Praise

"Destined For The Throne," it reads "If the highest function of angelic hosts is praise, it follows logically that the highest function of the human spirit must also be praise. Ever-increasing approximation to the infinitely lovely Character of God is the most sublime goal of all creation. This is the sumn um bonum, the greatest good, the highest joy, the most exquisite delight, the supreme rapture, and the most ravishing transport of the human spirit. Just as antagonism, hostility, and cursing against God exercises and strengthens all that is most abominable, diabolical, and base in the human spirit, so worship and praise of the infinitely lovely God exercises, reinforces, and strengthens all that is most sublime, transcendent, and divine in the inner being.

Thus as one worships and praises, he is continually transformed step by step, from glory to glory, into the image of the infinitely happy God. Here is one of the greatest values of praise: it decentralizes self. The worship and praise of God demands a shift of center from self to God. One cannot praise without relinquishing occupation with self."

Psalm 19:7-14 (Contemporary English Version)

I went through multiple versions this morning and this one resonated with me the best. I'm going to memorize it :)

Psalm 19:7-14
Contemporary English Version (CEV)


7The Law of the LORD is perfect;

it gives us new life.

His teachings last forever,

and they give wisdom

to ordinary people.

8The LORD's instruction is right;

it makes our hearts glad.

His commands shine brightly,

and they give us light.

9Worshiping the LORD is sacred;

he will always be worshiped.

All of his decisions

are correct and fair.

10They are worth more

than the finest gold

and are sweeter than honey

from a honeycomb.

11By your teachings, Lord,

I am warned;

by obeying them,

I am greatly rewarded.

12None of us know our faults.

Forgive me when I sin

without knowing it.

13Don't let me do wrong

on purpose, Lord,

or let sin have control

over my life.

Then I will be innocent,

and not guilty

of some terrible fault.

14Let my words and my thoughts

be pleasing to you, LORD,

because you are my mighty rock [a] and my protector.

Psalm 19:7-14

I usually go to facebook or my favorite book right after I make Nate's breakfast if I don't have school. But today I reached for my bible.

It wasn't out of obligation or because I felt it would make God happier with me. But just because . . . I wanted it. I wanted it in my hand, I wanted to glean something about God from it. It wasn't a big moment, I didn't feel super empowered or anything, I just wanted to hold a piece of Him . . . if that makes sense.

Anyway, I know it's not most ppl's favorite way of going to the word, but I just opened it and decided to read what I landed on. Boy am I glad! God can lead. Pshhh to all the haters.

So I came to Psalms 19. And verses 7-14 were perfect for what I'm experiencing right now.

God's Instructions on How to Live My Life:
-Perfect
-Change me
-Revive my Soul
-Trustworthy
-Make me Wise
-Right
-Give Joy to my Heart
-Radiant
-Give light to my eyes
-Pure
-Sure
-Righteous
-Better than Money (gold)
-Sweeter than food (honey)
-warn me from trouble
-offer me a reward

My Part + Consequences
-Overeating and turning to food for entertainment is a willful sin. I am not only choosing to sin against God, my Best Friend, but I'm delighting in it!
-Allowing this foothold to go on has put me in bondage, it truly rules over me.
-But God can keep me from it. I can be blameless and innocent of this.
-May my words and thoughts be pleasing to You God.

The Process (as it stands now)
1. Memorize.
-Get in the Word, allow God to lead me on this subject and get those Scriptures into my heart.
2. Pray.
-Pray at the start of the day, when I start to think about food to much, when the idea of food gives me a really happy feeling, while preparing a meal, when I'm about to eat, while I'm eating, after I eat and so on.
-That may seem ridiculous, but I'm not about to be that guy with the arrows who only pounded 3 times! I'm going to create a hole in the floor of my transgressions, I want to be delivered from my adversary, y'all so I'll do whatever it may take!
3. Trust.
-Do I trust that God will deliver me? He is so faithful. He has in the past and that's what I'll cling to this time too. There have been 2 very very very hard parts of my life and He's delivered me from both of them. Both times I thought it would never end, I thought I would struggle for the rest of my life. While I still have flare ups, I have been delivered! Seriously, I wish I could go into detail on something so public because it's just so cool!
4. Obey
-Trusting Him means being patient enough (Fruit of the Spirit) to allow Him to follow through on His promise to fight for me and deliver me. Often when the storm is at it's roughest.
-Resolving to refuse to sin against God and leaning on Jesus' enabling power to keep me from sinning. His grace is sufficient and His power is made perfect in my weakness. Rest on me Jesus.

Morgan

My Golden Calf

Wow. After making Nate's breakfast I came in here and wanted to go to my bible first. I think it's true that the more you taste, the more you want. Yesterday I went through the highlighted parts of Jeremiah in my bible and had a deep talk with God. I asked Him to forgive me and to restore me into a right relationship with Him.

Right now, I'm seeing that the way I interact with food needs to change. I keep trying to fix it my own way: looking stuff up, following ppl who have had success, trying to put the pieces together in my mind and experimenting with different factors to try and get fit! It's exhausting and despite my best efforts, hasn't been going as I planned.

