A Christmas Carol

{ November 12, 2009 @ 7:44 am } · { Uncategorized }
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After checking the review, my wonderful husband took me to see Disney’s A Christmas Carol in 3-D! We both really enjoyed it. I would not recommend it for young children. The spirits are rather disturbing, but as my husband said, “They needed to be for Scrooge to really make the change that he did.” I thought that one aspect of  the encounter with the spirit of Christmas yet to come was overboard, but I won’t ruin the movie for you!

The Spirit of Christmas Present left me really thinking. He is supposed to be based on the English Father Christmas (before he became akin to our Santa Claus), but as I watched him, I kept seeing aspects traditionally given to Jesus. His face and hair reminded me very much of many of the paintings, actors, and other things made to look like Christ. His holly wreath even looked like the crown of thorns. And he has several lines that sound similar to statements Jesus made in regard to the Pharisees.

I’m curious enough that I had to do some Google searching to see what I could learn. I didn’t find out if this character is supposed to be based on Christ at all, but I did find out that he is nearly identical to the original artist rendition!

I then searched for the history of England’s Father Christmas and learned some fascinating things, but it did not help in my question of whether this character is based at all on Jesus. I’m pretty curious about this and plan to research it more in the next few days. If you have any knowledge on this, I would be very interested. In the meantime, go enjoy the movie and tell me what you think!

Isaiah 40:25-26

{ November 11, 2009 @ 3:09 pm } · { Christian }
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This was part of my Bible study this morning. Thought that I would share it!

To whom then will you liken Me That I would be {his} equal?” says the Holy One. Liftup your eyes on high And see who has created these {stars,} The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of {His} power, Not one {of them} is missing.

Isaiah 40:25-26

He is incomparable! Because He is over all, in all, and through all, there is nothing equal to Him. He created the universe and maintains it. There is no other who can claim such sovereignty! And there is no other that can claim the amazing victory that He has over death. What a great God I serve!!!

Hope

{ November 10, 2009 @ 11:19 pm } · { Christian }
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I have been wanting to get a new Bible cover for some time now. Tonight, I found one. It is leather two-tone with chocolate and aqua. On the front it has “HOPE” in large letters at the top. Under “HOPE” is Lamentations 3:21-24

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ”The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, ”therefore I will hope in him.”

Wow and that’s from a book that is supposed to be a mourning song! And it is probably, (we apparently don’t know for sure) written by the prophet Jeremiah who suffered great persecution and hardship. NO matter what, we have hope in Him!

That is so encouraging! Especially on days when I have failed in so many ways! It will be a good reminder whenever I open my Bible to know that I do have hope. And it is a hope that is not empty or false!

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Romans 5:1-5

I love that — “hope does not put us to shame!” Yep, I’m shame free and it’s completely because of His love poured out in me. My hope is in Him who He will fulfill all His promises and allow me to share in eternity with Him!!!

Woefully Inadequate

{ November 9, 2009 @ 11:16 am } · { Christian, Self-reflection }
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I was working on my Bible study for this week (which Tropical Storm Ida will probably keep us from having) and realized that I am woefully inadequate to understand the Word of God! I like to think that I am fairly intelligent. My husband tells me that I’m smarter than most people around me. Whether or not that is true, I don’t know. I do know that without the Spirit to teach me, there are passages in the Bible that make little sense!

Ezekiel 1 is where I was studying this morning. As I read the descriptions of the four creatures and the wheels, I just kept thinking, why is this important? Especially the wheels. I can see that the creatures are angelic beings. They are serving the Lord, perhaps preparing the way for Him to show His glory to Ezekiel. I get the whole idea of following the Spirit without turning away. And covering themselves as a sign of reverence. And I suspect that when I get to some deeper study, I’ll find out that each of the animals represented in each creature will have some symbolism.

But the wheels really don’t make any sense to me! I have to raise my hands saying, “God, I don’t get it!” But you know what? That’s awesome!!! I love that I don’t get it! That may be a bit weird, but let me tell you why I love that I don’t understand something in the Bible.

  1. It humbles me. Not understanding forces me to recognize that He is God and He alone has full understanding and knowledge! I cannot stand here in pride (which would be sinful) saying that I get it. So I am humbled before this omniscient God.
  2. It forces me to depend on Him. Since I cannot understand this, I am driven to my knees to beg Him for wisdom and understanding! And that is always a good place to be (in my opinion)!
  3. It drives me to study. I know that God preserved this vision for a purpose. And I want to know what it is! I want to know and understand all that God has for us. So it drives me to study His Word more. However, I also realize that there are things in the Word that are beyond our comprehension and it is our job to believe that what He says is true. So though I will study this more, I will also be ready to agree with Him that this could be one of the things that He has intentionally kept out of my reach (probably to keep me humbled!).

