Searching His Word Saturday- God's Love Lifts Us

Inspired some from

His Love for Me is Intensely Personal, Ruth Myers, Day 5 of 31 Days of Drawing Near to God

There is something I have a very very difficult time with when it comes to Christianity- and perhaps it is specifically Baptist Christians?- and that is the mindset that we are lower than dirt because we are sinners. How can we live with the constant contradictory commentary of pastors and preachers that tell us that we worthless in God's eyes, that we are a sinner and therefore so low we've no right to even raise our eyes? (When I say those words, I am not quoting any one person in particular- it is my own rendition of what I hear) Yet in the next moment or sentence they are telling us that God loves us so much that Jesus died a horridly painful death to save us from our sin. 

To say that we are 'washed in the blood of the Lamb' means that we are clean now. God does not see our sin; He only sees the cleansed us because of Jesus' death and sacrifice. If this is truly the case, how can we still see ourselves as so low to compare ourselves with -for lack of a better comparison- dirt? Personally, I think it is a way to keep us humble. I am not proposing lifting ourselves up to be great because there is none greater than God- none. We are His creation, we can only be 'lifted' so far anyway.

Myers, in Day 5 of her book, gives a few scriptures to ponder:

• Psalm 17:6-7
• Isaiah 57:15
• Lamentations 3:22-23
• John 3:16
• Galatians 2:20

Two of those five verses that catch me the most this morning are Lamentations 3:22-23 and John 3:16. I read more than just those she suggested because I felt that there was more to them than just the one or two. I've also boldfaced the words that had particular force on me this morning.

Lamentations 3:21-26

"This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD."

John 3:16-17

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."

This for me shows that I am worth more than dirt to God. I am not so low that I must be ashamed to lift my eyes to God. 

I am a sinner. I am not worthy of salvation. I do know this but because of what He has done for me I am saved.

Of course, these are simply my thoughts on the matter. I realized the need for a Savior and I accepted Jesus as my Savior...God gave that to me. What good does it do for me to continue to act like I am not saved by lowering myself to where I was before in God's eyes? Should I not rejoice that I am now clean and elevated from the dirt? Rejoice that God has done this for me and to me- not myself and through none of my own actions. God gets all the glory.

But I am not not dirt. God loves me and that lifts me up.

I would like to direct my readers to a blog that has some good posts, some reflecting on God's Word. Mom of Many Trades has posts under the label "God Time" that I've been enjoying (along with the rest of her blogging- it's transparent and refreshing at the same time!). Relevant to today's Searching His Word Saturday, I think, is the post entitled "He Forgets".

Searching His Word Saturday

It's been quite a few Saturdays since I've posted a Searching His Word Saturday but today I felt the urge to make a post.

I've been reading (just begun) 31 Days of Drawing Near to God by Ruth Myers and I am enjoying the book. 

Today's verse is 1 John 4:16

"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him."

Other verses that are referenced for Day 1 in Myers' book are Psalms 86:15; 90:14; 100:5; and 118:1

I'm off to do some more reading of the Bible. Hope your Saturday is a lovely one.

Searching His Word Saturday

It is late in the day (it's night here) but I didn't forget... As I was driving to our eye appointment this morning (at 7:30am ack!) I was thinking about it. I didn't have a verse in mind but I was trying to recall ones that I have read. Usually I cannot recall the verse but I know either the words or the gist of it. When I was looking for the picture for this post, I came across a photo of my Bible open to Jeremiah. And honestly, I've not read Jeremiah other than a verse here and there and most likely while at church. So my Searching His Word Saturday will be in the book of Jeremiah.

In chapter 22, Jeremiah is going to speak to the house of the king of Judah. In these verses  God is telling Jeremiah what he shall say to this person (or people). When I think of Judah, and the nation of Israel really, in the Old Testament, it seems to me that there is a recurring pattern: obedience, murmuring, disobedience, God's wrath, Israel's begging to be forgiven, God's anger subsides and the Israelites are again obedient- repeat. But each time the nation of Israel does something to provoke God's anger, it is something that they should have known better than to do. In the book of Jeremiah, we see again this cycle repeating. But it is coming to an end.

In verse 3: Thus saith the Lord; Execute ye judgement and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place. But in verse 17 God says: But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it. Verse 21: I spake unto thee in thy prosperity: but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyest not my voice.

I know what happens at the end but reading these again makes me wonder and yet feel so glad. I wonder how often I've been disobedient, how often I've murmured, done what I know is wrong. God's anger does not rain down on me as it did for the Israelites and the house of the king of Judah. But at the same time, the anger I stir up is real and it can be felt. I feel it in a change of my attitude- when God has been disappointed in me, I no longer search for Him. He is always there. Always. But when I've done something wrong it's like a child hiding from a parent when they know they will be punished. But I do feel glad. I feel glad that God does forgive and that He gave His son to die for our sins. I am human and I do sin. I do not revel in the fact that I am a sinner; born that way and it can't be changed. No, I strive to be better. And pray for forgiveness when I fall short. When I come to Him in prayer- repentant- when I do not run and hide like the child, I know He hears me. That is why I am glad.

I think I will have to start at the beginning of Jeremiah. If you have anything to add to this bit about Jeremiah, please feel free to in the comments or even by emailing me. Have a wonderful Sunday!

Searching His Word Saturday

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14) Public Domain

At my local Pamida store yesterday there was a lady waiting in line to try on two dresses. She was a nice lady who stopped to chat with me while I waited for my kids to exit the dressing rooms. Her dress choices were, in my opinion, too short and immodest. I wasn't going to tell her that because, well, I didn't know her! But she asked me if I am a Christian. I said yes. Then she told me that another woman had given her the advice that if it can't be worn to church on Sunday it shouldn't be worn any other day of the week. 


What great advice! And I felt a bit relieved when a few moments later I heard from her dressing room, "I don't think either of these dresses would be appropriate for church!" 


The same way our dress choice (and by that I mean whatever we choose to wear, not specifically 'dress') should be made with the consideration of how it would be pleasing to God, so also our words. But even further- our thoughts and the meditations of our hearts. I have heard many times that what comes out of our mouths is what has been sitting in our hearts. And sometimes that is not good.


The verse on my blog today is the one quoted above and it got me to thinking. What do I think? What do I ponder, put in my mind to mull over? I can tell you- it isn't always good! Sometimes I must get out my mind eraser (that imaginary dry-board eraser I keep on a shelf in my mind lol) and wipe away the unclean or hurtful thoughts that begin to crop up. But if I am not quick, those thoughts make it past my lips and I end up causing pain to someone- or bring disgrace to God. 


I don't want to do that. Never. I want to be guarded with my thoughts and always my words. I want the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, to be acceptable to the Lord.

I have decided to help me, and possibly others, search His Word more frequently and more in-depth to start this Saturday Link-Up.

Simply search through the Bible and find a verse, chapter, or event that you would like to dig deeper into and record your thoughts in a post. Even if it is simply the scripture that you've come across and no thoughts to accompany it- Link it to this post. Feel free to include photos, pictures or only words in your post.