I need a biblical perspective. Candace Cameron Bure's book Reshaping It All, talked about how we can try to morally sweep out the house, but as Jesus said in Matthew, the demon will come back with 7 more. It's not enough to do things in my own strength. I need spiritual Reformation. I need for God to change me and for the Holy Spirit to lead me moment by moment as Christ enables me to follow through.

She also gave me chills in writing about the people of Israel and the golden calf. God brought them deliverance but they wanted to go back to captivity before waiting long enough to see God come through and do His work. They clung to and worshiped their golden calf instead of God. O how that describes me and food.

So I want to hand this to Him. Doing it for the right reasons as He changes my desires. I've also emailed some Christian women I know asking for prayer. It was so embarrassing! I know it shouldn't be but still - it was hard to do. But I think there's power in that and I need all the help I can get ;D

Morgan

John

john!

http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/62-3/certainties-of-the-word-of-life-part-2

http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/eternal-life-has-appeared-in-christ

http://preceptaustin.org/spurgeon_on_1John-pt1.htm#fwtfats

Goodness

GOOD, GOODNESS
When was the last time you paused to ponder the goodness of God? Would you consider taking a moment today from your busy schedule, finding a quiet place, turning off your cell phone, and choosing to purposefully set your mind on the things above rather than the things of this earth, which is passing away, and even it's lusts?
Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? (Ro 2:4-note)
Then Moses said, "I pray Thee, show me Thy glory!" And He said, "I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion. (Exodus 33:18,19)
Have adverse circumstances caused you to struggle with whether you really believe God is good? Beloved, if this describes you (and it probably describes all of us from time to time if we are honest), then try this exercise over the next few days (cp Ps 27:13, 14,). Ponder (cp Meditate; Primer on Biblical Meditation) the following passages (you will derive the most value by reading them in context) that relate to the goodness of God. Make a list of your observations (observation), as you ask simple questions (interrogate with the 5W'S & H - eg, What must I do to understand God's goodness? Ps Ps 86:5, 34:8 Who can expect to be the beneficiary of God's goodness? Ps 31:19; How long can we expect to bask in His goodness? Ps 23:6 Whenwill the Lord's goodness cease? Ps 100:5 - you get the idea! Simple questions that yield profound answers!)
Praise to the Lord, Who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.
(Play hymn - cp Ps 135:3)
Ask God to lead you into all the truth about His goodness, yielding yourself to the truth He illuminates (Ps 119:68). The truth of His great goodness can be ignored (cp Ne 9:35). Let the water of His Word wash over you and renew your mind (cp effect on one's heart, our "control center" - 1Ki 8:66). Truth always demands a response. What shall we say to the goodness of God? Trust and obey. Turn the truths you glean into a time of worship, praising and thanksgiving to Him for His infinite, eternal goodness poured out richly through Christ Jesus our Lord (cp David's declaration in Ps 16:2).
Therefore my songs, my Savior,
E’en in this time of woe,
Shall tell of all Thy goodness
To suff’ring man below;
Thy goodness and Thy favor,
Whose presence from above
Rejoice those hearts, my Savior,
That live in Thee and love.
(Play hymn)
Pastor Ray Pritchard says that...
God's goodness is the answer to the question: Is this a friendly universe? The answer is yes; when we come to the end of our thinking we find that behind the vastness of this universe stands a God who cares about what he has made. He is not indifferent (as in stoicism) or undecided (as in dualism) or absent (as in atheism), but he is fully involved for the good of the universe because he himself is a good God. (God is So Good - Recommended Sermon - Dr Pritchard discusses numerous practical ways that God is good to the unsaved and the saved)
Some passages to ponder on God's goodness: For the greatest benefit from the following Scriptures, read the text, not passively but consciously and actively "interrogating" the text (interrogate with the 5W'S & H), making a list in your life journal of what the Spirit of Christ (Ro 8:9-note) teaches you (1Jn 2:27, Jn 14:26, 16:13) about God and about man. Obey any instructions or commands you encounter, as you allow the Holy Spirit to renew your mind and to "cultivate faithfulness" (NAS, Ps 37:3-see note). Then offer prayers and praise to your Father for graciously teaching you these profitable truths (cp 2Ti 3:16, 17-notes).
Ex 1:20, 18:9, 33:18, 19, 34:6 Dt 30:9 2Sa 2:6 1Ki 8:66 1Chr 16:34; 2Chr 5:13; 7:3, 7:10 Neh 9:25,35 Ps 16:2, 17:7, 23:6, 25:7, 8, 9, 10, 27:13, 31:19; 33:5, 34:8, 36:7, 52:1,9; 65:4, 68:10,19, 69:16, 73:1, 86:5, 100:5, 106:1, 107:1, 109:21, 118:1,29, 119:64, 68, 135:3, 136:1, 139:17,18; 143:10; 144:3; 145:7, 9, 145:7, 8, 9, Isa 63:7 Je 31:14, 33:11 La 3:25, Ho 3:5, Na 1:7, Mt 19:17, Mk 10:18, Lk 1:53, 18:19, Ro 2:4; 11:22; Titus 3:4; Jas 1:5,17
Father of everlasting grace,
Thy goodness and Thy truth we praise,
Thy goodness and Thy truth we prove;
Thou hast, in honor of Thy Son,
The gift unspeakable sent down,
The Spirit of life, and power and love.
(Play hymn)
Thee will I praise among thine own;
Thee will I to the world extol,
And make Thy truth and goodness known:
Thy goodness, Lord, is over all;
(Play hymn)
“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
(Play hymn)
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
(Play hymn)
God is the source of all good and goodness, and He alone defines what is good. All that He is and all that He does is good. This truth transcends the capacity of our minds to fully comprehend, but one day we will see Him in all His supreme, majestic goodness...
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known. (1Cor 13:12)
I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD. (Ps 27:13, 14)
Most of us often mistakenly equate the goodness of God with the “rightness” of our circumstances. We’re like the little girl who, when she got what she wanted, exclaimed, “God must really like me!” Or conversely, when things aren't going our way, we say, “Why is God punishing me like this?”But our circumstances are not an accurate reflection of God’s goodness. Whether life is good or bad, God’s goodness, rooted in His character, is the same. As John Blanchard so ably phrased it...
Nothing good comes except from God and nothing except good comes from God.
Count your many blessings,
Name them one by one,
And it will surprise you
What the Lord has done
Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology...
God's goodness is a bedrock truth of Scripture. His goodness is praised in the psalms (Ps 25:8; 34:8; 86:5; 100:5; 118:1; 136:1; 145:9). Jesus affirms the Father's goodness when speaking to the rich young ruler (Matt 19:17; Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19). In 1Peter 2:3 Peter echoes the language of Psalm 34:8: "Taste and see that the Lord is good!"'

