Update!

First off, I do apologize for the lack of posts in the past... WOAH .... four months. O.O "Life happened," and then, to tell you the truth, I went through a very confusing time that was also void of any good inspiration for a new post. But I am back, or so I hope to be, and finished making excuses [for now]. :)

So, for a couple weeks I've been telling myself that I MUST write a new post...that slowly turned into, I MUST write a filler post...which has now turned into this, a quick update of little or no consequence. >_> I do have a few topics that will hopefully become subjects for posts in the next few weeks. If you know me, hold me to that, will you? Thanks.

Here are some of the general topics (in case you're interested):
Worth- how we view ourselves and may allow doubts regarding our worthiness of His plans for us to creep in.
Christmas Ornaments & Tennis Balls - (I'm going to leave it at that. Maybe you'll be curious enough to check here later to find out what in the world I'm thinking ;)
Love - The Greatest Commandment...the Greatest Gift.

In regards to my last post, the four month old one, my summer finished out very nicely. I had a wonderful time at both camps and saw many lives changed forever. God most certainly had some amazing things in store for us when we arrived.

Youth camp was a much needed time to stop and re-sort my brain, and my heart. While my mindset going into the week wasn't the greatest, as predicted, the week was an awesome experience and time of growing closer to God. One of the things He impressed on me while I was there was my eagerness or tendancy to rebuild walls that He had torn down -Walls within my heart that had hindered my relationship with Him.

Galations 2:18 - "For if I build again those things which I have destroyed, I make myself a transgressor."

Those words pounded me one morning, during our personal devotion time. I am not and never will be strong enough to tear down those walls myself. But when I asked Him to, and He did, it's as if I turned right around and scrambled to put them back up. In that section of Galations, Paul had just finished talking about how no sin is greater than another, they are all on an equally abominable level. And while I was earnestly seeking Him out, and pleading for Him to cleanse me, and help me grow stronger, I was still sitting there rebuilding walls, making myself a transgressor. That morning, one of the things I wrote was "If my goal is to truly give Him my undivided attention, that's not possible with a brick wall blocking my view."

I also had a bit a of a slap across the face when it comes to how I see myself. Completely unworthy...of anything and everything. While that's true and it's only by God's grace that we are saved, I was allowing that feeling of being "disposable" or worthless to overwhelm me. I struggled with the idea that I was a shame to Him, becoming blind to how He had used me so many times and given me opportunities, wrapped me in love. For some reason, this is still a struggle every once in a while, but the words of Hebrews 11:6 & 16, along with much prayer and encouragement have reminded me that God does have a plan specifically for me, for each of His children. These plans are bound by a goal of glorifying Him, but unique to each of us and our relationships with Him.

Hebrews 11:
6 - "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that he is, and that He is a rewarder of those who dilligently seek Him."
16 - "But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them."

Every morning, there was an early group prayer time. But after a while we would go off separately to spend some one on one time with our Master. During one of these times, He brought to my attention something that had been going on all week, and can still happen every day. It had been raining every morning all week long, and on that particular morning, it was more like deluge. As I sat there under the pavillion, I realized how God was so ready to pour on us. As if the roof of the pavillion didn't exist, He wasn't just ready to drizzle on us... but to POUR. And as we sat there, claiming to be equally as ready for Him to do so, it was like we each had umbrellas; umbrellas to sheild us and stop us from feeling His rain. It's high time to toss out your spiritual umbrella.

At the end of the week, I stumbled across Ezekiel 2 & 3. A section that God used as a final word of encouragement to those who I shared it with and me.
2:6 - "And you son of man, do not be afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions, do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house."
3:10 - "Moreover He said to me; "Son of man receive into your heart all my words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears. And go get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them 'Thus says the Lord God,' whether they hear or whether they refuse."

The following week of Kids camp was one of the best ever, in my opinion. Although, I've only been to a few years. It was a well focused week of learning and encouraging some kids who come from some pretty rough households. A humbling experience as well, to see them excited about serving God, regardless of some unbelievable circumstances in their home life. I was privileged to see many of them baptized and drawing nearer to Him.

As for the rest of my summer... well, it was eventful. We took an emergency trip to AR at the end of August, and I discovered that am by no means made for life in the south. Not to mention the fact that AR is quite possibly one of the ugliest states, even by the standards of its residents. It was a nice and long overdue visit with some family, however, so I guess it was worth it. ;)

So, there is at least a re-cap of my summer. Yes, I realize it is now December and that leaves quite a gap in the calendar, but do you really want to know any more boring details? I thought not. But be aware that I adore the Autumn season and I am still reminiscing over it's various successes this year. :)



Until later,

~
"Lord, blow the coal, thy love enflame in me."

A conglameration of thoughts.

