Why should I gain from His reward?

People love to know what is the most important thing to do. We like to act in such a way where we can earn our acceptance, or "pay our dues". We sort of hope to be free at the end of paying what we owe. A lot of us take comfort in doing our "duty". It is some sort of fair exchange that will leave us with certain rights and priveleges. And sometimes people can treat God like that. When we miss love we miss Grace and therefore miss life.

In bible times people struggled with the same issues. They came to Jesus to ask what the most important command was. One wanted to know how how to have eternal life. The Old Testament passage (Deut.6:5) that was the answer to their question was: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind." and the second greatest is like it "Love your neighbor as yourself".
"Do this and you will live" Jesus said in response (Luke 10:28) to this command as the most important one of all.

The most important command is very telling. It's not about performance but love. And not just a love that encompasses feelings yet allows us to mentally check out. NO! The love we should have is something that will encompass our thoughts, our hearts, our emotions, our minds, our soul! It's HUGE!
It's easy to get hung up on pet issues that we can measure in terms of actions. Some of us care very much about social justice and the poor. For others it is all about theology and having the right doctrines hoping to grasp all knowledge. Some of us care about spiritual gifts like prophecy. Others are firm on how the issue is "faith alone". Still others are bent on proving true faith is met with the proper actions. We can use titles like "Lordship Salvation"... and talk about how the most important thing about God that sets him apart is His "Lordship" and we can say that we go beyond being just Gods servant but we are his "Slave"!! In the end, it's not about how much of a slave you have become because even giving your body to the flames can be going through the motions if you do not get that it is about love.

1 Cor.13 says:
"2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. ...
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

All of the best things are void without love.

A cool quote I heard lately "Live nearer to Christ. All virtues flourish in the atmosphere of the cross, all vices die beneath the shade of the cross; but get away from your Master, and you will be undone." -Haddon.

An even cooler quote is from the word of God: "No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." 1 John 4:12

And yet the bible says: "We love him because he first loved us." & "This is how God showed How God showed his love amoung us, He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him."

Actually, reading through 1 John 4 tells us a lot about how being born of God and knowing God has to do with love!
"Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19We love because he first loved us. "

In the end we cannot pay our dues. "This is love not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins". We owe him everything. We rely on HIS love for us.

This song brings tears to my eyes, because my love for God stems out of understanding Gods love for me. It's quite overwhelming to consider how we don't deserve it- we are the guilty ones. The mockers. Yet we are loved by God- Grace; undeserved favor.

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocing voice,
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that helf Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

-Stuart Townend

Bombarded by philosophies that satisfy the surface, I flee to something deeper at the risk of seeking purpose

In the secular world there are so many views and philosophies on almost any topic. From a philosophy of education, to one of how to discipline your child, to Politics, Economics and sexuality. There is a systematic approach for anything you can think of, backed by theories and studies- providing solutions, that are debated, re-evaluated and debunked for some new findings and popular wisdom down the pipe. There are always opposing outlooks to everything that can cast enough doubt to cause one to wonder how sound any piece of solid wisdom really is. This flies in the face of the nature of how people enjoy to have something tangible to grab onto; An answer, a solution, an outlook that defines and spells out how to do things, and makes heads and tails out of it.

When I listen to Christians talk- it is not that much different. The topics change but the philosophies continue and add onto it theology, doctrines and dogmas. We can get so passionate and debate so many topics. Predestination, God and his view on females, which political party God agrees with! Even things like the "right way" to present the gospel (Good News) to those who have never heard it can become formulas. I am guilty of enjoying plenty of those topics, to think about and discuss, but in the big scheme of things, do we miss the point?

The book of Proverbs has a running theme of seeking out wisdom & knowledge, however as 1 Cor.8:1 points out "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." We are still told to seek knowledge and wisdom in the bible, so this should not be taken out of context. The warning here is not to stop learning, but to be aware that a certain pride can come with thinking we know things. We need to realize we don't know everything and that a growing person will change their views as they learn new things. Keeping humility in range is actually very wise. Don't hold too tightly to things you think you know that you block yourself from learning something new. Don't box God in to what you think you know about Him. He is all knowing and you are not! Leave room for Him to grow your mind. Even Jesus grew in wisdom, stature and favor with God & man.

I can't count the number of times I've seen people become so sure of themselves and their own understanding of God and his teachings that out of passion for being right and putting their head knowledge out there, they not only block themselves from wisdom by disregarding any thoughts that don't fit into the boxes they have already made of how God fits into everything, but to top it off they will steam roll over individuals to make a point.

