Guide me
it blinds me
when it comes unexpectedly
it holds me tightly
Open me
so I can see
to speak courageously
when you lead me
If need be
close doors quickly
and please feel free
to answer me
"no"
KSW
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
A Love Poem
What else can I give up?
Let go.
Trust.
Entrust.
To you.
You gave me these.
Then asked them back.
To test my love.
Committment.
To you.
To Him.
When I am weak then you are strong.
So weaken me Lord.
Break all my bones.
So I can have more of you.
KSW
Let go.
Trust.
Entrust.
To you.
You gave me these.
Then asked them back.
To test my love.
Committment.
To you.
To Him.
When I am weak then you are strong.
So weaken me Lord.
Break all my bones.
So I can have more of you.
KSW
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Admonishment
I was so encouraged this morning in my reading of Ezekiel 2. God tells Ezekiel, "If I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. Again, if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits injustice, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds that he has done will not be remembered, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul."
I know that this passage appears in the Old Testament and that with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our relationship to sin has been forever changed. As believers in Jesus, we no longer have to die or atone for our sins. Christ has already done that. Our sins are already forgiven: past, present and future. However, our daily victory is inextricably bound up in our daily choices. Because of this, I believe that we are still called to warn, confront, and admonish one another in love.
Definition of ADMONISH
1: to indicate duties or obligations to
to express warning or disapproval to especially in a gentle, earnest, or solicitous manner
2 : to give friendly earnest advice or encouragement to
The thought of admonishing others can be very stressful for me. I appreciate when others admonish me, in love, because I am teachable and I always want to know if something I am doing is causing someone else pain or in any way taking away from my testimony.
Not everyone feels that way, and admonishment isn't always easy.
This morning I had a phone conversation with a good friend who was going to take a highschool student to see a movie that I personally thought would hinder both of them spiritually. It was so hard for me to call that person, and tell him that I thought that he should rethink his movie choice. I was afraid that he would take it as a judgment or an attack.
I almost didn't call him at all, but I had this check in my spirit and I knew that I couldn't rest until I at least warned him.
He received it well and promised to pray about it. I let him know that if it truly was the Lord, that God would reveal it to him as well. We have to be very careful that if someone gives us a word from God, we weigh it, pray about it, and ask God to reveal to us His truth. Why would God reveal something to me about another person without revealing it to that person as well?
I love this lesson in Ezekiel 2 because it reminds us that while we are responsible TO each other, to admonish each other in love, we are not responsible FOR each other. What others choose to do with our admonishment is completely out of our hands, and we can rest knowing that we were obedient, as we release them unto the Lord.
KSW
I know that this passage appears in the Old Testament and that with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our relationship to sin has been forever changed. As believers in Jesus, we no longer have to die or atone for our sins. Christ has already done that. Our sins are already forgiven: past, present and future. However, our daily victory is inextricably bound up in our daily choices. Because of this, I believe that we are still called to warn, confront, and admonish one another in love.
Definition of ADMONISH
1: to indicate duties or obligations to
to express warning or disapproval to especially in a gentle, earnest, or solicitous manner
2 : to give friendly earnest advice or encouragement to
The thought of admonishing others can be very stressful for me. I appreciate when others admonish me, in love, because I am teachable and I always want to know if something I am doing is causing someone else pain or in any way taking away from my testimony.
Not everyone feels that way, and admonishment isn't always easy.
This morning I had a phone conversation with a good friend who was going to take a highschool student to see a movie that I personally thought would hinder both of them spiritually. It was so hard for me to call that person, and tell him that I thought that he should rethink his movie choice. I was afraid that he would take it as a judgment or an attack.
I almost didn't call him at all, but I had this check in my spirit and I knew that I couldn't rest until I at least warned him.
He received it well and promised to pray about it. I let him know that if it truly was the Lord, that God would reveal it to him as well. We have to be very careful that if someone gives us a word from God, we weigh it, pray about it, and ask God to reveal to us His truth. Why would God reveal something to me about another person without revealing it to that person as well?
I love this lesson in Ezekiel 2 because it reminds us that while we are responsible TO each other, to admonish each other in love, we are not responsible FOR each other. What others choose to do with our admonishment is completely out of our hands, and we can rest knowing that we were obedient, as we release them unto the Lord.
KSW
What's In Your Lasagna?
When you make a lasagna, or shepherd's pie, or chicken pot pie, or anything like it, you'll notice that the subtle ingredients like pearl onions, leeks, herbs, and turnips, are what give the entire dish flavor. However, they only really flavor the entire dish when the whole thing is placed inside of the oven and the heat comes on. The heat is what causes the ingredients to leak juices and to flavor the whole meal.
It's the same with us. It is our subtle ingredients (impatience, bitterness, unforgiveness, selfishness, pride) that flavor us when the heat comes on.
This has been an incredible season for me. I have been inside the oven for hours and what I found is that my ingredients have made the meal unedible. I do not taste good.
Lord Jesus, give me your ingredients (love, joy, peace, patience, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control), so that next time, when the heat comes on, my dish would be delicious.
KSW
It's the same with us. It is our subtle ingredients (impatience, bitterness, unforgiveness, selfishness, pride) that flavor us when the heat comes on.
This has been an incredible season for me. I have been inside the oven for hours and what I found is that my ingredients have made the meal unedible. I do not taste good.
Lord Jesus, give me your ingredients (love, joy, peace, patience, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control), so that next time, when the heat comes on, my dish would be delicious.
KSW
The Dentist's Chair
My mother told me about a new commercial where a young woman is sitting in her dentist's chair. He uses heavy metal tools to stretch her mouth open wide, as far as it will go. Once she is as uncomfortable as possible, he says, "Wait here, I'll be right back" and then he leaves the room.
That is the perfect picture for what God did to me this fall. He stretched me beyond my limits and as I was screaming out in pain and discomfort, he left the room.
Ouch.
I am happy to report that he has come back. God is in the room.
KSW
That is the perfect picture for what God did to me this fall. He stretched me beyond my limits and as I was screaming out in pain and discomfort, he left the room.
Ouch.
I am happy to report that he has come back. God is in the room.
KSW
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