Michael is so supportive of everything Hannah does. What a blessing!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Being Thankful out Loud...
I find myself being especially thankful this morning. The sunshine this morning is a welcome sight after the storms of last night. It is bright, beautiful and its rays brings warmth to my body as I stand outside in the cool of the morning. I am thankful that when the storms of life hit my anchor holds, which is Jesus Christ and that at the end of the storm there is always a blessing like the sun, shinning bright and warming my soul.
One of my favorite verses in Timothy is chapter 2 verse 13 "If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is." I tend to be unfaithful to a lot of things, dieting is one of them. I start out strong, determined and focused until something sweet passes in front of me or my stomach starts gnawing and then I am unfaithful. I also find it hard sometimes to be faithful unless I have someone doing the activity with me. That is why I have always been such a believer in organized Bible studies because it gives me that sense of accountability to get my homework done. Once you are out of that environment, you tend to not be as disciplined or faithful to the Word. But God is not like that. He is ALWAYS faithful!!! What a comfort! I am so thankful for this truth!
My family is and always will be my focus outside of Christ. They are the most precious and rare jewel I possess on this earth. They bring me joy, laughter, comfort, support, encouragement and just a sense of why I was put on this earth. I am truly thankful for them.
I hope that I continue this attitude of thankfulness because God is truly deserving of children who are appreciative. I don't want to complain and be negative because I know that must hurt Him. I want Him to know I love Him and I am so thankful for my salvation and for His unchanging, unfailing, unfathomable love!
Be blessed everyone and have a GREAT day~!
One of my favorite verses in Timothy is chapter 2 verse 13 "If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is." I tend to be unfaithful to a lot of things, dieting is one of them. I start out strong, determined and focused until something sweet passes in front of me or my stomach starts gnawing and then I am unfaithful. I also find it hard sometimes to be faithful unless I have someone doing the activity with me. That is why I have always been such a believer in organized Bible studies because it gives me that sense of accountability to get my homework done. Once you are out of that environment, you tend to not be as disciplined or faithful to the Word. But God is not like that. He is ALWAYS faithful!!! What a comfort! I am so thankful for this truth!
My family is and always will be my focus outside of Christ. They are the most precious and rare jewel I possess on this earth. They bring me joy, laughter, comfort, support, encouragement and just a sense of why I was put on this earth. I am truly thankful for them.
I hope that I continue this attitude of thankfulness because God is truly deserving of children who are appreciative. I don't want to complain and be negative because I know that must hurt Him. I want Him to know I love Him and I am so thankful for my salvation and for His unchanging, unfailing, unfathomable love!
Be blessed everyone and have a GREAT day~!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Straight and to the point...
In Luke 6:43-45 God talks about a person and their intentions. Their works. Their heart.
v43-45 "A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart."
In today's society we have lot of thornbushes trying to convince you that they offer grapes, or even more I think they are trying to convince themselves. They justify their evil by thinking that their attendance in church on Easter and Christmas, or once a month will balance it all out. I feel that a huge part of the world's thinking is because even Christians have stopped reading the Word and stopped living a life of holiness. God says we are to be a peculiar people.(Deut. 14:2, Titus 2:14, I Peter 2:9) He also says we are to be holy for He is holy.(I Peter 1:16) Here's the catch. For those people who look at Christians and compare themselves to them I agree...you may look just as good, do just as good. But that's the problem. You've made a HUGE error...it isn't other people you compare yourself to, it is God who holds the standard. God is the one who is judge. God is the one who you will have to stand in front of one day and give an account for every action you have done in this life and let me assure you that blaming someone else will not be accepted.
The part of this passage that is most sobering for me is the last part..."What you say flows from what is in your heart." If you say something...you mean it. It came from what you were feeling in your heart. That's what God's word says. If you say "I hate _____"...you mean it. Oh God, please help us keep our hearts clean before you. David had reason to pray the prayer he did in Psalm 139:23-24 "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life."
Like David, I call out to the Lord to search me, point out anything that offends Him. I do not care what others think, I just want to please Him. God may we bear good fruit out of the treasury of our hearts that are pure before you...Amen.
v43-45 "A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart."
In today's society we have lot of thornbushes trying to convince you that they offer grapes, or even more I think they are trying to convince themselves. They justify their evil by thinking that their attendance in church on Easter and Christmas, or once a month will balance it all out. I feel that a huge part of the world's thinking is because even Christians have stopped reading the Word and stopped living a life of holiness. God says we are to be a peculiar people.(Deut. 14:2, Titus 2:14, I Peter 2:9) He also says we are to be holy for He is holy.(I Peter 1:16) Here's the catch. For those people who look at Christians and compare themselves to them I agree...you may look just as good, do just as good. But that's the problem. You've made a HUGE error...it isn't other people you compare yourself to, it is God who holds the standard. God is the one who is judge. God is the one who you will have to stand in front of one day and give an account for every action you have done in this life and let me assure you that blaming someone else will not be accepted.
The part of this passage that is most sobering for me is the last part..."What you say flows from what is in your heart." If you say something...you mean it. It came from what you were feeling in your heart. That's what God's word says. If you say "I hate _____"...you mean it. Oh God, please help us keep our hearts clean before you. David had reason to pray the prayer he did in Psalm 139:23-24 "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life."
Like David, I call out to the Lord to search me, point out anything that offends Him. I do not care what others think, I just want to please Him. God may we bear good fruit out of the treasury of our hearts that are pure before you...Amen.
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