Yes, I love that I don’t understand everything in the Bible! And I can’t wait for another opportunity to learn more. :)

A Good Reminder…

{ November 8, 2009 @ 9:15 pm } · { Christian, Parenting, Self-reflection }
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My children were wonderful this afternoon! Until we got home. Then after things settled down a bit, we sat down to watch Disney’s Earth. All went fairly well until the movie got done. Then one child got disobedient while the other one became disrespectful and defiant. I think that my husband is feeling weary from the difficult weekend and I know that I am. I am hoping for a good day tomorrow, but just in case, I’m going to remind myself of this:


Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be.

Thomas A Kempis

Wow, that’s a really great reminder. Especially since I’ve found myself stumbling around in the flesh repeatedly this last week! I wonder if God is as exasperated with me as I am with the boys? Thankfully, I know that He’s not. He is kind and patient. Slow to anger. Abounding in steadfast love!

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Psalm 103:8

Sigh… How I would like to be like that with my kids. I’m not. I get angry easily. I have very little patience. Especially with Ryan. Mercy definitely does not come easily in my dealings with the boys. Lord, make me more like You! Give me the will to follow where Your Spirit leads. Let the boys see You in my life, not the old man that is battling for control. Grant me humility to love and train these children in the same manner that You love and train us.

Jeremiah

{ November 7, 2009 @ 9:44 pm } · { Christian }
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I’ve been struggling a bit this week to get my Sunday school lesson finished. I finally did earlier today, though I felt like this lesson needed months of preparation! This quarter our Sunday school class (5th grade) is looking at Old Testament Bible heroes. This week’s hero is Jeremiah. Though I have been a Christian for nearly twenty years, and though I did go to Sunday school as a child, I really didn’t know anything about Jeremiah! I knew he was a prophet. I knew that he was used to speak Messianic prophecies. And I knew Jeremiah 29:11. I imagine that most of you know that verse, too.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Did you know that this verse is in the context of a prophecy to Israel? A prophecy that was to be fulfilled in 70 years? I won’t say that it’s wrong to use that verse in any other manner, because the principles in it can be applied to Christians and are in other ways throughout the Bible. But I was pretty surprised to find out that this statement was spoken for a specific purpose to a specific group!

So I’ve learned a lot about Jeremiah in just a few days. I’ve learned that though he is known as the weeping prophet, he was quite bold and persistent. I have also learned that He had a deep knowledge and understanding of God. Of course, God gave him the words,

Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.

Jeremiah 1:9

But I imagine that he believed those words. At least, I can’t imagine that he would have persevered through such great rejection, loneliness (God commanded him not to marry), and persecution without believing the Lord. I also learned that he is real — there are times that he speaks of his great desire to get out of the ministry. He kept going, but like any of us, he didn’t like the tribulation!

There is more that I learned, but that’s the nuts and bolts of it. I think that I need to take time soon to read through the book of Jeremiah! There was a time that I went through reading the Old Testament books that I had not read before, but I think that I skipped both Jeremiah and Lamentations because they are so long. I’m sure that I had a plan to get back to them. I didn’t do it then, but perhaps after I’ve finished the other two Bible studies that I’m working on, then I can learn more through those books! (So don’t be surprised if Jeremiah shows up again on Kimm’s Kontemplations!)

Too Tired!

{ November 6, 2009 @ 2:53 pm } · { Christian, Self-reflection }
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Today I have tried to work on my Sunday school lesson, tried to complete some of the homework for Bible study, and have tried to read the book for Bible study. My poor little brain cannot stay focused! Every little sound and movement is invading my thoughts so that when I read, I’m only reading the words and I’m not comprehending. It’s my own fault. I have not been getting enough sleep and I have tried to pack too much into these days! So since I’ve run myself to the point of being unable to do successfully accomplish anything else, I’m going to stop. I’m going to

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46:10

I am going to lay down and rest knowing that no matter what I do or don’t do, He will be exalted! There will be more time later to open His Word again. For now, I’m going to rest, knowing that He has it all completely under control. And perhaps once I have allowed my physical body to recuperate, my mind can refocus in order to be transformed (Romans 12:2) and to be productive!

I did successfully create a blog post of NaBloPoMo, so at least that’s one thing off my list!!!

What to Post???

{ November 5, 2009 @ 11:06 pm } · { Christian, Self-reflection }
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I don’t really know what to post today! But I really want to finish NaBloPoMo!!! So…

I’ve been doing a Bible study at church based on A.W. Tozer’s book, The Attributes of God. It’s a book that I read in college and loved. I even told someone that it was still my favorite book about two weeks before I found out that the church would be offering a Bible study based on it! I have really enjoyed the study and getting to know a few more women. This coming week is our last week and I’m really sad about it! I wish we could just keep going. Of course, I’m sure that the teachers are glad for a break! And since my life is about to get really crazy, I will be too.

