Happy New Year!

Let us resolve this year not to make resolutions that we have no intention of keeping.  Let us instead ask our Holy Father to help us to become what He already knows we are.  Let us grow in grace in 2011.  Let us put away those childish things in 2011.  Let us rally around one another and build each other up in 2011.

Unity among believers will bring about change in this world.  We have to cross denominational, cultural, racial, and socio-economic barriers.  Let us chase God together, and search for Him with all of our hearts.  I realize that different people prefer different things in their worship services, but that should not prevent us from encouraging one another.  Why not invite believers of different races, cultures, and denominations to your church in 2011?  Why not accept invitations to their churches?

Heaven is not going to have the segregations that we have developed here on earth.  In Ephesians 4:4-6 (KJV), we are told: "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."  Let's get it together in 2011!

God's Love is Complete

There is no greater love than God's.  He sent His only son to Earth to die in order to redeem unworthy people such as ourselves.  Only Jesus Christ's sacrifice could atone for the sins of the world.  He knew He was born to die; He volunteered for the assignment.  Oh, what love!

Everything we need today is available in that love.  As Christmas approaches, let us reflect on the fact that God's love is complete.  His mercy, His grace, His compassion, His guidance, His provision, His comfort, and His peace are all inside that love.  God's love does not discriminate, nor is it reserved just for the saved.  God's love, the same love we are to imitate, is offered to all.

Receive God's love today.  He sent His Son to bring you back to Him.  Celebrate Jesus this Christmas season.  I invite you to take some extra time this Christmas to thank God for allowing Jesus to be born into this world to manifest God's love to us, knowing that Jesus would die if He did.  This story, however, will be continued on Easter............

Focus on What Matters

I am thinking about how much time and energy we waste on crap we absolutely cannot control.  There are things in life that are important that we often neglect like family, friends, and our relationship with God.  We must stop dwelling on what other people are saying and doing around us and to us.  These people don't wake us up in the morning, nor do they provide brand new mercies each day for us.  Sure, sometimes malicious words hurt us and cause us to be skeptical of certain people.  We cannot, however, control those people.  Let them be who they are, and let others see them for who they really are..... without our help.  We don't need to talk about them or slander their names.  Let them prove their own worth, or lack thereof.

Our goal is to see people through the eyes of the Almighty.  What makes us think that we're so holy that we don't need grace just like the next person?  He loves ALL of us, no matter what our sins may be.  Let's focus on that love today.  We can receive it and share it.  God's love is not diminished because it is shared.  We don't have to be "buddy-buddy" with people we would rather not associate with, but we must love them.  Just because someone has abused your trust and betrayed you does not give you the right to hate them.  We all have a past, and all our pasts are not pretty.

There are good qualities in everyone that we can focus our energies on.  Stop looking at and looking for the negative in people.  Choose to see the good in people.  Focus on that, and stop hating on them for their faults.  With God's help, we can see people through His eyes, and see the redemptive work of Christ on their lives.  Focus on what matters!

Stand Still (on Good Ground)

2 Chronicles 20:17 (King James Version) Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

I find it comforting that all I need to do is stand still, and watch God work.  He doesn't tell me to run away and live to fight another day.  He tells me that I won't even need to fight in this battle; just stand there.  Let people talk about me, let them slander my name, let them rise up against me.  I will not fear, nor will I be dismayed, for the Lord is with me!

"Stand ye still" - What are you standing for?  I'm standing for holiness, righteousness, compassion, love, peace, mercy, goodness, faith, and the like.  If I stand on those values which God values, then I have the assurance that I won't be moved.  My enemies will flee from me as I continue to STAND on the Word of God.  You won't be able to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord if the ground you're standing on is gossip and slander.  If you feel restless, nervous, and fearful about the situation you are facing, look down at the ground you're standing on.  Is it sand or the Solid Rock?

I won't let the enemy chase me away from my God-given purpose, will you?  STAND STILL.  SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD.  I like that plan.

Keep Thanking Him

Andrae Crouch penned the words: "I don't know why Jesus loved me.  I don't know why He cared.  I don't know why He sacrificed His life.  Oh, but I'm glad.  I'm glad He did!"

If you continually think about the sacrifice that God the Father made by sending His only son, and the sacrifice Jesus made by laying down His life, everyday is Thanksgiving!  Sure, the United States sets aside the one day, but Christians should give thanks to God every day.  We weren't worthy of any such sacrifice.  He just loved us that much.  As the song says:  I don't know why... but I'm glad He did!

I Thessalonians 5:18 (King James Version) states:  "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."  I thank God that no matter what, He is still sovereign.  He remains on the throne, and He is mindful of me.  I cannot lose!  My sights should be set on God's glory.  Everything else will fall into place (or out of my way).  I can thank God when I don't feel good.  I can thank God when I have no money.  I can thank God when loved ones pass away.  How?  I have the victory in Jesus Christ.  Eternal life is mine!  Satan is defeated.  God reigns triumphantly FOREVER.

How can I not give thanks everyday in everything?  Focus, focus, focus!  I know how this war ends.  I'm already on the winning team.  I need to exercise my faith, so that it can grow stronger.  I have to believe that nothing is impossible for God, and I have to thank Him for it consistently.  Don't ever let a day go by that you don't tell God, "Thank you."

