Psalm 101
I Will Walk with Integrity
A Psalm of David.
1 I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O Lord, I will make music.
2 I will ponder the way that is blameless. Oh when will you come to me?
I will walk with integrity of heart within my house;
3 I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.
I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil.
5 Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy.
Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure.
6 I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me;
he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me.
7 No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue before my eyes.
8 Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land, cutting off all the evildoers from the city of the Lord.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Monday, March 3, 2008
A One-Man, One-God, Woman
A One-man, One-God, Woman
By Kim Endraske
Written June 11, 2007
Last night, after some sweet time with my husband, God opened my eyes to a piece of His heart on a topic that has plagued me for many years. Over the past 10 years, God has freed me from the chains that had tied me to the pain and grief over my own sin as a multiple-man woman. But last night, I received a fuller understanding of why it is that God wants His children to only love one person “’til death do they part.”
My marriage is to be a picture of my relationship with God. Just as God will not share His glory with another; just as I am to worship one God alone; just as God is jealous for the hearts of His people. I have been created to give my love to only one man. God created me for intimate fellowship with only one man, and only one God.
Unfortunately, I did not understand this truth growing up. I gave pieces of my heart away to any boy sweet enough to look my way and as a tender teenage girl, I fell not once, but twice, for men I was sure were my “Prince Charming.” After marrying Bill, this was a regular source of grief, for both me and him, because my heart was adulterous. My heart still held a place for these other men whom God had never intended for me. Thankfully, God freed me from these chains that bound my heart to them. He granted me the freedom that true forgiveness gives, but I still never understood this piece of the puzzle.
God’s word tells us in Matthew 19:5-6, “…and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
Imagine this with me, you have become a follower of Christ, you have been filled with the Holy Spirit and bear the name Christian, until one day when you decide that really Buddha meets your needs better and “Hey, what has Christ done for you lately?” We would all see the sin in turning our backs on Christ, because there is only one true God. Here’s the point: God intends for us to be joined together with one man, to become one flesh with another human being, in that very same way. ‘Til death do we part.
Look with me at 1 Corinthians 16:12-20. “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything. “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
We have been called to be a “one-man,” “one-God,” people. We have been bought with a price. Christ paid the penalty for our sin, and now our bodies belong to Him. We are no longer our own. The reason we cannot share our body with whatever man we “love” on any given day, is because God miraculously unites the two into one. He intends for us to become one with Him, and also to become one with our forever mate.
There is only one God and no other. Take a few minutes to study Deuteronomy 4:15-39. A key verse from this section is verse 24, “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” The Lord had brought the Israelites out of Egypt by many signs and wonders and miracles and He refused to share His glory with any created thing. Notice how passionate Moses is in explaining that the Lord is a jealous God, who will not play second fiddle to anyone or anything. If God feels this strongly about His people sharing their worship with other created beings, think yourself about why God is so determined for His people to not share their hearts with every nice guy who takes a liking to them.
Lest you are left feeling hopeless and downcast over your sins, as I was, return to the passage in Deuteronomy 4. The Lord knew that the Israelites would forget Him. He knew they would turn to idols. He knew. But, He also knew they would return to Him. Look now at verse 31 “For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.”
Return to your one God. Return to your one man. They’re waiting for you.
Deuteronomy 4:15-39 “Therefore watch yourselves very carefully. Since you saw no form on the day that the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth. And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven. But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be a people of his own inheritance, as you are this day. Furthermore, the Lord was angry with me because of you, and he swore that I should not cross the Jordan, and that I should not enter the good land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance. For I must die in this land; I must not go over the Jordan. But you shall go over and take possession of that good land. Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anything that the Lord your God has forbidden you. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
“When you father children and children's children, and have grown old in the land, if you act corruptly by making a carved image in the form of anything, and by doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, so as to provoke him to anger, I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you will soon utterly perish from the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess. You will not live long in it, but will be utterly destroyed. And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord will drive you. And there you will serve gods of wood and stone, the work of human hands, that neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the Lord your God and obey his voice. For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.
“For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether such a great thing as this has ever happened or was ever heard of. Did any people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live? Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him. Out of heaven he let you hear his voice, that he might discipline you. And on earth he let you see his great fire, and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire. And because he loved your fathers and chose their offspring after them and brought you out of Egypt with his own presence, by his great power, driving out before you nations greater and mightier than yourselves, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is this day, know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.
By Kim Endraske
Written June 11, 2007
Last night, after some sweet time with my husband, God opened my eyes to a piece of His heart on a topic that has plagued me for many years. Over the past 10 years, God has freed me from the chains that had tied me to the pain and grief over my own sin as a multiple-man woman. But last night, I received a fuller understanding of why it is that God wants His children to only love one person “’til death do they part.”
My marriage is to be a picture of my relationship with God. Just as God will not share His glory with another; just as I am to worship one God alone; just as God is jealous for the hearts of His people. I have been created to give my love to only one man. God created me for intimate fellowship with only one man, and only one God.
