The Blessed State of the Righteous

I 'stumbled' upon this chapter yesterday morning, and it's promises were so beautiful and encouraging, that I had to share. 

The Blessed State of the Righteous

112 Praise the Lord!

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
Who delights greatly in His commandments.

² His descendants will be mighty on earth;
The generation of the upright will be blessed.
³ Wealth and riches will be in his house,
And his righteousness endures forever.
⁴ Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness;
He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
⁵ A good man deals graciously and lends;
He will guide his affairs with discretion.
⁶ Surely he will never be shaken;
The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance.
⁷ He will not be afraid of evil tidings;
His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
⁸ His heart is established;
He will not be afraid,
Until he sees his desire upon his enemies.

⁹ He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever;
His horn will be exalted with honor.
¹⁰ The wicked will see it and be grieved;
He will gnash his teeth and melt away;
The desire of the wicked shall perish.

Just Trust

 ⁵Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

 ⁶In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

                              -Proverbs 3:5-6

  ( Sorry about the lack of posts recently! I've been attempting to absorb some important spiritual truths, but haven't been able to articulate them very well yet- they are kind of slippery! )

   I was reading a book (by Lori Wick!) the other day, and in a conversation between two of the characters, this verse came up, and even after the characters were finished discussing it, it remained in my mind. I have known this verse since at least elementary school, and possibly even earlier, but it has gripped my heart in a whole new way these last few days. The first word, alone, has caused alot of heart searching- Trust. When I think of the word trust, I usually think of the 'faith fall' illustration. You know, the one where the speaker has a volunteer fall backwards into his arms, on the promise that the volunteer will be caught. My teachers at school used to use that, and I would always try to make myself as invisible as possible, in case they decided to start calling names. Even just for fun with friends, I can't do it! As I once said to a friend of mine, "If I'm driving, I don't trust anyone else on the road, but myself." And that seems to be my motto with the rest of my life. Now, disclaimer- I'm not a hyper paranoid, control freak- at least not badly, but, I find that I have trouble trusting God to do what is absolutely best. As soon as I decide, to 'faith fall' into His will, a million what-if's start banging around in my mind, and before I know it, I no longer have that sweet, child-like trust in my Heavenly Father that I know I should have. And He has not even given me a reason not to trust Him, in fact, it's just the opposite, He has been more faithful than I could ever dream. Yet, so often I lean on my own understanding, simply because I can see the end, because I think I have it planned out, because it feels the safest. Oh, what have I missed, because I would not trust with all my heart, my dear Father, who loves me? 

Gimme' that Old Time Religion

A think lot of people now-days have this idea of past Christians as being stuffy, legalistic, and hypocritical; considering the outward show of religion, as more important than true salvation. But as I have been reading some writings for young women, on outward conduct and the workings of Christian religion; I would have to challenge that long held belief. These people got it! Their religion (yes, I said the "R" word!) was more than pithy sayings and raising hands because of an emotional high. It was more than, empty words and time wasted on self. These people, allowed religion to change their lives! They carefully ordered their lives around the pursuit of God, and guarded their time against idleness and self-gratification. They regularly came before Christ, whether they felt like it or not. And they came to him with a (horror of horrors) righteous fear of Him. They recognized Him as their Lord and King, and didn't brush Him off as a causual 'buddy' or 'best friend' as we are apt to do today. Of course there were some who took it too far and became fake, but unless you can look around today and say that some people haven't taken this "relationship, not religion" thing too far, then there is no question that we have something to learn from our elders.
   Now I have some questions. What if we, today, took our que from the great Christians of the past and lived out our belief's instead of hiding behind our Christian freedom? (Which, by the way, is a valid belief, as long as it is kept within the proper bounds.) What if we chose prayer and Bible study, over fleeting amusement? And what if we did this all, in the spirit of loving Christ and honoring Him? I think that we could make a huge difference!!!

I shall yet praise Him

 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

                                                                     - Psalm 42:5

   There isn't a lot I have to say on this verse. It has just been on my heart alot lately, and I wanted to share it.

