11/01/2010
LOVE WENT DEEPER
“LOVE WENT DEEPER than the crown of thorns they placed upon His head
Love went deeper than the stripes He bore as the blood flowed crimson red
Love went deeper than the hole they dug when they dropped that old cross in place
Love went deeper than the depths of hell
Deep enough to take my place …
He took my place.”
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” – Jesus (John 15:13)
08/13/2010
WHAT DO THEY SEE?
YOU GET UP every morning and step out the door into a mad world. You know it’s mad – but, hey, that’s just life, right? Not much you can do to change it, and you’ve gotta keep on living. You know it’s full of all that’s dirty, filthy, and polluted – but by now you’ve learned to deal with it by just turning your head the other way.
BUT EACH DAY that you walk out the door to face a mad world, there is a mad world watching you. That world is watching when your children misbehave, when someone cuts you off, when others tease and frustrate you. And when these little aggravations come your way, how do you respond? What does that world see?
WHEN THE WORLD LOOKS AT ME
I want my life to be a light for those around me.
I want my life to be that roadmap that says home.
I want my life to be a beacon on life’s raging sea.
I want the World to see Jesus when they look at me.
When the World looks at me, do they see Jesus?
When the World looks at me, what do they see?
Do they see hope? Do they see love? Do they see charity?
When the World looks at me what will they see?
When I spoke, did my words contain your wisdom, Lord?
And when I prayed, did my prayers contain your love?
And did my life reflect the glory of your Spirit?
And did I show the ones around me they were loved?
And when the World looks at me, do they see Jesus?
When the World looks at me, what do they see?
Do they see hope? Do they see love? Do they see charity?
When the World looks at me what will they see?
And when the World looks at you, do they see Jesus?
When the World looks at you, what do they see?
Do they see hope? Love? And Charity?
When the World looks at you, what do they see?
And Lord, when the World looks at me, what do they see?
07/14/2010
WHY DOES PURITY MATTER TO ME?
TO SPEAK FOR MYSELF, why is “purity” so important to me? Well, to start, let’s look at the definition of “purity” and “pure”:
PURITY: The quality or state of being pure.
Some applicable definitions of “PURE”:
- unmixed with any other matter
- spotless; stainless
- free from what vitiates, weakens or pollutes
- containing nothing that does not properly belong
- free from moral fault or guilt
- marked with chastity
- ritually clean; chaste
SO IN REFERRING to purity, I mean physically as well as emotionally and spiritually – sexual purity, to be even more specific.
SO WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO ME???
WELL, NUMBER ONE, God desires us to be pure and to “save ourselves” for the “one” He has chosen for us.
“Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” ~ 1 Timothy 4:12
“The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.” ~ 1 Timothy 5:2
“. . . Even as Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” ~ Ephesians 5:25-27
“My dove, my undefiled is but one . . . ” ~ Song of Solomon 6:9
“Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whore-mongers and adulterers God will judge.”~ Hebrews 13:4
SO IT’S OBVIOUS by these scriptures and perhaps others, that God desires of us to keep our bodies pure – undefiled – set aside. While many of these scriptures are referring to purity in heart, in our relationship with Christ – “physical” or “sexual” purity is just as as important. Sexual purity is a part of spiritual purity.
IF I HAD NO other reasons for keeping myself pure, the fact that GOD asks me to be pure – that reason alone would suffice. But really, are there any other reasons for wanting to stay pure? I believe so.
ONE WOULD BE for my own personal benefit physically, mentally, and emotionally. Another would be for health reasons. I am sure that purity decreases many risks.
WHEN I SAY “emotionally” and “mentally”, I mean that I don’t want to allow myself to give in to multiple desires and then, when it comes to the right
“one”, have on my conscience the thoughts of what I’ve done and allowed before. I don’t want to allow myself to be so emotionally “drained” that all my “love” was spent on others instead of that “one” that God wanted for me. To have a clear conscience, mind and heart is more important to me. To be pure and save myself for just that one is not only morally right but also emotionally, mentally and physically the safer, better way to go.
THINK OF PURITY AS A GIFT that has unmeasured value.
