Beautiful in its Time

Oh me. What a day. It has been rough...to say the least. I feel small and weak, helpless and needy. My flesh tells me that I need to curl up in bed and just cry it all out. My mind says I have a right to disregard everything else around me in order to allow myself the freedom to just be sad. I know it isn't wrong to cry. It isn't. Crying helps a lot of the time. What I want to do however isn't a healthy way of expressing or releasing emotions. I want to escape everything and sit in my darkness and listen to all my fear and anxiety. I want to be alone with these things that are not of God.

I can hear Christ calling. I can see Him there, sadly but gently beckoning me to draw close to Him. He doesn't want me to hide away in the arms of self-pity or unhappiness. He wants me to lift my chin and smile. He wants me to lift my hands to heaven. He wants me to run from my darkness into His marvelous light. He wants me to crawl out of bed and open the shades and let the sun and beauty shine in. He wants me to don my armor and battle against the negative. He wants me to rise again and say, "Oh Lord, You are always good." He wants me to stretch my fledgling wings so that one day I might fly.

                                       (Photo taken by me at Lake Michigan in September)

The last thing our Lord wants is for us to shut ourselves up. He doesn't want  the cares of this world to make us turn away from Him. We need Him always, but seemingly the most when going though troubles. Please don't think that this issue, this lost job, this failing business venture, this rebellious child, this dying father, this health problem, this anything...(you name it) is going to change who you are in Christ.

Don't start to drift away from Him because of problems in your life. Come close and hang on tight, because He is holding onto you. Stand at the shores of His peace and in the waves of his grace. Remember who you are in Him, not in this world.

You are His.

I am His. Because of this fact, I refuse to give in to my flesh. I am not going to go and crawl into bed and pity myself for the bad day I have had. I am not going to shut out His light.

 I am going to bask in His glory and comfort and grace. I am going to listen to His truths whispered in my ear through scripture:

 ^"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." 

Ecclesiastes 3:11

 

Will I Suffer?

(This text is referencing a sermon by John Piper titled "Preparing to know Christ deeply through suffering". The sermon was preached at College Park Church, Indianapolis, IN. The sermon can be listened to at this link http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/preparing-to-know-christ-deeply-through-suffering )

We, as Children of God are called to suffer.
 
The Bible clearly states that as children of the Almighty we are going to suffer for His name's sake. Romans 8:17 states, "..and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heir with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him." We are called to endure. We are to partake in the suffering of our Lord, are we not? 2 Timothy 2:12 says, "If we endure, we will also reign with Him: If we deny Him, He also will deny us." Because of our faith we are called to lay everything down, even our lives if it is asked of us. We are to count it all as loss. Everything we have, is it ours? Do we really have a right to keep what we have? Paul writes to the Philippians and speaks boldly of his sufferings and what he has endured. Did he do it for himself? No, he did it to gain Christ. To be closer to God. He writes,
   
"Although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more:  circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.
 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,  and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,  that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:4-11

In verses 4-6 Paul is basically saying, "Really, if anyone is proud of himself, it should be me. I have a pedigree, I am a Hebrew of Hebrews. I know the Scriptures. I was looked up to by many. I persecuted Christians. I was blameless as to the Law." Obviously all of these things were his life, they where what gave him joy, his status, his purpose. Then when he met Christ on Damascus road, it all came crashing down. No more Pharisee, no longer a persecutor of the church, and no longer blameless in the face of the law but in the righteousness and blood of Christ. As a new creation, Paul saw all of these things as nothing. He counted what once was gain all as loss. Paul doesn't stop there, he doesn't just count a few things as loss to him but he counts 'all things' as loss compared to knowing Christ. Jesus speaks of this matter in Luke 14:33, "So then, none of you can be my disciple who does not give up all his own possessions."  

