Random Musings

Scripture (The Message Version): Ephesians 1:4-6: Long before He laid down earth’s foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love. Long, long ago He decided to adopt us into His family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure He took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of His lavish gift-giving by the hand of His beloved Son. Ephesians 1:11-12: It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, He had His eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone. Ephesians 1:17-19: But I do more than thank. I ask – ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory – to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing Him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is He is calling you to do, grasp the immensity...

A dear friend emailed me the lyrics to a song today in relation to something we were discussing. I’ve read it several times today and listened to it as well. I’ve found myself within these words. I can see so much of me in the following lyrics. Martyrs and Theives By: Jennifer Knapp There's a place in the darkness that I used to cling to It presses harsh hope against time In the absence of martyrs there's a presence of thieves Who only want to rob you blind They steal away any sense of peace Though I'm a king I'm a king on my knees And I know they are wrong when they say I am strong As the darkness covers me There are ghosts from my past who've owned more of my soul Than I thought I had given away They linger in closets and under my bed And in pictures less proudly displayed A great fool in my life I have been Have squandered till pallid and thin Hung my head in shame and refused to take blame For the darkness I know I've let win Can you hear me? Well I'v...

Scripture “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” – Galatians 5:1 “You were running well, who hindered you from obeying the truth?” – Galatians 5:7 “A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.”- Galatians 5:9 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” – Galatians 5:16 “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkennes, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its pa...

From: My Utmost for His Highest WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS? Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend. John 15:13,15 http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=joh+15:13,15&sr=1 Jesus does not ask me to die for Him, but to lay down my life for Him. Peter said - "I will lay down my life for Thy sake" and he meant it; his sense of the heroic was magnificent. It would be a bad thing to be incapable of making such a declaration as Peter made; the sense of our duty is only realized by our sense of the heroic. Has the Lord ever asked you - "Wilt thou lay down thy life for My sake?" It is far easier to die than to lay down the life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling. We are not made for brilliant moments, but we have to walk in the light of them in ordinary ways. There was only one brilliant moment in the life of Jesus, and that was on the Mount of Transfiguration; then He emptied Himself the sec...

Today has been a WONDERFUL day! Thank you to all of you who contributed to the purchase of this beautiful laptop in front of me. It’s SO great to have the freedom to stop and capture my thoughts before they’re gone. Writing is one of the ways I sort through things and I’ve been able to write more since I used my graduation money to purchase this laptop! Thanks again! This morning started out with Ladies Bible Study at the church. Jen’s been doing a great job of getting us together each Saturday morning for a journey through Paul’s letters. Each week, we read 2 chapters and then use the acronymn S.O.A.P. to work our way through them. (Scripture – write down the scriptures that stand out to you; Observation – what do you observe about these verses; Application – how can you apply them to your life; Prayer – write a prayer to the Lord as you reflect on what you’ve learned). This morning’s chapters were Galatians 3 and 4. Much of these verses emphasize grace versus the law and our sonship ...

A few minutes ago, I sat on the verge of tears as a number of circumstances came together to make me sad. As often is my habit, I sat down at the piano to play and sing through my emotions. I opened one of my songbooks to a random page and found solace there. Come to Jesus by: Chris Rice Weak and wounded sinner Lost and left to die O, raise your head for Love is passin' by Come to Jesus Come to Jesus Come to Jesus and live Now your burden's lifted And carried far away And precous blood has washed away the stain. So sing to Jesus Sing to Jesus Sing to Jesus and live Like a newborn baby Don't be afraid to crawl And remember when you walk, sometimes we fall So fall on Jesus Fall on Jesus Fall on Jesus and live Sometimes the way is lonely And steep and filled with pain So if your sky is dark and pours the rain The cry to Jesus Cry to Jesus Cru to Jesus and live O, and when the love spills over And music fills the night And when you can't contain your joy inside Then dance...

This morning, during the music portion of our worship service, the Lord highlighted in my heart a young man in our congregation. We were singing the song “Hosanna” from the new Passion project. There’s a line in that song that says, “I see a generation rising up to take their place with selfless faith”. In that moment, I had a glimpse of the new generation in our church…in the church at large. If I could speak to my generation and the ones that follow, this is what I would say: God is doing something new. He is raising up among you leaders to take His name to the nations and to those around you. There is revival ahead if we choose Him. It’s not always the easy choice, but it is always the best and right choice. In choosing Christ, at times you will also be choosing loneliness or pain. That’s ok. We are here but for a moment. The things of this world are passing like the blade of grass that is here today and gone tomorrow. What’s important…what lasts forever…is what we do fo...

A friend said this to me recently: "There's no half-Solly". And, he's right. But is that a good thing or a bad thing? It's something I've wrestled with for years. It's not the first time that's been said to me. In recent years, I think I've learned to water myself down for those who can't really handle all of me, but it kills me to do it. In the end, I drift away from those relationships where I can't truly be myself...all of me. I am a passionate person. When I get excited about something or someone, everyone around me knows it. I wear my heart on my sleeve and my face is pretty much a billboard constantly advertising each passing emotion and thought. When something is on my heart, it's usually all I can do to keep from bursting. I love deeply and I feel things intensely. I often get emotionally involved in things that I shouldn't and carry the weight of other people's problems. I would do anything for a loved one and...