The Sanctifying Truth

How I'm Doing

2007-05-27T22:19:00.000-07:00

Several of you have recently mentioned you'd like to know how I'M doing. So I thought I'd take the time to post that over here on Sanctifying Truth, as most of what is going on with me is inside. This post may seem disjointed and random-sounding...but it's the quickest way to get my thoughts out...and I should be getting to bed!

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Physically:

I'm pregnant. And I feel every bit pregnant now. Someone at church said I'm "finally" starting to show. Ummm...ok. I thought I've been showing for months now! I still deal with some lower back/hip/pelvic bone pain, but it is not nearly as bad as it has been in the past. Some days are better than others, but most are on the better side.

Elijah can reach my ribs now, which is not always comfortable. I can't always breath easy because there's so much belly there. I often wonder how much bigger I'll get in these last two months if I'm already protruding this much.

I have been dealing with hell-fire indigestion the past few days. Tums barely works. Milk sort of works. But the best remedy I've found? An ice cream sandwich. Who knew? Too bad I can't eat those guilt free! I'm feeling the layers pudge on, but keep reminding myself it's ok because it's fuel for nursing Elijah. It came off with Judah; it will come off with Elijah.

I'm to the point now where I catch myself daydreaming and remembering what it was like to wear normal clothes, to sit in a chair and see a woman's body rather than a bulging belly. And for some reason, the picture is always me in my awesome Kohl's jeans and long sleeved red t-shirt -- the outfit I wore last New Year's when Autumn and Andy came through Evansville. I daydream of being "normal" again, looking it and feeling it.

But there IS an end to this pregnancy, it is a blessing that I CAN be pregnant, and who is inside me is worth far more than any momentary trials I have now. After all, two truths apply to my thoughts/feelings about my physical state: 1) Part of Eve's curse was pain in child-bearing...I don't think that curse was limited to just the labor/delivery part. 2) Children are indeed a blessing from the Lord, arrows in the hand of a warrior!

Emotionally:
I think I am on the upswing emotionally. There was a time recently when every Thursday seemed to be my "rough day" of the week. Anything could set me off to anger, tears, moodiness, you name it. But I think I'm good now, perhaps because I'm in my third trimester. I'm very excited about all the change that's about to happen -- our house-hunting trip in June, preparing for Elijah's arrival, the second c-section, having a toddler and newborn, seeing my hubby graduate with a master's degree, and moving to the other side of the country (again). It seems that Matt and I have done enough in our just-under-3-years of marriage to equal quite a few years of marriage! But it has been a grand adventure and continues to be.

There are hard sides, though. Am I prepared to be a mom of a toddler AND newborn? I have to establish nursing with a baby while having a 1.5 year old around. I have to lose sleep again. Start all over with parenting. I have fears of losing any of the bond I have with Judah, my sweet firstborn. To think of having to divide my attention away from him to care for another baby is very hard for me. But Matt faithfully reminds me that I had the same strong fear and sadness when it was time to wean Judah. He sat and watched me bawl the last time I nursed Judah -- but he reminds me that the connection was not lost or diminished at all, it just changed. And he is right...our bond will not lessen with Elijah's arrival, it will just change again. ::sigh:: I love my husband.

I have great relief knowing Elijah is coming by c-section. Praise God for His work in me to stop questioning His plan for my baby-birthing. I have reached the point to where I relish the thought of being able to wake up, shower, dry my hair, relax, and then go in to get my baby out rather than startling out of deep sleep, not showering, being in great pain for 14 hours, and THEN having a c-section. I think this recovery will be much faster and even better than my first recovery was because I WON'T have the labor first. I'll be fresh and ready rather than spent and weary. This is all assuming things will go normally. ;-) Who knows but that God has different plans than mine...again. But He knows best!

Spiritually:

The most impactful thing I have heard lately was a quote from Norma at last week's Bible study. We were discussing submission/rebellion of wives and husbands, and someone brought up children. Norma told us something she heard long ago, "Why are we so surprised when our children rebel since we model it for them every day?" ::gulp, gasp, swallow:: Talk about earth-shattering. All I could think about was the potential for Judah to grow up to be a short-fused, impatient, control-freak, perfectionist of a man because that is what he saw in his Momma. What Norma said reminded me in the clearest way ever that it is oh-so-important for me to keep my walk with Christ TOP priority in my life so that I can be a good example for my sons. My influence as a mother who is with them nearly 24/7 is far greater than I will ever realize. But then, I can look at how many times I think to myself "I just felt like my mom." Kids really do end up mirroring their parents in one small way or another big way.

My biggest struggle lately has been prayer. My spiritual life seems to go in waves. Either I am a great Bible scholar OR a faithful prayer warrior. I've never had both at the same time, and I'm frustrated with that. It seems that when I am a Bible scholar, I should be ever increasing in my prayer life as I learn more of who God is and who I am. But it doesn't happen. However, I know it's about to and I'm on my way. It's been quite the journey this time to reach for the prayer life. Our pastor is doing a Sunday night study on prayer. We've missed quite a few but are trying to catch up with the messages posted online. It is an amazing, helpful, motivating study. For example, tonight Jim emphasized one point that answered prayer is something we can EXPECT from God if we are truly His. God wants us to ask of Him! Jim said it is even safe to say that we can freely ask God to answer our prayers so that we can have assurance we are His. How awesome is that? But, that doesn't mean the answer will always be yes, of course. ;-)

The Bible study I've been going to has been incredible. Norma has taught us ladies how to study the Bible for ourselves. It's such a simple method with the right tools and perspective. Sure, I went to Masters and got excellent teachings on the Bible from men with PhD's. But I needed someone to teach me HOW to study the Bible by myself from a WOMAN'S perspective. God is so good to give us what we need in the way that we need it! We're working through I Peter right now. But at the same time, I'm kind of jealous of Matt who is reading the Bible straight through this year. He shares so many insightful comments and new stories I've never heard! Makes me want to quit the in-depth studying of I Peter and start devouring from Genesis to Revelation...but I gotta stay disciplined and finish learning I & II Peter. THEN I will hop right to reading straight through!

I'm also really working on letting go of some of my control/perfectionist tendencies. I have made small progress -- such as not refolding towels after Matt has done them and then NOT caring when I saw the stack of hand towels under the sink that did not look like a Bed Bath & Beyond display. Instead I chose to be thankful that I was not the one that had to spend the time/energy folding them and that my husband chose to serve me in that small way. That's a huge step for me, people! To adopt the idea that things can be done in ways different than mine and still be perfectly fine -- wow. "But my way is the most efficient way!" is my cry. Then my husband retorts, "It doesn't matter how it gets done as long as it gets done." Talk about a difference in our approach to tasks! But he's right. If our bathroom gets cleaned without me looking, I'm totally fine with it. If I'm watching the cleaner, it kills me inside...and I end up wanting to just do it myself. Matt did let me talk him through every step of how I clean our bathtub though...he's so gracious to this obsessive cleaner (when I get around to cleaning that is!).

I am trying to think before becoming impatient over things that HONESTLY do not matter. It's so refreshing to let the silly things slide instead of getting all worked up, then frustrated, then silently angry, and then have to apologize and start over again. Trust me though...I've still got a long way to go! I'm just so thankful God has given me a husband with a loooooong fuse and a heart that wants to understand his wife. I truly am blessed to be in a marriage where accounts are kept short. TOTALLY God's grace, I assure you. It takes humility (ouch!) and communication. Matt's much better at it than I am!

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I'd include a "mentally" category, but I'm not sure what I'd even write for that one. What I've written are the key points in my life right now...my mental state is pretty much comprised of daily tasks and memory loss. :-P

So, that's me in a nutshell and where I'm at right now. Thanks for letting me get that all out!

The Dining Room

2007-04-20T16:08:00.000-07:00

Ah, the dining room. How far it has come...and how far I want it to go. For a while we had our computer desk and dinette set in there. (That computer desk has been moved around more times than I'd like to count.) The dinette set was a newlywed gift and very appreciated but definitely temporary. You can't expect to have a $100 dining table/chairs long term. Perhaps if we had chosen better in the first place, it would not have become an issue as soon as it did. I loved the iron, and that is why we chose it. But a glass top smudges anytime you touch it -- and kids make it worse. Iron also wobbles quite badly when you barely knock it which is both embarassing and mess-making. Iron/glass also can create a more cluttery feel as it doesn't weight the room down. It doesn't serve as a very solid focal point for a dining room. It would be better used in a breakfast nook or sunroom where it is not the main function of the room. And when you want to have people over, four chairs around a small table doesn't really allow for many guests. But, like I've said before, if it is a gift or freebie...use the heart out of it while you save up for your long-term purchase.

We were blessed to be able to purchase our "lifetime" dining room set back in January. Then came the debate -- do we get all 8 chairs or just 6 for now? We had the money and the more you buy the better a deal you can get. We knew we'd have this table for a LONG time because it is quality and a classic style. So we got all 8 chairs. If you can swing it, do it in order to avoid "intermediate" purchases.

Notice, we also reinvented uses for some gifted furniture. We were using some of my dad's old bookshelves as a "buffet" (used for holding entertaining pieces in a dining room, placed at the far end of the room), but knew that when children came it'd be impractical. So, we put Matt's old dresser in place of the shelves because drawers conceal breakables and offers more practical storage. We shortened the shelves and now use them as a shoe rack in our closet.

Bookcases are the bane of my interior decorating existance. I can't stand them. Books look so cluttery no matter how you organize them. I can't wait to have a spot to put them out of sight -- they'd be ok in a real office because they are expected there. Or even bookshelves with doors on the front would be superb. But for now, open air books they remain.

Note the odd groupings in the room as it is now (third picture):
~3 main pieces of furniture along the wall: bookshelf, dresser, bookshelf
~3 wall hangings: spoon, portrait, fork
~5 family pictures: notice how we turned the frames so that they are not all hanging the exact same, and the middle one is larger than the rest. Creates intrest and symmetry. The horizontal line also goes with the flow of the large dining room table. The wood tone also matches the table (which I would love for the bookshelves and dresser, but you can't do everything all at once!).

Before the movers arrived with our stuff...

