Tag Archives: Religion and Spirituality

DBR Thought of the Day ~ Is God Disgusted with You?

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What are the Baals (Idols) of your life? I was that whore Jeremiah talks about bowing down to other gods. I understand this is meant for Israel, but I was convicted this morning regarding my own life. Not too long ago, I had to have just the right type of friends, my hair had to have just the right amount of perfect highlights in it, I had to wear just the right shoes, and look a certain way. I had to have the luxury car, the luxury wallet, and luxury accessories. I had to go to the right school, live I the right neighborhood, and make the right amount of money. All for what? To impress whom? God was not impressed. He was disgusted. Dishonored. Jealous. Saddened. Full of wrath yet astonishingly patient. He called me home. He breathed life into my dead body and pried my rigor mortised fingers from my Baals. I am horrified at my foolishness but am overjoyed at God’s call and mercy and grace. I don’t want any of it anymore. All I want is Jesus, precious Jesus! Thank you Lord for changing my heart of stone into a heart of flesh. Thank you Lord for making me a new creation!

“How can you say, ‘I am not unclean, I have not gone after the Baals’?” – Jeremiah 2:23
“For long ago I broke your yoke and burst your bonds; but you said, ‘I will not serve.’ Yes, on every high hill and under every green tree you bowed down like a whore.” – Jeremiah 2:20

Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. (Eph. 6:24)
Maranatha! (Come, Lord Jesus!)

~ Jen O’Sullivan
www.HolyJustLove.com

Baby Burns in Inferno

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I read a story the other night in an R.C. Sproul book about a massive fire in a burning building. Everyone was outside and someone realized there was a baby still trapped inside. It was too dangerous for anyone to go in. Suddenly a man rushed through the firefighting line and ran inside. He came out moments later filled with smoke and singed by the flames with a bundle tightly wrapped in his arms. Everyone’s cheers turned to horror when they realized he had grabbed his life’s savings and not the baby. I don’t know about you but this type of rampant selfishness is everywhere today. Let’s see how we can share Jesus through our love. When someone makes you mad today, do something nice for them. When someone wants to cut in line, graciously let them. Do the thing that no one would do. That is the love Jesus spoke of.

Maranatha! (Come, Lord Jesus!)

~ Jen O’Sullivan
www.HolyJustLove.com

DBR Thought of the Day “Yay! I’ve been Un-Friended!”

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I have lost a lot of “friends” over the past few months and I have to say I am quite proud of that fact. Had you asked me what my number one problem was last April I might have told you I was sad to not have any real friends since I have recently moved to my new city. I was always obsessed with making everyone happy and making lots of friends. Now, all I care about is shouting Jesus from the rooftops. I have offended some but others have come out of the woodworks and have aligned with me for the sake of Jesus. I will not keep silent! I will not be quiet!

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,
until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
and her salvation as a burning torch.
– Isaiah 62:1

Maranatha! (Come, Lord Jesus!)

~ Jen O’Sullivan
www.HolyJustLove.com

 

 

Quote of the Day ~ God is Not God if God is not Sovereign by R. C. Sproul

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“Everything that happens must at least happen by his permission. If he permits something, then he must decide to allow it. If he decides to allow something, then in a sense he is foreordaining it. Who, among Christians, would argue that God could not stop something in this world from happening? If God so desires, he has the power to stop the whole world. To say that God foreordains all that comes to pass is simply to say that God is sovereign over his entire creation. If something could come to pass apart from his sovereign permission, then that which came to pass would frustrate his sovereignty. If God refused to permit something to happen and it happened anyway, then whatever caused it to happen would have more authority and power than God himself. If there is any part of creation outside of Gods sovereignty, then God is simply not sovereign. If God is not sovereign, then God is not God.”
– R. C. Sproul, Chosen by God

DBR Thought of the Day ~ “God does not fit into my shabby little box”

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God is so vastly different from us yet we try so hard to nicely tuck him in our own shabby little boxes. Deuteronomy 29:29 says “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” In Jay Adams book “The Grand Demonstration” he states “Speculation about the ways of God that He has not revealed to us is wrong. To do it is attempted robbery. If, as He says, unrevealed truths about Himself and His purposes “belong” to Him, and not to us, the attempt to pry those secrets from His hand by means of human reasoning is nothing less than attempted theft.”

We must change our perspective on our perspective. It is so so limited. Far more limited than we want to admit. In the small egocentric world we live in, it is important to look at the God of this universe with the utmost humility. Let’s try to let go of our ways for just a moment, meaning just this moment that is our entire life, and trust that God’s perspective and purpose are perfect.

