Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes;
I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way.
She will chase after her lovers but not catch them;
she will look for them but not find them.
Then she will say,
"I will go back to my husband as at first,
for then I was better off than now."
-Hosea 2:6-7
I feel like God wants us to get straight to the point this week. So answer this... "What are your lovers?" What do you run to and chase after? What do you turn to, time and time again? What are YOUR lovers? We all have them. I know I do. Oh, how amazing it is that we serve such a patient and forgiving God! Not only does He take us back every single time we prostitute ourselves to these lovers, but He takes action to lure us back to him. He is such a jealous God! And rightfully so! I am so unbelievably glad that He only lets me run so far before he blocks my path and herds me back! Just meditate on that fact. We are loved so intensely and known so well, that before we run to our lovers, He goes out ahead of us and puts up obstacles so we can't get too far away. He is after our hearts! And He is willing to fight anyone or anything to get to them! You, my friend, are deeply loved! And you are known - truly known! He knows which lovers tempt us the most. And He knows exactly which "thornbushes" to put in our path.
Maybe I'm weird, but I love the idea of God "walling us in." He knows me so well; He knows that my real desire is only satisfied in Him. So, He walls me in, not allowing me to hurt myself by chasing after these lovers I'll never catch. When all I hit are walls, I turn around, and there He is... just me and Him. I run right into His arms! Then, I wonder why I even thought of running in the first place! And I am so thankful He didn't let me get too far!
Then she will say, "I will go back to my husband as at first, for then I was better off than now."
Praise you God for being so crazy jealous for us! Thank you that true satisfaction is found in you alone. Thank you for loving us so deeply and knowing us so fully! And thank you that you are the kind of husband who fights for His bride! We worship you alone!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Isaiah 66:5-16
God has been leading me to study "whirlwinds." While studying tonight, he led me to this passage. If you are led to read this, please pray over it and meditate on it. We know revival is coming. And it is 2 sided. Hope and Judgement. Peace and War. Water and Fire. Pray for hearts to turn! Don't grow weary. Those who persevere will reap a harvest! Feel free to give me some feedback... comment or email me! adiffferentcalling@yahoo.com
Hear the word of the LORD,
you who tremble at his word:
"Your brothers who hate you,
and exclude you because of my name, have said,
'Let the LORD be glorified,
that we may see your joy!'
Yet they will be put to shame.
Hear that uproar from the city,
hear that noise from the temple!
It is the sound of the LORD
repaying his enemies all they deserve.
"Before she goes into labor,
she gives birth;
before the pains come upon her,
she delivers a son.
Who has ever heard of such a thing?
Who has ever seen such things?
Can a country be born in a day
or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labor
than she gives birth to her children.
Do I bring to the moment of birth
and not give delivery?" says the LORD.
"Do I close up the womb
when I bring to delivery?" says your God.
"Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
all you who love her;
rejoice greatly with her,
all you who mourn over her.
For you will nurse and be satisfied
at her comforting breasts;
you will drink deeply
and delight in her overflowing abundance."
For this is what the LORD says:
"I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried on her arm
and dandled on her knees.
As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem."
When you see this, your heart will rejoice
and you will flourish like grass;
the hand of the LORD will be made known to his servants,
but his fury will be shown to his foes.
See, the LORD is coming with fire,
and his chariots are like a whirlwind;
he will bring down his anger with fury,
and his rebuke with flames of fire.
For with fire and with his sword
the LORD will execute judgment upon all men,
and many will be those slain by the LORD."
Hear the word of the LORD,
you who tremble at his word:
"Your brothers who hate you,
and exclude you because of my name, have said,
'Let the LORD be glorified,
that we may see your joy!'
Yet they will be put to shame.
Hear that uproar from the city,
hear that noise from the temple!
It is the sound of the LORD
repaying his enemies all they deserve.
"Before she goes into labor,
she gives birth;
before the pains come upon her,
she delivers a son.
Who has ever heard of such a thing?
Who has ever seen such things?
Can a country be born in a day
or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labor
than she gives birth to her children.
Do I bring to the moment of birth
and not give delivery?" says the LORD.
"Do I close up the womb
when I bring to delivery?" says your God.
"Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
all you who love her;
rejoice greatly with her,
all you who mourn over her.
For you will nurse and be satisfied
at her comforting breasts;
you will drink deeply
and delight in her overflowing abundance."
For this is what the LORD says:
"I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried on her arm
and dandled on her knees.
As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem."
When you see this, your heart will rejoice
and you will flourish like grass;
the hand of the LORD will be made known to his servants,
but his fury will be shown to his foes.
See, the LORD is coming with fire,
and his chariots are like a whirlwind;
he will bring down his anger with fury,
and his rebuke with flames of fire.
For with fire and with his sword
the LORD will execute judgment upon all men,
and many will be those slain by the LORD."
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Secure and Stable
"Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth
and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
For your Maker is your husband—
the LORD Almighty is his name—
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
he is called the God of all the earth.
The LORD will call you back
as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit—
a wife who married young,
only to be rejected," says your God.
"For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with deep compassion I will bring you back.
In a surge of anger
I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
I will have compassion on you,"
says the LORD your Redeemer.
- Isaiah 54:4-8
The unbelievable truth and love found in these verses overwhelms me. It speaks right to my core in so many ways! My guess is that everyone reading this has some sort of deep rooted fear of the same thing... rejection. I absolutely hate that word! Another guess is that most of us desire marriage so much that it hurts! My last guess is that we have all made some really bad mistakes that we regret and continue to beat ourselves up about. Have I hit a nerve yet? Thank God that v.4 says we don't have to fear rejection and shame! He knows our fears. And He knows that because of sin, rejection is bound to happen. What we forget, though, is that we are fiercely and passionately loved! We all have things from our past that still haunt us; some more than others. Hurts, wrongs, sins... we can't seem to let go. So, we protect ourselves. Our defense mechanisms kick in. We push people away, run to things that won't satisfy, or we try to do enough good to make up for it. But God says that if we turn to him, we will forget the shame of our youth. Thank goodness he is a God who only lets us wander so far before, "with deep compassion," He brings us back! And as for those things we run to instead of him - they never seem to fill us. The security that we so desire only ebbs and flows.
But there is hope! We can have real security that is always stable! It is constant, no matter what. He says, "Your Maker is your husband - the Lord Almighty is his name... Your Redeemer!" He provides for us. Our stability and security are found in Him alone! Let Him be that security that you crave. Let him be that today! Let Him satisfy those desires that never seem to go away. Ask Him. Keep asking and see what happens! And don't be afraid to receive!
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth
and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
For your Maker is your husband—
the LORD Almighty is his name—
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
he is called the God of all the earth.
The LORD will call you back
as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit—
a wife who married young,
only to be rejected," says your God.
"For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with deep compassion I will bring you back.
In a surge of anger
I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
I will have compassion on you,"
says the LORD your Redeemer.
- Isaiah 54:4-8
The unbelievable truth and love found in these verses overwhelms me. It speaks right to my core in so many ways! My guess is that everyone reading this has some sort of deep rooted fear of the same thing... rejection. I absolutely hate that word! Another guess is that most of us desire marriage so much that it hurts! My last guess is that we have all made some really bad mistakes that we regret and continue to beat ourselves up about. Have I hit a nerve yet? Thank God that v.4 says we don't have to fear rejection and shame! He knows our fears. And He knows that because of sin, rejection is bound to happen. What we forget, though, is that we are fiercely and passionately loved! We all have things from our past that still haunt us; some more than others. Hurts, wrongs, sins... we can't seem to let go. So, we protect ourselves. Our defense mechanisms kick in. We push people away, run to things that won't satisfy, or we try to do enough good to make up for it. But God says that if we turn to him, we will forget the shame of our youth. Thank goodness he is a God who only lets us wander so far before, "with deep compassion," He brings us back! And as for those things we run to instead of him - they never seem to fill us. The security that we so desire only ebbs and flows.
But there is hope! We can have real security that is always stable! It is constant, no matter what. He says, "Your Maker is your husband - the Lord Almighty is his name... Your Redeemer!" He provides for us. Our stability and security are found in Him alone! Let Him be that security that you crave. Let him be that today! Let Him satisfy those desires that never seem to go away. Ask Him. Keep asking and see what happens! And don't be afraid to receive!
