Do you ever feel a little ill at ease? Do you ever feel frustrated with things going on in your life? Do you ever feel a little insecure? Well, I'll just step out there and confess that I sure have. This morning I was taking a closer look at Daniel, the book in the Bible, and came to a little realization that this unsettled way of life might not be a bad thing.

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous. Daniel 4:4

Nebuchadnezzar was the mighty ruler of Babylon and he was contented and prosperous. What could be better than this? In the Babylonian culture, life couldn't get any better than this. Most Americans would agree. This word contented is selah in Aramaic which means properly 'at ease' or 'at rest,' conveying both contentment and security. I thought this was really interesting because I tend to place a very high price on security in my own life. I tend to look for what will be the safest, most secure arrangement all the time. But my question is...If I made decisions to find stability and security, why do I feel so unsteady?

Hebrews 12:26-29 echoes the trouble with dependence on earthly securities.

At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens."
The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire."

I'm not going to discuss the full meaning of these verses, but I will say that it helps me understand why God lets things be shaken up in my life so much. If I remain content and prosperous relying in my worldly securities like academics, material wealth or even family, I will not fully understand the depth of security I have in the Lord.

Beth Moore shared, "Sometimes we don't recognize true security until all lesser forms prove false." I would have to agree with her. Until our worlds quake and things start to shatter, we have no idea what lasts. This truth helps me to be thankful for feeling frustrated with life because I'm realizing it is teaching me to live for what is truly life!

I will leave you with Psalm 62 which remarkably conveys the concept of authentic contentment.

My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Labels: glory, truth

Art. Art teaches. I was walking around my home this afternoon taking little snapshots of the good things in my life. Taking pictures helps me be aware of life. It helps me reflect on things. It helps me realize. Enjoy my pictures.

I created this cross about 4 years ago. I found all the materials around my house and went to work. But today, my piece of art found a new meaning in my heart. Last night, at bible study, I received a fresh word from God. I found truth for lies I had been believing. I learned a very clear lesson. Here is a simple visual explanation. If your hungry for more, send me an e-mail or a comment and I'll share the whole lesson with you!

My 'truth' + 0 = INCOMPLETE
My 'truth' + Satan's lies = CAPTIVITY

God's Truth > my 'truth'

My 'truth' + God's Truth = FREEDOM!!!

This simple cross is made with broken chains. I've been a child of God for 16 years, but friends, He is choosing now to break some chains away from my life. Hallelujah! That's about all I can say.

This is a picture of my first day of food journaling from a happy heart! Having struggled with food-related strongholds for quite sometime, this is a beautiful picture to me. Isaiah 44 says,

He feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him;
he cannot save himself, or say,
"Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?"
Remember theses things, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel.
I have made you, you are my servant;
O Israel, I will not forget you.
I have swept away your offenses like a cloud,
your sins like the morning mist.
Return to me, for I have redeemed you.

So much of finding true freedom is not only receiving truth from God, but telling the truth to myself. Self-delusion is a very real way to stay captive to whatever struggle you may face. In Isaiah 45, God says...

I, the LORD, speak the truth; I declare what is right.

Isn't it beautiful that He will never lead us astray. God doesn't have a heart to selfishly make us do it His way. No, out of the depths of His love, He calls us to His heart as deep calls to deep.

So this little journal is a visual reminder that my heart is changing.

I've been thinking about using my love for scrapbooking to express a bit of what God is doing in my life. You are seeing the baby-beginnings of some new art.

Over the years, I keep returning to this copy of la Biblia. I think my heart has just found a home in its pages over and over. This little snapshot shows a little of the loving on the page. I love that at the bottom, Jesus says, 'I tell you the truth.' My Savior tells me the truth. Amen!

Labels: everyday art, Scrapbooking, truth

I just finished reading Steinbeck's East of Eden. I must say that it is quite an extraordinary novel with a lot of profound insight on the trappings and freedoms of humanity.
The novel was woven together with a common thread of generational sin. Steinbecks work not only relays the story of Cain and Abel, but he puts flesh and feeling to a story discussed for over a thousand years. I would like to share an enlightening excerpt and if you would like to see more context, you can read a few pages worth at http://www.timshel.org/timshel.php

Lee’s hand shook as he filled the delicate cups. He drank his down in one gulp. “Don’t you see?” he cried. “The American Standard translation orders men to triumph over sin, and you can call sin ignorance. The King James translation makes a promise in ‘Thou shalt,’ meaning that men will surely triumph over sin. But the Hebrew word, the word timshel—‘Thou mayest’— that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. That throws it right back on a man. For if ‘Thou mayest’—it is also true that ‘Thou mayest not.’ Don’t you see?”

“Yes, I see. I do see. But you do not believe this is divine law. Why do you feel its importance?”

“Ah!” said Lee. “I’ve wanted to tell you this for a long time. I even anticipated your questions and I am well prepared. Any writing which has influenced the thinking and the lives of innumerable people is important. Now, there are many millions in their sects and churches who feel the order, ‘Do thou,’ and throw their weight into obedience. And there are millions more who feel predestination in ‘Thou shalt.’ Nothing they may do can interfere with what will be. But ‘Thou mayest’! Why, that makes a man great, that gives him stature with the gods, for in his weakness and his filth and his murder of his brother he has still the great choice. He can choose his course and fight it through and win.” Lee’s voice was a chant of triumph.

There is such beauty in this truth. Honestly, I could go on for hours about this one single concept in the novel. However, I found a wonderful article that very articulately explains Steinbeck's reference to this Hebrew word and the greater context of this idea.

http://www.timshellfarm.com/Timshel_Thou_Mayest.html

In light of Steinbeck's explanation, keep in mind that in the Jewish form of teaching, they do not look for iron-clad rulings on the true meaning of a text as we do in western thinking. This definition of Timsh'l is accepted by some, but others may have an equally logical application of this same chapter of the Bible. This does not make the text fallible, but rather, displays that it is alive.

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12

Despite all of what could hold us down to sin and despair in life, there is this life giving truth to remember...'Thou mayest!'...'Timshel!' God has made a beautiful way for his children. Icons of freedom surround us in this country and we can let them remind us that we may indeed rule over sin if we choose to do so.

Labels: Reading, truth

Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
psalm 103.2-5

Labels: beauty, truth

I think that God's idea of loving and not loving the world is so wonderful. There are a few different meanings to the word world. One meaning refers to the sinful aspects of the world, particularly to the way humans have wrongly ordered the world, especially society. So when Paul says in his letter to the Romans, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world..."(12.2) he was addressing this idea that we are not to conform to the disorder of society. We should follow God's ways, not the ways of a culture that denies the existence of Him.Another meaning of world is "the created order," that God made. He made it for us to live and thrive in. John 3:17 says that Jesus came not to condemn the world but that the world might be saved through him." So when John said, "Do not love the world..."(1 john 2:15) it didn't contradict what he had written earlier "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son..." (john 3:16)

God rejects the sinful world that humans toil to create. But he loves the world he has made. He invites us to love it and live in it too. So come play. Come live. Come experience the life that is truly life. Come to Him and live.

***Some of these ideas are quoted from Paul Marshall's book Heaven is Not My Home: Living in the Now of God's Creation

Labels: Reading, truth