed it fertilizer and other good things.  So I guess it's the same with us.  If we don't nourish our hearts with the Word of God, through prayer, Bible reading, personal devotions, church worship to hear God's Word and stay close to other people who are trying to serve Him, then we'll soon dry up and wither.  John 15 tells us about Jesus being the vine and we are the branches.  We need to stay attached to Him so we don't wither.  (Boy, I love the book of John.  I think studying that book may have been one of the turning points in my life, when I realized that GOD IS REALLY REAL, a real AHA moment.)

Ok, I've said enough for today, especially since this may have been one of my first blogs to really say what is on my heart.  If anyone wants to comment or share their AHA moments please do.

2 Fighter Verses this week:

 Ps 91:14-16 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my Name.  He will call upon me, and I will answer him, I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him.  With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."  Wow, what a promise, but what comes first my love for God or His love for me?

1 Pet 4:16 However if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.  Sometimes that feels so hard to do when we are suffering.  Goes back to the above in realizing that we can't praise Him out of ourselves but it is always God working in us that makes us turn to Him.

Fighter Verse this week: Ps 91:9-10

 "If you make the most High your dwelling -- even the LORD, who is my refuge -- then no harm will come near your tent."

 Sounds so simple doesn't it?  Can I really trust this is true?

Fighter Verse for the week: Ps 91:7, 8

 "A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.  You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked."
Wow what a promise.  At times the fear of thousands is so very real I have a hard time remembering this.  The fear of man can be so paralyzing but thankfully God continually reminds me that He is bigger than any man/person.  He is the Almighty and He is my Father.  Thank you LORD!

Ps 91:5-6 Fighter Verse

 "You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday."  When I put these verses with the preceding verses I can really see how God's faithfulness is my shield and rampart against these terrible things.  We had 2 great sermons yesterday showing how God moves us to love Him and obey Him.  Awesome when we start to realize that we don't have to do anything.  It is His love for us that makes us able and willing to respond to Him.  Thank you LORD!!

Ps 91:3-4 Fighter Verse this week

"Surely He will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.  He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart."
The more ways we see how God gives us armour the more we realize who He is and how He cares for us.  The eagle image (I believe it is an eagle) is really compelling when you study up on eagles and see how they teach their young to fly by keeping in the updraft under their wings.  Tara Barthel also has a great image of being under a bird's wing, kinda hot and stuffy, not always comfortable but definitely SAFE.

Ps 91:1,2 Fighter verse this week

 "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say to the LORD, 'He is my fortress, my God in whom I trust.'"  What a statement of faith, knowing that even God's shadow is mightier and safer than anywhere else.