Least in the Kingdom: Faith

"Our human hope, it waxeth but to wane,

Hope faileth not that of Thy love is born;

Make hope our habit; blessed love constrain,

Till flowers bloom where now is only thorn."

~Amy Carmichael

~This article, written by a young woman named Emily Hipps, pretty much sums up some of the feelings and convictions I've been having over the last year. Her experiences are a little more than mine, but still very applicable to me! Definitely worth a read if you are a young lady striving to seek the Lord in the area of purity of the heart...

Why I am not saving my heart for my husband

As a young girl growing up I had one dream of what I was going to be when I grew up, a wife and a mommy. Yes, I thought I might want to be everything from an actress to an FBI agent at one time or another, but all those things would either take place before or were somehow molded around my dreams of my own family. This dream, as I grew into my teens, was expanded upon to become the direction in which I lived my life. Skills were taught me that would assist me when I had my own family, my homeschooling was directed that way, and I read ‘young women who are going to be homemakers’ books and articles. It was during those early years of my adolescence that I was first introduced to the idea of ‘saving my heart for my husband’.

Saving my heart for my husband was to insure (as I understood it) that when I got married I would be able to lavish upon him all my love, all my emotions, all my commitment, since I had not previously given it to any other suitor. In the mean time, while waiting for Mr. Recipient Of My Heart to make his appearance, I was to have my heart resting with my parents. In other words, until the right guy came along, I was to not set my heart on (give my heart away to) anyone.

With all this information, allow me to create a picture of my future, while waiting for marriage. Here is a girl, 13, 14, 15, 16 years old, waiting for the right one to come along that I can give all my love to. I am not waiting passively either, but learning things that will benefit me when I am married and working my way towards this ‘goal of my life’. At a glance, this seems quite ideal. I mean, who would not want a girl who will love you with everything she has, who is trained to be a homemaker, with no history of other guys you have to compete with, whose first love is you? Like I said, it seems like a picture of what the ‘courtship movement’ talks about. At this point however, please allow me to tell you about a few things that God taught my about this ‘perfect picture’ in the past year.

It started about a year and a half ago in our living room. Dad was sitting on the couch, with Mom, my two brothers, and I around him. He told us that he had been praying that God would make Himself his (Dad’s) only desire, and he was talking about it like it was some sort of spiritual breakthrough. Dad challenged each of us to pray the same way, asking God to remove all other desires and to become our only desire, but at the time I thought, "Not right now". I was 16 years old and as I listened, it seemed to me like a very boring life, to want nothing but God.

My heart was a little different from the ‘perfect picture’ I described above. In my desire for a family of my own, a desire I truly believed was the best of all professions for women; I had been keeping my eyes open for Mr.-I-can-give-my-heart-to. Prompted by my parents, as well as magazines and such, I made a list of character qualities that I wanted in a husband and even started a notebook, occasionally writing letters to ‘my future husband’. All this was done in expectation that some day the right one would happen along. The serious problem for me lay in making sure he was the right one. Already I had experienced what emotions could do to me in how I could suddenly ‘like’ someone in a way I couldn’t explain. Thoughts of, "What is going on here?" would soon change to me wondering, "Is this the right one? Could it be that he is the one God picked out for me?"

This process of wondering if he could be the one was perfectly justified. I was in a sense taught to do this. Articles to girls my age seemed to point out that there was one for me, and that I needed to be prepared to be able to tell which one he was. My parents sometimes would ask me what I thought about different young men, what good/bad qualities I saw in them, trying to teach me to be observant. I soon realized though, that if I ‘liked’ someone, I really could not be very objective in my judgement of their character. This concerned me because I imagined a courtship scenario of me trying desperately to think and pray around my emotions so that I would be able to discern if this was Mr. Right.

Of course, I planned on my parents being a big help. They would be able to tell me if he was really a bad pick when emotions had obscured my vision, and if he really was a good guy, they would be able to note that as well. Still the idea of having to be the one to say "yes" really shook me up. What if I listened to my emotions by accident and I ended up with a bad choice and ruined my life? What if the nice young man I said yes to turned out to be uncommitted, fell away and became a drunkard, leaving me penniless and with a bunch of kids to raise by myself? I prayed many times that when the time came God would make it so clear that I would have no questions. Oh, and by the way, neither would he (Mr. Right), or my parents, or his parents, just so that we would be really sure.

