Relax

I've been in a wonderful mood lately, and it's no wonder!  It is beautiful outside today!!  After sweating for hours while cleaning and taking a bike ride, I took a relaxing shower, and now I'm constantly thanking God for the wonderful day he has made.

It is on days like today when I get to see God in nearly everything.  So it's interesting that I opened to Matthew 4:10-11.  It says,
Jesus said to him, "Away from me Satan!  For it is written: 'Worship the Lord, your God, and serve him only.' "  Then the devil left him, and angels attended him.

 If you've followed my Twitter or read my last posts, I've struggled with my faith a lot.  Today has been like a break through for me:  finally, loving God is easy!
Immediately when I read this verse, I read, "Then the devil left him, and angels attended him."  So it is possible for Satan to leave us, I thought.  But what caused him to leave?  Both in my life and in Jesus', the answer is found in the verse before it:
  "Worship the Lord, and serve him only."  

 When you are only reading it, this passage seems to say that when Jesus spoke scripture against Satan--specifically saying "I won't serve you, I'll serve God only"--he went away; but that is only half of it.  The other half is what is first mentioned: Worship the Lord.  It doesn't give a specific time nor a specific way, it just says worship him.  All the time, constantly, in everything you do, worship God.  For forty days and nights, Jesus was learning how to worship God with his life, while he fasted.  I'm sure all of that time he spent with God is the real reason behind Satan's departing.  Once Jesus said those words, Satan could tell that he was tied to God, and so he left him.

I think this is a wonderful example of what loving God looks like when the devil attacks us.  He can come with our worries, like Jesus' upcoming death, and try to promise the world as an escape; yet, because we trust God's plan, we say, "Away from me Satan!" and cling to our Lord.

How is your love story?  If you're like me, maybe you need to relax and let God.

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
-1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Fine Clothes

 It seems to be true that at night time, the dark things of this world start to play out in the open.  Thieves steal at night.  Murders take place in dark alley ways.  But that darkness comes out in ourselves too.  When you're up late at night, and you're by yourself, you can see some of your deepest temptations come out into the open.

When it gets late, one of the things I often find myself turning to is the fashion industry.  I am a person who does not wear makeup, except for special occasions, and who does not put a whole lot of time into my look.  On the other hand, I am also an artist, a graphic designer to be specific, and so things of that nature delight me.  So I find shows like Project Runway and America's Next Top Model to be interesting, although not totally my field.

I found out two years ago that my self esteem is easy to mess with.  I never thought I was beautiful in the eyes of my friends, because no guys took interest in me, but I was determined inside that I really was prettier than the girls who got the attention.  One day, a nice young guy took interest in me, and we became a "thing".  If we had focused our friendship on God, it might have lasted, but it ended in the wrong place, since my mind was so focused on that someone found me attractive.

Many girls I know have similar problems: they doubt that they are pretty, and they think that by wearing makeup, or finding the right guy, they could fix that problem.  Sometimes, people doubt that anyone could like a girl with pimples, or who has a little chubbiness around their tummy.  Maybe if I'm wearing clothes that are in style, or cute shoes, or short shorts.  But, no! What your missing isn't smooth skin, fine clothing, or a beautiful body; what your missing is a kind spirit that loves God.

When I see those girls on the runway shows, I do get jealous.  I have acne all over my shoulders, so although I am skinnier than most girls, I still feel imperfect sometimes.  But when I see those girls, I also see girls--whom may have achieved perfection in my eyes--still fighting for 1st place.  There is no such thing as perfection; it's a myth.

But what is real is that guys all the time fall in love with girls and marry them for life.  Maybe you have seen an old married couple, maybe you haven't; but I know quite a few, and I can promise you, he's not still with her just because she is so beautiful at this age. 
He knows she is worth spending a lifetime with because of her pure life and her respect for God.  He chose her, because he would not be ashamed to tell others who she is; because she could raise their children to be respectful and hardworking; because she would do all that she can to keep him in good health for the years to come.

