Entering Deeply Into True Understanding

Photo by Tom Gainor on Unsplash

"When we want to understand something, we cannot just stand outside and observe it. We have to enter deeply into it and be one with it in order to really understand. If we want to understand a person, we have to feel his feelings, suffer his feelings, and enjoy his joy...To comprehend something means to pick it up and be one with it. There is no other way to understand something." 

--Thich Nhat Hanh in his book Peace Is Every Step

We find ourselves saying we want to understand, but we fall short or are unwilling to go as deeply as it takes to truly understand. True understanding can be painful at times. Yet, it is by walking through the pain that we find healing and freedom from the pain.

(This post is also found on my other website Feisty 'n Free Wholistic Living.)

Quote - God Holds and Enfolds

“In all humanity’s religions, man reaches after God.
But in all His relationships, God reaches for man.

Reaches for you who have fallen and scraped your heart raw,

for you who feel the shame of words that have snaked off your tongue and poisoned corners of your life,

for you who keep trying to cover up pain with perfectionism…

...God refuses to give up on you.
...God looks for you when you’re feeling lost,
...God seeks you out when you’re down,
...God calls for you when you feel cast aside.

He doesn’t run down the rebel.
He doesn’t strike down the sinner.
He doesn’t flog the failure…

no matter what the day holds, how the season unfolds,

God holds and enfolds…”

(Ann Voskamp, The Greatest Gift pg. 23)

DAILY TRUTH – God’s Grace Superexceeds All Sin

“Yet where sin increases, grace superexceeds…”

(Romans 5:20, CLNT)

Those are some of the most beautiful words in the Scriptures, so I’ll type them again:

…where sin increases, grace superexceeds…

Read them over and over again.  Say them aloud, slowly.  Let them sink in.  Do not just read them or hear them, allow them to plant and take root in your soul. 

Are you aware that you cannot outdo God’s grace?  God’s grace cannot be outdone or outsinned.  The Scriptures tell us that God’s grace superexceeds all sin, no matter how much sin increases.  His grace extends above and beyond all sin.  There is no sin that can trample over God’s grace.  His grace is immeasurable.  It is boundless.  It has not limits.  God’s grace is superior to all our wrongdoings. 

A Love Like That of Christ’s

Yesterday, I began my day with a very heavy and sorrowful heart.  Once again, it all had to do with the profound ache of relationships.  I am truly having a difficult time dealing with my intense feelings of emotional pain regarding particular relationships.  There is a desperate desire within me for my relationships to be full of joy, grace, peace, and love.  

I have repeatedly asked God the same questions over and over: “Why does it have to be this way?  How long must it be this way?  I’m hoping it will be different in the future.  Will my hope materialize?  Is that day near or far?  Why must it hurt so deeply and continuously?  Why can’t I just release the situation, trust You are working in it, and not let it hurt me so much?  What am I doing wrong?  Am I taking things too personal?  What am I seeing wrong? What can I do to help correct what’s wrong?  How do I change this person’s perception of me and my motives?  How do I impart the truth?”

Loving Like Jesus

This post has been weeks in the pondering and the typing…I have been going through a variety of frustrating health issues along with some adjustments and changes in my role of mother and teacher to my children as they grow in their teenage years.

Today, as I face yet another health issue, I can’t help but wonder what God is trying to teach me. I KNOW He is teaching me something through it all because I don’t believe anything is wasted as we encounter any circumstances in living daily life. In the past few months I have been humbled within the mind, within the emotions, and within the body. As I endure each health issue and its complexities, I come face to face with my physical frailty and the frailty in the human wisdom of doctors. As earthly wisdom often fails, I know and completely trust in THE One Great Healer Who never fails—He is my Doctor, my Rock, my Fortress, and my Strength.

At His Feet

At the feet of Jesus we find ultimate love and forgiveness. We come as we are. He is the one with the power to forgive, to heal, and to change us. He is the one able to grant us the peace to move on beyond the darkest night of our lives.

Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner."

And Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher."

"A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. "When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?" Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have judged correctly." Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. "You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. "You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."

