A Poem

The night I first saw you
You were
Scared
       Hurt
              Angry
                     Lost
You wouldn’t look into my eyes
Your gaze was fixed
Downcast
You wouldn’t trust me
Wouldn’t dare
To think that I might last
Any longer in your life
Than those who scarred your past
I loved you, held you,
Gave you a piece of my heart
Gave it up forever,
Though I knew we might part
But you didn’t want
My love
Afraid it was an act
You refused it
Pushed me back
The words I spoke to you for healing
You fought like an attack
You were angry
I don’t blame you
I was angry for you too
Your hurt was deep
Your pain was vast
I didn’t know what I could do
But the God Who made
And loved
You
Is the God
Who’d see us through
With time
You came to trust me
Your numb, closed heart
Began to feel
And it was beautiful
When you smiled
God would whisper, “Spirit, heal”
But then, too soon
Came the fateful day
When we had to say
Goodbye
Yet that could not take my love away
I’ll know your name
I’ll see your face
I’ll love you still
Until I die

Waisting My "Young Years"

A lot of people say I should get a job (or two) and hurry up and enroll in a good college. They tell me, from a good heart, that I need to have savings and a sure source of income for an unsure future.

Well, I’m not juggling jobs and college for one reason: God’s ways are not man’s ways. And I want to follow His will above others, even my own.

“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold” Proverbs 22:1

I am asking God to give me a greater character in this life than a career.

(PLEASE UNDERSTAND: I am not saying that you are out of the will of God if you have multiple jobs and earning a college degree.)

But God hasn’t called me to do that. Right now, according to a lot of people, I look more like I’m wasting my young adult years. I’m not working very hard to save up for a car of my own, a home for myself, a career for my future.

Maybe God knows exactly what I need, and all the things I have are exactly that. That in turn means that all the things I don’t have, are things I do not need. It is possible that if I had a car, a high salary job, a career or college scholarship, then that is where my confidence would lie. Or maybe I would let my confidence lie in the bank. How much have I saved? Will it get me through what I need for this year, or how about this month? But money doesn’t help anyone, unless the Lord is their first provider. (Ps. 127:1)

Don’t hear what I’m not saying. I’m not saying stay home, and be a slothful bum who says “Oh, but God will provide.” I’m not saying we’re to do nothing and trust God. I’m saying we’re to do something; trust God! And if He calls you to go, go! And if He calls you to stay, stay! And if He says you need to work at this and not at that, then work this way and not that way!

For me, (and most believers and some point or another) that means trusting Him even when it looks wrong to everyone else. Even when it looks wrong to ME, I want to follow His will. Sometimes I think, “God? Doesn’t what they’re telling me make a little sense? Shouldn’t I be doing more? How can I help You when this is all that You have me doing? How can I bless others if I don’t work more? I’m so glad to be a daughter who can live at home with her family, but shouldn’t I support myself a little more?”

And He says  “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honor, and life.” (Proverbs 22:4) And, “whatsoever a man sows, that he will also reap.” (Gal. 6:7)

The fruit of obedience doesn’t come in a day. But the seeds do sprout, and fruit will be harvested. It is stored up for the perfect season, and it does not rot away.

“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold” Proverbs 22:1

C. S. Lewis

“The Weight of Glory.”

It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare.
All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics.
There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilisations — these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit — immortal horrors or everlasting splendours.
This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously.

- C.S. Lewis

  

 

 

Learning The Father's Love

"Whenever I have resisted Him, I have cheated myself. Whenever I have yielded, I have found joy."

This is from The Elisabeth Elliot Newsletter Archive. To read through others go to elisabethelliot.org/

When my brother Dave was very small, we spent a week at the seaside in Belmar, New Jersey. In vain my father tried to persuade the little boy to come into the waves with him and jump, promising to hold him safely and not allow the waves to sweep over his head. He took me (only a year older) into the ocean and showed Dave how much fun it would be. Nothing doing. The ocean was terrifying. Dave was sure it would mean certain disaster, and he could not trust his father. On the last day of our vacation he gave in. He was not swept away, his father held him as promised, and he had far more fun than he could have imagined, whereupon he burst into tears and wailed, "Why didn't you make me go in?"

An early lesson in prayer often comes through an ordeal of fear. We face impending adversity and we doubt the love, wisdom and power of our Father in heaven. We've tried everything else and in our desperation we turn to prayer--of the primitive sort: here's Somebody who's reputed to be able to do anything. The great question is, can I get Him to do what I want? How do I twist His arm, how persuade a remote and reluctant deity to change His mind?

