See Your Calling

"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (1 Cor. 1:26-31).

Definition of "see" as I am using it here: to perceive (things) mentally; discern; understand.

* See your calling. God - in His providence - called you. Note that this is an undeserved privilege.

* See your status in the world. What's special about you? Nothing really. Seriously, each and every one of the how many million people on the earth is "special." However, being aware that you are nothing in the big picture qualifies you as a useful vessel in the Lord's eyes. (It's called humility.)

"For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones" (Is. 57:15).

"For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word" (Is. 66:2).

* See that it is because of God (not because of you) that you are in Christ (saved).

* See that God made Jesus to be our wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. He is the beginning and the end! (Rev 1:8)

*See that the Father sees potential in us, not because we are good, but because Christ is good. Of ourselves, we can do nothing. (Jn. 15:5)

* See that only the Lord is worthy to receive glory.

"And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever" (Is. 40:5-8).

~What it boils down to~

Even though I'm nothing special, I'm nothing less than everything God has made me to be.

Even though I'm just a wretched sinner, Christ saved me by His grace.

Even though I wander, His Spirit will never leave me nor forsake me.

Because I have not arrived, my heavenly Father will guide me every step of the way.

May all who see these truths see fit to give God all glory!

God's Call to Faithfulness

"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (1Cor. 1:26-31).

"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall" (2 Pet. 1:5-10).

Growing up and being exposed more to "the real world" has been nailing down a few principles found in God's word in my life. One is God's calling. I do not yet know His calling for my life as far as WHAT He wants me to do specifically. However, I do know that whatever steps He places before me to take, I must take. In other words, He has chosen me to be His and called me to be faithful to Him. (2 Tim. 1:9) Being faithful is simply continuing on- being faithful when I'm weary of getting up the same time every morning; being faithful when I feel like devotions aren't worth the time - I could be sleeping; being faithful when I'm tired of scrubbing the same floors every day. Who knows what He is teaching through this - what greater challenge He is preparing me for? Being faithful is putting the words: "I trust you" into action. If I really trust the Lord, I will faithfully obey Him.

"But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work" (2 Thess. 2:13-17).

Being faithful in the little things develops an immovable steadfastness in the Lord that gives great peace about what I don't know! What more could I ask for?

In the Palm of His Hand

"Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain." (Prov. 30:8,9)

In these two verses I see an author simply asking God for a simple life. Nothing more; nothing less. This plea for merely the basic elements in life shows a heart seeking to humbly enjoy all things the way the Lord created them to be and credit all to Him. Simple devotion. Simple trust. Simple life. (Not simple as in "ignorant", but as in "not complicated".) This man's desire was to set aside all earthly distractions, from wealth to poverty, that he might simply glorify God.

He asks the Lord in verse 8 to remove vanity(the passing things of this world) and lies FAR from him. "Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches...When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors" (Ps. 73:12, 16-19).

This brings to mind the story of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:30-31. "The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, 'O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee...' "

Now there is an example of some serious vanity due to pride and faith in riches!

Look at the outcome: "Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase" (vs. 37).

In the New Testament, those on the other end of the spectrum (the poor) are instructed to "be obedient...Not purloining, [stealing] but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things" (Titus 2:9,10).

What simpler thing is there to ask the Lord for than your allotment in life as He sees fit? When you find yourself searching, ask Him for simple contentment with what He has been pleased to give you.

"Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works" (Ps. 73:25-28).

If I could have the world and all it owns
A thousand kingdoms, a thousand thrones
If all the earth were mine to hold
With wealth my only goal

I'd spend my gold on selfish things
Without the love that Your life brings
Just a little bit more is all I'd need
'Til life was torn from me

If I should walk the streets no place to sleep
No faith in promises You keep
I'd have no way to buy my bread
With a bottle for my bed

But if I trust the One who died for me
Who shed His blood to set me free
If I live my life to trust in You
Your grace will see me through

I'd rather be in the palm of Your hand
Though rich or poor I may be
Faith can see right through the circumstance
Sees the forest in spite of the trees
Your grace provides for me

My family

~~Country roads, take me home~~

Recently we've had some awesome thunder storms. These are some pics my sister took after a particularly amazing one last Saturday night....

~ Sunset outside my bedroom window ~

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.

There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

~Psalm 19:1-3

Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:

Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth,

Who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.

~Psalm 147:7-8

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

~Psalm 19:7-10

What is "Falling in Love?"

I was attempting to sleep through the hot, humid night....morning actually, because my clock said 1 a.m. Somewhere between conscious thought and dreams, I became aware that what I just came up with was the long overdue inspiration for a blog post.....

I was contemplating the fact that love is not something you fall into; it's a decision you must make and follow up with. So then it isn't possible to biblically fall in love, right? That's what I was trying to figure out.

Observe these two scenarios so you can see where I'm coming from.