Then He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven. Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

(Luke 7:36-50)

She brought You oil, the purest gift she had
You washed her soul with her tears
Though more than a thousand years have passed
I still weep at how much that woman's just like me
And how much I want to be

At Your feet
Where I feel Your Spirit cover me
And the darkest of my sins, they are forgiven
What would You ask of me, I'd give up everything
Just so I can be at Your feet

I know one day I will open up my eyes
To the wonders of Heaven foretold
And I'll see that glorious mansion on high
But, I'll be content just to see Your face
If I can just find my place…

At Your feet
Where I feel Your Spirit cover me
And the darkest of my sins, they are forgiven
What would You ask of me, I'd give up everything
Just so I can be at Your feet

(“At Your Feet” sung by Natalie Grant)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B_xqpyUVQw)

At His feet…

He Has Risen!

“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ … He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. … Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ. From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. … Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. ‘For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.’” (Matthew 16:13-25)

“And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull … And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots. And sitting down, they began to keep watch over Him there. And above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, "THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS." At that time two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left. And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads and saying, ‘You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.’ In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, ‘He saved others; He cannot save Himself He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him.’ ‘He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now, if He delights in Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'’ The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words. Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" that is, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" … And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, ‘Truly this was the Son of God!’” (Matthew 27:33-54)

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride

See from His head, His hands, His feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did ever such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown

Oh the wonderful cross,
Oh the wonderful cross,
Bids me come and die
And find that I may truly live

Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all

Oh the wonderful cross,
Oh the wonderful cross,
All who gather here by grace
Draw near and bless Your name

(The Wonderful Cross, Matt Redman/Chris Tomlin version)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiTIHdp5NVs&feature=related)

“Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.’” (Matthew 28:1-10)

“And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.’”

(Matthew 28:1-10)

You have opened the door
To the riches of God
And poured out Your life for the lost
The Lamb that who was slain
You erased all our sin
Purchased man with Your blood
And made us as priests unto God
The Lamb who was slain

You erased all our sin
Purchased man with Your blood
And made us as priests unto God
The Lamb who was slain

You are worthy
You are faithful
You are holy
The Lamb who was slain

You came down as a man
And you suffered the cross
Your kingdom the heavens became
The Lamb who was slain
But our God raised You up
And our tongues now confess
Yes, You are the Lord and the Christ
The Lamb who was slain

You are worthy
You are faithful
You are holy
The Lamb who was slain

(The Lamb Who Was Slain written by Sal Oliveri & Jeff Nelson)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFOhDfmPg3o)

Thank you, Jesus, for your self-less and most loving sacrifice on behalf of the whole world.

“Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb”

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God”

(Revelation 7:10, 19:1)

Seeing the Truth Through Jesus Christ

Some see a teacher standing on a hill
Speaking words of wisdom
Some see a healer
Reaching out his hand to give sight to a blind man
Some see a dreamer wasting his life
On what can never be
Some see a fool dying for his dreams

But I see love (I see love)
I see love (I see love)
Light of heaven breaking through
Well I see grace (I see grace)
I see God's face (I see God’s face)
Shining pure and perfect love
When I see you, I see love

Some see a prisoner alone before his judge
With no one to defend him
Some see a victim beaten and abused
With all the world against him
Some see a martyr carrying his cross
For what he believes
Some see a hero who set his people free

But I see love (I see love)
I see love (I see love)
Light of heaven breaking through
Well I see grace (I see grace)
I see God's face (I see God’s face)
Shining pure and perfect love
When I see you

With your last breath I see love
Through your death I see love
I see peace in the eyes of the king
I see hope in your suffering (I see love)
I see a calm in the center of the storm
I see a Savior

I see love, I see love
Light of heaven breaking through

I see grace
I see God's face
Shining pure and perfect love
When I see you

I see love when I see you
I see heaven breaking through
See God’s face
Shining pure and perfect love
When I see you, when I see you
When I see you, I see love
I see love when I see…

Some see Him walking from an empty grave

(“I See Love” by Third Day, Mercy Me, Steven Curtis Chapman)
(the music video contains some disturbing scenes from “The Passion” movie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yMc90WDrow)

Links on God's Reconciliation of All

The following links are a resource to search further information on the topic of God’s ultimate reconciliation of all mankind. These links offer further information on the topic. 

However, this is my formal and personal disclaimer that I have not read every single word on every single article at these various websites.  I have chosen to share some of the sites that, for the better part, have the most in common with my beliefs and have a solid Scriptural foundation to what they say.  