That is why a man truly loves a woman: because of her spirit.
And that is the same reason why God loves us.  Although, yes, he loves us unconditionally, he can only form a relationship with us when our spirit is humble, caring, and loving towards him and others.  That is why when a woman has this kind of spirit inside of her, she is so desirable!  Are you not worth more to someone when you return love to them?  Don't they just rejoice being around you because you bring and give them joy from within?

So work on the spirit within you.  Be patient with others, kind to them.  Don't be jealous, and don't boast.  Try to be a little less arrogant, and avoid saying or doing anything rude.  Stop insisting on having everything your own way.  If you're irritating someone, don't; and keep in your mind not to be resentful.  Don't smile when something bad happens, but rather be happy when something is right.  Bear with others.  Believe in them.  Have hope in every situation, and endure the tough times.  Never let your love end.

"It is not fancy hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes that should make you beautiful.  No, your beauty should come from within you--the beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.  This beauty will never disappear, and it is worth very much to God."
-1 Peter 3:3-4

Storms

 Many times in life you will hit a storm.

Sometimes you see it coming in the distance and you prepare yourself.  Buy bread, milk, eggs. Close the windows.

But then the storm hits, and it's bigger than you expected.  You thought you were prepared for it, but really you're not.  All of your preparations don't seem to matter now because the power's out, the basement is flooded, batteries are all dying, and you can't find a single match.

 These are times when faith comes into play.

You have no backup plan.
Can you turn to God?  Do you trust him? It's so easy to relax in his arms when you're sleeping than when you're drowning, but you won't survive unless you relax then too!  Sometimes when you can't seem to breathe, you need to just listen to what he says and have faith.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
-Jeremiah 29:11

The Dust

Last week with a group of friends, we studied 1 Corinthians chapters 1-3.
Divisions were arising in the church from many things, one of them being the people's pride.

Pride is something I struggle with all of the time.
"If only I would..." is how most of my thoughts begin.
Most recently, one thought that haunts me is this thought that I am so prideful that really all I am is a hypocrite and liar, and that because of my weakness, I'll never become that strong Christian that I wish I could become...

I don't know you personally, and I don't know what your history is with Christ, but if you've struggled with seeing your worth, listen to this song:

Beautiful Things - Gungor

"All this pain
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all..."

Look at the picture; isn't it cute?

Look closely now, and look at what has made such a pretty scene.

"You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us"


God knows who we are, and he knows we are weak.
But we are not worthless.

What are we?
We are servants.

We do God's will, and he makes us into something great.

I like that phase:
"...life is being found in You."

The important thing is that
God 
can
make
us
new.

1 Corinthians 3:6 says that one may have planted the seed or watered it, but God made it grow.

Look to God for your hope.
He makes beautiful things.
He makes beautiful things out of the dust.

"So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future -- all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God."
-1 Corinthians 3:21-23

Washed

John 13:1-17

 Many people refer to this passage to talk about serving others. We all know the story: Jesus did the job of a servant and washed his disciples feet, then told us all to do likewise.  It is a very powerful story when it comes to how a leader should act, but there is a deeper message here that John shows us.

When John introduces this foot-washing scene, he says, "Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love."
Washing their feet was Jesus' way of showing the full extent of his love?  Really? That is a pretty small act for such a big statement.
But the next two verses have three very important details:
1. Judas was already prompted to betray Jesus
2. Jesus knew he came from God and had power over everything
3. Jesus knew he was leaving
Jesus had to consider all of these things.  He knew that one person here truly did not deserve to be served, and he knew that he had the power to control anything--he could wipe Judas of the face of the earth!
But, because this is his last chance to show God's love to them, he decides instead to take off his outer clothing, wrap a towel around his waist, and wash their feet.

