Why is it when we've been hurt by someone we form walls?
It's like sometimes, if things aren't resolved, aren't worked out,
if forgiveness doesn't take place...Those areas of hurt, become areas
of anger. Where there was once an open wound, there grows a nasty scab.
The beauty in that area was stifled. It was cut open, bled, and seemed to die. What about those areas of beauty that you feel can never be restored?
those areas that you thought have long healed over, but instead of healing and being restored to the same way they were before you got hurt, they are no longer an open wound, constantly paining, but there are still scars. Those scars are reminders of what has been. And those hurts. You know Christ had those scars on his hands and feet. Those scars were from Love. Sometimes to Love, we get hurt. And without truly believing in, accepting, and "living" in the Love of God....we look for affection in other places, other people. And to just search for "affection" isn't going to fill a person, and most times it just leads to hurt.
This morning I was listening to an audio presentation titled "A Heart of Gold" by Victor Hamilton. Here are somethings I'd taken into consideration and noted from the first disc...that
The way of the World brings pain. And any search for affection to fill us, without first being filled and secure in, and with - the Love that God has for us...only leads to more pain and disappointment.
The way of the World brings pain: The pain of not being, or feeling loved and respected...the way you want to be. The way you were meant to be.
Our "unexplained" or "unexamined" beliefs about love, and life... can lead us into deception.
Only the Holy Spirit can show a person that He is in deception.
And that person must desire deliverance from their deception.
A lot of times, usually, we go through unbearable pain - in order to become humble enough to honestly examine ourselves, and examine our view.
Remember you don't "create" that heart of gold...You "uncover" it.
God's Light meets your dark. He washes away the old, and brings out the new. We usually burn in the fire of our self pity and in-victim-ment, until we either give up or realize that our pain is God's way of trying to tell us something. It's our pride that prolongs the agony. Prov 4:3 ...beaten by our pride...
...I've been studying temperaments. There are 4 Major Temperament types, the Melancholy; who usually wants things to be perfect, is usually more introverted, and enjoys details, then there is the Choleric who likes things to be constantly moving and is a big go-getter, then there is the Sanguine who loves to just have fun, is an extroverted type, and usually hyper, and last but not least there is the Phlegmatic personality type, who is more laid back, easy going sort...(by the way this is all Scientific, I'm not just making up terms XD)
What is interesting is all of these temperaments have strengths and weaknesses. And when I say "Strengths" I mean "Good Qualities" and when I say "Weaknesses" I mean the "Extremes..which cause,negative qualities". For Example:
*Liking things to be in order can be a good thing, but if taken to the extreme it produces a demand for perfection that often can hinder a person from any sort of happiness...because not everything is how we want it to be. And this weakness can cause a person to get too caught up in their faults, and not be happy if he or she does not live up to every expectation etc.
*Being a "go-getter" can be a good thing, especially if it is for Christ, and being a "motivator" is a good thing, because you can stir others to follow in your goal. But, taken to the extreme a person can become to bossy and become frustrated if people do not get up and get moving, or they are in a place where they cannot be constantly "doing" something.
*And being a "Fun" type of person, that always 'brings the cake' with them, is pretty much a positive person, can be great...but if they are living in the extreme, and that person does not take the time to be serious when it is necessary they can appear shallow or miss out on deeper things in life. And their constant need for "fun", if they feel it is not being "externally met", then they feel they are not living at all.
*Being laid back can be great, but if that person becomes lazy, then what will they accomplish? and if they never speak up they can slip into the background and never make a noticeable mark of their faith. They can also become indecisive and for the sake of not knowing what choice to make, just resort to making no choices at all...and just sit down and miss out on the good things they could be doing.
All these temperaments are beautiful when lived in their "strengths", but when they are lived in their "weaknesses" they can fall short of their true beauty and not only be a hindrance to others, but can also cause their own needs not to be met.
I encourage you to look up more info the Temperaments, it can really open your eyes, and change your outlook on life!
And you begin to see that a beautiful Temperament is that which is living in it's Strengths....One that is living for Christ, one that is living In Christ, one that is following the example of it's Creator.
People that are not living for Christ, and Christ is not living in them...Will live in their weaknesses, and they will also hurt you.
And if you are not stable, and firmly planted, on the rock...on Christ and His love for you. Then you also will be hurt by other peoples weaknesses. We fall for less then we were created for, because we have not grasped hold of God's Love. Or we have let, wounds from those who hurt us with their weaknesses, linger and spread into other areas of our lives. Hurt can spread, hurt can grow. Just like Healing can spread, and healing can grow.
The way of the World brings pain...the pain of not being loved and respected.
Fashion trends...you may always try to fit in to the newest trends, because you want that respect and admiration. You want that attention. But you will always be struggling, because trends are always changing. And in the end it can never bring you comfort...even when you are "in style" your mind will race with worries, "do I look good enough in this, is my body fit enough for this? Every day then can be a struggle, every day...Some people fear being "un-attractive" according to the "World's" swaying standards...so much, that they hurt them selves physically.
Trying to find acceptance and physical attractiveness in the eyes of men, only leads to being hurt. If that is your main goal.
It all comes down yo what you really believe Love is. because whatever you believe it is...that is what you are going to desire.
We define Love for ourselves, and then twist everything else to go in its direction. That is what the World has done.
God has shown us what Love really is. He has offered it to you. His Love if lasting, and it makes everything that dwells in it's light, beautiful.