When the people of Israel were encamped in Pi-hahiroth and saw the Egyptians coming after them, they felt they were looking death in the face and it was all Moses' fault--"as if there weren't enough graves in Egypt that you brought us out here to die!"

"Don't be afraid," said Moses. "Stand by. The Lord will fight for you if you'll just be quiet." You know the story of deliverance--the sea was rolled back, Israel marched through it dry shod, and when the Egyptians pursued them the sea swamped their horses, their chariots, and the whole army. "Not even one of them remained." The song of victory Moses and Israel sang reveals their recognition not only of the strength, majesty and wonder-working of the Lord, but of His loving-kindness, immeasurably beyond anything they had dared to hope.

Poor Dave! His father could have forced him to come into the water, but he could not have forced him to relax and enjoy it. As long as the child insisted on protecting himself, saving the life he was sure he would lose, he could not trust the strong love of his father. He refused to surrender. In this simple story we hear echoes of the most ancient story, of the two who, mistrusting the word of their Father, fearing that obedience to Him would ultimately bar them from happiness, chose to repudiate their dependence on Him. Sin, death, destruction for the whole race were the result.

Learning to pray is learning to trust the wisdom, the power, and the love of our Heavenly Father, always so far beyond our dreams. He knows our need and knows ways to meet it that have never entered our heads. Things we feel sure we need for happiness may often lead to our ruin. Things we think will ruin us (the chariots of Egypt, the waters of the sea, or the little waves in Belmar!), if we believe what the Father tells us and surrender ourselves into His strong arms, bring us deliverance and joy.

The only escape from self-love is self-surrender. "Whoever loses his life for Me will find it" (Matthew 16:25, NIV). "Dwell in my love. If you heed my commands, you will dwell in my love, as I have heeded my Father's commands and dwell in His love. I have spoken thus to you, so that my joy may be in you, and your joy complete" (John 15:9-11, NEB). My father knew far better than his small, fearful, stubborn son what would give him joy. So does our Heavenly Father. Whenever I have resisted Him, I have cheated myself, as my little brother did. Whenever I have yielded, I have found joy.

-Elisabeth Elliot 

I hope you are having a wonderful Sunday afternoon.

~Ashlin

Praise Him

Life.
What is the meaning in that word? Life. I think it is something different for every person. What is life?

"As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them. The Lord has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all."

Psalm 103:15-19

Our days are like a passing shadow. Life is brevity. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting!

But finish reading the song of David. Let's see the end through.

"Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure. Bless the Lord, all His works, in all places of His dominion.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!"

In contrast to the fleeting nature of our days on this earth is the steadfast love of the Lord. His character is ceaseless. His love endures forever. His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting. His grace has no end. This is good news for us, who are gripped with the vanity of life. Even the greatest of us. Ecclesiastes 2. Psalm 39:4

At the end of the day, all is vanity if not to praise the Lord, our Creator.
He is eternal. To Him only, belong all good things; all things eternal.

Only Him.

His praise, His glory, is to be our only concern because He willingly gave up His life that we can have the choice to give it all back to Him.

How quickly the moments slip by! How deeply I wish to take them all in. I've been thinking, lately, of just how impossible it is for me to wrap my mind around what God has given me. This life, filled with trials, hard, passing and beautiful. My family, also beautiful, and able to touch me in a way no one else can. What a gift I have in them! His grace, new every morning. His love, calling every day. His blessings engulf and surround me, like oxygen, and I can never take it all in. But how often taken for granted?

Do you feel the sand slipping through the hour glass, feel time all around you moving and snatching the years so quickly by? I dare you to feel your age and each year that has passed, and notice how quickly it all has gone by. At the end of your life, say, fifty years from now, will you wake and
think, "God?
"how did I get here? Where did my life go?"
Or will you wake and
thank God,
for a life poured out, spent in the best way possible.

We who believe in His word are born again to an imperishable hope. Therefore we will not die. We will go on living with Him for all eternity.

John 11:25-26; “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’”
Corinthians 15:51-57; “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”


Wishing you a day filled with praise for our wonderful Savior,
Ashlin

Much Loved Quote

". . .you will regret nothing when you look back, except lack of faith, or fortitude, or love.

You will never regret having thrown all to the winds in order to follow Your Master and Lord.

Nothing will seem too much to have done or suffered, when on the end,

we see Him and the marks of His wounds;

nothing will ever seem enough. . ."

