Wow. Time flies!
Jessie has started taking violin lessons at a local college and she still takes piano lessons.
Jenna is busy, busy, busy and demanding to have school (she will be 4 in July) she told me " Mom, I need to know what I need to know." Where she got that I do not know.
Josh is as wonderful as ever and helpful. He loves to work and looks forward to helping my brother restore a 1966 truck. He gets to help on this about once a week.
We have been in several revivals and have a couple more in the coming months. Life is good. These are the best of times. I try to remember that when no one can find matching socks and the baby is eating what she finds on the floor. : )
Now to the topic. Greg and I have been talking a lot lately about the Christian walk. Here is my theme:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
and the things of Earth will grow strangely dim
in the light of His glory and grace.
Look full in his wonderful face
and the things of Earth will grow strangely dim
in the light of His glory and grace.
The things of the Earth will grow dim. Um.
How dim are the worldly things in our life? Are we walking with Him or are we drifting too far by compromising. Remember you can NOT serve two master.
Luke 16: 13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Now, don't get all up in arms. I know we have to live in this world, but dear reader we do not have to fill our head and lives with its ungodly influence. Let us gauge all that we partake of in the light of the following scripture.Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8
The more we think of these things (the things of God) the less we will want to be turned to the things of the world. I don't have to list ways that we do this. The scripture is sufficient to rebuke. You can take the prodding of the Holy Spirit or you can ignore it. You can follow Him and reap the rewards or you can follow your will. Where will this lead? Our creator has a path for us. This is the one I want to take. I am fearing the Lord too much to go out on my own.
I owe Him my life.
All of it.
All of me.
Really, I think of it like this. If the next moment finds me in a life or death situation with a loved one. Will I feel guilt when I cry out to God for a life not true to Him, or will I be able to humbly cry out and know that although my righteousness is as filthy rags I am still able to come boldly to His throne and bring my petition to Him?
What is going on in our churches and in the lives of Christians? Too many compromises. Too much world. Too little scripture in our lives daily. Too little denying the flesh. If you are loving too much of the world it will be real hard to totally give yourself to God in the worship service.
He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30
Does a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? James 3:11
I owe Him my life.
All of it.
All of me.
Really, I think of it like this. If the next moment finds me in a life or death situation with a loved one. Will I feel guilt when I cry out to God for a life not true to Him, or will I be able to humbly cry out and know that although my righteousness is as filthy rags I am still able to come boldly to His throne and bring my petition to Him?
What is going on in our churches and in the lives of Christians? Too many compromises. Too much world. Too little scripture in our lives daily. Too little denying the flesh. If you are loving too much of the world it will be real hard to totally give yourself to God in the worship service.
He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30
Does a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? James 3:11
So the sum of the matter is this.
It is time to take a stand. If we say we love the Lord then we must prove it with our lives. No more compromise. What is at stake? The lives of our families. Unbelieving loved ones. Oh, they are watching. What do they see?
Who are we serving?
Who are we yoked with?
What is our zeal for?
Blessings,
Melanie
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Rev. 3:16 KJV
It is time to take a stand. If we say we love the Lord then we must prove it with our lives. No more compromise. What is at stake? The lives of our families. Unbelieving loved ones. Oh, they are watching. What do they see?
Who are we serving?
Who are we yoked with?
What is our zeal for?
Today is Memorial Day. Oh, how grateful I am to our military, past and present. But, let us remember that our Lord sacrificed His life for us. Not just that we may live in a free land. God has been so good to America, our struggle for independence tells of it. The odds of our little young country rising up to defeat the British army and winning the Revolutionary War was nothing more than the hand of God. As mighty as this was it pales in comparison to the battle won on Golgotha's hill. The sacrifice that Jesus made is above all other! We may loose our freedom in American, we can never loose the blood that Jesus shed for us. (We can loose our testimony, that is another post) Now, that is something to remember and celebrate. How does He ask us to do that.
But as He which has called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. Because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy.
1 Peter 1: 15-16
1 Peter 1: 15-16
Blessings,
Melanie
