Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.
For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.
But My righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.
But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul. (Hebrews 10:35-39 NASB)
This morning, I find myself contemplating life's many difficulities. There is not a person in this world now or ever who is immune to the difficulties of life. We know life has been made very difficult as a result of the fall of man recorded in Genesis 3. The ground we tread is cursed because of man's sin. There is great difficulty in rearing children and all of our relationships have been made incredibly difficult. All because of man's transgression against his Creator.
It is very clear from Scripture that life brings us many trials. We deal with failing grades, difficulties at work and problems in our relationships. Christians face persecution in its many forms. All humans face sickness and face the ever present enemy: death.
As Christians, we know from James 1 that the testing of our faith (trials) produces endurance. In other words, we grow in our ability to stand tall with confidence in the Lord in the midst of our many trials. Just prior to this statement, James told his readers, consider it all joy...when you encounter various trials. We can consider it all joy because we know that our trials produce endurance and that endurance will have its perfect result: our sanctification. Enduring many trials and tribulations makes us more like our Lord Jesus Christ.
The problem is that we are weak. More often than not, in the midst of our trials, we simply fail. We fail to react in a godly way. We fail to trust in the Lord. We fall back and become fearful; but our Lord doesn't intend it to be this way for the Christian! We have been redeemed. We have been given confidence in the Lord! We find great reward in holding on to the that confidence. Our lives can be very difficult; but we know that Christ is our Solid Rock and if Christ is for us, then who can be against us? And this we know and have confidence in that our Lord is going to return in victory.
In summation, in the midst of our lives as we experience tribulation, we may fail; but those trials (and our failures) are used by our Master to make us into the His own likeness from glory to glory; because we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
I have been encouraged by the words from the second verse of the song, "Here I Am" by downhere. I hope it will be encouraging to you as well:
Monday, March 18, 2013
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Learning to Be Patient
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
When I read that verse I'm amazed that I have any thought of being impatient with others. If it weren't for the Lord's patience towards me I would perish! This is a good verse to memorize so that it's always a reminder of the Lord's patience towards me and how I should follow His lead. Being impatient is thinking that I know better than God. No one knows better than God. I am a sinner in need of God's mercy, grace and patience. The Lord has shown me those things through salvation. I'm thankful that I can trust completely in a God whose plan is always perfect even when I can't see it. I cannot alter God's plan. So as I struggle with being patient with others, it's all part of God's perfect plan to sanctify me.
God uses many ways to teach me patience but the most common ones are my children and driving. I have 4 children that I love dearly but I struggle with getting frustrated with them at times. I often have to stop words from coming out of my mouth and pray for patience. My children need the Lord as much as I do. Therefore I , the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love Ephesians 4:1-2 Since I know what great patience the Lord has shown me and continues to show me, even when I'm impatient with my kids, how can I do anything other than be patient with my kids. Sometimes my lack of patience has nothing to do with my kids even though it comes out towards them. Those are the times that I am struggling with other sins and it manifest itself as impatience. I enjoy driving but I definitely tend to struggle with patience at times. Sadly I even struggle sometimes when I'm the passenger! This morning as I took my oldest son to school I was reminded of how impatient people are in rush hour traffic. It's easy to get into my son's school to drop him off but a little more difficult to get out since I have to turn left. This morning a car turning right into the school stopped and held traffic so several of us could turn left and I'm always thankful when people do this. Sadly a few cars behind the car holding traffic started honking at that car. I was saddened that someone would be unkind to someone who was doing something kind but again reminded of the depravity of man. Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? Romans 2:4 The most convicting thing for me when I get impatient driving is that I set a terrible example for my kids. You know it's bad when I'm having a "patient" day driving and one of my kids blurts out something like "come on!, Why are they going so slow?!, etc." How unfortunate that I've taught them that but now it's time to show them humility and teach them what is right. I apologize for teaching them those sinful things then tell them what God says about being patient and loving. How amazing and faithful is our God that even though I sin I can repent and am granted forgiveness and can still teach my children what is right! I love what Paul says here: It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:15-16
In less than 3 months I will be living in southern California in the midst of terrible traffic. My family will be adjusting to a new place, including making new friends and leaving old ones. My husband will be going back to school, which he has been out of for almost 20 years. I will be learning to live on a different/lower budget (I've been spoiled for a while). Apparently God knows that I still have a lot to learn about being patient!
Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit. Ecclesiastes 7:8b
Angie
When I read that verse I'm amazed that I have any thought of being impatient with others. If it weren't for the Lord's patience towards me I would perish! This is a good verse to memorize so that it's always a reminder of the Lord's patience towards me and how I should follow His lead. Being impatient is thinking that I know better than God. No one knows better than God. I am a sinner in need of God's mercy, grace and patience. The Lord has shown me those things through salvation. I'm thankful that I can trust completely in a God whose plan is always perfect even when I can't see it. I cannot alter God's plan. So as I struggle with being patient with others, it's all part of God's perfect plan to sanctify me.
God uses many ways to teach me patience but the most common ones are my children and driving. I have 4 children that I love dearly but I struggle with getting frustrated with them at times. I often have to stop words from coming out of my mouth and pray for patience. My children need the Lord as much as I do. Therefore I , the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love Ephesians 4:1-2 Since I know what great patience the Lord has shown me and continues to show me, even when I'm impatient with my kids, how can I do anything other than be patient with my kids. Sometimes my lack of patience has nothing to do with my kids even though it comes out towards them. Those are the times that I am struggling with other sins and it manifest itself as impatience. I enjoy driving but I definitely tend to struggle with patience at times. Sadly I even struggle sometimes when I'm the passenger! This morning as I took my oldest son to school I was reminded of how impatient people are in rush hour traffic. It's easy to get into my son's school to drop him off but a little more difficult to get out since I have to turn left. This morning a car turning right into the school stopped and held traffic so several of us could turn left and I'm always thankful when people do this. Sadly a few cars behind the car holding traffic started honking at that car. I was saddened that someone would be unkind to someone who was doing something kind but again reminded of the depravity of man. Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? Romans 2:4 The most convicting thing for me when I get impatient driving is that I set a terrible example for my kids. You know it's bad when I'm having a "patient" day driving and one of my kids blurts out something like "come on!, Why are they going so slow?!, etc." How unfortunate that I've taught them that but now it's time to show them humility and teach them what is right. I apologize for teaching them those sinful things then tell them what God says about being patient and loving. How amazing and faithful is our God that even though I sin I can repent and am granted forgiveness and can still teach my children what is right! I love what Paul says here: It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:15-16
In less than 3 months I will be living in southern California in the midst of terrible traffic. My family will be adjusting to a new place, including making new friends and leaving old ones. My husband will be going back to school, which he has been out of for almost 20 years. I will be learning to live on a different/lower budget (I've been spoiled for a while). Apparently God knows that I still have a lot to learn about being patient!
Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit. Ecclesiastes 7:8b
Angie
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Are You Being Loving?
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things endures all things. Love never fails; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
Wow, that's a lot of what love is and isn't! It's amazing how much of my day I spend talking to my kids about loving one another (Mathew 19:19 and Leviticus 19:18) even as I type I have to stop to discuss with my child his lack of love towards his sibling. Sometimes I wonder why they struggle so much with loving others and then I'm reminded of how much I struggle with it, not to mention that we are sinners. I want so much to always be loving but in the words of Paul, For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. Romans 7:19 Sadly it is not natural for me to be loving and that is exactly why I have to seek scripture and pray for God's help and mercy. Now just because I struggle with loving others doesn't mean I can't correct and teach my children or others. Of course I need to take the plank out of my own eye before going to someone else. I am commanded to train my children in God's ways and what a great injustice I would do to them if I neglect to correct their sin.
I've talked about love in reference to my children but it applies to so much more. Whether you are driving in your car, at the grocery store, school, work or whatever you are doing you always have opportunity to love others. That gold mini van just cut you off; how do you respond? Your boss just chewed you out in a managers meeting for making a mistake; do you think "I'm thankful that my boss desires for me to do better?" There are many scenarios, insert what applies to you. Now look at the verse I put at the beginning and ask yourself if you are doing each thing that love is or isn't. Are you being patient, kind, jealous, etc. I know that I fail daily when I answer these questions. God wants us to obey in everything so if you earnestly ask and diligently seek God for help in this area, He will supply all you need to obey.