Alright, this post isn't going to be overly formal. I suppose that's laziness on my part...but I'm also feeling the last of my time at home slip away... Yes, it's that time of the summer. Everyone seems to be going off to camp or vacation and well, it's my turn. I'll be gone for most of the next two weeks, so I thought I'd at least try to put SOMETHING on here for during my absense. :)

First, I'm finally starting to look forward to camp. That may sound completely ungrateful, but it's true. My way was paid for anonymously; therefore, I was sortof commited to going. It was definitely a blessing and God most certainly was good to me. Plus, the only other girl in our church that is going, is going for the first time to teen camp; and I'd hate to leave her in the lurch. Seriously, the girls in that family have been looking forward to it ALL YEAR. They came to me excitedly about five months ago, asking if I planned on going. xD But it's great to see them so excited...and for the RIGHT reasons.

Camp is always an AMAZING time with God. A great environment to forget everything else and just focus on Him, give Him my undivided attention. But there are two main things about it that have always bothered me. 1)Drama. Endless and (suprisingly) highly sought after DRAMA. Even if you're not caught in the middle of it, it just seems to put a damper on everything. [I have a post that I've been writing and tweaking for a long time now on the subject...problem is, it resembles a rant more than anything. Comment if you think I ought to post it anyway, because I'm undecided.]
2)"The camp experience"....yeah, it's the fever that everyone gets after having a great week depending and focusing on God. Everybody comes back home and for two, maybe three weeks, they're on fire for God. But then, it starts to dwindle, and after a while standards start to decrease and once again we're back at that "low point" where God's shoved off into the sidelines. I've feared and hated that fever ever since my first year of camp. It just seems like we're being so deceptive to God. I mean, obviously He sees our hearts and knows what's going on, but meh... It's just grrrr.... So anyway, my goal is and has been to "get real" with God; any prayers that I could keep my eyes on Him during the week would be greatly appreciated. :)

Despite those two things...like I said, I'm getting excited. God is so ready to burst forth into Jess's life and I can see that. I feel really priveleged to be going with her see what awesomeness God has in store. ;)

Ah yes, there was one last thing I wanted to mention. Last night I was reading in Lamentations. I just really wanted to share the chapter with you because it really touched and encouraged me, hopefully it does the same for you. It reminded me of how much He really loves and adores us. Reading it was like getting a big warm fatherly hug from Him. It talks about God's wrath when we rebel against Him, but then Jeremiah recalls the time when he was in persecution and affliction. He CRIED out like a frightened child at night, and God soothingly answered... "Do not fear!"
I recently went through a situation where I was reminded that I can truly depend on God, I was forced to look to Him alone for support...and it definately changed my outlook on my relationship with Him. The really interesting part to me is that I read Jeremiah 26-29 and it was just like everything in there was exactly how I felt. The verses in lamentations (starting w/55) look to me like Jeremiah is recalling that specific time and remembering how great and merciful God is.

He cares, He knows, He's there...and ready to answer.

I know it's kindof long, but do enjoy it. ;)

1 I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of His wrath.
2 He has led me and made me walk
In darkness and not in light.
3 Surely He has turned His hand against me
Time and time again throughout the day.
4 He has aged my flesh and my skin,
And broken my bones.
5 He has besieged me
And surrounded me with bitterness and woe.
6 He has set me in dark places
Like the dead of long ago.
7 He has hedged me in so that I cannot get out;
He has made my chain heavy.
8 Even when I cry and shout,
He shuts out my prayer.
9 He has blocked my ways with hewn stone;
He has made my paths crooked.
10 He has been to me a bear lying in wait,
Like a lion in ambush.
11 He has turned aside my ways and torn me in pieces;
He has made me desolate.
12 He has bent His bow
And set me up as a target for the arrow.
13 He has caused the arrows of His quiver
To pierce my loins.
14 I have become the ridicule of all my people—
Their taunting song all the day.
15 He has filled me with bitterness,
He has made me drink wormwood.
16 He has also broken my teeth with gravel,
And covered me with ashes.
17 You have moved my soul far from peace;
I have forgotten prosperity.
18 And I said, “My strength and my hope
Have perished from the LORD.”
19 Remember my affliction and roaming,
The wormwood and the gall.
20 My soul still remembers
And sinks within me.
21 This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.
22 Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
24 “ The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“ Therefore I hope in Him!”
25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
26 It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
For the salvation of the LORD.
27 It is good for a man to bear
The yoke in his youth.
28 Let him sit alone and keep silent,
Because God has laid it on him;
29 Let him put his mouth in the dust—
There may yet be hope.
30 Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him,
And be full of reproach.
31 For the Lord will not cast off forever.
32 Though He causes grief,
Yet He will show compassion
According to the multitude of His mercies.
33 For He does not afflict willingly,
Nor grieve the children of men.
34 To crush under one’s feet
All the prisoners of the earth,
35 To turn aside the justice due a man
Before the face of the Most High,
36 Or subvert a man in his cause—
The Lord does not approve.
37 Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass,
When the Lord has not commanded it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
That woe and well-being proceed?
39 Why should a living man complain,
A man for the punishment of his sins?
40 Let us search out and examine our ways,
And turn back to the LORD;
41 Let us lift our hearts and hands
To God in heaven.
42 We have transgressed and rebelled;
You have not pardoned.
43 You have covered Yourself with anger
And pursued us;
You have slain and not pitied.
44 You have covered Yourself with a cloud,
That prayer should not pass through.
45 You have made us an offscouring and refuse
In the midst of the peoples.
46 All our enemies
Have opened their mouths against us.
47 Fear and a snare have come upon us,
Desolation and destruction.
48 My eyes overflow with rivers of water
For the destruction of the daughter of my people.
49 My eyes flow and do not cease,
Without interruption,
50 Till the LORD from heaven
Looks down and sees.
51 My eyes bring suffering to my soul
Because of all the daughters of my city.
52 My enemies without cause
Hunted me down like a bird.
53 They silenced my life in the pit
And threw stones at me.
54 The waters flowed over my head;
I said, “I am cut off!”
55 I called on Your name, O LORD,
From the lowest pit.
56 You have heard my voice:
“ Do not hide Your ear
From my sighing, from my cry for help.”
57 You drew near on the day I called on You,
And said, “Do not fear!”
58 O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul;
You have redeemed my life.
59 O LORD, You have seen how I am wronged;
Judge my case.
60 You have seen all their vengeance,
All their schemes against me.
61 You have heard their reproach, O LORD,
All their schemes against me,
62 The lips of my enemies
And their whispering against me all the day.
63 Look at their sitting down and their rising up;
I am their taunting song.
64 Repay them, O LORD,
According to the work of their hands.
65 Give them a veiled heart;
Your curse be upon them!
66 In Your anger,
Pursue and destroy them
From under the heavens of the LORD.
[NKJV]