   It seems like alot of times, when I want something from God, (Not like new clothes or a new phone or anything 'surfacy' like that, but truly legitimate requests, as in seeking His will or His strength), I come to Him with a demanding attitude. Not a persevering attitude, but a demanding, impatient attitude. I believe that we are to come boldly before God and present our requests with an audacious spirit, but I sometimes forget, in my desire to be bold and audacious, that I must have faith. I can't storm God's throne room and lay out my petitions, if I don't believe that He can fulfill them. And I think that's been my mindset for far too long. I've been crying out to God in desperation, without remembering that "I shall yet praise Him". 

   I hope this verse speaks to your heart, as it did to mine, in a different way, of course. In fact, I would really encourage you to read the entire chapter and even the next one, as they go together and lay out the idea in even broader terms. Have a wonderful day, and don't forget to praise God!

   

My Defender

" You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."  -1 John 4:4


   I have heard, for most of my teen-age career, that Satan is a roaring lion, and is bent on destroying me. That he will stop at nothing because he hates me, and I can never be too sure of myself lest I fall. I'm sure that this advice has come out of a genuine desire to warn and prepare me for the trials to come, but I believe that this is only half of what needs to be said. The other half, the better half, is that though Satan hates me and is bent on destroying me, my God loves me and is bent on keeping me. Think about that for a minute. Isn't it common knowledge that love is stronger than hate? Isn't it true that Jesus died? Satan will stop at nothing to destroy us, but my God didn't stop at anything to gain me, and I don't believe that He will give me over to Satan's fiery darts without a fight. A fight, which, I believe that we can all guess the outcome to. (check Revelation if you are unsure) I think that instead of morbidly waiting around for Satan to strike, so we can go ahead and fall already, we should be fortifying ourselves with God's love and power, so that when He does strike, we can hold out our shield of faith and say boldly, "My God is greater, stronger, and higher than anything that you can throw my way, and He is my defender. Whom shall I fear?"

The god of Emotions

   Now, if you are a guy trying to read this post, it may not make alot of sense to you since you operate on a more 'rational' level (at least that's what I've heard), but you are welcome to persevere and see what you can get out of this.

   I have never thought of myself as an overly emotional person. I mean, sure I tear up at the end of a sad movies, and funerals, and end of camp speeches like any self respecting girl. Sometimes I even get a little misty when I have been provoked and frustrated beyond the call of duty, but I never fly off the handle. (I leave that to my sister! hehe!) I don't become irrevocably depressed when things don't go my way, I don't have frequent and dramatic mood swings, and I don't fall to pieces when the guy I like gets a girlfriend. (which of course rarely happens!) So, I must not be an overly emotional person! Right? Ya, well, I was wrong. I am just as much of a slave to my emotions, as the girl that goes through Kleenexes like a smoker through cigarettes, except I think I'm worse. The worship of my emotions is causing me to pay a higher price than any Kleenex box, it is causing me to sacrifice a growing knowledge of and love for my Savior! 

   You see, I've been nursing a cold, since Friday (courtesy of Mrs. Amy Smith), and when I get sick, even just a little, it wipes me out! I am not one of those who can bravely march through illness without complaint. Nope, when I get sick, I need: my bed, my medicine, my mommy and some old movies, along with lots of rest and possibly my own drink refiller. Through this, I have been neglecting God. But I'm soooo tired, and I'm  sure God want's me to get my rest so I can feel better instead of waking up early to spend time with Him. He really couldn't expect me to be able to concentrate on prayer and reading the Bible with my head hurting so bad. Well, you know, I'm sure He wouldn't mind if I skipped my devotions, since I really need to catch up on something else, just this once won't hurt! Sound familiar? But the thing is, these excuses aren't just reserved for when I'm sick. If I'm tired in the morning, I turn off my alarm. If there is a really good movie on or I'm behind on laundry I postpone my quiet time. If I am reading a good book.... you get the point. Then God tapped on my shoulder and showed me how I was allowing my emotions to dictate what I did and did not do. He showed me that it is possible to control them, not in my strength but in His. As I was mulling all this over, He showed me once more how my emotions were taking over, by leading me to todays Revive Our Hearts which was on, guess what? Exactly, emotions! Is He good or what? I can only praise Him for His faithfulness in taking situations that have to potential to draw me away from Him, and turning them into learning moments that can propel me farther into my walk with Him. How great is our God!

