A Crazy Roller-Coaster Ride

Maybe some of you ladies can identify with me when I say sometimes our emotions can take us on these crazy ups and downs. Sometimes it feels like you're on a seemingly endless roller-coaster that you never asked to get on in the first place.

You know, this last week I've been trying to stop this roller coaster that I'm on and get on more stable ground. God has been revealing to me how much I have been letting my emotions take the reign, and how these "roller coaster" emotions aren't just no big deal.

I think one of the easiest spots for the enemy to attack us with is our our emotions. And when we are not constantly coming to God and re-surrendering our emotions and our lives to Him our desires quickly take over and control us. They take us up and down and around so quickly, working hard for us to build our life around them. And we forsake a life of total abandonment and service to Christ for an easy life of "living in the moment", you know, "follow your heart" because our feelings and desires are telling us it’s the only way to be happy.

But we are given so many warnings to constantly be on guard: 1 Thessalonians 5:6, Titus 1:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:8, 1 Peter 5:8, Titus 2:12, 1 Peter 1:13, to name a few. Our life is no longer all about us. We have given Jesus Lordship in our lives, we don't share that title!

Christ said, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation” (Matt. 26:41). We must live in such a way that we are constantly bringing our heart to the Lord, asking Christ to change it, confessing your sins and asking Him to show you the secret sins of your life too. Just as David prayed to God in Psalm 19, "Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression.

We must joyfully yield to Jesus Christ, trust His perfect will, and building your life and focus around Him rather than the pursuit of our own desires.

Our eyes must only seek the pleasures of Heaven. And we must approach every circumstance in life like Christ, knowing that our Heavenly Father is handling the situation. We need only to yield ourselves fully to Him. There is great joy in this abandoned life – so much so that we can truly come to embrace the pain and trials and unanswered question as a gift from our Father, rather than resenting them as an unwanted punishment of some sort.

I'm not saying our emotions are always a bad thing, but I am saying that we must continually bring them to Him and ask the Spirit to guide our heart and not our emotions. Keeping our eyes fixed on Christ doesn't come naturally or easily, Michelle wrote in her blog a wonderful post on Practical Ideas for Biblical Discipline that I would encourage you all to read. (Michelle is a very caring and wise young women whom I am blessed to know.)

"Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the LORD our God..."(Psalm 123:2)

Blessings,
Ashlin

P.S. I probable won't be blogging near as much as usual because the laptop died and I'm left with a big, slow computer to use. So blogging doesn't seem important enough to spend that much time on! Just thought I'd tell you ahead of time, in case you wonder! =)

The 70 Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

Jonathan Edwards, recorded 70 resolutions over a span of a few months in 1722 – 1723. Resolutions 1 through 21 were written in one sitting in New Haven in 1722, and he added to the list through August of 1723. He then read them again each week of his life.

These are very humbling. Also, if you have never heard of Jonathan Edwards you should look him up. He was very influential in the Great Awakening.

Without further ado (because he did write down 70 resolutions) this is what Edwards wrote:

Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat Him by his grace to enable me to keep these resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to His will, for Christ’s sake.

1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriad’s of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many and how great soever.

2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new invention and contrivance to promote the aforementioned things.

3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.

4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.

5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.

6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.

7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.

8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.

9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.

10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.

11. Resolved, when I think of any theorem in divinity to be solved, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if circumstances don’t hinder.

12. Resolved, if I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by.

13. Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out fit objects of charity and liberality.

14. Resolved, never to do anything out of revenge.

15. Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger to irrational beings.

16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.

17. Resolved, that I will live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.

18. Resolved, to live so at all times, as I think is best in my devout frames, and when I have clearest notions of things of the gospel, and another world.

19. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour, before I should hear the last trump.

20. Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance in eating and drinking.

21. Resolved, never to do anything, which if I should see in another, I should count a just occasion to despise him for, or to think any way the more meanly of him.

22. Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power; might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.

