A Curse for his Glory and my good!

What has God given you that seemed like a curse, yet now, in the light of his plan how has he used this to further His glory and (if you are called according to his purpose John 8:28)purpose it for your good?

My biggest curse is when God gave me over to myself! My senior year of HS I became so pompously prideful of my spirituality. No grace or mercy was found in my heart. God gave me over to my sin to show me how ugly I am without him.

It took God’s divine chastisement of giving me over to myself to get me to realize I am nothing without my God! In light of that horrid year, God has humbled me to realize I am not WORTHY only he deserves the glory.

My praise is more genuine knowing I am “whore” against the one who loves me. Yet... he still loves me?!?!?! I don’t understand this profound mystery but all I can say is that I grateful and humbled in his presence and in need of him minute by minute.

As for my good… My God still loves me in fact he died for me while yet I was still a sinner(rom 5:8). Only deserving of wrath he has blessed me with every spiritual blessing(eph 1:3) and has purposed my life for His Glory which is my greatest honor!

I Have Everything!

I Have Everything!

Who are you or I to boast in such earthly gain? We look to the hands and see the wealth of man and pay tribute and honor to those of external power and strength. Why I worship the ground of those of fame and those of fortune, yet are they not the very ones who trample the poor and kill the meek. I look in envy to the wealth of man yet pass on the chance of eternal wealth that only my God supplies. Who is that person that on the stage and in the spot light but a pot made to glorify our LORD through his prosperity and/or demise. What is a person and who am I but a creation designed for an unparalleled classification of glory? Low and weak are even the most perilous men when weighted next to the glories of God. Our Father has no levels in His eyes, we are all poor and with nothing apart from Him who owns the earth in the palm of his left and the heavens in his right. So why do you continue to show partiality in the petty things of life such as fame and fortune. You can not even fathom the accomplishments of God… have you not yet lost all grounds of boasting. You must understand just this one thing, “you do not understand.” And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. The LORD shall provide your every need, no more, no less. Your glory and your fortune can surpass all only by being personally connected to the giver of wealth, fame and fortune, for He is the definer of all and our scales are miles away from the truth of what really is being counted and weighed in the heavenly kingdom. What is being weighed? Every thing lost. Sacrifice to God and you will have the riches of being like Christ. Giving of himself for the glory of God.  You are to steward the LORD’s every blessing and pay tribute to Him and give. Forget about the popular and don’t be moved by greed but give to those less fortunate and give to those in need, associate with the outcast and always plant a seed. So shall I foolishly boast in earthly gain? Not now. No more. He has gained my heart. I have nothing. I have everything!

Nate Bristol

8-8-06

Good Grief:

How to Understand Our Grief in the Image of God’s Holy Grief

When approaching grief there are two things that we must be careful of and must know about our God in order to relate our grief to the Lords.

First, we must not assume that His grief over sin and suffering is exactly like ours, for in our grief (unlike God’s grief), we are prone to despair and sin in the capricious changing of our minds and do things that we have resolved not to do outside of our grief.

Secondly, we must not think that there is no point of relation between our thoughts and emotions and God’s thoughts and emotions. We are after all made in his image and likeness.

His Grief is Perfect!

 We must learn about God from his Word and grieve as he grieves just as we are to walk as He walked. Clearly, God is portrayed throughout Scripture as grieving over certain affairs. In every situation you will find God grieving over affairs to be sacrificial in nature as he takes on personal pain to himself for the love that he shows to his beloved and only for his beloved does he grieve. Grief we find only comes when one has first loved and this love is one that is willing to take on pain despite the hurt foreknown to the lover. For this is perfect grief and joyous grief as God demonstrates that he loves us with his grief over our sin and suffering. We though finite beings must find the root of our grief in the loftiness of self-sacrificing love, and therefore see that this grief is good as it is found in essence of God’s greatest commandment.

If God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit have not always enjoyed an intimate union with each other, then how could He have created creatures that enjoy love and grieve similar things? How could he have created Creatures who morn, righteously, over sin and suffering? Just as God and the Holy Spirit lamented over his people in Jerusalem in the Old Testament Jesus Christ does in the New Testament and just as the Triune God grieves over us now. He knew before creation of our sin and suffering yet loved us regardless and grieves joyfully because of that love. 

He created his elect as grievers because He Himself knows grief, as the father of any prodigal son would. He desires that we too may feel this grief that we through suffering and pain and agonizing hurt will find Love at its deepest meaning. He self-sacrificially condescended to love man, and thus in loving man, He freely invited grief.

Freely invite your grief today and embrace that deeply rooted love that God has placed within you.

~Nate Bristol

Inspired by the careful observance of Grief to one whom I care deeply about.

WATER

Dont doubt

“The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.” Mark  8:11

Continually I find myself caught red handed in this same crime. Continually I ask God to show me a sign. “LORD do something to prove yourself faithful.” Woe is me, hell deserving mortal man whom neglecting the very hand that feeds me. Can I not see that my begging and pleading is not a cry for help but rather an open proclamation of doubt in the One whos name is Faithful? LORD I know you are hurt and take large offense to our doubt,

“He sighed deeply in his spirit and said, ‘Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.’” Mk. 8:12

            LORD I have lost all sight and started to seek your signs, instead of seeking your son. Signs and mysteries are unknown and are deceiving compared to the one whom proves himself o’er and o’er again. LORD I have heard of your deeds and witness them daily with my life how is it that I can doubt now and in this instant believe that you will not shine true. LORD I no longer seek the signs but your face asking completely and of full confidence that you will prove true.

            One of the dumbest thing that the Pharisees had done was to ask for another sign. They had heard, they had seen; just as we have heard and we have seen. Christ has every right to be upset when we doubt him directly after he has come through with miracle after miricle. When we doubt we are rejecting all the previous things that he has done. That is sin; That is down right blasphemy.

God I have heard you are faithful, God I have seed that you are sovereign! I have been enlightened of your truth and tasted your heavenly gifts. I have shared in the Holy Spirits power and tasted the sweet pages of the goodness of your Word and the power of the ages to come. God may I not doubt now, for yes I’ve seen and yes I’ve heard and yes I’ve been enlightened, tasted and shared in you. But LORD I ask that I may be moved to KNOW that you are faithful KNOW that you are sovereign over all. KNOWledge is not KNOWn until it is applied.

LORD, that I would step out like the faith of Moses as he received only a sign after he had done what he was commanded. The first encounter God said this to Moses.

“But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

                                                                        Exodus 3:12

            KNOWing that he is with us is all that we should ever need. Moses sign was only an afterthought of assurance. We have a track record of the scriptures and a life filled with experience that proves our God faithful. Please join me in this battle and lets not offend our Christ anymore for He is Faithful, He is true. Ask not for a sign which shows doubt, but, ask in faith and you shall receive because you are talking to thee God who is ABLE!