The Difference

Do you have childhood reflections? Bits and pieces of something you saw consistently that you absorbed into your mind?

I sure do:) At my grandparents, they had this poem hanging in the bathroom. So every time I would (pardon the topic) relieve myself, I would read it and think about it. It came to mind this morning, but all I could remember was the first phrase. So I looked up the rest and wanted to share it with you all, because it's very pertinent and a great reminder!

THE DIFFERENCE

I got up early one morning, and rushed right into the day: I had so much to accomplish that I didn't have time to pray. Problems just tumbled about me, and heavier came each task. Why doesn't God help me?" I wondered. He answered, "You didn't ask". I wanted to see joy and beauty, but the day toiled on, gray and bleak: I wondered why God didn't show me. He said, "But you didn't seek". I tried to come into God's presence: I used all my keys at the lock. God gently and lovingly chided. "My child, you didn't knock." I woke up early this morning, and paused before entering the day: I had so much to accomplish that I had to take time to pray. -------------------------------------------------- Did you start your day off right this morning?

Where I am today

Perfect submission, all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

That's where I am this morning. I hope you are, too:) It's a good place to be.

Living by Grace

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10
Life is so NOT ABOUT US! It is by grace (God's unmerited favor) that we are not slaves of sin any longer or bound for an eternity in hell! So often, once we have been saved a while, we stop living by grace. We think we can just do whatever we want, for our own pleasure. We think we can sanctify ourselves. We act as though, "having began in the spirit, we are now being made perfect in the flesh."
Every day is an act of grace. God gives us the grace to breathe. To think. To worship. To praise. To respond with love. To show mercy. To glorify Him despite our sinfulness.
His grace is sufficient.
His mercies are new every morning.
His faithfulness is great.
He will never fail us.
Living by grace is complete dependance on Him to do the things that He destined for me before the creation of the world. I could never do good works on my own; I am incapable of doing or thinking anything good.
BUT BY HIS GRACE I can point others to His goodness and saving grace that changes everything about my life!

My disease

Something has been gradually dawning on me the past couple days. I couldn't really understand what it was, couldn't understand why I was feeling the way I was. (And no, I'm not going to come out with an announcement that "I'm in love!")
I have been suffering from a gradual, deadly disease. It threatens to suck the very joy out of my life. It wraps it's ugly hands around my eyes, until I can't even see anymore.
It's name is "going through the motions."
It's so sneaky, because it looks like you're doing all the right things, saying nice things, doing nice things...but inside you're dying for air.
It came upon me so slowly, that I'm not even sure when it began. It could be days or weeks.

My parents gave me several new devotional books for my birthday on Wednesday. The one I decided to start is called "Purity," by Lydia Brownback. As I was reading the first chapter,
"A Pure Woman is Clear-sighted," something niggled at the back of my heart. As I read, A pure heart is one so set on God that it isn't watered down with lesser things, I felt uncomfortable. "I don't feel like I can really see God right now. What this devotional is talking about is not where I am right now. What's wrong with me?"
Then last night, I read the second chapter, "A Pure Woman has One Desire." The theme verse is one that I have memorized, and even spoke on myself.
Psalm 73:25-26 "Whom have I in heaven but You, and there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever."
The thing that bothers me is that I have tasted this kind of passion and desire! I have known it to be true in my heart and life! But I slip, I fall, I grow stagnant in my desire! As I was going to bed, I knew this had to change! I am sick of half-hearted prayers, blah-blah devotions, and being caught up in the dailiness of life!
This morning, I got up with my alarm, and got out my Bible, my spiritual journal, and my coffee and sat on the futon. I looked at the same Bible I had been reading out of every day, and said, "God, I'm sick of the way I've been acting in my soul, like You aren't enough, like You aren't satisfying. Show me SOMETHING that I can cling to!"
I opened my Bible at random, and came to 1 Samuel 12, thinking to myself, "What is Samuel's final address going to teach me right now?" Samuel walks the people of Israel through all their foolishness, their going after other gods, like the people all around them.
"But you have forgotten the Lord your God." I stopped reading. I have forgotten God in the business of life. He has become a small part of my routine, like brushing my teeth. I don't really think about Him after I've done my time!
I cried out, "I'm sick of this! What can I do?"
Then I got to verses 20 and 21.

 "And Samuel said to the people, "Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty."

 Thank You, LORD! I have done evil. I have done and thought things I should not. I have not done things I should. But I do not have to be afraid! What I need to do is NOT TURN ASIDE FROM FOLLOWING! I can't let even my own failures discourage me from following, from clinging to my GOD with my WHOLE HEART! Serve Him! Follow Him! Worship Him! Love Him! Praise Him!

And DO NOT TURN ASIDE AFTER EMPTY THINGS...for they are empty. They cannot satisfy.

Follow God. Serve Him with your whole heart.

"If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself." 2 Timothy 2:13

The Daily Grind

Yesterday I began the first day of my last semester of high school...and I find that I am ready to be done with school forever and ever! :) But I know that my attitude will not change toward my tasks for the rest of my life, if NOW I choose to think of them as grueling, miserable wastes of time!
So....
My goal is to wake up every morning with a love for God and for the life He's given me; to be filled with excitement for the day ahead and the opportunities to praise Him that may arise! But so often, this is not the case. So often I wake up and think, "Lord, I don't want to get up! Let me sleep another hour!"
I need to deprive myself of sleep, and be diligent in what I MUST do.  I MUST have a joy in doing my tasks and revel in "whatever I do, bringing glory to God." Every thought a prayer, every act a sacrifice, every word a song of praise!
May math be my incense, government my melody, and laundry...my humble ministration of service to You!
I don't want to look back on these days and months as a waste, as a time when I went through the motions. May I look back and remember the devotion to my God that permeated EVERY AREA of my day, every area of my life!
Soli Deo Gloria!

Joy comes in the morning!

I love those mornings when I wake up and get up early.   I love spending quality time with God early in the morning, drinking my coffee, feeling the cool breeze tickle my toes and rustle my hair.  It is now, when I am still before Him, that I stand in awe of Him and just Who He is.
I have done nothing to deserve this new life in Christ, the peace that passes all understanding, and an eternity in the presence of God.  But I am confident that I have it.  I have no doubt that I am His and He is mine.  His Mercies are new every morning and He will NEVER leave me or forsake me.
Revel and delight in our God today.  See Him for Who He is and what He has done.  Thank Him for His work on the cross and making you a new creation.  Thank Him for eternal life in heaven and the peace, joy, and contentment of the abundant life He has given us here on earth.

"Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His Holy name.  For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; mourning may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."  Psalm 30:4-5