The "intermediate" dining room with bookshelves as the buffet.

What our dining room is today (only we now have all 8 chairs out). To finish off this room, I'd Move the bookshelves OUT -- who has a library in a dining room anyway? Then I would replace the bookshelf buffet with the buffet that matches our dining set. I'd probably leave the 5 pictures on the current wall because it would be too bare without them since it is such a big wall. That would leave the spoon/fork and portrait above the buffet. If the room were bigger, I'd shove the table over a little and put the matching buffet under the 5 pictures. And we can't forget about paint -- though I'm not sure what color I'd use since we're planning to get a new set of dinnerware in the next year or two. :-)

For Alicia: Master Bedroom

2007-04-17T10:56:00.000-07:00

The Master Bedroom -- a safe haven of relaxation, rest, and romance. I truly believe that for young couples starting to make their house a home, the master bedroom should be first on the list. What is the marriage after all but the very core of the home's existence?

Here is the before.

This is after we dared to put golden yellow on the walls. It was tough to choose a color because the colors of our bedding are all dark. But I had a hunch that if we picked up the gold embroidery, it would look nice. And we still love it to this day! I grew up in a yellow room, so it is nice to continue with that. It really helps you wake up in the morning too -- especially if the sunrise hits the yellow walls and makes your room what we like to call "The Room of the Rising Sun."

This picture also shows our bedroom before we were blessed with the finances to get a bedroom furniture set. The mattresses were still on the floor, and we were using Matt's dresser that he grew up with (which was busting at the seams with clothes). Enter my "intermediate furniture" discussion. Notice the basket cubes we were using as nightstands. We bought those in Jackson for $40 total. They also served as storage for blankets. Their purpose was served, but when we could afford the bed frame...the nightstands suddenly became pitiful and inconvenient. Did we honestly NEED nightstands before we could afford the real thing? I bet not. We could have put the lamps on the dresser. So that was $40 we didn't really have to spend at that time that could have gone towarsd purchasing a real furniture set. We sold the baskets at a garage sale because they don't go anywhere else in our house. These basket nightstands are just one of many examples of "intermediate furniture" I think couples making a new home can wait on. Sometimes we get in such a rush to have it all and make it all look nice, that we start sacrificing patience and financial wisdom for immediate gratification. (Now, if something is gifted to you, obviously use it until you can afford exactly what you want.) Note how in the picture below, the nightstands were dwarfed and made obsolete because of how small they were compared to our new bed/dresser.

The following two pictures are of our dresser. The first shows what it was before I "simplified." We were hanging onto that tear-drop lamp because it was a wedding gift and because of its unique beading. But it was a hassle of a lamp that really didn't offer much light. I can't even remember if we sold it or packed it away.

Some examples of using on-hand sentimental items for decor:

~The picture frames are actually from our wedding reception (Matt growing up, me growing up, and pics from our dating/engaged time). I used acrylic paint to do a dark green wash over the wooden frames and then painted a clear coat on top for shine. They look superb with the dark green in our bedding . They also contrast well with the yellow walls whereas their natural tone would have been lost in the yellow.

~The green bottle with the note in it was a Valentine's card from Matt. The green goes well with our bedding and the frames. The bottle also lends to the romance in the room. I draped a shell necklace from Hawaii around it to add interest to its plain sides, but it is a necklace that has dark wooden beads on it so it's not so stark against the green.

~The red beaded box beside the bottle was also a Valentine's gift from Matt. It goes with the Moroccan Romance theme of our room but serves a practical purpose by holding all my bracelets.

Again, notice how groupings of three please the eye. There are three groups on the dresser to mirror the three picture frames. And in the second picture, you can see how using items that are similar in height is much cleaner than having a tall lamp and short bottle on either side of the dresser. It is much more balanced (and easier to dust). I also took away the picture frames that were sitting on the dresser. They were only adding a cluttery look and took away from the three hanging picture frames.

This last picture shows how waiting paid off -- we were able to finally get the nightstands that matched our bedroom set. (Notice how much better they look than the wimpy baskets? The lamps sit much more stable on a flat surface than a weave and we can actually reach them now!) We waited until we knew we could afford them as well as a new couch/comfy chair. If you can wait until you have enough money to get several pieces of furniture, you can usually negotiate a better deal with the salesperson. Having the full amount at purchase time also can get you a better deal. Never buy anything without first leaving the store for a few hours if not overnight. It's amazing how clear your mind is when you return a second time to look at what you want.

Also, notice how the color of our walls also goes with the quilt we got from Matt's grandma? If you do have two bedding sets that you can use in the master bedroom, pick a wall color that will allow you to switch the look on a whim. It keeps interest without having to spend a dime! Anytime you can move a piece of furniture, a knick knack, or play with fabric, it'll take the edge off of wanting something new/different without taking an edge off of your budget!

And to your sewing machine comment, it does increase your options. After we got the quilt, I went through my chest of fabric and made the two orange pillow cases and the green sash for our existing purple pillow. Then, with the recent FIND OF THE CENTURY $27 king sheet set, we now have a completed second bedding set. I love that the dust ruffle of the Moroccan set happens to be dark purple...but then I think almost anything would go with this wild, fun quilt!

For Alicia: Living Room

2007-04-12T14:37:00.000-07:00

Leesh, I'll go a room at a time, otherwise this post would be mega long and take too big a chunk of my time. We'll start with the living room. I hope this inspires and encourages you!

Remember above all: it takes time, a watchful eye for sales, patience to wait for exactly what you want to come along within your price range, an open mind, and a stick-to-it spirit when it comes to saving for something. One of our biggest lessons has been buying "intermediate" stuff. I'll talk more about this when I do our master bedroom post.

Our living room started with white walls. We lived with white walls in Jackson -- and we had to have color now! It adds such a warm feeling and makes a place feel much more like a home. Matt chose a peachy orange color, and we chose two shades darker for the fireplace wall for depth and interest. Our gifted couch was a cream leather and the end tables and coffee table we had been able to purchase over time were black to match the black entertainment center I brought to the marraige. Black and white furniture was another reason we felt it necessary to paint the walls. Look at the difference a can of paint can make!

White walls (before the movers arrived with our stuff -- which was a month after we got here...but it did give us time to paint without furniture around).

Painting in process and then finished. Amazing difference, huh?

Our mantle has had two different looks. I use some of the decor from our wedding throughout our apartment because it goes with the colors we like. For a while we had an orange/red theme in the living room to try and bring more color to the black/white furniture. Then Matt's mom gifted us with a clock that went superbly with our Asian-feeling furniture. So I changed up the mantle to make it cleaner, simpler, but still stylish. I like both looks, but having less on the mantle wall goes better with the room as a whole since we have more furniture in it now.

We got rid of TV/cable because we can watch almost all the shows we like online and it's free to not have cable. ;-) Exit huge black entertainment center which opened up the room a TON! It also got rid of multiple focal points -- the entertainment center and fireplace. A room should really only have one focal point if it is a smaller room (which apartments don't have huge rooms!). While our fireplace still isn't the "hey look at me" point in the room, it's no longer competing with anything. It flows with the room now.

We waited and watched for a good sale on a couch and comfy chair (thank you Ashley's) and were able to purchase a dark sage set which will go with many different colors/styles should we decide to change it later. You'd think sage wouldn't go with peachy orange walls, but it looks superb (thanks for wearing the right color pants, Jaclyn!). The dark sage also goes with the black Asian style coffe table, end tables, lamps, and larger end table (which we got over time using the "remember above all" advice I said at the beginning of the post). The key really is patience, searching for exactly what you want in store and online, watching for sales, and waiting until you know you can afford it.

I have quite a few candles, so I use some of them in my decor. The simple wall boxes are from Target. Not hanging things in a straight line adds interest and keeps the eye moving.

Though the living room isn't huge, we measured before we moved furniture and figured out that the couch, chair, tables, and desk could all fit. It has a very coffee house-ish feel and is quite pleasant. And it's better than having an offersy or dinoffice room. So don't be afraid to get creative when thinking about furniture placement. It's an apartment not a house -- rules are made to be bent.

Don't put all your furniture flush against the wall. We angled our chair, and our couch and desk are about 2" off the wall (called floating). It keeps things from feeling cramped and grounded. It really does make a difference. Also, though the desk isn't black to match the other tables (it'd be overpowering if it was black, so I'm thankful it's not), it does blend with the walls enough to where it looks nice. The black technology also helps fuse it with the room.

Don't know how you feel about curtains, but I really find that they clutter up a room. Now, if it was a huge open room with big windows, sure I'd say something should be hung. But really, the simplicity and clean lines of a window can be decor in itself. It showcases architecture, geometry, and nature as you look through it or allow the sunshine in. That is why I have done nothing to the three square windows -- which you'll noticed are mirrored by the three black boxes on the opposite wall and the three items on the mantle wall. That brings balance to the room. And curtains on the sliding door/window would just make the room way too heavy.

Rule of thumb when decorating: groups of odd numbers are more appealing to the senses than groups of even numbers. Just some examples:

~Three boxes: 2 contain one candle each and the middle contains three candles.
~Mantle: 3 groupings total; one with 3 items (wall), one with 3 items (left side of mantle has candle lamp, statue, candle), and the other with 5 (right side has picture, candle, tiara, and two crystal figurines)
~Desk: group of three wooden holders (seen better in above picture)
~Chair's end table: only one plant and nothing

Any questions on the Living Room Post? :-)

New Easter Tradition & Excellent Easter Message

2007-04-09T14:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, instead of hunting for traditional Easter eggs, Judah hunted for Resurrection Eggs. They are 12 plastic eggs numbered 1-12 that each contain a Scripture reference and trinket. By the time all the Scriptures are read, you will have been through the Easter story. It was alot of fun teaching him how to look for the eggs, put them in the carton, and then sit as a family while Judah opened each egg and we remembered what Christ did for us. No boiling, no dye mess, no worry over lost eggs that might rot or eggs being crushed. And a great way to start Easter Day - with the original Easter story! Here is a list of what is in each egg and the reference that goes with it. We may alter the references for ourselves so they will flow better for us as a family. (The ladies made these at Titus Tuesday last year; click on the pics to see detail of what's in the eggs.)