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. 1 Corinthians:1-3
Several years ago I had a dear friend ask me "are you being loving?" She was responding to my ability to discern sin in someone and just want to tell them about it because they were in sin. She clearly saw my sin and responded in love and was instrumental in teaching me that I was being a noisy gong. It doesn't matter if I can see sin in someone if my desire is not to see them restored to the Lord. Without love I am nothing! It profits me nothing to correct sin in someone if I am unloving and do not have God's glory in mind. I will forever be thankful for my dear friend's words and loving rebuke that are a constant reminder to keep me in check.
I encourage you to memorize 1 Corinthians chapter 13 so that you can fight sin with God's word as soon as it rears its ugly head.
Angie
Wow, that's a lot of what love is and isn't! It's amazing how much of my day I spend talking to my kids about loving one another (Mathew 19:19 and Leviticus 19:18) even as I type I have to stop to discuss with my child his lack of love towards his sibling. Sometimes I wonder why they struggle so much with loving others and then I'm reminded of how much I struggle with it, not to mention that we are sinners. I want so much to always be loving but in the words of Paul, For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. Romans 7:19 Sadly it is not natural for me to be loving and that is exactly why I have to seek scripture and pray for God's help and mercy. Now just because I struggle with loving others doesn't mean I can't correct and teach my children or others. Of course I need to take the plank out of my own eye before going to someone else. I am commanded to train my children in God's ways and what a great injustice I would do to them if I neglect to correct their sin.
I've talked about love in reference to my children but it applies to so much more. Whether you are driving in your car, at the grocery store, school, work or whatever you are doing you always have opportunity to love others. That gold mini van just cut you off; how do you respond? Your boss just chewed you out in a managers meeting for making a mistake; do you think "I'm thankful that my boss desires for me to do better?" There are many scenarios, insert what applies to you. Now look at the verse I put at the beginning and ask yourself if you are doing each thing that love is or isn't. Are you being patient, kind, jealous, etc. I know that I fail daily when I answer these questions. God wants us to obey in everything so if you earnestly ask and diligently seek God for help in this area, He will supply all you need to obey.
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. 1 Corinthians:1-3
Several years ago I had a dear friend ask me "are you being loving?" She was responding to my ability to discern sin in someone and just want to tell them about it because they were in sin. She clearly saw my sin and responded in love and was instrumental in teaching me that I was being a noisy gong. It doesn't matter if I can see sin in someone if my desire is not to see them restored to the Lord. Without love I am nothing! It profits me nothing to correct sin in someone if I am unloving and do not have God's glory in mind. I will forever be thankful for my dear friend's words and loving rebuke that are a constant reminder to keep me in check.
I encourage you to memorize 1 Corinthians chapter 13 so that you can fight sin with God's word as soon as it rears its ugly head.
Angie
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
What Me Worry?
I am traveling with my brothers in Christ to the Shepherd's Conference in Los Angeles. This annual pilgrimage to Southern California is always a delightful time. I am treated with the opportunity to spend time my brothers and to meet many new people.
Each year the trip has its own unique stories. Late flights, snow filled roads and bad Chinese restaurants always find their way into the lore of THE trip. This is not to mention the trials on the home front whether it be sick children or work issues and other things that make the trip memorable.
This year, during the plane ride out, there was a gentleman in the seat in front of me who carried a small idol in his hand. He rubbed little statue for all it was worth (which was not much) from take-off to landing. The scene of this old man rubbing his little trinket made me reflect on the nature of fear and worry. We all struggle with these sins at times. We may not keep a little idol to pray to or rub when we are fearful but we have our own idols that we look to in times of need.