Jeremiah 6

15- “'Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at that time I will punish them, they shall be cast down,’ says the Lord.”

This entire chapter particularly struck me because it is written to a select group of people. Its application isn’t directed towards the obvious non-believer or non-Christian; instead, it is to a category of Christians who serve God and have accepted Him, yet their tolerance has caused them to stumble. Then, realizing that they were/are starting to drift in the wrong direction, they’ve walked “by the way” and “into the field” (vs. 25) rather than keeping to the path and plan that God has laid out. They tried to make amends…but not really. It says in verse 14, “They have also healed the hurt of my people slightly saying ‘Peace peace!’ when there is no peace.” That verse, using the adverb “slightly”, doesn’t mean that they made peace with God and His people “part of the way.” In my opinion, it was as if their heart wasn’t purely right. Drop one letter off of the word and it becomes “lightly,” which is really the attitude I saw in the passage. They aren’t taking their “peace-making” with God very seriously. But He is the almighty, omnipotent, and powerful Creator – He needs to be taken seriously! So He’s confronting them; about what? Their flexibility. They’re not heeding His word and partly due to being “calloused.”

The simple, yet so very complex truth is that we are all mirrors. Mirrors show/reflect what’s around us, the company that we keep. The attitudes of others penetrate our lives way more than we think; and the “company” being reflected may not always be human. I’m not talking about extra-terrestrial life…I mean companions like movies, music, books, whatever – we reflect those too. So if those things or the friends we hang out with are constantly reflected by us, they tend to soak in, little by little. With that, our comfort level changes and suddenly “certain little sins” aren’t so bad anymore. A friend and I briefly talked about the issue of modesty, something that God’s really been working with me on. She works in a “touristy” place and sees a lot of summer vacationers trying to “keep cool” in the hot weather by wearing less. It really impressed her to see a young lady dressed with the INTENTION of being modest. “People just don’t blush anymore!” she exclaimed. This passage, especially verse 15, obviously deals with much of the same issue. Sin is no longer a shame; it’s a way/part of life. Christians are told to basically just “deal with it.”

It’s the problem that arises when we tolerate sin, rather than fleeing it. “Flee youthful lusts,” Paul said to Timothy, “Pursue righteousness” instead. When I posted about purity and innocence, I encouraged you to be PROUD of the purity Christ’s death allowed us. I don’t mean a lack of humility; just that we should make a stand and be a light, not hide under a mask of unrighteousness. The same thing goes here. We need to be willing and ready to say “no.”[<-yeah, that’s a loaded phrase nowadays. >.<] Get out of the companionship of sin so that we can regain sensitivity to it, because the Lord’s mercy won’t last forever(Psalm 103), even though He loves us as His dear children. “Hear, o earth! Behold I will certainly bring calamity on this people – the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not heeded My words, nor My law, but rejected it.”(verse 19) Our thoughts have fruit, whether we like it or not. So if our minds are dwelling on ungodly things, it’s going to show up, whether it’s in our relationship with God, or our relationships with others.