Isaiah 55:8-9
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. (Eph. 6:24)
Maranatha! (Come, Lord Jesus!)

~ Jen O’Sullivan
www.HolyJustLove.com

DBR Thought of the Day ~ Stop being so Desensitized!

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Let’s stop being so desensitized to the cross and really reflect on the reality of the pain and suffering that Christ endured for us… for me! To know that Jesus, the love of my life was marred beyond human semblance is absolutely horrifying. There are no words that describe my deep deep gratitude for the deep deep love Jesus demonstrated for me!

“As many were astonished at you—
his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
and his form beyond that of the children of mankind.” – Isaiah 52:14

Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. (Eph. 6:24)
Maranatha! (Come, Lord Jesus!)

~ Jen O’Sullivan
www.HolyJustLove.com

Quote of the Day ~ R.C. Sproul on Prayer

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“Prayer does change things, all kinds of things. But the most important thing it changes is us. As we engage in this communion with God more deeply and come to know the One with whom we are speaking more intimately, that growing knowledge of God reveals to us all the more brilliantly who we are and our need to change in conformity to Him. Prayer changes us profoundly.”
― R.C. Sproul, The Prayer of the Lord

Monday Modern Parable ~ The Pole

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cross trails ministry pole jumpHave you ever done a ropes course in the air? They are usually about 20 feet off the ground and terrifying. The very last thing you must accomplish before jumping to the ground is something that most fail to complete. They chicken out. You must shimmy up a telephone pole about 10 feet high. Remember you are 20 feet off the ground to begin with. Once at the top of the 12 inch in diameter pole you have to gingerly try to stand upright on it. It is almost impossible to do so especially with the blood pounding away in your ears. Once balanced precariously on top of the pole you have to reach out and jump to the bar swing that is your only safe way to the ground. If you fall, your harness will catch you, it may hurt a bit, and will definitely bruise your ego, an idol of sorts.

So, maybe you don’t have a golden calf in your house or a tiki god that you pray to each morning. Or, maybe you do. In any event, the majority of people today think we are without household idols that were so prevalent in Old Testament times. We could not be further from the truth.

My alter is high. My alter is only built with enough room for one person like that ropes course pole. I have placed myself so high on my own alter that I cling to it with all my life fearing that if I let go I will fall to my death. If I fall off balance for just a split second my ego will be damaged and slammed to the ground in despair. Father forgive the sin of myself. I have placed myself on my own alter and have created an inescapable idol of myself.

But there is hope. Swap spots with Jesus. He took your place on that pole. He holds you firm with three nails firmly driven into the wood of that pole. Jesus has overcome the fear of the pole. He rose above it and has perfect balance and perfect reach to God the Father. He will lift you up to reach the impossibly high bar set forth that is the glory of God himself. Only through Christ is there true safety and true grounding life.

Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. (Eph. 6:24)
Maranatha! (Come, Lord Jesus!)

~ Jen O’Sullivan
www.HolyJustLove.com

Saturday Scripture ~ Silently Stunned (Isaiah 25:9)

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It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” – Isaiah 25:9 ESV

One of my all-time favorite things to think about is the day when I get to see Jesus. What a day that will be. I cannot decide if I imagine myself shouting for joy with arms lifted as high as I can or will I be awe-struck, silently stunned, barely able to glimpse his face as mine will be firmly planted on the floor. Come, Lord Jesus, Come!!!

Maranatha!

~ Jen O’Sullivan
www.holyjustlove.com

DBR Thought of the Day ~ Television (Isaiah 33:15-16)

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As we come upon the onslaught of television programming, I hope we can head these words from the book of Isaiah. I pray that I can stop my ears from hearing bloodshed and shut my eyes from looking on evil. There are hardly any shows that are pleasing to The Lord and I would bet he would consider it all trash. God is a jealous God and wants our time for him, not mindlessly in front of the TV. Next time you are watching a show, any show, or newscast, or sporting event, ask yourself, “If Jesus came back at this by moment, would I be proud or ashamed?”

Isaiah 33: 15-16
15 He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly,
who despises the gain of oppressions,
who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe,
who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed
and shuts his eyes from looking on evil,
16 he will dwell on the heights;
his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks;
his bread will be given him; his water will be sure.

Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. (Eph. 6:24)
Maranatha! (Come, Lord Jesus!)

~ Jen O’Sullivan
www.HolyJustLove.com