The Essential Stumbling Block

If we seek God and His wisdom in the midst, the very stumbling block can become a step instead.

Seeing Deep Blog by Denise Pass

© 5/24/14 Denise PassMatthew 18:7

“Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! It is necessary that stumbling blocks come, but woe to the person through whom they come.”

My heart stopped as I read those words, seemingly as if I had never seen them, but I had read this verse so many times before – yet this time something new apprehended my soul. “It is NECESSARY that stumbling blocks come”. Why? Why must we ever endure or be tempted by evil? What fruit can that bear in the life of the believer? If we continue on in this passage, a radical ideology is presented – if something causes us to stumble, we must cut it off – sever it, as it were, from our life, to prevent damnation. Likened to an analogy of a gardener, we can see the importance of removing weeds or other hindrances that impede…

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Called to Die

Somehow we were tricked into thinking that this Christian life was to be a cushy one. #NoPainNoGain #NoRoseTintedGlasses #HisGraceIsEnough

Seeing Deep Blog by Denise Pass

Romans 8:5-6, 12-13

5 For those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped by the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit. 6 For the outlook of the flesh is death, but the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace, 12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh 13 (for if you live according to the flesh, you will die), but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live.

I do not imagine that many of us, when we came to Christ, were eager to die.  We had just been given eternal live – death was probably not on our minds.  Somehow we were tricked into thinking that this…

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Resisting Apathy

Seeing Deep Blog by Denise Pass

Ezekiel 7:19-20

19 “They will discard their silver in the streets, and their gold will be treated like filth. Their silver and gold will not be able to deliver them on the day of the LORD’s fury. They will not satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs because their wealth was the obstacle leading to their iniquity.  20 They rendered the beauty of his ornaments into pride, and with it they made their abominable images–their detestable idols. Therefore I will render it filthy to them.”

Ezekiel 9:4-6

“The LORD said to him, “Go through the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the people who moan and groan over all the abominations practiced in it.” 5 While I listened, he said to the others, “Go through the city after him and strike people down; do no let your eye pity nor spare anyone!  6 . …

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Thoughtful Thursday: The Heat is On!

Inspirational Thought of the Day:
I could wish that I would not have to undergo such dire circumstances, but then I would not trade the closeness to God in the midst or the character gained in that fire.

Seeing Deep Blog by Denise Pass

Photo credits
freeindeedtravel.blogspot.com

Proverbs 17:3 “The crucible is for refining silver and the furnace is for gold, likewise the LORD tests the heart.”

Proverbs 25:4 “Remove the dross from the silver, and material for the Silversmith will emerge.”

Malachi 3:3 “He will act like a refiner and purifier of silver and will cleanse the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will offer the LORD a proper offering.“

Romans 5:3 “Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance…”

Analogies can help us comprehend deeper spiritual application, but we no longer live in a time where the local silversmith is around the next corner.  Scriptures detailing the process of purifying silver might not seem as relatable to our microwave generation.  The process of purifying silver takes time and careful attention.  Standards can be lowered when impatience is allowed to reign over…

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Sacrifice of Praise

Seeing Deep Blog by Denise Pass

Photo Credits thedeepcalls.com

2 Samuel 24:24 – “…I will not offer to the LORD my God burnt sacrifices that cost me nothing.”

Hebrews 13:15 – “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.”

Romans 12:1 – “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God–this is your true and proper worship.”

I missed blogging one day this week and as I was driving, the Lord whispered to my heart, “bring me the sacrifice of praise”.  I started to ponder this word sacrifice and wondered if my praise was truly a sacrifice – truly what God desired.  I am grateful that we no longer need to offer animals to pay for our sin.  I think our family dog is grateful, too.  I…

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Truthful Tuesday: Worthy of Worship

Inspirational Thought of the Day:

A casual acquaintance with God cannot reveal the deeper things of God.

Scripture of the Day:

2 Samuel 7:18, 23-26

18 “King David went in, sat before the LORD, and said, “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you should have brought me to this point? 23 Who is like your people, Israel, a unique nation on the earth? Their God went to claim a nation for himself and to make a name for himself! You did great and awesome acts for your land, before your people whom you delivered for yourself from the Egyptian empire and its gods. 24 You made Israel your very own people for all time. You, O LORD, became their God. 25 So now, O LORD God, make this promise you have made about your servant and his family a permanent reality. Do as you promised, 26 so you may gain lasting fame, as people say, ‘The LORD of hosts is God over Israel!’ The dynasty of your servant David will be established before you.

