It Effects You

Two weeks ago at Awana, we talked about how sin can effect you. We've been learning about the Corinthians. In some regards their culture was a lot like the American culture today. Saturated with sin.
"When you're around something long enough, it's no longer offensive to you."
How true this is.
When my sister [and best friend] goes away to college, it hurts. I miss her immensely. But the pain always dulls after a couple of weeks. I get used to it.
That's the way it can be with sin. We simply get used to it. Even worse, we can enjoy it.
Proverbs 12:26 says, "The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray."
To paraphrase: those who you surround yourself with will effect you. For good or ill.
Surround yourself with godliness and be repelled by sin.
"He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed." -Proverbs 13:20

Without Grumbling

[At some point, I hope to complete my last post, but that will first take putting my thoughts into coherent words. Which may take a while.]

For a class, I am reading On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I'm supposed to be noting how they lived, and what their thoughts were on life. When I was little, I didn't notice so much the wisdom ingrained in the book. From my reading the other day, I enjoyed what Pa said after Laura was sad that they had to sell their horses.

"We must do the best we can, Laura, and not grumble. What must be done is best done cheerfully."

"Do all things without complaining [grumbling] and disputing [arguing]." - Philippians 2:14

[Thanks, Hannah!]

On the Amazing Power of Prayer

Praying is absolutely magnificent!
Several weeks ago, my sister and I walked around our neighborhood for four hours trying to sell Entertainment books in order to earn our way to camp. We walked all the way down to the busy street and back without a single sale. One lady did give us ten bucks as a donation, but that was nearly two hours of knocking on doors and talking to strangers and trying to keep grinning and wishing my messenger-bag was not quite so heavy. We went home for a breather and some water before setting out again. While we were there, my mom prayed for us. The next two hours were highly productive; we made another forty-six dollars and twenty-five cents. [that's better than minimum wage!]
I don't think that it's coincidence or just because we went to a better street. God listens to and cares about His children. I've evidenced it myself many times.
This does, however, bring back that thought...

Whether Pleasing or Displeasing

So they said to Jeremiah, "Let the Lord be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not do according to everything which the Lord your God sends us by you. Whether it is pleasing or displeasing, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God to whom we send you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God."
-Jeremiah 42:5-6
Reading those verses this morning convicted me that I need to be willing to obediently follow God's instructions whether I like them or not. As I continued reading I discovered that they didn't do what they had promised, which I don't want to imitate. I want to seek His plan and do as He commands. Even when it doesn't seem right, He has the best plan. He truly is omniscient.

Feelings

[An excerpt from a letter written by Screwtape, 'professional devil and self-described under-secretary of the department of temptation,' to his nephew Wormwood, 'junior tempter.']
"Keep them watching their own minds and trying to produce feelings there by the action of their own wills. When they meant to ask Him for charity, let them, instead, start trying to manufacture charitable feelings for themselves and not notice that this is what they are doing. When they meant to pray for courage, let them really be trying to feel brave. When they say they are praying for forgiveness, let them be trying to feel forgiven. Teach them to estimate the value of each prayer by their success in producing the desired feeling; and never let them suspect how much success or failure of that kind depends on whether they are well or ill, fresh or tired, at the moment."
-from The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Beware of your feelings, lest they lead you astray. Although I may feel one way, the truth may be the exact opposite.
Whenever my family watches a movie in which they say 'follow your heart,' we quote Jeremiah 17:9. "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?"
Do not depend on your feelings.

On Serving Well

"That's the way you young fellows are. You serve your employers so-so, and when you leave your jobs, you usually have muddled up the way back to them. You ought to serve your masters so that they will think a lot of you, and when you come again, they will not refuse you, but rather dismiss the man who has taken your place."
-from The Servant by S.T. Semyonov

Everything

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might..." (Ecclesiastes 9:10a)
After church I like to assist with clean-up. Often I help fold up the wooden tables and carry them to where they belong. I've been doing it for several years now, but they're still heavy and it can be difficult. That's exactly why I enjoy doing it. I like to exert my energy and be challenged physically. [plus, I must admit, it is fun to show off a little.] Usually, I'm sore the next day, but I like that part too. The soreness reminds me that I accomplished something hard and used all my might. [read this remarkably excellent post on 'doing hard things.']
We're not just to do things with all our might though, looking further, we're supposed to do all for the glory of God. All. Not just some stuff sometimes.