By sixteen I was getting closer to the age when I was going to have to start deciding who the right guy was (or was not) and I already had a few candidates I was watching to see what they were made of. A family of my own was my deepest desire, and, of course, a major part of that was a husband. Into this heart of mine, set on marriage and as many children as I could have, came the challenge to ask God to become my only desire. Maybe you understand a little of why I balked. Not only was my heart full of desire for a husband, but I also wanted other, smaller ‘side things’ such as clothes, good looks, a ‘cool’ status, etc.. So, at first I said no to this challenge.

A few months later I found myself in California, sleeping on the living room floor of some friends of ours. We had gone on a trip and were visiting for a few days. I remember thinking hard during that stay about what was going on around me. What my eyes were seeing was what I wanted to have, a happy marriage, several young kids, and it all run smoothly with lots of love. At first I looked at the wife and thought to myself, "Yep, this is it, this is what I want. I want a man who will come in the door at night and kiss me hello. A man who will put the workday behind him and play with our kids. I want to answer to "Mommy" all day long. This is what I am living for."

Yet, as I looked on, God opened my eyes to something. I realized that what I desired from their lives, the same thing I had always desired from watching my parents lives, had nothing to do with who they were with or what they were doing. It was joy. It was the joy that comes from serving the Lord with all your heart and living for Him. As I watched them, I realized that they lived that way, Jesus first, and the challenge that my dad had given came back to mind. Slowly I softened and gave in. I began, hesitantly at first, to pray that God would take away all my other desires and make Himself my only desire.

Now, imagine it being almost a year from that first day on the couch, and so many things have happened that I could fill a whole notebook and never be done. Now my heart is much different than it was when I first started to pray for God to become my one and only, and God has been true to His promise to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. The task of removing my desires has started, and although not complete, on its way. Now I am realizing more what it means to love God with all my heart, to be consumed with a desire for more of Him. God had shown me that I needed to gain my fulfillment from Him; that He is the One who never changes, who loves me like no one else could. (Psalm 18:31) As I asked God to become my one and only desire, He also became my one and only source of fulfillment in many ways. I discovered that His love was all that I really needed. It was for Him that I desired to live, His will that I desired to take place, His kingdom that I wanted to come.

One warm day I was out on a walk and started praying. "God," I said, "Something is bothering me and I need to talk to You about it. You see, all my life I have dreamed of getting married. I’ve planned for it, prepared for it, expected it. But now that I am trying to give You all my love and my heart, I am not really sure if I can even get married. You see, if I get married, then I will be pouring all my love into a man and living for him instead of You. Can someone who loves You with all their heart ever get married?"

As I stewed over this question, I could not make sense of it all. Yes, Paul seemed to agree with my conjunction that it was better not to marry (1 Corinthians 7) and I had often heard testimonies of people who served God single and were pleasing to Him and content. (At the time that I heard these, I had put singlehood as something I would do if I had to, but, well, I’d do my best not to get stuck there!) However, God was the One who invented marriage in the first place, and after all, if it were not for marriage, I would not be here. Even Paul in 1 Cor. 7 said that he who married did not sin, but he who did not did better than the one who did marry. Who would want second best? Yet, could marriage really be second best if God designed it? Could only non-Christians get married? As I pondered this, God opened my eyes to see that my first problem in understanding this was my idea of marriage.

My idea was two people pouring themselves into each other, working hard to make the other feel loved, needed, appreciated etc… I realized that this view of marriage put the emphasis on the wrong thing, on the people involved. The point of this type of marriage is to bring pleasure and fulfillment to the people who are taking part in it.

As a Christian, as someone who is seeking to love God with all their heart, our purpose in life is to further God’s kingdom, to bring His desires to pass, not our own. (Matthew 6:10, 33) Nothing we do should be done for our sake, but out of obedience to God. (John 15:4, 10) God’s view of marriage was vastly different than mine. While I had envisioned two people working to please each other, God showed me that His idea was two people working together to please God. God did not make Eve to make Adam feel good about himself or loved or wanted, God made Eve because Adam was better off with her than without her. God showed me that the best way for me to love someone is to love God first and foremost, and to love that person as an outpouring of my love for God. Having my eyes focused on God and living to please Him will lead me to obeying His command to love. (1 John 5:1-3, John 15:9-12)

Loving my husband would thus be an outpouring of my love for God; my love for God always coming first. It does not take away from the love (living 1 Corinthians 13) that I would give my husband by loving him out of a love for God, but rather adds to it. My love would be a godly love, directed by God’s Spirit rather than a love that I would work at in my own strength. Suddenly it started to make some sense to me. I envisioned two people, both fixing their eyes on God and living to give Him glory, working better together than alone.

