Don't know why but this interests me

Probably because certain people would "get" it the moment they see it. Not so with others.
It's very particular.

"Isn't There Some Misunderstanding?"

’Let us go to Judea again.’ The disciples said to Him, ’. . . are You going there again?’ —John 11:7-8

Just because I don’t understand what Jesus Christ says, I have no right to determine that He must be mistaken in what He says. That is a dangerous view, and it is never right to think that my obedience to God’s directive will bring dishonor to Jesus. The only thing that will bring dishonor is not obeying Him. To put my view of His honor ahead of what He is plainly guiding me to do is never right, even though it may come from a real desire to prevent Him from being put to an open shame. I know when the instructions have come from God because of their quiet persistence. But when I begin to weigh the pros and cons, and doubt and debate enter into my mind, I am bringing in an element that is not of God. This will only result in my concluding that His instructions to me were not right. Many of us are faithful to our ideas about Jesus Christ, but how many of us are faithful to Jesus Himself? Faithfulness to Jesus means that I must step out even when and where I can’t see anything (see Matthew 14:29). But faithfulness to my own ideas means that I first clear the way mentally. Faith, however, is not intellectual understanding; faith is a deliberate commitment to the Person of Jesus Christ, even when I can’t see the way ahead.

Are you debating whether you should take a step of faith in Jesus, or whether you should wait until you can clearly see how to do what He has asked? Simply obey Him with unrestrained joy. When He tells you something and you begin to debate, it is because you have a misunderstanding of what honors Him and what doesn’t. Are you faithful to Jesus, or faithful to your ideas about Him? Are you faithful to what He says, or are you trying to compromise His words with thoughts that never came from Him? “Whatever He says to you, do it ” (John 2:5).

-- Oswald Chambers
My Utmost for His Highest

Friendship With God

I was just about to write a short blog post expressing my gratefulness for the friends in my life. I feel profoundly, profoundly blessed! Sometimes I don't have all the things I really want, but at the end of the day, I do have amazing friends who are wonderful, and whom I really admire. Then I read the following from today's My Utmost for His Highest entry, about our friendship with God. "I am a friend of God...He calls me friend."

Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing . . . ? —Genesis 18:17

The Delights of His Friendship. Genesis 18 brings out the delight of true friendship with God, as compared with simply feeling His presence occasionally in prayer. This friendship means being so intimately in touch with God that you never even need to ask Him to show you His will. It is evidence of a level of intimacy which confirms that you are nearing the final stage of your discipline in the life of faith. When you have a right-standing relationship with God, you have a life of freedom, liberty, and delight; you are God’s will. And all of your commonsense decisions are actually His will for you, unless you sense a feeling of restraint brought on by a check in your spirit. You are free to make decisions in the light of a perfect and delightful friendship with God, knowing that if your decisions are wrong He will lovingly produce that sense of restraint. Once he does, you must stop immediately.

The Difficulties of His Friendship. Why did Abraham stop praying when he did? He stopped because he still was lacking the level of intimacy in his relationship with God, which would enable him boldly to continue on with the Lord in prayer until his desire was granted. Whenever we stop short of our true desire in prayer and say, “Well, I don’t know, maybe this is not God’s will,” then we still have another level to go. It shows that we are not as intimately acquainted with God as Jesus was, and as Jesus would have us to be— “. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . .” (John 17:22). Think of the last thing you prayed about-were you devoted to your desire or to God? Was your determination to get some gift of the Spirit for yourself or to get to God? “For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). The reason for asking is so you may get to know God better. “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). We should keep praying to get a perfect understanding of God Himself.

"He went out, not knowing where he was going..." Hebrews 11:8

"In the Old Testament, a person’s relationship with God was seen by the degree of separation in that person’s life. This separation is exhibited in the life of Abraham by his separation from his country and his family. When we think of separation today, we do not mean to be literally separated from those family members who do not have a personal relationship with God, but to be separated mentally and morally from their viewpoints. This is what Jesus Christ was referring to in Luke 14:26.

"Living a life of faith means never knowing where you are being led. But it does mean loving and knowing the One who is leading. It is literally a life of faith, not of understanding and reason—a life of knowing Him who calls us to go. Faith is rooted in the knowledge of a Person, and one of the biggest traps we fall into is the belief that if we have faith, God will surely lead us to success in the world.

"The final stage in the life of faith is the attainment of character, and we encounter many changes in the process. We feel the presence of God around us when we pray, yet we are only momentarily changed. We tend to keep going back to our everyday ways and the glory vanishes. A life of faith is not a life of one glorious mountaintop experience after another, like soaring on eagles’ wings, but is a life of day—in and day—out consistency; a life of walking without fainting (see Isaiah 40:31). It is not even a question of the holiness of sanctification, but of something which comes much farther down the road. It is a faith that has been tried and proved and has withstood the test. Abraham is not a type or an example of the holiness of sanctification, but a type of the life of faith—a faith, tested and true, built on the true God. “Abraham believed God. . .” (Romans 4:3)."

