March 18, 2010 (Musings)

Again, I have fallen behind in reading and posting. I finished Malachi the other day, but just didn't write anything yet. I'm still sick, and although being sick makes you not feel like doing stuff, in looking back over this past week, I wasted a lot of time. It's so much easier to 'veg' with mindless TV than it is to seek God. I looked back over my log and I started the Old Testament November 7th. So in about 4 1/2 months I've read through the whole Old Testament, which leaves 1 1/2 months to finish the new. I'm looking forward to the New Testament, but in a way am 'hating' to leave the Old, because I feel I'm still not implementing what I have learned. I tell Cooper all the time, "It doesn't matter what you know, it matters what you apply". And the words of the prophets continue to ring in my ears. God is speaking to us today. I did a search (couldn't remember where it was) on a verse that I think of often...here it is:

^{2 Chronicles 16:7} At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa and told him, “Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram instead of in the Lord your God, you missed your chance to destroy the army of the king of Aram. ⁸ Don’t you remember what happened to the Ethiopians and Libyans and their vast army, with all of their chariots and charioteers? At that time you relied on the Lord, and he handed them over to you. ⁹ The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.”

What 'chances' am I missing? The last time I 'mused', there was a verse, speaking of God that said "You did what You promised because You are always true to Your word." So, is God searching the earth to find hearts that are fully committed to Him? I think He is. Is mine? Partially, not fully. If I was fully committed to Him would I waste so much time with mindless activities? No. And perhaps putting this in writing will help me to choose wisely. What example am I living for my son? Yes, he sees me do my quiet time most every morning, he sees me serve others, he sees me pray with people over the phone. But how does he see me using my 'free' time? I pray he sees a difference starting today. It's never too late to make a change. At the women's retreat last weekend the speaker challenged us to create new "I am" statements. As I typed that, I remembered that Jesus used that phrase often. I did a search on that and came up with the following:

John 6:35
Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

John 8:12
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

John 8:18
I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other.”

John 8:23
Jesus continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; I do not.

John 9:5
But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”

1. John 10:7
   so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.
   
2. John 10:9
   Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.

1. John 10:11
   “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.
   
2. John 10:14
   “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me,

John 10:36
why do you call it blasphemy when I say, ‘I am the Son of God’? After all, the Father set me apart and sent me into the world.

John 11:25
Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.

John 14:6
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

John 14:20
When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

1. John 15:1
   “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.
   
2. John 15:5
   “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

John 16:32
Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.

John 20:21
Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”

Revelation 1:8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”

Revelation 1:18
I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.

Revelation 3:11
I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown.

Revelation 21:6
And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.

Revelation 22:7
“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book. ”

Revelation 22:12
“Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.

Revelation 22:13
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

Revelation 22:16
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star.”

Revelation 22:20
He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!”Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

Jesus knew who He was, and He knew what His purpose was. That governed how He lived. So who am I?
I am not of this world, because Jesus has changed me.
I am not alone, because Jesus is in me and the Father is with me.
I am saved to serve and to make a difference in this world.
I am fully committed to God.
And as I said to Jesus this morning, "I am Yours."

I will try to keep that last two "I am" statements constantly before me. Knowing that I am His and that I am fully committed to God should affect my actions. I am no longer of this world. This world's attractions should no longer have their pull on me. I am not alone. The Spirit of God lives within me. I don't need to, and can't, live this Christian life on my own. I am different. I am listening to God. I am aware of His words. I am a servant of God, waiting for His instructions.

"I am" statements are powerful statements. I am going to print them off and place them on my mirror. I am going to make wise choices. And now to do what I say I am going to do. How about you?