JUST NOODLES: Blog

I looked....

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 14:36:05 GMT

This morning as I sat at Panera...I thought of so many things....I was reading the book of Ezekiel...just having finished Jeremiah and Lamentations. I got to thinking how some of these prophets must have felt...Ezekiel sometimes having to live out the judgments God was going to bring upon Israel and Judah for their disobedience and how pointless it might have seemed to them some days. Knowing that Israel would choose wrongly, but that God was asking them to do it anyway.

I was also a bit retrospective about my life and how much of it has been lived for Christ...regardless of the outcome. Sometimes these thoughts are kind of negative....almost defeating...that wasn't where my mind went this morning, so bear with me :). I got to thinking about how many of my motives have been pure...not many....how many of my actions have resulted in any kind of fruit? Sometimes I wonder about such things...have I made the right choices in life...has enough of it been lived for Christ? Then I always wonder...how can I be the judge of that....guess I'll have to keep leaving that to my Father. :)

I was reading a poem written by a friend who has years ago gone to be with Father...I think she had the same thoughts sometimes...here it is....

"I looked" by Lillian Naber

I looked upon a ranch one day that once I used to play

The barn had fallen to the ground, the yards were overgrown

The house in which we children grew, where we had lived for years

I turned to see it's corner falling down and brushed aside the tears

I looked upon my soul one day to find that it too had grown

thorns and nettles everywhere the seeds of neglect were sown

The years had passed while I had cared for things of lesser worth

The things of heaven I let go while minding things of earth

To Christ I turned with bitter tears and cried o Lord forgive

I haven't much time left for thee, not many years to live

The wasted years forever gone, the days I can't recall

Oh...if I could live those years again, I'd make thee lord of all.

But those times are forever gone...into your book of my life

Revealing my lack of love for One who loved me unto death

Even to the Cross!

Now as I look back on my life...I'm not sure how much of it has been lived for Christ...I am sure it could have held different paths and different circumstances had I made different decisions, but I guess I'm not resting on confidence that anything I have done was worth much of anything (have to keep reminding myself of it sometimes)....I'm pretty confident that had my life followed a different path...it would have looked different, but would have been filled with the same questions along that path as well. I know that many of my motives have been lacking and many of my actions flawed, but I remain confident that my Father's grace is sufficient to make even these wrong and flawed motives and actions of use. As I look back on my life...that is a very consistent theme...His grace and hand among the many mistakes :)

Even in the middle of flawed motives and actions I have seen the hand of God working....and it amazes me...that He can and does do amazing things through such flawed human beings. I can with confidence say that He will likely keep doing that in my life too...surprising me by working in situations and circumstances in which I find myself...regardless...because He owns me...I am His....I love Him.

I wonder as I look upon life...what the future holds....how much life will change in years to come...but I am confident still that my Father already knows and has a plan that I can not make a mess of beyond His ability to mend. He is a GREAT God...and a GREAT and GOOD Father.

A long time coming!!! :)

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 21:47:18 GMT

Well,

I was just reminded by a friend of mine that I have not updated my blog in a long time. I have found that I have a lot less time these days that I used to :). For those of you who haven't heard, I was married on August 3rd of this year! Let me be the first to say that marriage is such a huge blessing! My wife and I have been reading this book called "A Sacred Marriage" and in it somewhere it says (I'll paraphrase) "Marriage doesn't bring problems...it just exposes them" How true that statement is. I have found in my first three months of marriage that I am a very selfish man...and a sinner at heart. Living selflessly has thus far meant living selflessly for about 12 hours a day...and living 12 for my-self. Marriage doubles that requirement and I have found that I am pretty selfish and stubborn and sometimes downright rude. But my wife is patient and I am slowly getting better at this :) Tom Nesbitt said in our pre-marital counseling that "God intended marriage to make you holy...not necessarily happy" and that marriage is God's holy sandpapaper for our character. How true this is. I absolutely LOVE being married...but it is not a cake walk by any means. So far it has proven to be a sancitifaction accelerator in my life :) Tara would probably say the same.

