Unveiled

I admit I am not very knowledgeable in the old testament, I’ve always strayed from reading the OT whatever reasons it may be—laziness or just think its ‘boring’— however I have a new perspective of the OT. I think to truly understand and appreciate the new truth through Christ and our redemption, we must understand that which came before and how things used to be before Christ. I’m missing a bigger picture of who God is and how much he truly loves His people. 

I was reading through Hebrews 10  which refers to jeremiah 31 and how it speaks of the new covenant that God has with us, no longer do we have to sacrifice animals blood which did not fully cover our sins but serve as a reminder of our depravity. No longer do we have to follow the old covenant but rather put our hope and trust in Christ as our savior who became the ultimate sacrifice. 

“Behold the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers but in the day I Too them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them, declares the Lord.

But this covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days declares the Lord, I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God and they shall be my people. They will not teach again each man his neighbor and each man his brother saying, know the Lord for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, declares the lord, for I WILL FORGIVE THEIR INIQUITY AND THEIR SIN I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE”
—jeremiah 31:31-34

 And I love how after hebrews 10 reiterates “now where there is forgiveness of these things there is no longer any offering for sin” after it quotes from jeremiah. Just knowing how the Lord Almighty would choose to remember our sins no more is so powerful. I can’t even fully imagine what that meant for Him to do that and how much love he had for man He created in His image.

Knowing these things we are able to come worship the Lord freely, purified from all iniquity and sins through faith in Christ alone. 

“Therefore brethren since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful...” heb 10:19-23

It’s interesting that we are inaugurated, I looked up the word and it’s chosen for a priesthood, thus we are chosen into into the royal priesthood through Christ. I love the picture of the veil being torn in the tabernacle where it separated man from God in the temple since no one was allowed to enter the holy place. And because of the sacrifice we are able to freely worship Him and enjoy an intimate relationship with God.

I hope that with this new perspective, I’ll be able to enjoy reading the OT and truly appreciate Christ’s sacrifice and God’s new covenant. Appreciate more of who God is and how faithful He has always been.

<3 Meesh

These past couple weeks have been quite interesting. Definitely pushed me to my limits and just almost to the point of breaking down and being so frustrated and upset or just soo over certain things. I praise God for bringing me through it all. The one thing I learned through this trial was that though I was stubborn and refused multiple times to sit down and be still before Him, God was still RELENTLESSLY faithful to me &  just showed so much grace and love. Probably the only reason why I didn’t give up through that stressful period. All I really could do was pray at those moments and ask just for peace in my helpless state—so weak and broken. 

I was thinking about God’s unfailing love and how we’re to live freely in His love and allowing that to overflow into other’s lives as well. Love covers the multitude of sins.

Just as the father has loved me, I have also loved you; abide in my love. 

This is my commandment that you love one another just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. 
john 15: 9-10, 11-15 

I really haven’t been myself lately and just really distant and kind of out of it in a blah sort of mood. I understand that though I may fail in that sense, not desiring to enjoy time with Him,  but I found that the Lord was still able to meet with me where I was and still reveal to me certain things, fears that I need to let go of which truly is a blessing. It’s becoming more of a reality that the Lord walks with us  in any place in our lives. 

“O Lord you’ve searched me and known me” 

“Search me O God and know my heart; try me and my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.”

Psalm 139

There truly is freedom knowing God’s mercy and receiving Christ’s inheritance. 

<3 Meesh

ugh over it. 

I’ve been thinking about freedom lately. Not just my rights but true freedom in Christ & that spiritual barrier that has been broken for me. I am free to have a relationship with God through Christ… no longer am I separated through sin. 

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “if you continue in my word then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, “you will become free?”

Jesus answered them, “truly,truly I say to you everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does not remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. —John 8:31-36

Wow, I was listening to john piper’s message on this truth and it was amazing. So many times I feel like the Jews thinking I am free to do as I wish in America, I feel free most of the time to have whatever I want, say what I want, stuff like that. I have the choice but it’s more than that. I am FREE in Christ from the sin that enslaves me. I live through Christ as a new creation, if Christ makes me free i “will be free indeed” to my wretched sin. This is such a powerful truth & message. I am truly thankful for my freedom to live without guilt and shame and to make choices that I will never regret.

If you want to take a look at the message I was talking about it’s here

http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/you-will-know-the-truth-and-the-truth-will-set-you-free#/watch/full

<3 Meesh

It’s only tuesday and it feels like it’s been 10 days in these past 3 days. It’s been a challenge but i’m grateful for my psis’ I don’t know what i’d do with  out them. I think last nigh was definitely an eye opener but just reminds me I have much to work on and improve on as an individual especially responsibilities & priorities.

One thing that I think I realized that I keep saying but now is a reality is that the most important things  in life that are valued will not come easily, they must be protected and fought for & definitely takes time and effort for it to be worthwhile. This is a life lesson that I feel I partially exemplify. When I know I want something, I work for it but then in my mind I have doubts and just kind of have my moments when I want to quit or rethink if I really want this or not. Last night, I realized that I don’t want to be half-arseing but rather fully committed and devoted to what I am passionate about and what things are most important to me. Nothing worth fighting for should be given up on easily.