YOU HAVE THIS GIFT for someone special – not just anyone. Just the fact alone that it has such value means that, if you are thinking right, you will not just take that gift anywhere and everywhere or allow others to take it and use it. You won’t expose it – rather, you may even hide it in a safe place until you are ready and able to give it to that one special friend that you have been saving it for. We should look at the gift of purity in the same way. We should place the same kind of value on it and handle it in the same way. It’s not for anyone, but it’s our choice of who we decide to give it to.
DON’T ALLOW YOURSELF to be pressured by emotions or other sources and give up the precious, priceless gift of purity that God has given you! It only takes one spot to make something blemished and it only takes one time to lose your purity forever. You can never take it back. God keep us pure!!!
“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies . . . many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.” ~ Proverbs 31:10&29-31
05/15/2010
RELIGION OR RELATIONSHIP?
CHRISTIANITY IS NOT a religion . . . . or at least, it shouldn’t be, though it seems we often make it out to be as such. Christianity OUGHT to be a relationship with God. What we do, say and think should be weighed by the Bible, God’s divinely inspired Word. Our life should be a reflection of His. Jesus should be the CENTER of our world so that our life revolves around Him.
IT WOULD BE easy for us, if we don’t have a personal relationship with Christ, to be easily influenced and carried away with the thoughts, opinions and leanings of man. But that is why it is so vital that not only do we judge EVERYTHING by God’s word, but also that we have a PERSONAL relationship with Him . . . . one that nothing and nobody can take away from us.
CHRISTIANITY IS NOT about saying a prayer now and then, conforming to “rules” and being “moral”. No, TRUE Christianity is about following Christ. True Christianity is about having such an adoration and love for what He has done for us that we WANT to do what He would have us to. We want to follow His word. It’s about talking to Him daily, even hourly, throughout our day. When we face a temptation, it’s about rushing to the only Friend who can help us withstand all the tricks of the enemy. When we come up against a trial, it’s about giving it to Him, the only One who can solve every problem in life. When we find joy in life, it’s about praising Him and giving thanks to Him, the One from whom every good thing flows.
IN YOUR LIFE, what role is Christianity playing? Is it merely a religion? Or is it a real relationship with the Creator of the universe? If it’s just a religion, you can change that now by praying to Him and seeking His face. Turn your life completely over to God – 100%. Get a real relationship with God and I can promise you that you won’t be sorry!
02/03/2010
“AS THE DEW”
“DROP YOUR STILL DEWS OF QUIETNESS,
Till all our strivings cease:
Take from our souls the strain and stress;
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of Your peace.
“BREATHE THROUGH THE PULSES OF DESIRE
Your coolness and Your balm;
Let sense be mum, its beats expire:
Speak through the earthquake, wind and fire,
O still small voice of calm!”
~ Selection from STREAMS IN THE DESERT
“I WILL BE AS THE DEW UNTO ISRAEL: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.” – Hosea 14:5
01/13/2010
HOW IS YOUR PRAYER LIFE?
JUST A THOUGHT . . .
WHEN WE PRAY, we are talking to GOD – the CREATOR of the universe, our Maker, the King above ALL kings and LORD above ALL Lords! And when we pray to Him, we aren’t just saying words – we are “communing” with Him.
OUR PRAYER LIFE needs to be something more than every night before we go to bed, “Now I lay me down to sleep . . .” You get the picture! Prayer is more than a set time and place. It’s not using particular words or talking in a certain way. Prayer can be constant. Prayer is from the heart and the mind. Prayer is communication with our heavenly Father.
YES, PRAYER IS kneeling beside our bed each morning, asking God to be with us in the day. But prayer is also talking to God in your heart and in your mind throughout the day. When a problem DOES arise, asking for His guidance and His help in the situation. It is sharing with Him your joys and your sorrows. It is throwing your cares on Him because He WANTS you to! It is praising Him. It is remembering how good He is and how blessed you really are.
HOW IS YOUR PRAYER LIFE? Don’t let it become a form or even a “duty”! May it be the language of your heart to God. Let your communion with your Father flow freely throughout your day. You will truly be blessed! Cast your cares upon Him. Keep up your prayer life!!!
