Sand Castles

What a great castle this will be! You are going to make it so grand, so big. You see the wild, untamed waves crash threateningly.

You hurry, the waves seem far enough away now, but you would be foolish to ignore the fact that they are coming closer.

As you step back and look at the structure, you think of all the time and energy you put into it and it looks well worth it! The detail is splendid, it's height magnificent. A job ready to be celebrated.

But you are too hasty. You forget that the massive waves are incapable of showing mercy. They leap onto the shore conquering the land only to return back to the ocean. The see neither the princely state of your castle nor the work put into it.

We often make plans that seem to be well worth the effort. We make so many resolutions, in the hopes that a new year means a new you. Resolutions like, "I will exercise more", "I will volunteer more", "I'll break this habit", or "I'll start this habit". Yet nearly 80% of Americans who make resolutions fail before January is even over.

Are you building a castle made of sand, that will only be forgotten when it's all said and done? Or are you putting on the armor of God and fighting for the Kingdom that will last for eternity?

It is so easy to make plans for our lives. But when we strive to do something good in our own strength or something we perceive as good we aren't building up something that will last for eternity but something that will come crashing down.

"For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come." -1 Timothy 4:8

I don't think there is anything wrong with making plans or resolutions for the New Year, but remember Whose you are. Christ means for us to live life with eternity in mind. Looking constantly toward Him as our Guide, through hard times and slow times. May we be working for Christ's Kingdom, not our own. May He be the initiator of all our plans.

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.

Verse of the Week

Tchaikovsky, Quotes From My Sister, 2012, Ect.

While this is not the type of videos I usually share, I have been listening to Tchaikovsky's music dance around in my head so much I thought I better listen to some of his music so that maybe it would be able to skip out of my mind and be free.

2012 is only 13 days away.

And it is so easy to get wrapped up in all the fun or stress or other things that inevitabley come around this time of year. I'm reminded of how great my little sis is, last year she reminded me to think of others a little more. She said she didn't make New Years resolutions, but what about making a Year End resolution. Like 'I resolve to pray for all the people I've come in contact with this last year' or 'I resolve to spead some joy to someone who needs it' and other things like that.

Well I just have to quote her right now, and I hpe she doesn't mind, but like I said she's great. She said, "And whether you make a resolution or not, please remember all those who went without someone this year. Went without a father, a son, a brother, wife, mother, daughter, husband. This year...and maybe for every year. For every hero we have out there, there is a hero at home, trying to keep together an imcomplete family."

I don't know if you all know it but I have three amazing sisters, that I'm not sure why God allowed me to be related to such inspiring Christians but I'm oh so blessed, and she is one of them. So, don't forget those troops who are spending the rest of 2011 in Afghanistan or Iraq or any place away from their family, and let's remember to keep them in all our prayers.

-Ashlin

"Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments" -Deuteronomy 7:9

Joy of Obedience

"If two angels were to receive at the same moment a commission from God, one to go down and rule earth’s grandest empire, the other to go and sweep the streets of its meanest village, it would be a matter of entire indifference to each which service fell to his lot, the post of ruler or the post of scavenger; for the joy of the angels lies only in obedience to God’s will, and with equal joy they would lift a Lazarus in his rags to Abraham’s bosom, or be a chariot of fire to carry an Elijah home." -John Newton

AmandaBeth Online: Win your own “Mix & Match” Swimsuit from Modest Sea!

There is a great modest swimsuit giveaway going on at AmandaBeth Online that you all should know about.

A truly modest swimsuit is hard to find these days!

Verse of the Week