So I'm teaching a lesson on Isaiah 40 tomorrow in Sunday School. I've been reading over this chapter for the last month or two now, and I continue to learn new things every time I read it! Some of my favorite verses come at the end of the chapter.
While most of the verses describe the greatness and incredible power of God, these last few reveal the balance between God's majesty and also his personal concern for us, his children. It is a reminder not only that God holds everything together in the universe, but he also has planned out and cares for every aspect of our lives - even to the point of strengthening the weary or giving the ability to walk faithfully through the trials of everyday life.
Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God?"
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasing God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
- Isaiah 40:27-31
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Sunday, November 19, 2006
two wrecks, three months.
so, i wrecked my car today. the car i bought two months ago. here's a nice before picture.
and here's the after picture.
yep, it sucks. goodbye a lot of money. luckily i still have the geo to take to work while the honda is getting fixed. luckily no one was hurt, and the other car actually doesn't look that bad. it was really new, though - a 2006 toyota corolla. so, if you're in the market for sturdy cars, the corolla's a good bet.
and here's the after picture.
yep, it sucks. goodbye a lot of money. luckily i still have the geo to take to work while the honda is getting fixed. luckily no one was hurt, and the other car actually doesn't look that bad. it was really new, though - a 2006 toyota corolla. so, if you're in the market for sturdy cars, the corolla's a good bet.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
living hope
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven for you.
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
- 1 Peter 1:3-4, 6-7
And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
- Romans 5:2-5
Lord, give me this living hope. Even when I have to face suffering and difficult times, help me to keep this heavenly perspective. May I always remember that you don't allow me to go through suffering without using it to develop character and faith, and to bring honor and glory to you. Help me to be a person that rejoices in trials of many kinds because I know you are changing me to be more like you. Not that the trials and sufferings are good in themselves. But that you are greater than any trial Satan might put into my life - you can bring good out of what was planned for evil.
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
- 1 Peter 1:3-4, 6-7
And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
- Romans 5:2-5
Lord, give me this living hope. Even when I have to face suffering and difficult times, help me to keep this heavenly perspective. May I always remember that you don't allow me to go through suffering without using it to develop character and faith, and to bring honor and glory to you. Help me to be a person that rejoices in trials of many kinds because I know you are changing me to be more like you. Not that the trials and sufferings are good in themselves. But that you are greater than any trial Satan might put into my life - you can bring good out of what was planned for evil.
Monday, November 6, 2006
cry out to jesus
one year. three people gone. why?
what do you do when your heart aches for the people you care about who have lost a person so dear and precious to them? what do you do when everything reminds you of someone - when you realize you'll never get to see their face or hear their voice on this side of heaven?
this past week, these past few months, this past year has been a tough one for me. not that God didn't bless me with good things and funny memories and dear friends - because he did. i don't want to be negative and pessimistic, but i do want to be real. i think we always try to push the brevity of life out of our consciousness, but we can't escape it for long. who knows if you will be given tomorrow? or your next breath? i think about other people around the world - people who have it a lot worse than i do. people who have lost everything: family, friends, possesions, safety, security. it doesn't lessen the pain i feel, but it does remind me to feel the pain of others. it does remind me to pray for others. and maybe that's not such a bad thing either.
lately, i've been reading lamentations. these people really had a reason to cry. it seemed like God had turned his back on them. their city was invaded by the enemy - and nothing was left standing. people were homeless, starving, taken captive, or killed. jeremiah had been a faithful prophet and warned the people to turn back to God, yet he still had to go through this horrifying experience. most of the book describes the misery and desolation of jerusalem. however, in chapter 3 there is a glimpse of hope.
"I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.
Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.'
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. For men are not cast off by the Lord forever.
Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men."
- Lamentations 3:19-26,31-33
"because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed." what powerful words! even when it feels like everything around you is falling apart, we can know that God's love for us is great. sometimes there is pain so great that no one can comfort us but a God who is infinitely loving.
To everyone who's lost someone they love
Long before it was their time
You feel like the days you had were not enough
when you said goodbye
And to all of the people with burdens and pains
Keeping you back from your life
You believe that there's nothing and there is no one
Who can make it right
There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus
When you're lonely
And it feels like the whole world is falling on you
You just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
- Third Day "Cry to Jesus"
what do you do when your heart aches for the people you care about who have lost a person so dear and precious to them? what do you do when everything reminds you of someone - when you realize you'll never get to see their face or hear their voice on this side of heaven?
this past week, these past few months, this past year has been a tough one for me. not that God didn't bless me with good things and funny memories and dear friends - because he did. i don't want to be negative and pessimistic, but i do want to be real. i think we always try to push the brevity of life out of our consciousness, but we can't escape it for long. who knows if you will be given tomorrow? or your next breath? i think about other people around the world - people who have it a lot worse than i do. people who have lost everything: family, friends, possesions, safety, security. it doesn't lessen the pain i feel, but it does remind me to feel the pain of others. it does remind me to pray for others. and maybe that's not such a bad thing either.
lately, i've been reading lamentations. these people really had a reason to cry. it seemed like God had turned his back on them. their city was invaded by the enemy - and nothing was left standing. people were homeless, starving, taken captive, or killed. jeremiah had been a faithful prophet and warned the people to turn back to God, yet he still had to go through this horrifying experience. most of the book describes the misery and desolation of jerusalem. however, in chapter 3 there is a glimpse of hope.
"I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.
Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.'
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. For men are not cast off by the Lord forever.
Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men."
- Lamentations 3:19-26,31-33
"because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed." what powerful words! even when it feels like everything around you is falling apart, we can know that God's love for us is great. sometimes there is pain so great that no one can comfort us but a God who is infinitely loving.
To everyone who's lost someone they love
Long before it was their time
You feel like the days you had were not enough
when you said goodbye
And to all of the people with burdens and pains
Keeping you back from your life
You believe that there's nothing and there is no one
Who can make it right
There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus
When you're lonely
And it feels like the whole world is falling on you
You just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
- Third Day "Cry to Jesus"
Monday, October 16, 2006
my first post
so, i decided to move over to the blogger world. basically, i didn't like having my full name on my xanga site, and i like the way blogger pages look better than xanga.
i've had quite the interesting month. between attending a lynyrd skynyrd concert, buying a new car, riding a motorcycle to cassoday on a motorcycle rally, teaching middle school kids, and delivering gifts to the doorsteps of my friends at night, i've kept rather busy.
if you would have asked me a year ago to describe my plans for life after graduation, it would be COMPLETELY different from what i'm actually doing right now. not that its a bad thing. i'm definitely learning to be flexible, as well as learning to trust God. its so good to know i'm right where God wants me to be - and He's continuing to show me how i can become a better follower of Him.
i've had quite the interesting month. between attending a lynyrd skynyrd concert, buying a new car, riding a motorcycle to cassoday on a motorcycle rally, teaching middle school kids, and delivering gifts to the doorsteps of my friends at night, i've kept rather busy.
if you would have asked me a year ago to describe my plans for life after graduation, it would be COMPLETELY different from what i'm actually doing right now. not that its a bad thing. i'm definitely learning to be flexible, as well as learning to trust God. its so good to know i'm right where God wants me to be - and He's continuing to show me how i can become a better follower of Him.
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