My pastor’s wife recently gave me a brilliant illustration about what happens when we tolerate sin. Think of cinnamon and sugar, two separate and markedly different looking(and tasting) substances. What happens when you mix them? Well, even if it’s just a LITTLE cinnamon, the sugar has lost its pure white color and they make something entirely different. Once they’re mixed together, you can’t really tell a difference between the two. That’s EXACTLY what is happening in this chapter. – “Therefore they shall fall among those who fall.” If we look and act just like those who aren’t even professing to live for God, we share an equal fate. If our standards are the same, and our judgment the same, so will be the outcome of our judgment. So now, maybe with the slight flavor of witty retort, we might think, “Well duh! I’m a Christian. Of course I’m not supposed to be surrounded by and reflecting such filth!” But think harder. In full, verse 25 says, “Do not go out into the field, nor walk by the way. Because of the sword of the enemy, fear is on every side.” Have you ever been in a situation where it felt like that sword of the enemy was poised on your throat; where you would be committing “social suicide” not to just give in and blend in…or maybe…even just tolerate? Those are the times when the straight and narrow way seems utterly impossible. Although fear may be suffocating us, we’ve got to take comfort in heading God’s word. Fear of the Lord should always outweigh any selfishly based fear. As I’ve said many times before, all this doesn’t mean we should shun or abandon anyone who is isn’t “pure.” That’s just not even strategic. Our fear of God should COMPEL us to come alongside and minister to those people.

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.” -Acts 1:8

There’s a big difference between tolerating and loving and ministering to someone. “How can there be a lack of love in tolerance?” Well, if you truly love someone, are you really going to let them continue in something that will ultimately cost them the opportunity of eternity with God?
Also, our obedience and zeal for upholding the things of Lord effect way more people than we think. I’ve been shocked recently to discover just how much our neighbor knows about us, just from observing us from his yard [yeah, slightly creepy to me too]. We’ve been talking and visiting with him more often. But it brought to my attention the fact that, although they may not say anything, people pay pretty close attention to you, whether it’s your clothes, your language, or your attitude…you name it, they watch for it! If they’re a non-believer, it certainly doesn’t add any brownie points to your case for Christ if they know or even just think that you’re a backsliding hypocrite. Even worse, in my opinion, baby-christians or newly converted Christians may be looking to you for an example. How sad if they should be led in the wrong direction just because we didn’t want to be the “odd man out” and decided to tolerate sin. It’s unhealthy for them as well as us and our relationship with God.

Vs 29-30 – “The bellows blow fiercely, the lead is consumed by the fire; the smelter refines in vain, for the wicked are not drawn off. People will call them rejected silver, because the Lord has rejected them.”

“Rejected silver.” Remember how precious we are to God? He formed each of us and as any father would, he most certainly wants to be close to us – to guide and protect us. But when we allow the impurities to get integrated into us, and then refuse to face up to it, making lame cover-ups of “peace,” the Smelter works in vain. What was created with a plan of beauty and worth becomes ugly, weak, and worthless. <- Some pretty harsh words, but how else do can you define rejected silver? It’s like the salt that loses its flavor and therefore its purpose, becoming fit for no more than to be trampled underfoot by lowly mankind [Matt. 5] . That’s pretty sad loss. Especially since He’s trying to refine us, the bellows are blowing fiercely; but unless we consciously choose to sacrifice ourselves and cling to Him rather than evil, it’s in vain. Sacrifice can be so difficult, whether it’s sacrificing wealth, or hopes and dreams that aren’t according to His purpose. But think of it this way: When I stand before God, there’s no way I’m going to say, “Oh, I wish I hadn’t done that one thing for You, God,” or “Aww man! I wish I hadn’t made that one sacrifice for You.” No. Every possible opportunity to glorify God and even sacrifice for Him, is SO worth taking advantage of! And we can rejoice in a position that allows us to do so because that IS our intended purpose.

If you were to take a quick glance at yourself what do you think you would see? Would you see someone who was always ready to stand up for what’s righteous; or someone who is flexible and easily bending with the waves of society, the waves that take sin lightly and force tolerance on those who don’t stand firmly on the Word of the Lord?

Jeremiah 6:16- “Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls’…”

Priceless Purity and Innocence

“Dear Princess,” he responded, “few treasures are so easily lost as thy purity – yet few so important to keep.”

Purity is a subject that has been heavy on my heart lately. And I don’t really mean sexual purity, because while that is an important goal/attribute, most of us already know about it and hear about it on a regular basis. My thoughts have been focused on inner purity- purity of motives and desire.

The above quote is from a book I recently began reading called Before You Meet Prince Charming. It’s a book directed towards young girls (about 11-15) and the call to have radiant purity. Kayla and I have decided to study scripture and a few other texts together so that hopefully, in the near future, we can lead a study with younger girls in our homeschool group and churches. I’m really looking forward to it as a time to build up my relationship with her, the young girls, and most importantly- God.

In Before You Meet Prince Charming, the author throws in a few sections of a “fairy tale” about a young(16), innocent princess who has been protected and adored by her father, the King. One day, she began to question if there was something wrong with her innocence – “But if I never experience the real world, I fear I will never fit in.”