23. Resolved, frequently to take some deliberate action, which seems most unlikely to be done, for the glory of God, and trace it back to the original intention, designs and ends of it; and if I find it not to be for God’s glory, to repute it as a breach of the 4th Resolution.

24. Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.

25. Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.

26. Resolved, to cast away such things, as I find do abate my assurance.

27. Resolved, never willfully to omit anything, except the omission be for the glory of God; and frequently to examine my omissions.

28. Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.

29. Resolved, never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of a prayer, which is so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession, which I cannot hope God will accept.

30. Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.

31. Resolved, never to say anything at all against anybody, but when it is perfectly agreeable to the highest degree of Christian honor, and of love to mankind, agreeable to the lowest humility, and sense of my own faults and failings, and agreeable to the golden rule; often, when I have said anything against anyone, to bring it to, and try it strictly by the test of this Resolution.

32. Resolved, to be strictly and firmly faithful to my trust, that that in Prov. 20:6, “A faithful man who can find?” may not be partly fulfilled in me.

33. Resolved, always to do what I can towards making, maintaining, establishing and preserving peace, when it can be without over-balancing detriment in other respects.

34. Resolved, in narration’s never to speak anything but the pure and simple verity.

35. Resolved, whenever I so much question whether I have done my duty, as that my quiet and calm is thereby disturbed, to set it down, and also how the question was resolved.

36. Resolved, never to speak evil of any, except I have some particular good call for it.

37. Resolved, to inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent, what sin I have committed, and wherein I have denied myself: also at the end of every week, month and year. Dec.22, and 26, 1722.

38. Resolved, never to speak anything that is ridiculous, sportive, or matter of laughter on the Lord’s Day. Sabbath evening.

39. Resolved, never to do anything that I so much question the lawfulness of, as that I intend, at the same time, to consider and examine afterwards, whether it be lawful or no; except I as much question the lawfulness of the omission.

40. Resolved, to inquire every night, before I go to bed, whether I have acted in the best way I possibly could, with respect to eating and drinking.

41. Resolved, to ask myself at the end of every day, week, month and year, wherein I could possibly in any respect have done better.

42. Resolved, frequently to renew the dedication of myself to God, which was made at my baptism; which I solemnly renewed, when I was received into the communion of the church; and which I have solemnly re-made this twelfth day of January, 1723.

43. Resolved, never henceforward, till I die, to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and altogether God’s, agreeable to what is to be found in Saturday.

44- Resolved, that no other end but religion, shall have any influence at all on any of my actions; and that no action shall be, in the least circumstance, any otherwise than the religious end will carry it.

45. Resolved, never to allow any pleasure or grief, joy or sorrow, nor any affection at all, nor any degree of affection, nor any circumstance relating to it, but what helps religion.

46. Resolved, never to allow the least measure of any fretting uneasiness at my father or mother. Resolved to suffer no effects of it, so much as in the least alteration of speech, or motion of my eve: and to be especially careful of it, with respect to any of our family.

47. Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to deny whatever is not most agreeable to a good, and universally sweet and benevolent, quiet, peaceable, contented, easy, compassionate, generous, humble, meek, modest, submissive, obliging, diligent and industrious, charitable, even, patient, moderate, forgiving, sincere temper; and to do at all times what such a temper would lead me to. Examine strictly every week, whether I have done so. Sabbath morning.

48. Resolved, constantly, with the utmost niceness and diligence, and the strictest scrutiny, to be looking into the state of my soul, that I may know whether I have truly an interest in Christ or no; that when I come to die, I may not have any negligence respecting this to repent of.

49. Resolved, that this never shall be, if I can help it.

50. Resolved, I will act so as I think I shall judge would have been best, and most prudent, when I come into the future world.

51. Resolved, that I will act so, in every respect, as I think I shall wish I had done, if I should at last be damned.

52. I frequently hear persons in old age say how they would live, if they were to live their lives over again: Resolved that I will live just so as I can think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age.