Worry and fear are evil twins and the father of these two horrible and ugly siblings is sinful pride! They look pretty on the outside but they are rotten to the core. In our sinfulness, we pridefully trust in ourselves instead of trusting in the one true God. Whether the vehicle of our trust is our abilities, our wealth, our looks or our status in society; the result is all the same. These things will ultimately fail and inevitably cause us to sink into sinful worry and anxiety which can lead to a variety of other sins! This paints a stark picture for us!
In America, we are taught to trust ourselves! Trust in oneself is the "American Way"! We celebrate our independent spirit. We use phrases such as, "He is a self-made man!" But...does God intend it to be this way? The answer is a resounding "NO!" God created us to be dependent. He literally created us to be dependent on Him, yet we trust in ourselves. He created us to have an intimate relationship with Him, our Creator, yet we choose to hide from Him in the thorny weeds of our sin. Scripture tells us that it all went horribly wrong in the Garden of Eden. After sinning against the Lord, Adam and Eve hid from Him and we have been hiding since then. We hide from Him even though He is our constant help!
In the sermon on the mount, Jesus admonished His listeners not to worry. He said, " ...do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own". (Matthew 6:34 NASB). Just prior to this verse, our Lord used the Father's care for the lowly things of Earth such as birds and the lilies of the field arguing that He if He cares for those things how much more so for man the jewel of His created work! Jesus teaches that the Father cares for us and will never forsake us!
It is a certainty that we live in a fallen and dangerous world and our tendency is to pridefully trust in ourselves and our own abilities. If you have not repented of your sins, there is no other way but to trust in yourself. If you find yourself in this position, repent and turn to Christ and He will take your burden!
Even those who have repented and placed their trust in Him can forget that our Creator has provided the door of opportunity to know Him through His Son. In knowing Him, we find that we can trust and depend upon Him. The cross of Christ provides for our greatest needs the way of salvation and an intimate relationship with our Creator which allows us to cast our cares upon Him and never be disappointed!
I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from The Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. (Psalms 121:1-3 NASB)
Brandon
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Take Up Your Cross
We don't have to look very far to see the effects of sin in the world we live. All we have to do is read the news or simply look around us to see the sickness and death which have resulted from man's sin. We live in a fallen world where moth and rust and disease lurk at every corner and we live in fallen bodies made weak by the effects of sin; yet this is precisely the condition from which the Lord calls us to serve Him!
In spite of our weaknesses, as Christians, we are called to serve the Lord and to serve others. Our Lord wants us to present our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship (Romans 12:1). In other words, it is true worship when we sacrificially serve the Lord and others with our bodies.
Jesus told the disciples to take up their cross and follow Him (Matt 16:24). He was literally calling them to die to themselves to follow and find salvation in the one true God! His call today is just the same and our physical condition or situation does not change that call. We are to serve the Lord with all our heart and with all of our soul! There is no qualifier to this command.
I sometimes act as though I only need to take up my cross and serve my Lord when it is convenient for me. When there is something wrong with me whether it be sickness or simply being tired, I make many excuses. When I am feeling strong, I have been known to say to the Lord, "I will go forth and serve You!" When I am at my fireside reading my Bible, my heart is strong and is ready to serve; but when the rubber meets the road and bad things are happening, I tend to say, "Oh Lord, why me?"
There is a song originally written by Henry Francis Lyte called, "Jesus, I my Cross have Taken". The words are very encouraging especially when we understand that we are called to take up our cross and follow Him through sickness and through persecution and through all sorts of tumult and that through it all He will never forsake us!
Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow Thee;
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my All shalt be.
Perish every fond ambition,
All I've sought or hoped or known;
Yet how rich is my condition!
God and heaven are still my own.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. (Matthew 16:24-25)
Brandon
In spite of our weaknesses, as Christians, we are called to serve the Lord and to serve others. Our Lord wants us to present our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship (Romans 12:1). In other words, it is true worship when we sacrificially serve the Lord and others with our bodies.
Jesus told the disciples to take up their cross and follow Him (Matt 16:24). He was literally calling them to die to themselves to follow and find salvation in the one true God! His call today is just the same and our physical condition or situation does not change that call. We are to serve the Lord with all our heart and with all of our soul! There is no qualifier to this command.