The world even believes that Beauty and Love go hand in hand. They believe that if you are attractive on the outside enough, then some one will fall "in love with you". It's twisted.
It's actually the other way around. Love is Inside a person, and it's not just stirred by the outward appeal. Love should be something always present. But Love gives out from the source that is already present. Love and being physically attracted to someones outward looks are not the same thing. They aren't. Someone can have both...but "real love" comes from the inside and real love doesn't base it's affections on the outward appeal. So is it really "Love" that you desire?
Or is it that you want to be "attractive" in the World's eyes?
Love is what you really desire. It's what we all need. But most of us never can find, because we "Identify" with that which will not bring us that Love.
All lot of time we go through terribly hurtful experiences because our focus was on the wrong thing. And we keep hurting ourselves because we keep looking for our fulfillment in the wrong areas. We try to find our Identity in the World, or in other "things" and "people".
Because a lot of times our View or "unexamined beliefs" on what Love is...and about what "we" should have in life to be happy...are keeping us blinded.
Once our eyes are opened we see a new world. We see where we have gone wrong, and we see what we really want out of Life, and what we really needed to be doing all along; Trusting God,Waiting on Him, Focusing on His Love...
What about those areas of hurt though? Those remembrances, those burn scars...Well, I pray that God will grant us more of the ability to "forgive", to forgive our mistakes, and to forgive others...This is the final healing touch perhaps, that smooths away the scabs. Anger does not leave room for healing to do it's full work. And the place we have been hurt will always be ugly in some way, if we do not completely surrender it to God, and Forgive. Sometimes though we must let time heal the area under the scab until, it is ready to fall off. Sometimes we pick at our scabs, because we don't like the remembrance of where we have been hurt, we want it gone. But God's healing process is not always the way we think. And one day the mark may completely disappear. But until then, don't pick at it, let it be. Focus on the healing, not on rushing up the process. You can be sure that God wants to heal you. And He is working.
Let Him work. Let Him mold you also, like a clay pouring vessel. A Vessel or Glory. One that can be filled with the Spirit and Water of God, and can carry it within, and also pour it out to water others.
Let His Beauty Flow. Even as He heals You. Let the "green facial mask" remain for a little while, before He washes it off and you see all that 'His timing' has done underneath.
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint to them that mourn in Zion, to give to them "beauty" for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called tress of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified. - Isaiah 61: 1 -3
FULFILLED IN Luke 4:19-21 Jesus states this previous scripture. Jesus fulfills the above
2 Cor 3:17 - There is Liberty
Matthew 5:4 - Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Photo
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
God Wants to Love You: Beauty Part #2
Identity. It's more than a word...You are searching for Identity. Everyone is. Some people don't "fully recognize" their desire for Identity, but it is there. I've used the word "purpose" to try and make up for the word "Identity" in some ways...But Identity...that's what we are going to look at right now. Who do you "Identify" with? Do you "identify" more with Christ? Or with the World?
A Person will invest his or hers "love" in whoever, or whatever they choose to "Identify" with. Sometimes we base our Identity in what we can "relate" to most...whether that be another person, a situation, a way of feeling, a way of believing. But truly, we will Identify with whatever we "love"...and we tend to also, "love" whatever we Identify with. Strange isn't it?
Last night while I was at youth group one of the young men felt he had a word from God. He got up and spoke in the mic se we could all hear him. And began to read the scripture that I'd posted on my last blog. "A meek and quiet spirit, is of great worth, in the sight of the Lord"...A Gentle and peaceful spirit...Then he went on to talk about Identity.
After he was done speaking one of the girls shared something God had been showing her to the whole group.
And there it was again..."Finding One's Identity in Christ". She went on to say that a lot of the time what we see as "Our flaws", are not really flaws, but things God has a perfect plan for; that there is so much of God in us, that we don't even realize...but even so, we put our Identity in other things. Such as fashion? Such as other people? "We have to break down fear; "fear of men". "We settle for less, when we were created for more".
True, very true.
So does all this conformation to the fads of the world...and all this peer pressure you hear people talking about, really come down to, "fear of men"? Fear of what they will think of you? Fear of what the world will think of you? Fear of how you look when you walk into a room full of people your age, and you aren't dressed in their latest style? or in their more popular way?
Is it fear? Fear of Rejection? Fear of disapproval? Fear of Isolation? Fear of being...UnLoved?
Why is it most of us do not bask in God's Love. In His Peace, His kindness, His approval, His presence?
Is it because of fear? Skepticism? Doubt? These all tie together. Fear or man, but more importantly: Fear of Love, leads us farther from what we truly desire. There is no Peace, Acceptance, Unity, Worth, Satisfaction...if we have walls up against Love. Remember I said beauty begins inside? Well it does...Beauty is Stirred by Love...and what that Love does inside a person, creates beauty.
The Light meets the Dark...The Perfect Beauty, blemishless, Spotless Perfection, of the Light (Christ) meets your Imperfection, ugliness, deformities, sinful nature, your Darkness, and Transforms You. The healing begins where the Light meets the Dark. Sparks will fly as grace collides with the dark inside of us. In smaller terms, it's kind of like getting a face peel, where all the old you is peeled away, and the fresh, new, spotless skin underneath, the new you, in reveled. The old in no longer remembered, only the new.
Just like true beauty roots from the inside and blooms to the outside, so does true ugliness root from the inside and bloom to the outside. Sin is the root of all ugliness, all shame, all true spots and blemishes. Darkness is not beautiful. The Light is beautiful.