Egg 1 - , a fake leaf
Egg 2 - , a piece of cloth sprayed with perfume
Egg 3 - , a pretzel
Egg 4 - , a coin
Egg 5 - , a small cross
Egg 6 - , a thorny stick
Egg 7 - , a dice
Egg 8 - , a nail
Egg 9 - , a piece of sponge
Egg 10 - , whole cloves
Egg 11 - , a stone
Egg 12 - , EMPTY!

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Jim's message was incredible! He spoke on the 6 marks of true faith. It was very reassuring to my own heart with recent events in my life. It was also superb to receive a concise list describing what true faith looks like. The message was based on Romans 4:16-25 and titled "The Unbelievable Thing About Faith."

INTRODUCTION:

What is the hardest thing to believe? That someone could heal the sick? That someone would die on behalf of another? Or that someone could be raised from the dead? Speaking in practical terms, one of the hardest things for a person to believe is this: that God saves ungodly people through faith alone. Man's pride refuses to accept that human nature is unspeakably wicked, that righteous deeds have no value for buying eternal life, and that no person has the ability to earn salvation. So accepting faith as the only way to approach God is hard to do. It goes against our nature.

Here's the beautiful thing: Jesus healed the sick and died for us and rose again in order to (among other things) prove that faith alone will bring us to salvation in Him. The Apostle Paul speaks of this in Romans 4. By studying his words, we gain great assurance of salvation and a clear understanding of all that faith involves.

DEFINITION of TERMS:

Justification - legal; we are declared not guilty and righteous through Jesus Christ
Imputation - financial; we are given the righteousness of Christ when our debt is cancelled by His blood
Substitution - Christ took our sin and gave us His righteousness

Declared, given, took. All things we can't do for ourselves. God will not allow anything to take away from Christ's glory: works, tradition, heritage, etc.

SIX SIDES of TRUE FAITH:

I admit my weakness (4:19) - Abraham knew it was impossible apart from God for he and Sarah to have a baby in their hold age.
I seek God's glory, not my own (4:20) - Abraham recognized it was about God and what God was doing, not himself and what he could do.
I bank on God's promises (4:20-21) - Abraham believed God's promises and lived his life accordingly though the promises seemed ludicrous, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
I depend upon God's power, not my own (4:21) - Abraham took things into his own hands and had a child by Hagar, but no matter how he begged, God reminded him He had chosen the son Sarah would have to be the true heir. Abraham's efforts to procreate only caused problems; but God's effort produced Isaac, the rightful heir. What does your heart depend on?
I place my hope in God (4:18) - Though it occasionally wavered, Abraham had hope that God would fulfill His promises. Do you always look ahead to temporal goals or to eternal expectations. If someone asked you what you expect out of life, do you say "Home, car, 3.5 kids, doctorate..." or do you say "To eventually be with Christ and be like Him, eternally worshipping with the saints in heaven..." (Matthew 6:33) Ouch!
Do you expect your life to change? - Abraham was uprooted from all he had known to go where he did not know on the basis of future promises...some that he never even saw fulfilled with his own eyes. Trust God with where He will take you. If you put your faith in Him and follow where He leads, your life WILL change. Trust Him with where He will take you, as Catherine trusts Jim when he pushes her wheel chair. She can't see Jim because he is behind her giving the power. He doesn't audibly tell her which way they will turn; he just does it. But she trusts him that he won't let go of her chair, leave her, or let her run into anything. She is fully secure in her daddy's leading and enjoys the ride -- a beautiful picture!

Put Off & Put On

2007-03-17T20:34:00.000-07:00

Last week, we finished up Colossians in our Bible study. We went over the last two chapters, one section being the "put off's" and "put on's" that Paul lists. These lists follow one of Paul's quotables: "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth" (3:2). I don't remember who it was that said it, but how profound! Every "put off" that Paul lists is a sin that starts in...the mind!!! That is why he prefaced it all with telling us to set our minds on heavenly things, because it will lead us away from sin and into Christ-likeness. Here is the list of "put off's" that grow out of the mind. Think about how each of these begin as thoughts. They don't even have to be fleshed out to be sinful.

~Immorality
~Impurity
~Passion
~Evil Desires
~Greed
~Anger
~Wrath
~Malice
~Slander
~Abusive Speech

All of the "put on's" that Paul lists also start with the mind. They start with thinking, "Because of what Christ has done for me, I will respond to Him by willfully being... And this is a way I can flesh it out."

~Compassion
~Kindness
~Humility
~Gentleness
~Patience
~Forebearance
~Forgiveness
~Love
~Peace

We are called to stop the first list dead in its tracks before it manifests itself outside the mind -- and preferrably reach a point where it does not even enter the mind (praise God, heaven is coming). The second list we are to train our minds to follow AND manifest outwardly towards others. We just started Philippians -- and to this hard task I add a word of encouragement...

You can do all things through Christ who gives you the strength to do what you should!

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Another very meaninful thought was based on the big picture of Colossians. The first two chapters tell us what Christ has done for us and Who He is. The last two chapters tell us what our response should be to Christ. It hit me...SO often I fall into the moral To Do checklist mentality. I do what is right because it is what is expected of me as a Christian. While it is one correct conclusion, it is not the supreme conclusion as to why I must live according to Scripture. Why I do what I do SHOULD be done as a loving, thankful response to Christ for what He did for me on Calvary. That should be my motivation for doing right. I am not a Christian because I am a good person. I am a CHRISTian because I identify with Christ, and it is because of His work that I even CAN be obedient to Him. Amazingly simple but profound thought, huh?

So forget your moral To Do list, and do what you do because you want to show Christ how thankful you are to Him for what He has done!

Applications Concerning Jesus

2007-03-02T10:12:00.000-08:00

Last week in my study of Colossians, one of the assignments was to read the whole book and list everything Paul said about Jesus whether stated or implied. It was a long list! Today, I was to take that list and divide it into A) Jesus as God and B) Jesus as Savior and Lord. That part was easy. Then I was instructed to go through EACH item and ponder it, apply it to my life. That was the hard part -- talk about humbling, convicting, and praise-inducing! I thought I'd list the ones that impacted me most. I pray it opens your eyes more to just how powerful Christ is and how much more He deserves from us than we give!

Sits at the right hand of God (3:1) – This reminds me that His work is truly finished. Christ reigns over sin and death. His blood covers me, and I am found righteous in God’s eyes. Now I need to work on truly being the righteous one He sees.
Creator of…Recipient of…Head of… (1:16) – Christ is more powerful than I remember. He is not just the Man who died for my sin and I can call Friend. He is the Great I AM!
Before all things/Beginning (1:17, 18) – Christ is one with the Father and Spirit, just as powerful. He is God!
Is in all (3:11) – Christ dwells within ME. God of the universe who died for my sinful wickedness chose to live with me every moment of every day no matter how many times I fail Him.

Trustworthy (1:3) – His will for me is perfect. He will finish what He started in me. He knows what is best for me. He is the only being who is perfectly trustworthy. Why do I try to be in control so much? He does a much better job than me, a fallible human!
Peace (3:15) – He gives the peace that passes all understanding. Why do I stress and worry so much over things that don’t affect eternity? When I try to be in control, stress reigns as I try to keep chaos at bay. When Christ is in control, peace reigns in my heart because He is trustworthy and able.
Rescued us from darkness (1:13) – While I was alienated, hostile, and engaged in evil deeds, He still chose to rescue me from my eternal doom. And even though I fail Him every day, He never lets me go and will not let darkness overtake me.
Redeemed us through His death (1:14, 22) – He lived a perfect life and chose to die a cruel death so that I would not have to. I do not cherish this thought NEARLY as much as I should. I do not understand the full reality of what He went through to save me the pain and eternal separation from God. I must praise Him more both through worship and through living according to His will!
Forgives/Obtained for us the forgiveness of our sins (1:14, 22; 2:13-14; 3:13) – Seven thousand times Seventy Thousand! I fail Him multiple times every day, but He has forgiven even the sins I don’t even recognize. He is gracious and merciful, knowing that I can not be perfect this side of heaven. He covers me and makes with without spot or blemish. He is the greatest Friend of all who hides my faults within Himself.
Presents us holy and blameless before the Father (1:22) – I am not holy and blameless from a human perspective. Christ knows I have a long way to go, but His Spirit dwells within me to help me. However, because of Christ’s work on the cross, He presents me spotless in righteousness before the Father. His righteousness covers me. How humbling!
Offers Himself to Gentiles (1:27) – Oh what a mystery! We are not God’s chosen nation, but He has chosen to graft our wild olive branches into His cultivated olive tree. Wild dogs among the best breed. Wild flowers growing in a manicured garden. Ragamuffin kids adopted into a family of royalty. And yet He loves us EQUALLY. He sees us all as His very own. He sees us as one!
Was buried and rose again so that we can be too (2:12) – I do not appreciate the resurrection and give it the place of reverence it deserves. Had Christ not been able to rise from the dead, all would have been in vain. It was not enough for Him to live a perfect life and die on a cross for my sin. He had to conquer death, the consequence of sin. Because He DID conquer death, it has no hold on me now. It bends to His will, not its own. His resurrection is the proof we have that He is above all the rest, that He is the one true God.
Created the new self (3:10) – He is the power behind the new self within me. No matter how strong my flesh is fighting, I can know that it has no power over me and I do not have to give in. So many times, though, I do follow my flesh. I need to recognize the power of the Spirit more often and rely on it rather than myself to conquer temptation.
The hope of glory (1:27) – Without Christ, what is the point of living life? Life without hope should just be called living death. Without the goal of Christ and eternity in His kingdom as perfect beings, life is not worth living. He is our hope of eternal glory!
Strength (1:11) – He gives me strength for the journey when my strength is gone. He has an unending supply – why do I not rely on Him more?
Assurance of His will (4:12) – As I see things happen in my life, I need to more prayerfully rely on Him for where to go and what to do. He has a will – I need to seek it! He will be faithful to lead me through and assure me that His will is where I need to be. Assurance may come before, during, or after; but my trust in His goodness should be present at every stage.
Has a will for us (1:9; 4:12, 17) – He has laid out a story specifically for me. I need not compare my life to anyone else’s because His will for me is perfectly suited. He knows best; I must trustingly, faithfully follow.
Finds pleasure in us (1:10) – How Christ can find pleasure in me is a beautiful mystery because I see so much imperfection. His love is boundless and unfathomable. It is humbling to remember I can please Him!
Leader (1:1, 7) – He is the only One I need to follow. He will never fail me nor forsake me as His follower. I can trust Him!
Enough (2:8) – This world has nothing for me, and this world has everything. Why do I so often run to people and things to find satisfaction? Christ is enough.
Life (3:4) – I should be living my life in such a way that others know Who has given it to me. He has given me abundant life…now I need to live that life to the fullest!
Motivation (3:17, 23) – Whatever I do, I need to do it heartily as for the Lord rather than for men or myself. It is the Lord Christ whom I must serve above any other!

