Touch not, taste not.

I love books.

Went down to Koorong last week and was fortunate enough to pick up R.C. Sproul's commentary on Romans for a sweet $39.

Considering I've been coveting the entire Martyn Lloyd Jones series on Romans for what seems an eternity, at twenty something dollars per chapter you can imagine my joy to find that Sproul covers the entire book for under fifty bucks.

SOLD!


It's hardcover, with a dust jacket.


I CANNOT STAND DUST JACKETS.

gah.

Never read Sproul before, but he's from the Reformed camp so I don't suppose there will be any sneaky surprises.

It was quite the timely purchase, as on Wednesday night bible study we had a bit of a dive into Romans 14:1 - 15:7.

Given the fact that Romans is my favourite NT book and I have an enormous bible crush on the Apostle Paul, I was quite excited.

Here is a link to Romans chapter 14 if you wanna looky looky.

For the past 12 months I've been sorting through issues of the Conscience and Christian liberty kind.

'Touch not, taste not', pretty much.


I have struggled immensely with legalism in the past, still do to be truthful. God has graciously shown me how foolish it is to set up rules in place of walking in the Spirit, trusting that He will guide us each step of the way.

I do struggle with the 'weaker brother' principle though. It's all too easy to finger point at brothers and sisters within the camp who aren't persuaded of things that we might be, whether music, clothing or food related. Whatever the preference, it seems pretty clear that God doesn't want us to cause other members within the body to stumble if they're convinced in a matter one way or the other.

I am so thankful that He has given us freedom to make choices for ourselves.

To be led by the Holy Spirit is a wonderful thing. To imagine that Jesus is always one step in front of us, guiding us along the narrow path.

Not be forced into following a set of rules created by men in order to keep us on the right track with God.


Praise God for Calvary.

I am so glad there isn't anything I can do to merit or lose my salvation, that God holds me tightly in His hand and He won't be letting me go.


This is comforting, for I fail all the time.

We all do.

That's the beautiful thing about the gospel.


He loves us, despite us!


Incredible, truly.

being still.

It seems that every December I purpose that the New Year will be one where time is allocated each week to doing absolutely nothing.

I have a day planner where I note down all my upcoming adventures, meetings, lunch dates, FRIDAY SOCCER! etc etc just so I won't forget.

This morning I got up and sat in front of my little gas heater, something I do each morning when it's absolutely freezing.

Winter draweth nigh, my friends.

As I was sitting there this morning, I recall thinking Lord... why does it seem I've been spending so little time with you lately?


Then I thought about all the activities I've been busy doing.

It doesn't matter how much I purpose to not be busy, I just can't help but fill in every bit of free time I have with something to do.


This can't be a good thing, I conclude.


I got the tram to work and was thinking about my thoughts, I remembered the verse from Psalms which says "Be still and know that I am God".

It was like God was saying, Lizzie... you can't be still when you're all over the place. Slow down, stop girl. Hang with me.


I miss this.


I miss going to the park and sitting under a tree and just thinking about Him, thinking about life and trials and all that He is.


I don't do this enough.

I am having a good week therefore I'm 'okay' so am not needing Him.

^ This is what my heart is really saying.


How up and down we humans can be with our affections.


With one another, most importantly with God Himself.


Breaks my heart.


Someone once told me that the three essential C's in a good relationship are as follows:

COMMUNICATION

CONSIDERATION

CONSISTENCY


If I apply anything he taught me, it's gotta be this.

Communicate with Him daily.

Consider His Word, His ways, His Son.

Consistently seek His face.


It's the only way to be successful in this crazy thing called Life.

swift to hear, slow to speak.

I caught the 9:30am V-line train back to Melbourne from Geelong this morning.

There were no spare seats, so I had to huddle myself up near the door with a bunch of other people.

Standing right in front of me was an elderly couple.

These situations are kinda funny. You do that awkward smile, acknowledging that the situation is sucky, the weather is cold and it's a long, uncomfortable journey ahead.

Then you look out the window and there is an awkward moment of silence.

A few seconds later your eyes meet again so you ask, "You heading to Melbourne?".

They respond with a polite, "Yes" and then you nod like you care, waiting a few more awkward moments before throwing out the next question.

This went back and forward for a few minutes, then the man decided he'd like to tell me a story about his visit to America in the sixties.

I do love a good story, so I listened intently and when required sought clarification as his thick Italian accent made it a challenge to follow on.

His wife was standing there next to him, clutching on his arm so she wouldn't topple over when the train rattled.

Whenever she stumbled, she'd hold on tighter and her husband would say... "What's wrong Mama?!!" followed by this cheeky Italian giggle.

He was completely adorable.

Not really my type but I imagine if I had a Grandpa, he'd be it.


I got off the train thinking about the fact that the entire trip I barely said three words.


This is highly unusual for me.


When I got to Southern Cross I jumped on the next Upfield train and pulled out a book I bought at Word on Saturday. I'm up to the chapter on Authentic Communication and had to laugh when I came to this:

'Why is it that when we think of communication, we usually picture ourselves talking? The answer is fairly clear. We think what we have to say is pretty important - more important than what others have to tell us. But often the best thing we can do with our lips is to keep them sealed'.


I am so guilty of this.

Communication isn't all about talking, it's about listening.


The more I read of the chapter, the more convicted I felt about the need to spend more time listening and less time talking.


I don't know if you do this, but when I read Proverbs I have a tendency to think 'pity the fool' when I come to a part which describes a foolish man or woman.


The book quotes Proverbs 18:2, 'A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but delights in expressing his own opinion'.


Shame.


I was later at a cafe on Sydney Rd, jumping between Proverbs, my Mocha, croissant and this book.

it didn't take long to hit me quite hard.


Liz, your problem is Pride.



I can be so self-deceived sometimes.


I feel so confident that I am right to judge situations as this or that until I open the Book and He says, "No child, you are wrong".


His Word shows us up every time.


Sharper than a double-edged sword?



You bet.

the spirit of meekness.

I've been thinking a lot about forgiveness this past week.

It's interesting we touched on it in bible study on Wednesday, as it's a topic that's been on my heart quite a lot lately.

Not holding grudges, but building a bridge and getting right over it.

Relationships are a tough one, whether personal or work related... there is always someone hurting us or we're the one causing offence and needing to be forgiven.

I struggle with this often.


God has really been showing me that I need to be gentle and meek, not so abrasive and opinionated.

:-(

It is really hard.

I am not, by nature a gentle person.

I am actually quite brash and it bothers me a lot because I don't want to be an obnoxious person. Nothing irks me more than obnoxious people and you know when you say something you shouldn't have and then think, I've just offended someone, again. Crap.


It's the worst.

Sometimes I cry about it.

Truthfully, there are just some sins we can't seem to get on top of and for me... it's taming that wild beast.





hehe.


Was reading James this morning, trying to get my head around it.

'The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity... that no one can tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith we bless God , even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, James writes... these things ought not so to be.' - 3:8-10

ugh.

and when I measure myself up against the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, still stuffed.

'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.' - Galatians 5:22-26


Ok Liz... checklist time.

LOVE - when I feel like it
PEACE - maybe
LONGSUFFERING - hardly
GENTLENESS - *coughs*
GOODNESS - who is good but God?
FAITH - how often do I pray?
MEEKNESS - do I control my strength?
TEMPERANCE - definitely not.

Ok, so there's clearly some work needing to be done.

THANKFULLY I don't have the resources to carry out the work.


But He does.

:-)

Philippians 1:6 says, 'Being confident of this very thing, that he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ'.


amen.

We are weak.


But HE is always strong.

so comforting.