I do not agree with all the viewpoints expressed by all the authors at these links.  In fact, there absolutely are points on which I wholeheartedly disagree! 

These links are listed here to help others in their spiritual journey as they seek to understand and know God more.  I highly encourage all people to search the Scriptures and study them for themselves and to seek God on a personal level, not merely relying on what others say about Him.

May God use all for His glory!

In His superexceeding grace,
Mary Ann

GOD, The Savior of All Mankind

I cannot remain silent any longer…

I cannot remain silent about all that God has been and continues to reveal to me because it might mean that my character and my Christian faith will be questioned or attacked by those who may disagree with what I proclaim. This life is not about me anyway, it is all about HIM, YHWH.

For too long I have lived as M.A. – Mary Ann who is Much Afraid of what man shall be doing to her. A few months ago God lovingly and firmly spoke to me and said that I was no longer to live as Much Afraid. He said that instead I was to live freely and securely in Him, abundantly and victoriously, as M.A. – Mary Ann, the Master’s Apprentice. He assured me that now I was to live life standing firm with Him as the verse in Hebrews 13:6 says:

Because He Loves

As “LOVE” is celebrated today, I want to share how I feel about THE Greatest Love of all—the love that God has for me and for EVERY ONE of us—the love that completely changed my life.

A few years ago I took a popular song by Celine Dion and re-wrote the words a bit so I could sing it to my LORD. This is for my “one God, the Father, out of Whom all is and for my one Lord, Jesus Christ, through Whom all is”. (1 Corinthians 8:1-6)

Because of their incredible love that has covered me and how their love has done incredible things in my life I dedicate this song to them:

For all those times You stood by me
For all the truth that You made me see
For all the joy You brought to my life
For all the wrong that You made right
For every dream You made come true
For all the love I found in You
I'll be forever thankful Lord
You're the One who held me up
Never let me fall
You're the One who saw me through, through it all

You are my strength when I am weak
You are my voice when I can’t speak
You are my eyes when I can’t see
You see the best there is in me
Lifting me up when I can’t reach
You give me faith 'cause You believe
I'm everything I am
Because You love me

You gave me wings and made me fly
You touched my hand I could touch the sky
I lost my faith, You gave it back to me
You said no star was out of reach
You stood by me and I stood tall
I have Your love, I have it all
I'm grateful for each day You give me
Maybe I don't know that much
But I know this much is true
I am blessed because I am loved by You

You are always here for me
The tender Wind that carries me
A Light in the dark, shining Your love into my life
You are my inspiration
Through the lies You are the Truth
My world is a better place because of You

I'm everything I am
Because You love me

(Original song is by Celine Dion, words slightly different
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CkKuA86Mis)

I am everything I am because that love has covered me and done a miraculous work in me. Who I used to be (lost to my own ways) is a total stranger to me; for that, I am ever grateful.

Jesus said,
“Greater love than this has no one, that anyone may be laying down his soul for his friends…” (John 15:13)

Jesus also said,
“My soul I am laying down for the sake of the sheep…I am laying down My soul that I may be getting it again. No one is taking it away from Me, but I am laying it down of Myself. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to get it again…” (John 10:14-18)

He laid down His life for me so that He could give me true and abundant life. He has done the same for you, for all of us. It doesn’t matter where you are, where you’ve been, or who you are or have been, His love will do a perfecting and beautiful work in you.

“Beloved, we should be loving one another, for love is of God, and everyone who is loving God is begotten of God, and knows God. He who is not loving knew not God, for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God among us, that God has dispatched His only begotten Son into the world that we should be living through Him. In this is love, not that we love God, but that He loves us, and dispatches His Son, a propitiatory shelter concerned with our sins. Beloved, if thus God loves us, we also ought to be loving one another. No one has ever gazed upon God. If we should be loving one another, God is remaining in us, and His love is perfected in us. In this we know that we are remaining in Him, and He in us, for He has given us of His spirit. And we have gazed upon Him, and are testifying that the Father has dispatched the Son, the Saviour of the world. Whoever should be avowing that Jesus is the Son of God, God is remaining in him, and he in God. And we know and believe the love which God has in us. God is love, and he who is remaining in love is remaining in God, and God is remaining in him. In this is love perfected with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judging, seeing that, according as He is, so are we also in this world. Fear is not in love, but perfect love is casting out fear, for fear has chastening. Now he who is fearing is not perfected in love. We are loving God, for He first loves us…” (1 John 4)