53. Resolved, to improve every opportunity, when I am in the best and happiest frame of mind, to cast and venture my soul on the Lord Jesus Christ, to trust and confide in him, and consecrate myself wholly to him; that from this I may have assurance of my safety, knowing that I confide in my Redeemer.

54. Whenever I hear anything spoken in conversation of any person, if I think it would be praiseworthy in me, Resolved, to endeavor to imitate it.

55. Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to act as I can think I should do, if I had already seen the happiness of heaven, and hell torments.

56. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.

57. Resolved, when I fear misfortunes and adversities, to examine whether ~ have done my duty, and resolve to do it; and let it be just as providence orders it, I will as far as I can, be concerned about nothing but my duty and my sin.

58. Resolved, not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness, and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness and benignity.

59. Resolved, when I am most conscious of provocations to ill nature and anger, that I will strive most to feel and act good-naturedly; yea, at such times, to manifest good nature, though I think that in other respects it would be disadvantageous, and so as would be imprudent at other times.

60. Resolved, whenever my feelings begin to appear in the least out of order, when I am conscious of the least uneasiness within, or the least irregularity without, I will then subject myself to the strictest examination.

61. Resolved, that I will not give way to that listlessness which I find unbends and relaxes my mind from being fully and fixedly set on religion, whatever excuse I may have for it-that what my listlessness inclines me to do, is best to be done, etc.

62. Resolved, never to do anything but duty; and then according to Eph. 6:6-8, do it willingly and cheerfully as unto the Lord, and not to man; “knowing that whatever good thing any man doth, the same shall he receive of the Lord.”

63. On the supposition, that there never was to be but one individual in the world, at any one time, who was properly a complete Christian, in all respects of a right stamp, having Christianity always shining in its true luster, and appearing excellent and lovely, from whatever part and under whatever character viewed: Resolved, to act just as I would do, if I strove with all my might to be that one, who should live in my time.

64. Resolved, when I find those “groanings which cannot be uttered” (Rom. 8:26), of which the Apostle speaks, and those “breakings of soul for the longing it hath,” of which the Psalmist speaks, Psalm 119:20, that I will promote them to the utmost of my power, and that I will not be wear’, of earnestly endeavoring to vent my desires, nor of the repetitions of such earnestness.

65. Resolved, Very much to exercise myself in this, all my life long, viz. with the greatest openness of which I am capable, to declare my ways to God, and lay open my soul to him, all my sins, temptations, difficulties, sorrows, fears, hopes, desires, and every thing, and every circumstance, according to Dr. Manton’s Sermon on the 119th Psalm.

66. Resolved, that I will endeavor always to keep a benign aspect, and air of acting and speaking in all places, and in all companies, except it should so happen that duty requires otherwise.

67. Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what good I have got by them, and what I might have got by them.

68. Resolved, to confess frankly to myself all that which I find in myself, either infirmity or sin; and, if it be what concerns religion, also to confess the whole case to God, and implore needed help.

69. Resolved, always to do that, which I shall wish I had done when I see others do it.

70. Let there be something of benevolence, in all that I speak.

Immanuel

God with us! What an amazing gift was given. Christ left His throne on high and took on the likeness of man! He came to be God with us. But we still have Immanuel, He isn’t gone. If we have been saved by Jesus’ blood then we still have God with us.

To be saved requires a separation from the former life. There must be a severance between the old life and the new life. That new life mandates the death of the old life.

Immanuel. Our gift, our free gift from God. Amazing. Simply amazing. The King over all the earth, the One no mortal eye can even look upon, is willing to come down and dwell with us! For He is our Immanuel, God with us.

How can He be at home in our lives unless we live in the likeness of His perfect life? Salvation is the rescue from ourselves and the destruction we deserve. Galatians 2:20 makes the verbal picture of what our life is now. It is no to myself, yes to Him, no to my will and my understanding, yes to faith and obedience in His will, no to my small selfish choices and yes to those inconveniences on my part in the effect of blessing another. Small continuous "deaths" of the old me, and small continuous growth in Him, the new me.