Yes, God in His sovereign power could decide to make a person who could serve Him best alone. This person might be able to do things a married person could not, and would be better off without a mate. However, just as easily, God could make two people who could serve Him best if they were together. Together they would be able to pray towards the same end, work the same mission, encourage each other to keep pressing on, raise godly children for the glory of God. Their purpose in life would be the same as that of a single Christian, to obey God, only they would be working at it together. They could be ministry partners, obedience to the Lord partners, faith partners, helping each other along, and thus better than either would have been alone. (Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10)

When I saw this, I was very excited! Yes, someone can love God with all their heart and be married! But, not if marriage is what I had originally thought; the purpose of marriage had to change in my mind first, for this to be true. Putting all these thoughts together, I realized that two things which had seemed separate actually brought me to a glorious conclusion. If my job in life was to obey God, and marriage was doing that same thing with a partner, and God knew what He wanted me to do to bring His plans about, then I only had one reason ever to marry. Out of obedience to His direction. Now I was free from my concern of "how will I know if I am getting a lemon or not?" I did not have to concern myself with it at all. I needed only to concern myself with obeying Jesus Christ, and if the time comes for me to marry, He can say, "That is the one, now is the time," to us both, and we only need to obey. God knows all things, and He has a plan for my life. I need to obey Him so that His kingdom will come.

No, I am not giving my heart to any young man that may come after it, but I am not saving it for my husband either. I am giving it all to God, because it is with Him that my heart belongs.

Emily Hipps
(Article used with permission from Bethany's blog which can be visited here,)

In Christ,

~There are so many beautiful qualities in Scripture, its hard to pick and choose what to talk about this week. Mostly I've just been writing about what comes to mind, what is on my heart at that moment. And for some reason I've had devotion and love in my thoughts today.

Devotion - the act of devoting, devotion of time and energy, the fact or state of being ardently dedicated and loyal...

~Are we dedicated to God? We've talked about the importance of staying close to God through reading His word - but what else can be said for the heart commitment of steadfast devotion. Do you want to read a heart wrenching story of devotion, the likes of which I can only pray would be given to me in such a situation?

"The young, brown-eyed girl looked up at her mother. What would her mom decide? Earlier that morning, the young girl’s mother, their pastor, and twenty-six others in her North Korean village of GokSan were bound and taken before a screaming crowd of Communists. One of the guards ordered Pastor Kim and the other Christians, “Deny Christ, or you will die.” The words chilled her. How could they ask her to deny Jesus? She knew in her heart he was real. They all quietly refused. Then the Communist guard shouted directly at the adult Christians, “Deny Christ, or we will hang your children.”

The young girl looked up at her mother. She gripped her hand knowing how much her mom loved her. Her mother then leaned down. With confidence and peace she whispered, “Today, my love, I will see you in heaven.” All of the children were hanged. The remaining believers were then brought out onto the pavement and forced to lie down in front of a large steamroller. The Communists gave them one last chance. “Deny this Jesus or you will be crushed.” The Christians had already given up their children; there was no turning back. As the driver started the heavy piece of equipment, the singing from the villagers started softly. “More love, O Christ, to thee, more love to thee.”

More. It’s what God gave when he sent his Son. More. It’s what Jesus gave when he was crucified. More. It’s what believers give simply out of love for Christ. They want to give more to the One who gave so much to them. In a worldly age that values giving only what one must to get by, believers set a new standard. “More love to thee” is more than just words in a traditional hymnal. It’s a lifestyle without limit. Each day is a path of discovering how to give more love to Jesus Christ. For some believers, this path has led to their death. For others, “more love to thee” has meant financial sacrifice. What does “more love to thee” mean to your everyday life?" Extreme Devotion, Voice of the Martyrs.

~This was devotion of the kind only God can give in times of extreme testing, and by His grace they passed the test. These dear brothers and sisters are resting in the arms of Jesus, where He wipes away every tear from their eyes. How much easier it should be to have devotion to God in our everyday life, with our everyday decisions, than to face death for our beliefs. Yet we so often fail in the little things, the little tests. And one of the hardest of those things is love.

“‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ " Mathew 2:37-39

~In John Pipers book "Desiring God" he describes love in two ways. One, is vertical, between us and God. The other is horizontal, between us and man. He goes on to say that horizontal love between people is an extension of the vertical love between God and us. "Love is the overflow of joy in God that gladly meets the needs of others". Gladly. Meets. Overflow. Joy. All words from the heart - we cannot love others if we do not love God. We cannot meet the needs of others unless our needs have been met in God (not going elsewhere to be fulfilled). To be able to love our family, friends, unsaved neighbors, strangers on the street, we must first have a heart that loves God. And a heart that loves God is devoted to Him.

Love - warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion. Unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another.

~Love and devotion seem to go hand in hand. We cannot truly say we love someone, unless we are concerned with their concerns, enthusiastic for their joys, sorrowful for their woes. When we love someone we cannot sit idly by when they are in need. We want to meet that need, we want to share what we have - even if it is little. At least, this is what love should look like. Unfortunately we do not always share the love God has poured into us with those in our lives.

~There are so many different facets of love, ways love can or should be expressed to others, and types of love, that I'm not even going to attempt to list them all here. Its simply beyond my insufficient mental powers to imagine the entire scope of ways that love can affect us in our walk with the Lord. I know it has saved me, as it has saved every child of God, I know that it continues to work in me; sanctifying me, challenging me, pushing me, overfilling my cup so that I must share it with others. In narrowing it down I think I know one area that many of us could relate too, and I certainly know I can!

Love for those who are difficult to love.

~This is a toughie. Its not easy to love someone who is simply unlovable. (Another issue is that the problem is often us!) But "more love to thee" in our daily life may very well be extending the love God gave to us - while we were still sinners.

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

~Last night we were reading together from Luke 15, and after reading the part about the Pharisees complaining that Jesus was eating with "tax collectors and sinners", we stopped to discuss the Lords reply. Jesus told three stories about finding lost things, a shepherd and his sheep, a woman and her coin, and a father with his son. Each of them, shepherd, woman, and father, did not sit idly by - they searched for, they ran to meet, the lost one. Why? Because that thing was valuable to them, they treasured it. How much do we value the unlovable people in our life? They may be lost, they may be going through a time of sin, but do we try to reach out and show them Gods love?

~I think one of the biggest problems in learning to love others, is that we value ourselves more than them. Our priorities need to change. We need to value their joy, their comfort, their happiness, the same as we value our own. In fact, that should be key to our joy. Here's an interesting response Jesus gives concerning the joy even the angels have when a sinner repents.

"I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance." Luke 15:7

~The angels find joy in repentant sinners. God finds joy in repentant sinners. We should find joy in repentant sinners. And if we want that joy, we seek after it by loving the unlovable, and extending the same to them that we are overflowing with from God. Here's some pointers I came up with for myself.

Don't walk away when I see the unlovable person coming

Spend more time praying for the needs of the unlovable person

Be initiative in starting conversations

Practice gracious speech, if necessary "rehearse" this in my mind

Remind myself of my own failings as a sinner, and cultivate gratefulness that God loves me

Wear a smile, as much as possible, instead of a frown, when talking to them (This goes a long way dealing with siblings that like to annoy!)

Make sure I value them, by listening to their interests, and taking time out of my day to show them I care

Eat with them - ask to join them when I see they are alone

~All these are good in theory, but, may take lots of time and consistent practice to see any fruit. If ever. We are not called to love people only if they love us in return; regardless of whether or not the unlovable person ever comes round we must continue to display another adornment - patience. (Not going into that one right now!) Love is displayed by affectionate devotion, and concern. Which brings us full circle. Devotion and love to God should spill over in devotion and love to each other. Love is one of the greatest spiritual gifts, if not the greatest.

"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails...And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13
In Christ,


~SPLAT, I watched a goopy glob of paint narrowly miss the corner of my eye, landing on the collar of my well splattered paint clothes. As I looked down from my precarious perch on the top rung of a tall, rickety ladder, I once again decided that ceilings should be left alone - as much as possible. Re-painting is dangerous.

~Then a thought struck me, how often have you heard the phrase "The Skies the Limit", or even, "Reach for the Sky"? In a sense we should be achievers, we should be diligent and always looking for new ways to glorify God in what we do. But in another sense, and feel free to comment if you think otherwise, I feel that these terms can also be used to imply that there are no heights we cannot reach if we do not set our minds to do it. The truth is, we cannot do anything without God, and there are some things we cannot do, or change about our lives, because its not in His plan. And that's where contentment comes in.