“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails...” (1 Corinthians 13)

GOD’S LOVE IS…

EXTRAVAGANT

INCORRUPTIBLE

BOUNDLESS

INESCAPABLE

UNFAILING

In the arms of Perfect Love…

Healed

By the wounds of Christ we are healed…

“Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth. But the LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; by His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong; because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53)

He was despised, forsaken, sorrowful, stricken by God, afflicted, pierced, scourged, chastened, oppressed…And YHWH, His Father, was “pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief” so that through His sacrifice and sufferings we would be justified. He endured it all (nothing He deserved) without complaint, whining, anger, or rebellion.

Oh, we stutter and we stammer till You save us
A symphony of chaos till You play us
Phrases on the pages of unknown
‘Til You read us into poetry and prose
We are kept and we are captive till You free us
Vaguely unimagined ‘til You dream us
Aimlessly unguided ‘til You lead us home

By Your voice we speak
By Your strength no longer weak
We are no longer weak
And by Your wounds we are healed
And by Your wounds we are healed

Passed over and passed by until you claim us
Orphaned and abandoned ‘til you name us
Hidden and disclosed ‘til you expose you hearts

By your death we live
It is by your gift that we might give
That we might give
And by your wounds we are healed
And by your wounds we are healed

What kind of love would take your
shame and spill His blood for you
Save us by His wounds
By Your wounds, we are healed
By Your wounds, we are healed
What kind of love
By Your wounds, we are healed
Tell me what kind of love is this
By Your wounds, we are healed

(“Healed”, Nichole Nordeman)

http://www.discoveringgodministries.org/Healed.mp3

As we are united and become one with Christ do we expect that we will not also share in the same types of sufferings that He Himself endured on our behalf? Do we expect that we will not also be called to endure or give sacrificially of ourselves for the sake of others? No, that cannot and will not be so.

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” (1 Peter 4:12-14)

As through the sacrificial pains and sufferings of Christ we have been healed and justified so also through our pains and sufferings God brings His love, compassion, and healing to the pains of others.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-7)

In every affliction, in every sorrow, and in very sacrifice may we say, “For Your Glory, LORD!” Is this as easy as writing it here on this page; absolutely not. However, God has assured me that whatever affliction we may experience here on this temporal earth, the magnificence of Who He is, His power, and His presence will surpass them all. I cling to His assurance. May we all cling to His assurance.

For His praise…

There Are No Orphans

Broken…Guilty…Hurt…Abandoned…

Orphaned…

Stranger…Outcast…Unwanted…Unworthy…

How many of us can relate to one or more of those words?

It is of no matter whether through someone else’s actions or our own we have faced and lived any of those words, God’s love and grace are above and beyond ALL of them. He is Father to us all and to us all He gave breath and life. At any time we can run into His open and waiting arms and find what this earthly life will not always offer…

In His arms we will be

Restored…Forgiven…Healed…Accepted…

In His arms we have assurance

We are His child always…

In His arms we experience

Being truly known…Unconditional Love…Always Belonging…

In His eyes we are forever

Worthy

He will never forsake nor abandon His love and care for His children

Who here among us has not been broken
Who here among us is without guilt or pain
So oft’ abandoned by our transgressions
If such a thing as grace exists
Then grace was made for lives like this

There are no strangers
There are no outcasts
There are no orphans of God
So many fallen, but hallelujah
There are no orphans of God

Come ye unwanted and find affection
Come all ye weary, come and lay down your head
Come ye unworthy, you are my brother
If such a thing as grace exists
Then grace was made for lives like this

O blessed Father, look down upon us
We are Your children, we need Your love
We run before Your throne of mercy
And seek Your face to rise above

(“There Are No Orphans”, sung by Avalon)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrPiVKul3G4&feature=related

We are sons and daughters of the great YHWH, the Father all…

Unfathomable God

One of the most life impacting Bible studies I’ve ever done (Fall of 2002) was Believing God by Beth Moore (http://www.lifeway.com/bg/). In fact, as I have been reviewing some of my notes from that study in the last few months, I’ve almost wanted to re-do the whole study once again. God brought that study into my life at THE perfect time that I needed it, and through it He spoke great truths deep into my heart. In the introduction pages to the study Beth makes a remarkable statement:

“God confronted me with the truth that though I had believed in Him for many years, I had hardly begun to believe Him. He made something clear to me that He has sent me forth to say to you: God is so much more than we have yet acknowledged and experienced. He is capable of tremendously more than we have witnessed. I have become utterly convinced that we see so little primarily because we believe Him for so little.”

