Be Thou my vision, 2013

Did you all have Merry Christmas?  I sure did!  The best part about it for me was that I was surrounded by my family and friends-- the people I love most-- and I felt the presence of the Lord in our hearts.

Anyway!  We face another year ahead of us now.  The thought of that always excites me, doesn't it for you?  I like to set aside time to think about the past year, and what the Lord was able to accomplished in my heart and life during that time. 

I'll also take some time praying about what the Lord has in store for the coming year, looking through God's Word to find a verse which provides the basis for the goals/vision I have for the new year.  I am always *flooded* with incredible verses!!!  (It's always really hard to choose just one) Anyway, here's the verse I decided on for 2013.  I'm going to write it out and tape it up in places where I always look, and commit it to memory, so I'll always have it on the front of my mind when I need it:

 "But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works."  Psalms 73:28

So, in other words, my goals are (1) to draw near to God and develop a deeper relationship with Him, and to more fully understand His character and His purposes (2) to trust in the Lord to lead me moment by moment by His Spirit, and surrendering all of myself and my future into His care, and (3) to declare all His works--- to become more bold and fearless in sharing my faith everywhere I go.  Notice that drawing near to God is prerequisite to trusting in Him, and trusting Him is prerequisite to boldness in serving Him.  What an awesome verse!

I encourage you to spend some time and do something like this, too!  Just open your Bible and let the Lord speak to your heart.  Let His vision be yours.  What a great way to start the new year!

prayer request: elementary school shooting, Connecticut

Please stop with me for a moment to think and pray.

I'm assuming you all heard about the horrible, nightmarish thing that happened in Connecticut yesterday afternoon.  It's hard for me to fathom that while I was blissfully unaware and going about my business yesterday, these six adults and twenty beautiful, innocent little children (under the age of ten) were being slaughtered in that school building by a shooter just a little older than I am (he was 20).  Try to empathize for a moment: imagine being one of the people who discovered that they would never see their child or loved one again?  That would crush me.

How could something like this happen?  What would possess a person to do this unspeakable thing?  A question that a lot of people are asking is  "Why would God allow this?"

For one thing, the Bible says that things like this would be characteristic of the last days on earth.  The fact is that Jesus is coming back very soon to judge.  People need to get right with God.  Please read 2 Timothy 3:1-7.

Another thing (I've said this before): America (for the most part) has forsaken God.  They have rebelled against Him.  They have thrown Him out of the school system entirely, thus making themselves (and all the children in school) readily available to the one responsible for every evil thing: Satan.  What a painful thought.

When people refuse the Lord's presence in their lives Satan will gladly take charge immediately.  That's why a person could commit a crime like this-- Satan is ruling in that person's heart. 

That is also why God allows things like this to happen.  God cannot protect a nation that Satan is actively ruling. 

This is very scary.  I mean, there is no promise that something like this won't happen again tomorrow!

People need Jesus!  If only they would cry out in repentance to the Lord, He would set them free from sin, and from Satan's death grip!

If we are followers of Christ, we need to be out sharing our faith and the love of Christ with these hurting and lost souls-- I mean, who knows?  If someone had taken the time to reach out in the name of Christ to that poor young man who was obviously struggling intensely inside, perhaps this whole shooting event might have been prevented.

Anyway, please stop right now and praying for the families of the shooting victims.  Pray that they would start to seek the Lord because of all this, not pull away.  Pray that they would realize their desparate need for Jesus Christ.

I wonder how many families will start thinking about the benefits of homeschooling after this?

"For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify  Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Professing to be wise, they became fools... and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do things which are not fitting."  Romans 1:20-22,28

Jesus said, "The thief [Satan] does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

heart of the giver

Christmas is my favorite time of year.  The warmth of the spirit of giving draws people closer together, and the remembrances of Christ's gift for us prepares and strengthens us for the year ahead.

