My Verse

Isaiah 43:1

"But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Isreal, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!"

Friday, April 30, 2010

The Stains of Laziness


Proverbs 6:9-11

How long will you lie there, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.


I love Proverbs, it is the wisdom of ages passed down, to even me. When I read the verses about laziness and foolishness, I can always see areas in my "physical" life where it does apply.
The lovely grotesque image above is the result of my "physical" laziness. Stacy has been away to California all week long, which has resulted in my procrastination. "Oh, the dishes can wait till Friday, and the laundry, and pretty much all the housework!" Pure laziness!
Well, I was awakened from the slumbering state by 4 year old. She was so excited when I told her she could help me do the dishes, that she practically sat at my feet beckoning me to kitchen sink. After a couple of hours of blog reading, commenting, and updating my status on Facebook, I succumbed to her cries. We started at the top, and worked our way to the bottom of piles, in the sink. Little did I know what lay beneath the pile on the counter!
I viewed the awesome fright from a different perspective. My spiritual is much like the sink full of dirty dishes. I look at them and think how overwhelming it will be to deal with them, clean them, set them aright. So, I become lazy. I think to myself, "I can wait till tomorrow, or next week, or till just before that appointed time. But the longer I wait, the more I procrastinate, Satan comes in like a thief. He speaks to me of my fleshly wants and desires, and distracts me from what God has for me. And when God beckons me, and I succumb to His calling, I realize the stain that has been left by my laziness. If I had only, remained faithful, allowing Him to work (cause really it Him doing the work, I am merely compliant) and clean, maybe the stain wouldn't be there.
So I repent, I return, I rest and He pours on His grace, the blood of Christ. He scrubs away like Psalms 51:7
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
I will be made new!
Lord forgive my laziness, laziness in my phsical life, and laziness in my spiritual life. Cleanse the stains that have been left by my sins, and create in me a clean heart and pure hands, that will not be folded but working, doing. I will be and hearer and doer of Your word.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Jesus Paid it All

I hear the Savior say
Thy strength indeed is small
Child of weakness watch and pray
Find in me thine all in all

Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

Lord now indeed I find
Thy power and thine alone
Can change the lepers spots
And melt the heart of stone

Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

And when before the throne
I stand in him complete
Jesus died my soul to save
My lips shall still repeat

Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

Oh praise the one who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead (x6)

Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow


Ephesians 2:1-10
1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Colossians 3:1-4
1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Today was such an amazing time in worship. Today we sang this song, and after a week of God focusing me on dying to myself, I can truely say how blessed I am that Christ raised me from the dead! I am not made righteous of my own accord, and my strength indeed is small! Only Christ Jesus has the strength to reach down in my dirty life and raise me to new life in Him! I just want to give praise today to The One who paid it all for me!