And that wasn't even half of my list about Jesus! Try it yourself...read through Colossians and write down everything stated and implied about who Christ is and what He has done! You'll be amazed!

Paul's Famous Run-On's: Colossians 1:3-12

2007-02-26T20:47:00.000-08:00

I have recently made a thought-out decision to change where I participate in Women's Ministry from Titus 2sdays to a Tuesday night women's Bible study. T2sday meets every other week and offers great fellowship with other women, practical advice, and a devotional. The Bible Study By Myself study meets every Tuesday and provides the same fellowship with women but also a deeper amount of intellectual and spiritual involvement from me (and Judah can stay at home instead of go to nursery...and I don't have to find a ride home). Not to mention, the subject -- studying the Bible by yourself -- is one I have had great interest in. Several ladies commented to me last week that I should have everything down and have much to offer because of the teaching I received at Master's. To that I said, "Ah yes, but that was from men with Ph.D.'s. This is from a woman!" meaning that I will take it to heart much more because I can relate to who is teaching it.

That said, this past week I have fast forwarded through the first three weeks of the study in order to get caught up to where the other women are since I came in at week 3. It has been so exciting to see a new, simple, but profound method of Bible study! Here is a sample of one thing Norma (who also happens to be my prayer partner for this year) taught from week 2. Paul is known for his run-on sentences that can be quite hard to decipher. But one of the asignments was "Divide and conquer!". Norma had us take Colossians 1:3-12 and rewrite it into smaller sentences to capture the meaning of the orginal. She encouraged us to try to use the original words as much as possible but to add some connecting words to provide cohesion. Here is the original run-on...

We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth; just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit. For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.

And here is how I rewrote it. Isn't it amazing how much is unlocked when you put time and thought into just a few verses! If you wonder about something, spend time with it to see how you can understand it!

We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you. We heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints. You have this love because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth – the gospel. Just as the gospel has come to you, it has come to the world also and has been constantly bearing fruit and increasing in you all since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth. You learned of the gospel from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf. He also informed us of your love in the Spirit. Since the day we heard of your love, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. We pray that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord: pleasing Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. We also pray that you will be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, so that you may attain all steadfastness and patience. We joyously give thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints of Light.

February 19th Entry from "Evening by Evening"

2007-02-19T18:51:00.000-08:00

Espeically for you stay-at-home-moms...

[Andrew] first findeth his own brother Simon. - John 1:41

This case is an excellent example of what happens when spiritual life is vital. As soon as a man has found Christ, he begins to find others. I will not believe that you have tasted of the honey of the Gospel if you can eat it all yourself. True grace puts an end to all spiritual monopoly. Andrew first found his own brother Simon and then others. Relationship has a very strong demand upon our initial individual efforts. Andrew did well to begin with Simon. I do not doubt that there are some Christians giving away tracts at other people's houses who would do well to give away a tract at their own. Likewise, I wonder whether there are not some who are engaged in works of ministry abroad who are neglecting their special sphere of usefulness at home. You may or may not be called to evangelize people in a particular locality, but certainly you are called to see after your own household, your own relatives, and your acquaintances. Let your religion begin at home. Many tradesmen export their best commodities -- the Christian should not. All his conversation everywhere should carry the best aroma; but let him pay special care to put forth the sweetest fruit of spiritual life and testimony among his own family. When Andrew went to find his brother, he could not have imagined how eminent Simon would become. Simon Peter was worth ten Andrews as far as we can gather from sacred history, yet Andrew was instrumental in bringing him to Jesus. You may be very deficient in talent yourself, yet you may be the means of drawing to Christ one who will become prominent in grace and service. Dear friend, little do you know the possibilities that are in you. You may merely speak a word to a child, and in that child there may be slumbering a noble heart that will stir the Christian church in years to come. Andrew had only two talents, but he found Peter. Go and do likewise.

-Charles Spurgeon

Enraged But Not Surprised

2007-02-06T13:29:00.000-08:00

Follow this link for a short article: Wash. initiative would require married couples to have kids

Such immature, sinful, babies of adults. Totally blinded to the Truth.

PONDER: NOAH

2007-01-27T13:05:00.000-08:00

I read the story of Noah outloud the other day both for my own devotions and so Judah could hear it as he played. SEVERAL thoughts and questions occured to me as I read. The one that sticks out most concerns Noah's sons. Shem, Ham, and Japheth as well as their wives were also allowed on the ark. Now, we know that Noah was considered the only righteous man on earth -- which is why God chose to save him to continue humankind post-flood. I'd never thought about the spiritual status of his sons before now. Would God have allowed them on the ark if they were just like everyone else, corrupt beyond all measure? I'm not so sure He would have. Why destroy the earth because of the rampant evil and save 3 evil men to repopulate the earth? Perhaps Noah raised his sons according to God's ways, and they followed in their father's righteous footsteps. Does this mean their wives were also righteous? Noah's wife was also allowed on the ark. Does that mean she too was righteous like Noah? OR did God extend extra grace to Noah's family because of his righteous standing in God's eyes? Of course, Noah couldn't have repopulated the earth by himself. And I'm pretty sure he and his wife alone couldn't have considering Noah was 600+ at the time of the flood.

So. Were Noah's children righteous? Or were they shown grace because of Noah's character and the need for them to repopulate the earth?

*We do know that after the flood, Ham brought upon himself a curse from Noah because he basically acted like an immature teenage boy -- telling his brothers their father was naked in his tent instead of doing something about it like Shem and Japheth. But does that mean Ham was not righteous overall? We all slip up. Or was this really Ham's character? (Genesis 9)

Another interesting thought...if the world was SO evil and corrupt that God destroyed all living things save for just a few, what must it have been like??? We look at the world around us and are positively disgusted at the raging sin. And we don't even know EVERYTHING that happens under the sun as God does. We just know what happens around us and what gets reported in the media. Was Noah's day really more evil than ours? Or is it the same and God is just holding out a little longer before He brings in the new heaven and earth?

Just some thoughts to ponder.

The Davinci Code

2007-01-18T13:43:00.000-08:00

Yes. We watched it last night. Matt read the book awhile ago, so we both already knew the storyline. I think now I understand why there was so much controversy surrounding the book/movie. For those unfamiliar with it, here's the gist...

Christ had a wife -- Mary Magdelene -- who appears next to him in Davinci's famous Lord's Supper painting. When Christ was crucified, Mary fled to France while pregnant with their child. To protect "royal bloodline" of Christ, the child and every descendant after were kept secret and protected from Opus Dei by a group, the Priory of Scion (sp??). On the other side is the group Opus Dei (Catholic/Christian) who are seeking to kill all descendants so it can never be outed that Christ was a farse and thus their religion is saved. Through a series of murders and solved mysteries involving Davinci's work, the two main characters find out that the woman Sophie is the last living descendant of Christ...and she doesn't even really believe in God.

And why are lots of people all huffy about this movie? Because it blasphemes Christ, claiming He is not God in flesh but just a mere man who had a wife and child and happened to do miracles too. God forbid they should make a movie like this, they say! Shame on them. Shame on who?

The unbelievers who wrote the story and made the movie? Why should we expect anything different from them? They are doing exactly what is in them to do...that which is contrary to the Truth. I agree it is an apalling storyline -- because it defames my Savior and spreads lies about Who He truly is. But I won't let it get me in a tizzy that this movie actually made it to the big screen and the book became a best-seller. I know the Truth, and it has set me free. And once the creators meet the Creator whether in this life or next, they too will know the Truth -- and when they meet Christ will determine whether or not they are free eternally.

Self-Relization

2006-11-15T21:20:00.000-08:00

Do you ever have times when you are alone and thinking quite deeply about who you are? I had one of those times on Tuesday as I drove alone in the car to a brunch with some ladies. It was a 40 minute drive through the beautiful hills of the San Andreas Fault with a lovely blue sky half-covered with gorgeous white & gray clouds of varying heights and textures. It helped that I was listening to Josh Groban's new cd on our car's stereo system...such beautiful music, and the catalyst to the thinking that brought about some self-realization.

As I listened to various aspects of the music, I realized that most if not all the songs are based on a waltz rythm. A very classic form of music. The songs include strings and drums (specifically snare) that are traditional instruments for the waltz. The voices that would match the waltz would be operatic. But this is Josh Groban style -- popera as some have termed it. His tone is modern, his talent classic. He combines the strings and other orchestra elements with electric guitar and keyboard. Classic but modern. Tradition with a twist, if you will.

And this thought process brought me to realize that is also what was said of my wedding -- Tradition with a Twist. We had candlelight, but it was black iron with fat pillar candles rather than metalic holders with taper candles. We had black attire with splashes of silver paisley print. My dress was oh-so-formal, a classic ball gown with lace, pearls, and sequins and a sleek satin ribon at the waist. A picture perfect formally classic evening wedding...with crazy bright flowers and Phil Keagy's music. A not-far cry from what it was going to be -- all red roses. That one change in flower choice made my wedding what I'd always dreamed it to be rather than feeling stifled by "traditionally typical." (Note: Red roses are great for others, just not me.)

I'm a wife and mother who stays at home. I have a degree in Home Economics. What would I be if I worked in the secular world? A geneticist -- preferably on the cutting edge of genetic counseling technology. Talk about two occupations worlds apart as far as knowledge, skill, work place, demansd, and hours. The only thing linking the two is that a genetic counselor helps moms have babies.