Old Wine Belongs in Old Bottles

Matthew 9:17 (King James Version) Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

As diligent Christians, we are constantly being made over by the working of the Holy Spirit.  We are becoming new almost on a daily basis.  Old ways, habits, thoughts, and speech feel uncomfortable in our "new bottles."  Why do we feel compelled to continue doing those old things when the Holy Spirit has shown us something new?  I'm not even talking about sinful things necessarily.  We often get into ruts when it comes to our traditions and religions.  Just because we've always done something a certain way doesn't mean we have to continue doing it that way.  How will we know that something else isn't better or more fitting?

For example, we always do the slow song first and then the fast song.  Who cares about the tempo of the song?  We need to arrange the service for the flow of the Holy Spirit, not what tickles our ears and gears up our emotions.  We must give up those familiar traditions, no matter how comfortable, for the new work that God wants to do in our lives and in our churches.  If we are allowing ourselves to be made over, why aren't we trusting God to do the new work in and through us, as well?

My old bottle is gone, so I threw out the old wine with it.  If my prayer is for the Lord to make me over into something new, I certainly want Him to show me the new work (or new way of doing the work) that He would have me implement in my life.

Look in the Mirror

Well, I have been ill since October 8th.  My appetite still isn't back to normal, and I've lost a lot of weight.  God used this time to hold a mirror up to my face, so I could see how stupid I've been.  For a while there, I couldn't watch TV, I couldn't read a book, and I couldn't listen to any music.  He only wanted me to listen to HIM.  When I finally went to the doctor, he couldn't find anything wrong.  I WAS FURIOUS!  In order to treat me, there had to be something to treat.  I needed to be out of pain and anguish.

Watch this...........  MIRROR - I see an ungrateful wretch who doesn't know how blessed she is.  How dare I get mad over some clean tests?  Somebody had some tests done that day and found out they have a few months to live.  Somebody else had some tests done and found blockage, tumors, and various other issues that will take months of surgery.  What was I thinking?????  Yet, He saw fit to show forth His mercy to someone so unworthy.  He didn't let it pass without chastisement, however.  And I thank Him for the extra licks because I'll remember next time I go to complain about my shoes when someone else doesn't have any feet!

To me, He is so wonderful!  Just reflect today on where you could be.  Thank God for grace and mercy!

Contentment

I was really hung up on this song by Luther Barnes called "So Satisfied" today. The song states how I'm so satisfied with my Savior, and how He means more to me than anything that the world could ever offer.  Philippians 4:11 (KJV) reads as follows:  "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."

Jesus should mean more to us than anything that the world has.  No matter what we don't have materially, we should be content in Jesus Christ.  Being content doesn't mean that we aren't striving to have and be the best.  Being content means that we recognize that as long as we have Jesus, we already have everything we need.  Jesus Christ is the source and finish of all our desires, hopes, and dreams.  In Him, I am content.

What about you?

Reasonable Service?

Romans 12:1 (KJV) "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

What does reasonable service mean?  The NASB uses the phrase "spiritual service of worship."  The ultimate worship you can offer God is you.  All the hallelujahs in the world won't compare to the delight the Father will have in you if you surrender yourself as an act of worship.  When we recognize that we have nothing to offer God, we've actually begun to realize how important our relationship with Him is.  In order to take full advantage of that relationship (i.e. love, joy, peace), we have to give up everything we think we are.

This is my prayer: "God, I am nothing outside of you.  Lord, I have nothing besides what you have seen fit to give me.  Everything that you have given me, I now give back to you to show you how much I love and trust you.  Help me to take you at your Word.  Help me to know that your grace is sufficient for me.  I don't need to hold on to things to feel important or safe.  I don't need to focus on money, titles, positions, advancement, friends, family, or anything but you.  As long as I keep you in my sight, I will walk on the water.  For I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who gives me strength.  In Jesus' matchless name, I pray.  Amen."

With My Whole Heart

God gave me these lines last night:  With my whole heart, I offer me.  With my whole heart, I surrender.  With my whole heart, I love you.  With my whole heart, I worship you.

Amazingly enough, a friend of mine (Lynn Pearson) posted this on facebook this morning:  "Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Psalm 119:33,34"

Doing anything with your whole heart implies that you have poured your all into it.  That's where I need to be.  I need to pour my all into my worship of the only wise God, our Savior.  Remember the old hymn "I Surrender All" that we used to sing at altar call?  Well, I surrender ALL.  That's what worship is really about, focusing everything on God.  Not just your music, not just your words, but your EVERYTHING.  That means your job, your entertainment, your friends, your family, your church.  God should be the center of our universe.  I don't mean being holier than everybody on the planet; I mean that if the heart of God is within you, there will be some sign. 

Do people notice that your life isn't about you?  

Just Beginning - Need Your Support

Well, here I go.  I'm starting this blog-thing to see if it helps me do what God has called me to do, which is worship Him and lead others to do the same.  I was looking for ways to impact the world around me, and this idea was suggested.  Let's see what happens.  I will most likely be posting narrative weekly.  Pray for me! - Jenn