We must determine to part company with our sinful nature and "put on the Lord Jesus Christ". "Likewise reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace." Romans 6:11-14

And when the enemy comes to try to discourage us -"You hypocrite! You didn't really mean it when you said you'd start living for Jesus. You haven't been made new, you're still just as sinful as ever!" that's when we run to the cross and remember our Lord who cried out "It is finished". He is our Hiding Place, our Strong Fortress, we are new in Him.

Always keep in mind you have Immanuel. Your life is Christ's. Be careful where it goes. Be careful what it does. Be careful what it ponders. Be careful how it reacts. It is the temple of God.

Lean Not On Your Own Understanding (pt2)

I have way too much I could put in this post. So, instead of putting it all together to make a nice sensible orderly post, I will leave it as a hodge-podge post of quotes, lyrics, and verses that all have one theme. Sorry. =/

"Far beyond my deepest heart’s desire
Far beyond what I could ever dream
Far beyond my fairy tale imaginations
Is your perfect plan for me
There’s no limit to romance in all it's beauty
When the Author of love shapes my destiny
Far beyond the most that I could long for
I will find the dreams You have dreamed for me

I could search forever
I could look for true love everywhere
If all my dreams were answered
They still could not compare
To the beauty of Your ways
And all Your plans for my life
'Cause You’ve been scripting out a story for me
Before the very foundations of time" [Lyrics taken from "Far Beyond" by Eric and Leslie Ludy]

Having faith that God, the One Who created the desire of love between a man and a woman, can write you a love story exceeding anything you could ever write, makes it much easier to wait faithfully and patiently.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” –Philippians 4:6

"If your future spouse could see you now, as you interact with members of the opposite sex, how would they feel? Would they feel hurt and jealous, or adored and special?” -Eric and Leslie Ludy

Hebrews 13:5, Jeremiah 29:11, Proverbs 3:5-6, Romans 12:2, Isaiah 40:31, Hebrews 12:2, Proverbs 4:23, James 1:14-15, Romans 13:1, Proverbs 16:2, Titus 2:11-12, Matthew 5:27-28, Psalm 51:10, Matthew 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, 2 Timothy 2:22, Titus 2:4-5, Ephesians 5:3, Galatians 5:19-21

“ Anything that “hints” at sex outside of marriage is wrong. Ephesians 5:3 (NIV) defines God’s standard of purity: ‘ But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality.’ This certainly includes actually having sex. But the sexual sin forbidden here is broader than that. There should not be even a hint of sex outside the marriage bed. You don’t have to have physical contact with a guy to “hint” at sexual sin. Jesus extended the definition of sexual sin to include looking at someone and lusting after them (Matthew 5:28).

You “hint” at sex when you wear a low cut tank top showing off your cleavage.
You “hint” at sex when you text-message something flirtatious to a guy-friend.
You “hint” at sex when you hang around the Abercrombie poster in the mall, glancing a few too many times.
You “hint” at sex when you expose yourself to songs, television shows, and movies that use sexual humor and language (The very next verse says, ‘ Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place”—Ephesians 5:4.)

According to Jesus, these areas of mental impurity count. They rob you of virtue. But sexual sin in the mind isn't the only area where Christian young women are struggling. Our hearts break as we hear of young women engaged in practices ranging from sexual touching to masturbation to oral sex, all the while rationalizing that these acts are not sexual sin.

They are." (Lies Young Women Believe, 91-92)

God's standard is so much higher. Any thing(s) that hint at impurity in your heart and your life need to die. Save your self for the one the Lord has planned for you, respect and love them even when you do not know who they are. Solomon warns more than once, "Do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases."