For those of you who are interested in seeing pics from the wedding...check them out here :) Yep...she makes me look good :)

http://www.photobiz.com/portfolio/layouts/1/welcomepage.cfm?eventID=76467&galleryID=110412

If you're interested in checking out "The Light" (Cornerstone's post-college ministry) sometime...here's a link to the web-site with the downloadable teachings...fun stuff!

http://www.plugintothelight.com/audio.php

This morning I was reading in Isaiah and came across the verses below....it is so so encouraging that I am included in the group of "foreigners" He describes in chapter 56. Praise the Lord for being a God for all the nations! His desire is that ALL nations...ALL tribes...ALL tongues would come to know His greatness! Let me be one of many saying loud and at the top of my lungs...the God...the High and lofty one...He who lives forever...whos name is Holy...He alone is God and He alone is good!!!

Isaiah 56:3-7

³Let no foreigner who has bound himself to the LORD say, "The LORD will surely exclude me from his people." And let not any eunuch complain, "I am only a dry tree." ⁴ For this is what the LORD says: "To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant- ⁵ to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off. ⁶ And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to serve him, to love the name of the LORD, and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant- ⁷ these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations."

How great is our God!

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 13:19:12 GMT

I was reading in Corinthians this morning and came across the passage below. It is encouraging to me that God uses humility and love for Him rather than eloquence or human ability...He uses weaknesses rather than strengths to reveal His power and His strength. It is encouraging because I fall into the inarticulate and weak category...it is enocurgaing because everyone wants their life to be significant...to matter. I am very glad that real success...real significance is dependant on His ability and not my own. Paul was not a gifted speaker (at least that's what he says)...he most often didn't write things by his own hand...he claims to be foolish...and yet God used him in exactly those avenues because Paul loved the Lord. I am glad Father is not a performance driven Father or I'd be forever lacking. I'd be forever comparing myself to the next guy or my gifts to someone elses. I'd be forever longing to be somewhere I am not. I am glad I can just relax and let Him use me as He sees fit...wherever He has me...abilities or not. How great is our God!

1 Corinthians 1:26-2:5 "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: 'Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.' When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power."

Found!

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 13:39:41 GMT

Well, this morning I had a brief quiet time..for some reason my volume on the alarm clock got set to zero and the last couple mornings getting up has been a struggle. I kept thinking " why am I not waking up to the alarm" :) Helps if the alarm is actually making noise I guess :). Anyway...so I was reflecting over Romans 10 this morning and came across these verses....

Romans 10:20-21

²⁰And Isaiah boldly says, "I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me." ²¹But concerning Israel he says, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people."

I am not going to open the whole "did He choose me or did I choose Him discussion" with these verses. Even though that's a good thing to think and talk about...it's sort of not something I think that we'll really appreciate opr even understand fully until we get home to heaven. But as I thought about these verses I just kept thinking presently how true this is. I've struggled finding the balance lately of living life and having the Lord on the forefront of my mind with everything...living for Him in whatever I am doing. And I kept asking myself if I am hot, cold, or lukewarm. I have to say...I feel warm, but not hot. And the rub of it is I can't somehow generate hotness on my own. So this morning I was just asking Father to heat me up a little...to find me...when maybe I'm not seeking Him as much as I want.

Of this I am confident...that He is faithful!

WOW...so much in so little time :)

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 14:32:50 GMT

Well,

As I reflect on this past year, I am AMAZED at the changes around even my small life and how in the middle of the whirlwind of change, God has been the "steady eddy" He has been and continues to surprise me and amaze me! First on the list of amazing things is how He never gives up on me. I struggle from time to time with this issue or that and in the middle of it all, I find Him unmoving...unshakable...pursuing me. I give Him the praise and the glory...because honestly He deserves it. As I look around...so many changes...so many friends and family's lives that look so so different from even just a year ago. AMAZING. Then I look at the changes in my own life and how He continues to refine me and change my character for the better.

This past year He has used so many people to shape me and mold me to be better than I was just a year ago...more confident in His ability while less confident in my own...and being ok with that ironically enough :) If you are reading this...it is likely He has used you in this capacity to help shape me...let me be the first to say thanks :)

He's also used a relationship with a very special young lady named Tara this past year to help shape and refine me. She has played a very unique and special part of my life...and....last night I asked her to marry me and strangely enough...she said yes :) So...looks like we're getting married soon :) Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers. I ask that you keep them coming! :)

Our God is good! Not because the circumstances are good right now...but just because He IS good!! I am grateful that His plan prevails amidst my attempts to take control for myself :) I hope those mutinous attempts to take control get less and less as I get older :)

To Him be the glory forever!

