In Every Season He NEVER Changes

2010 has been a year of answered prayers. I've heard time and time again that hope deferred produces steafastness, hope, and a joy that is unspeakable, that the longer the wait, the more you see the blessing...how true this is! I don't often like to talk about personal stories in my own life, but this one deserves to be told :)

For 9 years I prayed quite consistently for the man God had made for me, the man I would one day call my husband, my other half, the love of my life. During those years, I was consistently reminded of where my true joy, my true hope, and true happiness was found- in Christ - and also who the true of love of my life was, Him and Him alone. And yet the desire to be a wife and a mother never seemed to fade away. Prayer after prayer and year after year I waited on "His" timing, which of course is much easier said then done. I remember people telling me that he would be worth the wait, I even told myself that, and of course the fact that God's timing was much better than my own.

I'd like to say that I always believed that, or that I was patient and faithfully trusted the perfect creator of all, but that isn't the reality. I can remember nights of tears and crying out to the Lord to answer the prayer I had begun praying at 14, the prayer for the man He had made for me, and the prayer I had yet to see come to frutition.

And then His timing came around, and He blessed me with the greatest gift, aside from my salvation, in Keith. A man who loves Him first and foremost. A man who is hardoworking, faithful, and loving. A man who is handsome, chivalrous, and charming. A man who exceeds my hopes and dreams and expectations. The man I had prayed for, the man God had made for me. And I stand amazed...speechless...and grateful. To say he was worth the wait is an understatement. And in looking back God's timing was JUST RIGHT, it always is.

Although for me 2010 was full of blessings, it may have been a rough year for you, one full of trials and tribulation. I am reminded of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

"1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace."

Throughout our Christian life we will have many "seasons". Looking back I can recount numerous times I was in "want" so to speak and many times I was in "plenty". Through it all I have seen one consistent thing...FAITHFULNESS. I am amazed more and more as I look back and realize that through EVERY season, both the good and the diffcult, He was there, carrying me, leading me, providing, remolding, loving, protecting...for that I am beyond thankful.

And although there are many new "seasons" this year for you and me (as I get married, graduate school and the sort) there is one constant who has been faitfhul from the start, the rock, the cornerstone, the precious Savior who we can depend on forever and who will equip where He calls. My prayer is that 2011, no matter what seaons come our way, will be even more full of Jesus for those who seek His face!

Born to Die

I think sometimes I forget that the manger is merely the start, not the end. That the Christ child's birth was a foreshadowing of the greatest act in history. That the shepherds who knelt beside the sleeping baby couldn't even imagine the reality of what would happen to that little boy. That the prophecies of old had just begun to be fulfilled. And that the little boy sleeping in the manger was only 33 years from the reason He came.

He was born to die. Think about that reality for a moment. Although each of us face death we weren't born to die. Our very purpose isn't wrapped up in the death we have awaiting for us. And yet that is EXACTLY why Jesus came. His birth was merely for His death (and later resurrection). A master plan, a perfect Father, His only Son...born so He could die, but why? For me, for you...

You see, the manger points directly to the cross, they can't be separated. Jesus came to die so that we might live. John MacArthur says it well, "Here's a side to the Christmas story that isn't often told: Those soft little hands, fashioned by the Holy Spirit in Mary's womb, were made so that nails might be driven through them. Those baby feet, pink and unable to walk, would one day walk up a dusty hill to be nailed to a cross. That sweet infant's head with sparkling eyes and eager mouth was formed so that someday men might force a crown of thorns onto it. That tender body, warm and soft, wrapped in swaddling clothes, would one day be ripped open by a spear. Jesus was born to die."

And yet there is great encouragement and hope in the glory of this story, the end was not his death, the end was His victory OVER that death. He conquered the grave so that we might live with Him. And the greatest hope we have is knowing that one day we will reign with Him, that we will glory in Him perfectly, and that we will live with Him forever. You see, "If we could condense all the truths of Christmas into only three words, these would be the words: "God with us." We tend to focus our attention at Christmas on the infancy of Christ. The greater truth of the holiday is His deity. More astonishing than a baby in the manger is the truth that this promised baby is the omnipotent Creator of the heavens and the earth! " (John MacArthur)

May we remember the manger by remembering the cross and then rejoice in His birth which was the beginning of the salvation of our souls, and glory in Him and Him alone this Christmas!

Enjoying the "NOW"

I find it funny that I tend to always be looking to the "next" in my life in certain areas (my wedding day), but at the same time wishing it wouldn't come just quite yet in others (turning 24). And yet both leave me missing the NOW.

As I sit and think about the path of the last 24 years of my life, I am blown away, amazed, and greatly humbled. The Lord has led me faithfully on a providential journey that has left me falling more in love with Him and longing more than ever to be home at last, in His presence. I constantly find myself realizing how dependent I am on Him and how blessed I am by the work of salvation and sanctification in my life. On this, the 24th year of my life, I want to say THANK YOU to my precious Jesus who has lavishly loved me, patiently sanctified me, and graciously led me.

Thinking about everything that has happened in the last 24 years has left me realizing how often I have failed to enjoy the "NOW", to celebrate where God has me in any given moment, and to recognize the blessing of that season. So often I have found myself wanting the next big thing, or wishing that what was to come would just hold off a little bit longer. God always has you RIGHT where He wants you, whether it is where you want to be or not...His timing is perfect. When I think about my discontentment manifested in my life over that reality I am broken...I want to rejoice in His working and His path and rather soak up the season I am in.

That is my prayer this year of my life, to live in the NOW, to enjoy it, to "smell the roses" so to speak and to trust that God's timing is perfect, His placement is carefully designed, and He is working to make me more like Jesus. I pray that in doing this I will find more joy in Him, see more of the blessings He gives, and bring Him all the more glory! After all as James 1:17 says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." And life itself each day is a good "gift"!

Complain Less, Glorify More

"Do everything without complaining or arguing." -Philippians 2:14

Complaining... let's face it, I'll be the first to admit, we all do it, and probably everyday. We seem to lump this "sin" into the pile with gossip, discontentment, and impatience; sins we see as more "respectable" (as Jerry Bridges would say) rather than as hated by the very God who spoke the universe into existence and who bled and died for us. Paul commands the believer in Philippians to do EVERYTHING without complaining or arguing, and that means EVERYTHING. Convicting...I think so.

Complaining is easy to do, especially in a society that promotes it. We are supposed to get what we want, when we want it and if not then we are excused to be upset. Customer service lacking perfection causes us to complain, traffic during rush hour leads us to complain, church starting late= complaints...and the list goes on. But why? Why do we complain so much, and about everything?! The truth is, we complain because we aren't satisfied in who God is, we aren't wrapped up in the gift of salvation we have been given, and we are not fixed on Jesus.

I read a devotional by Charles Spurgeon last week that touched on this very command. Here is what he has to say about the matter: "If we complained less, and praised more, we should be happier, and God would be more glorified." This is a reality! If we would only take our eyes of ourselves and fix them back on Christ, where they belong, we might complain less and find more joy. Our hearts were not meant to be satisfied by anything in this world apart from Christ, and when we allow ourselves to be fixated on the things in this world that attempt to satisfy we find ourselves discouraged and often times complaining. No amount of money, no relationship, no job, no car, no amount of beauty...NOTHING will satisfy our hearts but Jesus. Even the gifts He gives us must be recognized as just that, gifts from Him.

If we would only stop each time we were tempted to complain and remember the cross, and the gift of grace...would we complain less and glorify Him more?

Lover of My Soul

The cross...I cannot comprehend. I am at a loss for words when I think about the cross, the more I seek to understand the depths of the riches of its mystery, the more profound it becomes and the more I must reach. In all of Scripture, every painting of this beautiful sacrifice, there is nothing that fully enables me to grasp the reality. Ancient hymns, sermons of old, present day authors, and amazing pastors today attempt to convey its meaning, its weight, its Truth, and yet I still thirst for more. The more I read, the more I want to know.

I have been reading Isaiah 53, Philippians 2, and Romans 3 and the common theme I find is LOVE, in the most perfect, pure and beautiful sense. There is a love displayed, shown, and bestowed upon the redeemed children of God that boggles the human finite mind. A love that is radical, undeserved, and magnificent found in the work of the cross. Sovereign Grace music has a song called, Jesus Thank You, that touches on how I am feeling as I seek to know the cross...

