abetterme33's Diaryland Diary

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BIBLE 002 (notes from Nyssa)

i've written over five entries today! apparently i don't know what to do with myself when i have the night off from babysitting (it's practically all i have known every saturday for the past two years!)

it's almost one in the morning. katie wants me to meet her and her mom (bc is driving with his cousin) at 5 in boise. i'll probably shower around 3 and pick up lunch at wal-mart at 4 in order to meet her on time.

i've never been to blackfoot before. it's near sun valley.

apparently it's where the state mental institution is located. other than that, it's picturesque.

since the moleskin i have been writing jake letters in is filling up, i need a place to leave the meeting notes i took last sunday while they are still fresh in my mind, before i get new ones tomorrow.

COMMITMENT

Commitment is a virtue that is often undermined and neglected in today's society.

Commitment is essential for the success of a marriage.

Employees that lack commitment to their work often become lackadaisical in their performance.

If a soldier is not committed to the country he serves, he is not only unreliable but dangerous as well. Given the circumstances, he may sway to enemy lines.

In Judges 11, we read of Jephthah's commitment to God. Jephthah made a commitment to God knowing God keeps commitment He makes to us. (The promise God made to Jephthah was to deliver the children of Ammon into his hands.)

In Isiah 51, we read of God's commitment to us and his comfort of Zion.

God has called us away from the world and has committed his promise of comfort and salvation if we commit ourselves to Him.

He wants us to continue forward with Him and not look back to the desolation and dissatisfaction in which we are called out of.

He wants us to "go forward and commit." True commitment does not cost the cost of moving forward.

When we commit to God, He commits to us in measures we can never commit to him. He has committed His son to us.

Each step we take in following God's commandments and His will brings deeper commitment. And it keeps us from swaying when temptation comes.

When an individual has committed themselves to another person in marriage, when temptation comes that person will not stray.

Commitment grounds us.

REJOICING

In Revelation 19, 1, "allelujah" is written 4 times. Allelujah means "praise be the Lord."

Worship and praise go hand-in-hand. Worship radiates from our hearts and praise is the action that comes from our worship.

In Luke 1, Mary rejoices for the song sung in her heart in praise. We need to have the same song of praise in our hearts.

REVELATIONS

"Revelation isn't speculation or imagination." Sometimes we receive revelation from God and work too earnestly to try to interpret it when it is not always intended to be analyzed.

We can only receive revelations from God when we come before God with a sanctified spirit and are willing to "be in the spirit."

In Revelation 1, 10, John speaks of coming before the Lord with a sanctified spirit.

"We may come to [church] and sit amongst God's people, but if we are not in the spirit, we are not able to receive revelation."

John was imprisoned and isolated while writing the book of Revelations but still found himself able to be in the spirit. "The spirit has never been and never will be bound even if we are."

Through God, we have the power to serve through the spirit and rule over flesh.

It is the spirit that enables us to serve Him in love because God isn't interested in any relationship that is not grounded in love.

God requires a service that is grounded and motivated by love. Serving God is not just a matter of keeping His commandments.

God should be our "first love." In a natural sense, we are willing to do anything, embarrassed by nothing, and willing to please our first love.

It is said that the first love seeks to please, the second love seeks to be pleased. (When we want God to serve us, He is alarmed. Our relationship with God is not about how He can enrich our lives and bless us.)

We need to keep God as our first love so we can have a service that is rooted and grounded in love which will enable us to be found in the spirit and receive revelation that is only acquired for being in the spirit.

"When we cry to God, we receive a response from Heaven."

When we cry out, it is a reflection of the misery within our souls.

Jonah cried to God. He disobeyed and fled from God and his soul was in imminent disaster.

He cried out to God in agony, and God heard him.

God always hears our cries.

BOOK OF DANIEL AND DOING GOD'S WILL

Daniel's purpose was to please God. We will always prosper when we commit to doing the will of God.

There is never disappointment or sorrow in following the Father's will.

When we refuse to do His will, we will find regret and an inconsolable sadness in our hearts.

KEEPING OUR THOUGHTS PURE

Phillipians 4, 8 speaks of what we ought to keep our thoughts on.

Keeping our hearts on that which is pure and virtuous requires effort.

If we do not govern our thoughts they may wander from us and lead to places we never intended for them to go.

We do not want to be victim to our own thoughts.

Our greatest battles will never be against our brethren.

Our thoughts condemn us and lead to sin. We need to constantly battle them.

12:43 a.m. - 2009-01-18

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