Sunrise

²²It is through the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.

²³They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness.

                                                         -Lamentations 3:22-23

These verses were the first things to come to mind as the wake up committee (aka Lacey) opened my curtains this morning. I had been dreading getting out of bed, until I caught a glimpse of the glorious sun shining in my window and the all around "spring look". This wouldn't have made such an impact on me though, had yesterday not been dark and dreary. I think that sometimes that is how life is, dark days and nights come, but with them come's the hope of the next morning, hope of the sun. And when we experience the darkness, the light seem's so much more beautiful! This isn't going to be a long or eloquent post, but I hope that this beautiful truth encourages you as it did me. Oh, how faithful our God is!

Mary's Bible

I first read this in the transcript of a Revive our Hearts broadcast, and it made me realize how often I take the Bible for granted. I hope it will convict and challenge you as much as it did me.

“I must have a Bible of my own! I must have one, if I have to save up for it for ten years!"

The year was 1794. For as long as she could remember, little Mary Jones had yearned to hold a Bible in her hands so that she might read it for herself. For years, she had sat at night on her weaver father’s lap and listened to him tell stories of Abraham and Joseph and David and Daniel. But her family was far too poor to afford a Bible, even if one had been available, for Bibles could scarcely be found in all of Wales during those days.

Two years earlier, Mrs. Evans, the wife of a nearby farmer, having learned of Mary’s longing to read the Bible, had promised the child that when she learned to read, she could come to their house and read their Bible. As soon as the first school opened in a neighboring village, Mary had eagerly set about learning to read.

Now, the ten-year-old girl had just walked two miles from the North Wales village of Llanfihangel to the Evans’ farm. The distance was no object to the eager child: "I’d walk further than that for such a pleasure, ma’am!" she had said to Mrs. Evans.

When once Mary finally was left alone in the room with the Bible, she reverently lifted off the white napkin that covered and protected the cherished book. Then, with trembling hands, she opened the book to the fifth chapter of John where her eyes lit on the words, "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39 KJV). Confident that God had spoken to her directly, she earnestly vowed to search His Word with all her heart.

Every Saturday from that point on she made the journey to the Evans’ farm, where she read, studied, and memorized entire chapters from the ‘borrowed’ Bible. All the time, however, her heart ached, so great was her yearning to have a Bible of her own. She purposed that she must have a Bible, at any cost.

For the next six years, in addition to her studies at school and the many chores to be tended to at home, Mary used every available moment to do odd jobs for friends and neighbors. Every penny she earned was carefully laid aside, until, at long last she had saved enough to buy a Bible of her own.

When she learned that the closest place a Bible could be purchased was the town of Bala, some twenty-five miles away, there was no question in her mind about what she must do. With hope in her heart, she started out early one morning, walking barefoot, so as not to ruin her one pair of shoes. Before she reached her destination, her feet were blistered and cut from the stones in the road.

Physically weary, but barely able to contain her excitement that her lifelong goal should be so nearly realized, Mary finally arrived in Bala, where she poured out her story to the minister, Mr. Charles. When she had finished, Mr. Charles reluctantly informed her that the last of the Bibles available for purchase had already been sold and that the handful of remaining Bibles had already been promised to others. Furthermore, the Society that had printed the small quantity of Welsh Bibles did not intend to print any more.

So great was Mary’s disappointment, that she began to sob uncontrollably. Touched by the intensity of her passion to have a Bible of her own, Mr. Charles decided that she must have one of the few Bibles left in his possession. Words cannot describe the ecstasy Mary felt as Mr. Charles placed into her hands that precious treasure for which she had prayed, wept, and hoarded all these years. Her heart sang as she walked the twenty-five miles back home, carrying her very own Bible, the Book that would remain her dearest friend and companion throughout her life.