Teach me, my God and King,
In all things thee to see,
And what I do in any thing,
To do it as for thee.
(from The Elixir by George Herbert)

Occasionally, when I wake up in the morning, I make my bed and get up specifically for the glory of God. It's surprising how much harder you will work at something if you do it for Him.

"And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father through Him." -Colossians 3:17

Later in verses 22-23, Paul instructs bondservants to obey "...in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men."

I looked up the word 'heartily' in a couple of dictionaries to get a better idea of exactly what the word means. [A difficult task for a girl who gets lost in dictionaries; I could spend an hour reading one and never get to the word I for which I was originally searching.] Some of the words I found related to 'heartily' include 'sincerely,' 'thoroughly,' and 'vigorously.' So we're supposed to do all that we do in a sincere, thorough, and vigorous manner--not for ourselves or even just those around us, but "as to the Lord."

Do difficult things heartily for Him.

"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Words and Meditations

[I wrote, memorized, and presented this for an assignment in speech last year.]

Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

Although this was originally what David wrote, I want to make this verse my own prayer. It has been a great encouragement for me to remember what this says.
I need to talk only of what God wants. It’s not critical that I talk about the things of this world. They will not last, they are all frivolous. The things of God will be forever.
I shouldn’t think only of myself and only of what I like, but what God wants me to think of and what He likes. I need to ask myself: “Would I be ashamed to say my thoughts aloud?”
I must remember that God is listening not only to the words that I speak; He knows what is in my heart. I want to have both my words and my thoughts pleasing to Him.

Moreover, this verse helps me to recall that I always need to turn to God for my strength; I can’t sustain myself, only He can be my help in times of trouble. He is the Rock that I can always turn to; He will always be there for me.
In addition, it reminds me that He is my Redeemer; He has given Himself to free me from the bondage of sin. He paid the highest price possible for me. I belong to Him and Him only.
I need to remember that God will always be there to uphold me and that He loves me.

This year, and especially in speech I want to please God with all I do, with my thoughts, with my words, with my actions. Whether I get the first place in a tournament, or the last I know that God is in control, He is there to help me. I know that God is sovereign; He has the best possible plan in mind.

Home

"...The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning."
And as He spoke He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story, which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.
- C.S. Lewis The Last Battle

It is only the beginning for Faith Felicity.

Of Psalms and Worship

[Throughout this past summer, I've been contemplating worshipping God as I read through Psalms. Never before had I realized how much this book says about worship. As I've fallen more and more in love with my Savior and come to know Him better, I've taken more and more pleasure in worshipping Him.]

How do you worship?

The Psalms have much to say about how to worship the Lord. Singing is what often comes to mind when someone says the word 'worship.' (At Christian gatherings we have a time of 'worship,' in the car we might listen to a 'worship CD,' and most recognizable, at church we have the 'worship service.') Throughout many passages, we read about this form of praise. "Praise the Lord!" says Psalm 149:1, "Sing to the Lord a new song, And His praise in the assembly of the saints."
But there are more ways than simply singing to worship--many of which can be done at the same time as singing. [talk about multi-tasking! yes!] Taken straight from God's own word, the sons of Korah in Psalm 47 write, "Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!" And in Psalm 143:2 we are told to, "Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, And bless the Lord." Continuing to Psalm 143:9, "Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp." So, according to these verses, we are to clap, shout, lift up our hands, dance, and praise Him with instruments as a part of our worship.
Aside from singing and actions showing joyfulness, we also are told in Psalms other ways to glorify God--ways you wouldn't necessarily do while singing. "Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord." (Ps. 114:7) We are to meditate silently on Him as is written in Psalm 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"
Each of these forms of praise are important [else they wouldn't be included in God's word. (see 2 Tim. 3:16-17)], therefore each should be regularly put into practice.

Why do we need to worship God?