Although we might discuss God's goodness in some abstract philosophical sense, in Scripture his goodness appears most clearly in his dealings with people. He is not only good in general, but he is good to us (Ps 23:6-note; Ps 68:10-note; Ps 73:1-note; Ps 119:65-note; Ps 145:9-note; La 3:25; Luke 6:35; Ro 2:4-note; Ro 11:22-note; Eph 2:7-note; Titus 3:4-note). Human goodness is modeled on divine goodness (Mt 5:48-note). For human beings goodness involves right behavior, expresses itself in kindness and other praiseworthy qualities, includes avoiding evil, and springs from the inner person.

It is nearly impossible to think about goodness in the abstract. In Scripture goodness always involves particular ways of behaving. Because God is good, he is good to his people; when people are good they behave decently toward each other, based on God's goodness to them. Moses' invitation to Hobab expresses this emphasis: "Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel" (Nu 10:29). The general biblical words for "good/ goodness" include this idea of right behavior, although the idea is often expressed by means of a more specific term like "upright/uprightness" or "righteous/righteousness." (See full article - Good, goodness)
Edward Carnell (in his book Christian Commitment) rightly reminds us that...
God never urges himself to be good, because He is good.
John Piper comments on Carnell's declaration...
That is His nature always inclines irresistibly toward righteousness. God is never torn by evil motives. God is light and in Him is no darkness at all (1Jn 1:5). So He does not need to be reminded about the duty of His deity. No one needs to say, "Now today, God, mind Your manners, do what's right, avoid evil, remember the ten commandments." (Walk by the Spirit! Desiring God Christian Resource Library)

EASTON'S BIBLE DICTIONARY: GOODNESS OF GOD
A perfection of His character which He exercises towards His creatures according to their various circumstances and relations (Ps 145:8,9; Ps 103:8; 1Jn 4:8). Viewed generally, it is benevolence; as exercised with respect to the miseries of His creatures it is mercy, pity, compassion, and in the case of impenitent sinners, long-suffering patience; as exercised in communicating favor on the unworthy it is grace.
Goodness and justice are the several aspects of one unchangeable, infinitely wise, and sovereign moral perfection. God is not sometimes merciful and sometimes just, but he is eternally infinitely just and merciful."
God is infinitely and unchangeably good (Zeph 3:17), and his goodness is incomprehensible by the finite mind (Ro 11:35, 36-notes).
High in the heavens, eternal God,
Thy goodness in full glory shines;
Thy truth shall break through every cloud
That veils and darkens Thy designs.
--Isaac Watts
><>><>><>
God is good in Himself; that is, He is perfectly holy; but this is not the goodness which comes into consideration here. It is God's goodness in action, which reveals itself in doing well unto others, that is now under contemplation. It may be defined as that perfection of God which prompts Him to deal bounteously and kindly with all His creatures. It is the affection which the Creator feels toward the sentient creatures as such. As manifested towards His rational creatures, it is sometimes called His love of benevolence or His common grace, to designate the fact that its bounties are undeserved. The Bible refers to it in many places, such as Ps 36:6-note; Ps 104:21-note; Ps 145:8, 9, 16-note; Mt. 5:45-note; Mt 6:26-note; Acts 14:17. (Louis Berkhof - Manual of Christian Doctrine)
Good when He gives, supremely good,
Nor less when He denies,
E'en crosses from His sovereign hand
Are blessings in disguise.
--James Hervey
><>><>><>
God's goodness appears in two things, giving and forgiving. When God gives it is a reflection of His goodness and conversely anything that is truly good comes from the hand of the good God. It was Matthew Henry who said that "He who feeds his birds will not starve his babes." And so it is only appropriate as one person has said that God's giving rightfully deserves our thanksgiving.
His love has no limit,
His grace has no measure,
His power has no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again!
Annie Johnson Flint
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Ray Stedman commenting on Ps 23:6-note has said that goodness and mercy are God's "sheep dogs"...
In referring to the goodness and mercy of God, he is referring to the sheep dogs that nip at the heels of the flock and keep them in line, driving them into place. "Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my life," nipping at my heels, humiliating me, turning me back from that which looks good but is really evil, keeping me from getting what I think I need, and what I think I want. But in the end we must name these what God names them -- goodness and mercy!" (from Love's Disciplines)
Sinclair Ferguson phrased it this way...
God has two sheepdogs: Goodness and Mercy (Ps 23:6-note). He sends them to us from His throne of grace; sometimes to bark at us, to badger us; sometimes to woo us by persuading us that His will is good and perfect for our lives.
God is Good Not Just Powerful from Knowing God Through The Whole Bible by Radio Bible Class Ministries
In our world, absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely. But not with God. Our all-powerful God is full of goodness. His goodness is expressed in everything He does. Even His acts of judgment are part of His goodness. When He created our world, everything He made was good....Because God is good, we conclude that:

(1) We can believe what He says to us.
(2) We can have confidence in waiting for His rescue.
(3) We can entrust our future to His care.
(4) We can rely on His wisdom and guidance.
(5) We can know that what He asks us to do is always the best for us....
(1) What are some examples of God's goodness to all people?
(2) Is God ever against you? How do you know?
(3) How is God's goodness expressed in His justice? In His mercy? In His love? In His anger?
(4) How have you responded to God's goodness in the last week?
(5) Have you personally experienced God's goodness as it is expressed in the salvation offered in Jesus Christ?
The goodness of God is the expression of both His love and righteousness to His creatures in general. It is that aspect of God’s character that promotes the happiness of His creatures. Goodness includes God’s kindness as seen in mercy and grace. God’s goodness includes His benevolence, mercy, and grace.
Scriptures: Ex 34:6; Ps 25:7, 8; 33:5; 68:10; 145:7; Neh 9:25; Ro 2:4; 1Ti 4:4.
Thy goodness, Lord, our souls confess,
Thy goodness we adore:
A spring, whose blessings never fail,
A sea without a shore.
(Play)
For a somewhat more "rousing" song on the goodness of our great God, watch Don Moen sing - God is Good or if you want a bit of country listen to Keith Urban's God is Good or a young child singing God is So Good

TORREY'S TOPIC: GOODNESS:

Is part of His character-Ps 25:8; Nah 1:7; Mt 19:17

Great -Neh 9:35; Zec 9:17
Rich -Ps 104:24; Ro 2:4
Abundant -Ex 34:6; Ps 33:5
Satisfying -Ps 65:4; Jer 31:12,14
Enduring -Ps 23:6; 52:1
Universal -Ps 145:9; Mt 5:45
MANIFESTED:
To his Church -Ps 31:19; La 3:25
In doing good -Ps 119:68; 145:9
In supplying temporal wants -Acts 14:17
In providing for the poor -Ps 68:10

In forgiving sins -2Chr 30:18; Ps 86:5
Leads to repentance -Ro 2:4
Recognize, in his dealings -Ezra 8:18; Neh 2:18
Pray for the manifestation of -2Th 1:11
Despise not -Ro 2:4
Reverence -Jer 33:9; Hos 3:5
Magnify -Ps 107:8; Jer 33:11
Urge others to confide in -Ps 34:8
The wicked disregard -Neh 9:35

RELATED RESOURCES
GOODNESS
Attributes of God - The Goodness of God and the Existence of Evil - by Dr S Lewis Johnson - Recommended Resource - includes Mp3, Pdf or MS Word document. This is only one study out of over 100 in depth lectures by Dr Johnson on Systematic Theology including studies of the doctrines of God, Christ, the Spirit, Prayer, Salvation, etc. (click for this extensive list)
Note by C H Spurgeon on the Goodness of God
The Goodness of God by A.W. TOZER
Exodus 33:18-23 God's Glory and His Goodness sermon by C H Spurgeon
Good, Goodness in Baker's Evangelical Dictionary
God Is So Good! - Psalm 107:1 by Ray Pritchard
Goodness of God by Barry Horner
"Thanks to our 'Always Good' God" - Bethany Bible Church
God is Good - Devotional by Anne Cetas
Joy On The Journey - Vernon C. Grounds
Drifting Away - Devotional by Joe Stowell
God is Good - Devotional by Herbert Vander Lugt
God is Good, God is Great - Devotional by Julie Ackerman Link
Taste And Say! - Devotional by Joanie Yoder
His Good Purpose - Devotional by Joanie Yoder
The Goodness of God Series at Bible.org
Let Me See Thy Glory - A Study of the Attributes of God by Bob Deffinbaugh
The Goodness of God by A. W. Pink
Suffering many messages on this topic by John Piper
Why Would A Good God Allow Suffering? Brief Biblically based booklet on this oft difficult to understand and accept doctrine from Radio Bible Class, Discovery House Publishing
God Is So Good from The Joy of Knowing God by Richard L. Strauss
Excerpt: Sit down with someone close to you and rehearse some of the good things God has done for you through the years. Then respond to Him with thanksgiving and praise. If you are presently facing some trial, think of some of the good things God could be teaching you through it.
O THOU FROM WHOM ALL GOODNESS FLOWS
by Thomas Haweis
(Play Hymn)
O Thou, from Whom all goodness flows,
I lift my heart to Thee;
In all my sorrows, conflicts, woes,
Dear Lord, remember me.