As a side note--If you have wondered about this verse before, I think Piper does a great job explaining what he believes it to mean. Here is what John Piper writes about Luke 14:33:


What This Means Practically
Now what does that mean practically? I think it means four things:

1. It means that whenever I am called upon to choose between anything in this world and Christ, I choose Christ.
2. It means that I will deal with the things of this world in ways that draw me nearer to Christ so that I gain more of Christ and enjoy more of him by the way I use the world.
3. It means that I will always deal with the things of this world in ways that show that they are not my treasure, but rather show that Christ is my treasure.
4. It means that if I lose any or all the things this world can offer, I will not lose my joy or my treasure or my life, because Christ is all.

Anyway, back to the Philippians text.

In the second half of verse 8, Paul goes on to tell us that he has suffered for the sake of Christ. He says, "I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ."

What does it mean to suffer the loss of all things? Can you even imagine? Does this man have no taste for comfort?! No desire to be happy?!

Yes. Paul has the best perspective on what it means to be happy. You know how that is?

HE HAS SEEN CHRIST. Through his sufferings he has gained Christ. Did he have Christ before suffering. Yes. Did he have deep communion? No. Not the type of communion that comes through suffering. After Job suffered--note that I said "after"--he said this about God, "I have heard of You by hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You."

Is it possible that we see Christ clearer when we have suffered and endured for Him? I would say a resounding YES!!! Why wouldn't we? When all else gets stripped away, we can see. No longer do we have to look through the blur and fog of worries of this life. Our mind will be focused and our actions and prayers will be aimed at how we can bring Him glory rather than how we can give Him glory still holding onto the world with a white-knuckled death grip. 

Suffering brings contentment.

This may seem like a complete oxymoron, but if you turn it over in your mind, it makes sense. Not only is it logical, the statement can be backed up with scripture...

"Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity;  in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having an abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:11-13 

Paul is telling us that he has learned to be content in suffering and hunger. How can a person be content going hungry? How can one be happy when faced with suffering? Most of us don't realize what Paul is hitting on here. We brush over it and think, Well, Paul was and extraordinary person! Yes, he was in many ways, but he was human, he didn't have superpowers. He was like you and me. Can we, simple people (Who have the same calling to the same Lord), be like Paul? Can we rejoice in suffering? What good will a grumbling spirit do us (or anyone else) in the midst of suffering? It will only cause harm to come to our hearts and possibly to those who would otherwise be witnessed to by your faith. Scripture tells us that we should greatly rejoice in our sufferings:

"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions." Colossians 1:24 

Here, the one who suffers (Paul) says that he will rejoice. He is not rejoicing for his own sake but for the sake of Christ and the church. Will you suffer for the sake of Christ and the church?

" ...they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as Christ." Acts 5:40-42

To me, it looks as if they were preaching and teaching, got taken before the Council, got punished by way of flogging, then they left rejoicing....WHAT IS THIS? They got flogged and they were rejoicing because they where counted worthy to suffer for Christ's name. Even after this shameful punishment they left rejoicing, ready to go out and speak Christ's name. They were really asking for it, huh? Obviously proclaiming the name of Jesus was more important to these men than the comfort of...well...NOT being flogged. 

In Philippians 3:9, I see Paul telling the church that his he has faith and righteousness through Christ, not through anything he has done. I also feel and underlying current of Paul's deep rooted faith being grounded not only in Christ but in the sufferings that he has endured for the sake of Christ. 

 We are strengthened and refined in struggles and sufferings.

"In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 6-7

Jesus also speaks of the "refining" of his people in John 15:2, "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit."

Are you going to prepare yourself to suffer? Are you going to allow the Almighty to prune you so that you may bear more fruit? Is suffering a path that you are willing to take as a son of God?

It has to be.   

If you are a child of the Lord, you will suffer for His name's sake. You will face trials and tribulations. We will be shamed and yes, some will have the honor of giving their lives for the great calling of God.

Paul saw his sufferings as a way of fellowship with the sorrows and pain of Christ in His death on the cross (Phil. 3:10)

The last verse is very powerful. He speaks of his salvation here. He knows full well that if he is to suffer and die for Christ, he has eternity to look forward to. He is sure and confident in his faith and the redemption that was received when Christ laid down his life.

