The 1st

It has been many years since I blogged and in many ways I regret that. After talking with my good friend Paul, who has been a great encouragement in my blogging, I realized I needed to start again. I felt the need laid on my heart by the Holy Spirit as a means of extending my prayer time as well as my "marinating" of what I have recently read in the Bible. I thank Paul, Chris (accountability partner) and Christ for this new blog.

I realized that lately my walk has slid a little. I got a new car and though I am grateful for it, it has no CD player in it. I have been stuck listening to the radio and not my CD's. I miss my Fireflight, Flyleaf, Third Day, Matt Redman and the likes...it has killed me. However, I have finally found HIS radio, and though it comes in with a fair amount of static, I have toughed it out. Funny how something as little as music can affect your attitude and thought life.

Two songs lately that have really captured my heart, maybe some of it is owed to Michael Farrow, our Worship pastor, and Zac Harris, one of the most awesome teenagers in the world. Needtobreath "The Outsiders" and David Crowder "Oh How He Loves" have been excellant to my prayerful heart. I love Grooveshark! To hear in my head all day long those lyrics, to have them written on my heart as a reminder that Christ loves me, though I am far from worthy of it.

Finally, for today, I have been reading through the minor prophets in the OT and I am just amazed at how much God cared for Israel. He was fed up with their adulterous behavior as they always turned and ran to idols and sin! Yet God disciplined them but promised to restore them. He promised that those He sent in to capture them and overtake them would be judged for their actions against Israel. How awesome, God would punish those who hurt His covenant people. I think of the applications in my life, that though I may sin and stumble, God is there to discipline me, with love, but those who may rise against me during that time, God will punish, and judge them for their actions against His child. It's like what Paul writes in Romans, "if God is for us, who then can be against us?"

I thank you Father for all your love and care, for all that You do and have done and will do. You are the great I AM and I am not. You love me, oh how you love me, and for no reason. I am a sinner, you are holy, yet you are jealous for me, always wanting my heart and affections. I turn away from you for some "whore," some "idol" and yet you chase after me. You come after the one that is lost, leaving those 99 behind, though I may stray often. I am not good, I will never be good, but you are good, great in fact and I praise Your name for that! Thank you Abba Father!!