The mystery of the cross I cannot comprehend
The agonies of Calvary
You the perfect Holy One, crushed Your Son
Who drank the bitter cup reserved for me

Your blood has washed away my sin
Jesus, thank You
The Father’s wrath completely satisfied
Jesus, thank You
Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table
Jesus, thank You

By Your perfect sacrifice I’ve been brought near
Your enemy You’ve made Your friend
Pouring out the riches of Your glorious grace
Your mercy and Your kindness know no end

Lover of my soul
I want to live for You


I can't say it better than this song, it is exactly what I feel. I can't comprehend Calvary, and the more I seek to know the more amazed and humbled I will be. An enemy, that was me, an ENEMY of God, a hater of God, depraved, ugly, wicked, deserving of damnation for eternity and not anymore, because of the cross I am His friend?! And will one day be seated at His table at the marriage supper of the lamb (Rev. 19)?! Oh the riches of that grace, of that love, that would seek to save a sinner like me. I am amazed. He is the LOVER of my soul, oh that precious and incredible love. My response can and should be nothing less than wanting to live for Him, wholly.

"Thank you Jesus" doesn't sound appropriate for something as perfect as Calvary, but the gratitude I have cannot be expressed in the words I have. My prayer is that my life would show that gratitude, and that for eternity I will thank Him...even though that will never be enough. This love...oh this love, I stand amazed.

Beyond Thankful

I thought since it was Thanksgiving I should speak of exactly what I am thankful for this year. I truly stand amazed at the hand of God in my life over this past year. I have seen His goodness and His faithfulness so vividly it blows my mind. Although I am confident that His love and goodness have been consistently infinite, there are times we see it more clearly, and for these evidences of grace this year, I am thankful.

T-To the one and only God who has brought me out of eternal darkness into everlasting light. I am so thankful for the work of Christ on the cross, the grace and mercy poured out, and the redemption I received because of Him!

H-His consistent working in my life, sanctifying me into Christ-likeness.

A-An amazing fiance who is my best friend, the love of my life, and the man I am excited to call my husband soon.

N-Never ending love from the most wonderful parents I could ever imagine, for their example of Jesus and their encouragement I am forever grateful.

K-Kid brother, who has grown into a man I love and respect greatly because of His passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

S-Such an amazing grandmother who evidences the servant's heart of Christ in her consistent faithfulness to Him and to her family.

G-God glorifying friendships who I am privileged to have, girls who shine brightly for Christ and who will eternally be my bests.

I- Incredible churches (Compass and Kindred), that faithfully preach the Truth of Word of God and equip their sheep with the Word.

V-Very great classes that are preparing me for the call God has placed on my life to teach children. It is a privilege to be equipped for this.

I-Intimate details- God is interested in the intimate details of my life, from the smallest provision to the largest transition, His presence, peace, and love is consistently manifested.

N- New seasons. My life is entering a ton of new seasons and for this I am excited, thankful and eager to see how the Lord will equip where HE calls.

G-God's Word...I am so thankful for the Word which is truly a light unto my path.

This is no where near exhaustive, but just thinking about what I am thankful for has brought me to a realization of how GOOD God really is, how FAITHFUL, how LOVING, how PERFECT. My prayer is that my grateful heart would not only be seen during Thanksgiving, but with every breath I am given. I want to always be BEYOND Thankful!

"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.

Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name." -1 Chronicles 29:11-13

CHRISTIAN, Seek to KNOW the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Yesterday I had the privilege of listening to Paul Washer speak on something so simple, so basic, so common...or is it?! For Christians in evangelical America the cross seems to have become trite, the Gospel mundane, and the reality of it all, old-fashioned. We look back at preachers and saints of old and see an outrageous "fire" in their lives, in their messages, in their literature, in their ministries, that seems to be void in our churches, in our preachers, in our lives. I will be the first to admit that I don't think about the Gospel as often as I should, that I don't study the Gospel as often as I should, that I don't know the Gospel as I should. Washer explained that, "the key to Godliness is the Gospel of Jesus Christ". Could it be that simple and yet so complex? Could my pursuit of godliness really be wrapped up in the pursuit of the knowledge of the greatest act in all of history past, present and future? Is the cross more than just the power to save, but rather the power to sanctify and to glorify?! "Of course" you say, as would I, but the question is, do we live like it is?

Do you even understand the cross, the Gospel, what happened when Jesus took on the wrath of God for the penalty of YOUR sins and when in turn HIS righteousness was placed on you? Do you know the agony Jesus felt when he shed bullets of blood on his brow in the garden as he anticipated what was to transpire, the forsaking of HIS Father? Do you know the weight of the wrath of God that He endured on that cross? Do you see YOUR depravity for what it is; that you are wretched, filthy, utterly wicked? And do you see His perfection, His holiness, His absolute impeccable character? Do you understand the justice of God? Can you fathom HIS love for YOU? And now when you read a verse like this: "He made Him who knew NO sin to BE sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God IN Him" (2 Cor 5:21) do you marvel??

If you are anything like me your initial reaction to those questions is "yes", followed by a short pang of conviction as you realize how little you know, how often you forget, and how little you love. How often your pursuit of godliness is wrapped up in pride and selfishness.

If you KNOW Him, fully and completely, Him and Him alone, in the simplicity of the Gospel, you will be bound to Him in a way that will propel Godly living, that will spur a fire like preachers and saints of old. And it starts with the simplicity of the Gospel, which you soon realize is an eternal complexity. We will NEVER understand the Gospel, no matter how many hours, days, years, or eternities we put in it and yet we will grow in an understanding that will magnify His love, His person, HIM to us.

I want to encourage you, as I was encouraged to do yesterday, to study the cross, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pour your heart into KNOWING Him and the redemption of your soul. Seek to understand the power of the Gospel. Look to see yourself as who you were without Him and who you are because of Him, in Him. Look to see what He did, why He did it, how He did it and the implications therein. Desire to marvel continually, to be moved to an abounding flame of passion for Him...one that is unquenchable. If you are His, seek to know the GOSPEL my friends, and know it well, for it is by it that you have been SAVED!

FIGHT!

"Everything in the Christian life is a fight. I have to fight to read my Bible. I have to fight to pray. I have to fight to believe. I have to fight to love those I should love most. I have to fight for joy. It's the desperate person who fights because you have no other hope apart from Him. So fight!" -Paul Washer

I respect Paul Washer as a pastor, as a man, as a brother in the Lord. His words of wisdom, derived from Scripture, often sharply convict or pleasantly encourage my heart. This morning, I was encouraged, encouraged because I was reminded of the reality of the life we live in Christ.

As believers we have been called OUT of this world. We are no longer slaves to sin and we are merely sojourners walking through a land that is not our home. And yet we are not yet perfect, and will not be, until that day when we do go home and we are made like Christ. Therefore, we wage a war on a daily basis with a fleshly body that has yet to be redeemed (Romans 8:23) and with spiritual forces of darkness that are seeking to destroy (Ephesians 6:12). And quite often we have the tendency to get discouraged. We as children of God LONG for the day when our faith will be made sight, when we will be made whole and when sin will no longer be a reality. Our hearts desire has been changed, we long to glorify Him and to love Him, and to obey Him, and yet we fail miserably day after day to do that to the fullest capacity.

I have felt often times in my Christian life as if something was wrong when I "struggled" to find joy or when I "struggled" to read the Word, thinking that I was just not "spiritual" enough, after all I am His so I shouldn't be struggling with the simpliest of pursuits of Godliness. I looked at other believers, who from the outside seemed to have mastered their quiet times, were prayer warriors, or who somehow seemed to always be beaming with joy and wondered why I struggled at times. Was I the only one? I knew that struggle against sin was "normal" as we read in Hebrews 12, but was a struggle in Godly pursuits normal?

The reality I came to realize, well God taught me through His Word and through His Spirit, that YES, struggle is part of the Christian life. You are being pruned by the master gardner to bear much fruit as you become more like Christ. You are denying your flesh every moment of every day when you say yes to obedience in Christ and no to the temptation of the world. You are striving to stand for what is right and true in a world that condemns good and smiles on perversion. You are seeking to obey and have an army of demons who are seeking to make you fail. Your life has become a battlefield the moment you are redeemed. Your mind is a battlefield in which Truth fights to win over emotion, evil, and perversion. You are in an all out war for your effectiveness as a believer with the enemy. He wants nothing more than to destroy your pursuit of godliness and your usefulness for the kingdom. The struggles you face everyday will not get easier as you mature in the Lord, often times they will only get harder. Spurgeon once said that "Satan saves his fiercest arrows for God's most effective".

Look at the saints of old, the Davids, the Pauls, the Timothys, the Martin Luthers, the John Calvins, the Charles Spurgeons, the Puritans...were their lives easy? Far from it. They talk of struggles often in their works, and yet we look at them and marvel at their faithfulness to our Savior. You see satan is a skilled adversary. He has been doing this much longer than we have been alive. He knows the best tactics, the weaknesses of humanity and the greatest temptations he can offer. We must realize, with the saints before us, that WE ARE IN THE GREATEST BATTLE EVER FOUGHT. He has lost the battle for our souls because we have been found in Christ BUT that doesn't stop the deception and evil practices

There is HOPE in this struggle however, hope that promises VICTORY for all who are in Christ. Romans 8:37 promises, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." How amazing is that Truth?! We can say NO to sin, we can so NO to struggle and overcome ANYTHING through the one who has saved and redeemed us from the pit (Philippians 4:13), to be His forever!