09/21/2009
NO FOOL – WORDS FROM THE FAMOUS
“HE IS NO FOOL who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”
~Jim Elliot
08/24/2009
WHAT IT IS TO BE A CHRISTIAN
WHAT IT IS TO BE A CHRISTIAN
“FOR I HAVE given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” ~ John 13:15
IT IS A GIVEN fact. The influence of Christianity is very far-reaching.
TO FIND A PERSON who has not heard the word Jesus or heard any of His teachings, one must travel to the remotest plains of Tibet or the isolated regions of the Sahara Desert. In our America, thousands walk the streets daily who not only have heard of, but profess Christianity.
YES, CHRISTIANITY’S INFLUENCE is very far-spread. But just as money, diamonds, and any other valuable thing is counterfeited, Christianity is counterfeited also. How is an onlooker able to tell the fake from the genuine? And how many people stop to seriously consider this question -
WHAT DOES IT REALLY mean to be a Christian?
WHAT IS A Christian? A follower of Christ? A servant of God? Or just a professor of Christianity? What is one, really?
HAVING NEVER REALLY asked MYSELF this question before, I took it to our family 1954 BRITANNICA dictionary and got this definition -
CHRISTIAN – professing or following the religion of Christ.
IF THIS IS TRUE, a Christian IS all of the above – a follower, a servant, and of course, a professor. But I wasn’t satisfied with my answer. Doesn’t one have to be more than a mere “professor”? Does the meaning get any deeper than that?
I OPENED CONCORDANCES. I read through encyclopedias. I even researched the word in the original Greek text, and continued to get the same answer. Then I decided to take the word apart – and that is where the meaning got a whole lot deeper.
THE WORD CHRISTIAN is made up of two parts. The root word, CHRIST. And the suffix, -IAN. We all know who “Christ” was. But what is the definition of -ian?
“-ian” – one from, belonging to, relating to, or like.
THEREFORE, the word Christian literally means : one from, belonging to, or like Christ.
CHRIST-LIKE! Not just a professor, not just a follower, but LIKE Him! This is the true definition of Christian.
AND WHEN YOU CONSIDER it, does it not make sense? If you were to tell a genuine bill from a counterfeit, you would look for the characteristics of the original, would you not? Think – anyone can profess anything. It takes no effort. I can profess to be the president of the United States all I want, but that does not make me the real thing.
THE BIBLE TELLS US that Christ was pure, holy, and sinless.
AND HE COMMANDS us to follow in His footsteps. This does not mean that we are superhuman and are immortal – we will make mistakes. But the Bible defines sin as a “willful transgression” and not a mistake. So if you ever wish to tell whether someone is a true Christian or not, watch them, and put their character to the test. You will be able to tell. A true Christian is Christ-like, a true example of His Maker. Just as a child carries the traits of a father, we as spiritual children should reflect the nature of OUR Heavenly Father.
TO BE A CHRISTIAN is to be like Christ. Pure, holy, and sinless. Christ has power for you to be like Him if you will. Don’t settle for anything less than genuine, undefiled, and uncounterfeited Christianity.
08/05/2008
DO YOU HAVE JOY?
Do you have JOY? In our Young People’s Bible Study Class we have been asked to study out a Christian trait and I decided to study JOY. Sometimes as a teenager, you have so many different emotions, thoughts, feelings and struggles whirling through your heart and mind. We need the JOY that only Jesus can give . . . it is the only true JOY that lasts when earthly joy’s don’t!!!
~Felecia
THOU WILT SHEW ME the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of JOY; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore. ~PSALM 16:11
THEN HE SAID unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the JOY of the Lord is your strength. ~NEHEMIAH 8:10
BUT THE FRUIT of the Spirit is . . . JOY . . . ~GALATIANS 5:22
THEN WILL I GO unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding JOY: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God. ~PSALMS 43:4
TO APPOINT UNTO THEM that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of JOY for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified. ~ISAIAH 61:3
AND NOW COME I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my JOY fulfilled in themselves. ~JOHN 17:13