I can't help but hear the surety in Paul's voice when he speaks to the churches. I see a man who was saved by grace, therefore emboldened by Christ through prayer and outreach, completely ready to die for the call of the Kingdom, and totally surrendered to God while enduring the pains of flogging and imprisonment. 

We must ask ourselves, Will I suffer?



Note to the reader:
I was very inspired by John Piper's sermon (as mentioned above). I was lead to write this because it seemed to move me greatly. I may not have everything right. I pray that the Lord spoke through my words to encourage and lift you (who read this) up today. I ask that the Lord would reveal to me any untruth in the script above if there be any. I also pray that God would continue to bless and keep His children. May He watch over his persecuted one's and show those who have yet to taste suffering what it means to become deeply in love with Christ by rejoicing in any and every circumstance.

I am not in any way saying that I rejoice in the death of the persecuted, but I pray for them. I am merely making a point, rooted in scripture. The true children of God will suffer.

Acts 14:22

"Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God."

May God bless and keep you all! I hope you have a lovely week!

Blessings in Him,

Rachel

If you have any questions or would be interested in questioning/challenging this post, feel free to comment bellow. *Only comments that are free of profanity will be posted on this blog.*

 

Our Little Finish Lines

Things have been rather crazy on my end...but a good crazy. God has been showing me how much I need to lean on Him. In everything I seem to have a goal or pursuit that is worldly and will never get me what my heart is truly desiring. It is like life where a single person says that they would be happy if only they could get married. Or the married couple that says, if only we could have a baby. Or the lady who is expecting saying that she would be satisfied if only she would make it to 25 week. Or that family who wishes they could just get their kids through college and then everything would settle down and be happy and to their liking.

See?

We are always putting up walls and goals and signs, cheering ourselves on, hoping that once we reach our little finish line, we will be content. This is all a lie.

If you are single and you want to be married, marriage to the most perfect person in the world isn't going to make you happy for the rest of eternity. You will be happy, I hope, but not everything is going to be hunky-dory because you've run the half mile to get to your marriage finish line.

Why is it that we think that running a half mile or a mile to reach our goal is going to to make us content? Why do we live in the world of "if only"? We are putting ourselves through disappointment after disappointment, I'll tell you what. We do the same thing over and over and expect the same result. Isn't that the definition of insanity?

Are we all just insane?!

No. We are not just all insane (though some of us would boast that instability!). Listen to me, friends...

WE ARE HUMAN.

We are going to search the world we live in for the things that we think might make us content. It is in our nature to want to be comfortable and cozy.

*News flash*

Comfortable and cozy is nice for a while, but it's shine wears off quickly.

In order to be content as humans we have to turn our eyes upward. We have to seek what is so far above us, we can't fathom the wonders of the God who dwells there. We have to bow ourselves and submit our lives to the One who can give us true life.

We can't just run a mile. we have to train for and run the marathon. This is what we are asked to do. We are asked to run the race and win the prize. If you only make it a mile, what trophy will you boast? None. If you try to make your own finish line a few miles in, the marathon will still go on and you will find yourself sore with a trophy that fades quickly.

Set your eyes on Jesus. Don't turn to the right or to the left. Satisfy yourself in running towards the Kingdom of God.

So, all in all, I want to say that it is good to set the heart and hope in Christ. You will not be disappointed!

Blessings,

Rachel  

Foxe's Book of Martyrs

 
As of late I have been reading a book titled "Foxe's Book of Martyrs", you may have heard of it...you may not have. Anyways, I have greatly enjoyed it so far. I am about half way through.

The book is about many of the well known martyrs from shortly after Christ up until (I think) 1558. The first chapter is titled "The persecution of the early Christians", and is about the apostles and disciples who where brought to their deaths because they proclaimed Christ and would not reject Him, even unto death.