Hills and Valleys....

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 13:24:18 GMT

Have you ever felt like the road you're on is one giant circle. That the things you struggle with now are much the same things you struggled with five years ago....ten years ago? Well...I can say without reservation that you are not in that boat alone. This last weekend I was reminded of a time when seriously...it was probably all my parents could do to not give up on me. I faced the same struggle in a different situation again this week. Sometimes I feel as though the scenery never changes when if comes to sin in my life. God continues to bring about circumstances to break pride and selfishness, but pretty soon...here they come again. The only solace I find is that in many ways the road isn't as hilly as it used to be...that as I continue to travel it...the hills and valleys become more even....the spikes of pride and selfishness are shorter lived and more quickly regretted and confessed than they used to be. Like I say that's pretty much the only consolation sometimes. I have been reading Joshua this week...

Joshua 1:7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

He's with me wherever I go...in the times when I am struggling and the times when I am not...He is there.

Every Good thing...

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 16:06:04 GMT

I was meditating on Psalm 16 this morning...many verses stood out...I am so glad our Father is one who is immovable...steadfast...secure...unshakable...unchanging...He is my rock. All things change...but He remains constant. It is a good thing to trust in a good God!

Psalm 16

1 Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.

2 I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing."

3 As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.

4 The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips.

5 LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.

6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.

7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.

8 I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,

10 because you will not abandon me to the grave, or will you let your Holy One see decay.

11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Wind and whispers...

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:38:13 GMT

Today...it's grey, gloomy and windy outside....and whispers from the enemy cloud my brain inside...

4 of me

Thu, 04 Jan 2007 18:59:52 GMT

I just found out there are only four of me in the USA...Hmmmm...here I thought I was one of a kind :-) ha ha

HowManyOfMe.com

There are:
4
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

A pinched off piece of clay....

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 23:03:06 GMT

I've been reading Job the past few days....here are some random thoughts in Andy Rooney fashion :-)

Job and his friends are funny cats...on occasion it seems like his friends have a bit of truth in what they say....even if they aren't being very considerate in how they say it. Sometimes Job seems humble..other times maybe (if not prideful) as least not fully thinking about what he's saying. Most of the time...during the day...I feel the same way....I look back and find that my foot has spent more time in my mouth than on the ground. I think they struggled with the same problem :-)

Sometimes what Job's friends say also seems pretty funny....like when Elihu says in chapter 33:6 "...I too was pinched off from a piece of clay" :-) Never thought of myself as a pinched off piece of clay, but when I think about what it means to be wise...to find wisdom....if it wasn't for God's grace...I'd have about as much chance finding wisdom as a piece of clay has in making itself a beautiful pot on it's own. I feel as helpless to find wisdom as I do maintain zeal for God or His word. Every time I turn around...there is something else I can't manufacture on my own...something I am not just a little in need of God to provide, but wholly in need of His provision.

It's ridiculous when we really think about life...the brevity, but shear significance of it...the apparent radomness and yet complete order in it...to think that in entirety it was not ordered by someone...by a creator is simply unfathomable. I find it amazing that even in that statement there is a hint of wisdom...that only God could provide.

I guess today...I'm amazed at God...that He's patient with me and on occasion chooses to let a splash of His wisdom spill over into my consciousness. For that I'm grateful. He's amazing!

Here's what Job says about wisdom in chapter 28....

12 "But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell?

13 Man does not comprehend its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living.

14 The deep says, 'It is not in me'; the sea says, 'It is not with me.'

15 It cannot be bought with the finest gold, nor can its price be weighed in silver.

16 It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or sapphires.

17 Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, nor can it be had for jewels of gold.

18 Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.

19 The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it; it cannot be bought with pure gold.

20 "Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell?

21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, oncealed even from the birds of the air.

22 Destruction and Death say, 'Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.'

23 God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells,

24 for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.

25 When he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters,

26 when he made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm,

27 then he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it.

28 And he said to man, 'The fear of the Lord

—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.' "

A Word on contentment...Worth a duplicate post!