So realize that the struggle will continue. Each and every day there will be a war to be fought, there will be a battle for our time, for our minds, for our affections, for our money, for our relationships, for our tongues, for our day...and yet we can FIGHT and WIN! We can fight by putting on His armor (Ephesians 6), by renewing our mind (Romans 12:2), and by keeping our eyes fixed on the author and perfector of our faith (Hebrews 12:1-2). So in our struggle, let us FIGHT, so that one day we will be able to say as Paul said..."I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." -1 Timothy 4:7

Jesus and the Sinner

I read the Puritans devotionals and came across these a few days ago and was so blessed by it I had to share:

JESUS and the Sinner
by James Smith "Rills from the Rock of Ages", 1860

All that Jesus does for lost sinners--He does freely, out of pure pity, kindness, and love.

Yet we are always looking for something in ourselves--to encourage us! On the other hand, we tend to look at some sin committed by us--which discourages us. Whereas we should look only to Jesus. I want now, for a few minutes, to fix the eye of your mind on what Jesus does for sinners--how He acts toward them at the present day.

Jesus calls the sinner. He says, "Come unto Me. Come, just as you are. Come, this moment. Come, for all that you need. Come, for all that you desire. Come, and be saved. Come, and I will satisfy you. Come, and commit all your concerns to Me, and I will make all things that occur, work together for your good."

Jesus receives the sinner when he comes. He receives every sinner, however base, vile, or unworthy he may be! He receives the sinner graciously--pardoning every sin, forgiving and forgetting all that he has done amiss, and treating him with the utmost kindness.

Jesus cleanses the sinner. In the fountain of His precious blood, and in the laver of His holy Word--He cleanses him from guilt and pollution--fitting him for holy service on earth, and for holier service in heaven. Nor is there any getting rid of guilt--but by His blood; nor of impurity--but by His Spirit working with His Word!

Jesus clothes the sinner. Cleansed from guilt and filth--we are clothed in His garments of salvation, and are covered with His robe of righteousness. All that is necessary for our honorable appearance in heaven among the glorified--He undertakes to provide.

Those who trust in Him, are completely nourished by Him. Jesus feeds the sinner. His flesh and blood becomes our daily food. We can no more live and be healthy, without nourishing food for the body--than we can live and be happy, without sweet and frequent nourishment from Christ. There is in the renewed soul--a craving for Christ, and it is never satisfied--but as it realizes His presence, meditates on His Word, or is solaced with His love!

Jesus employs the sinner. Having called, received, cleansed, clothed, and nourished him--He sets him to WORK. He gives him a cross to carry, and a plot in his vineyard to cultivate. He sends him to speak to others of His grace, and to manifest to others His temper and disposition. He sends him to the poor widow's cottage, to the sick man's chamber, and to the ignorant soul's home--and says, "Feed them for Me; comfort them for Me; and teach them for Me!"

Jesus comforts the sinner. Yes, when he is depressed and discouraged, when he is low and cast down. He consoles by some special providence, by some seasonable portion of His Word, by the counsel of some friend, or by the sweet whispers of His Spirit.

Jesus assures the sinner. Assures him of His love to him, of a saving interest in His finished work, and of a title to heavenly mansions! When Jesus assures us--our doubts and fears depart, our unbelief is destroyed, and our souls are filled with peace and joy.

Jesus visits the sinner. He says, "I will come unto him." And He does come, and brings with Him--pleasant light, precious fruits, and joy and peace. He says, "I will come and sup with him--and he with Me." And He draws him out into such sweet, near and dear communion with Himself--that no costly meal, no delightful company--can be compared to it.

Jesus restores the sinner. For as astonishing as it may appear, it is nevertheless true--that we are prone to wander!
We leave light--for darkness!
We leave plenty--for poverty!
We leave joy--for sorrow!
We leave a paradise--for a desert!
And having wandered, we would never find our way back--if He did not come after us! But, blessed be His holy name--He does! And then He restores our souls, and again feeds us in green pastures, causing us to lie down beside the still waters!

Jesus reproves the sinner. However He may spare our persons--He never spares our sins! He visits our transgressions with the rod, and our iniquities with stripes! His reproofs are often sharp. Cutting convictions, heavy losses, severe trials, perplexing troubles, bodily sickness, and painful bereavements--are some of the RODS which He employs. But however numerous and heavy His strokes--they are lighter than our guilt, and fewer than our sins! He deals with us as with sons. He chastens us for our profit--and to make us partakers of His holiness!

Jesus glorifies the sinner. Glorifies him with Himself--and confers on him an eternal weight of glory! What it is to be glorified--we do not fully know. At the least, it is to be freed from all that is sinful, painful, and degrading--and to be invested with all that is bright, beautiful, and blessed. It is to be made as like Jesus as possible, and to be with Him where he is forever!

O wondrous grace, of a wondrous Savior!

Believer, this precious Savior is yours!
Will you not love Him then?

Will you not bear witness to the power and sweetness of His love, to the joy and happiness that are found in His ways?

Will you not observe His statutes and keep His laws?

Will you not come out of the world, which is peopled by His enemies--and be separated to Him? Can you mingle with the carnal, and frequent places of worldly amusement? Must you go to the world to be gratified and amused?

Beware how you wound your precious Savior's loving heart!

Hope Secured!

As most of you know I send out a weekly "Be Encouraged" email on Monday mornings. This week I sent out a quote by R.C. Sproul that spoke about the hope we have in Christ Jesus.

"Hope is called the anchor of the soul, because it gives stability to the Christian life. But hope is not simply a “wish” (I wish that such-and-such would take place); rather, it is that which latches on to the certainty of the promises of the future that God has made."

As I sat and thought about the reality of the hope we have in Christ I was richly encouraged. In a world that promotes wishful thinking and dreaming, hoping, and fantasy land realities, certainty is not a commonality. The world is changing, cultures are changing, people are changing, circumstances are changing, you as an individual are changing. Hope is something the soul longs for, desires deep within, and looks to find...for the Christian TRUE HOPE is right at our fingertips. We have all the riches of a blessed, SURE hope in Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 6:17-20 reads, "Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.."

I love this passage in Hebrews because it reveals one of the most amazing attributes of our amazing God, the reality that He is UNCHANGING. He is the same yesterday, today and forevermore. What He promises, He fulfills, to the end. The work that He began in you as His child, He will complete. The plan of redemption He wrote from before the foundation of time, He will accomplish. And victory will fully be revealed in the end as Satan is cast into the pit and Jesus rightfully receives all glory and honor and praise.

We have a hope that should be, as the writer of Hebrews says, an ANCHOR for the soul. Think about an anchor, its purpose, the fact that it is used to hold a mighty ship in one spot, not to be moved by anything. That is what our hope should do, keep is steadfast and immovable in Him. Our hope is secure, when He called us to Himself we were sealed with the Holy Spirit and are His FOREVER. And Jesus bought us with a price, the most precious price of all, His own life so that He can intercede on our behalf before the Father in heaven. And because of that we have an eternal future, a promise of life forever with the God of the universe, in perfection, what joy that should bring us!

This hope is SURE, GUARANTEED, PROMISED, PERFECT; and that should give us assurance, stability and the strength to live the lives we are called to live. Knowing these things should motivate us to holiness and godliness. The hope we have should enable us to get up in the morning even when the world around us is crashing down or changing in ways we don't like, even when our circumstances might not be in our fleshly favor, even when we don't know what the day holds, because we have a most certain hope, it is SECURE!

Butterfly, Botanist or a Bee?

I have shared this story with children and thought you would find it encouraging as well. Are you a DOER of the Word, obedient to walking worthy of the calling and passionately in love with Him too?

The Butterfly, the Botanist, and the Bee
by H.P. Barker

Contemplating life, a wise teacher gazed at a beautiful garden.

As he breathed in the wonderful fragrances and beheld the beauty of the garden, he saw a butterfly flitting from flower to flower. It spent a few seconds on the edge of a rose, then a daisy, and then a sunflower. The garden was a rainbow of fragrance and color, but the butterfly gained no particular benefit from any of the flowers there.

Next the teacher saw a botanist with a large notebook and an equally large magnifying glass in his hand. As the botanist carefully observed each flower, he filled a great number of pages with his notes. But after hours of meticulous study, most of what he learned was shut up in his notebook and forgotten.

Then the wise teacher observed a small bee. The bee enthusiastically entered a flower, was gone from view for a brief moment, and then emerged laden with pollen. It had left the hive that morning empty, but would return full, and in doing so would share his abundance. With that pollen, sweet honey would be made to sustain, not only himself, but the entire hive for the future.