It was under Tiberius that the first persecution started. In the reign of Tiberius, Pilate (who condemned Christ to be crucified), was apprehended and sent to Rome, deposed, and then banished to a town in Dauphiny, where he took his own life. Shortly thereafter Tiberius died and was succeeded by Caligula, Claudius Nero, and Domitius Nero; all people of Rome. Caligula thought himself to be god and commanded that he be held as so, placing his image in all the temples, even in Jerusalem. By this man, Herod Antipas, the murderer of John the Baptist, was condemned to perpetual banishment where he died a miserable death. During the reign of Caligula, Caiaphas also was removed from the high priest's room an Jonathon made to take his place. The tribune, finally being able, slew the tyrannical leader in the fourth year of his reign.Claudius Nero came after him, reigning thirteen years with cruelty. His succesor was thardly to be compared to Claudius, for Domitius Nero reigned fourteen years with such tyrant and cruelty that he bro8ught the most part of the senators to death and demolished the the whole order of the knighthood in Rome. Under this leader half of Rome was set a blaze and then promptly blamed on the Christians. At long last the senate declared him an enemy to mankind and would have him executed.

Thirty years after our Lord, Titus and Vespasian sought to destroy the Jews, killing the greater of eleven hundred thousand (Which is the number given in the book). Many were sold into slavery, slain by beasts or by sword.

After the martyrdom of Stephen, James the apostle of Christ (the brother of John) suffered next. When before the tribunal seat, the man who brought about Jame's trouble saw that such a godly man was condemned to death, came to repentance and confessed his new faith in Christ. Both were brought to the place of execution, whereupon the man asked forgiveness of James. Being wholeheartedly forgiven by the apostle, both were beheaded together, A.D. 36.

Thomas preached to the Parthians, Medes, Persians, Carmanians, Hyrcanians, Bactrians and Magians. He suffered and died in Calamina, India having been slain with a dart.

Simon was crucified.

Mark preached the gospel in Egypt. He was martyred by being drawn with ropes into fire. This was done under the reign of Trajan the emperor. Barholemew also preached unto the Indians and was said to have translated the gospel of Matthew into the native tongue. He was beaten with staves, crucified and beheaded.

Andrew spoke to the Scythians, Sogdians, and the Sacae. He was crucified and buried in a city of Achaia, Patrae. He went to his death singing praises to the Lord and giving thanks for his ability to suffer as Christ suffered.

Matthew wrote his gospel to the Jews in the Hebrew language. After converting much of Ethiopia and Egypt, one was sent of Hercanus (their king) to run him through with a spear.

Philip was crucified and stoned to death.

James, the brother of the Lord was looked up to by many. he was called "The Just" and "The safeguard of the people". In that time, the Jews, Scribes, and Pharisees saw danger in the people looking to Jesus as the Christ. Thus, they gathered together and brought James to them and asked if he would stand at the roof of the temple and restrain the people with words and 'right teaching' about Jesus. they hoped for him to tell the people that Jesus was not the Christ, and that they were all wrong to think of Him to be the messiah. They set him at the pinnacle of the temple and called to him, "Thou just man, whom we all ought to obey, this people is going astray after Jesus which is crucified." Ja,es answered by saying, "Why do you ask me of Jesus the Son of Man? He sitteth on the right hand of the Most High, and shall come in the Clouds of heaven." many in the throngs below looked to heaven and believed, glorifying God. The scribes, seeing the mistake they had made sought to throw him from the temple roof. The fall did not kill him and so he knelt and prayed for his persecutors. They stoned him thereafter.

The book goes on to tell about the persecution by the Romans, the Roman Catholic Church, etc.

This is only the beginning of the story. So many have given their lives for Christ. There is not a more just cause to lay down one's life.

Think about what you face today. Think about what has been placed in your path. Is it death? I doubt it, though God has this for some. Have you seen suffering for your faith? Have you been able to praise the name of the Lord even in the small trials? Where will your strength come, if you have not practiced being faithful in the little things? Will you go to your death praising the Lord?

This book has put into perspective what it means to be a believer and what it means to stay true to one's faith and Savior.