[According to Random House Dictionary of the English Language - College Edition...]
Innocence: n. 1. The quality or state of being innocent; freedom from sin or moral wrong. 2. Chastity or purity “She has not lost her innocence.” 3. Freedom from legal or specific wrong; guiltlessness. 4. Simplicity; guiltlessness; ingeniousness. 5. Lack of knowledge or understanding naïveté of an unworldly person. 6. Harmlessness; innocuousness...
[For the rest of this post, try to think of the word “innocent” as including ALL those definitions of the word, unless I specifically describe one definition. You can throw rocks at me later if you really disagree, but that’s the viewpoint I’ve taken through this study. ]

Innocence (in the sense of sheltered innocence) is looked on in such a negative light. It’s true, we shouldn’t separate ourselves from the world because we need to experience it and be able to connect with others on a reasonable level in order to be effective spreading the Gospel. But being innocent can also mean being blameless, or guiltless. God washes away our sin and restores us – even makes us brand new creatures, but we are supposed to maintain and keep that purity to the best of our abilities. Placing yourself in a situation that could potentially lead to sin isn’t excusable just because “I need to connect with others and understand them.” Pure light is not meant to be covered up by even a façade of ungodliness; it’s supposed to stand on a pedestal to shine into the lives of others.
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)

Experience with pain and trials is not what I’m saying we should be "innocent" about; because those, in most cases, DO have meaning and potential. We aren’t supposed to bury our head in the sand and look for shelter every time a trial arises in our life. No. Those are the times when we need to rely on God to direct us, point out our weaknesses in our relationship with Him, and help us learn from it – grow and be strengthened. 2 Corinthians 12:9 – “And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

The pure innocence of a child is beautiful, not shameful, and it isn’t biased. A child who is truly innocent won’t seem so in front of some people and not in front of others. While it’s tempting, we can’t allow ourselves, as children of the King, to be “pure” in only one section of our lives. After all, God sees every piece to the puzzle, not just the pretty ones.

Motive is where I’ve recently questioned my own purity; and to my dismay and frustration, I discovered that it wasn’t as pure as I’d allowed myself to believe. Giving your heart to God is best source of protection, comfort, and peace that you can ever hope for. I was disappointed to realize that I had allowed pieces of my own heart, which I knew God was asking me to give entirely to Him, to be chipped away. What is more fulfilling than loving and having a relationship with God? Nothing; yet I, in the past, had become discontent and ended up losing even a small portion of what could have been given over to Him as whole and –well, pure. But now, through His grace, I’ve been remade and no longer need to feel unworthy to enter His presence. (<- A post on that subject coming soon :D )

So, my point, which I went way off on a terrible rabbit trail to explain (sorry), is this – Even if we know that our purity and innocence before God has already been tainted or maybe even shattered, He is ready to wash it away completely. Then, – coming back to the quote – we need to KEEP it as the priceless treasure that it is. When I think about how important it is for us to please and remain purely beautiful in the sight of the Lord, I can’t help but wonder how we could risk that purity, which He loves, for things that are temporary and don’t really matter. “For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” It’s easy to get caught up in impure things because we think under “finite” terms. Pressure to sin and desire for popularity, wealth, and attention are RIGHT THERE in front of us; but God? He’s way of in the distance – you know, eternity. :P The thing is, He is INFINITE. Infinite doesn’t just mean He goes on forever in the future, it means that He is without boundary. “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) We TALK to Him daily, constantly (or should anyways) and we can FEEL His presence, we can SEE His wondrous miracles. So why do we act as if He doesn’t see the sin in our lives right now? The lyrics to a beautiful song remind me of the kind of attitude I want to have toward my walk with Him. “I don’t want to talk about You like You’re not in the room. I want to look right at You. I want to sing right to You.” As a friend recently testified to me: “No more secret sin!” Admit it and do you and your Creator a huge favor by handing it over. He’s not going to condemn you; He’s going to be overjoyed to relieve a burden off of His beloved child’s back.

Stop for a second and think about where our purity –our light- comes from. It’s because of our redemption through Him that we can be white as snow, He commanded the light to shine on and out from us. “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of us, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of knowledge and of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 4:6. Our purity, while it is cherished and respected by the people around us, can never be as adored as it is by the One who gave His son that we might achieve it. Protect and be proud of your purity. Don’t let your shield of faith lower, along with your standards and zeal for serving God. Or if you haven’t already, there is no better time than right now to attain purity, to be redeemed and saved by the blood of Jesus. I encourage you to discover the fulfillment and hope that comes from a personal relationship with Someone who loves you and finds you so precious that He gave His only son to die on a cross…just to save YOU; so that you can dwell with Him in heaven for eternity. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” - Matthew 13:45

John 14:23 – “Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our home with him.”

What Will He Find....