Simply because, as God Himself says in Psalm 50:23, "Whoever offers praise glorifies Me." We must glorify God since, as John Piper point out, glorifying God is our goal in life. "God created me--and you--to live with a single, all-embracing, all-transforming passion--namely, a passion to glorify God by enjoying and displaying his supreme excellence in all the spheres of life." (Don't Waste Your Life) Also, He is deserving of this honor. "Let them praise the name of the Lord, For His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and heaven." (Ps. 148:13) In his book, The Dangerous Duty of Delight, John Piper states, "Worship is the highest moral act a human can perform." Worshipping the Lord is definitely a must. [If you're not convinced of this, read more of the Psalms. A few references to check out: Psalm 113:1-4; 145:1-3; 146:2; 147:1; 149:1 Also, Wayne Grudem has excellent thoughts on worship in his Systematic Theology.]

My Sin

This fits well with my free from sin post. Yesterday at church I was reminded once again the state of my forgiven sin.

My sin--oh, the bliss of this glorious tho't!
My sin--not in part, but the whole
Is nailed to His cross and I bear it no more.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Concerning War

[This is an essay that I wrote for my writing class last January/February concerning the Iraq War. Rather long, relies heavily on quotes, and not exactly current anymore.]

Abstract

This essay’s objective is to show that George Bush, president of the United States, made a noble and ethical decision when he initiated the Iraq War. The proof of this is found by looking into President Bush’s motives. Freeing Iraq from the tyrannical regime of Saddam Hussein and protecting the U.S. from terrorist threat are both reasons behind this war. Although some argue that nothing good has come of this conflict, Iraq has made much progress in becoming a democracy. In conclusion, the motivations of the president are moral reasons for the Iraq War.

Introduction:

The Beginning of a War

Now that conflict has come, the only way to limit its duration is to apply decisive force. And I assure you, this will not be a campaign of half measures, and we will accept no outcome but victory. My fellow citizens, the dangers to our country and the world will be overcome. We will pass through this time of peril and carry on the work of peace. We will defend our freedom. We will bring freedom to others and we will prevail (“Operation”, 2003, n.p.).

These words came from the mouth of the president of the United States of America, George Bush, on March 19, 2003, the day the U.S. went to war with Iraq.

Narration:

A Need for Freedom

Although the history of Saddam Hussein’s presidency of this Middle Eastern country dates back to 1979, much of the basis to the current Iraq War began in 1991. In this year the United States waged war against Iraq in order to convince the nation to discontinue its occupation of the neighboring country of Kuwait. “Operation Dessert Storm” proved successful, and Iraq left Kuwait. The Iraqi government promised the United Nations (U.N.) that it would cease the process of making weapons of mass destruction and allow the U.N. to conduct inspections. However, in both 1998 and 2000, Iraq refused to let the U.N. inspectors do their job. In 2002, the Iraq government was suspected of building illegal weapons and allying itself with the terrorist organization, al Qaeda. At long last, the inspectors were able to begin their search, which continued into 2003. The United States at this time believed Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq to be a threat.
Because of this belief, the U.S. began the invasion of Iraq early in 2003. In April, Baghdad, the capital city of Iraq, came under the control of U.S. troops. After months of searching, December 14, 2003 brought the capture of Iraq’s dictator-like leader, Saddam Hussein. Now in prison, Hussein is awaiting a trial by his own people. Although much progress has been made in securing a safe Iraq, segments of Saddam Hussein’s regime still fight against the soldiers of America and against Iraqi citizens. At the end of January 2005, elections took place to select new leaders; however, results from this voting have not yet been discovered.
Some view America’s president’s decision to invade Iraq as the wrong choice. Thinking peace better, they often say nothing good has come from the Iraq War.

Exposition:

The Motivations

Knowing this history of the Iraq War, one must consider the United States President’s motives for invading Iraq. What were his reasons? President Bush wanted to free Iraq from Saddam Hussein’s administration and to protect the United States from the terrorist threat this regime produced. When President Bush initiated the Iraq War, he made a noble, ethical decision.