When groaning on my burdened heart
My sins lie heavily,
My pardon speak, new peace impart;
In love remember me.

Temptations sore obstruct my way,
And ills I cannot flee:
O give me strength, Lord, as my day;
For good remember me.

Distressed with pain, disease, and grief,
This feeble body see;
Grant patience, rest, and kind relief:
Hear and remember me.

If on my face, for Thy dear Name,
Shame and reproaches be,
All hail reproach, and welcome shame,
If Thou remember me.

The hour is near; consigned to death,
I own the just decree;
“Savior,” with my last parting breath
I’ll cry, “Remember me.”

Circumcision

Existed elsewhere in the ancient Near East but here it achieved a new meaning.

Genesis 17

By this symbol God impressed them with the impurity of nature and with dependence on God for the production of all life.

They would recognize and remember:

• that native impurity must be laid aside, especially in marriage
• that human nature is unable to generate the promised seed

They must be loyal to the family. Any Israelite who refused to be cut physically in this way would be cut off (separated) from his people because of his disobedience to God's command.

Elsewhere Scripture refers to circumcision as a symbol of separation, purity, and loyalty to the covenant. Moses said that God would circumcise the hearts of His people so that they might be devoted to Him.

Deut. 30:6

The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts means that God will graciously grant the nation a new will to obey Him in place of their former spiritual insensitivity and stubbornness. With their new "heart" they will remain committed and experience abundant blessing.

-O God, give me a new will to obey You! Tie my heart to you like a fetter that I may not wonder! Strip me of my insensitivity towards You and what You love/hate. Take away my stubbornness that I may follow You in a committed relationship and experience fellowship with You as Your face shines my direction.

Paul wrote that "circumcision of the heart" (i.e. being inwardly set apart "by the Spirit") evidences salvation and fellowship with God.

Romans 2:28-29

Circumcision of the heart fulfills "the spirit" of God's law. A circumcised heart is one that is separated from the world and dedicated to God. Receiving praise not from men, but from God who sees our inward natures (Matt 6: 4; 6) and discerns our hearts (Heb 4:12).

- Search me, O God and know my heart! Test me and know my anxious thoughts! See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me to the way everlasting! Separate me from this world. And may You be pleased by what You see in me. O God give me the motivation that's required for me to be right with You. I don't have it on my own. I can't find it or make it up. I need You more than I'll ever know.

One must turn in confidence to God and His promises, laying aside natural strength.

-gag! I so suck at this! I trust so much in MY ability, intellect, and know-how. My grades. :( Also Nathan and even our finances. Grant that I may confidently look to You alone and trust whole-heartedly in Your promises because You are faithful and because I have nothing to offer. The things I trust in could be gone tomorrow, but You will remain. Strong, steady, true, and loving me all the while.

Unbelief is described as having an uncircumcised heart.

- If I don't "trust and obey" (unbelief) I have an uncircumcised heart. I need You every hour. Stay Thou near by. Temptations loose their power when Thou art neigh!

Jer. 9:26

If personal achievement or ability would not place God (v. 23), neither would outward conformity to the religious rituals. God would punish those circumcised only in the flesh because they were really uncircumcised in heart.

-God we've been talking about this one. Please keep me from going through the motions of doing what I understand as "right" out of fear of punishment or messing up my future/wanting to be the good girl. Give me a deep reverence for You. May the fragrance of my life be pleasing to You because it pours out of a heart that fears You because it knows and loves You.

O that I might have an circumcised heart. Cut the flesh of me and others who call on Your Name. Give us circumcised hearts for Your sake. For our sake.

A Chain of Communication

Where do I even begin??!

As I wrote in the last "Heavenly Conversations" blog I feel like God is talking to me! It's so craZy but as I seek Him out more, and seek out His will with Nathan for us and myself, I feel He's answering!!

Last night in prayer meeting, we read 1 Peter 1:13-2:2. Here's how things stuck out to me:

15: Just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;

• Jesus wants me to be holy in all I do - the way I keep the house, the way I eat, how I act/speak at school or wherever.
• I've been reading about the Proverbs 31 woman and praying that more of her qualities will be attributed to me.