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 22:50:32 GMT

Sara...A friend of mine had this quote posted on her blog this week....I thought it was worth a noodle...and a duplicate post....GOOD STUFF!

"Trust hangs somewhere between knowing what your heart longs for and trying to dictate the shape or timing or outcome of your heart's desire. It lies in the willingness to accept the particulars of how and when and where God chooses to intervene. It waits in the cool shade of surrender."

-Paula Rinehart, "Strong Women, Soft Hearts"

Overcoming Sin & Temptation

Mon, 30 Oct 2006 22:42:32 GMT

Here's a link to the book titled above...

http://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Sin-Temptation-Classic-Works/dp/1581346492

I’ve only read the first chapter, but so far I am impressed with this. I wouldn’t say it’s an "easy" read, but I think probably worth the effort thus far. I have a lot of books that deal with overcoming sin...most deal with disciplining our lives to avoid rather than see it for what it is....ugly.

I’m looking forward to completing this book and would at least thus far...would not hesitate to give it a recommendation.

Suffering & the Sovereignty of God

Mon, 30 Oct 2006 22:34:48 GMT

Heres a link to the above referenced book…

http://www.amazon.com/Suffering-Sovereignty-God-John-Piper/dp/1581348096

I’ve only read a couple chapters (on my way through the second) out of the Suffering & the Sovereignty of God. So far I think it’s well done and thought provoking. Seems to touch on a lot of different areas.

The book does seem to be “real” and not dance around the subject…and seems to offer practical application…encouragement in the midst of suffering.

I have read “disappointment with God” by Phillip Yancy and this seems to be on par if not better so far.

The need to reach....

Tue, 24 Oct 2006 14:25:33 GMT

Have you ever wondered why we experience trials? Why life seems to be filled with struggles? Why sometimes things just don't go our way? Here is a sweet passage I ran across this morning....

^{1 Peter 1:3}Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, ⁵who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

At least one of the answers to the question "why" appears to be...to allow ourselves to test and see if the faith is...actually real... legitimate faith.

Another "why" appears to be to build perseverance, character, and hope...Romans 5....

^{Romans 5:1}Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ²through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. ³Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. ⁶You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Why did God design things to be like this???

^{Acts 17:26}From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. ²⁷God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

Good times... or hard times... both appear to be designed to help us see our need to REACH for Him.

Stay and Stand" or "Scatter and Spread

Fri, 22 Sep 2006 15:17:40 GMT

I was reading in Acts this morning again and bumped across the verses below...

^{Acts 8:1}And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. ²Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. ³But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

What struck me was that all except the apostles were scattered across Judea and Samaria. I know it was God's intention through the persecution to spread the Gospel and His church across the known world...and He allowed it...what struck me this morning was in the first verse when it says all "except the apostles" were scattered.

I wonder if persecution broke out across America if individually we would stay & stand or be scattered. Both responses were essential...both were used by God...the scattered spread the Gospel and the apostles stayed in Jerusalem...encouraging those who were imprisoned.

I just began to wonder if I would "scatter and spread" or "stay and encourage". How in circumstances like that one reaches a decision on what to do. Just some thoughts on a friday morning :-)

Thank you Lord...everything I don't deserve...

Tue, 12 Sep 2006 20:15:43 GMT

I woke up "early"... or at least I thought it was early... I looked at the clock and thought I saw 4:45... it in fact was 5:45 and I was behind schedule... but... at the time I thought I was ahead of schedule... ok back to the story...

So... I woke up "early" and was laying in bed and just thinking. In the space of about 10 minutes (you can cover a lot of thinking in 10 minutes :-)) I just thought about my life. Right now things are sitting pretty good... a place to eat and sleep... no major stresses and in fact some major blessings in my life. I began to think about what it would be like if I lost everything like Job did. Now thinking about these sorts of things can be dangerous sometimes... you never want to put yourself out there to test God or to be tested by Him and by typing these things, I'm not intending to do that... please know that Lord :-)

But as I was saying... as I sat there and thought about this... I just started to remember and thank the Lord for so much. I sure don't deserve anything. I thought about my life...growing up on a farm... working side by side with my dad and family... graduating high school (tons of good memories!)... off to Iowa State University and graduating (again tons of good memories!)... getting the job I wanted with the company I wanted... moving back to Iowa.... getting a job in waterloo... the job I wanted... the place I wanted... transferring to Ames... memories... Cornerstone... family... friends... Tara...everything...

