6.7.2008

Psalm 97:6

When I look into the sky, and see His overwhelming glory, I am amazed. It is incomprehensible! All the peoples have seen His glory. Blessed be His name!

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5.3.2008

running the race

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of God." - Hebrews 12:1-2

When I was going trough some of my sermon notes, I noticed that I'd written the above verse reference with the following note.

We are to turn away form our sins, and run with endurance in the race He has giving us, and the end (the finish line) is when He calls us home.

Then I got to thinking, these verses say so much more than just that. It shows that we are to display Christ in our lives, and be good witnesses before others, both believers and unbelievers. We should never give up, and we should continually keep our eyes on Christ, who, called us to be His people (Ephesians 1:5,11; 2 Timothy 1:9). He endured the pain and shame of the cross, and the rejection from His Father, and He is now sitting at the right hand of God!

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3.16.2008

trying NOT to complain

I'm not sure whether you've felt this way or not, but I know I feel it far too often: I wish for something I don't have. A common instance is in the dead of winter, wanting summer to come so it will be warm outside . . . and vise-versa.

There have even been times where I wish I could just skip a part of my day . . . such as studying health.

        ". . . with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."
                                                                                          - Phil. 4:6b

This is an area that I need to work on: not having a complaining spirit. Many times I don't even realize I'm complaining . . . which is definitely not a good thing in the first place.

But what do I have to complain about? I am extremely blessed by God, He has saved me, taught me, and blessed me with a wonderful life. My father works with his hand to provide for his family, my mother spends most of her day taking care of her family and teaching Bre and I. Breezy is my sister, but more than that -- my friend, encourager and the girl I like to tease.

I need to have a joyful spirit, and to thank God for all that He has blessed me with. When I complain, I'm not complaining about something, I'm really complaining against God! So many times the Israelites complained against God, and God judged them for their disobedience and complaining.

I am extremely blessed by God. He is my Creator, Savior, Lord, and King. He never had to create me, but He did. My goal is to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever, obeying His every command.

        "You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you,
         nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments
         of the Lord your God which I command you." - Deut. 4:2

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3.4.2008

Glorifying God In Our Attitudes

    "He did right in the sight of the Lord, yet not with a whole heart."
                                                                        - 2 Chronicles 25:2

This verse is about Amaziah, who was king over Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. He obeyed God's commands, but he didn't do it with the right heart.

How many times have we obeyed our parents - and through obeying them, obeyed God - without a joyful attitude? How many times have we swept the floors, washed dishes, or even cleaned the bathroom with a bad attitude?

We must remember to have the fruits of the Spirit, and to glorify God in our actions.

     "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
      goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such
      things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus
      have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live
      by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." - Galatians 5:22-25

The fight between our flesh and the Holy Spirit is continual. Often it is difficult to say "no" to the flesh - even when we know it's wrong. We should be fully devoted to our Lord and Savior, and strive to give Him glory in all things, even in our attitudes.

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1.1.2008

2008

A new year has begun. All the time that has elapsed in the previous year is now history.

Ah, the beauty of a new year. We have no idea of what's around the corner, no idea of what's to come. We, as Christians, need not have a fear of the future.

     "The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in
      From this time forth and forever."
                                                                              - Psalm 121:8

As I look back on what the Lord has done in my life and in the lives of my family, it is amazing to see His hand working out every little detail.

Breezy (my sister) and I have had the wonderful opportunity to work on a major project together that could take off at any time. But even if it doesn't take off, we know that this has been a part of God's sovereign plan.

God's sovereignty is so amazing! He has our whole lives planned out, and He planned them before the beginning of time.

     "Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
      And in Your book they all were written,
      The days fashioned for me,
      When as yet there were none of them."
                                                                     - Psalm 139:16

May God Bless you all in the coming year!!! I hope you have a wonderful 2008!

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12.3.2007

A Challenge to Women

     1. That all of your life---in whatevery calling---be devoted to the glory of God.

That is the first point in John Piper's Challenge to Women. Piper gives a wonderful list of what we as women should be for God and His Kingdom. Please read it.

John Piper is the author of Don't Waste Your Life and many other great Christian books.