I sometimes act as though I only need to take up my cross and serve my Lord when it is convenient for me. When there is something wrong with me whether it be sickness or simply being tired, I make many excuses. When I am feeling strong, I have been known to say to the Lord, "I will go forth and serve You!" When I am at my fireside reading my Bible, my heart is strong and is ready to serve; but when the rubber meets the road and bad things are happening, I tend to say, "Oh Lord, why me?"
There is a song originally written by Henry Francis Lyte called, "Jesus, I my Cross have Taken". The words are very encouraging especially when we understand that we are called to take up our cross and follow Him through sickness and through persecution and through all sorts of tumult and that through it all He will never forsake us!
Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow Thee;
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my All shalt be.
Perish every fond ambition,
All I've sought or hoped or known;
Yet how rich is my condition!
God and heaven are still my own.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. (Matthew 16:24-25)
Brandon
Quick to Hear
This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger: James 1:19
Why are we so quick to defend ourselves when someone reproves or corrects us? My 4 children and 2 of the neighbor children were playing a game that I had to end because they couldn't stop arguing. After I end the game and sent the neighbor kids home my children were left trying to defend themselves. They had no interest in being corrected because of course they believed they were right. "And you neglected all my counsel and did not want my reproof" Proverbs 1:25 I wish I could say this was something my kids struggle with and that I'm excellent at receiving correction, but alas I fail too often to be quick to hear and slow to speak. I know that God's word is perfect, restoring the soul yet I still battle against godly wisdom at times. "But he who listens to me shall live securely and will be at ease from the dread of evil." Proverbs 1:33
I've learned that the more I'm in God's word, the more it's in me. I sin less often and when I do sin God reveals it to me and I'm quicker to respond in a godly way. When I am feeding my soul with scripture, the truths overcome the lies that I can tend to believe. I no longer feel driven to defend myself because I know that reproof with God's word produces wisdom and knowledge of God. "My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments within you, Proverbs 2:1 Then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God." Proverbs 2:5 What peace and joy I have in correction knowing that it's for my good and God's glory!
God is amazing in all that He is and does. He knows exactly what we need and is patient with us when we respond to His correction in sin. He is a gracious and merciful God who deserves all praise and glory.
Angie
Why are we so quick to defend ourselves when someone reproves or corrects us? My 4 children and 2 of the neighbor children were playing a game that I had to end because they couldn't stop arguing. After I end the game and sent the neighbor kids home my children were left trying to defend themselves. They had no interest in being corrected because of course they believed they were right. "And you neglected all my counsel and did not want my reproof" Proverbs 1:25 I wish I could say this was something my kids struggle with and that I'm excellent at receiving correction, but alas I fail too often to be quick to hear and slow to speak. I know that God's word is perfect, restoring the soul yet I still battle against godly wisdom at times. "But he who listens to me shall live securely and will be at ease from the dread of evil." Proverbs 1:33
I've learned that the more I'm in God's word, the more it's in me. I sin less often and when I do sin God reveals it to me and I'm quicker to respond in a godly way. When I am feeding my soul with scripture, the truths overcome the lies that I can tend to believe. I no longer feel driven to defend myself because I know that reproof with God's word produces wisdom and knowledge of God. "My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments within you, Proverbs 2:1 Then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God." Proverbs 2:5 What peace and joy I have in correction knowing that it's for my good and God's glory!
God is amazing in all that He is and does. He knows exactly what we need and is patient with us when we respond to His correction in sin. He is a gracious and merciful God who deserves all praise and glory.
Angie
Friday, March 1, 2013
Words
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1
This is my all time favorite verse, probably because it applies so much in my life.
I spend much of my day guarding what comes out of my mouth and not just the words but the attitude behind it. But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. Mathew 15:18 Knowing that what comes from my mouth is in my heart makes me battle harder to speak in a God honoring way. As I struggle to not snap at my husband or yell at my children I'm reminded that God gave me words for edification. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29 How can I praise a perfect and holy God then turn around and speak unkindly to my family? What kind of witness do I have in my home and in the world without kind, soft spoken words? I'm a sinner that God is growing into the godly woman who loves her family and desires to honor them with her words. There are times that I get frustrated because once again I have said something I regret as soon as it comes out. Then I remember, I serve a very forgiving God.
