Did you ever think God could be handcuffed? It sounds absurd to think a sovereign God could be bound, but He chooses to restrain Himself every second of every day since the fall of man. Think about it, God cannot lie, and He will not go against His word or His promise. He has graciously given each of us a free will and He will not force us to do what He wants just to keep us from making bad choices.
Do you think this is blasphemy? Well, God is not a wishy-washy deity. The Bible is pretty black and white when it comes to sin and the wages of such – death! AKA: separation from God FOREVER. Thank you, Jesus that we don’t have to cash that paycheck. And even after we’ve used our free will foolishly, God chooses to keep His handcuffs on after we’ve sinned and often replaces His judgment with mercy.
It’s ironic that our free will and God’s honoring of such freedom can cause us to be a slave to our freely chosen sin. Think about how often God would have to intervene in our lives to keep us from making poor choices…even deadly choices. For me I think it would be an hourly, no make that a minute-by-minute intervention. Between the evil thoughts I have about my own country’s politicians, the ice cream I eat as a meal, or the awful comment I make to my husband before he leaves for work, they all lead to the path of destruction. These may be minor infractions to you, but the Bible is very clear that we are to honor and pray for our government and leaders. We are to honor our bodies as the temple of God and we are definitely not supposed to tear down our spouses, especially before they start their day. Most times I wish I could take back the things I do and say, and sometimes I relish the thought of going to see an “R” rated movie and eat the butter-laden, heart-attack-inducing popcorn (they must put some addictive drug in there) both of which are neither good for your soul or body and probably not good for your spirit. But then that’s what Hollywood wants. Something so innocent has turned this once God-fearing country into a fat whore willing to do whatever it takes to partake in instant gratification. I digress and will leave this for another rant.
As Perry Stone says, “quit before payday,” because you don’t want the wages your due. How do you quit? First, you repent and ask God to help you start making better choices. This is as much for me as it is for anyone. I’ve been obese most of my life and I know small meals and exercise are the way to a svelte body, and yet my free will supersedes God’s will every time. I’m working at it and trying to listen to the still small voice that is the Holy Spirit, but my body and soul keep screaming for the second helping. The good news is that God is merciful and forgives us as many times as we ask and He is patiently waiting for us to ask Him what His will is. And therein lays the key that unlocks God’s handcuffs. When our free will hooks up with His good and perfect will, we enter into the truth that sets us free.
July 19, 2010
July 9, 2010
A day at the garden
Fredrick Meijer Garden is a lovely botanical garden in Grand Rapids, MI. I got an annual pass because it is so close to our house. They have many different gardens and one of them is the children's garden. Eva Mei loves going there to play in the water. They have a tiny little fountain and a replica of the Great Lakes. If anyone is interesting in coming for a visit, let me know and I'll meet you there.
The children's fountain.
Eva had it all to herself the day we went.
Eva plays in Lake Ontario.
The reason I took this one is because of the two ladies on the bench. They thought Eva was so cute they took her picture...as you can see she had no problem with it.
There's always time for tea. (Taken under the treehouse)
July 8, 2010
Homemade yogurt
I just bought a yogurt maker from Williams-Sonoma. Wow, it is so easy peasy. I made the first batch with just milk and freeze-dried yogurt culture. Boil the milk, let it cool, add the culture and pop it into the yogurt maker. Ten hours later you get homemade yogurt. It came out a bit soft so I decided to strain out the whey (the yellow liquid) and turn it into a creamy dreamy Greek-style yogurt. OMG, it's sooooo good with honey! I'll never buy Yoplait again.
Two cups of whey came out of four cups of yogurt.
I just used a paper towel in a mesh strainer and put it in the fridge for an hour.
The pièce de résistance.
Two cups of whey came out of four cups of yogurt.I just used a paper towel in a mesh strainer and put it in the fridge for an hour.The pièce de résistance. Nail-scarred hands continued...
As I see it there are four views of the nail-scarred hands:
1. The BELIEVERS don’t require a sign and they believe.
2. The DOUBTERS require a sign and they believe.
3. The EXPLAINERS see a sign and they don’t believe.
4. The AVOIDERS don’t see a sign and don’t believe.
Mary, the mother of Jesus was a BELIEVER. She took Gabriel’s word that she would have God’s son…hello, that’s one faithful woman! Interestingly, Satan and all his demons fall into this category too. Read Matthew 8:28-34 and you’ll see the demons address Jesus as the Son of God and acknowledge His power to overcome them. Thomas is the obvious DOUBTER. “Because you have seen me, you have believed, blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) In John 4:48, Jesus predicted our unbelief, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.” The Israelites in the Old Testament and the Pharisees in the New Testament are EXPLAINERS. In John 6:36 Jesus tells the people that even when they do see Him they still do not believe. They always have an explanation for what they see. King Agrippa and the Roman leaders are AVOIDERS. They worship worldly knowledge, riches and power. In Acts 26 Paul gives the King and his court his testimony and “Agrippa said to Paul, ‘Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?’ “ Agrippa had no need for faith because he believed in himself and the praises of men.
Are you praying and waiting for a sign – a glimmer of hope? Or have you given up all together? Do you depend on your own understanding and the power of your own works? Or do you believe what God promises in His Word? Be blessed! “Don’t be deceived; God cannot be mocked. A man reaps whatsoever he sows.” (Galatians 6:7)
1. The BELIEVERS don’t require a sign and they believe.
2. The DOUBTERS require a sign and they believe.
3. The EXPLAINERS see a sign and they don’t believe.
4. The AVOIDERS don’t see a sign and don’t believe.
Mary, the mother of Jesus was a BELIEVER. She took Gabriel’s word that she would have God’s son…hello, that’s one faithful woman! Interestingly, Satan and all his demons fall into this category too. Read Matthew 8:28-34 and you’ll see the demons address Jesus as the Son of God and acknowledge His power to overcome them. Thomas is the obvious DOUBTER. “Because you have seen me, you have believed, blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) In John 4:48, Jesus predicted our unbelief, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.” The Israelites in the Old Testament and the Pharisees in the New Testament are EXPLAINERS. In John 6:36 Jesus tells the people that even when they do see Him they still do not believe. They always have an explanation for what they see. King Agrippa and the Roman leaders are AVOIDERS. They worship worldly knowledge, riches and power. In Acts 26 Paul gives the King and his court his testimony and “Agrippa said to Paul, ‘Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?’ “ Agrippa had no need for faith because he believed in himself and the praises of men.
Are you praying and waiting for a sign – a glimmer of hope? Or have you given up all together? Do you depend on your own understanding and the power of your own works? Or do you believe what God promises in His Word? Be blessed! “Don’t be deceived; God cannot be mocked. A man reaps whatsoever he sows.” (Galatians 6:7)
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