Yes! “God IS so much more than we have yet acknowledged and experienced and capable of tremendously more than we have witnessed.” We only see or understand so little of God “because we believe Him for so little”. We take God and put who WE think and believe He is in this “packaged box” with colorful ribbons and set up boundaries for Him according to our human wisdom (His foolishness). “For the stupidity of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:25)

We are certainly horribly guilty of believing God for so little. However, we are told in the Bible that “Great is YHWH, and praised exceedingly, and as to His greatness there is no fathoming.” (Psalm 145:3) As to God’s greatness, the psalmist says there is no possible human way of fully understanding it. I believe that we would be a lot closer to understanding the greatness of God by admitting that we cannot fully comprehend His grandeur and power rather than thinking we have.

In my notes for Week Two of the Believing God I wrote that Beth made the statement, “We can never fully grasp the enormity of our God. God is not a little something in our trying to learn a little something about God.” The little we know and understand about God does not make Him a little and limited god; it only proves how little WE know and how BIG and BOUNDLESS He IS! He is not bound by ANY thing for He is the Creator of ALL things, and He did not create anything that would be more powerful than He is.

The bottom line is that there is much more to God than our finite minds can ever conceive. It doesn’t matter what PEOPLE say about God and who He is. What REALLY matters is what GOD HIMSELF says about who He is!

I would like to share a few more of the notes that I jotted down from some of the things Beth spoke in the teaching video of Week Two, “Believing God Is Who He Says He is”. These are worthwhile food for thought:

“All attempts to define God cannot help but minimize Him. If in our pursuit of greater knowledge, God seems to have gotten smaller, we have been deceived.”

“Faith that remains unchallenged ordinarily remains unchanged.”

“Sometimes we may realize that we have created God in man’s own image who is not God at all. Do not carve a God out of the image of man. He IS who HE says He is.”

“Whatever I know or believe or perceive God to be, He is MORE!”

“The God that some of us have been taught doesn’t have the power to deliver us.” [“Is My Hand too short to ransom? Or is there no vigor in Me to rescue?” (Isaiah 50:2)]

“We are directly affected by who we believe He is.”

“We will never have faith that exceeds the strength of the God we perceive.”

“Let the REAL GOD stand up.”

In Day 1 of the Believing God study guide for Week Two (pgs. 28-29), Beth Moore also makes the following statements:

“Believers who know what they want to believe and refuse to be challenged may have a stand of faith, but they may not have a walk of faith…

We want to keep moving with our God…

My faith has been altered in a number of ways. The general results have been twofold: I’ve loosened my hold on some things I might have liked to believe but can find very little applicable permission from the Word. I’ve also broadened my belief system in other areas in which I thought far too little of God and what He can do. No matter how familiar the doctrine was to me or how comfortable it felt, if it didn’t stand up against a well-established concept in the Word, I began placing a question mark beside it…

I’ve been shocked over the past 15 years to realize that a few things I was certain were well established in Scripture were huge doctrines of man built on single Scriptures. Yes, those Scriptures are still true, but they don’t necessarily warrant building entire dogmatic belief systems…

Our human tendency is to affirm and reaffirm spiritually and biblically what we already believe rather than to search and consider the whole counsel of the Word. Each of us tends to have a cut-and-paste theology…

Where I discover that my trained belief system lacks biblical support, I respectfully want to have enough courage to believe what God says over what people say…

All of us have had many teachers of theology, whether official or unofficial, formal or informal. Life experiences are teachers. Conversations overheard are teachers…Obviously, parents, schoolteachers, Bible and Sunday school teachers and preachers dramatically influence and shape each of our theologies. I’d like to suggest to you in love and without a hint of disrespect that some of our favorite teachers may have helped us package our faith in neat little boxes and even handed us the wrapping paper and bows as if we need not know another thing. Meanwhile, we may be helping others do the same. We think we’ve got God in those boxes, but we don’t. No matter how many Ph.D’s a professor has or how trustworthy our parents have been about every other subject or how beautifully, intelligently, or lovingly the box is decorated, God doesn’t fit…