Satan likes to twist our view on beauty. He wants what is sinful, disgraceful, truly ugly, to be presented as Beauty. Lust is not Love, being Lusty in not being Beautiful. Purity is truly beautiful. Purity of intentions, purity of motive, purity of speech, purity of heart...how is it possible to be Pure in these ways? Only by Identifying with "Him "who is Pure. Only by finding your Purpose and Life in Christ, only by letting Him enter into you, change you, and begin a relationship of Love with Him. God said the Pure in Heart shall see God. What is greater? Is not "God" the Ultimate perfection of Beauty inside and out? Don't let the World fool you, lust, darkness, seductiveness, is not beautiful...Purity is. And according to God, purity is beauty. Only the pure will be able to stand in His presence. You may ask "How can I be pure? I've made so many earthly mistakes, I've let me flesh lead my at times, I've been so "worthless"...Remember, that although what you do a great weight on your future, and how you've love others. It is what Christ has done, and will do for you that makes you truly Pure and Beautiful. That no man may fully boast in himself. "Nor", may he bath in his pity... God was the offering for You Sanctification and Salvation. "He" was the spotless, blameless, sacrifice.
Only by being Washed by "His" blood can we become clean. Pure as the purest garment. White as snow, where we were once dark. His blood, has been shead to 'purify' you.
So are you going to be willing to dream again? Willing to reach for His Love, and Find it. Let out the Beauty, and the Love, which Christ has now put in You by His Spirit, and by His Sacrifice for You...Shine "His" Light,
and the Beauty that originates in Him,. Let if flow from you. He will be pleased if you do. Let your Light shine before others...Let yourself bloom under God's tender care; in His Light, and the Watering of His Word and Spirit. God is the Gardener, and His Beauty radiates in You, dwell in Him, so that you may bloom to your fullest.
A Person will invest his or hers "love" in whoever, or whatever they choose to "Identify" with. Sometimes we base our Identity in what we can "relate" to most...whether that be another person, a situation, a way of feeling, a way of believing. But truly, we will Identify with whatever we "love"...and we tend to also, "love" whatever we Identify with. Strange isn't it?
Last night while I was at youth group one of the young men felt he had a word from God. He got up and spoke in the mic se we could all hear him. And began to read the scripture that I'd posted on my last blog. "A meek and quiet spirit, is of great worth, in the sight of the Lord"...A Gentle and peaceful spirit...Then he went on to talk about Identity.
After he was done speaking one of the girls shared something God had been showing her to the whole group.
And there it was again..."Finding One's Identity in Christ". She went on to say that a lot of the time what we see as "Our flaws", are not really flaws, but things God has a perfect plan for; that there is so much of God in us, that we don't even realize...but even so, we put our Identity in other things. Such as fashion? Such as other people? "We have to break down fear; "fear of men". "We settle for less, when we were created for more".
True, very true.
So does all this conformation to the fads of the world...and all this peer pressure you hear people talking about, really come down to, "fear of men"? Fear of what they will think of you? Fear of what the world will think of you? Fear of how you look when you walk into a room full of people your age, and you aren't dressed in their latest style? or in their more popular way?
Is it fear? Fear of Rejection? Fear of disapproval? Fear of Isolation? Fear of being...UnLoved?
Why is it most of us do not bask in God's Love. In His Peace, His kindness, His approval, His presence?
Is it because of fear? Skepticism? Doubt? These all tie together. Fear or man, but more importantly: Fear of Love, leads us farther from what we truly desire. There is no Peace, Acceptance, Unity, Worth, Satisfaction...if we have walls up against Love. Remember I said beauty begins inside? Well it does...Beauty is Stirred by Love...and what that Love does inside a person, creates beauty.
The Light meets the Dark...The Perfect Beauty, blemishless, Spotless Perfection, of the Light (Christ) meets your Imperfection, ugliness, deformities, sinful nature, your Darkness, and Transforms You. The healing begins where the Light meets the Dark. Sparks will fly as grace collides with the dark inside of us. In smaller terms, it's kind of like getting a face peel, where all the old you is peeled away, and the fresh, new, spotless skin underneath, the new you, in reveled. The old in no longer remembered, only the new.
Just like true beauty roots from the inside and blooms to the outside, so does true ugliness root from the inside and bloom to the outside. Sin is the root of all ugliness, all shame, all true spots and blemishes. Darkness is not beautiful. The Light is beautiful.
Satan likes to twist our view on beauty. He wants what is sinful, disgraceful, truly ugly, to be presented as Beauty. Lust is not Love, being Lusty in not being Beautiful. Purity is truly beautiful. Purity of intentions, purity of motive, purity of speech, purity of heart...how is it possible to be Pure in these ways? Only by Identifying with "Him "who is Pure. Only by finding your Purpose and Life in Christ, only by letting Him enter into you, change you, and begin a relationship of Love with Him. God said the Pure in Heart shall see God. What is greater? Is not "God" the Ultimate perfection of Beauty inside and out? Don't let the World fool you, lust, darkness, seductiveness, is not beautiful...Purity is. And according to God, purity is beauty. Only the pure will be able to stand in His presence. You may ask "How can I be pure? I've made so many earthly mistakes, I've let me flesh lead my at times, I've been so "worthless"...Remember, that although what you do a great weight on your future, and how you've love others. It is what Christ has done, and will do for you that makes you truly Pure and Beautiful. That no man may fully boast in himself. "Nor", may he bath in his pity... God was the offering for You Sanctification and Salvation. "He" was the spotless, blameless, sacrifice.