Monday, June 7, 2010
The Scary Single Cycle
"Sing, O barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband,"
says the LORD.
"Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch your tent curtains wide,
do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.
For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your descendants will dispossess nations
and settle in their desolate cities.
Isaiah 54:1-3
As singles, we struggle so much with feeling forgotten. No matter how hard we try, we can't seem to stop what I call the "Single Cycle!" Sometimes, you are right on top! You are content in your singleness, hanging out with friends, staying out late, having fun, serving, and feeling close to God. Life is good! Until, something happens... you start to slide... You start to feel yourself thriving on that oh, so addictive attention from that oh, so addictive opposite sex! (Whichever your opposite may be...) Then, you notice someone else getting a little more attention than you. You aren't liking what you see in the mirror that day. You look around and notice you are the only one sitting in Starbuck who isn't "coupled up." (The case for me tonight) Or, you just start believing the many lies that the enemy throws at us everyday! You're not beautiful. You aren't worth it. No one wants you. He would never think you were attractive. She's just going to say "no," so dont even bother asking her out. It's safer to be passive. So then, we hit the bottom of the cycle... Hardcore case of the "Single Blues!"
How do we start to make our way back up? How... oh how... do we get back to that wonderful state of contentment and clarity? Simple... get the lies out. How do you get the lies out? You put the truth in! This passage is the exact opposite of what the enemy feeds us. God says we are even more blessed than those who are married! Wow! He tells us to shout for joy! And he promises that our blessings will be so abundant that we won't have room to store them all! Verses 2 &; 3 make me think that He is also telling us to think bigger! Look beyond what is right infront of us; try to see the whole picture. It's about His vision, not our's. HIS vision, NOT our's! How do we change our vision? We don't. He does. But, we have to turn our hearts toward him, lay down the lies, pick up the Word, and ask Him to change us. And guess what? He ALWAYS does.
Lord, help us to not spiral down that scary "Single Cycle." Thank you for your truth. Thank you for not forgetting us. Beckon us back to you. Give us a love for your word. And change our vision.
you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband,"
says the LORD.
"Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch your tent curtains wide,
do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.
For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your descendants will dispossess nations
and settle in their desolate cities.
Isaiah 54:1-3
As singles, we struggle so much with feeling forgotten. No matter how hard we try, we can't seem to stop what I call the "Single Cycle!" Sometimes, you are right on top! You are content in your singleness, hanging out with friends, staying out late, having fun, serving, and feeling close to God. Life is good! Until, something happens... you start to slide... You start to feel yourself thriving on that oh, so addictive attention from that oh, so addictive opposite sex! (Whichever your opposite may be...) Then, you notice someone else getting a little more attention than you. You aren't liking what you see in the mirror that day. You look around and notice you are the only one sitting in Starbuck who isn't "coupled up." (The case for me tonight) Or, you just start believing the many lies that the enemy throws at us everyday! You're not beautiful. You aren't worth it. No one wants you. He would never think you were attractive. She's just going to say "no," so dont even bother asking her out. It's safer to be passive. So then, we hit the bottom of the cycle... Hardcore case of the "Single Blues!"
How do we start to make our way back up? How... oh how... do we get back to that wonderful state of contentment and clarity? Simple... get the lies out. How do you get the lies out? You put the truth in! This passage is the exact opposite of what the enemy feeds us. God says we are even more blessed than those who are married! Wow! He tells us to shout for joy! And he promises that our blessings will be so abundant that we won't have room to store them all! Verses 2 &; 3 make me think that He is also telling us to think bigger! Look beyond what is right infront of us; try to see the whole picture. It's about His vision, not our's. HIS vision, NOT our's! How do we change our vision? We don't. He does. But, we have to turn our hearts toward him, lay down the lies, pick up the Word, and ask Him to change us. And guess what? He ALWAYS does.
Lord, help us to not spiral down that scary "Single Cycle." Thank you for your truth. Thank you for not forgetting us. Beckon us back to you. Give us a love for your word. And change our vision.
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