I became a little overwhelmed to say the least. Then I thought about what it meant that God had chosen me to know Him... called me to be His child... out of darkness... into the light. Then thinking about the guy... the child... in China... Africa... Iraq... India.... Iran.... Turkey... Khazakstan.... and a bizillion other places where the do not even have the chance to know ABOUT who God really is... that He desires to know them.... that they can be sure of their eternal destination.

God's grace... undeserved... unmerited... nothing... nothing I deserve! Quite the opposite I deserve the pit of hell for my sin.... but God's amazing generosity rescues me from what I deserve. Help me to be a blessing to others Lord!

Off to start the day after I realize it was really about 6am and I was late to get my morning cup of coffee... Thank you Lord... for everything I don't deserve...

Two of my favorite things to do...

Thu, 07 Sep 2006 05:15:08 GMT

Tonight I did two of the most fun things...I flew a Piper Warrior...very fun plane that I got checked out in the other night...and I flew with some of my favorite people in the world...Tara, Marisa, and Doug. God has blessed me so very much...tonight I'm thankful for the simple things. Wow...so fun! Below is what a Piper warrior looks like....although ours was blue :-)

Do we seek Him...not a question of motive...but of need!

Mon, 21 Aug 2006 14:06:52 GMT

Those who seek Jesus do so for a variety of reasons...

Thomas sought him to die...
The chief priests and pharisees sought him to argue with him...trap him...and kill him...
Many sought him for physical needs healing...food...etc....
The woman in Luke 7 sought him to worship him...
The devil sought him to tempt him...

We seek Him today for many of the same reasons...

Why are we seeking him?

Matthew 7 says...literally...keep asking and it will be given...keep seeking and you will find...keep knocking and the door will be opened. Our motives are probably going to always be questionable...likely always be a little personal need in there...probably infrequently out of genuine worship and adoration...but this particular question is not motive...but one of need...

Granted God is concerned with our motivation also, but He seems to have always addressed the motive in the answer...when He found those who were seeking Him...so the question remains...

Do we seek Him?

^{John 11:16}Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."

^{John 11:57}But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him.

^{Luke 8:44}She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.

^{Luke 7:3}The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant

^{Luke 7:37}When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, ³⁸and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

^{Luke 4:} ¹Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, ²where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

^{Matthew 9:1}He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

^{Matthew
7:7}"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

^{Luke 5:27}After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, ²⁸and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.

God's grace...What do we really know???

Thu, 17 Aug 2006 18:56:15 GMT

A comment from a friend of mine about the inability of men to understand women (kind of funny) ;-) this morning got me to thinking about our inability to really know much about anybody...or even ourselves for that matter. Proverbs 25 speaks of kings hearts, but honestly...everyone's heart is pretty much unsearchable even to those who know them the best.

Proverbs 25:3 As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

And as David asks God in Psalm 139 to search his heart...this doesn't appear that David knew his own heart and was challenging God to find something, but openly asking God to root out offensive things that he himself could not see.

Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

It seems odd to me how often people act out of character...both in good ways and bad ways sometimes....without apparent cause or affect...rhyme or reason. I think it is funny how sometimes we think that we can really know ourselves or anyone else for that matter...the best we can do is know them better than maybe someone else...sort of a sliding scale :-). Maybe the best we can do is trust God...that...just as He is working in us to bring us in line with His will and conform us to His image....He is also working in others who know Him and follow Him....through all sorts of circumstances...some good verses along those lines....

Ephesians 1:11In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,

Phillipians 2:13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

A friend of mine...David Stember also blogged the next two quotes from Augustine the other day...

"A man's free-will, indeed, avails for nothing except to sin, if he knows not the way of truth; and even after his duty and his proper aim shall begin to become known to him, unless he also take delight in and feel a love for it, he neither does his duty, nor sets about it, nor lives rightly. Now, in order that such a course may engage our affections, God's 'love is shed abroad in our hearts,' not through the free-will that arises from ourselves, but 'through the Holy Ghost, which is given to us.' (Rom 5:5)" (On the Spirit and the Letter, 3.5)

In answering this question, (our role in salvation):
"I have tried hard to maintain the free choice of the human will, but the grace of God prevailed."