Then it hit me. This theme is the fiber of my being. All that I am and hope to be stems from the "tradition with a twist" idea. It may sound silly, but for me it runs very deep and at times is very perplexing and frustrating. I am traditional -- manners, dress, speech, beliefs, values, etc. And I know that is what many people see me as. But it is frustrating when I can see how much MORE there is to me, what lies deep within my heart and head that is so different from my exterior. And I can't share it with everyone because it would take years of knowing me. I'm not even sure it is something that can be put into words; you just have to learn it, see it, recognize it, and take it seriously. I would never wish to do away with my traditional side for it is definitely part of who I am...not just a facade. Everyone sees the sturdy ship, but some are keen enough to get a glimpse of the mermaid at its side.

But then I wondered -- is this dichotomy really who I am, or is it spirit versus flesh. Another way "tradition with a twist" manifests itself is as a goody-two-shoes spitfire. I was even teased about being a goody-two-shoes in school (I even remember the guy's name). I've been seen in that light all my life. Praise God, I suppose. Better that than other names girls can be called. But oh how hypocritical I can be BECAUSE I do have that goody-two-shoes repuation. No one sees inside my heart like I do, save for the Holy Spirit. Just the other day, I was with some ladies and we played a game where they had to say the first word that came to their mind when they thought of me. "Sweet, creative, cute, sensitive" were the words said. Gee. How nice. Then I had to take a turn and all these sins came to mind. I chose impatient and they looked at me like it couldn't be true. People, I have an impatience, anger, and pride problem. Yes, I said anger. That's the spitfire in me. I praise God I don't have a huge ability to speak on my feet -- trust me, my silence is golden when I am worked up about something whether it be something from the news or something you've done or not done. If I'm silent, it usually means I am sifting through what to say and what not to say. Push me to speak when I'm not ready, and we'll both probably regret it. (Just ask my husband.) Anyone suprised at this? I kind of hope so. It's feels good to shock people by revealing more of myself -- it lets me know that I'm a real person in their eyes rather than someone who has it all and keeps it together.

My conclusion is that this self-relization is both who I am and also a slight display of spirit vs. flesh. I have a strong foundation and sturdy walls, but walk inside and you'll find a fairytale land ruled by a head-strong maiden. I am Diana AND Anne. I am a sweet little rebel. I am that Urbandale table, modern with a touch of country. I dance to the waltz in a beautiful ballgown...among the clouds with the moon my spotlight.

I praise God for who He has made me to be. At least I know He knows just how deep this traditionally twisted thread runs within me...He put it there.

Sunrise Story

2006-11-03T08:37:00.000-08:00

The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter until the full light of day. ~Proverbs 4:18

As I awake here on my bed,
I am thinking of the day ahead.
There's quite a long list of to-do's;
Oh, which priorities will I choose?
My walls are golden glory;
The sun has begun this day's story.

And my soul is found in You,
A sunrise, beautiful and new.
First gleam growing to full light;
Radiant colors burst into sight.
When evening comes, let me say,
"I chose You above all today."

There was a man who had no bed;
They laid a crown of thorns on His head.
The Morning Star and Great I Am
Became my own sacrificial Lamb.
Giving up His heav'nly glory,
He completed Redemption's story.

And my soul is found in You,
A sunrise, beautiful and new.
First gleam growing to full light;
Radiant colors burst into sight.
You chose Night so I could see
The righteous path blazed just for me.

I'm here upon my final bed;
My mind wonders of the Night ahead.
My life is now over, now through.
And did I do all I could for You?
Now I see the golden Glory,
Sunrise of my eternal story.

Now my soul is found in You,
A sunrise, beautiful and new.
First gleam growing to full light;
Radiant colors burst into sight.
Evening now will never come;
My eyes have seen the eternal Son.

Interview Question 2

2006-09-29T11:01:00.000-07:00

Name one thing you believe your husband deserves more of from the world around him. Now name one thing he deserves more of from you.

Well, to set things straight, he would say he deserves nothing. But since you've given me license to brag (and I thank you for it!)...

I believe my husband deserves more recognition. He is very much a "behind the scenes" kind of guy, never wanting public recognition for what he does and always inconveniencing himself for the sake of others. He is VERY smart, an excellent problem solver, and retains information like no one I've known before (something I envy!). He really is a Renaissance man -- draws, writes, sings, builds, fixes, computes. But what I love most is his servant's heart. He uses what he has been given to help others, especially in the technology arena. He never asks for thanks and has even been known to specifically request that his name not be mentioned. He's a hidden treasure, and I'm glad I get to see every last gem and coin!

From me, I believe my husband deserves a longer fuse. I can be quite impatient and easily annoyed/angered, to my sinful fault. Too many times have I given him the "silent treatment" over silly things that do not matter. He can be quite playful and boyish at times which I believe is just part of his personality -- and yet it is at those times that I can be annoyed greatly (ex: repeating the same noise over and over and over...and over). I am much more structured than him when it comes to household tasks and can huff over a shirt folded wrong (he now knows that I WANT to fold 100% of the laundry...because I LIKE it my way). One "wrong" word or look from him, and I can be put out for the rest of the day. This is not to say these situations ALWAYS happen, but they happen too easily when they do. To the point, he's a relaxed guy who deserves a more relaxed wife. This is something I have really been working on lately because I want him to enjoy life at home even more than he already does! Not to mention it's a log in my eye I'm trying to lumberjack out...

Interview Question 1

2006-09-26T22:36:00.000-07:00

Galant has included me in the "Interview Game" he was tagged with, and I have finally started to answer his WELL thought out and heart searching questions. I love being asked questions that force me to evaluate both my head and my heart about various areas pertaining to life and godliness. So here is the first, and what I consider to be best, question and answer.

How has being a mother and a wife affected your perspective on your faith, what do you see now about life and faith and God that you did not before you were married and before you were a mother?

I would say the number one way marriage has changed my perspective of faith is that it has shown me the reality of the relationship between Christ and His Bride, the Church. It is easier for me to now see how deep the analogy goes...and how MUCH husbands and wives fail to fulfill our rolls. I see the beauty in Christ's perfect love for His imperfect Bride. He gave His life so She can wear a white wedding dress. He sees no spot in Her, understands Her, wants nothing but the best for Her, serves Her. She submits to His leadership, protection, comfort, and romance. She knows She can trust Him fully with Her whole being -- spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical. He'll never leave no matter where she fails or exceeds. She'll strive to love and serve Him all her days. It's a gorgeous display of opposites that create a beautiful whole: humble leadership, powerful submission, open-handed loyalty, blind understanding (knowing a persons deepest faults but choosing to look beyond them, in other words unconditional love). Marriage is hard because it's two sinners living life together, and yet the spiritual benefits flow into every area of life making every trial, every mundane routine, every stinging conviction of sin (daily) well worth the fight to keep the treasure of a sacred marriage...one that, though imperfect, models the ultimate couple, Christ and the Church. (And I highly suggest Sacred Marriage by Gary L. Thomas as reading for couples in any year of marriage!)

The first thought that comes to mind when thinking of how being a mother has affected my perspective of faith is one so simple that I am ashamed to admit it but feel refreshed to share. I have finally come to a true understanding of what my desire for the lost is to feel like. I have never felt that deep passion for somone to come to Christ until now. I have never fully realized a person's utter need for a Savior to deliver him from sin and allow him a seat in eternity before the throne of God. I now know the ache in a mother's heart for her children to have a personal relationship with the One who created them. It is a deep seated physical ache in my heart, but it is definitely a good one. One that makes my heart feel more alive than ever to the spiritual life of a human being. Never have I prayed for another's salvation more than I have my son's...all because I never saw the urgency and desperation first hand like this. I have been so surrounded by Christian family, friends, teachers, coworkers, etc. for my WHOLE life that opportunity to go beyond that "bubble" was very limited -- left to my own courage to step out and meet unbelievers, a courage that I have always lacked. Now, I can't say that I have been able to extend this new discovery fully to others besides my little one; but I hope that someday soon the Lord will give me capacity to place the same perspective on other unbelievers. I think it is all still very new to me, and I am still learning how to channel my heart's ache into action -- finding every which way I can to pray for and train Judah in the ways of the Lord. While I do hope that this new perspective will spread to other unbelievers who will cross my path of life, I know that if I am used only once to bring another into the Kingdom, my life has been well spent...especially if it meant my son would be part of the King's audience.

Today's read brought to you by...

2006-08-10T13:19:00.000-07:00

Ben. Get ready for some conviction.

http://www.reformationaries.blogspot.com/

Psalm 119:38

2006-07-26T12:41:00.000-07:00

Normally I do not even have any electronics on while doing my devotions. But today is different. I had to stop where I was, turn on the computer, and proclaim my thoughts to all! They are too amazing to stay contained in my finite brain!

Confirm to Your servant Your promise, that You may be feared.

Such a short, sweet verse. It has profound thoughts in between the lines!

Confirm ~ to prove and establish. David is asking God to prove His words to be true again and again. If David can ask, I can too. I am finite and need constant confirmation that God is who He says He is.

Your Servant ~ the occupation we should all hold most dear and do our utmost best at. I thank God I am even allowed to be called His servant!

Your Promise ~ God's Word, the Bible. Everything that is contained in the Bible is straight from the heart of God. It is full of promises to those who love Him AND to those who do not love Him.

Feared ~ awe, reverence, and obedience. He is PERFECT in His goodness, righteousness, and justice. He WILL follow through with His every promise. That alone commands reverence and obedience because no one else can perform such a task!

Here is what is more amazing to me. I sat there looking at a book. It has pages and a binding with lots and lots of words. It is just a thing. Just another history book. All the stories in it are just stories we have to believe happened like all the rest of history. But there is ONE difference. The Author made some promises, and He keeps them to prove that He is God of the Universe! What other history book has one author who makes some promises throughout the stories he records and then is able to keep the promises? Human authors die. You can not keep promises when you're in the grave. That is exactly why the Bible is the Living Word. It is alive and active, being proven every day through creation, justice, and righteousness! We glean how to live a life of sanctification from it. What can we glean from other history books except stories and what NOT to do politically? Sure, all history is important. But the only history book we should master mentally and spiritually is God's Word. It is the only one that will change the course of our own personal history.

