I love to watch people who are warm, friendly and at ease in a group.   They amaze me because I am so not that way.  I can suck the life out of a conversation and put even the most gifted conversationalist ill at ease!  It's true, I'm a social blackhole!  I've lived through the agony of it more than once.  I am painfully introverted.   (O.K., maybe I'm being a little bit dramatic...but occassionally this has been true.)

I understand that shyness is a part of the way God made me; I can live with that.  And yet I have never been comfortable with the self-centeredness that introversion suggests.  I can't help but feel that I've tipped the scale from acceptable, God given individuality to selfish, consuming introspection.

Just look a look at the definition of an introvert.

Introverted:   interested more in your own feelings, thoughts, and motives than in other people and the world around you; turned into yourself or pulled back inside a larger part

Contrast that with:

Matt. 16: 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me." 

I Cor. 10:24 "Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others."

I Cor. 10:33  "I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved. "

Phill. 2:4 "Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too."

Luke 9:23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me."

Matt. 16:25 "If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it."

Gal. 5:24 "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there."

Gal. 6:14 "As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died."

Matt. 10: 39 "If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it."

Hmmmm.... I knew something was askew!    I thank Him for being faithful to gently lead his sheep as a shepherd.  This topic was recently explored by The Road not Chosen, go check it out for a different angle.  I'm off to Google "conversation skills".

"Father, continue to guide this heart of mine.  Lead me down paths of Your righteoussness.  May I not become so focused on my own thoughts and feelings that my passion and interest in others is overshadowed.  Cause me to live outside of myself.  Teach me what it means to live for You.  Amen"

THAT is what our sacrifice of ourselves should be--"full of life." Not desponding, morbid, morose; not gloomy chilly, forbidding; not languid, indolent, inactive; but full of life, and warmth, and energy; cheerful, and making others cheerful; gay, and making others gay; happy, and making others happy; contented, and making others contented; doing good, and making others do good, by our lively vivid vitality,--filling every corner of our own souls and bodies, filling every corner of the circle in which we move, with the fresh life-blood of a warm, genial, kindly Christian heart. Doubtless this requires a sacrifice; it requires us to give up our own comfort, our own ease, our own firesides, our dear solitude, our own favorite absorbing pursuits, our shyness, our reserve, our pride, our selfishness.
ARTHUR P. STANLEY

  ~(My incredible husband took this picture on the summit of Mt. Shasta.)

I will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried.
ZECHARIAH 13:9

AS the purifying process is carried on, "the refiner watches the operation, with the greatest earnestness, until the metal has the appearance of a highly polished mirror, reflecting every object around it: even the refiner, as he looks upon the mass of metal, may see himself as in a looking-glass, and thus he can form a very correct judgment respecting the purity of the metal. When he is satisfied, the fire is withdrawn, and the metal removed from the furnace." See Jesus, as the Refiner, watching "with the greatest earnestness" the purifying of thy soul in the furnace of earth. His hand has lighted the fire which is now separating the pure metal of holiness from the dross of sin in thee. His loving eye is ever eagerly watching for the moment when the purifying work is done. Then, without a moment's delay, He withdraws the fire, and the purified soul is removed from the furnace. See, again, when it is that the purification is completed; it is when the Image of Christ is reflected in us, so that He can see Himself in us as in a mirror. Raise your eyes, then, amidst the flames, and see the Face of Jesus watching you with the tender pity and intense interest of His love.
                                                                      ~GEORGE BODY from Joy & Strength

It is Well With my Soul

~Horatio Spafford

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Refrain

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

Refrain

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Refrain

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.   (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)   And everyone went to his own town to register.  So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.   He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.   While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.   An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.   But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

Luke 2:1-16

When Jesus was born, due to the census; all of the people in Israel were traveling to their ancestors land in order to be accounted for.  Bethlehem was so crowded that first Christmas night that there was no room at the inn for this very pregnant and probably laboring woman.    

Imagine the inn keeper, with a house full of bustling and excited guests, opening his door during this most lucrative season to find a poor man and his very young wife in the throes of labor.  It must have been a touching site and yet he denied them; made no room for them in his home.  But don’t you think he had a room that night?  I’ll bet his tummy was full and his toes were warm as he crawled into bed that infamous night?

He didn’t outright reject them, so we know his heart wasn’t completely hard.  He sent them out to take shelter among his livestock.  He offered them his lowest priority place.  The area that he knew couldn’t possibly be used in any more profitable way that evening.

Don’t we do the same?  It’s legitimate, we are busy.  Our days are non-stop.  Our calendars are full.  True, we don’t purposefully reject Him, but we do banish Him to the stable…assigning Him the lowest priority in our days. 

In every stage of His life Christ offered peace for our busy lives, if only we will make room for Him.  In His birth, life, death, resurrection and in His very name His message for us was peace.

"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Luke 2:14

In His birth, the angels declared that peace was for those “on whom His favor rests”.