When you walk around for days in flip flops, it is easy to see how dirty our feet can get, especially if you are walking on dirt roads.  Add a month or two or three onto that, and your feet can get really disgusting!  Dirt piles up on our feet wherever we go, naturally, because we are humans.
  The same thing happens with our sins.
Every day, everywhere we go, we mess up.  We could be at a friends house, at church even, maybe just up late at night, and our hearts, our minds lose focus on God.  It is so easy to be distracted! Especially now that we have TV, the internet, cell phones, etc.  'Everything we need' is right at our fingertips and it keeps us so busy, we forget to spend our time with God.

Why do you think that Jesus said, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me"?  He knew all people sin, and he knew God cannot be with sin.  He wanted us to realize that we must accept his sacrifice or else we can't be with him.

When Jesus washed their feet, he was showing them what he was about to do on the cross.
This was the full extent of his love: that in his death, he would clean them, even though they did not deserve it, so that they could be with him forever.  Jesus wrapped the towel around his own waist; he carried our sins on his side.

Look at verses 11-17.
Jesus knew.
He knew Judas, although he was just washed, was going to betray him.
He knew that many, like Judas, claim to accept his gift, yet ignore it and choose to sin anyways. 

"I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."

This is the challenge of Jesus.
You should love one another--even those who kill and murder--just as I have loved Judas.


What a powerful love Christ had to willingly wash the feet of the one who would lead him to die!


"Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."
-John 13:17

Pearls

Last week, I attended Camp Manatawny and had an amazing, mind-blowing, heart-opening experience!  I learned many things and I hope I am able to share them with many people, because these are lessons I never want to forget.

In my first Bible Class (girls only!), our teacher read us a beautiful story about a pearl necklace.  I love this story and it warms my heart every time I hear it!
The story was this: The Pearl Necklace

Well, this story has rung true with me many times in my life.  We all struggle with it!  There is something between us and God that we just don't want to give up.  It can be anything: possessions, decisions, pride, bad relationships, our old lives.

For me, it was my deepest-darkest sins. I had been impure, but I had refused to do anything more than just ask for forgiveness.  It was one of those sins that you wanted to handle alone because you were too ashamed to tell anyone about it (I still am ashamed even), but sin is impossible to conquer without God.  Finally one day, I gave up fighting.  Against everything inside of me, I surrendered to God and told my best friend about what I had been doing, and I asked her for help and prayers and forgiveness.  That was the best decision of my life.  The effect was immediate, and I stopped Satan right then and there.  He left me, and I never was unable to stand against those sins again.  Yet, a week later (although this was the last time), I gave into the sin and felt dreadful.  That's what Satan does to us; he will never leave us alone.  He never leaves me alone!  A wise grandmother in my church said it this way:
"You might be done with Satan, but sweetie, he isn't done with you."

But, as this story says, God takes away our sin.  He took it away, once and for all.  Can we keep sinning?  Yes, but why would we?  That would be stupid!  And I'm telling myself that, because it was stupid!  It's taken me a year to realize this since I quit that past way of life, but once we are baptized, we have the freedom to choose not to sin.  We can look it dead in the eye because of Christ and say "No."
After suffering for so long with the thoughts that surrounded my past, I became familiar with the signs of my heart fading into that temptation.  Immediately, when my heart started to fall two weeks ago, I sat up straight and told myself, "NO. Never again."

Guess what girls? It works, because of GOD.

Give your pearls to Him.


"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart,
lean not on your own understanding,
in all of your ways submit to him, 
and he will make your paths straight. 
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body, and nourishment to your bones."
-Proverbs 3:5-7

The Pearl Necklace

(Source: http://www.motivateus.com/stories/pearls.htm)
The Pearl Necklace


The cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them: a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.

"Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please!"
Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face.
"A dollar ninety-five. That's almost $2.00. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents.
On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.

Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere--Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.

Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?"
"Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess--the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She's my favorite."
"That's okay, Honey. Daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.

About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"
"Daddy, you know I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."
"That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you." And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.

A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.
"What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?"

Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver,she finally said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you."

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's kind daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny.

He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her genuine treasure.

What are you hanging on to?