Cloud Nine by According to John:
"She got the boy
He got the girl
She was on cloud nine
He was up on top of the world
Puppy love
They would lasso the moon together

But he found another girl
When she had their boy
Anything for love
He said she was the only one
Nothing old - and nothing new
Now she’s alone with baby blue
Listen what she had to say

It’s not what I thought it would be
Not s’posed to happen to me
Wish I could go back in time
I am Just sixteen
Not how I thought it would be
Here on cloud nine

Verse2
There is a boy
There is a girl
In God’s perfect time
Out there somewhere in the world
Just for you
You will lasso the moon - together

So will you trust the One
Who made the world
He invented love
And made the one you’re dreaming of
But for now - and until then
Trust and wait on Him
Listen what they had to say

Just you wait and see
Just you wait and see
It’s not what you think it will be
You don’t have to be the one to say

It’s not what I thought it would be
Not s’posed to happen to me
Wish I could go back in time
I am Just sixteen
Not how I thought it would be
Here on cloud nine"

When you chose to wait for God's best doesn't make it always fun and staying pure isn't always easy. Your faith will be tested. You may often feel that you walk alone. When you decided to take the narrow path, you should've known that Jesus warns us that difficulties, persecution, hardship, and tears would be part of this life! But let me tell you with all honesty: that which comes through much struggle and that which you wait for the longest, becomes an even greater treasure and sweeter prize to win.



"... waiting doesn't mean just sitting around wondering when something is going to happen. Neither does it mean postponing marriage. Rather, it means serving the Lord faithfully right now wherever He has put you. If God keeps you single, He has work for you to do." — Sarah Mally [Before You Meet Prince Charming: A Guide to Radiant Purity]

Time: Use It or Lose It!

John 9:4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.

Our time here on earth is so precious; every single minute we have is a gift.

Before Jesus left this earth He said, "I have finished the work which You have given Me to do." (John 17:4) He got his job done. He did his work while it was still day.

"Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!" (John 4:35)

We have work to do! As Christians we have been given a commission, we have a race to run, a task to carry out, and goal to accomplish.

So, let me ask you: How are you using your time?

Maybe you want to spend the next couple days and chart down what you really spend your time on. But I don't think it will be that hard for you to figure out what you're spending the biggest percent of you time on.

How often I waste precious moments I could spend with my Saviour!

"Is not the commission of our Lord still binding upon us? Can we not do more than now we are doing?" -William Carry

Psalm 63:1,3-4 says, "O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. Because Your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live;"

So here is my challenge:

I challenge you to dramatically change your lifestyle for one week; drawing nearer to God, by applying these verse to your life for one week.

1: "O GOD, You are my God; early will I seek You!" For one week I challenge you to start rising earlier than normal to pray, seek, read His Word, and praise Him. I'm not going to give you a set time to wake-up at. I chose to minus 15 minutes each day for the first few days, and then minus 10 minutes for another couple days, and now I take away 5 minutes each day.

For example: If I normally woke up at 7:00,
Day 1's wake up time would be: 6:45,
Day 2: 6:30,
Day 3: 6:15,
Day 4: 5:05, and so on.

2: "My soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. Because Your loving kindness is better than life" Here is where I challenge you to do something many Christians would call "too extreme" or say that I'm "just being legalistic". Fasting. Again, I'm not going to give you any specific requirements for fasting, I just want to challenge you to do it this week. Life is more than food, and His loving kindness more than life.

"So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger... that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD." (Deuteronomy 8:3)

I have to admit, many times in the past I would back down, not wanting to fast from such delicious and satisfying food. But I can truly say that there have been times when I was so satisfied with the Bread of Life that I never felt the pangs of hunger. Of course, much of the time I would see some of my favorite foods and my empty stomach would have to ignore the longing, and my heart would have to fill with His words. Words much sweeter than honey.

I chose to hear from my stomach not "Feed me! Feed me!" but rather, "Pray! Pray! Draw near to God and He will draw near to you! Set your mind on things above not on things on the earth!"