If in our pursuit of greater theological knowledge God has gotten smaller, we’ve been deceived— unintentionally, but deceived all the same. I am utterly convinced that God is bigger than we will ever stretch our faith to conceive…

Anything attainable by human understanding is a mere shadow of the reality. Every time you grasp a new concept about God, try thinking, He’s this…and more…

Most of our belief systems are deeply rooted. Long-held but biblically unsupported implants will not budge without our willingness to allow God to uproot and replace them. I hope you will take heart in this assurance: any part of our belief systems the Holy Spirit desires to uproot will be replaced with something better and far more adventurous. Dear One, anything not of the Lord is always the lesser.”

At that time of my life, I had no idea what a foundation this study and its truths were creating for where God would take me next in my faith and what the results of that journey would be. Inspired by the things Beth said, I prayed a prayer asking/begging God to continuously stretch my faith; to help me break out of any boxes of misplaced ideas or beliefs that I had about who He truly is; I admitted my finiteness and asked to be consecrated for Him alone. I couldn’t have imagined (or wanted to) some of the difficult things that He would have to take me through and the challenges to my faith that I would have to endure so that He would be able to answer those prayers; but today, I am, as I’ve said before, more than grateful for it all and more than blessed to have faced it all. He has definitely answered my prayer and continuous to do so even today.

God said and promised to the Israelites, “‘For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the LORD...” (Jeremiah 29:11-14) I have experienced the living God live out this promise also to me in incredible ways. I have passionately sought Him, and He has been gracious enough to reveal more of Himself to me. Through the awesome power of His Spirit teaching and speaking to me, I now know Him to be a much bigger God than I ever knew Him to be before. I realized that I had been guilty of believing Him for so little; and I’m sure in many ways I probably still do. However, He is not through working with me, and I am by NO means through fervently seeking Him. Everyday is a new day to live the life He has given me, enjoy the blessings He graciously pours out, and excitedly anticipate seeing Him and knowing Him a little more clearly and intimately.

“From the eon, they have not heard; They have not given ear; Eye has not seen any Elohim except You, He Who is doing deeds for him who is tarrying for Him.” (Isaiah 64:4) “According as it is written, that which the eye did not perceive, and the ear did not hear, and to which the heart of man did not ascend—whatever God makes ready for those who are loving Him. Yet to us God reveals them through His spirit, for the spirit is searching all, even the depths of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)

I couldn’t have ever imagined God would have brought me to the place I am today in character and in faith, but He has. I praise and thank Him for all He’s done! I cannot imagine where God will take me from here and what further changes He has in store in my character or in my faith; but, I will praise Him now ahead of time for that too! His ways are perfect, and I have full assurance and confidence in HIS ways.

My point with this whole blog is this: God is more than amazing, more than magnificent, and more than grand (our spoken words are too small to describe Him). He is unfathomable! He is much greater than our little minds can comprehend. His power is boundless and also beyond the scope of our understanding. His ultimate and fulfilled plans beyond anything our minds can fully grasp. Let us not do Him the disservice of believing or teaching Him to be a “little god in a pretty little packaged box with neat little bows on top”. While we cannot fully know God and His ways during our life in this earthly world, we can be confident that God takes great pleasure in us seeking Him out day by day, and our search will not be in vain. He will reveal more of Himself, bit by bit; as much as He knows we can handle at a time. Seek Him with boldness and with faith and believe Him when He speaks!