God never ceases to amaze me because His words are always encouraging even when mine aren't. I'm so thankful that God has given me a manual for this life so that I can strive to be more like Christ.
There's a song called "Words" by Hawk Nelson that seems to be written for me. The verse that stands out to me most is "I don't wanna say a word unless it points the world back to You."
Angie
This is my all time favorite verse, probably because it applies so much in my life.
I spend much of my day guarding what comes out of my mouth and not just the words but the attitude behind it. But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. Mathew 15:18 Knowing that what comes from my mouth is in my heart makes me battle harder to speak in a God honoring way. As I struggle to not snap at my husband or yell at my children I'm reminded that God gave me words for edification. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29 How can I praise a perfect and holy God then turn around and speak unkindly to my family? What kind of witness do I have in my home and in the world without kind, soft spoken words? I'm a sinner that God is growing into the godly woman who loves her family and desires to honor them with her words. There are times that I get frustrated because once again I have said something I regret as soon as it comes out. Then I remember, I serve a very forgiving God.
God never ceases to amaze me because His words are always encouraging even when mine aren't. I'm so thankful that God has given me a manual for this life so that I can strive to be more like Christ.
There's a song called "Words" by Hawk Nelson that seems to be written for me. The verse that stands out to me most is "I don't wanna say a word unless it points the world back to You."
Angie
The Good Connection
As I stand here at the airport on a Friday night waiting on my late flight, I am reminded of our finite nature. There is nothing like travel to bring a measure of humility to our doorstep. This reminder always comes as we battle with heavy traffic and late flights in the midst of other pressing issues of our lives. We live in a connected world as we buzz around doing business or whatever takes us to the places we go.
It actually amazes me how much time is saved with "modern technology". We have planes, trains, automobiles, phones, tablets and wide array of other technologies designed to make our lives better and in a lot of ways they do. It is truly a blessing to be able to travel from place to place around the world and stay connected to family and friends and to our work; but the older I get, the more I realize that we need time to be disconnected from these things. If we are not careful the things that are designed to make our lives better end up consuming us. We can be too connected.
We have to realize that we are designed to be plugged in but not to our smartphone. We are designed to be plugged in to our Lord through time in His Word and time spent in sweet prayer. The Psalmist says, the righteous man's delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. We are designed to spend time in sweet communion with our Lord. We are designed to be in constant connection with Him in prayer as His Word guides and shapes our meditations!
As I stand here in this airport in cold and windy Chicago, I want to always be reminded that my relationship with the Lord is the most important thing in life and remember that if I neglect time with The Lord, I cannot grow and become mature. Sadly, I have forgotten this truth many times and have paid dearly for my lapses; but our Lord is good and He loves and cares for us even when we fail.
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord , and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. (Psalms 1:1-3 NASB)
It actually amazes me how much time is saved with "modern technology". We have planes, trains, automobiles, phones, tablets and wide array of other technologies designed to make our lives better and in a lot of ways they do. It is truly a blessing to be able to travel from place to place around the world and stay connected to family and friends and to our work; but the older I get, the more I realize that we need time to be disconnected from these things. If we are not careful the things that are designed to make our lives better end up consuming us. We can be too connected.
We have to realize that we are designed to be plugged in but not to our smartphone. We are designed to be plugged in to our Lord through time in His Word and time spent in sweet prayer. The Psalmist says, the righteous man's delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. We are designed to spend time in sweet communion with our Lord. We are designed to be in constant connection with Him in prayer as His Word guides and shapes our meditations!
As I stand here in this airport in cold and windy Chicago, I want to always be reminded that my relationship with the Lord is the most important thing in life and remember that if I neglect time with The Lord, I cannot grow and become mature. Sadly, I have forgotten this truth many times and have paid dearly for my lapses; but our Lord is good and He loves and cares for us even when we fail.
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord , and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. (Psalms 1:1-3 NASB)
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