~To continue my story, there I was painting the ceiling of my moms bathroom. We'd grown tired of the old gold colored paint, and to be fair, it was in need of a fresh coat. I was happy with the new color she'd picked out, a really lovely pale lavender. There really isn't a case for discontentment here - but I thought, do we ever grow tired of the color of our ceiling in life?

~ I think sometimes we just want change. We itch for it. We think of ways we can improve our situation, ways we can get more of what we want. There are healthy desires, and there are unhealthy desires. The trick is knowing when to push up into higher, perhaps greener fields, and when to step down, into the valley, and walk where God has placed us at the moment. Perhaps its in the very act of surrendering our desires for more, that God shows us we have all we really need. We don't really need that pay raise, we don't really need a new car, we don't really need those perfectly darling but rather expensive shoes from Target, and lets not mention the fact that the icecream shelf in the freezer is getting bare. What we need is a sustaining, Christ glorifying, relationship with God.

“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” Mathew 4:4

~Contentment is about more than material things. In fact, I think my biggest problems with contentment are not what I'm wearing, or where I lay my head at night, but dreams and plans for the future. I want to do this someday, I want to be a stronger christian, I want to be looked up to in my community, I want to marry a godly young man, I want to have a family of my own someday, I want to be something more. Its good to want good things. And I think the majority of us really do desire good things. But Gods timing is not always our timing, and if we become so obsessed with the future that we loose the joy of the present, then we are turning our desires into idols.

~A woman who is content is glorifying God. She proves to others that God really is enough for her. Her heart is fixed on Him. He is, after all, our ultimate treasure. Once again, this is helpful in our witness to others. Because the world really is never content. It has a gnawing, empty, hole in its stomach - which refuses to be filled no matter what manner of things it throws at it. One by one the treasures of the world turn out to be only chaff, which will be consumed by fire. But she who has found true contentment in the Lord, will be satisfied no matter what her lot in life.

~Contentment is defined as an uncomplaining acceptance of one's share. Here are several areas that can breed discontentment; worry, greed, and envy. I'm sure there are more, these are just a start! I've broken down the individual areas below, with some verses to pin point how we should really respond.

When we are not content because of worry.

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Mathew 6:26-34

When we are not content because of greed.

"Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and certain into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." 1 Timothy 6:6-10

When we are not content because of envy.

"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say:

“ The LORD is my helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6

~Thanks for reading - I've been greatly encouraged by your responses and find fresh determination to seek out the better things of God in my life! Its all for His glory...

"The purity that counts for most in your life and mine is purity of heart... There is a rest of spirit, and a quiet confidence, a joyfulness, and a perfection of love and peace in the heart of the one given over to God that cannot be described in words... Every one who will seek God with all his heart, who will draw close, may have this experience of a pure heart." Mabel Hale, Beautiful Girlhood

~Lately I have been contemplating the relationship between knowledge and innocence. How many times have you read something on the news, which may have been quite intriguing in the moment, and later felt convicted of having allowed something trashy to enter your mind? Or watched a movie that had even more than the usual set of problems? Or perhaps allowed an acquaintance to "fill you in" on the nitty gritty details of some other friends life - which you probably didn't need to know?

~These are obvious examples of times when we step over the line of "need to know". What is much harder to discern is the fine balance between "living in the world, but not of it".

"I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." John 17:14-16

~One of the finest adornments a heart can have is purity. This is because in a world so spoiled by sin, greed, lust, hate, bloodshed, unchecked violence, and anger, the purity and innocence of Gods children is a great light. It speaks of the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and points to the promise and hope of that day when all shall be made new - the day all creation groans for! God loves a pure heart and desires that we seek after it as a precious jewel when seeking adornments for our hearts.

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:1-2

~The renewing of our minds. What a term brimming with meaning. Notice that it says renewing, not renew. Its an ongoing process in our lives, a part of the sanctification process. We will need to be constantly on guard against letting impure influences enter our thoughts. We need to valiantly defend our innocence from things that are evil... At the same time we need to be wise in what is good, as well as the times we live in.

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and innocent as doves." Mathew 10:16

~It is interesting that we often only seem to focus on the negative side of things, asking ourselves the question - "Is this bad?" Instead it may be more helpful to ask ourselves - "How will this edify me? Will this strengthen my desires for Christ?" You will be amazed at how much clearer decisions can become when we look at issues in a positive light. It will cut out a lot of questions, or harmless "neutral" stuff, that we really didn't need to spend our time on anyways. Of course, I'm not saying we can never watch a movie, or read a book, or go shopping at a store for that matter, unless it is distinctly christian and definitely going to produce some positive fruit in us. But our overall focus in life should be to produce good fruit, by glorifying God in all that we do. Chances are if we let ourselves hop over to the neutral zone too much, that may be what we become, neutral in the war for godliness.