I have come to conclude that the grace of God is pretty much ALL encompassing. Our chief aim in life appears sinful and selfish. Without the grace of God and His powerful working in not just me...but in everyone else too...there would be no hope to ever trust...no hope to ever love...no hope to ever really live a life of any kind of significance or purpose. WOW...how indebted we are toward God and His grace and mercy.

I pray we all begin to rely on God's grace not just in ourselves, but also in others...knowing that the same God who is at work transforming us is also at work transforming others. The same grace He shows me...He is also showing (and asking that I show) others. How transforming could that be if we lived like that all the time. What truly bright lights we'd be!!!

Very Cool Song!!!

Tue, 08 Aug 2006 18:08:16 GMT

Ran into a very cool song by Keith Urban today...not exactly what I'm used to blogging, but this is for stuff rolling around in my head....and...well...it's been rolling around in my head :-)...

Somebody Like You - Keith Urban

There's a new wind blowin' like I've never known.
I'm breathin' deeper than I've ever done.
And it sure feels good, to finally feel the way I do.
I wanna love somebody,
Love somebody like you.

An' I'm lettin' go of all my lonely yesterdays.
I've forgiven myself for the mistakes I've made.
Now there's just one thing, the only thing I wanna do,
mmm, mmm.
I wanna love somebody,
Love somebody like you.

Yeah, I wanna feel the sunshine,
Shinin' down on me and you.
When you put your arms around me,
You let me know there's nothing in this world I can't do.

I used to run in circles goin' no-where fast.
I'd take, uh, one step forward and two steps back.
Couldn't walk a straight line even if I wanted to,
mmm, mmm.

I wanna love somebody,
Love somebody like you.

Whoa here we go now!
Yeah, I wanna feel the sunshine,
Shinin' down on me and you.
When you put your arms around me,
Well, baby there ain't nothing in this world I can't do.

Sometimes it's hard for me to understand,
But you're teachin' me to be a better man.
I don't want to take this life for granted like I used
to do, no, no.
I wanna love somebody,
Love somebody like you.

I'm ready to love somebody,
Love somebody like you. Oooh.

An' I wanna love somebody,
Love somebody like you, yeah.

Oh yeah.

Oh, I wanna be the man in the middle of the night,
Shinin' like it's true.
I wanna be the man that you run to whenever I call on you
When everything that loved someone finally found it's way
Wanna be a better man
I see it in you yeah...

God's blessing!

Mon, 07 Aug 2006 21:12:59 GMT

I am simply amazed at God's grace and blessing! I keep thinking over this summer and I just keep thinking who would have thunk it! I keep thinking of the verses in Ephesians...

Ephesians 3:²⁰Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen

As I reflect, I am struck by the fact that I could not have imagined even a few months ago what these past few months have held. I know God's blessing does not necessarily reflect on God's pleasure or his displeasure with us...nor am I assuming His blessing will continue...although I hope it does :-)...what I am....is completely in awe of His grace...completely struck by the extravagence of it. How much I do not deserve anything. I hope in times of scarcity and/or difficulty I am equally enamored with the Giver.

Father help me to be completely and entirely in awe of Your greatness and power and thankful for your mercy and grace regardless of the circumstances. Help me to always strive to escape the grip of pride and adopt a humble and contrite spirit. Like it says in Psalm 139...

Psalm 139:²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. ²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting

I spent last week counseling juniors and seniors at Willowbrook Bible Camp in Des Moines, Iowa. I have spent my birthday at this camp each year for the past 11 years and this year I think is my last in this capacity. Ken, Rob, Kyle and I have been together this same week for the past 6 of those 11 years and we each had independantly prayed about it and felt God's leading in this way. We came to camp and as we started sharing this...it was interesting that God had called each of us in the same way. I'll miss doing this every year...but I really believe God is starting a new decade in my life...as well as the lives of those who will step up and take our place. Change is never an easy thing...but is always a necessary thing. Glory be to God who is the only unchanging.