Eternity Perspective

¹⁷ For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,
¹⁸ while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 
                                                                     2 Corinthians 4:17-18

    I wonder how often we see our daily lives as eternal, as vessels to impact eternity, as Paul does in these verses. Knowing the American way of life as I do I would venture to guess that few of us do. I know that I don't. I get caught up in myself, and what I want to do -whether that be watching television, reading a book, or just sitting around- and totally miss out on the fact that God has a plan for this moment of my life! So, often we quote Jeremiah 29:11 and use it to soothe our worries for the future, without realizing that it also applies to us now. It applies not just in a passive way either, this thought that God has a plan should spur us to action now!
    Step back with me for a moment and lets take a look at our lives. I once read that the average person spends approximately 4.5 hours a day on the computer and television. (This does not include texting, or videogames which can cause some people to easily rack up 10, 12, and ever 16 hours using some sort of media!) Now if Mr. Average keeps up the 4.5 hours a day thing, he will have, by the time he dies at 75*, have spent 14+** years on the computer and television!
   Oh, my friends, life is so short already, how can we justify squandering the time that we do have in such a manner? This time is not given to us, that we might spend it for ourselves, but that we might spend in the service of Him who gave it to us. We have not been placed here haphazardly, nor has our allotted time been given us randomly. We have been placed in our families, in our churches, and in our generations, that we might impact certain people. The time that we have is to be used as a tool to further this end, please, let's don't squander it on the temporal things of this world. I don't know about you, but it would absolutely break my heart if on judgement day, Christ asked me what I did with the time He had given me, and all I had to give Him was dust, when He deserves all that I am. We only get this one chance, this one gift of time to work for Christ, may we spend it with eternity in mind.



* This, of course, is assuming that you began seriously surfing the web at 2 months. (hehe)
** This is according to my very faulty math skills, and it does not take into account the other forms of media that are popular today (i.e. texting, videogames, etc...)

Dead Prayers

   There are no possibilities, no necessity, for prayerless praying; a heartless performance, a senseless routine, a dead habit, a hasty, careless performance - it justifies nothing. Prayerless praying has no life, gives no life; is dead, breathes out death. Not a battle-axe, but a child's toy, for play, not for service. Prayerless praying does not come up to the importance and aims of a recreation. Prayerless praying is only a weight, an impediment in the hour of struggle, of intense conflict, a call to retreat in the moment of battle and victory...
   The process of hindering prayer by crowding [it] out is simple and goes by advancing stages. First, prayer is hurried through. Unrest and agitation, fatal to all devout exercises, come in. Then the time is shortened, [and] relish for the exercise palls. Then it is crowded into a corner and depends on the fragments of time for its exercise. Its value depreciates. The duty has lost its importance. It no longer commands respect nor brings benefit. It has fallen out of estimate, out of heart, out of the habits, out of the life. We cease to pray, and cease to live spiritually.

                                            - E.M.Bounds in Purpose in Prayer

In the Wilderness

 Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness
                                                         -Mark 1:12

   There is an important principle that is mentioned in three of the gospels, but is often overlooked by many of us today, and that is the principle of preparation. In our society today we can cook a meal in 5 minutes or order one in two. Unless the battery is dead, our cars start when we turn the key (no more of this hand cranking business). And instead of having to "prime the pump" water comes out of the faucet with the slightest push on the knob. This mindset seems to have crept into our walk with Christ, and we expect to become 'fully equipped' Christians within minutes of our salvation. We discard seasons of waiting on God's direction as "wasting time", and we jump headlong into Christian ministry without the slightest particle of preparation. Jesus Christ, the son of God, perfect, sinless, and "fully equipped unto every good work", spent forty days in the wilderness in preparation for His ministry. It wasn't because He was second guessing God's call, or postponing the inevitable, it was that He understood the importance of spiritual, physical, and mental preparation.
   I like to think of this in relation to the Sabbath. Did God really need to rest on the seventh day, or was He setting a precedent for us? Likewise, how much of Jesus' time in the wilderness was necessary and how much was for our benefit?
   Our world has changed in the last 100-200 years. We no longer live the simple, slow paced life that our ancestors did, and we expect God to adapt to this. In reality, He is the same "yesterday, today and forever" and He is calling us to adapt to Him. He is to be found not in the hustle and bustle of every day life (though He is most certainly there) He is instead to be communed with in the quiet place. Are we listening to His direction, and allowing Him to sanctify and prepare us each and every day?
   Yes, that idea for an orphanage in Zimbabwe is a wonderful and God given idea, but have you spent time allowing God to prepare you and to give you His directions? Yes, that is a wonderful, godly person, and you feel God wants you marry them, but have you spent a season in prayer, waiting on His timing? Yes, going to church on Sunday is an excellent thing to do, but have you prepared your heart for the sermon?
   God sanctifies and refines us through the little things He places in front of us, the small daily tasks or steps of faith. But if we are too busy  jumping into the next big thing, then we may miss the simple yet essential lessons, or the small but beautiful truths that come to us in the wilderness. Do you have a wilderness where you can retreat for quiet and rest, or do you only know the bustle of the city? Christ is calling us to "come away" with Him. Will we listen, will we respond?