~Here's a little list I've drawn up of areas where we should be especially careful to guard our purity, and our innocence. Save your exposure for times when we really must confront evil, and overcome it with good. Why dwell unnecessarily on things that will confuse, distort, taint, and otherwise clutter up your mind, all for the sake of entertainment? We live in the world - we have to battle with impurity every day. No soldier wants to leave the battlefield, come home weary and tired, only to fight another battle on the couch with his entertainment!

Movies

Books

Magazines

News Articles/Websites

Music/Radio

TV Shows

Blogs

Friends/Acquaintances
Random Quizzes and Games on Facebook, or any website for that matter! (I know, its sort of a funny thing to add, but its true that these can sometimes be big distractions and sources of useless information!)

~Another benefit in seeking purity of spirit is that your witness will not by hindered by inconsistency or accusations of hypocrisy. The other night we were all gathered for family devotions and I watched as my mother patiently explained an important spiritual truth to my seven year old brother. He was having a very hard time concentrating, in fact, he looked like he was about to burst out the seams! All the while my mother kept talking in a very calm, patient, manner - hoping to settle him down. Finally, unable to contain it any longer, my brother politely inserted - "Excuse me mom, but, your pants are on inside out!" We all looked at her pants, which were indeed, on inside out. Needless to say, the rest of the devotions was a bit lost in hilarity!

~ In a similar way inconsistency distracts those we are witnessing to. Its like watching a very devout man give what must be a very devout sermon, but his clothes are all upside down and backwards. No one can hear what he's saying because he's just so ridiculous... At best the world finds inconsistent Christians funny, amusing, maybe a somewhat tolerable kind of pal. At worst they are affronted, justified in their opinions about "religion", and label Christians hypocrites.

~Resolve to seek out influences that will edify and build you up. Resolve to set aside influences that will destroy your innocence and purity. God will be pleased!

~Here's a list of some blogs, websites, and online ministries, that have encouraged me in thinking pure thoughts - and in doing away with unedifying influences.

The Rebelution
Issacharian Daughter
Pearls and Diamonds
Beauty From the Heart
Joyfully at Home
Young Ladies Christian Fellowship

~Resolve to follow the Lord while it is still today! In Christ,

~A loud, rather annoying, buzzing sound, penetrated the groggy edges of my semi-conscious mind. Out of pure instinct my hand went up and came down "SMACK" on the top of my little alarm clock. It was 7 AM, time to get up, time to get moving, time to start the day. A little more sleep, a little more slumber, my body groaned, and then I remembered - I had an appointment with my Doctor at NINE, just two hours away!!!! Out of the bed I leapt, stumbling over yesterdays shoes (which never seem to find there way back to the closet), dodging a stack of laundry, slipping on my sisters sheets and extra pillows which always end up on the ground before morning (she's a messy sleeper!), until I reached the door. Then I darted down the hall, around the corner, and scooted into the one kids bathroom just in front of my brother who really needed to get ready for work. Ha ha - I beat him! Then I looked in the mirror.

~Now this post could be about any number of things. It could be about laziness, oversleeping, messy room habits, considering others needs and feelings above ones own, or even the unattractive trait of developing a nasty long standing grudge against ones alarm clock. (I hate the sound of that thing...) But the focus of this post is actually about mirrors.

~As a young woman I spend a considerable amount of time looking in mirrors, whether its to decide if I like a certain color on myself, or if a shirt is too low, too tight, too blah. I casually glance in mirrors as I pass them throughout the day - checking my hairdo, tucking that stray end back into place, adjusting my clothes. And something tells me that there isn't a young lady alive who hasn't once or twice stared deeply into her reflected eyes wondering about all the deep unanswerable unspeakable questions in life. (Or maybe you have a reflection friend who lives in a glass pane like Anne of Green Gables :) In other words, mirrors are a pretty useful tool in life.

~That morning I prepared myself for my appointment (with the more than usual routine of shower, hair products, choosing an outfit after long and careful consideration - I'm picky when it comes to doctors offices, finding the perfect pair of shoes - comfortable but also smart, makeup, curlers, etc...) and actually made it to the appointment only five minutes late. But this post isn't about tardiness or vanity. Its about mirrors...