First, look at it from this perspective: there are two people who haven't known each other for very long, but they are strongly attracted to each other. Neither has ever felt that way before about someone, so this must be it. Should they marry because they are madly in love with each other???

Now, look at it this way: here we have a man and a woman who know each other well, both are walking with God, and both believe they will serve the Lord better as a team, so they marry. Should they not, as a married couple, be in love with each other???

Then what is "falling in love?"

In the world's mind, it is being infatuated with a person's looks, personality, etc. Although few would readily admit it, this type of love is rooted in selfishness. It is living for the minute -- doing what makes you feel good.

To Christians, falling in love entails something much higher and nobler. Falling in love is the mutual joy of a man and a woman in giving their hearts to each other. This means each one's wildest dreams, highest hopes, deepest convictions, greatest fears, acutest pains, strongest affections, and fullest confidence is all committed to the other's trust, to be shared between them for a lifetime.

Obviously, no human can fully give his/her heart to more than one other human, so the goal is to save it for the one and only. Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life." What better way to keep your heart for your spouse than to give it first to the Lord? "But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one" (2 Thess. 3:3). Surrender yourself entirely into His hand, a nothing can snatch you out. He will guard you and guide you and give you more than you could ever imagine!

(Eph. 3:20; Jude 24,25)

"The LORD will perfect that which concerns me;
Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands."

~Psalm 138:8

Fear, Faith, & the Object Thereof

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

(Mark 4:35-41).

***************************************

Our Lord does care when we are struggling (1Pet.5:7). The reason behind our fearful doubt of His care is that we trust ourselves too much. We put God in the little box labeled "what I can comprehend." When we stumble and fall, we then expect that God will do the same. But He doesn't.

When God seems far away, the problem is not Him; it's us. Our sole focus is self and some desperate situation (storm). Then when He does answer our prayers, we are shocked and fearful because we didn't really believe He would do it. If we have faith in the first place, He not only delivers us, but also guides us along the path.

"Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song;

He also has become my salvation"

(Is.12:2).

This is the object: God is my salvation. Therefore, I will trust Him and not fear (worry). He is the purpose of my life - beginning, middle, and end - I must run the race on His strength. He is shall be my song all the day.

The Lord Jehovah has freed me from perishing in the darkness of sin now and in eternity. For what more could I ask?

"My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

~Ps.73:26

Your Face

"If you live close to God

And His infinite grace,

You don't have to tell;

It shows in your face."

~Anonymous

This little rhyme brought to mind a few questions that really challenged me.

>Is this what everyone sees in me? In other words, am I consistent?

>If so, do unsaved people know what they are seeing? Sure, they may see something different & even good; but do I tell them what (or Who)?

>How am I sharing the "joy of serving Jesus" with others?

"How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?...So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God"(Romans 10:14,17).

Thank you to the friend who gave me the idea for this.

On the Burning Bush: from Devotions

¹ Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. ² And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. ³ Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.”
⁴ So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!”
And he said, “Here I am.”
⁵ Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” ⁶ Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.
⁷ And the LORD said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. ⁸ So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.⁹ Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. ¹⁰ Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”
¹¹ But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
¹² So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” (Exodus 3:1-12)

God often speaks to us while we're doing mundane tasks.

How can we be more open to hear Him?

>Turn aside to look.(vs.3)

>Give God your full attention. "Here I am" (vs.4)

>Be willing to obey.

>Confess any sin that may be hindering face-to-face communion with your Father.(1Thess. 5:19)

>Don't deny God's power! He sees. He cares. He acts. We don't have to understand the how, when, or why. (2 Tim. 1:12)

>Remember that it is a privilege to serve Him.(James 1:2-3)

>Do what He tells you. He won't give you anything to do that He won't help you to complete. (1John 5:3-5)

The Lord wants your attention. What is your burning bush this week?

"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." (1 Pet. 5:6-11)

Spring

I love the smell of freshly turned earth. There's nothing like taking a deep breath near a recently plowed field during a spring rain. New life intrigues me. Whether it be little grass shoots after a hard winter or a newborn baby, I love new life. It's rejuvenating to watch goat kids tumble and romp across the yard playing. They do what they are made to do - enjoy just being alive. If only we would do that more often!

New physical life, from the reviving of plant life in spring to the birth of a new baby, is a wonderful picture of new spiritual life. As our Lord put it, "You must be born again." Unlike physical life, which dies, the second birth has eternal promises attached. "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" (Rev.21:4). "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away" (Matt.24:35). Our Father in Heaven loves us and has given us such an awesome picture of what life in Him should look like. If we are not living life afresh and anew in Him, maybe we ought to stop and dig something up. "Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you" (Hosea 10:12). Take time to unearth God's promises; breathe deeply the refreshing fragrance. Ask Him to open your eyes that you might see wondrous things from His law. Discover His boundless love as if for the first time!

Permission to Take Off, --Wait, Let Me Check My Compass!