THEN 17, Father:

• First of all, I LOVE LOVE referring to God as Abba. We used to have a pretty touch and go relationship: I focused on Jesus and touched base with God when I felt guilty about giving Jesus too much attention. I felt like God was there, but we operated on a reward/punishment basis, with Jesus acting as my buffer and translator. True, Jesus is the reason I can communicate with God, but now I see God as my Father. Loving, caring, comforting, protecting, providing. It's hard to put all this into words but I'm falling so in love with Him. I'm seeing Him so differently. He's not up there with a wheel of "fortune" that He spins each day to decide what's going to befall me that day. He's intricately working in my life to make me more like His Son and giving good gifts to His children.

-Also, reverent fear:

• In my book (some night last week) the last point I read about was how yes the P 31 woman was amazing, but her motivation for her lifestyle was that she feared the LORD.
• I think I've lived a lot of my life being the "good girl" because I fear getting in trouble, and I also like knowing that I'm doing the "right" thing in the "right" way. So this called me out: "Am I really living this way because I have a reverent fear for God or because I have a fear of punishment/the future." It's a powerful question because "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18). O God give me a reverent fear for You!
• At church on (SUNDAY) we started the story of Joseph in Genesis. One of the things that stuck out to me was that Israel (Jacob, in Gen 37:11) just like Mary (Luke 2:19&51) were mindful of the fact their little families were a part of God's big plan. That it's not just about their lives, but God's divine purpose and mission that they're a apart of. - This is significant for me because I am SO wrapped up in my family. I LOVE being with Nathan and turn down many events if I know he can't be with me - I'd rather be with him! And I spend a lot of time reading, praying, and learning about how to be a good wife and mother. I have this idea in my head of my cute little christian family but what a Sin it would be for me to "go by God's playbook" for families but never enlist them for the real action! By this I mean, It's our job to raise our kids in the way God would have us do it, but they are HIS. Nate's His too. I have to be willing to allow God to use us and them in whatever way He sees best. Playing by the rules is great, but if you haven't scored any points by the end of the game, you didn't "earn any interest" (Matthew 25:14-30).

18: the empty way of life:

• This one's kind of personal, but lately I've been thinking about how my rebellion (Thanks to a different book "Your Whole Life"s devotions for this week! How cool!) robs me of the life God wants me to have. And how following His ways in how I should dress, eat, clean, spend my time are LIFE GIVING. His way of doing things keeps me from having an empty life - an empty life full of death and self. I don't want to loose sight of this because discipline is HARD! But I'm trusting that it's worth it.

22: by obeying the truth:

My book also talked about it all comes down to "trust and obey." By doing so I can "Purify myself" and that will lead to a sincere, DEEP love for my brothers (relates to Phil 1:9-11 from last time!)

19-21: Jesus.

I'm not doing this on my own. Yes my FATHER calls me to live a HOLY life out of a REVERENT FEAR for Him so that I can turn away from an EMPTY WAY OF LIFE and OBEY and trust Him but He has not left me on my own to do it:

• Through a chosen decision before anything existed, the pure and precious, blood of my Savior, Brother, and Best Friend, shed for my sake has made me believe in God and has put my faith and hope in Him.
• By His blood I am saved from my life of darkness away from my Father and given a robe and a crown; invited into their house, seated at their table and waited on by the Savior of the World. O God I can't even breathe just thinking about it! O Jesus continue to live Your Life in me! Rid me of myself, absolutely everything that isn't pleasing to You; that isn't the Morgan You dreamed of: a Morgan filled with Jesus.

So basically, I've been seeing God's heart in everything lately. I feel that I have asked for Him and He is showing up. I have requested: "Show me! Show me the way You want me to live. Make Your ways and will clear to me. Guide me in them and keep me from evil, from myself" and HE'S SHOWING ME! It reminds me of what pastor Kitchen said "set loose the bloodhounds of your heart in search of God."

And as God has promised: "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jer. 29:13).

O Lord, keep me chasing after You. Draw me close to You. Arrest my will to Yours. Steal my heart. Compel me towards Your desires. May they be mine as well.

May it be so,

Morgan, a slave in the process of piercing her ear.

Hagar and Ishmael (Gen 16).

Chapter 16

Lack of faith led to the birth of Ishmael.

-God was developing and testing Abram's faith during the waiting.

-Human efforts to asist in divine purposes often complicate the matter.

1-6. Legal custom for a barren woman to give her maid to her husband and if a child was born, they could take him/her as their own. :( So Sarai's suggestion was unobjectionable according to they customs of that time. But God often repudiates social customs. Mistreated; same word used in Ex. 1:11-12 to describe Egypt's oppression of Israel.

-Abram, like Adam, followed the wrong advice from his wife.

Morgan: "reading about how Abram(Gen 16), like Adam(Gen 3), followed the wrong advice from his wife in the situation with Hagar. Makes me think about what an influential position we're in. . . Too impatient to wait for God's work to unfold we push our hubby's in the direction we want things to go and then, when it all blows up in our faces, we yell at them! Haha O man, what a messed up picture ;D"

7-16. I'm wondering why the angel of the Lord asked her questions. Maybe he did know, but it's also cool to think that angels obey God without knowing too ; )

God, saw Hagar, and she knew it. However, she was still to submit to an unfair/harsh treatment. It just makes me think about how many people think God's all about them being happy. Not that He's against our happiness, but that's not what it's ALL about. Sometimes He wills us to be in yucky places.