~Something I realized recently is that there is more than one kind of mirror. There is the kind that hangs on the wall in various shapes and sizes, which faithfully reflects the absolute facts about our appearance (Good and bad, sighs...). And there is the kind that can't be seen on the wall but which just as accurately reflects the inward condition of our heart.

~That mirror is called the Word of God. It shows us the condition of our souls, it convicts us when we sin, and it offers a picture of what we will be one day in our glorified bodies with Christ. In another way what is inside of you reflects you. Your heart is your own mirror as well- it shows what and who you truly are to others.

"As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man." Proverbs 27:19

~Sadly, we do not usually see our own reflection. And we often deny it when other people approach us with a picture of it. This is because the heart is deceitful, proud, full of its own thoughts and desires. Which is why we so desperately need to turn to Gods Word for a "heart check" to get a true understanding of ourselves, and a true reflection of where we stand in need of correction. To quote Fireproof, "You can't just follow your heart - you need to lead your heart". Where? To Gods Word. This is the mirror we need to look in daily, and that requires daily effort on our part. Its a process of developing consistency in the most fruitful habit you could ever devote yourself to.

~As I prepare to launch this series of posts on "adorning ones heart", and particularly todays post, let me confess something. I am not the christian I would like to be. I'm not even close. I've failed to remain consistent in my habits, time and again I realize I've slipped into my old ways once more; neglecting to read Gods Word every day, forgetting to pray for the growing stack of prayer requests slipped between the pages of the Bible I forgot to read, speaking in a harsh manner with my siblings, feeling resentment towards my parents when they ask me to do something I "just didn't feel like doing" at that moment. But God in His grace has been faithful to me, as I know He has to you if you are His child, setting my feet back on the path whenever I stray. These words are as much, if not more, to myself, as to any readers out there, a little journal of thoughts on the heart from a sister in Christ.

~In summary for today - I realized that before I could even think about some of the things one should adorn ones heart with, I needed to be able to see that heart. The only thorough reliable way to do that is in the Bible, with prayer, asking God to show me my weak areas. Every person will look a little different in their sin areas, and needs as far as different virtues goes, so, the next four days will just cover some basics. (You can work on specific trims and ribbons yourself :) The following verses are ones I found useful in seeing the state of my heart and my need to develop consistent habits in my reading of Gods Word - I hope they are encouraging to you as well!

The state of our hearts;

“ The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?

I, the LORD, search the heart,
      I test the mind,
      Even to give every man according to his ways,
      According to the fruit of his doings." Jeremiah 17:9-10

The power of Gods Word;

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

God Knows the State of our Hearts;

"If we had forgotten the name of our God,
Or stretched out our hands to a foreign god,
Would not God search this out?
For He knows the secrets of the heart." Psalm 44:20-21

God convicts us through the Power of His Word and Spirit, He does the work of creating in us a clean heart;

"I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek." Romans 1:16

"Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me" Psalm 51:10-11

Our Response;

"How can a young man cleanse his way?
         By taking heed according to Your word.
With my whole heart I have sought You;
         Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
Your word I have hidden in my heart,
         That I might not sin against You." Psalm 119:0-11

~Until tomorrow then, in Christ,

~Sometimes its hard to believe just how much we can love someone we've never seen. We have never seen God. I mean, we've seen Him at work, we see Him in answered prayers. We see Him in other Christians lives, we see Him in His beautiful creation. But I've never placed my fingers in Christs scarred hand, the hand that took the nails one by one in my stead. I've never seen with my eyes the face of my King. But I love him.

~This in and of itself is a work of God - a beautiful work done in the heart of every person He draws to Himself.

~I find the doctrine of irresistible grace to be one of the most profound and beautiful things Gods Word holds. Think about it carefully. I once heard a pastor describe it with the metaphor of a bucket of water deep in a well. God doesn't just call us to Himself, He doesn't just do the work in our hearts to enable us to even accept his call, He drags us every step of the way to our knees at the cross. Its like a bucket of water deep in a well - we have to lower the bucket, fill it with water, and drag it, hand over hand, to the top. So when I say "How I love Thee Lord", I am only giving back to God what He put in my heart in the first place.