I hope you will read this book.

God, not man

There are those of us who are visionaries and those of us who aren't. It is that simple. Visionaries tend to take an idea or dream and run with it, making it a reality by way of prayer, work and anticipation. Non-visionaries often focus on the present, pouring energy into the here and now.

 I'm not erring on either side or saying that visionaries are better than non-visionaries or the other way around. I think both types of people are very effective in their own ways.

A visionary may have his or her future thought out and have a vision for what that is going to hopefully look like. He or she may have a dream for ministry and outreach that has been growing in their mind. They may have a good idea about a lot of things but not know what the day's schedule should be, or what he or she is going to eat for breakfast.

A non-visionary is going to have an idea about the day ahead and probably will have already eaten breakfast, knowing that there is work to be done that day. He or she may not know everything about the day, or what it is all going to entail, but they know that it is a day, and every day is different, and God has a plan for each day.
 
These two types of people are very different in their way of thinking. They go about tasks differently. They talk differently. They plan in opposite ways. They do ministry differently. They are radical opposites...I don't really need to go on, right? The names we use make it obvious: Visionary and NON-visionary.

Okay, now I want to make my point. I am not going to argue over whether one is better than the other or whether I am one or the other. It honestly doesn't matter! God has created us all to be unique and different. What I am going to try and get at here is vision in general.

When it comes to being human, which we all are, I hope, vision is something that drives us. Whether we are considered to be "visionary" or not. We as children of the Almighty need to have a vision. We need to have a goal, something to strive for.

When I say "vision", I'm not talking about some life changing, radical flash of lightning/boom bang that happens in the middle of the night or on your Damascus road. I'm not talking about the reason why your grandmother wears glasses.

 I'm talking about something that is ordinary yet extraordinary. Simple yet complicated. Driving and compelling.

This "vision" I speak of has to do with your life and what you are going to do with it. Whether you are focusing on the day ahead or the year ahead, vision helps to bring clarity to those who are trying to walk the Narrow Way.

Vision has to do with what God is calling you to do with your life.

I can give you an example from scripture in just a moment.

Say a father wants to have a vision for his family and he is looking in scripture to find something that would point him to a more specific goal. He finds this verse:

"...May the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 15:5-6

So....this verse can bring about a vision in a man's mind. It tells him that he must unify his family and with one accord glorify the Father. This is very basic, but this is vision. It is a starting point. From this point one can grow into a more specific vision. There are other aspects of this that lead to a greater fuller vision for a family.

I hope I am not completely confusing you all! I am trying to bring about a realization that this generation lacks vision. So often people are living in the here and now to please themselves. There are those who live in the here and now to praise the Lord, and there is nothing wrong with that. But what I see is people wandering here and there just doing the next thing. There is no hope in their calling. There is no drive in their step. There is nothing backing their search for true happiness other than selfishness and worthless hope in this world.

If you are in Christ, it is your job to have a vision. Whether it is a small or big vision, it is there, and it should exist to honor and magnify the Creator.

What are your motives? What are your goals? What drives you? What makes you happy?

Ask yourself these questions as you search your heart and determine whether you have vision, whether the vision is God-honoring, and whether there is a hope in what you are striving for.

If you are a parent, it is so important to have a family vision. When you have this vision it grows and develops over the years. Your children will feed into it and will be able to make decisions based off of this. Both mother and father will be on the same page knowing that they are running towards the same finish line. They can be unified in the way they plan, work and discipline, because they know they have the same goal.

If you are married without kids, it is good to pray about what God has for you as a couple. What vision does God want the two of you to have?

If you are single, it is the same. Ask God for a drive to have a goal, something that you can work towards for His glory. Whether you are on the college campus or in your parents home, you can find vision. While you are still at home, you can seek out the family vision and strive to fulfill the vision you father has for the family. If you are out on your own, look for opportunity to joint the vision of a church, fellowship, or group that has the same values as you do.