Hebrews 6:¹⁶Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. ¹⁷Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. ¹⁸God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. ¹⁹We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, ²⁰where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

It's worth it all!!!!

Sun, 02 Jul 2006 17:09:00 GMT

I've been in a fairly contemplative mood lately and was thinking...life has been filled with a lot of ups and downs and I have been thinking about all the good and bad times over the years and the purpose in it all. AND I AM AMAZED at God's providence and sovereignty through every situation of life. The other night Tommy and I were working out at the gym and I was jamming to the disciple cd...and I ran across this song...called "it's worth it all"...I put the lyrics below. What I can say is that it's taken me forever to get to this point in life where I can honestly say (I think :-)...never really sure of my heart)...It was worth it all....because I get to see Him. It's kind of easier to say this now at this point in my life than at other not so good points...but I guess that's the way it works :-) aye

It’s worth it all
It’s worth it all
If I can just see You, feel You
It’s worth it all
If there’s just one that sees You, feels You
I know it will be worth it all

All the time it’s taken
To be here in this place
The scars have left their mark
But I’m still running

Forgetting what is behind
I’m moving straight ahead
And I will run with a passion ‘till I reach the end
I won’t let my eyes move left to right
I’ll run with all my heart, I’ll give it all I got

It’s worth it all
If I can just see You, feel You
It’s worth it all
If there’s just one that sees You, feels You
I know it will be worth it all

Remembering all those voices
Arrows that cut me down
There’s something burning in me
That keeps me running
I know it will be worth it all

by Disciple

Do the next thing....

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 12:49:19 GMT

Well...I had a few moments tonight and have been contemplating Psalm 27 the past few days. It's interesting. I am not the least bit "in a muck" right now...in fact quite the opposite...doing very very well right now...but it seems at this particular point the Lord's given me a little more clarity with regard to times when it is difficult to feel or sense His presence.

After talking with several brothers who are going through some valleys right now I began to think about times when I have been in the proverbial dessert wondering if the Lord can hear me...why if He does hear me...He seems to be less than inclined to answer. Well...as I was thinking...ie: noodling :-) Psalm 27 today I thought practically speaking...what do we do in times when our whole being seems to cry out...."God where are you"..."Why don't you answer"...."Why me"....along with many others....here's what I get from this Psalm...as David obviously had similar times of drought...refer to Psalm 13 for one of them...

^{Psalm 27:1} The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? ² When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. ³ Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. ⁴ One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. ⁵ For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. ⁶ Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD. ⁷ Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. ⁸ My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek. ⁹ Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior. ¹⁰ Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. ¹¹ Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. ¹² Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence. ¹³ I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. ¹⁴ Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

David consistantly seeks God's face...His presence...focuses on His attributes rather than the situation or remedy of it. That is sometimes easier said than done...so practically speaking how do we do it? How do we make it? The answer is in vs 14...

"WE WAIT"

The problem is we think of waiting in the passive sense...whereas we should take it in the active sense...wait for an answer...but keep moving. It is much easier to turn a moving wheel as the proverb goes. Looking at David's life "waiting" does not appear to be equated to doing nothing until God answers...even though sometimes that does get him into trouble...David's life I think can most definately be characterized as an active pursuit!

Sometimes the next thing is to jump into a new ministry opportunity....a new job...or some larger than life decision that we need to make....but sometimes it's nothing more than to go grab an ice cream cone with some friends...or go workout...or go buy some underwear at Wal-Mart (That last one was for fun :-)) But the sense of waiting is not...not making a decision...but the continual asking and seeking God's face in the process of doing.

Here's a poem I gleaned from a women's conference tape by Elizabeth Elliot about 10 years back. And why I was listening to a women's conference tape...I'm not sure :-) I think I had just read "Through Gates of Splendor" and wanted to hear more from Ms. Elliott and happened to run across this conference tape...I can still remember driving to Ohio and listening to this and pulling the car over into the Wal-Mart parking lot to write it down before going on....

DO THE NEXT THING

From an old English parsonage down by the sea
There came in the twilight a message for me;
Its quaint Saxon legend, deeply engraven,
Hath, as it seems to me, teaching from Heaven.
And on through the hours the quiet words ring,
Like a low inspiration: DO THE NEXT THING.