And another thing. Who am I to tell God "Confirm to Your servant Your promise"?? He is God. I am a sinful human. But that's just it. He doesn't mind at ALL proving Himself. When He proves Himself, it brings us to our knees in praise and glory of Him. He is our Friend, and friends prove their loyalty and love without even being asked -- that's part of what friendship is.

So keep going, Lord! Keep on confirming...and because You keep Your promises, I can promise YOU that someday, someday I will not need confirmation anymore...

Because I will see Your face.

Ecclesiastes 8:17

2006-07-19T15:13:00.000-07:00

Then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. For though a man labors to discover it, yet he will not find it; moreover, though a wise man attempts to know it, he will not be able to find it.

Solomon, the wisest man that has ever lived. Wisdom straight from the Throne. And yet he writes, "...though a wise man attempts to know [God's work], he will not be able to find it." From ancient times until sin is abolished, we will NEVER understand how much praise, honor, glory, and awe God deserves. We will never understand just...

how BIG He is

how VAST His POWER

how DEEP His LOVE

how PERFECT His JUSTICE

how PURE His HOLINESS

how UNENDING His GRACE

...even how long this list could be! His ways are not our own, which saves us from the silliest mistake to an eternity in hell. An old hymn says:

Could we with ink the oceans fill and were the skies of parchment made. Were every stalk on earth a quill and every man a scribe by trade. To write the love of God above would drain the oceans dry, Nor could the scroll contain the whole though stretched from sky to sky.

Not to mention our hands would fall off before we were even done with the first page of describing Him!

Sadly, though He is wondrously unexplainable in all of His attributes, we still do not trust Him wholly, love Him fully, and follow Him completely. He holds the universe in one hand, and we can't even trust Him with tomorrow's schedule.

This just shows how MUCH sin has separated us from Him, how sick and blind our flesh is. We should be desperately scrambling to have even one moment with Him. We are so self-centered we think our devotions are for our own benefit. We feel obedient, refreshed, and accomplished. But we really should be meeting with Him daily for HIM...to give HIM glory and praise.

A peasant does not approach his King as an equal intending to have a simple conversation. He enters the throne room on his knees, head bowed, silent praise on his lips. He understands the vast gap between his poor, ragged self and the king's rich majesty. Just even being given a moment in the King's presence makes him give even more glory to the King. But when he leaves the throne room, does he...

~Live like he never visited the King?
~Boast to others about his privilege?
~Long for the day when he can see the King again and tries to tell others they can come too?

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of our King! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! For who has known the mind of our King? And who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to Him? For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to Whom be glory forever. Amen.

~Romans 11:33~

Remember that old children's prayer?

God is great. God is good. Let us thank Him...

...because He even lets us.

Ecclesiastes 8:11

2006-07-12T15:55:00.000-07:00

Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

We are blind without Christ. We sin; and when there are no consequences, pride sets in (yet another sin). We think ourselves invincible, in control of all that pertains to our lives...we are "happy" because we get and do what we want. The longer consequences are not sown, the more we will continue to sin and even more so.

But God is just and righteous. He will judge all of us for our actions whether we receive judgment in life or death (or both). Verse 12 says, "...it will be well with those who fear God..." Obedience brings about freedom from punishment; and coupled with faith in Him, freedom from death to hell.

This verse is not specifically speaking about this next topic, but it is certainly an applicable principle for today. Parents would do well in correcting a child's disobedience. Children must learn early on what is right and what is wrong. They need to know that obedience is saving them from future pitfalls, everything from offending others in social settings to dying by way of a moving car in the street.

Proverbs 13:24 ~ He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly.

Proverbs 22:15 ~ Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of correction will drive it far from him.

Just as parents encourage children to learn their colors and numbers quickly, so should children learn right and wrong quickly. A rod is much quicker than simply saying "no" over and over again. However, the rod does not just involve physical correction. "Rod" should be defined as correction physically, teaching spiritually, and reconnecting lovingly. Physical correction must be fused with God's Word and parental love so the child understands it is not just the behavior that needs to be modified. A child is not truly corrected unless the heart is changed -- without the heart change, it is only behavior modification which leads to hypocrisy, resentment, and an eventual shift back to wrong behavior.

II Timothy 3:16-17 ~ All Scripture is profitable...for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Swift correction is not only beneficial for children, but also for us as their parents. It is a good reminder to parents of God's chastening love for us. It reminds us of how He had to be against His own Son. He did not delight in seeing His Son bear the sin of the world just as we do not delight in correcting our own children. Correction of our children should increase our love for the Father as we remember we are HIS children always in need of correction -- and yet His love never falters because it is perfect. We should thank Him for correction because it (should) produce holiness in us as we become more like His Son.

Swift correction also benefits parents by producing a well-behaved child. As our children become more behaved, we will be able to rest from always correcting them.

Proverbs 22:6 ~ Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 29:17 ~ Correct your son, and he will give you rest; yes, he will give delight to your soul.

John MacArthur has several notes that sum it up perfectly...

Notes on Proverbs 13:24 ~ Early childhood teaching requires both parental discipline, including corporal punishment, and balanced kindness and love. There is great hope that the use of the "divine ordinance" of the rod will produce godly virtue and parental joy. Such discipline must have the right motivation and appropriate severity. One who has genuine affection for his child, but withholds corporal punishment, will produce the same kind of child as a parent who hates his offspring.

Notes on Proverbs 22:6 ~ There is only one right way, God's way, the way of life. That way is specified in great detail in Proverbs. Since it is axiomatic that early training secures lifelong habits, parents must insist upon this way, teaching God's Word and enforcing it with loving discipline consistently throughout the child's upbringing.

Lest my readers think I am heavy on the behavior modification side, that is only because words can not even contain how much more important it is for children to first and foremost come to know Christ as their Savior. Yes, we parents can force improved behavior; but only Christ can save them from their disobedient hearts. Only He can provide a heart that will permanently and righteously alter their behavior. I pray earnestly that my children will follow His way.

I want them to know that my way IS His way.

Encouragement

2006-07-11T14:54:00.000-07:00

I had a hard day last week. Hard emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Judah was fussy and tired. I was fussy and tired. The sun wasn't shining. And I was desperate for some encouragement.

I got it from reading in Psalms. In one of my Bibles, I have highlighted in yellow verses that are uplifting to me. That way I can flip through and read all of them at a glance when I am desperate for a drink of Water.

I happened upon one verse that was near a highlighted one.

I will set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. -Psalm 16:8

How many days to I set Him continually before me? The key word for me is CONTINUALLY. If He really is my First Love, my Savior, my Redeemer, my Friend...should I not be always thinking of Him. Should He not be the motivation behind every word, thought, and deed?

If I am at His feet every day learning of Him and from Him, how often would I have shaken days?

If my mind is continually stayed on the eternal, how often would I be irratable and frustrated with people and situations? With myself?

I am still working on memorizing Psalm 119:33-40, but this passage will be next for sure! Don't you wish you could know everything all at once? Praise the Lord that heaven is coming!

I will bless the Lord who has counseled me;
Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.
I have set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will dwell securely.
For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

~Psalm 16:7-11

Psalm 119:36

2006-06-01T15:30:00.000-07:00

Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to selfish gain.

"Incline my heart"

My heart represents the seat of my feelings and emotions. My mind is the seat of my reason and intellect. Why not incline my mind rather than my heart? Because my heart is much harder to turn than my mind. Reason shows me that the truths of God are better than anything or anyone else. My mind easily follows that train of thought. But my heart has strong desires, and not always good ones. This is a plea to the Lord for Him to bend my HEART towards His truths. My mind is already there.

"Selfish gain"

Do I speak more of God's truths and His person more than I do myself? When I tell stories, is He the theme or do I shine brighter? So many times I hear myself telling of what has happened lately, but I do not recall centering it on the Father and what HE has done in my life lately. It is what I have done in my life. I also have heard myself telling someone else my testimony, and I seem to remember alot of detail about my life and but not alot about the eternal. Oh, sure, I bring God up and point Him out. But is my Listener going to remember me or remember what God has done for and through me? When I bring God up, what is my tone of voice and the expression on my face? Does my voice pick up in excitement and do my eyes sparkle? Am I truly giving glory to God? Or am I just speaking words to make sure I am seen as giving glory to Him?

May my heart be after His truths as I advance Him, not myself.

For Everything There is a Season

2006-05-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been quite the while since I posted to The Sanctifying Truth. I needed a season of rest from the blogging world (save for getting pictures up on the other one) to learn how to be a mommy...and to learn how to post quickly and efficiently while I have a few moments! So, again I commence with a new topic...

Several weeks back, our pastor Jim mentioned something in a hermenudics study about reading Scripture. He said to read it several times when you are about to study it, emphasizing different words each time you read it. I've done it several times since then and WOW does it really open up a passage to you! It makes you focus on the meanings of each word and what they are referring to. I just received a new journal as a gift and decided to use it as a "Scripture Memory & Study" journal. Here is a sample, my first entry. I am memorizing Psalm 119:33-40 a verse at a time.

Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end. (vs. 33

This is what I wrote when emphasizing different words...

Teach I have much to learn me I want it, O Lord You are the greatest Teacher, the way it is a way of life of Your no one else's statutes unchangeable truths; and I no one else is responsible for me will with your strength I can choose to keep hold tightly and never let go it to the end when life on earth is finished.

And this is what I am doing after the initial day of beggining a new verse. I take it a word at a time and meditate on that word. So for today...

Teach - humility, trust, room to grow, listen and heed

You have to place yourself in a humble position to be taught -- get rid of your own know-it-all pride. You have to trust your Teacher fully to be really transformed. There is always room to grow...unless you are God. There is not point in requesting to be taught unless you are willing to listen and heed what is taught.

How Do We Get There?

2006-02-27T15:13:00.000-08:00

True submission comes when self has been humbled. And it comes as the result of God's work in your heart.

Ask God to do this work in your heart and be willing to look at what He shows you, without excuse. Let the conviction come. When you see yourself through God's eyes, it will be ugly...but then you will change by His power.

