"Get this in your head. YOU are in CONTROL over this planet. I'm gonna have to say it several times, because people just don't, they can't just, they just can't get ahold, they just can't grasp ahold of that concept..here it is, let's just go right ahead and say it, they can't, they have a hard time about with what I'm about to say. GOD IS NOT IN CONTROL OVER THIS PLANET."
-Creflo Dollar
Sorry, Cashflo, but God IS in control! That's fundamental to true Christian belief. If we are in control, and God is not in control, how are we not making ourselves like God? If we claim authority that rightly belongs to God, how does that not artificially exalt us and diminish the Lord?
The revelation of Scripture is this: God is in control of His entire creation, including the earth.
"The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." -Psalm 24:1
"Therefore David blessed the LORD in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: 'Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.'" -1 Chronicles 29:10-13
"Prayer is man giving God legal right and permission to interfere in earth's affairs."
-Creflo Dollar
Are you kidding me? God doesn't need MY permission to do ANYTHING. In fact, He works out everything in conformity with the purpose of HIS OWN will, not our will (Ephesians 1:11). The clear teaching of the Bible is that when we pray, we are to ask this His will be done (see the Lord's Prayer). God doesn't need our permission to accomplish His will; rather, He needs our submission and our faith in His ability to accomplish His will in a way that works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
Here is a link to video of "Dr. Dollar" making this statement, just in case it's hard to believe he actually said this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQui4Ce6HXU
See also this thoughtful piece by John Piper, who is a Calvinist (which I'm not, but I agree with his assessment of "faith preachers"): Why I Abominate the Prosperity Gospel.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Never Have I Known This River Dry
Everyone is pregnant...well, almost everyone. Not me, for instance. Why does this bother me? Some days it does, and some days it doesn't...but on the days it does, why does it? It's not - it can't be - that I somehow feel their pregnancies are preventing me from my own pregnancy. What is it, then? Pure covetousness? I tell myself no, but then again, I tell myself a lot of things.
It all comes down, I think, to this illusion in my own mind that I deserve to have a child (or more to the point, that my husband deserves to have a child). The truth is, y'all, I don't deserve anything good at all. I deserve death and hell and pain and suffering and neverending torment and separation from God. Who am I to question God's judgment, when He's been more than fair, when He's given me so much more than I deserve? Just for starters, I have a roof over my head and food in my belly and money in my bank account and a wonderful husband who loves me and thyroid meds to keep me from feeling sick and - oh my gosh - water on tap. And let's not forget, you know, eternal life. Y'all, I'm blessed, plain and simple. Baby or not, I'm a child of the Most High God. I should be less concerned with who is having children and more concerned with Whose child I am.
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today."
-Matthew 6:25-34, New Living Translation
It's in my head, y'all, but sometimes it's not in my heart. I'm a-workin' on it, though.
It all comes down, I think, to this illusion in my own mind that I deserve to have a child (or more to the point, that my husband deserves to have a child). The truth is, y'all, I don't deserve anything good at all. I deserve death and hell and pain and suffering and neverending torment and separation from God. Who am I to question God's judgment, when He's been more than fair, when He's given me so much more than I deserve? Just for starters, I have a roof over my head and food in my belly and money in my bank account and a wonderful husband who loves me and thyroid meds to keep me from feeling sick and - oh my gosh - water on tap. And let's not forget, you know, eternal life. Y'all, I'm blessed, plain and simple. Baby or not, I'm a child of the Most High God. I should be less concerned with who is having children and more concerned with Whose child I am.
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today."
-Matthew 6:25-34, New Living Translation
It's in my head, y'all, but sometimes it's not in my heart. I'm a-workin' on it, though.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
The Last 1.5 Years of My Life
Where have I been for the last year and a half? I've been in law school. As a first-year law student, I had very little time for breathing, much less blogging. I anticipate my second year will be better, but honestly, this blog is pretty much only for me anyway. If I fall behind, I'm sure no one will particularly mind that much.
I worked hard in my first year of law school, and I'm happy to say that I did well. Going to law school was one of the best decisions I've ever made, a clear step in the direction of where God wants me.
What else happened to me in the past year and a half? I had another miscarriage in late May 2010, this time at just 4w5d. I barely knew I was pregnant. It is less painful somehow, the second time around...or at least it was for me. I suppose it's easier to trust in the grace and judgment of God in the face of what seems so terrible when you've exercised those particular muscles before and trained them what to do.
I am now seeing an endocrinologist for my thyroid issues and for PCOS. My TSH was .62 in February, .16 in July, and 1.6 in August. I have no idea what my thyroid is doing. I had a battery of tests a couple of weeks ago, and I'll get the results when I go back for my oral glucose tolerance test in September. Apparently, this is now a "gold standard" test which all PCOS patients should have before their 30th birthdays. I'm in my late twenties, so bring on the chugging orange I guess.