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11.22.2007

Thanksgiving Thanks

We have so much to be thankful for. Our salvation, God's Word, prayer, God's forgivness, family, church family, friends, food, running water, good health, jobs, Christian heritage, . . . . The list could go on forever.

I hope you have a good Thanksgiving!

May God Bless,

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8.26.2007

Slaves to Christ

   "Urge bondslaves to be subject to their

    own masters in everything, to be well-

    pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering

    but showing all good faith so that they

    will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior

    in every respect."

                           - Titus 2:9-10 [EMPHASIS MINE]

This passage is addressed to the physical bondslave, but can also apply to our lives and our relationship and to God our Lord.

SUBJECT : : submission; we are to show our Master submission in EVERYTHING; do we ever jump up and say, "Yes, Lord--I love doing everything you want me to do!"?; Christ is our standard, He was consumed in fulfilling His Master's Will; we need to do our Lord's Will with gladness--for it is a joy to serve such a perfect Master.

WELL-PLEASING : : not just pleasing, but WELL pleasing; we need to do God's Will with a joy and contentment with where He has us, no matter where we are or what we're doing; do we just do a job just because we're told to do it?; shouldn't we do our jobs to please the Master.

NOT ARGUMENTATIVE : : do not talk back; are you a hostile slave by resisting our Master at every turn?; sinners are rebellious and want to overthrow their earthly masters and even God; do we find ourselves argumentative when we're proven wrong?; do we argue, back-talk, or resist our parents?; do we honor our Master, Jesus Christ?.

NOT PILFERING : :  do not steal for your own gain, by keeping back what is not yours, for it is not pleasing to our Lord God; how are we pilfering God?; everything that we have is God's; do we cling on to the things that are God's and not let the Master take them away?; we need to give everything we "own" to God, so that we may do His Will more fully.

SHOWING ALL GOOD FAITH : : demontrate our faithfulness; show that we are faithful and trust-worthy; demontrate utter faithfulness; how trust-worthy are you?; do we fill our commitments, or do we do a sloppy job--just to get it done?; how faithful are we to God?; we need to be faithful to our earthly masters (and be a good witness) and to our heavenly Master, Christ Jesus.

ADORN THE DOCTRINE OF GOD OUR SAVIOR : : adorn means to beautify, this is used with a spiritual application; we are to have the doctrine of God our Master in our hearts and lives, to adorn ourselves with them in every possible way with a cheerful and thankful spirit and attitude.

FINAL APPLICATION : : do not focus on making ourselves attractive, but on making the Word of God attractive; we need to rearange our lives to make the Word of God attractive, and to seek to be well-pleasing.

These are some of my notes from today's sermon. It's a very convicting subject, that I'm sure we all have problems dealing with. But with the Lord our Master's help we can do GREAT THINGS FOR GOD!

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7.18.2007

Duty

"I was surprised, as a reader, how caught up I got, and how fascinated I was, by how passionate I felt about Molly Gibson. I just sort of loved her in a protective sort of way." -Andrew Davies, Screenplay Writer for Wives and Daughters

Molly Gibson is the main character in Wives and Daughters. She is feminine, submissive, and respectful toward her father, continually kind, bears so much, and yet keeps a good attitude.

She encourages her father do his duty, to be the head and leader of his family.

The man quoted above had a feeling of love in a protective way. We might ask: Why?

In today's world, females are not encouraged to do this. It is very common to belittle and disrepect men. When we try to overpower, control, or just be in charge over our fathers, brothers, and husbands--how do we expect them to act or feel masculine and chilvalrous.

"Only when manhood is dead--and it will perish when ravaged femininity no longer sustains it--only then will we know what it is to be free." -Andrea Dworkin

This makes me burn inside. Never stop being feminine. Do not disrespect your father, brothers, and husband, and their God-given duty to be the leaders of their family.

When we play out our roles as wives and daughters--to be a help-meet and encouragement--the men God has placed in our lives will feel it is there duty to protect and love us.

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her." -Ephesians 5:25

"Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as him, and the wirfe must see to it that she respects her husband." -Ephesians 5:33

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7.14.2007

Do Not Worry

"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry them, saying, 'What will we eat' or 'What will we drink?' or ' What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:25-34

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7

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7.6.2007

Memories...

Enjoy every moment of life as they come. Do not try to rush through them--you could miss the best memories of your life.

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