So how do we live this out and truly become free? Remember 2 things...

1) Get the right attitude - HUMILITY. Deal with your own resistance fully, including worry and fear. Do business with the Lord and get clean!

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

~James 4:6-10

2) Use the right strength - GOD'S, not your own. Exercise true faith and walk by the Spirit. Learn to put up the sail of your boat and quit rowing! See Hebrews 11.

Remember, this is a process and you will fluctuate in your progress. If you respond in humility to the work God is doing in you, HE will get you there!

"That obedience which is not joyfully voluntary is disobedience." -Spurgeon

Let your gladness proclaim that you serve a good Master!

Understanding Submission

2006-02-24T07:39:00.000-08:00

"Submission without faith is slavery; submission plus faith is power unleashed." -Bunny Wilson

When submission is lived out as God intended, we will have His strength and enjoy His peace. You will burn out every time you try to submit out of your own strength. "And GOD is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work" (II Corinthians 9:8).

We have some misunderstandings of the requirements of submission:
~"Doormat Syndrome" - Rather than serving out of duty and expectation, serve out of love for God and the family He has given you. Serve out of obedience to God. If you do, you will be cherished more and more by your husband and children.
~"I can't participate in any decisions. That's not submissive." - Not true! God has given you as a helpmate for your husband, not a slave. You are just as capable, if not more so in some areas, to discern what decisions are best. God has given you your own mind and His wisdom just as He has done for your husband. Be free to offer your opinion -- in love and at the appropriate time! Also, before and after you share your opinion, remember that your husband still has the final say because God has made him the leader of your home. Your husband may be right and you just can't see it at the moment. But if he is wrong, don't add to the consequence of that decision by becoming resentful and unsubmissive. We all make mistakes, and we all learn and grow from them. God will reward your obedience to Him and your support of your husband...which includes NOT saying "I told you so"...

God is after us and our attitudes. Your husband may be perfect, but most likely he is not. Even when he is difficult to submit to, you should not run to God expecting Him to change the situation or your husband. Yes, you can prayerfully ask for change, but never ever forget that God wants you to change as well -- always becoming more like His Son. When it is tough to submit, remember that submitting to your husband is really submitting to God. Then your attitude will be right, your obedience complete, and the situation WILL change because your perspective has changed...and your husband will probably change, too!

Submission puts us in the place of having to really look at ourselves. This goes along with the previous point. Instead of always asking, "God, change him," ask "God, change ME!" Submission is not hard because you have a difficult husband or tough situation. Submission is hard because we are sinful women. We want the control in every area of our lives. We extend grace to ourselves while laying down the law for others. Summed up in two words: pride, selfishness. Take your focus off of others and their "faults" and look at your own. You are responsible to be personally obedient to God. You are NOT responsible to make sure everyone else is obedient to God...or to what you want in life.

Today, see your OWN sinfulness and ask God to change YOU. Understand that your love for God should transcend the hardship of submission. You should love God so much that it is easy to submit to others....because you are submitting to your Ultimate Love and pleasing HIM!

Submission II: What Category Are You In?

2006-02-15T11:30:00.000-08:00

We are all in one of three categories of submission no matter our marital status...

1) Rebelling Against Submitting - This is when your flesh is in full glory. Sin is ruling your heart. There is no joy in your attitude or service because you are in outright sin.

2) Dutifully Submitting - This is when your flesh is subjected but still very much alive. There is still no joy in your attitude and service, and tension is present in all you do. Submitting dutifully is using your own strength to submit -- this leads to bitterness and can be termed "Jonah Submission." Remember how he dutifully submitted to God's desire that the Ninevites hear of Him? His attitude was NASTY once he saw their repentance. Jonah was bitter that God had indeed kept His word to not destroy them. Jonah submitted outwardly, but his heart was full of resentment and bitterness -- subjected but living flesh. A good picture of this is being in a boat and rowing yourself to get to the other side. It's hard work, and you will fail if you do it in your own strength!

3) Truly Submitting - This is when the flesh is crucified and the Holy Spirit is free to flow through you. Harmony and peace rule your attitude and service which creates a home/family environment of harmony and peace. Yes, there may be times of friction when you must do battle between your old flesh and your new spirit to submit. But the peace is still there as the Spirit works on your heart and you obey. You will not fall into bitterness as you serve your heart out for others and follow your husband/father's lead time and again. Each time you successfully submit in true obedience to God's role for you as a woman, your love for Him and others will only increase, submission will become easier next time, and others will be drawn to you and blessed. In this boat, you have put up the sail and are letting the Wind move you. A much easier and more refreshing way to get to the other side!

True submission is where we discover the essence of God's power. In contrast, when we rebel against submission, we are quenching Him. We need to realize that God's ways are so wise and He knows exactly what He is doing. We must choose to believe it and obey Him -- submit to Him as we submit to those He has wisely placed over us. This is faith and "without faith, it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6).

Ladies, Get Ready!

2006-02-07T13:57:00.000-08:00

Today was Titus 2sday at church, a time when alot of the women get together for study and fellowship. Today was about being "Liberated Through Submission: Seeing Ourselves Through God's Eyes." It was WONDERFUL! Yes, though I've only been married just a little while, I still have come a long way in the discipline of submission (discipline meaning both practice of and correction from the Lord in this area). At the beginning, the speaker asked who knew someone that would say submission is wonderful. I raised my hand with a few others. Then she asked who would themselves say that submission is wonderful. Praise God, I again was able to raise my hand. I know I have a ways to go and will never be perfect in submission (who will?), but I also know that for my age and stage in marriage...I am unique and mature in my view and practice of submission. I attribute it to God's grace in giving me examples of what not to do from both other wives and MYSELF and also by providing sound teaching in Home Ec on the roles of men and women in marriage.

So I will be posting the notes from today's lesson for a few days rather than Ecclesiastes. This woman has got it perfectly right. It would fit WELL into the level of teaching I gained from my professors! Why do I share them? Because it was a great reminder for me, and I want all of you to experience the freedom I have found in submission even in just a year and a half of marriage! Talk about making room for more love and joy within a marriage!

Introduction:
What we are going to discuss today is that God uses submission as a tool to free us from ourselves ~ which in turn brings us to the point where we can experience the strength of His power and the joy of His presence. It is at this place that we are that cleansed vessel that He can work through to use us in other peoples' lives ~ including our husbands.

Why do we not want to submit?
Sin ~ It is part of the curse; we want to be in control and we want to have it our way. Genesis 3:16 "...yet your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." Desire for your husband here is not romantic in meaning. Part of the curse on women was the desire to be in control of others when in reality her role is submission.
Unbelief ~ We are afraid to let go and we doubt that we would like God's Way. I Peter 3:7 "You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered."
Fleshly (I Corinthians 3:1) ~ We have earthly thinking and our understanding is completely off. I Corinthians 3:1 "And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ."

Whose view do you have?
We have a sin-tainted view of submission instead of having God's perspective. We need our minds renewed on the true meaning and understanding of submission. We have no idea that it is really a wonderful thing!

Isaiah 55:8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

Next: The Three Categories of Submission...Which one are you in?

3:14 and a Prayer

2006-02-01T12:56:00.000-08:00

I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it. God does it that men should fear before Him.

Acknowledging God's enduring and perfect work will cause us to revere and worship Him as well as give our lives purpose and meaning as we go about our endeavors. Apart from Him, our lives and endeavors have no meaning and fall short of worthiness.

And take comfort in the fact that God and God alone is in control of everything. EVERYTHING. You can do nothing to mess up His plans for your life. You can do nothing to add to His plans for your life. He is completely sovereign and knows just how to orchestrate every detail so that your life will bring Him the glory due His name. If nothing else, that thought alone should take you to your knees in humble reverence and thanksgiving!

Journaled Prayer:

You are powerful and beyond time itself. And yet you choose to die, to forgive, to live in me. Father, how can I live for any other purpose than You? You made me eternal then chose me to be on Your right side. How could I ever be worthy of such a calling and purpose? I can never be worthy. You called me to a position requiring worthiness...then declared me worthy through Christ's blood. I never would have been worthy otherwise. That, Lord, is the wonder of salvation. Help me to grasp it and believe it all the more -- increasing in my wonder of You!

2:24, 3:11

2006-01-31T11:04:00.000-08:00

Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God. For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him?

All is not lost in your daily labor, though much of Ecclesiastes talks about it's worthlessness. When your life's focus is on glorifying God and laboring for eternity, you will be blessed with not only enjoyment in the labor but also in knowing God is pleased and eternity affected. Labor without an eternal perspective is worthless and will cease when you do. Enjoy life in service for Christ! God WANTS us to...the verse says nothing is better than joy in the soul over life's work! We just have to see where the joy can be found!

He has made everything beautiful in His time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out what the work that God does is from beginning to end.

God made man for HIS ETERNAL purpose. Therefore anything we do apart from Him or His will for eternity is worthless and will not bring satisfaction to ourselves, Him, or others. Oh sure, maybe momentary satisfaction, but why waste your time and energy? And why sacrifice the ultimate satisfaction of seeing true beauty come out of His plan for your life?

Ecclesiastes: Introduction, 2:11, 2:18

2006-01-29T07:45:00.000-08:00

So begins the Ecclesiastes journey... I am using Matt's MacArthur study Bible, and there were several thoughts from the introduction that were profound and set the tone for what I wanted to gain from Ecclesiastes. As far as actual study, I read a small section each day and then look at the notes for it. I then choose a verse (or two) that impact me most for that day, write it in a journal, and then write my own thoughts on that particular selection. In order to catch up to where I am now, I'll post a few at a time.

I pray that you all will see what I have seen. Some say to prepare yourself for depression when you study Ecclesiastes. I have actually found the opposite to be true. Ecclesiastes is quite a motivating book to make sure that EVERYTHING you do has eternal impact. It reveals one of our highest callings as Christians: to stop thinking of ourselves and live our lives for God and God alone.

Introduction Thoughts:

1) Avoid walking through life on human wisdom alone. Rather, live life by the revealed wisdom of God.
2) Vanity is the futile attempt to be satisfied apart from God.
3) The "abundant life" is obtained by seeing and accepting each day and ALL it contains as a gift from God...even the hard parts because they stretch and grow you.
4) The primary purposes and issues of life are to enjoy divine blessing and prepare for the Divine Judgment. (Now, if that's not motivation to live a life full of joy and eternal purpose, I don't know what is!)