When I was young, my mom had me memorize Bible verses for school. I remember fidgeting at my desk and having Mom remind me, "Finish copying Psalm 23 and then you'll be done for today." I would copy assigned verses, word by word, day by day, and seem to get little out of it. What was the point of the exercise? Memory lasts. Learning Bible verses and catechisms as a young child, though I failed to understand much of it at the time, gave me a foundation. Now, when I struggle with questions like "Why am I here?" the basic truth contained in the first catechism pops into my head: "Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever."

Here at the end of high school, I look back over those hours I spent doing homework, and I praise the Lord for my Christian upbringing. I'm thankful for all the time and energy my parents put into homeschooling me and teaching me God's word. Now, I've finally reached the point where I must begin to fly on my own. The direction in which I fly will greatly effect the rest of my life. I want to choose God's best; but oh, how difficult it can be to surrender my desires for His!

I could easily become a modern career woman, but I don't believe that's what my Heavenly Father has in store. If He does want me to marry and have kids, my desire is to pass on to them the Foundation that will prepare them for perilous times(1Peter 5:8-10). This is an incredible feat that I know could never be accomplished by human strength alone. Praise God, He never gives us more than He will empower us to do! (2Corinthians 12:9) Because of this, I know I don't have to cringe at God's perfect will for my life - whatever it may be.

When Man Becomes Beast

Recently, while doing my regular chores at the dairy farm where I work, I was contemplating the differences and similarities between a farm and a socialist government. What struck me was the way socialism reduces people to the level of animals.

Let me explain by starting with some basics.

First, the land, equipment, and livestock that make up the farm are owned. Thus, all of these are subject to the decisions of the owner.

My second point is that the livestock(cattle, for example) are dependent. They depend on the farmer for protection and for food. In an effort to protect his cows, the farmer fences them in. The fence allows the beasts a certain amount of freedom to graze, exercise, and rest.

The cows are also entitled to food. I say "entitled" because since the farmer owns them, he is obligated to care for them - which entails feeding them.

Third, each animal is required to contribute something to the whole. The cows must reproduce to continue the herd; but their daily work is to produce milk to profit the farmer. If a certain cow fails to meet standard, it goes down the road, for it is unprofitable.

Now, how is dairy farming socialism? It isn't. God has commanded men to take dominion over the earth (Gen. 1:28). The problem occurs when one man reduces another man to the level of the beasts of the field (Ps. 49:20).

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;

let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air,

and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that

creeps on the earth." So God created man in His own image; in the image

of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed

them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it..."

(Gen. 1:26-28).

God created man - each and every person - in His own image. Socialism is a form of tyranny in which the agenda of a few wicked men becomes god. Human beings are viewed on differing levels of worth. Those at the top are gods of their own; and those at the bottom, the majority, are at their mercy(which, in the true sense of the word, does not exist). When the people's property becomes owned by one, the people also end up owned by that one. Before long, that one fences the people in, providing their food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, and other necessities.

The socialist government buys a nation bit by bit until one day the people finally realize that they are trapped - animals on one huge farm owned and operated by the government. Now they are required to fulfill a certain quota of work, allowed only a certain number of children, and rationed a certain amount of food. If a few begin overstepping the fence, not producing enough, or otherwise offending the regime, they may very well, "go down the road."

The government "redistributes the wealth" as it sees fit. In other words,the top dogs live luxuriously, devouring 90% of the peoples' profits, and leave the poverty-stricken masses groveling hopelessly in the dust. This utterly crushes individual initiative because no matter how a person strives, he is unable to escape the socialist grip.

The purpose of the government is to protect the people from foreign invasion and to enforce law and justice within. The leaders must spend responsibly. If the do not, the nation will go bankrupt and be overtaken by another. The government is to be a servant of the people and not a master. The socialist government overrides all of this by classing people according to their supposed worth. All men are created equal - not in ability or opportunity - but in standing before God.

"As I live, says the LORD,

Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God

So then each of us shall give account of himself to God."

(Rom. 14:11,12).

So, are we going to allow our leaders to continue treating us like cattle(which is not leading at all)? Or, will we acknowledge the privilege of being created in God's image and stand up for what is right for the sake of our children?

Pride: the I, ME, MYSELF Attitude

*Pride = living as if you don't need God*

->Pride is why Christians refuse to submit to God's leading.

->Pride is why people don't forgive.

->Pride is why relationships fall apart.

->Pride is why families are ruined.

->Pride is why churches split.

->Pride is why our nation has strayed so far from God.

*Pride is when we think we can handle things on our own; we don't need anyone else's help or advice.*

God's word says:

The pride of your heart has deceived you,

You who dwell in the clefts of the rock,
Whose habitation is high;
You who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’
Though you ascend as high as the eagle,
And though you set your nest among the stars,
From there I will bring you down,” says the LORD. (Obadiah 3,4)

God HATES pride.

But He LOVES humility.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)

He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

Enough of a challenge for today?

"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me."

~Philippians 3:12~

~ Welcome to my blog! ~