"How Abram must have been rebuked when she came back and told God said to name him 'Ishmael', 'God hears'."

Chapter 17

4-5. What was it like for Abram to tell ppl to start calling him Abraham (father of a multidue). That had to suck. I wonder if people laughed in his face. But every time he was called by that name it would be a reminder of God's promise.

9-14. See blog post on Circumcision.

15-18

Eternal (journal)

NAVE'S TOPICAL BIBLE: For the greatest benefit from the following Scriptures, read the text, not passively but instead consciously and actively "interrogating" the text (interrogate with the 5W'S & H), making a list in your life journal of what the Spirit of Christ (Ro 8:9-note) teaches you (1Jn 2:27, Jn 14:26, 16:13) about God and about man. Obey any instructions or commands you encounter, as you allow the Holy Spirit to renew your mind and to "cultivate faithfulness" (NAS, Ps 37:3-see note). Then offer prayers and praise to your Father for graciously teaching you these profitable, eternal truths (cp 2Ti 3:16, 17-notes).

Genesis 21:33;-

Exodus 3:15; 15:18; Deuteronomy 32:40; 33:27; 1Chronicles 16:36; 29:10; Nehemiah 9:5; Job 36:26;

Psalms 9:7; 33:11; 41:13; 55:19; 68:33; 90:1,2,4; 92:8; 93:2;102:12,24, 25, 26, 27; 104:31; 111:3; 135:13; 145:13; 146:10; Proverbs 8:23, 24, 25;

Isaiah 26:4; 40:28; 41:4; 43:13; 44:6; 46:4; 48:12; 57:15; 63:16;

Jeremiah 10:10; 17:12; Lamentations 5:19; Daniel 4:3,34; Micah 5:2; Habakkuk 1:12; 3:6;

Romans 1:20; 16:26; Ephesians 3:21; 1Timothy 1:17; 6:15,16;

Hebrews 1:8; 9:14; 2Peter 3:8; 1John 2:13;

Revelation 1:4,6; 4:8, 9, 10;5:14; 10:6; 11:17; 15:7; 16:5

Foreknowledge

FOREKNOWS FOREKNOWLEDGE

Foreknowledge describes God’s knowledge of future events, including future free human choices. In His omniscience God knows what the future holds both for individuals and for nations. He knows and sees everything in advance and His will is carried out in accord with His plans and purposes. Foreknowledge does not just describe the truth that God knew something would happen before it happened (although it is true that He did) but that He also gave prior consent to the happening. A common misconception is to conclude that God knew beforehand who would believe on His Son and then predestined those individuals for salvation. Thomas Constable commenting on God's foreknowledge in 1Peter 1:2 (see notes) writes that God’s foreknowledge has an element of determinism in it because whatever really happens that God knows beforehand exists or takes place because of His sovereign will. Therefore when Peter wrote that God chose according to His foreknowledge he did not mean that God chose the elect because He knew beforehand they would believe the gospel (the Arminian position). God chose them because He determined beforehand that they would believe the gospel (the Calvinist position; cf Ro 8:29, 30-see notes Ro 8:29; 30; Ep 1:3,4, 5, 6 -notes Ep 1:3; 1:4; 1:5; 1:6; 1Th 1:4-note; 1Pe 5:13-note). Warren Wiersbe says that Foreknowledge does not suggest that God merely knew ahead of time that we would believe, and therefore He chose us. This would raise the question, “Who or what made us decide for Christ?” and would take our salvation completely out of God’s hands. In the Bible, to foreknow means “to set one’s love on a person or persons in a personal way.” Commenting on Judas' betrayal of our Lord, Wiersbe writes that "before He chose His 12 Apostles, Jesus spent a whole night in prayer (Luke 6:12, 13, 14, 15, 16), so we must believe that it was the Father’s will that Judas be among them (John 8:29). But the selection of Judas did not seal his fate; rather, it gave him opportunity to watch the Lord Jesus closely, believe, and be saved. God in His sovereignty had determined that His Son would be betrayed by a friend, but divine foreknowledge does not destroy human responsibility or accountability. Judas made each decision freely and would be judged accordingly, even though he still fulfilled the decree of God (Acts 2:23)." (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary. 1989. Victor or Logos comments on Luke 22:14) Paul writes about foreknowledge in Romans 8:29 For (anytime you see "for" ask what it's there for? Here Paul is explaining how it is that God can work all things out for good for those who love Him) whom He foreknew (proginoskofrom pro = before + ginosko = know = to know about something before it happens, cf related Greek word prognosis - word study), He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren". (See Commentary) The truth is that the salvation of every believer is known and determined in the mind of God before its realization in time. This is "heavy" theology and I believe cannot be fully comprehended by finite men. Instead of complaining that God is not fair (as some who think too much on this attribute do) we should bow to the incredible truth that in eternity past, before Adam and Eve even sinned, God planned the redemption of undeserving sinners through Jesus Christ. Stated another way, the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden did not take God by surprise. He knew it would happen and He also knew and had planed what He would do in view of it and that His only Son would carry out His plan. The ultimate cause of Jesus’ death was God’s plan and foreknowledge. 1Peter 1:20 (see notes) teaches that Christ, the Lamb, was was foreknown before (proginosko) the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you" Christ was foreknown because God had planned and determined in His eternal counsel to provide His Son as a sacrifice for His people. The point is God's foreknowledge means more than that God knew ahead of time that Christ would come and die. God’s foreknowledge is the cause for His Son’s sacrifice–because He planned and decreed it. In other words... In His omniscience God knows what the future holds both for individuals and for nations. He knows and sees everything in advance and his will is carried out in accord with his plans and purposes...Foreknowledge is closely connected to election and predestination and to God's Sovereign rule of His universe. (Foreknowledge in Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. See also Elect, Election; God; Predestination)

