Two months ago I started reading Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God daily devotional.  There've been many days when the words have pierced into my heart and also days when they've soothed it.  If you're looking for a new devotional, I highly recommend this one. You can check out the free online version here.  Admittedly, however, I am having one bit of trouble with it.  I still can't get the words from a couple of weeks ago to move out of the way for new words on new pages.  Of course, I'm "blaming" that more on God, than Blackaby! Actually, I'm QUITE CERTAIN the Spirit is preventing me from moving on, from flipping the next page, because July 6th is still His work in me. 

"Our God is a consuming fire.  He is satisfied only when His love totally consumes us."

I don't even really know what to say about it .... the meaning is obvious and my heart tells me it's true.  Not that God can't ever be pleased, but He's continuing toward the goal of shaping me FULLY into the image of Christ.  Wooing and instructing me to a state of whole desire for Him.  It's in God that all goodness is found and He want all goodness for me.  Not surprisingly, He and I have a long way to go until I'm "totally consumed by Him."  But, we ARE going.  By grace, He's still leading and I'm still following.

Maybe God has a similar reminder for you today.  Maybe He won't let you turn the page away from 'July 6th' either.  If so, maybe we should get together.  Apparently we have a lot in common!

   Have you ever found yourself wrestling with any of God’s truths?

Romans 5:9 reads, “And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation”. Romans 5:11 reads, “So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God”.

  I believe it! But had I allowed myself to receive it? I am saved from God’s judgment, but am I freed from my judgment? Have I allowed the Lord’s grace and mercy to overshadow my incredible ability to minimize who I am in Jesus?…by the blood of Christ?

  About a month ago, I finished writing a Worship song that the Lord had put on my heart. At the time, I was thankful for the way the song turned out…nice chord changes, simple melody line, the chorus lyrics were catchy and easy to remember. As a songwriter, that’s the end result that I like, a song that I believe people will enjoy hearing and Worshipping to. As I’ve had the opportunity to play the song, I’ve come to realize that the Lord was ministering to me through a song He had put on my heart. Here are the lyrics to the song. 

Forgiven 

Flawed and failing Lord I come to you
On my knees before You, seeking grace
Every morning, You bring mercies new
Lord, You comfort as You wash my sins away

And I am forgiven

Living my life, that it would bless your name
Yet I’m prone to foolish pride and selfishness
When I move, before You move and bring You shame
In Your boundless love, You see me without blame

And I am forgiven

Chorus
Holy Holy Holy Praise the risen King.
Who lived and died and rose again, so I may be redeemed
I submit my brokenness and lay it at Christ’s feet
And He receives my pleas graciously

And I am forgiven

Lord You lift me up, as you erase my sins
Your faithfulness, I know is undeserved
You’ve accepted my repentance Lord, for how I’ve been
Before I say a word, my prayers have all been heard

And I, yes I am forgiven

Chorus
Holy Holy Holy Praise the risen King
Who lived and died and rose again, so I may be redeemed
I submit my brokenness and lay it at Christ’s feet
And He receives my pleas graciously

Glory Glory Glory to the risen King
Who lived and died and rose again, so I may be redeemed
I submit my brokenness and lay it at Christ’s feet
And He receives my pleas graciously

 And I am forgiven!                                                                                       © Gary George 2010

  The Lord had revealed to me through this song that I hadn’t truly forgiven myself. That I was still carrying the guilt of a life lived before I knew Jesus as my Savior. I realize now, that I have been the biggest obstacle in being made complete in Christ (Col. 2:10-15)…that I am forgiven (Eph. 1:7) and I receive that forgiveness! (Acts 10:43)

Psalm 119:105  "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path".   Last month's blog, "walk" part I, about surviving Death Valley National Park turned out to be advance prep for a much more serious challenge in my life.   God "speaks" to us, not only through His written Word, but, through the circumstances He engineers for us every day of our lives.  Death Valley was a small test strengthening me for a bigger one later.  When Goliath challenged the Israelites their reaction was dismay and fear.(1 Samuel 17:11)  David told Saul that he could defeat Goliath because he had killed the lion and the bear while defending his sheep and the Philistine would be as one of them. (17:36)   David was battle-hardened from time spent defending his flock from lions and tigers and bears, oh my!  Okay, okay, there were no tigers!   People don't gain strength for  a battle, they gain strength from  the battle.   Just about a month after Teresa and I returned from Death Valley she noticed a mole on my chest was changing shape and color.  She scheduled a doctor's appointment at Kaiser where we had the mole biopsied and found it to be malignant.  Two weeks later I had out-patient surgery to remove the mole and some surrounding tissue for biopsy.  It was time to practice what I preached in my blog:"Keep the faith", I had said.   I felt confident in the Lord, strangely detached, like a third party, not worried at all.   As big and strong and fierce as Goliath was, he was no match for a young David ( 15 or 16) with eyes of faith that only saw a defeated enemy.  The word "cancer" has the same impact as the word Goliath did back then, but remember that even though Goliath's size, armor and reputation put fear into the hearts of the Israelites, he, in fact, never did fight.  He was, as they say on death row, "dead man walking".   I have said before that "negative" experiences are not necessarily bad because God is trying to show us something or have us see or perceive a truth that we wouldn't have seen if we hadn't gone through that so called negative experience.   The amazing thing God revealed to me while going through this trial was that even though my first impulse was to say, "Jesus, am I going to thank you when those test results from the biopsy come back negative!",  the revelation was that I must praise and thank Him regardless  of the results!    If I am claiming to belong to Christ, then my best prayer is what Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane as He faced His crucifixion : "?O My Father, if it is possible, ?let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, ?not as I will, but as You will.?"   I glimpsed something past my humanity that for a higher purpose of God, whatever the results, they were the results God intended for me.  I hope this testimony will strengthen you to keep on keeping the faith...oh, by theway, the results came back negative!

Recently I've been leading the Tuesday night youth group through what I have titled "Wisdom Talks." We've been going through a lot of passages from the book of Proverbs as well as some of the parables and teachings of Jesus. 

So far we've discussed and prayed through passages dealing with what wisdom is in a general sense, according to God's definition, stewardship with our "talents," and most recently the concept of Work. We looked at scripture and it was revealed how God has provided us with work as a gift in the physical / natural realm of life and has also called us to work in our spiritual life as well.

We live in a fat and lazy society. We have grown comfortable and complacent. And all of this has leaked into our spiritual walks and has impeded our health and growth as Christ's body. Our muscles have atrophied, God says "Work. Work for My kingdom and the calling I have placed on your life. Be a witness, disciple others and be discipled. Break a sweat and endure the hardships...it's worth it. I have a plan for your life and a purpose but you must be diligent to listen to My instructions. Son, daughter: I love you. Now go and work with all the strength, joy, talent, personality, and passion I've planted in you."

Do a little bit of homework. Work for me a little...check out the following passages, and I hope that you will be challenged, broken, and rebuilt as I was:

Proverbs 6:6-11

Proverbs 30:25-28

2 Thessalonians 3:6-12

Philippians 2:12