HE says of Himself,

“Behold I am YHWH, Elohim of all flesh. Is anything too marvelous for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27)

“There is no one apart from Me; I am YHWH, and there is no other. Former of light and Creator of darkness, Maker of good and Creator of evil, I, YHWH, make all these things. Drip down from above heavens, and let the skies distil righteousness; Let the earth open up, Let salvation bud, and let righteousness sprout together with it; I, YHWH, I create it. Would anyone contend with his Former? Earthenware of the ground with its artificer? Shall the clay say to its potter, What are you making? Or your contrivance say, It has no hands? Would anyone say to a father, What are you begetting? Or to a woman, With what are you in travail? Thus says YHWH, the Holy One of Israel, and its Former, Of the things arriving, ask Me; yet concerning My children and concerning the deeds of My hands, shall you instruct Me? I Myself made the earth and created humanity on it; I, My hands stretched out the heavens, and all their hosts have I instructed.” (Isaiah 45:6-12)

“There is no other Elohim apart form Me, a righteous El and Savior; there is none except Me. Turn toward Me and be saved, all the limits of the earth, for I am El, and there is no other. By Myself have I sworn; from my mouth has gone forth righteousness, a word, and it shall not turn back; for to Me shall bow every knee, and every tongue shall swear fealty. Only in YHWH, one will say to Me, are righteousness and strength. Unto Him shall each one come, and all who were heated against Him shall be ashamed. In YHWH shall they be justified, and shall all the seed of Israel boast.” (Isaiah 45:21-25)

“For I am El, and there is no other! Elohim! And no other like Me! Telling from the beginning, the hereafter, and from aforetime what has not yet been done, saying, All My counsel shall be confirmed, and all My desire shall I do; Calling from the sunrise, a bird of prey; From a land afar; a man of My counsel, Indeed I have spoken; Indeed I shall bring it to pass! I have formed the plan; Indeed I shall do it! Hearken to Me, sturdy of heart, who are far from righteousness: I bring near My righteousness; It shall not be far off, and My salvation shall not delay.” (Isaiah 46:9-13)

“Is My Hand too short to ransom? Or is there no vigor in Me to rescue?” (Isaiah 50:2)

Isaiah said of Him,

“For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?” (Isaiah 14:27)

Job said of Him,

“I know that You are able in all things, and no plan of Yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2)

The Psalmist said of Him,

“The LORD foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples.” (Psalm 33:10)

Solomon said of Him,

“The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)

“Many plans are in a man's heart, but the counsel of the LORD will stand.” (Proverbs 19:21)

Jesus said of Him,

“Nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)

“With God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

Paul said of Him,

“One Who is operating all in accord with the counsel of His will.” (Ephesians 1:11)

"That you, having been rooted and grounded in love, should be strong to grasp, together with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and depth and height--to know the love of Christ as well which transcends knowledge--that you may be completed for the entire complement of God. Now to Him Who is able to do superexcessively above all that we are requesting or apprehending, according to the power that is operating in us, to Him be glory in the ecclesia and in Christ Jesus for all the generations of the eon of the eons! Amen!" (Ephesians 3:18-21)

“For it is God Who is operating in you to will as well as to work for the sake of His delight.” (Philippians 2:13)

In His arms, for His glory, and in His strength…

THE SON OF GOD

I am filled with complete joy, love, thanksgiving, and blessings as I take the time to ponder what today’s celebration means for me; means for ALL of us. Take a moment to relax and enjoy this beautiful song and ponder the meaning of CHRIST’s birth for yourself. The one Child that changed everything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND9uOzw-TZg

One Child
sung by Natalie Grant

A seed, it grows, and somehow becomes a life
It moves, she knows, that her baby has arrived,
She's so scared, but she's so blessed
She lays down her fear for the hope at her breast for she knows...

[Chorus:]
One million chains could never hold back
this moment in time
One thousand dreams could never dream
what this moment truly means
Heaven and earth, they cradle the infinite Joy
born on this night
For it only takes one Child to forever change the world

He stands beside her, he'd share her pain
if he only knew how
He whispers 'I love you' as he gently strokes her brow
He's so scared, but he's so blessed
There's a thundering pride pounding deep in his chest
For he knows...

[Chorus]...

Christ is born, we are blessed
Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess
That we know...

[Chorus]...

This is the one Child

This Baby cries and for the first time
The world hears the voice of God weep
Mary sings a lullaby
As the Hope of the nations gently falls asleep
She knows this is the one Child
To forever change…the world

This is my Jesus…

For HIS glory…

THE SAVIOR IS BORN!

CHIRSTmas is the time to celebrate the birth of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. HE is the greatest gift of God to us. May HE be praised! There has been born for us a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord!!

…The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. "And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. "For nothing will be impossible with God." And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word."… (Luke 1)

…Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."… (Luke 2)

For HIS glory…