The way the study works is that we read the chapter and try to get a good definition and understanding of the attribute. Then we have a workbook that the Bible study teacher made where we are given Scripture passages to study to learn more about the particular attribute. So today, I was looking at one of those passages, Exodus 3:1-6. This is the beginning of Moses’ burning bush experience. I, like many others, learned this story as a kid in Sunday school. I don’t know if I’ve thought too deeply about the passage before, but today I was really curious about why Moses would be told to take his sandals off. I always figured that it was just a sign of reverence.

Then he said, Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.

Exodus 3:5

According to the Jamieson, Fausset, Brown commentary,

The direction was in conformity with a usage which was well known to Moses, for the Egyptian priests observed it in their temples, and it is observed in all Eastern countries where the people take off their shoes or sandals, as we do our hats. But the Eastern idea is not precisely the same as the Western. With us, the removal of the hat is an expression of reverence for the place we enter, or rather of Him who is worshipped there. With them the removal of the shoes is a confession of personal defilement and conscious unworthiness to stand in the presence of unspotted holiness. (emphasis added)

Wow! I thought it was just a show of respect or honor. It’s WAY more than that! And it is incredible appropriate. And it hit me right where I was in that moment. Confession of personal defilement. Conscious unworthiness to stand in the presence. Yes, I had to get down on my face on my floor and confess and confess and confess! It was one of those moments that I didn’t even realize all that was in my heart, but it was pouring out. So much self-concern, pride, anxiety, fear, self-righteousness. I am most definitely unworthy of standing in His presence! Yet, He lifts me up to stand holy and righteous before Him!!! What marvelous grace that He would consume the sin of my old life and fill me with His new life so that I may stand in His presence and worship!!! What incredible love that He would break our hearts over our sin then immediately replace the brokenness with His joy. Our God is great and greatly to be praised!!! (And yes, I think there is a dance coming now!)

Pharisee vs. Spiritual Man

{ November 4, 2009 @ 9:54 pm } · { Christian, Self-reflection }
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I had a difficult time giving this post a name that didn’t sound extremely proud! I really am not coming with an arrogant spirit, but I loved what I read yesterday in Jerry Bridges’ Transforming Grace. His main point in his chapter was about standing firm in our freedom. That, if you have been reading any of my recent posts, goes along nicely with what God has been teaching me! But it was another point that he made that got my attention.

When standing firm for our freedom, one of the main things that we have to battle is legalism. I think that every Christian has battled legalism both as the giver and the recipient. I know that I find myself most often on the giving side of legalism, but I have certainly received the comments and looks of another pressing his/her laws upon me. How I hate the pride, the self-righteousness of a legalistic spirit! It is ugly! The judging thoughts, the manipulative comments, the criticism to others (usually my husband). Lord, forgive me for such unholy thoughts and behavior!!! And legalism is so painful for the recipient. If only we could see ourselves and others as God sees us. Then, in those moments, we would not rise up with spiritual pride, but would humbly rejoice in the work He is doing!

But I digress! The point that I found so interesting last night was in regard to how legalism arises. It begins when we build a fence. What does a fence do? It protects. We build a fence to protect us from sinning. But when we equate my fence with God’s commandments (or weigh it as more important), then it becomes legalism. And sadly I have done this — many times!  As Bridges put it,

That is the way a lot of manmade “dos and don’ts” originate. They begin as a sincere effort to deal with real sin issues. But very often we begin to focus on the fence we’ve built instead of the sin it was designed to guard against. We fight our battles in the wrong places; we deal with externals instead of the heart.

p. 148

So, build your fences! Protect yourself from sin. And I will continue to build mine. But as we seek to live a life pleasing to God, may we all remember that we are on this journey together! Some of us have just begun and others have been walking a long time. God isn’t finished with any of us, yet! I pray that we will humbly continue to spurn one another on to faith and good works. Here’s one last thought to consider (and where I got the title!):

A pharisee is hard on others and easy on himself, but a spiritual man is easy on others and hard on himself.

A.W. Tozer

Time for Work

{ November 3, 2009 @ 4:37 pm } · { Christian }
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Well, I want to blog today and continue with NaBloPoMo, but it’s time for work! So for today it will be a quote and short prayer.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:17


Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3:23-24

And so it is my prayer that as I go coach, that I would do it not for the parents, my boss, my coworkers, the children, or myself. But that I would coach with excellence for the Lord. That my attitude would remain one that is pleasing to Him. That His light would show through and He would be glorified. I pray that I will serve Him wholeheartedly, thankfully,  joyously, and faithfully! And that perhaps in doing so, the many unsaved people whose lives I will touch will be drawn towards the King of kings.

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