The Umber Heart

The following letter is a "Prayer for Welcoming Discipline and Life-Giving Reproofs", by Scotty Smith.

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To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction. ~Proverbs 12:1

Dear heavenly Father, I’ll never tire of thanking you for the privilege of calling you Father—Abba, Father. There’s no greater joy or safer refuge—there’s no better address to call my home than your heart.

Once I was separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in the true Israel, a foreigner to your promise-filled covenants, without hope and without you in the world. But through the work of Jesus, you brought me near—you made me one of your beloved children (Eph. 2:12-13). I worship, praise, and adore you for such a rich and firm standing in grace. I begin and end every day with this loud declaration ringing in the chambers of my heart, “No condemnation!”

And now, it’s only because you love us as your children that you discipline us as you do (Heb. 12:4-11). All of your rebukes are “life-giving” and all your corrections are heart-freeing. None of them are meant to be guilt inducing, shame producing, or contempt fueling. You humble your children, but you don’t humiliate us. You’re firm but never harsh. You have our eternal glorification in view, when we’re, too often, only thinking about instant gratification.

On the cross Jesus exhausted the punishment we deserve. Now you delight in us, even when you confront our immaturity and irresponsibility. That’s why I’m a foolish man to play dodge ball with the convicting work of your Holy Spirit. You only purpose our freedom through the gospel.

No Excuses With God!

I’m a foolish man, indeed, when I get defensive and try to make excuses for myself. What’s there to defend? Indeed, being “stupid” (Prov. 12:1) has nothing to do with my IQ, my SAT score, or my GPA from various schools. Stupid is what we are when we hate correction, despise your discipline, or run from your admonitions.

I want to be at home among the wise, Father, so whether you speak to me from your Word—by the voice of your Spirit, or even through my spouse, colleagues, children, or friends—I’ll trust you for a humble heart and submissive spirit. By the grace, truth, and power of the gospel, free me to welcome your every correction. So every Amen I pray in Jesus’ life-giving name.

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"Oh, Lord Jesus,

I'm still trying,

Wait for me.

I stay today,

And I'll run tomorrow,

But I know you wait for me."

The song is called "Tomorrows" and is done by the group Falling Up. It's a long song with not a lot of lyrics, but it's simple and true and something I felt like sharing.

Let us not keep the hearts of darkness and shadow and umber-colored stains that make up such human default, but allow for correction and endorse the awaiting healing to begin.

You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said. ~Luke 1:45

Because we have faith.

Can Not Not Sin

Ever heard about the law? It is the rules God set in the old testament that reveal our sinful nature. For instance, in order to be pure in the eyes of the law, you must never bear false witness, or lie. Anyone here never told a little lie? A little half-truth? Nope. Immmpossible. Therefore, we can never ever get into heaven as liars, as sinners. Period.

 

The law gives sin its power. ~1 Corinthians 15:56

 

So we become immune to the law, and we kill it with Christ. Instead of obeying it, we can turn to Jesus for a way out, a way to become pure again in his eyes. And because we kill the sin inside of us, we kill ourselves and replace us with the Holy Spirit.

For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.

~Galatians 2:19-20

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He is the phyical (so real you could touch him!) example/representation of the stuff God put into keeping us alive in him.
 

Everything belongs to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

~1 Corinthians 3:23
 

Don't let the things you or others around you do impact how Christianic you are. What you do should be, rather, a product of the attitude that comes after having filled your dead body with the HS!

 

You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires. ~Colossians 2:20-23

 

 

Irrefrangibly Rooted

"But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, 'Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.'” 

~Mark 5:36

Have faith in a ghost? I suppose the term is reflecting more on how other people would view us: chasing after something that is not real, not there. Oh, but it is, I say!

“All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king." ~Tolkien

Tolkien speaks of roots that are strong and not reached by the things that haunt the earth. That can be good and bad; it all depends on what you have rooted yourself upon. When you look at your own roots, do you see that ghost who is the invisible leader of so many lives? Do you see the visible presence of that invisible deity?

“It’s too bad war gets all the attention; it’s too bad the plant is easier to see than the root.” ~Cameron Conaway

Sometimes, roots mean beginnings, or the source of something (oftentimes, pain). Sometimes roots are referred to when wanting/examining a foundation/beginning that is firm and strong, as are the roots of many trees.

"I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." ~Philippians 4:11-13

The strength of a strong faith is no small matter. Let it be built up by those around you, let it fester and grow until your roots are firm and your work might begin to flower and produce "offspring". Strive to live a life that is unbreakable and won't be easily distracted. Be an example, and your reward will overflow not only in the life to come, but the life that is within us now.

"Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness." ~Colossians 2:7

"I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength

through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." ~Ephesians 3:14-21

The Perfect Law Of Liberty

 (James 1:25)

You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. (John 8:32/34/36) Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. For you, brethren have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Galations 5:1/13-14) Having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. (Romans 6:18) The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2) I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts. (Psalm 119:45)