“Impossible means nothing…”

I think at one point in the night I almost reached my breaking point, but then I thought about it and realized why I’m committed to this & I am devoted and I want to go beyond my breaking point and prove that we are worthy and we can do this.

 <3meesh

Veterans day

I never really appreciated it nor understood truly why we honor the Veterans on this day. Honestly in high school I was just glad to get the day off. It was an excuse to hang out, sleep in, procrastinate on homework, a 3 day weekend.

I never really bothered to take time and reflect on who actually gives their life up to protect and serve their country—so that we can live freely & enjoy what we have. And all these years, I regret not appreciating every moment of freedom I have here because of those who have protected that for me. 

I find it funny because in high school I knew that I never really took any of this seriously, and I didn’t really even care. I prayed about it, asking that I would be more sensitive about this subject and truly appreciate those who do serve out there. At that moment it just seemed to me a far off concept and it really didn’t matter to me if someone was out there in a war setting trying to preserve our values. Then 2 years ago, I meet someone very dear to me—one of my best friends— who serves in the military and my whole perspective went under a paradigm shift. Sometimes I see that God has a very funny sense of humor, that my prayer would be answered through this certain someone. 

Now when I think of those who serve, I think of my best friend, I think of those at my internship (Alzheimer’s center) who are WWII and Vietnam veterans & my friend’s who have loved ones serving or deployed. Wow, I praise God just for all that they do out there because I know it is tough, but I will never understand what it means to lose myself for the sake of others. To lose all my personal rights to keep my loved ones safe. That is a prized possession that I think I take too lightly, that I should be more grateful for. 

And I want to say with all love and respect, thank you Veterans and active military, you deserve to be honored on this day! And I say this with utmost gratitude and appreciation. 

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

<3 Meesh

So today I was reading the bible and I kept thinking about the cost of discipleship and what it meant to TRULY take up the cross and follow Jesus. What did it mean in those days? It must have been so absurd and crazy, almost trying to believe in something so surreal & out of the ordinary.

I went through each of the gospels looking for that passage where it talks about the cost of following Christ.

“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” —matt 10:37-39

“Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me” —Matt 11:6

“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few” —Luke 10:2

“In the same way any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple” Luke 14:32

“The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am,my servant will also be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” —John 12:25-26

“For me to live is Christ, to die is gain” Philippians 1:21 (one of my favorites)

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power of love, and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to holy life—not because of anything we have done bu because of his own purpose and grace” 2 Timothy 1:7-9

Honestly, I don’t think I haven given up to that extent to follow Christ. I’ve always had some sort of comfort zone. But my hope and prayer for myself is that I’ll be able to follow Christ wholeheartedly, no strings attached to things of this world but fully and wholly surrendered to Christ. I think through this period of refinement, God is revealing to me things I need to release to Him so that I can truly follow Him and not be ashamed. My pride, my distractions, my idols—all these things I hope to surrender. 

<3 Meesh

As I was reading over the passage 1 Peter 1:6-9, I realized I missed a bigger picture. I went and read the first part of the section vs 3-5 and I was truly amazed. I read the NASB version:

“Blessed be the God and Father o four Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time”

What stuck out to me the most were 4 key words: imperishable, undefiled, reserved, protected. In light of these things our free gift of living hope & salvation through Christ will never be taken away from us—imperishable, it is ultimately pure & holy never to be spotless—undefiled, and it is reserved in heaven & protected by God’s power.  HOLY COW! How did I miss these things before reading this passage? I’m always tempted to skip to the part where it talks about our faith being refined by the fire, but that means nothing without understanding these truths stated in v 3-5. 

I was truly humbled and blessed by these verses. God is so much greater, so powerful yet he chooses to protect this salvation that is freely given to me through faith in Christ. My faith can never be tainted, nor can it be taken away from me. A lot of times when I feel like I’ve sinned or fallen away from God I feel like I can’t be redeemed and I just lost my faith almost, I am worthless almost. But the TRUTH IS GOD STILL LOVES ME THE SAME & MY FAITH WILL NEVER BE TAKEN AWAY. That truth is so powerful. This just reminds me what I learned at camp this past year that God is truly relentlessly faithful. 

Last night at Navs we sang 2 songs that really stuck out to me. I know I’m going through a hard time right now and I admit it, but God is so faithful. One song Your Love Never Fails & the other one Sweetly Broken. 

“Nothing can Separate, Even when I run away, Your Love never Fails.  I know I make mistakes, but you have new mercies for me everyday, your love never fails. 

You stay the same through the ages, your love never changes, there may be pain in the night but joy comes in the morning. And when the oceans rage, I don’t have to be afraid, because I know that You love me. Your love never fails”

The first verse and chorus really sticks out to me, God’s love is unfailing. 

“At the cross you beckon me, you draw me gently to my knees and I am lost for words, so lost in love, I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered”

Lord I pray that I will continue to submit to you and not succumb to anything but your authority. Bring me peace, I surrender all. 

<3 Meesh