Confirmation:

A President’s Reasoning

A foremost motivation for the president’s choice to invade Iraq was to free the country from its tyrannical leader, Saddam Hussein. This Middle Eastern nation needed liberating from Hussein’s despotic regime. The Iraqi tyrant committed murder of innocent people, both his own countrymen and others, including Americans. As Deroy Murdock said on National Public Radio, “According to Human Rights Watch, more than 250,000 people were detained or murdered by the government of Saddam Hussein” (“Commentary”, 2003, n.p.). President Bush himself said of Hussein, “This is a guy who was a torturer, a killer, a maimer; there’s [sic] mass graves…he was a horrible individual” (“Press”, 2004, n.p.).
Not only did he unjustly kill blameless people, Hussein harbored and provided funding for terrorists. David Kay, a weapons inspector, implied that “Iraq was a magnet for international terrorists who were free to operate there, and plan and conduct their deadly mischief” (Limbaugh, 2004, n.p.).
Hussein’s administration also was making nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons; these weapons of mass destruction are a violation of the United Nations resolutions. “What we learned,” said David Kay, “during the inspection made Iraq a more dangerous place, potentially, than, in fact, we thought it was even before the war” (Limbaugh, 2004, n.p.). “Saddam was flagrantly violating U.N. resolutions in a number of respects and feverishly trying to do so in others” (Limbaugh, 2004, n.p.). The violations the above quote refers to is the making of nuclear weapons.
While longing for freedom from their oppressor, the Iraqis were unable to achieve this goal on their own. “They want strong protections for individual rights; they want their independence; and they want their freedom” (“Press”, 2004, n.p.). The reason the United States went to war in Iraq is to give them this independence. “Bush hailed the liberation of Iraq, and its conversion to a free and democratic society, as our chief objective in going to war there” (Rusher, 2005, n.p.).
The president of the United States said a “central commitment of that mission is the transfer of sovereignty back to the Iraqi people” (“Press”, 2004, n.p.). Liberating Iraq from the despotic leadership of Saddam Hussein truly is a just and noble basis for invading the country.
As well as wanting to release the Iraqis, President Bush began the war in Iraq to protect the United States from the threat of Saddam Hussein’s terrorism. Hussein was a menace because he hated the U.S. and had the power to hurt this country. Since his nation has a large amount of oil, Hussein would have the means to pay terrorists to cause damage to the United States. President Bush stated,

Every threat we must take seriously. Saddam Hussein was a threat. He was a threat because he had used weapons of mass destruction on his own people. He was a threat because he coddled terrorists. He was a threat because he funded suiciders. He was a threat to the region. He was a threat to the United States (“Press”, 2004, n.p.).

Head of the Iraqi Survey Group, Charlie Duelfer, “confirmed that Saddam had…the ability to produce biological and chemical weapons. In other words, he was a danger. He had long-range missiles that were undeclared to the United Nations; he was a danger” (“Press”, 2004, n.p.).

At the very least, we have the right to defend our nation from the threats of terrorist attacks from the likes of Saddam, even if that means the removal of his entire regime. If, in doing so, we provide the opportunity for Iraqi citizens to explore freedom and build a system of representative government that allows them to exercise their own ability and benefit from their own efforts, then perhaps it is not only our right, but also our duty (Lamb, 2003, n.p.).

Additionally, by responding to one threat with overwhelming force and utterly defeating it, the U.S. will have fewer threats with which to contend. Invading Iraq presents an opportunity for the United States to prove her word.

The success of free government in Iraq is vital for many reasons. A free Iraq is vital because 25 million Iraqis have as much right to live in freedom as we do. A free Iraq will stand as an example to reformers across the Middle East. A free Iraq will show that America is on the side of Muslims who wish to live in peace, as we have already shown in Kuwait and Kosovo, Bosnia and Afghanistan. A free Iraq will confirm to a watching world that America’s word, once given, can be relied upon, even in the toughest times. Above all, the defeat of violence and terror in Iraq is vital to the defeat of violence and terror elsewhere; and vital, therefore, to the safety of the American people (“Press”, 2004, n.p.).