Only by being Washed by "His" blood can we become clean. Pure as the purest garment. White as snow, where we were once dark. His blood, has been shead to 'purify' you.
So are you going to be willing to dream again? Willing to reach for His Love, and Find it. Let out the Beauty, and the Love, which Christ has now put in You by His Spirit, and by His Sacrifice for You...Shine "His" Light,
and the Beauty that originates in Him,. Let if flow from you. He will be pleased if you do. Let your Light shine before others...Let yourself bloom under God's tender care; in His Light, and the Watering of His Word and Spirit. God is the Gardener, and His Beauty radiates in You, dwell in Him, so that you may bloom to your fullest.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
God Wants to Love You : Beauty - Part #1
God wants to Love you. Do you have a problem with that? What about on those days when the rain pours down your window sills and your heart aches with anticipation, worry, fret, cares...Why are you blue? Has someone hurt you? Do you love someone and worry that they don't love you? How is it that most times we refuse to let God's love satisfy us...because we are too consumed in our worry, fret...that we "won't" or "can't" be loved by others, or someone other than God.
God has "NEVER" been the one to look down from heaven and say "Girl, you aren't pretty enough for me", or "Boy, you aren't cool enough for me...Nope, not for me to love You".
The world looks on the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16: 7
It's true. True beauty comes from the inside out. And until our eyes are transformed into "eyes that look within" we will never see "true beauty" on this earth. God created everything and looked upon it and said "It is good".
So if Adam and Eve were "good"...what about you?
King David from the Bible says "You formed me in my Mother's whom".
So if "God" formed "Him". He must have been "good" in His sight.
God never creates anything ugly. We make ourselves ugly on the inside, by choosing to not serve or believe in Him that made us.
Girls: these days we seem to worry. We worry about being beautiful. We worry that we won't be excepted. We worry that guys won't think we are pretty enough. It's natural that we should be attracted to beauty and want to conform to it. But the beauty that we should conform to, is not the same beauty that most strive to con from to, at all. God made Woman attractive. He made them to step out and "Wow" the man, his jaw to drop open and say "God she's amazing". But God also made the woman to step out and be beautiful in her ways, in her waking and in her retire...how? A woman is beautiful by the way she lives. Who she is. Proverbs says:
10 Who can find a "virtuous" woman? for her price [is] far above rubies.
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
(God-fearing)
31Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.
(Honored)
(Her Excellence as a Person)
~ Proverbs 31:10-31
Notice that physical "fairness" is not noted of having a worth far above rubies. In fact I would think that Delilah was probably physically attractive, and yet this did not hold of great worth for her...Who shall be praised? not a pretty woman? not a fashionable woman? not a "hot", "sexy", gal? Nope. Who? A Woman who 'Fears the Lord'.
A Woman who looks at all the World has to offer and says, Nah! I will not cling to the fashions and trends, nor believe the lies of the world...that say I must conform to their labels, and be immodest, and sell myself short. No I will honor others, honor men, honor my body, honor my God's standards, be Virtuous, and in doing so, "Fear the Lord". For a "Virtuous Woman" is worth high above rubies. So here is a lesson for us ladies on "worth".
It is true that women desire to feel that they have "worth". That is one reason that men in order to win our hearts must show us that they truly see us as a costly and "worth it" passion. Love shows "worth". It is not true Love if it does not.
A lot of people fall for the secondary...what is that? Well, first let me say that if a person never feels that they have any "worth", or are never shown that they have "worth" or are treated like they have "worth" than they will go for the secondary type of affection and that goes like this...looking for acceptance, approval, or affection, from somebody, anybody, whether or not they truly "can", "are willing", or "know" how to give it to them. In other words, it's love of the second type "false love" the "world's kind of love", which instead of satisfying a person, instead leaves them with second, or third degree, burns....
I've been finding out more lately how very important it is for a woman to know that she is Loved. And for Guys too, Love is important...
But right now we are talking about us Ladies, and about true Beauty, and about true worth.
You see before the Fall, and Sin. Man and Woman could completely trust and confide in each other, they were open with each other in every way, and they were satisfied in the Love of God, and loved each other. What makes this so relevant is I believe the #1 reason that this was so...was because they were so very "certain" of the Love of God, His Sovereignty; were completely satisfied, and knew that they were made, and that God considered their appearance "perfect". They knew they were divinely made, therefore they were content beyond our understanding...They were being made by God, what could be more awesome and beautiful than that? Perhaps the fact that they weren't only living things, but they were "Spiritually" alive as well, and here's the big topper: They were made "in the image of God"! Whoa, bang, hit!
It is only after the fall, that man was ashamed, self-conscious 'to his fault', and worried about outward appeal.
God made everything to be beautiful. In heaven everything is more beautiful than we imagine here on earth, why? Because our sin has made things ugly.
This is one reason why we see when a person first trusts and accepts, believes in the Lord - they begin to become more beautiful not only on the inside, but it glows on their outside. The most "beautiful" people I have ever seen were "beautiful" because their insides, and surety of God's Love, and Love for others, radiated out of them, and no matter what their physical "hipness" was, they struck me as quite beautiful. You can see it most clearly in their eyes. God is Beautiful. And anyone basking and dwelling in the rays of His light, becomes beautiful also.