Yeah, it's a tad bit lengthy.... but I hope you enjoy it none-the-less. :) Lots of questions in this one too. :P

---Isaiah 2

“(2) Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and the nations shall flow to it.”
This is the beginning of a breathtaking account by Isaiah. What will Jesus find when he comes back? Or, since we know not the hour of His return, what would He find in our hearts RIGHT NOW? The nations will flow to Him, they WILL be humbled before His sight and upon feeling the intensity of Him and His majesty, they will want to be taught by Him. They will hunger just to be near to Him and yearn to simply tread on the same ground that He walks. But – “(4) He shall judge between the nations; and rebuke the peoples.” Again I ask- What would He find in our hearts? Would he find them loyal, pleasing, and passionate for Him or luke-warm, distracted and fat with sin? Would we be ashamed if the Lord was standing before us observing and judging not only our actions but also the condition of our hearts? Verse 10 - “Enter into the rock and hide in the dust, from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty.” I can only imagine the guilty faces in the audience of Isaiah, as he spoke these words and they were reminded of how prevailing God is. I know that I take my relationship with God way to lightly. This is the God who makes men cower at His presence, at the sound of His voice and judgment; yet still we have the audacity to disobey Him, or take his commands lightly.

Job 37:1 – “At this, my heart pounds and leaps from its place. Listen! Listen to the roar of His voice, to the rumbling that comes from His mouth.”

I love how passionately and honestly Elihu is showing his love for God, here. It’s a deep, deep respect because He is so incredibly powerful. This is the voice that can split a mountain and bring life; yet, it can also speak so gently and lovingly to His children. Elihu was so desperately trying to get Job to look at the “big picture” and give glory, honor and praise to God, even in those terrible circumstances. When do I forget the intensity of those gentle words God may speak to me? -- When I’m with friends and it would seem so much easier to just give into sin, or maybe when God simply wants me to do something that I think looks too difficult? Is it too easy for me to disregard a Voice that can sound so sweet when, really, it comes from the greatest Authority? He deserves SO MUCH MORE than to be on the outskirts of our minds; yet that’s where we tend to put Him! Today, we had a showcase at co-op. One of the girls got up and sang “What Do I Know of Holy.” She had a gorgeous voice, but the lyrics were what gave me chills.

I made You promises a thousand times
I tried to hear from Heaven
But I talked the whole time
I think I made You too small
I never feared You at all, No.
If You touched my face would I know You?
Looked into my eyes could I behold You?

What do I know of You
Who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood
But the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury?
Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know? What do I know of Holy?

I guess I thought that I had figured You out
I knew all the stories and I learned to talk about
How You were might to save
Those were only empty words on a page
Then I caught a glimpse of who You might be
The slightest hint of You brought me down to my knees

What do I know of You
Who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood
But the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury?
Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know?What do I know of Holy?

What do I know of Holy?
What do I know of wounds that will heal my shame?
And a God who gave life it's name?
What do I know of Holy?
Of the One who the angels praise?
All creation knows Your name
On earth and heaven above What do I know of this love?

What do I know of You
Who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood
But the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury?
Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know? What do I know of Holy?
What do I know of Holy?
What do I know of Holy?

The first stanza in itself almost brought me to tears. Do I make God “too small” or fear Him as I should? Do I shove His love away in my pride, forgetting how inferior I really am? But, coming back to Isaiah 2, He will “arise to shake the earth mightily,” and “The loftiness of men shall be bowed down. And the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.”

Verse 22 says “Stop trusting a man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?” Man is so small; yet when we “give in” and live in/become accustomed to sin, we are putting tiny, little man above the great and mighty God in our hearts. A while back, I was studying Psalm 119. In verse 19 David says – “I am a stranger in the earth; Do not hide your commandments from me.” We are creations of God; yes, we were created as part of the earth, but not to be in unison with it. After all, He set us apart from everything else by making us in His own likeness. So, if we’re strangers of the earth, why do we act (and believe) as if the world is more comfortable than fellowship with God? A stranger may feel welcomed into an unfamiliar place, but they are almost never as comfortable as they may have been in their home or native place. Do I treat God as if He is the stranger, rather than being a stranger to the world? It’s true, we may need to adopt some of the culture of the world, so that as effective vessels for Him, we can spread truth and word of the Life that comes from Him. But it’s another case of “in but not of.” I want to accept my relationship with God as “original,” and to be so close to God that his presence is effortlessly more inviting and satisfying than anything else. And the thing is, He has made that possible for us. He desires for us to “draw near” to Him so that, in turn, he may draw near to us. It blows my mind that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords wants to be as close as possible to such low and ungrateful souls as ours, but it’s still true. One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 27:19 “As in water face reflects face, so a man’s heart reveals a man.” And as I consider the immensity of His majesty as described in Isaiah 2, how could I even think of ignoring or belittling the relationship I’m allowed to have with God? It’s an issue of pride; pride that will eventually be shattered and exposed for its worthlessness in the day of my judgment, when I stand before God.
One last time I will ask - What will He find in our hearts?