Love makes a difference. "Love wins." You could always make a great debate with someone on any topic and not convince anyone of anything. But if you present your life in actions filled with love, there is no debate in response to that, yet it speaks louder then head knowledge. No defense gets ready to respond to love. It gets right to making a difference in a concrete way that an argument cannot! Love builds up. "God so loved the world"... that He cut to the quick! He gave something unconventional.

A top notch psychiatrist can give some good advice, but they cannot heal a heart. We can have faith in a Philosophy or trust in the very One that knows everything, yet chose to Love the very ones that would not love Him back. He gave His only Son. Now that is powerful. "Forgive them father for they know NOT what they do." His Sons words to the ones that nailed Him there. Words of forgiveness to broken humanity. He knows what we need. We need forgiveness. We need healing. We need redemption. We need his Help! And He knows it.

And He gives it.

This song is my cry of reaching out to the very One that goes beyond the surface.

Bombarded by philosophies that satisfy the surface
I flee to something deeper at the risk of seeking purpose
How can I hang in this environmental state of being
When everything I'm striving for it's nothing that I'm seeing

Won't you take my heart,
won't you take my soul
Won't you come and make me whole again
You, You've got what I need
and you never retreat
Unto you I will concede

So help me God
To put my faith in you
So help me God
Before I come unglued
Call it my addiction
I can't get enough of you
So help me God
To put my faith in you

Infected by the skin I'm in that's starving with desire
And Jesus ain't the latest thing to come across the wire
I throw myself in mercy for I am the chief of sinners
But daily taking up my cross
has brought it's share of splinter's

You're there when I call
And you're there
when I fall
Even though I
don't deserve it all
You, you light my way
Through the night
and the day
And from you
I will not stray

God so help me
This is my soul's plea
I'm desperately devoted
I can't get enough of you

Cause you are the one I love
Cause you are the one I need
Cause you are the one I'm seeking
Cause you are the one for me

-DcTalk

Where do I fit in this puzzle, what good are these gifts?

Have you ever looked at yourself and said "God why do you care about me?" Often I've been in those places of feeling like anything I can offer to God is pitiful. The more I know how amazing He is, sometimes the easier it is to feel like what I have to give is pathetic.

I love how the Lords prayer starts with "our Father" though. The concept of a parent is a powerful one in understanding How God does view us and what He thinks of our efforts to please Him. As a parent this has become more obvious to me with kids of my own.
God does not look down or snub His nose at what we offer up to Him. He takes our expressions of love and treasures it the way a parent treasures the gifts their child brings to them...
"whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." John 14:21b- in the words of Jesus.
When my daughter was little I got dandelions often, and this song speaks of what that means in light of our relationship to God. It always brings a smile to my face. I hope it encourages you too!

In a field of yellow flowers,
underneath the sun,
bluest eyes that spark with lightning,
boy with shoes undone.
He is young, so full of hope,
reveling in tiny dreams,
filling up his arms with flowers,
right for giving any queen.

Running to her beaming bright,
while cradling his prize.
A flickering of yellow light,
within his mother's eyes.
She holds them to her heart,
keeping them where they'll be safe,
clasped within her very marrow,
dandelions in a vase.

She sees love, where
anyone else would see weeds.
All hope is found.
Here is everything he needs.

Fathomless Your endless mercy,
weight I could not lift.
Where do I fit in this puzzle,
what good are these gifts?
Not a martyr, or a saint,
scarcely can I struggle through.
All that I have ever wanted,
was to give my best to You.

Lord, search my heart,
create in me something clean.
Dandelions
You see flowers in these weeds.

Gently lifting hands to heaven,
softened by the sweetest hush,
a Father sings over his children,
loving them so very much.
More than words could warrant,
deeper than the darkest blue,
more than sacrifice could merit,
Lord, I give my heart to You.

-Five Iron Frenzy

This solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

As weird as it may sound, my husband and I have both discussed which songs we want at our funerals one day. We thought through what we want to represent our thoughts. I think we have eached picked out at least two songs we want. This song is one that we both share in common as one that we want as an ANTHEM of our life & death. "For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain!" Philippians 1:21

In Christ alone,
my hope is found;
He is my light,
my strength, my song;
This cornerstone,
this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest
drought and storm.
What heights of love,
what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled,
when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

-Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

When silence falls, you'll be the song within my heart.

What do we do when darkness reigns? Jesus had a very lonely and heart breaking moment of sorrow in the garden before going to the cross, where although His disciples were with Him, they could not stay awake to support Him and He was alone to face the darkness. He asked them to stay awake but it didn't happen. Instead He prayed to the One that He knew was there and sweat great drops of blood- the agony weighed on Him of the horrible task ahead.