Amy Carmichael

Saved

Recently a friend and I discussed the difficult subject of how actions contirbute to our salvation (not to say that we can be saved by our own doing). I felt I could not possibly convey all that I believed on that in one e-mail, even if it was very lengthly.

I thought it would be helpful if I studied the subject more closely and wrote out a blog post on this so that I could gather my thoughts.

At the first church I ever remember going to, the pastor would give an altar call/the sinner's prayer at the end of every sermon. While that's deffinitely not always bad thing, it isn't always a good thing either. So I naturally came from the point of veiw that once you say a prayer you're saved, and their is nothing you can do to change that. Still I believe that once saved one can never loose one's salvation, however I fear for those who believe and live with a saved-by-grace-no-need-to-work attitude.

1 Corinthians 3:12-15 says, "Now if anyone builds on this foundation [which is Christ] with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."

My granddad is a preacher and I have often heard him say how sad it will be when people will get to heaven and see that the earthly riches and acheivements they have worked for will be worthless. "Those Christians will have no reward in heaven" he says with frown and a shake of his head, "but I want a crown."

Often times when we read passages like 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 we read "he will receive a reward" and we look forward to that. Which is good. But we forget to think about it saying "If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." I think to few Christians have a healthy fear of God.

Hebrews 10:26-27, 30-31 "For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries... For we know Him who said, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. And again, 'The Lord will judge His people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Don't think the judgement is only for those who are not Christians. You an be saved and still appear before God with "spot and wrinkle".

2 Corinthians 5:9-11 "Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all [must all!] appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences."

Pay close attention as you read this: 2 Peter 2:20-21, "For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them."

The warnings are there. No one is hidden, all must give an acount before God someday. (Hebrews 4:13)

Jesus Christ alone is qualified to be the Judge of all mankind. Only He has ever lived a perfect life. Not only that, but He knows what it is like to be a human being and He understands the difficulties His people have while living in this present, evil world (Hebrews 2:14-18).
Upon what things will we be judged? Ecclesiastes 11:9; 12:14; Matthew 12:36; 1 Peter 4:17; Luke 12:3; 1 Corinthians 4:5.

God says that individuals will have to account for all of their works, our secret sins, even every word we have spoken will be judged. It doesn't matter if you were just a kid having fun, or if you "didn't really mean it". That includes the motive for our works."Every man's work shall be tried to see of what sort."

What standard will we be judged against? John 12:48; Revelation 20:12

God will judge us by the things written in the "books", His Word (both the Old and New testements). The Bible contains God's laws, the standard of righteousness by which everyone is judged. But at the same time, some have better opportunities to understand and learn to obey God's law in this life than others. God's judgment is perfectly fair. He says "to whom much is given, much is required". Luke 12:48. Teachers of God's way will be held to an even higher standard. James 3:1.

Why does Philippians 2:12 tell already born again Christians "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling"? Because although we are completely saved, we still must work toward righteousness not in own might, but as we ask, seek and knock so will He answer. Read Luke 6:38.

A recent survey of church goers showed that,

10% of church members never attend church.

70% never give to missions.

75% never engage in any church activity.

80% never attend prayer meetings.

90% never have family worship.

95% never win a soul to Christ.

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God.

Maybe, worship has just become a "form of Godliness" because too many of us do not have a right vew of what it means to live "in Christ".
To many Christians are "scarcely saved. (1 Peter 4:14-18)

Even though this is already very long, I want to end with a quote: "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me" (John 14:6). Even this glourious directive is tragically limited when seen as a rebirth reference. "Coming to the Father" applies powerfully to growth in knowing. We can obey the Lord with scanty understanding and scarcely know Him at all.We can be healed and forget to go back and thank Him. Close friends keep in close touch. The ultimate intamacy is as a bride with her bridegroom. Rebirth does not guarantee we will be "presented before Him without spot or wrinkle." He is able to complete our cleansing, if we grow in His likeness, ingest of His nature, diligently seeking to grow "in the knowledge of Him".

Both "it is finished"(John 19:13) and "author and finisher" (Hewbrews 12:2) are repeatedly mis-read. {See page 211. [His work is finished]} This is not demeaning of the Lord's magnificent work. "By which also ye are saved [not thoroughly and instantly, but progressively], if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you [such as 1 Corinthians 3:3, 4:2, the whole letter], unless [or else] ye have believed in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:2) "We then as workers together with Him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain... now is the day of salvation." Written to believers. Have we sought Him today? He will achieve in us increasing salvation from blindness and sin and mature our faith if we love Him and seek Him dillegently in the prayer closet, working out our own [Matthew 25:9] salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12-13)."

