Showing posts with label pride. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pride. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

IF

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,
then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
-2 Chronicles 7:14



was in the middle of prayer and bible reading this morning when I felt this massive weight of sadness and grief and started crying so hard that it hurt and my body constricted and was shaking. Tears were coming so fast I could barely see to text a friend to pray. I had no idea what was going on, just that it was God doing something big but I didn't know what. I was confused and didn't know how to react, whether I was to pray for something, but I didn't know what as I started crying aloud and out to God, I didn't have words but he started giving me tongues - words were streaming out but I had no idea what they meant, just this overwhelming feeling of grief and sorrow more powerful than anything I've ever felt in my life. 


Then I started to get a sense of what it was that I was praying, that I was getting some of God's heart about his people and then it turned into a prayer for his people, part of which was: "God you are giving me your heart for your people - your immense sorrow that your people don't want to know you - their eyes and ears are closed, their backs are turned and hearts are cold toward you. How you weep and grieve over your people. O for revival in the church for the world to know you are the LORD God Almighty who was and is and is to come. In these last days your people are depraved - worshipping not just idols of wood and clay, but money, sex, power and THEMSELVES. When will they learn? How many times do you have to teach us before it is too late???" and at the end he gave me a scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14 - "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land".


After I just felt drained, exhausted and reflective, but without a sense of peace that it was finished. The last few days I have been asking for him to teach me how he wants me to pray and to receive his heart. It seems that is starting to happen but I know he will only give me what I can handle - and the love I have for my parents and wanting them to know him, that times it by every single person in the world who does not know him or those who do a little but not really following him wholeheartedly and that is the heart of God in this. Something so big that only God can bear it, but I have been given a piece of it and as he feels I'm ready, more may come.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

you're looking into my heart


When the music fades & all is stripped away
And I simply come longing just to bring
Something that's of worth, that will bless your heart.

I'll bring you more than a song,
for a song in itself is not what you have required.
You search much deeper within,
through the way things appear - you're looking into my heart.

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
and it's all about you, all about you Jesus.
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it,
it's all about you Jesus, it's all about you.

King of endless worth,
no one could express how much you deserve.
Though I'm weak and small all I have is yours,
every single breath.

-Heart of Worship (Matt Redman).

---


With every step forward, there are more pitfalls to avoid. God has been teaching me and taking me further with Him through these past few months and I'm so grateful, it's been such a blessing! Yet I continually have to check myself for pride. It is such an ugly thing that the Lord detests, yet it is my biggest struggle... Just to be completely candid and honest with you all.



Proverbs 16:18-19 Pride goes before a fall. Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.

Proverbs 16:5 The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: they will not go unpunished.

Romans 12:16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

1 Corinthians 13:4 Love... does not boast, it is not proud...



Whenever God pulls me up on this sin, it is such a kick in the rear and I fall back down to my knees - exactly where I should be. There He is able to teach me what is needed, yet as He moves me forward I stand back up. Why is it so hard to move forwards yet stay on my knees? I see a lifetime of surrendering everything and handing it back over to God time and time and time again... Is this one lesson I'll have to keep relearning for the rest of my life?