John Piper warns of... An increasingly popular movement afoot today is called "open theism," which denies that God has exhaustive, definite foreknowledge of the. entire future. (Desiring God) (See Piper's online book Beyond the Bounds - in which he confronts the unsound doctrine of Open Theism) This modern school of so-called "scholars" ("open theists") believe among other things that God’s foreknowledge is limited, because of the limitations He has placed upon Himself in giving man free will. How incredible that finite men would dare describe any limitation to the infinite, omniscient, sovereign God. This website takes the conservative, classic approach as summed up nicely by Easton's dictionary which says that foreknowledge is one of those high attributes essentially appertaining to Him the full import of which we cannot comprehend. In the most absolute sense his knowledge is infinite.

Job alludes to God's foreknowledge declaring Since his days are determined, the number of his months is with Thee, and his limits Thou hast set so that he cannot pass." (Job 14:5, cf Ps. 139:16 - Spurgeon's commentary) God’s foreknowledge is much more than foresight. God does not know future events and human actions because He foresees them but He knows them because He wills them to happen. As Job states, not only is our life short but even our days and months are determined by God, with time limits beyond which no one can go. God knows and has determined the life span of every person every born! The fact that God knows and controls (sovereignty) our life span should not lead to despair but to the contrary should lead to assurance and hope, that our times are in His hands (Eccl 3:1, 2, 11a). Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary explains that God’s foreknowledge is much more than foresight. God does not know future events and human actions because He foresees them; He knows them because He wills them to happen. Thus God’s foreknowledge is an act of His will. (Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., Harrison, R. K., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary) John Macarthur comments on foreknowledge that A common explanation of election is that the elect are chosen because God knew beforehand what they would do. That defines foreknowledge as foresight. I've heard it explained that God looked down through the eons of history, saw by virtue of His omniscience what you and I would do, and then chose or didn't choose us based on whether we did or didn't believe. That at first sounds like a good explanation--but it's not the truth. There are several reasons for wanting to believe that God's foreknowledge means foresight. Our fallen nature desperately want some responsibility for our salvation. Likewise our fallen perspective makes God's sovereign choice appear unfair. But because our minds are polluted by sin, we are in no position to exalt our pride and call ourselves virtuous, or pull down the justice of God and call Him unfair." (Read Dr Macarthur's interesting explanation of why many men want to believe that foreknowledge is simply foresight. Scroll down to the section entitled "Man's Decline") (Bolding added)

NAVE'S TOPIC: For the greatest benefit from the following Scriptures, read the text, not passively but instead consciously and actively "interrogating" the text (interrogate with the 5W'S & H), making a list in your life journal of what the Spirit of Christ (Ro 8:9-note) teaches you (1Jn 2:27, Jn 14:26, 16:13) about God and about man. Obey any instructions or commands you encounter, as you allow the Holy Spirit to renew your mind and to "cultivate faithfulness" (NAS, Ps 37:3-see note). Then offer prayers and praise to your Father for graciously teaching you these profitable, eternal truths (cp 2Ti 3:16, 17-notes). 1Sa 23:10, 12; Isa 42:9; 44:7; 45:11; 46:9,10; 48:3,5,6; Jer 1:5; Da 2:28,29; Mt 6:8; 24:36; Acts 15:18; Ro 8:29; 11:2; 1Pe 1:2

RELATED RESOURCES FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD The Foreknowledge of God by A. W. Pink Resources on The Foreknowledge of God - John Piper) Foreknowledge - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Foreknowledge - Holman Bible Dictionary Foreknowledge - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology The Rejection of the Classical Doctrine of God And What It Says About the State of the Evangelical Movement by David Wells Jonathan Edwards on Foreknowledge Pt 1 ; Pt 2 by Sam Storms The Foreknowledge of God by Bob DeWaay God's Foreknowledge by Loraine Boettner Romans 8:29 Sermons/Notes Word Study on proginosko - foreknown Word Study on prognosis- foreknowledge Romans 8:29 Notes Romans 8:29-30: The Ultimate Security of Our Salvation Romans 8:28-30 Foreknown, Predestined, Conformed to Christ