An Old Piece of Chain Mail...That I Still Love.

Actual Analogies and Metaphors Found in High School Essays:

1. Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that its sides gently compressed by a thigh master.
2. His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.
3. He spoke with wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pin hole in it.
4. She grew on him like she was E. Coli and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.
5. She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like the sound that a dog makes just before it throws up.
6. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.
7. He was as tall as a six-foot-three-inch tree.
8. The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn’t.
9. McBride fell twelve stories, hitting the ground like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup.
10. From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when Jeopardy comes on at 7:00pm instead of 7:30.
11. Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.
12. The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease.
13. Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36p.m. traveling at 55mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 36mph.
14. John and Mary had never met, they were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.
15. Even in his last years, Grandpappy had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long it had rusted shut.
16. The plan was simple, like my brother in law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.
17. The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating from not eating for a while.
18. The ballerina rose gracefully en pointe and extended one slender leg, like a dog at a fire hydrant.
19. It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools.
20. He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up.
21. Her eyes were like limpid pools, only they had forgotten to put in any pH cleanser.
22. She walked into my office like a centipede with 98 missing legs.
23.It hurt, the way your tongue hurts after you accidentally staple it to the wall.

And a random funny/stupid quote:
"Frisbeetarianism is the belief that when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck."

Photo Editing for Dummies. xD

An old project. Totally unoriginal...I know. But I still like it. :)















And now for the new one...I just went a little crazy with Adobe. Twas great fun. :D I think it looks kinda "biology"ish too, probably part of the reason I like it. :P

Psalm 19

Another bible journal...I wrote this one a while back, but I just reread it and it was a really good reminder/encouragement to me. Hope it does the same for you. ;)

Psalm 19: (6)7-14

This passage talks about how perfect and fulfilling the word of God is. We can turn to it, meditate on it, like dwelling on the words of friends or loved ones, only these are the words of our creator. And then, commit to them because - how incredible is the reward for that? If only I were to just enjoy the sweetness of these words, I can reap reward in eternity. It goes on about how wonderfully desirable the Judgment of the Lord is. Why? How or when can judgment be sweet and desirable? When it is perfect. P-E-R-F-E-C-T. And when we have every opportunity to not only prove our commitment, but also reap reward from it, what holds us back? It’s that moment that happens every day, ten billion times a day, and we slip up. We depart from God’s word only to taste the bitterness of the world. It gets us down too, because we know it’s wrong. And even though we can’t take those moments lightly, there is a time when we need to just realize the error and work at correcting, rather than dragging it along as yet another failure. That in itself is against Him. Verse 13 – “Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of transgression.” If we allow our faults to “have dominion” over us, what good are we being to the Lord? None. God grants us freedom from shame. So, rather than lingering in it for no reason, other than self pity and gratification, we should get off our duff, dust ourselves off, and be proud of our innocence in Him. It’s true, there’s nothing hidden from his judgment (I love the metaphor that David uses in verse 6), but it’s also true that all those things which we want nothing more than to hide away, can actually be purified from us. “Cleansed.” Isn’t that a million times better than trying to bury (unsuccessfully) something all by our lonesome? And then, when we’re all free of that depressingly filthy guilt, we have a choice. Fall back into the same old cycle that we’ve tried over and over and found no satisfaction whatsoever in, OR walk away. Pick up our trash and walk away. By the way, I say “pick up our trash” because of an interpretation I once heard about the lame man at the pool in Bethsaida. After Jesus healed him, he said for the man to pick up his mat and walk. The lady who was teaching us said, “What was Jesus thinking when he said that?” I mean, yeah, OBVIOUSLY this guy who hasn’t walked in thirty some years is going to be really concerned about picking up his stupid mat before running off to rejoice. My point? Don’t litter. A lot of times, in our mistakes we leave a trail of destruction behind us and there are times when we really need to go back and clean up, patch up whatever destruction we’ve caused. Doing so, not in our own power, but in God and His righteousness. After that’s all said and done, and we make that oh-so-obvious yet excruciatingly hard choice (hopefully to walk away), then we can take comfort in the words of verse 8: “The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.” Hear that? It’s reason to rejoice. WE CAN REJOICE in a lifestyle that’s really devoted to God. We can live happily in our decision to follow His commandments. That really does seem hard to accept at first doesn’t it? It is for me anyways, because a godly lifestyle, for some odd reason, is never looked on in a content or happy light. It’s hard to face the world as they tell us how “boring” our life is in comparison to theirs. And wouldn’t you know it, WE BELIEVE THEM! *gasp* Why? The truth is, there is NO satisfaction in anything other than God and righteousness (see Psalm 17:15, it’s good stuff ;). So, in everything I say and do, am I glorifying God? Am I righteous in what I do? At this point, I definitely know the answer to that is a big fat “NO,” but I also see how depressed and distressed my life is because of it. Finally, in verse 14, it says, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.” That’s what I desire, with my whole heart. I’ve come to this choice before, and as much as I’d like to think differently, I know I’ll probably be back again, but I’ve made my decision...