Who would want to fight against a nation that they know will follow its word and is willing and ready to defend herself? Bringing down the threat of Iraq will dishearten and discourage other threats, aiding them in making the decision to settle disputes peacefully. An example of this logic is Libya; the U.S. viewed this nation as a terrorist threat. It was,

a nation that sponsored terror, a nation that was dangerous because of weapons. And Colonel Gadhafi made the decision, and rightly so, to disclose and disarm, for the good of the world…they found…50 tons of mustard gas…in a turkey farm, only because he was willing to disclose where the mustard gas was. But that made the world safer (“Press”, 2004, n.p.).

Both the liberating of the Iraqis from the despotic government and protecting the United States from a terrorist threat, stand to show that President Bush justly chose to initiate the Iraq War.

Refutation:

“Nothing Good”

That nothing good has come from the Iraq War is a major argument of those opposing President Bush’s decision to invade Iraq. Once one has studied the evidence, however, this reasoning seems flawed. A large amount of progress has been made. First, the United States removed the ruler, Saddam Hussein, from power; as U.S. administrator Paul Bremer so elegantly put it, “we got him” (“Saddam Hussein”, 2003, n.p.).
The fact that elections took place on January 30, 2005 to choose new governmental leaders is an additional proof that benefit has come to the Iraqi people since the start of the warfare. Before the day of voting, it was said, “If the election is relatively successful, Iraq (and the Bush administration) will have turned an important corner. The momentum of victory will encourage the democratic forces in the country, and is bound to discourage the terrorists” (Rusher, 2005, n.p.). The Iraqi voters around the country went to polls on the selected Sunday to cast their ballots. “The election for a National Assembly was Iraq's first free vote in more than 50 years, and voters showed up in defiance of insurgents threats to kill anyone who cast a ballot” (Knickmeyer, 2005, n.p.). Speaking on the elections held in Iraq, President Bush said,

Today the people of Iraq have spoken to the world, and the world is hearing the voice of freedom from the center of the Middle East. In great numbers and under great risk, Iraqis have shown their commitment to democracy. By participating in free elections, the Iraqi people have firmly rejected the anti-democratic ideology of the terrorists. They have refused to be intimidated by thugs and assassins. And they have demonstrated the kind of courage that is always the foundation of self-government (“Bush’s Remarks”, 2005, n.p.).

The Middle Eastern country is rapidly becoming a democracy, which will in turn promote peace. “The greater the number of democracies, the greater is the zone of peace in the world” (Rummel, 2004, n.p.). Contrary to what the challengers of the president’s decision in the Iraq War may think, this new freedom for the Iraqi people is a vast change for the better.

Conclusion:

A President’s Resolve

President Bush’s motives for initiating the Iraq War are both noble and ethical; freeing Iraq from tyrannical rule and safeguarding the United States from a terrorist threat truly are just reasons for this conflict.

We will succeed in Iraq. We’re carrying out a decision that has already been made and will not change: Iraq will be a free, independent country, and America and the Middle East will be safer because of it. Our coalition has the means and the will to prevail. We serve the cause of liberty, and that is, always and everywhere, a cause worth serving (“Press”, 2004, n.p.).

Free from sin

I often need to remind myself that when I repent of my sin, God actually forgives it all the way. It's so easy for me to forget and feel bad about myself.

As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

-Psalm 103:12

Although north and south meet, you can go west forever and never reach east, and you can go east forever and never reach west. That's one heck of a long way. And that's how far repented-of-sin is removed from you. Another one of those things too big for me to comprehend.

In Total Health by Susan Boe, the author writes, 'God is faithful to forgive you of your mistakes if you confess them to Him. Saying "I'm sorry," and "please forgive me," are some of the hardest words to say. But when you release that burden, God forgives you and never brings it up again.'

It's true, Wendy, 'never is an awfully long time.'

The psalmist writes, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit." (Ps. 32:1-2) and later in verse five, "I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,' And You forgave the iniquity of my sin." Confessing sin is so much better than letting it be. I've had some experience.

God is willing to forgive. "For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You." (Ps. 86:5)

There's a beauty in knowing that you are completely forgiven.

"...the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)