The wise teacher pondered.

Some people are like butterflies, going from teacher to teacher, seminar to seminar, book to book. They are so very busy, and expend so much energy, but have little to show for their efforts. They remain unchanged in any significant way because they never really delve into things wholeheartedly. They're content to simply flutter around the edges.

Others, like the botanist, may study in great depth but never apply what is learnt to their lives. Content to study, they know much, but receive little benefit. Striving for knowledge alone, they are unaffected by the knowledge they gain.

Our lives would be very different if we could only learn from the bee -- visiting each flower with purpose and passion. To whole-heartedly dive in -- to lose ourselves, to go into every opportunity with an open mind, determined to emerge fuller than when we began, to do more than simply flutter, to do more that simply take notes, but to take action. To joyfully give of our abundance so that others can make something sweeter, something that will sustain not only ourselves, but bless others as well.

How would the wise teacher see your life?
As butterfly, a botanist, or a bee?

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
- James 1:22-25

Do You Love HIM?

Many say they have a love for God, but their love is only pleasure in God as the giver of good gifts and pleasant circumstances. This type of love is really a love of self because God is not the supreme object of the appreciation. It is merely a love for God as a provider, a Santa Claus; it is not a biblical love.-John Hannah

I came across this quote the other day and couldn't help but think, think about the rich Truth found in it. Love for God is something that many say they possess; I hear it every where and I see it everywhere, and yet is it the reality? Do all the people who say they LOVE God really love Him? What does it even mean to love God? The Bible has a lot to say on this, and yet it is much more simple than most would think. How do you know if you really LOVE God? Look at what Jesus himself says in John 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command." If you love Him, it will show through your obedience to His commands.

I believe the problem starts with our view of God. If your view of God is incorrect, you will not understand what it means to truly love Him. If I view God as a big genie in the sky, or my spiritual santa claus, I will love Him only when my "wishes are his command" or when its Christmas in my life. But the moment that a circumstance comes along that brings challenge, conflict, hardship, pain or suffering, my love for Him will fade; it will fade because my love has been based solely on what He does for me. But is this who God is? Is God our grandpa in the sky? No where in Scripture will you find anything about God giving you everything your heart desires or all your wants or answering all your prayers (the way YOU want) or making all your dreams a reality. What does God promise a believer?

- Forgiveness of Sins
1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness."

-Eternal Life
John 6:40, "And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."

-His Love and Mercy
Lamentations 3:22-23, "It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."

-Our "Needs" (provision)
Matthew 6:8 "...for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

And of course much more. But this is the start, this is where we can gain perspective about who our God is and what He promises the believer. If our idea of God is that He is here for our needs, to meet our needs and wants, we have it mixed up. Instead we are here FOR HIM, to GLORIFY HIM, to HONOR HIM, to make HIM famous!

Your love for Him starts with your knowledge of who He is, not what He does. Although the cross, your sanctification, your provision, your blessings...all of these will cause you to love Him even more, your love doesn't start there. You love Him because He first loved you, because of who He is, HE IS ALMIGHTY AND HOLY AND PERFECT GOD! And then the cross, the cross compels you to love Him because you couldn't love Him without that work. And then everything else follows, every good and perfect gift should cause you to love Him more.

Now, the biblical love Jesus is talking about is only possible in the life of a true believer. Someone who has been regenerated, redeemed, and changed from the inside out will be able to obey His commands out of love. Our love for Him is what drives that obedience. If you say you LOVE GOD, the logical question should be...do you obey Him? If your answer is no, then you must ask yourself why not. Do you desire to obey Him? To please Him? Your love should compel you to seek His glory in all you do. Do you really love Him? Is your love based on who He is or what He gives you? Is your view of our God correct?

May your love for God truly be that...A LOVE FOR GOD!

He Has Given YOU Everything YOU "Need"

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." -- 2 Peter 1:3

Take a look at that verse...do you believe that? Your natural reaction might be to respond "yes, of course", but does the reality of your life reflect that admission? Do you TRULY believe that in Him, in His resources (His Word, the Spirit), you have EVERYTHING you NEED for BOTH life and godliness?

Saying yes to that, and really living as if it were true, would reflect a radical lifestyle, a life that was driven by Truth, and that relied on that Truth for EVERYTHING. In our world and culture, Christians have fallen prey to incorporating man's wisdom into how they live on a daily basis; especially when it comes to "life" necessities. What I mean by that is when life gets hard, and there isn't a clear answer in Scripture, or something "practical" enough, many Christians run to the world, (psychology, philosophy, opinion) to find an answer. But is that what the Lord has called us to do as believers? Who are we supposed to run to? What are we supposed to run to? Where do we find our answers for LIFE and godliness? I think many would admit that when it comes to spiritual things we know the Bible is full of wisdom but what about when it comes to life issues? Many would say that the Bible just isn't specific enough.

When you take a look at Peter's exhortation and encouragement in the verse above, you find rich encouragement, and hope, for walking a life worthy of the life you've been called to. His divine power...what power is that? That power is divine, Godly, coming from Him, and perfectly able to strengthen, as power gives us might. And this power, the power that the believer gains through the work of regeneration, has granted, meaning bestowed or given, (without any earning) to YOU, (the believer) everything, ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING, that you (the believer), "NEED" (that is necessary or advantageous for or pertaining to) for LIFE "AND" GODLINESS. Therefore you have ALL you need, for this life and the next, you've been given it all, you need not look anywhere else. He will never give you anything that He won't equip you to go through. He will never walk you through anything He won't use for your good and His glory. And He won't ever leave you without the resources and ability to live the life you have been called to. His Word is your life manual.

And why or how does this happen? THROUGH (on account of) the knowledge (recognition of) the ONE who called (purposed, planned, ordained, summoned) YOU (the believer) by His own goodness (his perfect love). This Truth blows my mind! Think about that for a second. You have the strength and power to live the life he has called you to live here and eternally because its not you living it, it is Him living it through you. He has given you TRUE life and has equipped you to live a life worthy of that calling, no matter what comes your way. And He has given you everything you need, you need not look to man's wisdom, to psychology, to the ways of the world, to opinions that are extra-biblical for any answers...He has given you EVERYTHING. Now the question is do you REALLY believe that? And if you say you do, does your life reflect that?

A Trustworthy Saying from the Apostle Paul

I'll be the first to admit that my perspective is often warped by the culture, by those around me, and mostly by my own flesh. The sinful tendencies that still linger within my fleshly body cause me to exalt my own character and justify my unholy behavior. The fact that I have been walking with the Lord for some time is an excuse I use to arrogantly puff myself up and compare myself to those around me, when I find myself "better" than others I can become content with where I am in my own spiritual growth. On the flip side I can recall many times I have wallowed in self-pity and despair as I examine my own sinfulness and find myself unworthy of the grace of God. Somewhere along my thought process I have changed God's free gift into something I must merit or earn. I wonder how he might still love and want a sinner like me. And yet that is far from what Scripture teaches. Paul seems to be one of the greatest examples of how to deal with both of these tendencies for the Christian. He provides both a reality check and hopeful encouragement through His teachings.

In 1 Timothy 1:15-17 we read, "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."

Paul is teaching Timothy something that he has been taught through the Spirit's sanctification: REALITY! What I mean is that Paul sees himself in light of what Scripture teaches and sees God in TRUTH. He recognizes that he IS the WORST of all sinners, that left in that sin he deserves nothing but an eternity in hell and that he is in desperate need, DAILY, of the mercy and grace of God. Do I see myself like this? Do I recognize that I AM the chief sinner? Do I compare myself to the only standard there is, perfect holiness? Do I KNOW who the Almighty really is...perfectly holy and righteously just? Is my perspective accurate or have I made God into my own image? Have I decided to think I in some way am deserving of the grace I deserve? Paul's reality check is a good one for us to continually assess ourselves with. I know I myself need to constantly check my heart, my perspective, my reality and remind myself of Truth in this Truth.

Paul continues to teach Timothy another Truth in this passage as He encourages him to rest in the completed work of Christ for forgiveness of sin and salvation. Paul reminds Timothy, and himself, of God's patience, love, grace and mercy that is displayed through the cross. He encourages with the precious Truth of eternal life. That it is not by anything of oneself, NOTHING, that one receives the GIFT of salvation, but rather through the perfect love of a Savior. This should provide comfort and security for the believer. When we sin, we run to the cross. When we fail, we cling to the promise in Jude that HE is the one keeping us. When we are discouraged, we hope in HIM. When we are relying on ourselves we remind ourselves that He has lifted the burden, the yoke we are trying to bear and given us rest. May we hope soley in the perfect work of our precious Savior and be thankful.

