Katie

Written by Katie Monday, 12 October 2009 13:14

I have the opportunity to attend a Bible Institute class at my church, and this semester we're in the Messianic Psalms. It's pretty amazing. :) I'm going to use one of the Psalms we went through that I really liked.

Psalm 41 was written by King David about his close friend and counselor, Ahithophel.

Ahithophel was the grandfather of Bathsheba. He wasn't all that happy about David sending Bathsheba's husband Uriah into the front lines of battle to be killed, and David taking Bathsheba as his wife. In fact, he was so upset about it, that when Absalom (David's son) rebelled against him, Ahithophel joined him in his rebellion. David was crushed by his betrayal, and he wrote Psalm 41 because of it. Verse 9 says:

"Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me."

This verse is a Messianic verse, meaning it refers to another similar verse in the New Testament about Christ's death. A sort of prophetic thing. The verse it refers to is John 13:18-

"I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, he that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against Me."

Jesus was speaking of Judas here. His former friend became His betrayer. But then, we all are Judases, aren't we? God blesses us everyday- with life, with grace, with His friendship, with everything. He showers us with His goodness, and while we may not outwardly betray Him with things like how we talk, where we go, and who we hang around, we constantly "lift up our heel against Him" inwardly. How do we do this?

♥ By unsteadiness in our walk.

♥ By having carnal, worldly thoughts in our hearts and minds.

♥ By wearying of converse with God.

♥ By neglecting to spend time with Him.

♥ By not considering Him before everything we do or say.

♥ By your heart losing the esteem it once had for Christ,

♥ And by losing your wonder of the Cross.

I know I'm guilty of all of these, especially the last one. He did so much for us!! He did the greatest thing that can be done for a friend- He gave His life. He gave it to those who He couldn't even call friend. He was tortured. And we so often just forget the awesomeness of His love and the Cross. We betray Him.

Let's not forget. Don't take it lightly. Thank Him every single day for what He did, and share it. Don't lose your wonder of the Cross.

"May I never lose the wonder
The wonder of the cross
May I see it like the first time
Standing as a sinner lost
Undone by mercy and left speechless
Watching wide eyed at the cost
May I never lose the wonder
The wonder of the cross."

-Bethany Dillion and Matt Hammitt

(I have to give Matthew Henry and my pastor credit for some of this. ;)

Written by Katie Tuesday, 14 July 2009 15:09

Reading through the gospels I’ve noticed something about Jesus- and when He prayed. On many occasions it was after He’d spent the day with a lot of people. He would leave to go up into a mountain to pray, alone, usually all through the evening till the morning. And I suppose what struck me was that it was almost always to get away from the crowds surrounding Him. Jesus was popular. He healed people. He was knowledgeable and He taught and preached. He performed amazing miracles. People wanted to be around him. And yet, He never stayed long. He always left to go and talk to His Father.

“But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.” Luke 5:15-16

What usually happens when we do something really good? Maybe you’re talented or have done something worthy of praise…perhaps just while we’re serving Christ in some way. And people notice. They tell you how awesome you are! And consequently, it makes you feel just as amazing inside. This happened to Jesus countless times. And of course Jesus doesn’t get a big head, because He’s Jesus, and He’s perfect, but He provides us with an example here. Look in John 6:15:

“When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.” John 6:15

They wanted to make Him a king! I imagine if I was wanted to be a queen, or a princess, I’d be running toward that crown full speed! But Jesus stopped. He left everything, and went to talk alone with His God. His King.

So where does popularity get one in God’s kingdom? Paul says,

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” Philippians 3:7-10

Anything good you do, anything others make you feel good about, is nothing compared to what Christ has done. Anything we do for God’s glory, Paul describes as ‘dung’. But yet we still do things for Him. Why? Because of verse 10: that we may win victories for His Glory and be found in Him. We do it to get closer to Him. We want to be associated with this great God. But we have to remember it’s not about us.

And that leads us back to Jesus! He didn’t stick around and revel in His glory. No! He left all, and went up alone that He might know His Father!

“That I may know Him!”

How are we in our prayer life? Do we only run to the Rock when the storms come? Or do we stop, and make time to simply talk to Him? Not only on a daily basis, but how about when our egos are up? When everything in our life is running just spiffy and we’re on a roll?

Just stop.

Forget everything, and go find yourself a mountain.

Have a happy Tuesday! ;D

-Katie