I wish I could say that, rough stone rolling that I am, I've become smoother in the last year and a half...and perhaps I have. I would like to think that I have. I would like to think that the rushing river of life running over me has revealed more of God's handiwork and the person I was created to be. I would like to think I am more humble, more grateful, and more concerned with the welfare of others. I would like to think that each turn on the Potter's wheel has molded me more into what He would have me be. I would like to think that I have surrended my own life for His, just as He once surrendered His life for mine. I would like to think I've laid it all down without picking it back up again.
I would like to think these things, but they are best left to outward observers, and to God...not to me. I am afraid that an attempt at self-evaluation would turn into self-deception, that what I would like to think would improperly influence what I actually thought. But I do hope that I am beginning to bear spiritual fruit even in this season of physical barrenness, and I hope that the Lord has done what He desires through me, that I have not stepped in His way but rather followed His still, small counsel. To be sure, one day I will know, but that day cannot be today. All I can do is pray that the Lord will give me a soft and willing heart, and that He will guide me always into truth and direct me in the path He would have me take, all to His glory.
I worked hard in my first year of law school, and I'm happy to say that I did well. Going to law school was one of the best decisions I've ever made, a clear step in the direction of where God wants me.
What else happened to me in the past year and a half? I had another miscarriage in late May 2010, this time at just 4w5d. I barely knew I was pregnant. It is less painful somehow, the second time around...or at least it was for me. I suppose it's easier to trust in the grace and judgment of God in the face of what seems so terrible when you've exercised those particular muscles before and trained them what to do.
I am now seeing an endocrinologist for my thyroid issues and for PCOS. My TSH was .62 in February, .16 in July, and 1.6 in August. I have no idea what my thyroid is doing. I had a battery of tests a couple of weeks ago, and I'll get the results when I go back for my oral glucose tolerance test in September. Apparently, this is now a "gold standard" test which all PCOS patients should have before their 30th birthdays. I'm in my late twenties, so bring on the chugging orange I guess.
I wish I could say that, rough stone rolling that I am, I've become smoother in the last year and a half...and perhaps I have. I would like to think that I have. I would like to think that the rushing river of life running over me has revealed more of God's handiwork and the person I was created to be. I would like to think I am more humble, more grateful, and more concerned with the welfare of others. I would like to think that each turn on the Potter's wheel has molded me more into what He would have me be. I would like to think that I have surrended my own life for His, just as He once surrendered His life for mine. I would like to think I've laid it all down without picking it back up again.
I would like to think these things, but they are best left to outward observers, and to God...not to me. I am afraid that an attempt at self-evaluation would turn into self-deception, that what I would like to think would improperly influence what I actually thought. But I do hope that I am beginning to bear spiritual fruit even in this season of physical barrenness, and I hope that the Lord has done what He desires through me, that I have not stepped in His way but rather followed His still, small counsel. To be sure, one day I will know, but that day cannot be today. All I can do is pray that the Lord will give me a soft and willing heart, and that He will guide me always into truth and direct me in the path He would have me take, all to His glory.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Give us this day...
Today I am thankful for
2. The bread that God provides physically, and is spiritually, in my life daily.
2. The bread that God provides physically, and is spiritually, in my life daily.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
And we begin again...
2008 was a beautiful year. I know that 2009 will be beautiful too.
I am so amazed every day at the path the Lord is leading me on. My husband is a wonderful, precious gift. Infertility is painful in our lives, but he has stuck by me through it all (and so has He). In a way, I feel that being childless - while definitely painful - is a unique opportunity to take time with my husband and really grow in love with him.
I really do feel that we love each other more every day. It feels at the end of each day that my heart is as full as it can possibly be, but in the morning, I wake to find that it has stretched just that bit more from the exercise and we are able to pour even more love into one another's hearts. I know a lot of young wives do not get the opportunity for a lot of bonding before babies, and I know that I should count myself blessed in almost every way...but I will not lie. Occasionally, that is a very hard thing to do.
My New Year's Resolution, beyond continuing to lose weight (22 pounds so far!) and spending more time with God, is to cultivate an attitude of gratitude NO MATTER WHAT...to really stop and think and count the many blessings I've been graced with.
To begin with this year, I am thankful for
1. My husband, who is exceedingly, abundantly more than I could ever ask or think, a true gift of the highest order straight from God himself.
I am so amazed every day at the path the Lord is leading me on. My husband is a wonderful, precious gift. Infertility is painful in our lives, but he has stuck by me through it all (and so has He). In a way, I feel that being childless - while definitely painful - is a unique opportunity to take time with my husband and really grow in love with him.
I really do feel that we love each other more every day. It feels at the end of each day that my heart is as full as it can possibly be, but in the morning, I wake to find that it has stretched just that bit more from the exercise and we are able to pour even more love into one another's hearts. I know a lot of young wives do not get the opportunity for a lot of bonding before babies, and I know that I should count myself blessed in almost every way...but I will not lie. Occasionally, that is a very hard thing to do.