~Some days I feel that I have "fallen for God", head over heels in love with my Savior. Everything He does is beautiful, everything He does is more than enough for me. Then there are days that I am empty, cold, frustrated, and feel alone. I complain, I gripe about life, I worry about what God may have in store. Even so He draws me back to Himself, convicting me, changing me, showing me how truly purposeless my life would be without Him. Even as His grace is irresistible in salvation, it is irresistible after salvation when we stray. And this in itself is comforting. That He shall never leave nor forsake me, that He will finish what He began.

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion atthe day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6

~So take time to rejoice in the joy of Gods love, love that He has given to us and that we then offer back to Him! Here are some verses that have been on my heart to get you started, they are words to make our own...

"He brought me to the banqueting house,
      And his banner over me was love." Songs of Solomon 2:4

"Oh, how I love Your law!
         It is my meditation all the day.
You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies;
         For they are ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers,
         For Your testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the ancients,
         Because I keep Your precepts.
I have restrained my feet from every evil way,
         That I may keep Your word.
I have not departed from Your judgments,
         For You Yourself have taught me.
How sweet are Your words to my taste,
         Sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through Your precepts I get understanding;
         Therefore I hate every false way." Psalm 119:97-104

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written:
“ For Your sake we are killed all day long;
   We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39

"Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:1-4

"Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens,
   your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
your judgments are like the great deep;
   man and beast you save, O LORD. How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
   The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast onthe abundance of your house,
   and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you isthe fountain of life;
   in your light do we see light." Psalm 36:5-9

~This is my little cousin "Punky" who has autism. Her condition is serious, as the letter below will explain. I'm posting this from my Aunt's blog, where you can read more about "Punky" and her family. They have come into some hard times recently and are asking for prayers and, if the Lord leads you, donations for "Punky's" autism treatment...We are trusting God to preserve them, defend them, and lift them up in this hour of need! Your time is greatly appreciated...

~My mommy calls me Punky and my middle name is Grace. With God's Amazing Grace I have overcome many obstacles in my life. So, my mommy thought a good name for my therapy fund could be Amazing Grace & CO. I am 7 yrs old and I have Aspergers Syndrome, a form of Autism. My brain does not work the way it is supposed to. I want to get help to teach my brain to work better. Will you help me?

~It is hard for me to do things because my brain does not work right. I do not run, skip or hop. I do not play on the swings or ride a bike. I do not color or draw. Writing my own name makes me cry because it is so hard for me to do. I cannot make my muscles work right to do all of these things. I want to be able to, but I need help.

~When my routine is changes from what I am used to every day, I get really mean and angry and I am naughty. I kick and scream and growl. I throw a tantrum like a 2 yr. old. I do not want to be like that, but my brain does not like changes. I want to be better, but I need help.

~My mommy found some specialists to help me. They only see a handful of children each year. My mommy prayed that they would be able to see me. They have an opening in February!!! That is very soon. i will visit a place that will teach my brain to work better. I will have a special test. My mommy called it a FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGICAL EVALUATION. They will test everything about me so they can help me. They will give me homework called therapy. It will teach my brain to work better. They will help me.

~This help cost lots of money... $1250.00 for the first visit. Then every 4 months after that, for 2 years, I will go back for re-testing. Those visits cost $850.00 each. My mommy is worried how she will pay for all of the help she wants for me. My mommy made a donation button in her side bar. Will you help by donating today so I can get better?

Thank you and God Bless~
Punky

If you would like to donate to Punky's cause follow the link here, and donate at the top of my Aunt's page!

In Christ,

...Every once in awhile God sends a great and godly christian along to inspire us, and to give us a clearer picture of Christ. Ignatius, John Bunyan, Amy Carmichael, and Jim Elliot are just a few. What do we do with their examples? We follow. ...We follow Christ and all the saints who have gone before. We persevere knowing that we do not strive for an earthly crown but a heavenly one. Nothing can compare to the riches in glory that we have in Christ Jesus. ...John Bunyan once spoke of a pilgrimage, a journey we must take. Pilgrims Progress is the second most sold book after the Bible. Along the way Christian is besought with dangers, trials, and terrible hardships; some Christians today would tell him to turn back because he must have gone astray - otherwise why isn't the Lord blessing him? Brothers and sisters, the way is hard and the Christians life is full of trials. This does not mean we are on the wrong track - rather take it as confirmation that you are on the right one. Jesus said that those who hated Him would hate us; if our Lords life was hard, why not His servants? ...Do not fall asleep or allow your precious faith to be compromised. Let us set aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and run the full length of the race before our feet. Do not grow weary in doing good for in due season you shall reap what you sow. ...Keep on the path...