Great is thy Faithfulness

I would have thought I'd have more to write, I was on a good run, writing almost every day way back when, but it seems like I don't have as much to write about, just like in life I don't have much to say. I've been thinking a lot lately about being quiet before the lord because of the power that any individuals words can have both good and bad. Me and John were talking about it and it was already on my mind, but it got me thinking about it more and more about how often I used to and still often do use my mouth to speak of useless things. Things that aren't necessarily bad, but are not productive either, and all over the bible God warns us about what we do with our mouths. For example in James 1:19 "Everyone should be quick to listen and slow to speak and slow to become angry." Everyone pretty much knows this one, but I've been attempting to practice this more often simply because I want to hear what God has for me to do, and I don't want to miss a second of what he may or may not reveal to me. I could be wasting time talking about how funny or good my day was and maybe during that time God is like what about how good I am. What about how many things I do for you my child. Why don't you praise my name right now. Now I'm not saying we should never speak of anything but God and at the same time I'm saying it would be a great idea to only speak of God all the time, but in James 3:1 it says, "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." This part is so true because think about how often, even in recent times with Ted Haggard, the pastor who was recently caught in a scandal. To teach the word of God means you will be put at the chopping block for every little thing you do and not only that Satan will be targeting you more heavily. I'm not saying this should discourage us from being teachers, I'm just saying God does not always want you to talk about God because sometimes when we talk about God we say the wrong thing. We should talk to others about God when God either puts it on our heart or is speaking through us, but during those other times we should just be watching our words so to speak. James 3:5 says, "Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts." I can say that often among Christians and non-Christians alike people boast about things that aren't necessarily true. Sometimes I question whether boasting about how God has used both me and others is really encouraging or discouraging. I mean of course people should praise God for what he has done, but there have been times when I've heard how much God has been working in some people's lives and I myself get discouraged. Whether they intended to do that or not, I myself start to feel like this person must be more righteous than me, even though no man can put a tag on righteousness. As I read on further in James I discovered in James 3:14 it states, "But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in you hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth." Now sometimes I also wonder whether or not as a Christian when you are begging God to use you more and more and it's not happening whether it is selfish to want God to use you. Because when I read this verse when it says do not boast about it, I get the impression that we should never even speak of the things we do for Christ, but at the same times how fine is the line between boasting and simply sharing what God has done. It's one of those confusing things I pray for wisdom about. I think what it comes down to is frustration with myself for being so bad at speaking, like when I try and share God's word I stumble, and when so many others share it so well through God, I'm just like "What a bummer!" For anyone else who feels this way, here is my word of encouragement. Think of the word of God this way, it does not matter who presents it the best, nor does it matter whether it's you or someone else doing it so long as it is done. God will give us all our oppurtunities so long as we have the desire to be used, and it will take a little bit of patience, but remain faithful. Faithfulness is what God has been speaking to me from others Words and something he's been putting on my heart. And for those who are discouraged because they feel like they don't know God at all and feel like they can never hear him no matter how much they speak to him, I have another word of encouragement. "If you want to know God more, make yourself known to Him" and you can do this by getting into his word, praising him, and praying. I hope some of this made sense, but it's late so I'm just going to share a poem I started a month and a half ago.

Be Patient for Purpose

The message was so complicated
because nothing is what it seems
His ideas seemed entirely replicated
from my own hopes and dreams
This idea drawn out before me
how could it not have caught my gaze
My dream became reality
but someone else received the praise
When I heard him speak I knew
that all would perceive this man to be right
Whatever he was going through
the people had compassion on this night
Every eye and ear he captivated
it became part of his identity
But the ideals that he demonstrated
could not convince me to agree
My words were spoken from another
And at that time I surcame to envy
Instead of seeing him as a brother
I saw him sided with the enemy
Then my Lord, He shed some light
and told me that I should rejoice
The words were not mine to write
Because the word was God's voice
So it does not matter who he speaks through
Just as long as Jesus Christ is proclaimed
Be patient and God will certainly use you
Because for His glory you were named


The narrator of the poem is frustrated that the words God put on his heart were spoken by someone else. What the narrator does not realize at first is that God is the one who provided this mere mortal man with this wisdom, so it does not matter who speaks the words of wisdom because God should be the one receiving the praise for it. When the narrator is amongst the crowd he believes that everyone else will "perceive the speaker to be right" and for good reason because God is speaking through the speaker. However the narrator does not want to believe what is being spoken because he wanted to be the one to say the words of wisdom. But towards the end of the poem the narrator realizes God's word is God's word no matter who it is spoken through so long as the Spirit is leading it. The very end of the poem is basically the narrators realization and encouragement to the reader of the poem that God has given us all a purpose and as long as we remain obedient and faithful to God he will use us and show us his will over our lives and how much of a blessing is that! God Bless us for Him making that promise to us! God is good! Peace and Love!