Praise to you and I hope this blog today will assist you to go deeper with me in our journey of growth towards the awesome light that our Savior asks us (not forces us) to walk in. Praise to our Lord!
God's Riddle: I encountered this Psalm recently and I hope my interpretation is somewhat accurate. I will find out through the years now that I am so excited to read the Word of God. I found comfort in this. I think all of the answers to life's riddles are in this Book. What a relief! It's been here all along for me. I have picked it up, read it for years and followed the rule in our home growing up to respect it and never throw it, slam it or abuse it. Mom was really insistent about that. I have written in it over the years, highlighted in it, turned back pages, put roses from funerals in it. My tears have probably dropped on to its pages as well. I still have my white Bible from childhood. I should take some time and see what is in there from my younger years in faith. I had a Catholic Bible from 1997 until this year. It was worn out. I did dispose of it because it was worn out and also because the Life Application Study Bible is so much more helpful for me. I now have one of these at home and one at work. It just love it.
My goal with this blog is not just to have current believers (Holy Spirit covered believers) find some nourishment, but I hope that someone that reads it will be a someone like I was prior to my conversion which has been happening since January 2010. And still occurring. (Lifetime growth plan now. I am so happy to be here!)
I truly want someone to read this that has not had the Bible come to life for them personally to know that it can happen and it will happen and change their life. I am currently reading Live Like A Jesus Freak, Joe's copy, and it is an easy read and great for me right where I am at. I am hungry for this kind of food for me, having been filled with Satan and the world's lies my entire life. I absolutely was a fool and let that happen, but now I am on to this earthly plan that doesn't allow us to grow as believers or allow us to spread His wonderful message. It has us believing TV lies, song lyric lies, commercialism, etc. One section out of the book and also a message I have heard from other believers I am around now confirm this: "When you become a Jesus Freak you may have discovered an uncanny new attraction to the Word of God that seemed to come out of nowhere. Why? The Amplified Bible calls the Bible a "God-Breathed" book (2 Timothy 3:16). That means it's way different from any other book you'll ever read. The Bible is alive. Once your spirit is made "alive" to Christ, it's as if you pick up the same wavelength, because the same Spirit who wrote the Bible is living in you!"
Amen! I am so thankful this Book has come to life for me. And if you are reading this and it has not come to life for you, you can change that. I am not an expert at this, but I can say that you will need to find a way to get reading this Book regularly and in a different way than you have in the past. I can confirm that I was quite the Bible reader in my life and it never spoke to me. I was being a Pharisee and doing it out of duty. I was controlling the situation. I really had to lay it down with the Lord and even now, I will need to be very active in this relationship with Him for the rest of my life. And it is Glorious and Good. Start asking questions of believers on the truth of this. I was myself, surrounded my entire life my a circle of people that never talked of "religion" in a way that clicked with me. Then I found out you need to be authentic, revealing, chance-taking for our Lord, prayerful, repenting, love like Jesus, and worship and not hide your love for Him. Again, the Holy Spirit keeps whispering to me "He is a jealous God".
As a child, I attended a Lutheran church every Sunday. I attended Sunday school every Sunday. And Wednesdays was religious education night as we got older. Our pastor all of these 18 years was a fire and brimstone preacher. He was very loud. He didn't scare me. My mom loved him. He married four of us five girls. I never could look him in the eye out of respect, not necessarily fear. I did enjoy him and absolutely respected him and what he had to say. He was very gifted.
I memorized plenty in this religious education. We had to. My sister and I were Jr. Choir members. That was fun. We learned a lot of gospel type songs. The pastor's kids were friends with my sister and I. Mom and dad were pretty close to this pastor and his wife. They came over for supper and I remember mom wanting us to respect their privacy when they came over. I became a "blood sister" with his youngest daughter. It was her idea to cut our fingers (just a little) and then she instructed me to touch her blood to hers and then we buried a note in a jar in the yard about this eternal friendship. Cool! I never heard of such a thing and she was the pastor's daughter. Seemed a little like a secret. Now I Googled it and it looks like a form of witchcraft. Thanks alot! I just did a previous blog about such things. Now I realize I was hoodwinked again!
Anyhow, I'll talk to the Lord about that additional item.
I do want to also mention to anyone out there that is just not sure if they have this Holy Spirit relationship is to seek out some great books. Hinds Feet On High Places is so helpful. The Shack is a good starter also. But, balance your free reading with Bible reading. And be mindful of what you read outside of the Bible.
Be aware that the Holy Spirit has been probably trying to awaken you! Ask the Lord to help you listen. I finally found a way personally to sum it up in my words of this: I think the Holy Spirit talks to me, personally, in sometimes partial sentences, like a riddle. Sometimes it is over the course of hours or days. But, sometimes it is very direct. An entire sentence. It isn't audible. It is a knowing. And sometimes, for me it is in dreams. And it is so evident where this is coming from. I feel so honored that He, wants to visit with me!! I am so glad to be his trusted and disciplined daughter! Yes, you may say that is just our conscience. I think we have both. But, more and more as I am growing in Christ, I am certain without all doubt that He is speaking to me through the Holy Spirit. And most born-agains and "fortunate to have been always founded in Christ believers" will say this same thing.
As you read Acts, you will see we have strayed so far from what was meant to be in regards to worship and evangelism. We just want to, naturally in this cruel world, huddle up at home and be safe and love the Lord there and at church once or twice a week. But, that is the world talking to you, turning this entire experience that you may be missing into what Satan wants you to do.
I am out to solve this riddle. It is exciting. It is scary. I don't know what He wants me to do next. I know he is speaking to me about my music and that he wants me to use that to glorify Him. I am waiting on that because He tells me to "Be Still" with that. I have my tools and the most important without a doubt is the Book Of Life. They are no longer silly Bible stories that were from "back then and those things don't happen in life now". Or "That is just a story or parable. It didn't really happen". They were just stories to me. I couldn't connect the "story" to my life. Now, as I read the Bible, those stories and exactly about what is happening all around me. Noah's story is real. Jonah's story is real. These were believers who followed and listened to the Holy Spirit to the point that society thought them to be insane. I can now relate most everything I read in the Bible to exact circumstances in my little boring life. And if we think about it, we need to follow His requests. Are we ready to follow? Lord, give me strength to walk Your walk. And deflect society to do Your will. That is certainly scary. I am starting with these baby steps. But the firmer my faith, the more He expects of me.
Amen. It is so! Let these words please Lord only be a reflection of all that is good in Your sight.
Psalm 49:4 I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle.
Isaiah 2:22 Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?
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