Psalm 20:8 – “They have bowed and fallen, but we have risen and stand upright.”

Some thoughts...

Well, one of the reasons that I started this blog is that a friend thought it would be a good place for me to publish some of my bible journals. Every once in a while, I write one that I just feel could or should be shared. So...I've been in proverbs for the past week. Here are some thoughts from chapter 16:

Proverbs 16: 2, 3 & 8,9, 15
(3)”Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”
In verse 8, it describes how little heed we take to the things we do day to day; yet they are, every single one, weighed and judged by the Lord. This passage happens to go along very nicely with the study we had on Friday night and the issue of what we consider as “big” sins vs. “little” sins. Each and every deed we do, every task we perform is placed at the feet of God. Do I treat them as such? Not really. NIV translation says that our ways seem “innocent” to our own eyes. But as we sit in our oblivious sate, God takes personally every task performed for His glory and honor. Likewise, He feels every crime committed against Him and the sacrifice He made for us. As this “all things considered” theme carries on in the chapter, verse 9 says, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” Yes, we are given free will, I believe that; but how insolent and brazen are we to think that He doesn’t have a hand in not only the direction we go, but also the steps we take to move in that direction.
In literature class, I ran across an essay by Jean Jaques Rousseau. Although it was painfully hard to read in the beginning, the truth in his words eventually demanded my attention. This man never once professes to be a Christian, but you can see that he quite clearly understood some amazing principles. First, how can we even begin to doubt that there is a creator, or a divine being who controls all? For a human being to simply draw breath expresses evidence that someone must have created the earth and all its contents. To breathe, a man fills his lungs with air, how can he do this without energy? The action requires energy, where does that energy come from? If the energy comes from a process and an outside source, what started that process or that outside source? This chain goes on and on until there is no possible answer as to how one simply breathes than that it is divinely given. The same, Rousseau continued, applies to intellect. Where can knowledge have come from? Humans are, unarguably superior on earth in the aspect that they contain a soul and possess the ability to reason. Where did that ability and knowledge originate from? And, on a side note, why oh why would we ever possibly desire to be compared to anything less (concerning our superiority on earth), as evolutionists want us to?
We try to plot our own direction, without realizing our humbling state. Not that making plans is a bad thing; it’s an excellent thing that, as God smiles down on those plans, we can place hope in them. But sometimes, either our plans don’t really please Him (the only one that matters) or we run headlong into them without remembering the great and mighty power that allows us to run. Verse 15 continues a description of what pleases a king and “when a king’s face brightens, it means life, his favor is like a rain cloud in the spring.” Hopes, dreams, plans, and goals that are founded on the will of God are going to be fruitful. Think about the spring weather and the fresh, crisp green that is released from the foliage by the rivers of water pouring from the sky- that’s how effective and yielding lives with a purpose of pleasing God are. When we brighten our King’s face, we’re not just helping ourselves; we’re helping those around us. After the rain (makes me think of air freshener :P), the birds sing for joy; the vegetation beams bright and invigorated; everything somehow seems to have gained new strength, and so can we also be with our friends and family. While we walk closer to God, His love is more likely to spread, infectiously, from us into their lives. And, to put a “green” spin on things, don’t you think that God also cares about the way in which we treat the splendor he created around us? So, His love extends not only to His children but also to their current dwelling place and we should work to respect and culture that in our hearts and ways.

"Thirst"

Here goes...

One of my favorite things in the entire world is to step outside when it’s raining and yet see rays of sunshine sparkling across the path. It's stunningly beautiful and just makes me feel happy and content. But besides the sheer beauty of it, there’s always been something else about it that kinda gives me butterflies in my tummy. When you compare life to a rainstorm, there are certain similarities. And even if you're like me, and can really love the crash of thunder and the cool splash of rain falling down, it doesn't change the fact that it is still a storm and, like life, it can be quite turbulent at times. Sure, it can be gentle and seem like a nothing but a simple pleasure; but other times it can thrash and destroy hopes and plans, leaving them to litter the ground as mere rubble. Then, there are the times where you hear the thunder and you see the rain, but at the same time, you can see rays of sunshine beaming down, bathing the landscape with warmth and light. And that light takes something that might've been miserable and destructive and forms it into something pricelessly sweet. This is how I feel the presence of God can affect the storm of one's life, it’s how He’s affected mine and the occasional “sunlit storm” reminds me of that. At this point, I don’t have any real goal to this blog and it will probably contain it’s fair share of randomness; but hopefully, it will always reflect the ways He affects my daily life and shines light into it. I hope it does the same for you, whether it’s to encourage you, make you laugh, or just make you sit back and think. :)

Let me know whether you’re enjoying it or I’m just wasting my time, please. ;) Thanks!