My New Year's Resolution, beyond continuing to lose weight (22 pounds so far!) and spending more time with God, is to cultivate an attitude of gratitude NO MATTER WHAT...to really stop and think and count the many blessings I've been graced with.
To begin with this year, I am thankful for
1. My husband, who is exceedingly, abundantly more than I could ever ask or think, a true gift of the highest order straight from God himself.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
LSAT Score
169! Thank you, Lord!
I am happy with this. It will likely get me into the school I want to attend, since it is way above their 75th percentile. No, it wasn't in the 170s, but I got the score I felt I wanted/needed, so I'm VERY happy. Most of all, I'm happy to be DONE. YAY!
I am happy with this. It will likely get me into the school I want to attend, since it is way above their 75th percentile. No, it wasn't in the 170s, but I got the score I felt I wanted/needed, so I'm VERY happy. Most of all, I'm happy to be DONE. YAY!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
A Million Times Blessed
It seems to me that life is not just a blessing, or a series of blessings, but really layer upon layer of blessings.
For instance, the immediate, obvious blessing of Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ. That's undisputable. But because of Christ's birth, we now have Christmas, which means time off work (blessing), family gatherings (blessing), the joy of giving to others (blessing), and receiving gifts from those in our families as signs of their love for us (blessing).
For me, the greatest blessing of all in this season, besides Jesus who is its reason, is simply the time we get to spend with our families. More than gifts or money or bustle or that chill in the air, family is at the very heart of Christmas. Even looking back to the first Christmas, Mary honored God by receiving her Son with thanksgiving and Joseph honored his beloved wife-to-be by standing beside her and believing in her. It would have been easy for both of them to attempt to do other, but instead, they acted out of obedience and love.
I love my family. We have our share of arguments and dysfunction, but we love each other. Fundamentally, love is the defining characteristic of all families, even and especially the Christian family, known as the Church. My own family has only strengthened my understanding of Christian family and community, but I often wonder if people from very broken families are able to comprehend the true joy of being brothers and sisters in Christ. It saddens me to think that they are not, so instead I hope that God has given them a special enablement to understand Christian family apart from earthly family.
Christmas, like most holidays, draws us temporarily out of our busy-ness, the hustle and bustle of day after day. It forces us, better or worse, to be with our families. There's a difference between being with our families and being with our families, if you know what I mean. The goal is not just to sit in the corner, sullenly text messaging your friends. The holidays are an opportunity to slow down and actually be present in the moment, be grateful for the beautiful gift of family.
Many spend the holidays alone, sad, having given up love and family for the approval of a pretty desk and a corner office. Others may have no choice in the matter, finding themselves without family for many reasons beyond their control. But I, oh, I have the opportunity, the pleasure, of spending my holidays with a myriad of relatives young and old; and for that alone, aside from the time off work or any gifts I received, I count myself a million times blessed.
For instance, the immediate, obvious blessing of Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ. That's undisputable. But because of Christ's birth, we now have Christmas, which means time off work (blessing), family gatherings (blessing), the joy of giving to others (blessing), and receiving gifts from those in our families as signs of their love for us (blessing).
For me, the greatest blessing of all in this season, besides Jesus who is its reason, is simply the time we get to spend with our families. More than gifts or money or bustle or that chill in the air, family is at the very heart of Christmas. Even looking back to the first Christmas, Mary honored God by receiving her Son with thanksgiving and Joseph honored his beloved wife-to-be by standing beside her and believing in her. It would have been easy for both of them to attempt to do other, but instead, they acted out of obedience and love.
I love my family. We have our share of arguments and dysfunction, but we love each other. Fundamentally, love is the defining characteristic of all families, even and especially the Christian family, known as the Church. My own family has only strengthened my understanding of Christian family and community, but I often wonder if people from very broken families are able to comprehend the true joy of being brothers and sisters in Christ. It saddens me to think that they are not, so instead I hope that God has given them a special enablement to understand Christian family apart from earthly family.
Christmas, like most holidays, draws us temporarily out of our busy-ness, the hustle and bustle of day after day. It forces us, better or worse, to be with our families. There's a difference between being with our families and being with our families, if you know what I mean. The goal is not just to sit in the corner, sullenly text messaging your friends. The holidays are an opportunity to slow down and actually be present in the moment, be grateful for the beautiful gift of family.
Many spend the holidays alone, sad, having given up love and family for the approval of a pretty desk and a corner office. Others may have no choice in the matter, finding themselves without family for many reasons beyond their control. But I, oh, I have the opportunity, the pleasure, of spending my holidays with a myriad of relatives young and old; and for that alone, aside from the time off work or any gifts I received, I count myself a million times blessed.
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