And what is our response to all of this, whether we find ourselves being humbled in our arrogance or encouraged in our hopelessness??? GLORYING IN CHRIST! Paul finishes his exhortation here with teaching the RIGHT response to our reality check, and that is glorying in the everlasting, perfect God! May our hearts continually praise Him for WHO HE IS, for WHAT HE HAS FREED US FROM, and for WHAT HE HAS IN STORE FOR THE ETERNAL KINGDOM!

Teach Us to Number Our Days

I tend to be the type of person who always has one eye on the future, one foot forward, and my hopes fixed on what's to come. Although I have seen the benefits of being prudent and wise with my resources and time, I have also found a temptation, a tendency, that can often result in anxiety and a lack of gratitude with what I have been blessed with. You see, I find myself so often looking and hoping in the future that I miss the precious moments of today. I forget to stop and smell the roses so to speak. I forget to be see every distraction, every hiccup in "my" plans, every detour in my day, as a providential move by the hand of a Father who is making me more like Jesus and seeking to use those all for GOOD in my life (Romans 8:28).

I recently came across Psalm 39:4-7 which reads:

" Show me, O LORD, my life's end
and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting is my life.

You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Each man's life is but a breath.
Selah

Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro:
He bustles about, but only in vain;
he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.

"But now, Lord, what do I look for?
My hope is in you."

and Psalm 90:12

" Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

These simple passage brings so much truth as the Psalmists prays for a reality check, an ability to understand or comprehend the shortness of his life, and the purpose therein. I guess in my mind I often forget that too. I forget that I don't know how many years, days, or hours I have left before I go home to be with Him. And yet I live as if I have forever on this earth. I look to the future often times and end up living with worry and anxiety because of uncertainty when I don't even know if that future is coming, or how it will all play out. If I only could number my days I might be more faithful with what the Lord has entrusted to me TODAY, and also see every change of plans as a blessing, a divine blessing from a good and gracious Father who has already written all my days (Psalm 139).

My encouragement to you is also to myself- Lord, teach us to number our days. My prayer is that we would seek to use our days to glorify Him in ALL we do, that we would see everything as an opportunity to work as unto Him or bring Him honor and praise, that we would be THANKFUL for everything that comes our way, and that our eyes would always be seeking that which is above. Although we need to be prudent and wise in our planning and preparation for the future, that should never cause us to stubbornly hold onto our agendas or find ourselves in worry over what has not come to pass; for after all, He is the author and we are but vessles in the hands of the PERFECT Father who is working everything together for our good and His glory!

Why Walk in a Manner "Worthy"?

I have just recently started studying the book of Colossians and I am overwhelmed, in the best way possible, I am overwhelmed at who our God is. As I read through chapter one over and over again the Truths resonate in my heart and humble me more and more. I have been rescued, I have been redeemed, I am HIS...how amazing is that reality. Here is just a bit of the rich Truth I have discovered, be encouraged! Chapter 1 verses 10-14 are some of my favorite thus far:

"And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[d] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Here is Paul writing to the church at Colossae and exhorting the believers there to live a life WORTHY of the Lord, pleasing Him in EVERY way. That charge is impossible and yet it is the reality of discipleship, we have been called to as 1 Peter 1:16 says, BE HOLY and therefore regardless of the fact that we will never be perfect in how we live, we should be living a life that seeks to please Him perfectly. With His strength we make strides in this endeavor and bear fruit as Paul continues because we are growing in the knowledge of the one who is strengthening us. Therefore the encouragement is to be in the Word, daily, whenever you can, so that you will be strengthened and that you will endure to the end.

And why? Well, because HE HAS QUALIFIED YOU! That is mind blowing...to think that the Father in heaven, through Christ's work on the cross, has qualified His children to share in Christ's inheritance with all the saints. That should in and of itself motivate the believer to walk that life worthy of the Lord, pleasing him in every way. After all, He has rescued us from the death, from darkness and evil and the forces therein and brought us to life in and through the Son who has given us redemption and forgiven us from EVERY sin when we are in Him. And this wasn't cheap. Here Paul explains that He loved the Son, and He gave Him up for his children whom he would qualify. WOW! Is your mind blown away yet? Are you humbled? Amazed? Standing in awe of the grace and love of the Father in heaven? I sure am. It makes me want to live that life worthy of the One who has called, justified, is sanctifying and will one day glorify me.

Speechless

Speechless is really the only word I have to explain what I am thinking and feeling as I write this blog. The providential hand of God and His perfect faithfulness blows me away yet again. I marvel at how He orchestrates our lives, down to every tiny little detail, and how He always blesses us beyond our comprehension and beyond what we could ever deserve. I tend to be a talker and because of that it is really weird for me not being able to adequately express what I am feeling, I search for words and come up empty and yet tears seem to always come to my eyes when I reflect over the work of our mighty God.

As most of you know, the most amazing event in my life, well up to this point (apart from my salvation), happened on Monday night; something that left me humbled and amazed and with a smile on my heart that I am sure could be seen beaming from my face. Do you ever have one of those moments in life where everything seems to be too perfect? Well it definitely was and still is one of those moments, a moment where I have found myself having to constantly remind myself that all this is really real and that I am truly marrying my other half. The man he is makes me stand in utter disbelief that God would bless me with him; it is a divine gift I can’t comprehend. It is amazing to look back and see how God has prepared and woven our hearts together over the last year through the stages of friendship, dating and courtship we have went through, and so perfectly…again I just stand amazed.

So Monday night I head out for a beach picnic with my best friend and the love of my life truly suspecting nothing but a wonderful time, little did I know he was planning on doing what I had dreamed of and prayed for, for years, that is, asking me to be his wife! After finding a cozy spot without too many people around we set up for what I thought was just going to be an early evening enjoying chocolate covered strawberries and sparkling cider. Somewhere during the middle of our time I decided to drink out of the martinellis bottle, forgetting to leave room for oxygen I ended up getting a mouthful of bubbles which ended up all over his pants and in my hair, a good laugh none the less. Our picnic was picture perfect!

During our time there were two points where I could literally hear and feel his heart beating like crazy (later I would know exactly why). Although I have felt his heart racing before, this was quite unique. For whatever reason I didn’t say anything but I remember wondering what on earth was going on, moments later he explained that he had made me something. Now at this point I still had no idea because it isn’t unusual that he does something creative for me. So he pulls out this giant scrapbook that he had made with the initials K+V on the front. As he opened the pages and revealed what was hidden inside I fought back tears. He had made a book of “our story” from the moment we met last year, with texts and facebook conversations, to today, with pictures and other mementos along the way. It was absolutely wonderful. God's hand of providence was so evident in every part of it, I was amazed to see the actual "proof" of how He had faithfully led us together and kept us and woven our hearts together. He got to somewhere down the middle of the book, because he had built up the book to look like it was full to trick me, when I say a book called “When Sinners Say I Do”…that was the moment I wondered if something was up. He told me that he wanted to read the book with me, and then behind the book was a letter that he wanted to read to me. I had to turn my head as tears filled my eyes. Was this really what I thought it was?! I couldn’t be sure but as he read the letter, my heart beamed and God’s grace poured out. This man that God had graciously given to me was pouring out his heart to me in a way that no person had ever done before, His love for me takes my breath away, literally.

At the end of the letter he said he wanted to make “the promise” real today. He turned the page and there was a question…. “WILL YOU?” with a box and in that box the most perfect ring. I think at that moment I said “FOR REAL?!” He grabbed my hands and stood me to my feet as he knelt down on a knee and asked me to be his wife, YES was an immediate response, I had been waiting forever to say that! The moment was perfect, my emotions were soaring, and my heart elated, and a smile were painted on my face that still hasn’t left.

Shortly after he suggested we go back to my house to show my parents, who he explained had already knew but hadn’t seen the ring. I couldn’t understand why he wanted to go home, why wouldn’t he want to just be alone. Little did I know a house full of some of our closest family and friends awaited us to congratulate and celebrate. When I walked in I was shocked to say the least but so excited to share in the moment with some of the most special people in both of our lives. The night ended perfectly, I couldn’t have asked for anything more.

I am blessed to say the least. I am amazed, dumbfounded, in awe, marveling, in shock and humbled by it all. God has given me the most amazing gift in His perfect providence and timing and I am so excited to see what He has in store for the both of us as we walk this life together. I am so in love with this man, Keith Edward Bence, and am confident that the Lord will continue to grow our love for one another as we grow in love for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! I cannot wait to be Mrs. Vanessa Renee Bence!