~Ashlin

I read this today, and frankly I was convicted. Thought I would share it here...

"Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good." (Romans 12:9)

In the midst of pressures and influences dictated by popularity and emotions, the Christian identity has been compromised under the flag of cultural assimilation and personal subjectivity.
Religious syncretism is rife. "Toleration" and "love" have been made excuses for defying absolutes and accountability.
Paul here in Romans admonishes believers to love without hypocrisy, a real genuine affection and action of godly sacrifice. But he then further writes to "abhor what is evil" and "cling to what is good." That statement defies most banners we have flown over our lifestyles and decisions as a nation, as individuals, and sadly at times as the church.
Gray has blinded the lines of what is right and wrong too often. We take things from the world and slap a Christian label on it. We rationalize. We justify. We excuse ourselves from truly rejecting darkness, and we have our list of reasons. But can we honestly look God in the eyes and say what we have allowed to be "ok" is acceptable according to Him and His Word?
1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 grows a bit on the same thought in Romans, "Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.""From every form of evil? Test all things? Well if my church is doing it, it must be ok, right?" "Oh come on; it can't be that bad!" We have all heard that little voice trying to sanitize and Christianize what we know is not right.
When it comes to popular media, we desperately need a fresh look at God's Word. If God has so
called us to love Him with all of our mind, we need to know what that looks like. Therefore, we need to know how to discern popular media so that we are not sucked into compromising our Christian identity of solely living for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.This topic is touchy, I know. But I believe we are only so sensitive because we have compromised the standard we are called to live by in God's Word so much to fit what we want and hunger.
Let's dive into a couple passages of Scripture.1 Peter 1, "Therefore gird up the loins of your
mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
Here believers are to hold fast to their calling. They are to gird, prepare or guard, their minds resting fully upon the grace that God has been blessed upon them. Then, Peter continues that we are to do so "as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'"
"In all our conduct?" Yes. In all our conduct, we are to be not conforming to our former lusts but be pursuing holiness. Not for us, however. We live holy by and for the only Holy One as we live in Christ Jesus.
Deuteronomy 23 also talks about this, "When the army goes out against your enemies, then keep yourself from every wicked thing...For the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and give your enemies over to you; therefore your camp shall be holy, that He may see no unclean thing among you, and turn away from you."
Although God was commanding the Israelites to be clean in a physical aspect, the command can also be seen with a dual instruction of also being spiritually clean as He taught them in previous texts. God's people are to live under the Lordship of God, for is He imminently involved in our lives. Do we as believers view popular media as if He is watching and reading it with us? Would He find it pleasing? Does He find it glorifying Him and having us all the more focus on Him?Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." Here Paul lays out the ultimate criteria. Does what we view display all of these traits? What we watch at home and in theaters, what we read printed on pages, will be meditated in our minds. What our we meditating on?
Paul continues in verse 9,"The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you." God shows here an organic relationship between what we think and what we do. What we fill our minds with will inevitably influence how we choose to live. Therefore, what content and images we open into our minds will bear great significance.
For example, although popular opinion says Harry Potter, Twilight, and The Hunger Games are
all great movies to watch, can we honestly admit that these movies line up to the above criteria? I challenge you, as I am challenging myself, to refine what we mean by loving God with all our mind. He views every thought. Would He be pleased and glorified? Or is there something else stealing the attention and adoration He so deserves?In the mentioned movies, there is blatant murder, gore, sorcery, false romance, nudity, sensuality, and the glorification of what is darkness in the eyes of our Lord.
"Oh, but there is a good side and bad side, and the good guys always win!"
Good and evil is defined by who in this work? The secular author with no biblical standards or convictions?
"Oh, but it's real. This really happens in the world around us!" Well, sex slaves, abuse, homosexuality, lewdness, satanic activity and worship with many more forms of evil are real and rampant in our world, so is that an excuse to go view it and fill our minds with it?
"Oh, well I'll just close my eyes on that part." Why would you watch a movie that you have to close your eyes on? You are still going to get a glimpse of that image.
A great analogy I once heard was brownie baking. If the cook decided to cook the brownie with a little feces, would you eat it? You can try to spit out the junk, but guess what, the poop is mixed into all the brownie as these secular authors mix all their junk throughout their stories.Here is another example. A friend of mine went to go watch a Marvel movie with his youth group when it first hit the cinema. The film was based off on one of his favorite old superhero, kid comic strips. The comics were innocent; how bad could the movie be? Plus, if the youth group is going, hey, it
must be ok, right? During the movie, he stood up and walked out. Why? That large screen displayed a naked woman, and as the Word of God commands, that is not an image he is to allow into his mind. What would his wife think if he allowed his eyes to stare at this bare actress? What would our future spouses think of similar images we accept into our minds? Purity of mind is of utmost priority.
Isaiah wisely warns, "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20) Whose standards are we living by? Ours? Or Jesus'?1 John 2:6, 28-29, “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked… And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” Is this us?
After telling the Thessalonians to test all things, abstain from every form of evil, hold to what is good, Paul begins to close off with the following words and so will I as I pray you will open your heart and surrender to God. He will lead you to live as He wishes for you to live, a life that wholly worships Him.
Life is not about us. Life is all about Him. We are to have the mind of Christ. Is that what we are holding to? Are we walking and thinking in the Spirit or in the flesh?Remember, ultimately what we think will lead to what we do. The mind has such an influence into how we live. We need to follow the words of Scripture as it shows that if we are to think biblically we will live biblically. We need to love our God and Savior without hypocrisy. God should get the glory as He so deserves it. Is that our goal in how we live? Is that our goal in how we intake cultural media?"
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