 --Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

Little Taste of Proverbs 19

Desire without knowledge is not good- how much more will hasty feet miss the way.

A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the Lord.

Wealth attracts many friends, but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.

Many curry favor with a ruler and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.

The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.

A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

Houses and wealth are inherited from parents; but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless go hungry.

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.

Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death.

A hot tempered person must pay the penalty; rescue them and you will have to do it again.

Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.

Many are the plans in a person’s heart , but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

What a person desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar.

The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rest content, untouched by trouble.

A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth.

Flog a mocker and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke the discerning, and they will gain knowledge.

Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

Does God Really Do That?

Below are several verses where Scripture explicitly says that whatever we ask for we will receive. Granted we must ask “abiding in Christ, and asking in His name,” but what do these verses really mean for us? It is very confounding to me on a practical, personal, experiential level.

God, I am asking for wisdom and understanding as to what this means. Please show me how to approach prayer and praying for my needs (and wants) as you want us to do.

Maybe it has something to do with how I asked my dad for running shoes this week, and he bought them for me, and I was so grateful for them even though I asked with the expectation of the outcome. So when I ask God, “give me this day my daily bread” I expect provision, and I am grateful when it comes.

John 15:7

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will

be done for you.

John 14:12-14

…Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in

the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

John 15:16

…your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

John 16:23-24

Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Matthew 7:7-8

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be

opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and

to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Matthew 18:18-20

Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and

whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two

of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my

Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I

among them.

Matthew 21:18-22

…Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, „Be taken up and thrown into the sea,‟ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Life is Good!

The last weeks have been some of the best, most fulfilling, blessed times I have had in a long while! Why, you ask?

• I found out a very good friend is pregnant and I get to visit her soon!
• I am excited for the wedding of another friend next month
• My dad got a new job, which will be a wonderful opportunity for both of my parents in Washington State
• I am content saying in Washington DC and on Capitol Hill for the foreseeable future
• I see the turn of the spring, sun, and warm temperatures
• I got new running shoes to protect my feet and legs
• I like my spring and summer clothes and can put away the bulky jackets
• I don’t have to stay inside because it is no longer dark and cold!
• I have been nesting away with God during Lent. He has spoken to me and I am so glad for him.
• I gave up dating and I really like the way that feels! Not sure when I will reverse this decision…something or someone really compelling would have to come along.
• I have watched a lot of inspiring, lovely movies about courageous, godly people.
• I have spent time with people I really enjoy, and bowed out of large social events that cause me more distress than enjoyment.
• I have been able to spend a lot of time praying at the Planned Parenthood Clinic for mothers and fathers making very tough decisions.
• I have been able to focus on my devotional life in Christ, and completed a lot of books and meditations on this topic.
• I clarified things with my pastors at my old Church, and it was kind and compassionate but also very definitive and I am moving on. While it is sad, it is a relief to commit fully to one church.
• Very good friends are moving from DC (sad) but I am so happy for them to start a new, wonderful life in a beautiful place!
• I live very near many good friends.
• I love my house, and cannot wait to get some serious spring cleaning done in my room!

Snippets from Proverbs 16

If you need direction, this Proverb speaks of the Lord's guidance for those who love him (and listen to him)!

To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.

All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

The Lord works out everything to its proper end—even the wicked for a day of disaster.

The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: they will not go unpunished.

Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.

When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way, he causes their enemies to make peace with them.

Better a little with righteousness, than much gain with injustice.

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord; all the weights in the bag are of his making.

Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value the one who speaks what is right.

How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver.

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.

The wise in heart are called discerning, and gracious words promote instruction.

Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent, but folly brings punishment to fools.

The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent, and their lips promote instruction.

Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

The appetite of laborers works for them; their hunger drives them on.

Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

Snippets from Proverbs 14

The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

Whoever fears the lord walks uprightly, but those who despise him are devious in their ways

A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride, but the lips of the wise protect them.

The mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.

The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.

Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright.

Each heart knows its own bitterness and no one else can share its joy.

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

Even in laughter the heart may ache, and rejoicing may end in grief.

The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good rewarded for theirs.

The simple believe anything but the prudent give thought to their steps.

The wise fear the LORD and shun evil, but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure.

The simple inherit folly but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

Evildoers will bow down in the presence of the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.

Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.

All hard work brings a profit but mere talk leads only to poverty.

Whoever fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.

Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Makers, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous seek refuge in God.

Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning and even among fools she lets herself be known.