Thank you all for your love, prayers, encouragement and support. I want to end with our theme verse… Ephesians 3:20-21

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

Battling Unbelief in Anxiety

"For some reason, we think of doubt and worry as “small” sins. But when a Christian displays unbelief…or an inability to cope with life, he is saying to the world, “My God cannot be trusted,” and that kind of disrespect makes one guilty of a fundamental error, the heinous sin of dishonoring God. That is no small sin." -John MacArthur

It is often times those "respectable" sins, as Jerry Bridges likes to call them, that we seem to sweep under the mat and disregard in our Christian lives. One of these sins is something that over the years I have often struggled with and although the Lord has sanctified me in this area it is still something I tend to disregard and gloss over especially when it seems like it is justifiable...how foolish. Anxiety, it is a sin that has manifested itself in my life time and time again and a sin that I have found myself battling head on in the past few weeks. It isn't by chance that the Lord has written verses on my heart like Philippians 4:6-7 and Matthew 6, and it isn't by chance that He continually allows me to endure tests so to speak in this area in an attempt to make me more like Jesus, worry free!

Have you ever asked yourself, what do I have to worry about if God is in control? I know that is something that goes on in my head quite often. It is a contradiction to say I trust and believe that, as Romans 8:28 says, God is working ALL things together for good, to then turn around and question that working by worrying or stressing. I remember always justifying my anxiety an stress by saying that God made me a "type-A" and because of that there really is nothing I can do. I am a perfectionist and want to do my best in everything and therefore I can't help but stress over even the little things. I was sitting in a biblical counseling class a few years back when God hit me with a ton of bricks and showed me that that "type-A" personality, which by the way is a psychological labeling, was in no way an excuse for sinful behavior. I was NOT in control, the Sovereign of the universe was and is. And although I am called to exhibit wisdom and prudence in all that I do, I must ALWAYS hold remember "if the Lord wills" and trust that every circumstance, situation, trial etc. that comes into my life has been providentially placed by a good and faithful God. That blew my mind! I guess I always knew that Truth but it wasn't until that moment that I saw my sin in that area as HUGE and DETESTABLE and that I was determined, in the Lord's power, to be refined and to have victory in that area. So here I am three years later and I can praise God for the work He has done in that area...is He done? No, not yet as I know that refining takes time, but it doesn't negate the fact that I am to pursue holiness through putting off and putting on.

So what does all this have to do with today? Well, I recently started my second semester in my M.A.T. program (amongst many other exciting things going on in my personal life) and lets just say I am a wee bit overwhelmed, or was I should say. I am the student who gets "syllabus shock" day one. I see that list of projects, assignments, exams, etc. and my mind begins reeling through how everything is going to play out. Here I am, August 25th and I am stressing over something I want to get done ASAP that is due December 1st...no joke! I almost laugh at myself just thinking about it. Why am I worrying? Why am I stressing? Why is anxiety robbing me of my joy that day? Do I really think that God is going to leave me high and dry so to speak? That my God isn't going to equip where He calls? That my God isn't going to give me the grace I need for each day and enable me to faithfully fulfill the callings He has placed in my life? These questions, and ones like it began pouring into my mind and I began to feel the Spirit's conviction. I was in sin, I was not trusting the perfect God. JMAC often says that worry in essence is a lack of faith in God (as above). Think about that for a minute...a lack of faith in God, in other words disbelief. My sin is not worry, it is not anxiety, well it is, but it goes much deeper, it is really me not trusting the One who saved me, the one who holds the universe in His hands, the one who is actively working, who by the way has numbered and written all my days from before the foundation of time. This is a BIG sin. How and why would I not trust Him?!

I began to recall verses like Philippians 4 and reminded myself that I have to attack the worry in my heart, right when it starts. I need to stop, to stop allowing my mind to wander and lead to anxiety that plagues my spirit. I need to counterattack with exactly what Philippians 4 says, PRAYER and time in the Word! Prayer is powerful, James reminds us of that in chapter 5, that the prayer of a righteous man is powerful AND effective. We have a weapon so to speak, a superpower if you like, a mighty strong privilege that allows us to bend our knee before the Creator of all and cry out to Him for grace and mercy each day. Not only that but HE hears us and answers! I jumped into my car a few days ago when my worry began and opened up to Matthew 6 and read Jesus' words about worry and cried out to Him. I read over the verse that talks about how he cares for the sparrows in the sky and my heart sunk...God is interested in a sparrow, how much more in me, the creation made in His image. The fact that He loves me blows my mind, that He is intimately involved in EVERY facet of my life and that He wants to help me overcome this struggle and be made more like Jesus is incredible. I am so thankful for the work He is doing in me to teach me to trust Him continually, to lay my cares at His feet knowing He cares for me and that He already has it all worked out. He will continue to give me grace I need for each day, my desire needs to be faithfulness to that day to make Him famous in all I do. There is no greater love than the One who laid down His life for me and who reigns today next to the Father in heaven, and He deserves nothing less than all my trust and all my praise for He is faithfully and sovereignly perfect in ALL things...I have no excuse and nothing to worry about, EVER!

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:6-7

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" -Matthew 6:26-27

The POWER of the Tongue

"But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison." -James 3:8

As I have looked at the book of James over the past month and continue to do so I am realizing more and more just what James was getting at in his writing this to the Jewish believers, and unbelievers. James is attempting to set up a series of "tests" so that one might self-examine their profession of faith, their walk with God, and discover whether they truly are in Him or not. The tests begins with trials and continue on, one test after another, in an effective manner that exhorts all who read it.

Chapter 3 in particular has been for me the most convicting as I have found myself reading the first half, verses 1-12, over and over again in order to better understand exactly what the Lord, through James is saying. The passage talks of the tongue, the restless evil, the small member of the body that boasts of great things, and what he seems to imply the untameable part of the body. James begins by saying that the person who never stumbles in what he says is the perfect man, therefore it is clear that everyone, apart from Jesus Christ, has and will stumble in their speech. James goes on to give three analogies about the tongue, each which help to illustrate his point. Let's take a look at each of these:

(1) The Bit in the Mouth of a Horse- A bit is a small object, a mouthpiece, that goes in the horse's mouth and allows them to be directed and moved. Again though it is small it has the power to control and influence everything in that person's life.

(2)The Rudder of a Ship- He begins with the idea of a ship being guided by the rudder. A rudder is in essence that which steers the ship. That means that James is saying that the tongue is that which "steers" the person. In other words this small part of our body reveals a lot about the rest of our lives, who we really are, it is revealing what really guides and directs us.

(2) The Fire- Like fire the tongues words can spread destruction rapidly and ruin and defile everything around.

As James continues he convicts even more when you read verses 9-11 which say, "With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?" This idea that from our mouths we speak honor and praise to God and then from the same mouth speak sinful things is contradictory, it should not be. Just like a fountain can not produce both fresh and salt whether, a believer should not be speaking anything unglorifying to God.

But I thought James said that only perfect people won't sin with their tongue? Yes, this is true, but this does not negate our pursuit of holiness and the reality that we are commanded to speak only that which honors the Lord and edifies others. This goes not only into the words we use but also the way we speak etc. We must realize the power of the tongue and seek to put a muzzle on it so to speak, to think before we speak, and to prayerfully seek the Lord's sanctification in our lives in this area. My heart's desire is to grow in my understanding of the Lord and the Word and that in doing that my speech will continue to change. I don't want to find myself justifying gossip, slander, careless speech etc. but rather seeking to guard my tongue from the fire it can set ablaze. James is not only setting forth a test of true saving faith but also exhorting all believers to examine their speech, their tongue, and to seek to use it only for good, may that be our prayer.

NO NOT ONE

I've had a song by Brandon Heath on replay for the past couple days and I can't help but share some of the lyrics in hopes it will help you REMEMBER as it did for me. But before you read let me encourage you with a brief word on what God has revealed recently to me, this being more of Himself. I feel like the more that I grow in my knowledge of Him the more passionately I fall in love with Him and the more deep His love becomes, the more rich, the more mind-boggling if you will. I am blown away when I think about the God of the universe bestowing His grace, mercy and LOVE upon a sinner like me. The fact that each day I receive His grace and mercy anew, the reality that His Spirit is dwelling within me and enabling me to live a life honoring to Him, and the Truth that He saved me makes me stand in awe. And then on top of that He chooses to bless me, and bless me abundantly...and why? Love. Simply that. Love, OH HOW HE LOVES! The depths, the mystery, the height, the weight of that love is nothing short of amazing. As the Psalmist said in Psalm 36:5 "Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies." This is SO true, His love is unsearchable, His faithfulness never-ending. What an amazing God we who have been saved serve and are blessed by.

May your heart be refreshed by these lyrics, for there is NO ONE like our God.