2:11

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.

To expend God-given resources for human accomplishment alone is empty. This includes time and energy -- if you only have enough time and energy to clean the bathroom or spend time with God, which would be more profitable? Hint: which has eternal impact and will last?

2:18

Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me. And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool?

You may be a control freak, and you may keep a fair amount of control for your whole life. But you WILL eventually cease from this earth and no longer have control over your affairs. How does that make you feel? 1) Start letting go, be flexible, and focus on eternal matters. 2) Train up someone to have the same eternal values and leave your affairs with them.

Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."

Titus 2:3-4, "Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children..."

Freedom in Obedience

2006-01-25T14:32:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. I have not posted on this blog daily as I said I would. I'm a faulty human. But...I've got a good excuse. The past several days have been quite FULL of Bible study and heart searching. I think God is trying to teach me about the principles of loving confrontation and seeking reconciliation with fellow Christians. He is teaching me the power and confidence that comes by always seeking the Spirit's guidance with words that must be written by me and read by another. He has revealed to me how to distinguish hurt from true anger within my own heart...and how anger really can eat away at you. Above all, He has shown me the amazing freedom that comes when I finally realize what I must do to obey Him...the freedom that has been there for months, if only I had been willing to see it.

Not to mention, I've got a close friend who has learned the same things this past weekend. I guess it's just the season of confrontation/reconciliation lessons!

One of the letters I have written contains quite a bit of Scripture. As I was searching for various passages to go with each topic, I saw more and more the simple but profound power contained in each verse. It was as if I had never really SEEN what was written. Sure alot of the verses were familiar, and I've even heard sermons on them. But maybe that's just it. They've been disected for me so much, that only when I studied for myself and my own purposes did I see the verse as a whole...a powerful whole!

Take James 1:26-27 for instance.

If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Ok, so we've all heard the second verse before...many times in fact. But here were the two "Oh DUH!" thoughts that hit me:

1) In verse 26, it simply states that if you are religious -- you obey the Word, you pray, you participate in all sorts of ministry and service -- but do not have a bridled tongue, all you do is worthless. Worthless! Just because of the way you speak. The power in that statement? Our speech has the power to negate what we do in Christ's name. I haven't ever heard anyone preach on that.

2) In verse 27, I've only heard people talk about the orphans and widows part being pure and undefiled religion. But it doesn't stop there. Keeping yourself unstained by the world is also part of pure and undefiled religion. Of course! How can you serve effectively and have a proper witness if you participate in things the world advocates -- everything from entertainment to drinking to sex? I'm not saying we need to be legalistic and throw our TV's out the window, never touch alcohol, and become nuns and monks. It just amazes me that people talk about serving orphans and widows but never touch on making sure your life isn't tainted by the world as you serve.

I know these are simple realizations. After all, the words are there in plain text. But that is my point. I have seen the blatant power of Scripture in all this letter writing that I have done. I have come to ask why people do not clearly see and understand what is written. God has given us EVERYTHING we need for spiritual living and obedience to His will. And He didn't give it to us in riddles and rhymes. He has made it so easy for us to know Him more, to know what He wants of us, to know even our world's history from a spiritual perspective. All we have to do is open the Book...and just read!

So not only have I found freedom from the bonds of putting off what He was asking me to do, but in that obedience I have found freedom in seeing the simplicity of God's Word. It encourages me to study more because I know that it is able to be understood...without the aid of pastors, commentaries, Greek dictionaries...!

And isn't that how it is supposed to be? Know the Truth, because the Truth will set you free!

The Importance of Christian Friendship

2006-01-20T10:06:00.000-08:00

Pastor Curtis Hall

1.8.06

Selections from Proverbs

Friendship Defined: a unique same gender relationship with common interests; a relationship that stretches and grows both persons involved

The Differences Between Community and Friendship:
Community reaches wide. Friendship reaches deep.
Community is a large group. Friendship is a small group.
Community is acquainted. Friendship is intimate.
Community knows when you are there. Friendship knows when you are missing.

1) Choose Your Friends - They are your guides. Proverbs 12:26, "The righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray." Choose friends who are going where you are going, doing what you are doing, passionate about what you are passionate about, and fighting what you are fighting. (II Timothy 4:16)

2) Love Your Friends. Proverbs 17:17, "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." Make I Corinthians 13 your mission for friendship. A true friend will not remove themselves from you during tough times. They will love you more. BE this friend to others, too!

3) Enjoy Your Friends. Proverbs 27:9, "Oil and perfume make the heart glad, so a man's counsel is sweet to his friend." You do not have to fear judgment from true friends. You can reveal your whole self and rest securely in them. This is pure enjoyment!

4) Protect Your Friends. Proverbs 16:28, "A perverse man spreads strife, and a slanderer separates intimate friends." Stop strife, lies, gossip, and perversion of or about your friends. They should do the same for you. (Proverbs 17:9)

5) Correct Your Friends. Proverbs 27:6, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy." Keep each other from destruction. Be vulnerable and controntable. Value each other's souls more than the friendship itself. (Proverbs 27:17)

Understand:
You can not be the perfect friend apart from Christ, who IS the perfect Friend. He can not be exhausted or stifled as we as humans can be. He is our model for friendship! What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear...

These points will work in the world only in theory. They can only be truly fleshed out when Christ is the source and center of the friendship.

PRAY for good friends, and pray that you can BE a good friend! There is nothing sweeter than intimate companionship on the journey towards Christ-likeness!

A Fast Way to Grow Close to God

2006-01-19T10:14:00.000-08:00

Pastor Jim Achilles

1.15.06

Matthew 6:16-18

Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

Introduction

Fasting is the act of abstaining from food in order to accomplish a spiritual purpose. Fact: The New Testament never commands a believer to fast. It teaches about other spiritual disciplines with depth and power, but only in a few places does it describe proper fasting, and then only as an explanation and not as a command.

So should we or shouldn't we? That's not really the right question. The Lord's point in the Sermon on the Mount is not whether, but why! What are the motives behind our pursuit of spiritual disciplines? Do we truly long for His honor, His kingdom, and His will?

1) Fasting Defined - The act of abstaining from food in order to accomplish a spiritual purpose.
~ I Timothy 4:4-5 - You are not rejecting food, but abstaining from food.
~ Food represents one of our greatest physical needs. Fasting teaches us what it is to truly hunger and thirst physically, which translates to how we should be hungering and thirsting after righteousness.
~ Abstaining from something that is GOOD (food) for a time should push you to focus on something that is BETTER -- pursuing closeness with God and desiring righteousness.
~ Saying "I could never give up _______" shows idolatry and points out exactly what is distracting you from God and His righteousness...and therefore pinpoints what you need to give up.

2) Is fasting good to do? Absolutely!
~ In verse 16, Jesus says "when" and not "if." It is expected, though not commanded, of a believer's life.
~ The Father rewards proper fasting (6:18). You do not merit this reward by fasting though. He favors fasting and chooses to reward you (I Corinthians 4:4-5).

3) Reasons for Fasting
A. Grief - Matthew 9:14 ff, the Day of Atonement, Matthew 5:4, grief over sin especially.
B. Guidance - Acts 13 and 14. Food dulls your senses, so when it is lacking you are more alert and aware of both your body and your mind.
C. Spiritual Growth - When you have been stagnant, fasting is a wonderful way to refocus your thoughts and priorities. Every hunger pang will remind you of your need for spiritual satiety, just as you need physical satiety. Think of Christ in the wilderness for 40 days!

4) Worthless Fasting
A. To Promote Self (6:16-17) - You will have no eternal reward or spiritual value to your fasting if you do it to promote yourself in front of others. A genuine fast is between you and God, not you and others. How much service for Christ do you do so others will notice? Note: It is perfectly fine for people to KNOW you are fasting. It is impossible to keep it from your spouse. If they ask what you want for lunch, politely decline and let them know you are fasting. Don't make a big deal out of it, but don't be all mysterious about it.
B. To Earn God's Favor - God does not owe you anything, especially for arrogance that causes you to judge others as less holy since you are fasting. You are to favor God. His favor is reserved for Himself because He deserves it!
C. Not Resulting in Holy Living (Isaiah 58:6) - Obey the whole Word, not just the fasting discipline. Fasting is a discipline that is attached to holy living. You fast in order to focus on a sin area, worship, prayer, guidance, fruits of the spirit...anything that should be a part of our walk as Christians.

5) Benefits of Fasting
A. Exposes Your Greatest Desires - Are they in accord with or opposite from God's desires?
B. Teaches you to hunger and thirst for God (Matthew 5:6).
C. Increases your prayer life.

Important:
~ Do not argue with God or try to justify not fasting when you know He is calling you to.
~ Do not fast if you have health issues that would prevent you from doing so. Again, fasting is not commanded and you should not put yourself in harm's way to do so. However, it is still possible for you to abstain from certain foods or even from activities. The absence of certain foods or activities can also put your focus on God and His righteousness if you "fast" from them properly.

A New Beginning

2006-01-18T10:08:00.000-08:00

I have finally figured out how to overcome my blogging dilema. So many times I wish to post about what I am learning in Scripture and from teachings at church. But I also want to post about life. But I don't want anyone to miss anything!

So, I have created a new blog for the sole purpose of posting what I am learning spiritually and what impacts me as I study. A couple weeks ago, I was really haunted by John 17:17 where Christ prays for His disciples, "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth." I want to be sanctified. I want to be sensitive to my sin and confess it. I want to retain Scripture -- both in the way I should live as God's daughter and in the stories He has left us to see His glory. The easiest way for me to know Him and accomplish all of this...is to read the very words He has given us.

If no one reads, that is fine. I also see this as self-accountability. I will have nothing to post if I do not spend time in the Word and in prayer (except for the first few days when I post what I have already studied). But I do hope that my readers will gain encouragement as I post.

I will do several catch up posts. I am in Ecclesiastes right now and there are a couple sermons I want to post notes from.

Get ready to keep up daily!