Don't let anyone fool you, beauty can be transferred. LOL
Another note on Women and beauty:
1 Peter 3:3-4
...Whose adorning let it not be that outward [adorning] of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
But [let it be] the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, [even the ornament] of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
Therefore we are reading that: Let not our beauty be gathered, or labeled for us, by the outward look of our hair, our jewelry, or in our clothes -
but rather in our "inner man/ or woman". In our heart. This beauty is not "corruptible", nor fades with age. Also, a Humble (gentle) and peaceful (tranquil) Spirit. This in the sight of God is of "great" price.
Beauty comes from Within. This is where beauty starts.
God has "NEVER" been the one to look down from heaven and say "Girl, you aren't pretty enough for me", or "Boy, you aren't cool enough for me...Nope, not for me to love You".
The world looks on the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16: 7
It's true. True beauty comes from the inside out. And until our eyes are transformed into "eyes that look within" we will never see "true beauty" on this earth. God created everything and looked upon it and said "It is good".
So if Adam and Eve were "good"...what about you?
King David from the Bible says "You formed me in my Mother's whom".
So if "God" formed "Him". He must have been "good" in His sight.
God never creates anything ugly. We make ourselves ugly on the inside, by choosing to not serve or believe in Him that made us.
Girls: these days we seem to worry. We worry about being beautiful. We worry that we won't be excepted. We worry that guys won't think we are pretty enough. It's natural that we should be attracted to beauty and want to conform to it. But the beauty that we should conform to, is not the same beauty that most strive to con from to, at all. God made Woman attractive. He made them to step out and "Wow" the man, his jaw to drop open and say "God she's amazing". But God also made the woman to step out and be beautiful in her ways, in her waking and in her retire...how? A woman is beautiful by the way she lives. Who she is. Proverbs says:
10 Who can find a "virtuous" woman? for her price [is] far above rubies.
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
(God-fearing)
31Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.
(Honored)
(Her Excellence as a Person)
~ Proverbs 31:10-31
Notice that physical "fairness" is not noted of having a worth far above rubies. In fact I would think that Delilah was probably physically attractive, and yet this did not hold of great worth for her...Who shall be praised? not a pretty woman? not a fashionable woman? not a "hot", "sexy", gal? Nope. Who? A Woman who 'Fears the Lord'.
A Woman who looks at all the World has to offer and says, Nah! I will not cling to the fashions and trends, nor believe the lies of the world...that say I must conform to their labels, and be immodest, and sell myself short. No I will honor others, honor men, honor my body, honor my God's standards, be Virtuous, and in doing so, "Fear the Lord". For a "Virtuous Woman" is worth high above rubies. So here is a lesson for us ladies on "worth".
It is true that women desire to feel that they have "worth". That is one reason that men in order to win our hearts must show us that they truly see us as a costly and "worth it" passion. Love shows "worth". It is not true Love if it does not.
A lot of people fall for the secondary...what is that? Well, first let me say that if a person never feels that they have any "worth", or are never shown that they have "worth" or are treated like they have "worth" than they will go for the secondary type of affection and that goes like this...looking for acceptance, approval, or affection, from somebody, anybody, whether or not they truly "can", "are willing", or "know" how to give it to them. In other words, it's love of the second type "false love" the "world's kind of love", which instead of satisfying a person, instead leaves them with second, or third degree, burns....
I've been finding out more lately how very important it is for a woman to know that she is Loved. And for Guys too, Love is important...
But right now we are talking about us Ladies, and about true Beauty, and about true worth.
You see before the Fall, and Sin. Man and Woman could completely trust and confide in each other, they were open with each other in every way, and they were satisfied in the Love of God, and loved each other. What makes this so relevant is I believe the #1 reason that this was so...was because they were so very "certain" of the Love of God, His Sovereignty; were completely satisfied, and knew that they were made, and that God considered their appearance "perfect". They knew they were divinely made, therefore they were content beyond our understanding...They were being made by God, what could be more awesome and beautiful than that? Perhaps the fact that they weren't only living things, but they were "Spiritually" alive as well, and here's the big topper: They were made "in the image of God"! Whoa, bang, hit!
It is only after the fall, that man was ashamed, self-conscious 'to his fault', and worried about outward appeal.
God made everything to be beautiful. In heaven everything is more beautiful than we imagine here on earth, why? Because our sin has made things ugly.
This is one reason why we see when a person first trusts and accepts, believes in the Lord - they begin to become more beautiful not only on the inside, but it glows on their outside. The most "beautiful" people I have ever seen were "beautiful" because their insides, and surety of God's Love, and Love for others, radiated out of them, and no matter what their physical "hipness" was, they struck me as quite beautiful. You can see it most clearly in their eyes. God is Beautiful. And anyone basking and dwelling in the rays of His light, becomes beautiful also.
Don't let anyone fool you, beauty can be transferred. LOL
Another note on Women and beauty:
1 Peter 3:3-4
...Whose adorning let it not be that outward [adorning] of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
But [let it be] the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, [even the ornament] of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
Therefore we are reading that: Let not our beauty be gathered, or labeled for us, by the outward look of our hair, our jewelry, or in our clothes -
but rather in our "inner man/ or woman". In our heart. This beauty is not "corruptible", nor fades with age. Also, a Humble (gentle) and peaceful (tranquil) Spirit. This in the sight of God is of "great" price.