Unfortunately, I did not understand this truth growing up. I gave pieces of my heart away to any boy sweet enough to look my way and as a tender teenage girl, I fell not once, but twice, for men I was sure were my “Prince Charming.” After marrying Bill, this was a regular source of grief, for both me and him, because my heart was adulterous. My heart still held a place for these other men whom God had never intended for me. Thankfully, God freed me from these chains that bound my heart to them. He granted me the freedom that true forgiveness gives, but I still never understood this piece of the puzzle.
God’s word tells us in Matthew 19:5-6, “…and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
Imagine this with me, you have become a follower of Christ, you have been filled with the Holy Spirit and bear the name Christian, until one day when you decide that really Buddha meets your needs better and “Hey, what has Christ done for you lately?” We would all see the sin in turning our backs on Christ, because there is only one true God. Here’s the point: God intends for us to be joined together with one man, to become one flesh with another human being, in that very same way. ‘Til death do we part.
Look with me at 1 Corinthians 16:12-20. “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything. “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
We have been called to be a “one-man,” “one-God,” people. We have been bought with a price. Christ paid the penalty for our sin, and now our bodies belong to Him. We are no longer our own. The reason we cannot share our body with whatever man we “love” on any given day, is because God miraculously unites the two into one. He intends for us to become one with Him, and also to become one with our forever mate.
There is only one God and no other. Take a few minutes to study Deuteronomy 4:15-39. A key verse from this section is verse 24, “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” The Lord had brought the Israelites out of Egypt by many signs and wonders and miracles and He refused to share His glory with any created thing. Notice how passionate Moses is in explaining that the Lord is a jealous God, who will not play second fiddle to anyone or anything. If God feels this strongly about His people sharing their worship with other created beings, think yourself about why God is so determined for His people to not share their hearts with every nice guy who takes a liking to them.
Lest you are left feeling hopeless and downcast over your sins, as I was, return to the passage in Deuteronomy 4. The Lord knew that the Israelites would forget Him. He knew they would turn to idols. He knew. But, He also knew they would return to Him. Look now at verse 31 “For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.”
Return to your one God. Return to your one man. They’re waiting for you.
Deuteronomy 4:15-39 “Therefore watch yourselves very carefully. Since you saw no form on the day that the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth. And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them, things that the Lord your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven. But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be a people of his own inheritance, as you are this day. Furthermore, the Lord was angry with me because of you, and he swore that I should not cross the Jordan, and that I should not enter the good land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance. For I must die in this land; I must not go over the Jordan. But you shall go over and take possession of that good land. Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anything that the Lord your God has forbidden you. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
“When you father children and children's children, and have grown old in the land, if you act corruptly by making a carved image in the form of anything, and by doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, so as to provoke him to anger, I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you will soon utterly perish from the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess. You will not live long in it, but will be utterly destroyed. And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord will drive you. And there you will serve gods of wood and stone, the work of human hands, that neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the Lord your God and obey his voice. For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.
“For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether such a great thing as this has ever happened or was ever heard of. Did any people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live? Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him. Out of heaven he let you hear his voice, that he might discipline you. And on earth he let you see his great fire, and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire. And because he loved your fathers and chose their offspring after them and brought you out of Egypt with his own presence, by his great power, driving out before you nations greater and mightier than yourselves, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is this day, know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Our blessing named Jesse
I got back last night from visiting my nephew, Jesse. Jesse had heart surgery last Thursday to repair CAVC (complete atrio-ventricular canal) defect. He came through the surgery well, but the next day went into cardiac arrest and had to be recesitated for about 45 minutes and placed on "life support" (an ECMO machine) to give his heart time to rest. Miraculously, he's come through and his heart is beating on its own. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
You can visit Jesse's blog at http://www.ourblessingnamedjesse.blogspot.com/
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Kate's battle with cancer
I am continuously in prayer for my friend, Kate, who is battling brain cancer. She had surgery last November, and again this week as the cancer has returned. She is currently very weak on the left side of her body as a result of the surgery and we pray that God restores her soon. Kate has three young boys: Carter (9), Cole (7) and Stuart (3), and an awesome husband, Dave. I would appreciate your prayers for Kate and her family.
You can read her blog at: http://katesnodgrass.blogspot.com/ and join the hundreds of people around the globe and across America praying for her.
Happy 4th Birthday Noelle
It's hard for me to believe, that 4 short years ago, Noelle Grace was born. What a joy she's been to us. I can't imagine life without her. Thank you, Jesus, for blessing us with a daughter so full of life. Her wide eyes and contagious smile are such a marvel.
Today, Noelle opened her birthday gifts from us: a Fisher Price basketball hoop, a puppet show stage with puppets, two belts and a birthday My Little Pony that smells like birthday cake. I don't know which was her favorite - but Nick sure liked the basketball hoop!
Happy Birthday, Noelle. We love you!
Monday, November 19, 2007
Beautiful Baby
Here is a picture of Daniel - taken about 2 weeks ago. Isn't he simply beautiful? He certainly is "God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)
Boasting in my Weakness
2 Corinthians 12:1-10
"I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. Though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me.
So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
"I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. Though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me.
So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
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