Please, hear what I am saying, not because I am saying it, but because this is a pressing issue. So many families are falling apart because they have no goal, nothing to throw their weight against as a unified team. When a family is not unified in vision the ropes that tie them together start to fray and split, causing more damage and a loose, dangerous hold.

I feel that I may have made my point, and I pray it is clear. You don't have to be a visionary to have a vision, and if you are a visionary, it still may prove to be a challenge to seek God for this vision.

Make it a priority to place in your life a goal. Bring yourself to a point where you have something to run hard after. And I'm not saying, "Go, do anything..." I'm speaking about a vision that brings about the glorification of God, not man.

In hope and Christ's Strength,

~Rachel

My Family is Starting a Business!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know this is totally random and all, but I thought I would share, because I care about the farm so much (and miss it so much [wipes tears out of eyes])! My dream was to start a ministry/business while I was home making house, but it never happened. Now my mom is bringing the dream into reality by starting a business :)

I would love to support her in any way possible, so I have decided to brag on her ;)

The farm name is "Raisin' Acres Farm", a place where you will find healthy happy chickens, goats, cows, dogs, turkeys, rabbits, and cats. The usefulness of the latter is merely to keep the ego of the barn running (they have five sassy cats). Mom makes goat milk soap, creme and herbal salves.

PLEASE CHECK OUR THE WEBSITE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED!!!

Here is the link to the site:

 
http://www.raisinacresfarm.com/

Walking in love

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; walking in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma." Ephesians 5:1

What does it mean to be imitators of God? How do we do this? 

This verse seems to give us a crucial piece of information: "...walk in love..."

When we see this it is easy to think, I walk in love. I tell my wife I love her. I give to charity.

Yes, in some ways you may be walking in love, but you are not fully walking in love until you grasp the depth of what it means to love "just as Christ also loved".

You can be doing wonderful things for people outside of the home and once you step over the threshold, loving the ones you live with seems ten times as hard.

Christ loved. When I say he loved, I mean it killed Him. He brought it all to the table and held nothing back. He "...gave Himself up for us..."

Your family may be hard to love at times, right? Why?

What difference should it make that you live with them? The very fact that you know them gives you the perfect opportunity to love them best. You know their weaknesses and you see their strengths. Just to pray for them every day in a heart of humility would be loving them! You can't wait for someone to change before you start loving them the way you ought, the way you have been commanded to love them by God.

Jesus didn't wait for us to become more holy or more worthy before he started to love us.

"For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly...while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:6 and 8.

Would you die for a sinner? Would you lay you life down to save your fellow man?

This is the call to love, brethren. Will you walk in love?

"Greater love has no man than this, that one lay down his life for his friends" John 15:13

I'm not telling you to go out and look for opportunities to die for people, honest. I'm just expressing the extreme side of this "walking in love". Christ commands us to love as he has loved, "This is my  commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you." John 15:12

So way does this mean for us? How can we apply it?

Well, I would say a good place to start would be within the walls of your own home. Remember, a family who loves one another is a greater light to the world  than someone who thinks love can be expressed through the mere giving of money or an outward display of charity. To love your family is to sacrifice your time and energy to be with them and pray for them. To love is to commit to be strong through the storms with them. To love is to be honest and grace filled. To love is to be yourself, not what the world says you should be. To love is to lay down desires to help fulfill the dreams of others. To love is to be courageous and truthful. To love is to honor and respect. To love is to put your pride away and act in humility.

Ah... What a picture. If we all took Christ's command to heart and loved to the best of our ability in Christ, this world would be completely turned upside down. People would be changed. The lost wold be found. The hope of the Cross would bleed from our lives lived in the glorious reality of Jesus's sacrifice for us. 

What are we waiting for?! What is keeping us from the beauty of "walking in love"?

Let us strive to attain to our Lord's command to love one another. Let us lay down our lives if we are called to do so. 

Let us walk in love, beloved. Let us walk in love.