Many a questioning, many a fear,
Many a doubt, hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment let down from Heaven,
Time, opportunity, guidance, are given.
Fear not tomorrows, Child of the King,
Trust them with Jesus. DO THE NEXT THING.

Do it immediately; do it with prayer;
Do it reliantly, casting all care;
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand
Who placed it before thee with earnest command,
Stayed on Omnipotence, safe ‘neath His wing,
Leave all resultings. DO THE NEXT THING.

Looking to Jesus, ever serener,
(Working or suffering) be thy demeanor.
In His dear presence, the rest of His calm,
The light of His countenance be thy psalm.
Strong in His faithfulness, praise and sing!
Then, as He beckons thee, DO THE NEXT THING.

–Source Unknown

Good stuff...

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 21:45:27 GMT

I was at home this past weekend and mom had this sitting next to the computer....thought it was very cool and very true...

If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

Happy moments, praise God.

Difficult moments, seek God.

Quiet moments, worship God.

Painful moments, trust God.

Every moment, thank God.

Still got it....at least some of it :)

Sun, 18 Jun 2006 19:21:00 GMT

Well Dad, Joe, and I played a little basketball last night and we still got it...at least a little of it...:-) Course...Joe is the only one that had his own cheerquad...my sister...sitting on the sidelines with the camera :-) Ya gotta love it :-)

I think it was my "swish" but not quite sure...there were so many :-)

Falling short...

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 18:12:09 GMT

Well...I've been thinking and talking with many over the past couple days about places in scripture where it says things like this in Psalm 84....

Psalm 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

and this in Proverbs 31....

Proverbs 31:10 "... she is worth far more than rubies....13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. 4 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. 15 She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. 16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard...."

And how we...looking at ourselves would almost always say we fall short...our walk is never blameless...a woman reading proverbs 31 would generally always say she falls short....and yet it is obvious to others that these things are true of other people. The fruit that it speaks of in scripture is more difficult to see when evaluating our own life than in evaluating others. Why is that....I think it's simply that we can see more clearly that our own motives at best are usually questionable. But the bottom line is...there is fruit....something God does in response to our obediance. I think that's why it says in Matthew 7...by THEIR fruit YOU will recognise them and why Proverbs 31 is written to a man in search of a wife...rather than to women as something to aspire to become.

The bottom line is it's much easier to see fruit in lives other than our own...AND...somehow...Christ usually makes our feeble attempts at following Him yield fruit even if the motivation of our heart is sometimes questionable.

So...well..no huge point to this thought...just things to think about...and ponder on the greatness of our God. It's incredible how He can make good out of bad! :-)

That's why this blog is called "just noodles" :-)

Uncle Sam & Lady Liberty

Mon, 12 Jun 2006 16:27:21 GMT

Well....our softball team is one game away from eight wins this season. I think last year we only had two or three wins...so our progress is commendable! Although we lost this past friday...the team we lost to was the other Cornerstone team and so...it was a lot of fun anyways :-)

At the beginning of this season Nicole Nechanicky (a.k.a. coach) and I reached an agreement...if we won eight games I would wear the "lady liberty" outfit and she would wear the "uncle sam" costume. You see our team sponsor is Liberty Tax of Ames and they have such cute mascot costumes :-). However, I think I'm a bit tall for the lady liberty costtume...I think we're going to have to switch Nicole :-). I guess we've never really specified a location or duration for wearing the costumes either...if anyone has suggestions on this I am sure we'd take them under advisement :-)

We also had a suggestion that Chris & Tami wear the costumes instead of Nicole and I....I personally...love that idea...Chris would be much cuter as Lady Liberty :-)

Wow!

Mon, 12 Jun 2006 13:52:46 GMT

Well...it's a fine fine Monday morning. Monday's are generally a little slow getting off the ground for me and today is no exception :-) BUT...as I logged into my computer this morning....this image popped up....taken from our balcony about 2 weeks back. WOW...reminded me of God's glory...and Psalm 19

^{Psalm 19:1} The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. ² Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. ³ There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. ⁴ Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, ⁵ which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. ⁶ It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat. ⁷ The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. ⁸ The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. ⁹ The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. ¹⁰ They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. ¹¹ By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. ¹² Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. ¹³ Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. ¹⁴ May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.