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Dwelling on the truth of who God is overwhelms us but brings us to a new revelation where we can know Him more. I was wrecked again this morning, finishing a worship song in the wee hours. What a glorious moment it is, seeking Him and finding Him. But it costs to get there.

Writing songs, blog posts and now a book comes from a place of deeper worship. A casual acquaintance with God cannot reveal the deeper things of God. But we often still try to achieve relationship apart from it. Our flesh just flat out resists God’s presence. Silly us. But our graceful God draws us back to Himself, anyway. So patient, so faithful.

In this new song I have been agonizing how to convey how worthy God is. I know it sounds common – we all have probably said that God is worthy at some point. But have we meant it? Have we understood fully the worth that is truly due His Holy, mighty Name?

Although I sincerely worshiped Him this morning and hopefully reached my goal of provoking others to pause in awe of God’s worth, in reality I know I have only scratched the surface.

His greatness cannot be confined on a page or contained in a lyric. His Holiness impossible to accurately convey, who can reveal God’s splendor that we might adore Him fully?

Contemplating what was meant by “Lord of hosts”, I melted into wonder and joy. Our self-existent God Who needs no one or no thing chose to call Himself a Redeemer. Who would redeem enemies who don’t recognize your worth or the magnitude of your sacrifice –  God slaying Himself for our gain? Oh God, I am undone.

He is the universal Ruler over every force – all the Hosts of Heaven and everything underneath. Why would he notice me? That’s just Who He is. All good. Selfless. Gracious. Forgiving. Lover and Healer of our souls. Worthy of worship.

Lord, I worship You. You are too great for my mind to fully grasp, but I worship You, nonetheless. You are our awesome, Holy, most gracious God. You are worthy.

 

 

Mundane Monday: Friend in High Places

Inspirational Thought of the Day:

Walking with God does not mean we will not suffer, but it does mean He has a purpose in that suffering and will cause us to ultimately overcome.

Scripture of the Day:

Jeremiah 20:10-12

10 “I hear many whispering words of intrigue against me. Those who would cause me terror are everywhere! They are saying, “Come on, let’s publicly denounce him!” All my so-called friends are just watching for something that would lead to my downfall. They say, “Perhaps he can be enticed into slipping up, so we can prevail over him and get our revenge on him. 11 But the LORD is with me to help me like an awe-inspiring warrior. Therefore those who persecute me will fail and will not prevail over me. They will be thoroughly disgraced because they did not succeed. Their disgrace will never be forgotten. 12 O LORD who rules over all, you test and prove the righteous. You see into people’s hearts and minds. Pay them back for what they have done because I trust you to vindicate my cause.” 

Jeremiah is such an encouragement to me. That might seem like an ironic statement. When someone was known as a “weeping prophet” and no one listened to His prophesies, it would seem his life was a failure. But God.

Jeremiah was faithful to what God called him to, relentless in adhering to the calling of God on his life, and pressed in when affliction besieged him. Jeremiah loved the people so much that he initially stayed behind in Judah instead of going into Exile where God promised blessing. Even though it meant he would suffer with them, Jeremiah had to be with His people. His reward? Persecution.

When He obeyed God and said a tough word, he was thrust in a cistern of mud to die. But God. When he was thrust in a dungeon, God saw. And when he was scourged because he spoke the truth, God had not forgotten him. Time and time again he was persecuted, but God. 

Form the life of Jeremiah we see that walking with God does not mean that we will not suffer, but it does mean He has a purpose in that suffering and will cause us to ultimately overcome.

Man thinks he has power. He thinks he can control people and positions, but ultimately God is the only One in full control. It might look like we are forgotten or like being righteous or following God leads us to suffering. But when the chips are down and it appears that defeat is looming over our lives, we can be like Jeremiah and look to God as our hero. Remembering God’s promises means we might lose some battles, but we will have the ultimate victory.

Lord, thank You that we can count on You at all times. Help us to trust in You and to be faithful even when our ministry of the Gospel is not well received.