Conforming to anti- conformity?

   Yesterday I read a very convicting post, and while not all the illustrations apply to me, the core of the post hit me between the eyes.
   I am a people pleaser, and not just any people pleaser I am an opinionated people pleaser. Course, thing is, my opinions are geared toward pleasing people. (oxymoron? I think, yes.) I decide not to conform to the world and in doing so attempt to conform myself to a different group of people, albeit more Christ-like. Now, I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with doing things the same as other people (anti-conformity for any other reason that following Christ is just as wrong), because if we are all following Christ's lead, there may very well be some aspects of our lives that look like someone else's. I am saying, however, that when we begin following others instead of Christ, we will just be conforming in a different way.
   I love to read, and I love to learn about how to be a Christian. Mix these two loves together and you will know why my Christian Living books are knocking other books off my shelf. Now, I think that it is very important to fill your mind with edifying literature, but in my case, I have been taking the opinions of others at face value, making them my opinions, instead of letting God's word guide my convictions as I discussed in a previous post. As, true as something may be, I am robbing myself of a strong and sound faith. I will be more prone to be 'tossed... about by every wind of doctrine', instead of being 'firmly planted' as God has called me to be.
   Is there any place in your life where you are conforming to someone else's standard? (and again don't freak out if someone else holds some of the same views and convictions as you, that is to be expected) I know that I'm not the only one who struggles with this. If you are, what are some ways that you can get back to Christ? For me, this means laying aside all of my Christian Living books for then next week or so, but it may look different for you. Do you have any beliefs that you are not convinced about? Let's take the next few days and together search our lives. Lets pray that God will 'try our reins' and 'search our hearts'. If you want to I would love to hear what you have discovered. (and if you have trouble commenting, try commenting under 'anonymous' and then leaving your name so I will know who you are) And don't forget to pray for me, as I hammer out my own faith and attempt to conform to the person of Christ instead of someone else's pattern.

Renewing our minds

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
                                                -Romans 12:2



   I've heard the first part of this verse many times in conjunction with messages on being yourself, so when, during a quiet time, I read the full verse in its proper context, it provided me with a full day of meditation. As I took the verse apart phrase by phrase, God revealed to me such incredible truths! As I said before, I had heard all about anti-conformity, but I wasn't sure how to go about it until I read the second part of the verse, and then it made so much sense! I realized that if I was filling my head with worldly things then I was going to conform to the world, but by filling my heart and mind with God's word I would slowly begin to look more like Him. This really excited me; I had never heard about this remedy to conformity, and it was so simple. Then I read the last part and I had to stop and think for a minute. What did 'prove' mean? I looked it up in "Vines Expository  Dictionary of New Testament Words" and this simple definition: "to test, prove, with the expectation of approving", really brought the whole verse into a new light. When we begin to renew our minds, not only will we begin to look less like the world and more like Christ, but we will be better able to discern, "to test" and "prove" His will. So often we over complicate the process of discerning God's will for our lives, but here He has given us a simple and effective formula. He is telling us that if we will only abide in Him and continually renew our minds by spending time in His word, then His will, is not going to be so hard to find, and that is an incredible promise!

The Lord laughs...

³ Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.⁹ For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD, They shall inherit the earth.¹⁰ For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, But it shall be no more.¹² The wicked plots against the just, And gnashes at him with his teeth.¹³ The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming.
                                        -Psalm 37:3,9-10,12-13


  Today being to tenth anniversary of 9-11, the war on terrorism is on my mind a little more than usual. So, when I read these verses, the 'evildoers' that came to mind were the terrorists. I don't know about you, but I have a really overactive imagination, so when I hear about how the terrorists are infiltrating us from the inside, or anything else along those lines, my mind instantly imagines the worst and I begin making a game plan for how we can stop them. And then I read, verse thirteen of Psalm 37: "The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming". Can you just imagine God sitting in heaven laughing at the arrogance of this -to Him- tiny and insignificant nation, as He pictures the day that He will demolish them? Its almost like one would laugh at a child who is bragging about saving the day with his water gun! My God is greater, stronger, and mightier than anything, or anyone, and He says that the nations are "as a drop in a bucket, and are counted as the small dust on the scales;"! So who am I to be afraid?

Anne of the Island

   I forgot how much I love the 'Anne of Green Gables' series, until I started reading the abridged version of 'Anne of Green Gables' to Lacey. It inspired me to begin re-reading some of the books that I have, and I have discovered that Anne and I are truly 'kindred spirits'. I'm actually very 'Anneish'  on the inside, and I have always been able to relate so well to Anne's thoughts and feelings, especially in this book as she is growing up and looking back on her life. But, I think the thing that struck me the most, as I was going back through this classic, is the abundance of spiritual wisdom that L.M.M. has tucked so naturally into its pages, unlike alot of modern authors whose spiritual quips seem forced and scripted. One in particular sparked a great deal of thought and reflection, and I wanted to share it with you all. It is one of the few truly tragic parts in the series, but is also very profound.

   Anne sat in a pain that was almost intolerable. She could not tell comforting falsehoods; and all that Ruby said was so horribly true. She was leaving everything she cared for. [Ruby] had laid up her treasures on earth only; she had lived solely for the little things of life -the things that pass- forgetting  the great things that go onward into eternity, bridging the gulf between the two lives and making of death a mere passing from one dwelling to another -from twilight to unclouded day...  Anne walked home very slowly in the moonlight. The evening had changed something for her... When she came she came to the end of one life, it must not be to face the next with the shrinking terror of something wholly different- something for which accoustomed  thought and ideal and aspiration had unfitted her. The little things of life, sweet and excellent in their place, must not be the things lived for; the highest must be sought and followed; the life of heaven must be begun here on earth.
                                          - Anne of the Island

Could this be true of me?

   This morning during my quiet time, I ran across this devotion in Oswald Chambers, 'My Utmost for His Highest' and it really convicted me about the way that I am living out my Christianity. So, I hope you all read this slowly and prayerfully, and ask yourselves, if this is true of you.
     
   'But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself.' Acts 20:24
  
  It is easier to serve God without a vision, easier to work for God without a call, because then you are not bothered by what God requires; common sense is your guide, veneered over with Christian sentiment. You will be more prosperous and successful, more leisure-hearted, if you never realize the call of God. But if once you receive a commission from Jesus Christ, them memory of what God wants will always come like a goad; you will no longer be able to work for Him on the common-sense basis.
  What do I really count dear? If I have not been gripped by Jesus Christ, I will count service dear, time given to God dear, my life dear unto myself. Paul says he counted his life dear only in order that he might fulfill the ministry he had received; he refused to use his energy for any other thing. Acts 20:24 states Paul's almost sublime annoyance at being asked to consider himself; he was absolutely indifferent to any consideration other than that of fulfilling the ministry he had received. Practical work my be a competitor against abandonment to God, because practical work is based on this argument- 'Remember how useful you are here. or - Think how much value you would be in that particular type of work.' That attitude does not put Jesus Christ as the Guide at to where we should go, but our judgment as to where we are of most use. Never consider whether you are of use; but ever consider that you are not you own but His.
                     -Oswald Chambers

No Boundaries

We are apt to say that because a man has a natural ability, therefore he will make a good Christian. It is not a question of our equipment but of our poverty, not of what we bring with us, but of what God puts into us; not a question of natural virtues of strength of character, knowledge, and experience- all that is of no avail in this matter. - Oswald Chambers