On whom does His favor rest?  It’s on you; it’s on me.  We are the apple of His eye, the crown of His creation.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

John 16:33

In His life, He says His words are so that in Him we may have peace.  That word ‘peace’ in the Greek is “tharseo” which means “cheerfulness and joy”.  Isn’t that what everyone is searching for at this time of year?

“But he was wounded and crushed for our sins.  He was beaten that we might have peace…”

Isaiah 53:5

In His Death, He purchased peace with his blood.  “He was beaten that we might have peace…” 

Imagine your husband has had his eye on this spectacular diamond necklace for you for Christmas.  So, the day after Thanksgiving, he heads out to fight the crowds and bring it home for you.  He returns with cracked ribs, a black eye, bruises and scratches; but he has that necklace.  Now, what if you looked at it briefly then tossed it in a drawer and never gave it another thought.  That would be quite an insult to not cherish something for which such a high price was paid.

How much more so with the gift of peace He purchased for us on Calvary?

Paul says in Colossians 1:20 (in the Hebrew Names Version, which is simply the ASV with the Hebrew names inserted where applicable), “…having made shalom through the blood of His cross.”  (I want to come back to this word shalom in a minute, so don’t forget it.)  He is not waiting to create peace in our lives; He purchased it 2000 years ago on the cross.

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"   After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.  Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you!”

John 20:19-21

In His resurrection, His first words to His disciples echoed His angelic birth announcement, “Here is peace...take it!”   He says it to them twice, just in case they missed it the first time. 

Shalom is a Hebrew word, so much richer in its range of meanings than the English word “peace,” which usually refers to the absence of outward conflict or to a state of inner calm.  The concept of shalom includes these ideas but goes beyond them, meaning “wholeness,” “completeness,” “finished word,” “perfection,” “safety,” or “wellness.”  Shalom comes from living in harmony with God.   The fruit of that harmony is harmony with others, prosperity, health, satisfaction, soundness, wholeness, and well-being.   When you pray to Yahweh Shalom, you are praying to the source of all peace.  No wonder his Son is called the Prince of Peace.

~Praying the Names of God by Ann Spangler

His very name, Yahweh Shalom, is peace.  You should know that in each of the verses cited thus far, the HNV translates the word peace as shalom.  He himself is our peace (Eph. 2:14).   Peace is not something Christ gives, peace is who Christ is.

Did you ever stop to think that Christ did not come for Christmas?   He didn’t come so that we could have this  cozy time of year full of friends, family, parties, food and gifts.  He came for you.  His desire is for you to come to Him and acknowledge that without Him you can’t.  All those tasks, all those burdens, and those cares can’t be attended to without Him. 

It was my five year old son’s turn to set up the Nativity scene this year, so I handed him the box and pointed to the table were it was to be displayed.    Busy with other Christmas preparations, I didn’t get around to seeing how he had done until the next day when I glanced down in passing.  There were all the shepherds, angels, wise men, animals, Mary and Joseph crowded in a tight circle around the manger.  With a knowing chuckle, I carefully rearranged them the ‘right’ way and went on with my day.  The following day I noticed that, again, the entire Nativity cast was crowded into one group around the manger.  As I began to put them back in their proper places; the shepherds on the left with their sheep, the angels facing out near the stable, and so on, my son came up behind me.

“What are you doing, mom?”

“Well, I’m just setting up the Nativity the way it is supposed to be.” and I began to explain where all the figures went.

With his sweet little face showing great concern he said, “But I thought they all came to worship baby Jesus.”

My kids have a way of doing that.  A way of saying what I need to hear in a way that can only be straight from Him.  

Christmas is not about the outward appearances, celebrations or traditions.  It’s about Him.

He came and the world was too full and busy for Him.  Will He find it the same with us this Christmas?

He did the work He was sent for and now He waits for us to take it.

Can I encourage you to spend some time with Him this season?  Grab your Bible and read the Christmas story in the books of Matthew or Luke.  Go to Isaiah and read the prophecies about the Messiah’s coming.  Do a topical study on peace (I didn’t include half of the wonderful verses that I could have). Talk to Him as you read.  Reflect on it.  Meditate on His Word. 

In these last days before Christmas, I challenge you to find some quiet time to sit with your Savior.  He offers the gift of peace to you…will you make the time to sit with Him and open it?

I don't remember who gave me this list, it has been tucked inside the back cover of my Bible for some time now, but I thought to share it with you.  It is a schedule to guide you in praying for your husband.  There is a topic & scripture listed for every day of the month.  (I have even used this to pray for my children, when it applies.)

 Consider that as a wife, you are in a very unique position to cover your husband in prayer.  Perhaps there is no one else in his life that is willing or inclined to lift him before the throne of God.  As you go to your knees, imagine the blessings that God has stored up, just waiting for your supplications to release (Psalm 31:19). 