NO NOT ONE
Brandon Heath

No better word than from your lips
No perfect life than what you lived
No greater gift, no not one

No brighter star has ever shined
No better hope for all mankind
No higher mind, no not one

No one has ever known
This kind of love you’ve shown

There has never been a greater love
Than your son
No. Not one
And there’ll never be a name above
No, Not one
With his life you have forgiven us
Hope has come
Hope has come
And there will never be a greater love
No, Not one

No image true or sweeter frame
No simple word can match your name
No greater fame
No not one

No one has ever seen
The depth of your majesty

Chorus

No greater call
You gave us all a reason to live
No greater love
You gave us all a reason to give
No greater life
You gave us all a reason to shine
No greater love
Forever mine

The Fruit of Patience

Summer is almost over, can you believe it?! It is crazy how time flies and yet patience is something we as believers struggle so often with. Isn't it interesting how the greatest things in life seem to be the things we wait the longest for? The whole mentality of American culture is "I want it now" and quite often we get it right when we want it, but there is something so precious about patience, essential to the Christian's maturity and Christ likeness.

Patience is a word that is shunned both by culture and even in the evangelical world. It is something that we are not fond of in our flesh because it hurts, hurts our flesh that is. It produces a refined sort of character as if one has just been put through the fire, tested and tried. Patience has been the theme of my walk with the Lord, or one of them I should say, one because it is a huge part of every believer's life and two because it is something that I needed EXTRA refining in. You see I was never the one who did well with waiting for things, especially when it came to something I desired so much. So God, in His love and providence decided that trial after trial in my life would breed a deep rooted endurance and longsuffering as I was forced to be patient consistently.

What I have learned however is the value, the rich value of this character trait or discipline of the Godly life. I have found that in my patience God has drawn even nearer and in the fruition of the blessing, whatever unfolded, I have experienced a kind of joy that motivates a glorying in God I can't even describe. The waiting produced gratitude unexplainable. And the blessings that came in the end were greater than what I had imagined to begin with. I like what Jerry Bridges says, "The fruit of patience in all its aspects – long-suffering, forbearance, endurance, and perseverance – is a fruit that is most intimately associated with our devotion to God. All character traits of godliness grow out of and have their foundation in our devotion to God, but the fruit of patience must grow out of that relationship in a particular way." This is SO true, the fruit of patience is abundant and again is essential to the Christian life.

I can't tell you how many times in my life I tried to take God's plans into my own hands and help him out, to bring to fruition desires in my heart, to somehow manipulate God's will. What God quickly taught me, through trial, was that HE WAS IN CONTROL and no matter what I did, HIS will alone would prevail. I began to realize that I needed to start preaching to myself instead of listening to my selfish heart. Bridges again gets it right when he says, "The cure for impatience with the fulfillment of God’s timetable is to believe His promises, obey His will, and leave the results to Him. So often when God’s timetable stretches into years we become discouraged and…want to give up or try to work something out on [our] own." I needed to exhibit patience by having faith.

And where is our example of patience found in its perfect form? In Christ, and in God the Father as we see a patient enduring, bearing with that all who would be chosen would come to faith in Him. God looks on as the world lives counter to His will so to speak and patiently calls the chosen ones to Him.

Faith in this perfect God should compel obedience that leads to patience. And this patience will draw the child of God closer to him and reveal even more of Christ in their life. And what is the best reality of all is that He is working maturity in you that you would be complete and therefore your joy will only increase and the blessings will only become sweeter. You see patience is but a means to an end, Christ likeness, and only there is true joy and peace found. Therefore, be patient, wait on HIM, trust HIS promises, believe them and remember that His timetable is often different then our own but that His plans that will come to fruition in that time are ALWAYS better.

Our Response in Trial

I have recently been studying the book of James and have found such deep and rich Truth throughout. James sets forth a series of "tests" so to speak for the genuineness of your faith. It is interesting to see that the first test is that of trial. All Christians are promised testing, trial, and suffering in this life; it comes with the territory. Throughout the life of the believer trials are used to make the Christian more like Jesus and the response of that individual to that trial shows a lot about their Christian character. The Lord reminded me of the trials I have went through in the past and even some small ones that I am enduring now and encouraged me with this, "The Lord sows Christian character in the valleys and reaps it on the mountain tops. Thankful for sanctification and a God who is actively working and intimately involved in His kids' lives."

I look back over the years of my sanctification and I have seen God's hand actively involved in the details and circumstances of my life. The promise of Romans 8:28 has always proved to be true, God's faithfulness has never run dry and I pull away every time more and more amazed at the Lord and His providential working in my life. He has used every painful experience to refine me, to make me more like Jesus. In those moments I see the precious love of Jesus in a way I cannot even explain. In those times I feel His presence like no other time in my life. In trial I see the face of Jesus.

The encouragement James provides for the believer in this first test is that you are well on your way to perfection. How amazing is that?! We can find joy therefore in the midst of trial knowing that He is ACTIVELY working to make us mature, complete, perfect. We can find hope in our response. When trial comes do we trust the sovereign One? Do we run to His feet and cling tightly to the promises found in the Word? Do we remember His past faithfulness and His present faithfulness and endure? Do we find a peace and deep seated joy that surpasses understanding? Do we believe that He is working all things together for our good and His glory? How do YOU respond in trial? This will tell you much.

This old hymn is a great encouragement for the faithful saint...

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield thee;
thou wilt find a solace there.

My Pursuit of Christ

I have had a handful of people recently ask for me to share a bit more of my heart in relationship to my own pursuit of our precious Savior. Although I am no where near being "complete" in Christ my prayer is that you would be encouraged and spurred on towards Him.

The apostle Paul seems to say it the best in Philippians 3:7-14, "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Pressing on Toward the Goal. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Over the past month I have studied the book of Philippians and come to a more humbling reality of the cross of Christ and the pursuit I have been called to as a child of Him. The goal of my life, both God's goal and my own heartfelt desire is Christ-likeness. Although this side of heaven I will never be "perfect" as Paul says above, or complete as James speaks of, it is never the less the pursuit of my life.

It is interesting as I look back over my own walk with the Lord and see God's sanctifying process taking place in my life. From trials and tests to blessings and abundant provision I am constantly humbled by and in awe of the hand of the Sovereign One. God's providence has led me to where I am today and I am so grateful. I have found in my own walk with Him 7 things that have helped me to "work out my salvation" as He works in me.

1. Being SATURATED in the Truth I can honestly say that growth in Him is a slow process apart from the daily pursuit of this very thing. It took a while before I realized the importance and NECCESITY for my being in the Word each and every day. It is the food my Spirit longs for and NEEDS in order to not only grow but to live.

2. CONTINUAL Prayer Prayer is a privilege, something I realize more and more. It is by this very thing that the God of the universe meets us. I am more humbled by how God answers prayers in His will so powerfully. Daily prayer is SO important but there is also a NEED for constant prayer, throughout the day.

3. SOLID Teaching I am blessed to be at a church, Compass Bible Church, that faithfully preaches the Truth. It is so important to be in a church that promotes a high view of God and preaches boldly. Sitting under this teaching increases your growth and sanctification. Along these same lines I find much benefit in listening to sermons on an almost daily basis by men of God that I revere and respect, who walk in HIM!

4. Accountability/ Christian Fellowship It is crucial to be in constant contact with others in the family of God. I have found that accountability is not only fruitful but necessary and the blessing in Christian friendship is so rich. There is so much truth to Jesus' explanation in the Gospels that His true mother and brothers are actually those in God's family.

5. Christian Literature I had never been a huge reader until I read Tozer's "Knowledge of the Holy". It was during my time studying this book that I realized the benefit and blessing there is in reading good Christian books. Since then I have sought to read excellent Christian literature on a regular basis. God has blessed us with so many resources and we must take advantage of them!

6. THINK TRUTH Like the psalmist in Psalm 52 it is so important to preach Truth to yourself and not listen to yourself. Philippians 4:8 is a great passage about this very thing. I have found so much peace in doing this through especially the tough times in my life.

7. Thinking on Heaven If my eyes are fixed on the eternal (Matthew 6:33) my heart will be too. I seek to store up treasures in heaven, to remind myself of the hope I have and to pray MARANATHA continually!

I am excited for the work God is doing in my life and am expectant of what He will continue to do to make me more like Christ. I know that the road will be marked by trial and blessing but I am confident that He will be holding me all the way. And I look forward more than anything to His imminent return!

AMAZED

"How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?" -Psalm 116:12

I am amazed, truly amazed. The Lord's goodness blows my mind. When I think about the reality of who He is (the SOVEREIGN AND HOLY GOD) and then I think about who I am (a wretched sinner, once an enemy of the cross and yet rescued by grace), I am humbled. I am humbled that He chose me. I am humbled that He loves me. I am humbled that He blesses me. I am humbled that He uses me. I don't think I have even begun to grasp what His goodness truly is. Although I get glimpses of it from time to time it is never a full picture and is unfathomable to my finite mind. And yet He gives me pictures of it from time to time and I can do nothing but stand amazed.