Great Living

"What is the secret to great living? Entire separation to Christ and devotion to Him. Thus speaks every man and woman whose life has made more than a passing flicker in the spiritual realm. It is the life that has no time for trifling that counts." -Amy Carmichael

The Lord has been bringing to my attention more and more, how often and how easily for me it is to waste time.

Why do I spend time worrying when I should be praying? The Lord says, "Wait on Me. Trust Me."

Jesus says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled."

"Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name." -Hebrews 13:15

Let us always spend more time seeking after God, and glorifying Him than we spend on anything else.

We have a short life. Let us surrender every area of it to the Giver of our Life! That is the secret to great living!

~ ~ ~

One blog I love to read is having a great Giveaway! You should check it out, it ends in two days - March 31st!

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.

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.

"It is one thing to go through a crisis grandly, but another thing to go through every day glorifying God when there is no witness, no limelight, no one paying the remotest attention to us."
-Oswald Chambers

"If we desire to end our days in joy and comfort, let us lay the foundation of a comfortable death now betimes. To die well is not a thing of that light moment as some imagine: it is no easy matter. But to die well is a matter of every day. Let us daily do some good that may help us at the time of our death. Every day by repentance pull out the sting of some sin,that so when death comes, we may have nothing to do but to die. To die well is the action of the whole life."
-Richard Sibbes

I read these qoutes and thought of my grandmother. They describe her life so well. It takes an extremely large amount of humility and devotion to live a life so removed from one's own desires and natural tendencies in order to more fully allow Chrsit to reign.

My grand mother passed away a week ago Friday. I'm so grateful to have been able to know her so well and learn from her almost every day. She had a consuming love for the Lord, and loved others much more than herself.

"Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow." -Ps.144:4

It can be so easy to live for myself, to allow myself be driven by my mood or emotions, but every day spent on myself is a day waisted. It sounds trite or cliché but treat every day like a gift. You don't know when your life will end, and you don't know when the life of those you love will end.

Every day surrender yourself, your life to Chrsit, and always look for opprotunites to bless others.

O How Often!

"How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!" (Matthew 23:37b)

I know I will never be able to understand the way a parent feels when their child is rebelling unless I become a parent. But I have recently seen some of the burdens placed on my parents for their children. It's consuming. Constantly worrying, and hoping that that child's heart will change. We probably don't even come close to comprehending the ache Christ feels for us each time we stray away.

When I was younger I decided to read through the entire Bible a few hundred times before I died. At least one hundred times before I became a mom. (I'm a very proud and naive person... I know.) And one of the first times I read through most of the OT all on my own, I was shocked to see the way the children of Israel behaved. The couldn't be happy for freedom out of Egypt! The weren't thankful for manna (which sounded like delicious food to me)! They weren't grateful the promised land but coward at the giants! The continually went to idols and false Gods! I couldn't believe them! I always felt happy with myself after reading about them, thinking, "If I had lived back then I would be one of the few smarter ones who were faithful to God." Oh how blind I was! (And still am.)