1)   That he might become a holy man, a man of prayer, mature in the Lord, growing in his knowledge of the Lord. I Thess 5:23, Col                  4:12, Eph 1:18-19, 6:18

2)    That he might grow in all 11 descriptions of a man who will not be shaken as listed in Psalm 15

3)    That he might be a man of contentment as seen in Prov 15:16, Phil 4:11, I Tim 6:6-8, Heb 13:5

4)    That he might learn to take every thought captive, to not be conformed to the world's thinking and to think scripturally. Rom 12:2,               II Cor 10:5

5)    That he might daily seek God with all his heart, walking in the Spirit moment by moment, growing in his dependence upon Him. Psalm 119:1-2, Prov 3:5-6

6)    That he would ever be captivated by my love. Prov 5:18-19

7)    That he would be a man of courage. Duet 31:6, II Chron 19:11

8)   That the Lord might give him wisdom to lead his family physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Eph 1:17-19

9)    May he always look at the plank in his own eye before seeing others sawdust. Matt 7:3

10)    That he might become a called man, not driven, with well -thought-through-and-prayed-through goals in life. I Cor (:24-27

11)    That he might be a man of prayer, guarding his heart and mind, putting into practice what he has heard, seen, and learned. Phil   4:4-9

12)    That he might stand firm against the schemes of the devil and resist Satan in all circumstances. Eph 6:10-18, James 4:7

13)    That he might grow in spiritual maturity by putting away childish things, cultivating, understanding, striving after the Christ        ideal, partaking of the deeper truths of the gospel, and overcoming temptation. I Cor 13:11, 14:20, Eph 4:13, heb 5:14, I        John 2:14

14)    That he might become holy, cleansed by the washing with water through the Word. Eph 5:26

15)    That he would learn to not depend on his circumstances for happiness but on God alone. Prov 3:5-6

16)    That he would be a man who enters into spiritual warfare. Eph 6;11-12, I Thess 5:8

17)    That he might have new strength in the midst of his busy schedule. And that the Lord might infuse him with His strength. Is      40:31, Eph 3:14-19

18)    That he might have a burden to see lost people come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Matt 28;12-20

19)    That he would be kept from strange women and evil men, and that his friends would be men and women who walk with God.    Prov13:20

20)    That his self image might be reflection of the Lord's thoughts toward him. Eph 1:17-19, Rom 12:3, Ps. 139

21)    That he might be man responsible for family spiritual growth. Prov 4:1-14

22)    That he might not be deceived into unbelief, sin, or bitterness. Matt 13:7-10

23)    That he might learn to love as God has commanded. I Cor 13: 4-7, Rom 12:8-10, Eph 5;25

24)    That the fruit of the Spirit might be exhibited more and more in his life. Gal 5:22-23, John 15:8

25)    That he might grow in humility and in being a shepherd. I Peter 5:2-6

26)    That he might grow daily in character. II Peter 1:5-8

27)    That he might keep a clear conscience. I Peter 3:16-18

28)    That the Lord would protect him, guarding his course. Prov 2:8

29)    That he might learn to manage his time well. Eph 5:15

30)    That the Lord would put a song in his heart. Psalm 33:3, 40:3, Job 35:10

31)    That he might have a holy fear of God. Psalm 34:11, 111:10, Prov 9:10

I am studying the power of prayer and I’m captivated.  

I love what Beth Moore said in her Daniel study,

“The spiritual world is not invisible.  It is only invisible to us.”

It is much more real than anything you or I can see in this temporal world.   Paul tells us in Ephesians 6 that our battle isn’t against that person that’s testing the limits of our patience, it’s not against that political leader that failed us once again, it’s not against the culture of people decaying all around us, and it isn’t against this flesh warring against our spirit.  We war against the ‘unseen’.  In God’s words through Paul,

“We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Ephesians 6:12

In going through this study, I feel as though my eyes have been peeled open.  I’ve been missing so much!  He not only hears us before we speak (Isaiah 65:24 & Psalm 139:4), He answers before we are finished praying (Daniel 9:23).  True, we may not know His response right away, it may be many days or even years, but He is faithful to answer us.  God’s actions are as sure as His Word.  The God that I have the privilege of coming before every morning, noon, & night is the same mighty God of the Bible.  He longs to have me pouring my heart out to Him; He waits for me to come to Him. 

“How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.”

Psalm 31:19

Why do I resist?

To use one last Moore quote:

“We are so culturally indoctrinated to be fast-paced, high-energy, hands-on kinds of people that we tend to think of prayer as a passive, nearly “do-nothing” reaction.  We tend to pray when we don’t know what else to do.  Beloved, nothing shakes the heavenlies like prayer.  Nothing moves the heart of God more than prayer.  Furthermore, I’m not sure anything takes more energy at times than fervent prayer.”

Prayer is not a last resort; it is a first line of defense.

My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.
--PSALMS 130:6

Psalm 18:28

Submission is merely a demonstration of my trust in the power of a sovereign God.

The key to submission is hoping in God, not your husband.

"Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is

no authority except from God,

and the authorities that exist are appointed by God."
Romans 13:1

The virtue of submission is the secret to timeless, flawless beauty.

"For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful,

they were submissive to their own husbands."

I Peter 3:5