I read this verse tonight and I thought about that very thing, how can I repay the Lord? Not that I have to out of some sort of obligation but because the reality that God deserves nothing short of a devoted life to Him. And then knowing that He has saved me and abundantly blessed me makes me want to give Him everything I have, with all my being. How can we repay the Lord? Faith and obedience, I am convinced that these two things mark the sanctified Christian life. It is through obedience that one is made more like Christ as He works in you. And by faith that one walks this life and lives for Him. All of grace, all enabled by Him and for Him, but yet a command and exhortation throughout Scripture none the less. May we not seek to repay Him as some means of gain but rather because we stand amazed at His goodness and can do nothing else but glory in Him!

Chosen and Kept: A Revising of my "Testimony"

"Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance." -Jude 1-2

I hesitated to write this blog in fear of causing question or false assurance on behalf of some of you reading this, but the encouragement and hope I believe it will bring to others has led the Spirit to compel me to share what has recently happened in my own heart and life. My prayer brothers and sisters is that you would be amazed at the power of Jesus Christ to SAVE!

I was privileged to grow up in a God-fearing home where from as far as I can remember I was taught Truth from the Word of God. Looking back in my life there was never a moment that I doubted God's existence, the Truth of the Gospel, and the very reality that apart from God's grace through Jesus Christ I was headed for eternal destruction in hell. Throughout my childhood I spent countless hours being spoon fed Truth both from my parents and Sunday school teachers, continually "believing". In the depths of my heart I longed to be with Jesus, I remember many nights praying fervently for the Lord to save me; whether it was out of fear of the judgment to come or the love that I had for the Savior I cannot say. As time continued I began to learn more and more about what it meant to LIVE like a Christian and I found myself being labeled as "different" or "little miss perfect" in school; pride settled into my heart. When I was 14 I remember sobbing as I prayed for the Lord to save me, I had seen yet again the wickedness of my own heart and was afraid that I was not His. What was going on? Was it possible to lose your salvation? That I didn't know, at least not at that point. I had heard stories of many people who lived for years as a Christian and then fell away never to return. Would that be me? I begged God for it never to be.

And then through the 4 years I spent in high school under the teaching of a God-fearing pastor I learned the sovereign power of God and the reality that He was the one, as the verse in Jude says above, who called me from BEFORE the foundation of time and He would be the one that would keep me until I went to be with Him in heaven. This new found Truth brought joy and comfort and exciting hope. I realized yet again that I was bringing nothing to the table to offer the Lord, and that although we were called to pursue holy and Godly lives, nothing I did or didn't do for that matter would ever change His love for me or my stance with Him; this was so refreshing.

Up until this point I had held to a testimony similar to that of many children who grew up in Christian homes. I remembered praying when I was young a "prayer" so to speak and although I know that that prayer did nothing to save me, I also knew that something had triggered that desire to pursue the Lord, the question was what. It was not until I was 20 that I began to "question" my testimony. I began to wonder why I couldn't remember an exact moment in time in which I went from death to live. Was I really saved I began to wonder? Had I had some radical change from the outward appearance? No, I hadn't, my life was never marked my promiscuity, or flagrant and rebellious behavior; but at the same time I was not born saved. So I began to search and review my past to find something to point to. I came across three periods; three distinct times in my life in which I vividly remember a turning point. But then the question became which one?

When I was four I remember a time of repentance and faith in which as a child I simply trusted that Jesus would save me. And then when I was fourteen I remember seeing my sin in a new light and the holiness of God and asking the Lord to please keep me. And then at nineteen after a serious trial and being put through the fire I remember experiencing the weight of the blessing of God's grace and mercy in a whole new light and the wretchedness of my own sin. So when was I saved? I began having questions from many people around me and a need to come up with some period if as to appease man. If I couldn't pinpoint it then something was obviously wrong. So after prayer and counsel I decided that it had to have been when I was fourteen. A weight seemed to be lifted off my shoulders and I was comforted in some odd way because I now had a date, a moment in time.

And fast forward to today. Over the past three years I have met many Godly young people who came from families who loved and feared God, and many of whom also share in my experiences in the past. What I have come to find is many of them cannot pinpoint the moment God saved them forever. Although I initially found this odd since I seemed it would be SO evident when you went from death to life, the more I thought about it the more I began to question the testimony I had produced. Was I really saved at 14?

And then over the past six months or so I have wrestled quite intensely with this very topic, when did I become His? I have doubted at points my own salvation, but these past six months have brought more questions than ever before. And what I realized was that I was questioning because I had taken my eyes off the Savior and had put them on me. What a tragedy! Paul Washer spoke so much encouragement to me during a message I heard when he explained that our doubt sometimes found us when we had taken our eyes off the Savior and tried to look to ourselves for meriting the very salvation that we had never deserved. This was so true, this was exactly what I had been doing from time to time, how foolish! As Ephesians 2 says, for it is by GRACE that we have been saved and not by works so that NOBODY can boast!

And then in God's providence He allowed me to go the Resolved conference recently and here all about our precious and mighty Jesus! All I could do was stand in awe, I was humbled and encouraged in so many ways and I walked away with this one phrase, "HALLELUJAH ALL I HAVE IS CHRIST, HALLELUJAH , JESUS IS MY LIFE!" And then CJ Mahaney gave a great message, sharing his testimony (in which he has a moment in time conversion he remembers) where he spoke about the reality of God calling us, keeping us, and of course one day glorifying us with His Son. This is so exciting. The next day I listened to John MacArthur and he too shared his testimony and the reality that a conversion moment that you remember is no sure sign of your salvation and not having on does not negate your salvation. He explained that in the same way we don't show everyone our birth certificates to prove we are living (because we breath, walk and talk) we don't point back to some moment in time to prove our transformation but rather look at the life today, are you living, is there fruit?

I for the first time since I was 20 am back in the place of not knowing the moment that my believing went to saving. And I know that is okay because I didn't save myself, it was ALL Him! I did nothing to earn my salvation, I did nothing to draw myself to Him, I did nothing, it was all him. What I know for sure is that He called me from before the foundation of time and that at some moment in my life He unblinded my wicked heart and enabled me to desire Him, to repent and trust. And I know that it is He who will keep me until the day I see Him face to face. The question is what does my life look like now? What fruit is there evidencing I am His? This doesn't negate my pursuit of holiness and need to pursue righteousness but it does remind me of the power of God's grace and how undeserving I am. I am SO thankful for the cross of Christ, I am forever indebted to Him for the sacrifice He made, and all I can do is praise Him and live for Him. I love Him so much, words can't even express. And I praise God for the work He did in my life, for putting me in a family that loved Him, for enabling me to always "Believe" and for at some point in time unblinding my eyes to Truth and summoning me to Him, enabling me to respond and thus live wholly for Him.

So what is my testimony? My life, the work He has done from before my birth until today and continuing until I go home to be with Him. And my prayer is that my life would make Him look famous!

Resolved Recap

This past weekend I had the awesome privilege to attend the 2010 Resolved conference (www.resolved.org). The theme of this years conference was "JESUS". When I heard the theme I wondered what on earth they were going to narrow it down to since the entire Bible is devoted to this very person. Five men, who I respect so much, brought forth a series of messages (all of which you can download at the website above) that taught us more about the Savior and Lord, the person of Jesus Christ. Message after message provided compelling arguments as to why, as the song says, "Love so amazing, so divine, DEMANDS my soul, my life, my all."

If I could condense the entire conference into one thing, one statement, it would be this... "HALLELUJAH, ALL I HAVE IS CHRIST... HALLELUJAH, JESUS IS MY LIFE!" In Philippians 1:21 Paul writes, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." I can't tell you how many times I have read and heard that verse, and yet it wasn't until this weekend that the weight of it really hit me; Paul's life is JESUS. And Paul wasn't the exception, the super apostle, He was the example. Paul says to "imitate Him", and I had to ask myself, is that me? Is my life summed up in the word JESUS?

All weekend, message after message there were countless reasons as to WHY my life should be wrapped up entirely in Him. But I began to wonder, what does that even look like? After a weekend which felt like a glimpse of heaven, in worship, teaching and fellowship, I thought about how this idea of JESUS IS MY LIFE was going to translate into my everyday behavior. And then in God's grace and providence CJ Mahaney presented a practical application to what we had heard all week, simply put "PREACH THE GOSPEL TO YOURSELF DAILY".

I have heard it before, but I haven't practiced it, and yet it makes total sense. The more you learn of the Gospel, who you were without Christ, who He is and what He has done in redeeming you, the more your affections will be for Him, your heart will be longing to please Him, and your life will reflect Him as you are consummed. It is simple and yet something that we should never grow bored of; the cross should never lose its wonder. My desire and prayer is that He would draw me closer to Him through the Gospel and that I will always sing, Hallelujah ALL I have is Christ...and with the apostle Paul, live or die, Jesus is my life!