I know I will never find water that quenches all thirst unless I come near unto my Lord, and drink from the Living Water!

One more thing I would like to say about fasting: you can add to you list of things to fast from! (No I'm not trying to be cruel, I promise.) For the next week try going with out T.V., Internet, or anything that will take away from time that could be spent with Him.

3: "My lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live." Recite scripture. Dive deep into God's Word, the Bible. Psalms 119:9, "How can a young man cleanse his ways? By taking heed according to Your word." For the next week memorize passages from the Bible, and continually meditate on His Word. (Memorizing Psalm 63:1-4 might help to keep you on track...)

Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
(Psalm 73:25,26)

Is God your one and only desire? Let the Lord be the strength of your heart and your portion forever!

So who is with me? Who will take the challenge?

"It is time to seek the Lord." (Hosea 10:12)

~Ashlin

P.S. Starting Monday I will post encouragement and tips for the week.

No Longer I But Christ

What if all of the good things you do and the good things you take in -whether by reading, talking with friends, watching a film, etc.- What if your idea of a "good Christian girl" isn't all that God has in store for you. He is calling for more than all that.

"Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God." 1 Thessalonians 4:1

In Luke 14:33 Jesus said, "So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple."

Being a Christian isn't just a free pass into heaven.

It is giving up our all, it is taking up our cross and following Him!

"We've conveniently reduce salvation to a moment in time when we raise our hand, walk down the front or get baptized or have put our name upon a church role. And we call that salvation. Nothing, of course, is farther from the truth!" ~Ian Thomas

Jesus said "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 10:37-39)

"Eternal life is not a peculiar feeling inside! It is not your ultimate destination, to which you will go when you are dead. If you are born again, eternal life is that quality of life that you possess right now." ~Ian Thomas

I look to 1 Corinthains and find the perfect reminder, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s." (6:19-20)

"We urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more... to please God."

May we not stop at "good enough", but may we continue to "abound more and more".

Jesus calls us! By Thy mercies, Saviour, may we hear Your call,
give our hearts to Thine obedience, serve and love Thee best of all.

Have You Read the Famous Book... About Me?

You know, of course, the book is not literally about me, but the two characters depicted through one character shows who I am almost perfectly.

I'm am two in one. One half bad and the other half... worse.

Ephesians 4:22 "that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts"

Colossians 3:5b "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth"

Colossians 3:9 "Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds"

James 3:10 "Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so."

I struggle with putting to death my worldly self.

"I am painfully situated, Utterson; my position is a very strange--a very strange one. It is one of those affairs that cannot be mended by talking."

-Dr. Jekyll


"For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do." Romans 7:15b

I feel like I could have written exactly what Paul wrote there. I hate what I do and yet I continue doing it! If I could ever gain more self control!

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid! Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin"
Romans 6:1-2b,4-6

Praise the Lord! I do not have to be enslaved to sin; He has set me free!

2 Lessons I Learned in MO

Number one: My life will be filled with words I wish I'd never said.

Proverbs 17:27-28 tells us:
"He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive."

The tongue is described as a fire, a sharp razor, a sword, an arrow, and full of deadly poison.

James 3:6 says "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell."

"Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles." (Prov. 21:23)

Another reminder is found in James 1:26: "If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless."

"But to the wicked God says: 'What right have you to declare My statutes, or take My covenant in your mouth. You give your mouth to evil, and your tongue frames deceit.'" (Ps. 50:16,19)

And number two: My life will be filled with words I wish I had said.

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” (Eph. 4:29). "... nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks." (Eph. 5:4)

We need to replace our old habits with new habits. Instead of insulting let us use words that are "good for necessary edification", so that it may give grace to those listening. Instead of negative words we should use words to give thanks.

I know how easy it is for my tongue to get out of control. I must continually seek His forgiveness and allow Him to change the attitude of my heart and my mouth, so they will be pleasing to Him.

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer” (Ps. 19:14).