Constantly, constantly, I am live out those same attributes possessed by Israelites that I looked down upon so much. In Psalm 78:41 David says of the Israelites, "Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel."

Again and again I limit what the Lord would do in my life if only I obeyed.

Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15

I am saved from ultimate punishment for my sins, and always I will be. But I do not want to waist my time here on earth. “Let me see what I have that will ‘abide the fire.’” – Susannah Spurgeon

Those works are some times compared to fruit on a tree; good fruit, good tree, or bad fruit, bad tree. Psalm 1 says that those who delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that giving fruit in it's season, it's leaf shall not wither, and whatever it does shall prosper!

When we plant ourselves close to the Living Water we will grow, and flourish. Just as He wills for us to do.

"Jesus died as He had lived–praying, forgiving, loving, sacrificing, trusting, quoting Scripture. If I die as I have lived, how will I die?" – Nancy Leigh DeMoss

(On a total different note -though it still is about plants- there is a seed give away going on that you might like. Gotta blog about it to enter so sorry for the randomness. =)

Planned Neglect

I've read this on two different blogs this year and have been trying (on and off) to be more dillegent in "planne neglect". It helps me greatly, when I follow through with it. Hope you can find it useful.

"The more you study the Word of God, the more it saturates your mind and life. Someone is reported to have asked a concert violinist in New York's Carnegie Hall how she became so skilled. She said that it was by "planned neglect". She planned to neglect everything that was not related to her goal. Some less important things in your life could stand some planned neglect so that you might give yourself to studying the Word of God. Do you know what would happen? The more you would study the Word of God, the more your mind would be saturated with it. It would be no problem then for you to think of Christ. You won't be able to stop thinking of Him. To be Spirit filled is to live a Christ-conscious life, and there is no shortcut to that. You can't go and get yourself super-dedicated to live a Christ-conscious life. The only way you can be saturated with the thoughts of Christ is to saturate yourself with the Book that is all about Him. And this is God's will, that you not only be saved but that you also be Spirit-filled."
-John MacArthur

Anything you could omit from your life and replace with something more Christ-centered?

-Ashlin

Nothing Much, Or Something Great?

'I want to do something great for God! But day after day goes by, and what am I accomplishing for my King?' Have you ever thought something like that. I have.

You can serve Him now, you don't have to waist your life in thinking of what you intend to do tomorrow as if that could make up for the nothingness of today.

God doesn't see little jobs and big jobs. He sees the heart of the worker. Jesus said, "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much" (Luke 16:10)

"And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." -Colossians 3:17

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.' ” -Martin Luther King Jr.

What are you called to be doing?
Washing laundry? Cleaning windows? Studying? Planning dinner for your family?
Glorify God through your day-to-day, doesn't-really-matter jobs. Because they do matter.

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might." -Ecc. 9:10

You don't have to wait for grand opportunities, or for a different kind of work, but simply doing the little jobs we have to do each day. Don't wait until you're a more experienced Christian to attempt to serve God. Serve God now, and "do it with your might." Put your whole heart into it!

"Have you ever realized that you can give things to God that are of value to Him? Or are you just sitting around daydreaming about the greatness of His redemption, while neglecting all the things you could be doing for Him? I'm not referring to works which could be regarded as divine and miraculous, but ordinary, simple human things - things which would be evidence to God that you are totally surrendered to Him." -Oswald Chambers

When we do our "little jobs" with our might it is not in our own self, But through Christ! Our "might" in the Lord of Heaven and Earth!

May we each day seek His help. Through prayer and faith, and when go though each day doing things for His glory and with all our might, then may we wait upon the Lord for His blessing.

When we serve Christ with our all nothing is done in vain!

Wilt Love Me? Trust Me? Praise Me? by Amy Carmichael

O thou beloved child of My desire,
Whether I lead thee through green valleys,
By still waters,
Or through fire,
Or lay thee down in silence under snow,
Through any weather, and whatever
Cloud may gather,
Wind may blow—
Wilt love Me? trust Me? praise Me?
No gallant bird, O dearest Lord, am I,
That anywhere, in any weather,
Rising singeth;
Low I lie.
And yet I cannot fear, for I shall soar;
Thy love shall wing me, blessed Saviour.
So I answer:
I adore;
I love Thee, trust Thee, praise Thee.

Amen!

I have prayed that every one who comes to my blog and finds this video will be convicted by the Holy Spirit and understand the Truth. Please watch the entire sermon. It is well worth it. God Bless you! -Ashlin