To trust God is a choice in our suffering. It's meaningless to talk about our faith in God when things are going well. We see how much we really trust when things get hard. To choose to continue believing and to have faith takes courage and the belief that God loves us and is with us no matter what we are going through. It takes the hope that He will not only get us through it but that we will come out with victory!

This song speaks to my heart. It reminds me a lot of my broken childhood filled with abuse, and the way God was the song in my heart when silence fell. But it also speaks to my moments of darkness in the present. I know that I serve a God that will heal me, help me and guide me- just as He has always been faithful and done so.

I've had questions, without answers
I've known sorrow, i have known pain
but theres one thing, that i'll cling to
you are faithful, Jesus your true

When hope is lost, i'll call you saviour
when pain surrounds, i'll call you healer
when silence falls,
you'll be the song within my heart

In the lone hour,
of my sorrow
through the darkest
night of my soul
you surround me,
and sustain me
my defender,
forever more

When hope is lost, i'll call you saviour
when pain surrounds, i'll call you healer
when silence falls,
you'll be the song within my heart

Oh you're so good to me.
You've always been good to me.
So trust worthy.

I will praise you, i will praise you
when the tears fall, still i will sing to you
i will praise you, Jesus praise you
Through the suffereing still i will sing

How faithful and true.
You sustain me through and through
You are hope and truth
You're my spring of living water.
In the lone hour you're there.
Lord, In my sorrow you're there.
You're my healer.

Like a well watered garden
who's springs never fail
you're faithful and true.
Like a well watered garden
who's springs never fail
You're my spring that never fails.

-Tim Hughes & Newsboys (lyrics)

You Go Beyond My Silent Feelings

Sometimes we push our thoughts deep down inside. We try and surpress the doubts and fears and voices that tourment us. We make mistakes and trip up and feel defeated at times. We can feel wounded and beyond repair. A scary thought I've often faced is the one that "It's too late." The idea that too much time has passed and that whatever good intentions I have to do whatever I am striving for have passed me by, and that I will forever live with the guilt of my wasted opportunities and times. This song speaks to those feelings of failures that can sound so loud, and it reminds me that God will never let me go. His kindness is remarkable.

You know and You see
The times of my defeat
When I fail to realize
Your kindness reaches
Through all my fragile fears
Of wasting any years
And I see You go beyond
My silent feelings

Even when I wrote my life away
You still receive me
Even when I wrote my life away
You still receive me

You took this fading heart
And softened every part
I'll rest in light of what
You've promised to me

I'll always stay strong
Because I feel You holding on now
To You I belong and I know
And You heal me
And You heal me
And You heal me

Cause I feel Your forearms around me
And I know that I'll never escape from You

-Jeremy Camp

So wont you break free-wont you break free---get up and DANCE!

"I will become even more undignified than this" 2 Samuel 6:22.
Strong words that David uttered when He was rebuked for looking "inappropriate" because of his heart felt celebration of the Lord. Dancing has always been criticized for it's seductive appearance. Davids wife even accused him of "disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!" vs. 20
I don't know what a linen ephod was but David, was wearing one as he "danced before the LORD with all his might" in verse 14.
Certainly there is a need to be modest in our appearance... but I'm glad God see's WHY we dance and WHO we dance for.
According to the wisest man Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:4 the bible states that there is "a time to dance".
If the world can throw a party with booze flowing & put up pics on facebook where they are out at clubs dancing to lyrics that would make your grandma puke in her grave, dancing for pleasure and self indulgence... dancing to seduce or just for sheer entertainment, why can't people dance for such a GREATER reason.
If dancing can serve any kind of worth while purpose, I can't think of any better reason to dance then to celebrate God. He has set us free.

Would you believe me
would you listen if i told you... THAT
There is a love that makes a way,
it'll never hold you back

So wont you break
wont you break free
Get up and dance in His love
So wont you break
wont you break free
Get up and dance in His love

Who would have thought that God
would give his one and only son
Taking a stand upon the cross
to show His perfect love

So wont you break
wont you break free
Get up and dance in his love
So wont you break
wont you break free
Get up and dance in his love
His love never ending

There's no escaping the truth
There's no mistaking it's You
God forever we'll
Get up and dance,
Get up and dance
And praise You

Theres no escaping Your light
Theres no mistaking Your love
Across the world we will
Get up and dance
Get up and dance
and praise You

Now is the time to take this
freedom that has come our way
Offer our lives to see
the glory of His name

So wont you break
wont you break free
Get up and dance in his love
So wont you break
wont you break free
Get up and dance in His love
His love never ending

Living all our days
We are holding on
holding on to all Your ways
We are holding on holding on
To all You say and You've done
We are holding on to Your love

Now we will...

...dance...

So won't you break free
Won't you break free
Get up and dance
Wont you break free
His love never ending

-Hillsong