Beauty comes from Within. This is where beauty starts.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
"The Burning Ones": God is Working
The Night before last, I went to a Youth Worship Group "The Burning Ones", with my Mum and brother, outside of town a ways...It was such an amazing experience. Totally God.
First after reaching the church "The Father's House of Prayer" we were met by a familiar face. The girl exclaimed "I've seen you before, at my work..I'm the one who commented on your hair". The girl introduced herself to me as Sarah. I remembered her. She and her sister were from the town where I lived. Soon the Pastor's Wife came up to my Mother and I and talked with us for a moment. My brother went off to the bathroom, so I was left to fend for myself. I stood in the hall with the Pastor's daughter, and Sarah's sister. They seemed really friendly and I was glad of it. A few guys also stood in the hall and chatted. Then after awhile more teenagers began to arrive. And joined in the guys conversation in the hall. I watched as some gave out hugs, and others laughed and chatted. I just stood there and smiled. Soon my brother was out from the restroom and made his enterance. I tried to introduce him to The Pastor's Daughter Lizzy and Sarah's Sister, Hannah. I was having a hard time remembering all the names I'd heard, and which ones belonged to who...but come to find out later most of the girls were just Sarahs and Hannahs. My brother said hello in his lowest of voices, and I also noticed his hair was now looking much better than earlier. the girls giggled at his voice, I was grining too. Ben, my bro, he didn't go introduce himself to the others. He stood there and leaned against the wall. I was surprised that he stayed off to himself, because he is usually the friendly hand shaker. He was silent and emotionless the whole rest of the time the group chatted and hung out in the hall. After a while we entered into the Sanctuary to worship. The neat thing, that I soon realized, was that the worship musicians were all youth, and the singers too. Actually I didn't see an "grown-up" insight, except for the Pastor's Wife who was behind the scenes projecting the lyrics for the songs. The young man at the guitar gave us some heads up on their worship atmosphere - telling us however we wanted to worship whether it be dancing, sitting, standing - was fine and welcome :) He also mentioned that the open mic up front was open for whoever felt they had heard a word from God, or wanted to share something...The first song began and ended. At the end the young man told us he had written the song we had just sung a little bit earlier that day. I was surprised...My brother and I sat second row to the front of the room where the music was being played - but all the other teens were to the right sitting side by side, to the right section of the room. But the Preacher's Son Zach he came and sat in the middle of the almost empty row of seats, next to my brother and I. When I wasn't singing I seen that a few of the youth had their bibles open and pencils and notebooks in hand, and a few were jotting down stuff that God was showing them. At this observation I was kindof wishing I had brought my notebook, pen, and bible as well...I'm always writing, and talking notes...to be without my notebook wouldn't be an easy thing... In the midst of one of the worship songs I heard and seen Zach turn to my brother and begin telling him what sounded like a vision he'd had. I kept my eyes fixed up ahead, but after a moment I heard what they were saying and realized the Vision Zach was telling Ben about was actually of, and about 'him'. At realizing this, I smiled ear to ear. Just being present where God was working, and talking to my brother made me happy inside. Next the guy asked to pray with Ben..and the two prayed together. Ah, I was getting excited now. A few came up front and used the empty mic...both had scriptures and words to share.
After what may have been an hour and a half of worship...Zach told us all to gather up front, and so we did. I was glad of this, because I thought we would be going home after worship, and yet I longed for study and to get to know those who were in the room better.
Zack read to us from his notes and talked to us about finding Fulfillment, Acceptance etc..in God.
I listened earnestly...tried not to stare, although I'm used to looking people in the eyes when they are talking, even if they don't look back, but I noticed everyone else wasn't focusing their attention on Zach so I just listened and stared off...except for times when their was something humorous said, and I turned and had to laugh.
Zach had said that he was planning on speaking about something else, but God was telling him "No. That He had something else for Him to talk about tonight". So he began covering some scriptures and chatting to us a bit about finding what we desire in God Himself. He concluded by saying that he thought it would be a good idea for us to listen to some music, go off by ourselves and ask God what parts of our hearts, if any, that we felt we hadn't surrendered to Him, or let him fulfill or heal. So we all went of into seperated corners, areas, of the small room and prayed silently and listened to hear God.
One girl was crying in her corner, I heard her...God must have really been speaking or working on her. And we prayed for awhile.
After that we all came back up front. And Zach asked us if we all had anything to share that God had spoken or reveiled to us. He told us about
a vision he'd had, while he was laying there face to the floor close to where I had been sitting. He said he'd invisioned the Lord coming to him, and he handed him his heart and then clung to the Lord's. I'm just paraphrasing, but that was mainly what he'd discribed.
After that...was prayer requests. A few of us prayed for people who weren't present at the group, who were in need of either better health, comfort, or others needs that only God could truly fill.
After that we were getting ready to close our meeting when Miss Kathy suggested that they should say a blessing over my brother and I.
They asked if it was o.k. with us. I quickly replyed that "Yes, it was".
So since ben and I were sitting side by side, they all crowded around us and some laid their hands on our backs. And began to pray quietly. Then I heard Zach and he spoke to Ben first telling him he just sensed that Ben was had encouraging words for people that he met and re-mentioned Ben's desire to minister to youth and his big heart...Zach hadn't known us, nothing beyond our first names...but the stuff he was saying about Ben was so true, and he wouldn't have known it either.