Our God Isn't A Vending Machine Y'all

Have you ever sat down in the quiet of the morning and listened, I mean, really listened for God's voice? Have you ever been able to escape the noise and the busy of the day just to bask in His presence and praise His holy name? Have you put aside time to make this happen?

So many times a day I breathe a prayer asking God for something. Well....how many times a day do I expect Him to do great things? How many times a day do I fall on my knees and give Him my full attention, my heart and soul? How many times a day do I actually listen for His answer?

Oftentimes frustration and anger can come out of many prayers prayed in a hurried thoughtless manner. Why should the God of the Universe answer me if I am treating Him like a vending machine? In goes a dollar prayer, and out comes a package of happiness, joy and peace. And sometimes the package gets stuck and no mater how many dollars you throw into the thing, what you've asked for just won't come out.

News flash #1 Our God isn't a vending machine y'all.

He is holy. He is sovereign. He is truth. He is light. He is life. He is grace. He is mercy. He is righteous wrath. He is redemption. He is love. 

Because our God is who He is (see notes above), it just doesn't cut it to throw prayers at Him like spendable money. He is able and He does answer prayers, but why should He answer yours? *What makes you think that He wants to give you good things? *Why do you think He listens when you have little time to give to Him?

Listen to what Scripture says about prayer:

"Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you." Mark 11:24 (NASB)

"Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of His disciples said to Him, 'Lord, teach us how to pray...'" Luke 11:1 (ESV)

"Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord accepts my prayer." Psalm 6:8-9 (ESV)

"The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous." Proverbs 15:29 (ESV)

"If you them, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" Matthew 7:11

I could go on and on. There is so much in the bible that points to prayer, the attitude of it, the importance of it, and how much God's servants prayed.

*God wants to give you good gifts
*He listens to your prayers

News Flash #2 Our God isn't a child.

In biblical times, prayer was communicating with the Creator. It wasn't half heatedly mouthing a prayer while driving down the street, talking on the phone with the radio blaring. For one thing, don't do that! It isn't safe! Also, it isn't showing God the respect He deserves. He is a holy God, not your younger sibling. He deserves more than a pat on the head or a few short words to "make him feel good." If we are being honest and serious with our Lord, we will treat Him with respect and honor as we take time out of our busy schedules just to spend alone time with Him.

We do pray a lot, I am sure, but how often do we pray just to be with our Lord? When we pray to ask something of our God, how many times do we actually expect Him to do great things? How often do we really know that He is hearing us? When we do drop to our knees are we praying in belief or in doubt?

We have so many plans and so much on our hearts and minds. Often it is hard to see through the fog and hear above the noise. It is plain difficult to discern His voice in the midst of life's clatter.

Yet....we must. He is our breath. He is our sustainer.  He is the one we should be most ready to run to in the weary days, in the damp of the evening, in the cool of the morning. He is the one who gives life, breath, and rest. Why do we run to everything but Him?

Matthew 11:28-30 says, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your soul. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Notice the red lettering. My Lord spoke these words and He meant them. He was beckoning to all of us. He was saying, "Come to Me, child. Find rest in Me."

At the end of a long and busy day, don't just drop into bed and half pray, half fall asleep. Kneel down (I've got to do this so I don't fall asleep) and plead with Him. Pour out your heart. Give it all to Him. Don't let this nagging world turn your eyes from Jesus.

Please don't take this post wrongly, friend. I am not saying that a quick prayer in the car is a bad thing. In fact, I encourage you to lead a praying life where quick prayers are filling up your day with praises and requests, but at the same time I hope that a special time be set aside where you can be alone with your Lord. A time where thanksgiving and honor can be bestowed upon the Almighty.

Also, pray with an expectant heart. Don't cast your prayers at God like they are going to bounce back at you. Seriously; believe and you will receive. Pray as if you knew something great were going to happen. Pray like you expect an answer. Pray and listen. When you listen you may just hear that 'still small voice' beckoning to you. Don't give up my friend. There is always hope. Revive your prayer life and watch as your heart begins to blossom in Him.

Blessings Always,

Rachel