   I think that a lot of times we as Christians get really hung up on the whole spiritual gift thing. We take tests to determine our spiritual gifts, and then get boxed in by the results. Now, I am not saying that its wrong to take these tests, they are great ways of determining our strengths and weaknesses, but I am saying that we don't need to live by them. The whole point of the Christian life, is to showcase Jesus, and to let Him live in and through us. We can't do this if we are dependent on our own strengths, if we shun a wonderful ministry opportunity that Christ is calling us to, because public speaking is not on our list of spiritual gifts. Christ said that in our weakness, His strength would be made known. (2 Corinthians 12:9) We cannot, must not, limit God. We cannot not put boundaries around ourselves and expect to live a victorious Christian life, that glorifies our Creator. We must die to self, and in doing so die to all of our strengths and all of our weakness, and adopt Christ's. And guess what? He doesn't have limits; His weakest is stronger than our strongest. (1 Corinthians 1:25)  We must learn to live in a strength not our own. We must learn to live a life with out boundaries.

The Blessings of Biblical Friendship

Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.
  And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.   -Ecclesiastes 4:12


   This last week has been spent at teen camp, worshiping God and fellowshipping with other believers. The theme this year was 'Thirsty', which is what I was originally going to do a post on, but a late night conversation with a close friend changed my mind. I have heard, over and over, how we need to be friends with other Christians, because they will pull you up, while worldly friends will pull you down. But, I never understood just how that worked, since people often didn't go into detail about how to develop those friendships, and how much of a blessing they could be. Until last week, I had never experienced the incredible encouragement, that you can receive from others. So I decided that I wanted to do a post (or two) on the blessings of Biblical friendship, and for those that don't have a friendship like that how to at least begin one. (Since I'm in the beginning stages myself)
    One of the most outstanding blessings, is one that I think is key in a biblical friendship. In the course the conversation with my friend, I mentioned something she was doing that really inspired me, and after a moments pause, she said that she had done it because of me, and something that I was doing. I have thought about that part of our conversation alot since, and I have realized that a biblical friend grows with you and holds you up. When I took karate, one of the things we learned was how to get out of different situations, and one was if you and a friend were bound together on the floor you could use each other to get up. So when we would practice, another girl and I would sit back to back and link arms, then pushing against each other for support, we would gradually rise from the floor to a standing position, from which escape was made easier. Just as without her weight against my back, I wouldn't have made it off the ground, so in friendships, if I don't have someone leaning on and supporting me, it will be much harder to get off the ground spiritually. Also, as we were talking, I shared with her some things I was struggling with and some concerns that were on my heart. After she listened, she shared with me her perspective, and I was blown away by the wisdom in her replies. In fact, I'm still pondering some of the incredible things that she said. And lastly, I think the best blessing is knowing that your not alone, knowing that there is someone else to lean on when you don't know what to do, someone else that is on your side, someone else that knows you. And I believe that this is exactly what God had planned when He gave us friends.

Elisabeth Elliot

    My heart was saying, "Lord, take away this longing, or give me that for which I long."
        The Lord was answering, "I must teach you to long for something better."
                                                          -Elisabeth Elliot
                                                        Passion and Purity

His Voice

  These last few days have been incredible for my walk with Christ. I have been getting up earlier to spend time with Him and stealing away more often during the day for some extra quiet time. Over the years, I have heard people talk about how important a daily walk with God is, but I never get it quite like I do during these times of closeness with Him. There are so many blessings that come with spending added time with Him, but I think the best one of all, is the way that your heart becomes more sensitive to His voice. I love it when I'm doing laundry, or reading a book, or on the computer, and all of a sudden I feel this tug on my heart, and this desire comes over me to steal away and spend time with my Prince. I mean, how incredible is it, that the creator of the universe would -with all that I'm sure He has to do- call me by name, to come away with Him? It just blows me away sometimes. And, I think that I'm finally realizing the 'secret' to hearing His voice. It's not just spending five or ten minutes daily in His word, but a full 24 hours, of moment-by-moment awareness of Him. Now, I'm not by any means as close to God as I would like to be, and maybe should be, but I'm enjoying this season of learning to hear His voice.