I listened again, smiling. But then he said my name. And said he just invisioned like a halo over my head..which made me smile when he said that. Who wouldn't get tickled if they were told by someone 'they hadn't even had a conversation with', that they saw a halo over your head? well he went on to say that I was a Child of Light...and that I inspire people...This was all "very" encouraging. He spoke on...
And I was so glad that we got to have that experience. Next one of the girls that was there had been sick, so someone annointed her head with oil and we all crowded around her and prayed for her.
Then we closed our meeting. I for one didn't want to leave. I had been there about three hours and still I could have just stayed longer...
Kathy who had put one hand on my back while we were praying said she was seeing "volumes of books" while she was praying. She asked me if I wrote - I laughed. "Volumes"! Yes I am always writing...so many coincidents there too...Although I bet none of them were really "conicidents"...more like Providence. More like God. :)
I left there the building excited. I've been inspired ever since. A lot of times when something good or happy happens you only think about for a little while, because other things happen to steal the joy you felt, or the original happiness...but I whenever I think of this experience of being there at this youth group I smile inside.
It's a fresh and lovely thought. Next week I look forward to going and Ben and I playing and singing with the youth worship band. I sing, and play keyboard...Ben plays guitar. Who knows what the future brings...Hopefully, Godwilling we will be able to contibute in this way.
The whole experience and youth meeting reminded me of the "original believers" back in the time after the Resurection of Christ...Together, unified, worhsiping, studying, praying, and a desire for Christ. I'd never witnessed youth with such a desire for God before. I'd longed for it...but I'd never been present in such a case. I know God has answered my prayer...afterall, I've prayed for something like this. I just never knew it would be here in these Moutains. I'm inspired, encouraged by it, and Thankful for it's existance.
Come to find out my Brother was really quiet and to himself because he felt like he should..which makes Zach's prohetic words and vision even more special, because He hadn't observed my brother even in his usual friendliness...therefore he knew even less about him.
I pray God would Continue to Bless the "Buring Ones"...May their Burning Deisre for Him lead them through their lives. I look forward to joining them too, and in result - desiring and drawing even closer to my Lord.
First after reaching the church "The Father's House of Prayer" we were met by a familiar face. The girl exclaimed "I've seen you before, at my work..I'm the one who commented on your hair". The girl introduced herself to me as Sarah. I remembered her. She and her sister were from the town where I lived. Soon the Pastor's Wife came up to my Mother and I and talked with us for a moment. My brother went off to the bathroom, so I was left to fend for myself. I stood in the hall with the Pastor's daughter, and Sarah's sister. They seemed really friendly and I was glad of it. A few guys also stood in the hall and chatted. Then after awhile more teenagers began to arrive. And joined in the guys conversation in the hall. I watched as some gave out hugs, and others laughed and chatted. I just stood there and smiled. Soon my brother was out from the restroom and made his enterance. I tried to introduce him to The Pastor's Daughter Lizzy and Sarah's Sister, Hannah. I was having a hard time remembering all the names I'd heard, and which ones belonged to who...but come to find out later most of the girls were just Sarahs and Hannahs. My brother said hello in his lowest of voices, and I also noticed his hair was now looking much better than earlier. the girls giggled at his voice, I was grining too. Ben, my bro, he didn't go introduce himself to the others. He stood there and leaned against the wall. I was surprised that he stayed off to himself, because he is usually the friendly hand shaker. He was silent and emotionless the whole rest of the time the group chatted and hung out in the hall. After a while we entered into the Sanctuary to worship. The neat thing, that I soon realized, was that the worship musicians were all youth, and the singers too. Actually I didn't see an "grown-up" insight, except for the Pastor's Wife who was behind the scenes projecting the lyrics for the songs. The young man at the guitar gave us some heads up on their worship atmosphere - telling us however we wanted to worship whether it be dancing, sitting, standing - was fine and welcome :) He also mentioned that the open mic up front was open for whoever felt they had heard a word from God, or wanted to share something...The first song began and ended. At the end the young man told us he had written the song we had just sung a little bit earlier that day. I was surprised...My brother and I sat second row to the front of the room where the music was being played - but all the other teens were to the right sitting side by side, to the right section of the room. But the Preacher's Son Zach he came and sat in the middle of the almost empty row of seats, next to my brother and I. When I wasn't singing I seen that a few of the youth had their bibles open and pencils and notebooks in hand, and a few were jotting down stuff that God was showing them. At this observation I was kindof wishing I had brought my notebook, pen, and bible as well...I'm always writing, and talking notes...to be without my notebook wouldn't be an easy thing... In the midst of one of the worship songs I heard and seen Zach turn to my brother and begin telling him what sounded like a vision he'd had. I kept my eyes fixed up ahead, but after a moment I heard what they were saying and realized the Vision Zach was telling Ben about was actually of, and about 'him'. At realizing this, I smiled ear to ear. Just being present where God was working, and talking to my brother made me happy inside. Next the guy asked to pray with Ben..and the two prayed together. Ah, I was getting excited now. A few came up front and used the empty mic...both had scriptures and words to share.
After what may have been an hour and a half of worship...Zach told us all to gather up front, and so we did. I was glad of this, because I thought we would be going home after worship, and yet I longed for study and to get to know those who were in the room better.
Zack read to us from his notes and talked to us about finding Fulfillment, Acceptance etc..in God.
I listened earnestly...tried not to stare, although I'm used to looking people in the eyes when they are talking, even if they don't look back, but I noticed everyone else wasn't focusing their attention on Zach so I just listened and stared off...except for times when their was something humorous said, and I turned and had to laugh.