As I searched my exhaustive concordance for verses which had to do with "giving" or "bestowing"  I was blown away... I noticed that most of the verses (and there are close to 1,000 of them!) refer to what God has given us!  He has given us infinite grace, mercy, love, and blessings abundantly-- all of which we, frankly, do not deserve at all.  How amazing...  What an unspeakably wonderful God we serve!!!! (2 Corinthians 9:15)

Anyway, in light of that, when you realize how much you've been given, doesn't it make you want to be a more giving person yourself?  Not that we really have anything worthwhile to give, but when we give what we do have, it is our way of showing the Lord how much we appreciate what He gave us.  If we can see this, and are truly grateful, giving our all to the Lord is not a burden, it's a delight!  It's the least we can do!  (Luke 7:47, Matthew 10:8b)

Something interesting that Jesus points out in Matthew 25:31-40 (please take a moment and read it for yourself) is that "giving to the Lord" often involves giving of yourself to "the least of these"... the poor, the disabled, those in need, etc... those who will never be able to pay you back, or perhaps not even be able to thank you (Ephesians 6:6-8). It involves serving where no one will ever notice you, or even care.  Someone has to take the low positions and the thankless jobs, such as endless loads of dirty dishes or laundry (both of which are awaiting my attention right now as I'm writing)!  And guess what?  If you do them with a cheerful heart, I believe they can be the most rewarding!

Giving, even in its smallest forms, is a sacrifice; but just remember that every little thing you do for others to the glory of God you will be rewarded for one day in Heaven!  Christmas is a wonderful time to practice this, but its also important to keep it up throughout the rest of the year as well.

2 Corinthians 9:7
"So let each one give as He purposes in His heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver."

Luke 6:30
"Give to everyone who asks of you.  And from him who takes away your goods, do not ask them back."

Proverbs  22:9
"He who has a generous eye will be blessed, for He gives of his bread to the poor."

thoughts on purity

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."  

Matthew 5:8

"To the pure, all things are pure."

Titus 1;15

"Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."

1 John 3:3

"He who loves purity of heart and has grace on his lips, the King shall be his friend."

Proverbs 22:11

"Keep yourself pure."

1 Timothy 5:22

What do you think of when you hear the word 'purity'?  I imagine waking up in the morning to find freshly fallen snow, covering the ground with a peerless, perfect white blanket.  It is undisturbed, it is silent, it is crisp and clean... it is PURE.

We, as children of the King of kings, ought to have that same appearance when the world looks on at us.  They should see that our lives are undisturbed by the world's filthy system, our hearts ponder no evil-tainted thoughts, our bodies are sanctified for Christ's holy purposes, and that our hands, strengthened by the power of God, do many good works for His glory.  What a wonderful impression of Christ we can set forth for all the world to see merely by living a PURE life, from the inside out.

A life that looks like what I described above is one that doesn't just happen over-night, if you were wondering!  A pure heart is not a natural or inborn trait... it's supernatural; God-given.  He gives a pure heart to those who desire it and seek after it.  He cleanses our imperfection, covers us in His perfection, His unfettered righteousness, and then empowers us to remain in that purity, which is the hard part.

Moment by moment we make choices, both in our actions and in our thought life.   Our natural tendency is to "just have a little fun" and dabble in things that might seem harmless but by God's standards are carnal, and our choice defiles us.  We must choose to be radical to be pure.  We have to learn to say no.

Thank God for His grace!!!!  His grace does cleanse us if we should err, but the really awesome thing is that it strengthens us and helps us to have victory when we are tempted.  Isn't that wonderful?  Most people forget that part of God's grace.

Purity starts in the heart (Proverbs 4:23).  You begin by filling your mind with God's word, and your heart with His love (James 4:7-8).  You begin to think like He thinks... you love what He loves (righteousness), and hate what He hates (any appearance of evil).   Thus you actions will stem from what has bloomed in your heart-- PURITY.

 "...just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water of water by the word, that  He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish."

Ephesians 5:25-27