Zach had said that he was planning on speaking about something else, but God was telling him "No. That He had something else for Him to talk about tonight". So he began covering some scriptures and chatting to us a bit about finding what we desire in God Himself. He concluded by saying that he thought it would be a good idea for us to listen to some music, go off by ourselves and ask God what parts of our hearts, if any, that we felt we hadn't surrendered to Him, or let him fulfill or heal. So we all went of into seperated corners, areas, of the small room and prayed silently and listened to hear God.
One girl was crying in her corner, I heard her...God must have really been speaking or working on her. And we prayed for awhile.
After that we all came back up front. And Zach asked us if we all had anything to share that God had spoken or reveiled to us. He told us about
a vision he'd had, while he was laying there face to the floor close to where I had been sitting. He said he'd invisioned the Lord coming to him, and he handed him his heart and then clung to the Lord's. I'm just paraphrasing, but that was mainly what he'd discribed.
After that...was prayer requests. A few of us prayed for people who weren't present at the group, who were in need of either better health, comfort, or others needs that only God could truly fill.
After that we were getting ready to close our meeting when Miss Kathy suggested that they should say a blessing over my brother and I.
They asked if it was o.k. with us. I quickly replyed that "Yes, it was".
So since ben and I were sitting side by side, they all crowded around us and some laid their hands on our backs. And began to pray quietly. Then I heard Zach and he spoke to Ben first telling him he just sensed that Ben was had encouraging words for people that he met and re-mentioned Ben's desire to minister to youth and his big heart...Zach hadn't known us, nothing beyond our first names...but the stuff he was saying about Ben was so true, and he wouldn't have known it either.
I listened again, smiling. But then he said my name. And said he just invisioned like a halo over my head..which made me smile when he said that. Who wouldn't get tickled if they were told by someone 'they hadn't even had a conversation with', that they saw a halo over your head? well he went on to say that I was a Child of Light...and that I inspire people...This was all "very" encouraging. He spoke on...
And I was so glad that we got to have that experience. Next one of the girls that was there had been sick, so someone annointed her head with oil and we all crowded around her and prayed for her.
Then we closed our meeting. I for one didn't want to leave. I had been there about three hours and still I could have just stayed longer...
Kathy who had put one hand on my back while we were praying said she was seeing "volumes of books" while she was praying. She asked me if I wrote - I laughed. "Volumes"! Yes I am always writing...so many coincidents there too...Although I bet none of them were really "conicidents"...more like Providence. More like God. :)
I left there the building excited. I've been inspired ever since. A lot of times when something good or happy happens you only think about for a little while, because other things happen to steal the joy you felt, or the original happiness...but I whenever I think of this experience of being there at this youth group I smile inside.
It's a fresh and lovely thought. Next week I look forward to going and Ben and I playing and singing with the youth worship band. I sing, and play keyboard...Ben plays guitar. Who knows what the future brings...Hopefully, Godwilling we will be able to contibute in this way.
The whole experience and youth meeting reminded me of the "original believers" back in the time after the Resurection of Christ...Together, unified, worhsiping, studying, praying, and a desire for Christ. I'd never witnessed youth with such a desire for God before. I'd longed for it...but I'd never been present in such a case. I know God has answered my prayer...afterall, I've prayed for something like this. I just never knew it would be here in these Moutains. I'm inspired, encouraged by it, and Thankful for it's existance.
Come to find out my Brother was really quiet and to himself because he felt like he should..which makes Zach's prohetic words and vision even more special, because He hadn't observed my brother even in his usual friendliness...therefore he knew even less about him.
I pray God would Continue to Bless the "Buring Ones"...May their Burning Deisre for Him lead them through their lives. I look forward to joining them too, and in result - desiring and drawing even closer to my Lord.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Atmosphere
- ATMOSPHERE LYRICS - LUMINATE
Something's changing in the atmosphere
I can feel it, you are near
I feel weightless in this place
I am lost in your embrace
Something's changing in the atmosphere
You're near, You're near
You've opened up my eyes to your glory, Lord
I've tasted and I've seen and I want more
I stand here amazed, I'm falling on your grace
I've tasted and I've seen and I (now) want more
Something's changing in this heart of mine
Chains are breaking as you redesign
I am yours, I'm in your hands
I give you my life and I take your plans
Something's changing in the atmosphere
You're near, You're near
Cause I need more
I need your love
Something's changing in my atmosphere
You're here, You're here
_____________________________________________________
I've been listening to this song over, and over again, lately...
And I feel the lyrics: "Open up my eyes to Your Glory Lord,
I've tasted and I've seen, but I want more"...
Something's changing in the atmosphere
I can feel it, you are near
I feel weightless in this place
I am lost in your embrace
Something's changing in the atmosphere
You're near, You're near
You've opened up my eyes to your glory, Lord
I've tasted and I've seen and I want more
I stand here amazed, I'm falling on your grace
I've tasted and I've seen and I (now) want more
Something's changing in this heart of mine
Chains are breaking as you redesign
I am yours, I'm in your hands
I give you my life and I take your plans
Something's changing in the atmosphere
You're near, You're near
Cause I need more
I need your love
Something's changing in my atmosphere
You're here, You're here
_____________________________________________________
I've been listening to this song over, and over again, lately...
And I feel the lyrics: "Open up my eyes to Your Glory Lord,
I've tasted and I've seen, but I want more"...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)