Reshaping

My daughter got her first set of braces today. They're actually just partials designed to widen the top of her mouth in order to make more room for her permanent teeth to come in. As loud as she is, they say she needs a bigger mouth...

I was the same way as a child. Too many teeth and not enough room. I'll never forget the day I had to get that horrid contraption in the top of my mouth at age 13. Back then, they put a W-shaped wire in the roof of my mouth that pushed out with all it's strength from the get go. My mouth was so sore I lost 15 lbs in about 3 weeks. It was quite painful.

Lauren will have a much easier time of it. The bar in her mouth is to be tightened twice a day over the next 10 days in order to slowly reach the desired size. It will still be painful, but not so bad as the whole dose at once. Then they will leave it in for 6 months to make sure it doesn't return to the former shape.

When I was sitting there listening to the hygienist describe how we are to turn it each time, I started thinking how grateful I was that God uses this method on me. Let me explain...

Before I came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ I was messed up. There was just not enough room in my sinful flesh for the person God created me from antiquity to be. I was crooked and out of shape.

Then Jesus came into my life.
(That gives the WWJD acronym a whole new meaning to me!)

What if He had expected me to follow all the "rules" right away? What if He had put the pressure and demand of living a pure and holy life on me immediately? All I can say is that I would have lost a lot more than weight! But because He loves me so much and knows what is best, He is changing me day by day. 


Therefore we do not give up; even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 
2 Corinthians 4:16


Day by day He is reshaping me to be holy and beautiful for eternity, and has given the Holy Spirit to guide me in all truth. My responsibility is to make sure I don't just let Him sit there- Waiting for me to allow Him to make room in my life for His blessing and glory. I must tighten it day by day by the reading of the Word, and the bending of self and knees to Him in prayer. I must allow Him to do His work:


...assuming you heard Him and were taught by Him, because the truth is in Jesus: you took off your former way of life, the old man that is corrupted by deceitful desires; you are being renewed in the spirit of your minds; you put on the new man, the one created according to God's [likeness] in righteousness and purity of the truth. 
Ephesians 4:21-24

And you want to know the best part?
There is no monthly payment plan: Jesus paid it all in full at the cross.

The Bombs Bursting In Air

There is a line in the Star Spangled Banner that has always stood out to me:

And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Francis Scott Key, the composer of this hymn, wrote these lines in the poem "Defence of Fort McHenry" after watching the battle in the War of 1812. How interesting that it was the destructive bombs and killing rockets that helped to give them hope. The lights from these shone down on their flag, proving it was still flying high. If they had been defeated, the flag would have been first to go. It was a symbol of not only what they stood and were fighting for in general, but also gave them encouragement through a specific battle.

Christians are living on the battle field today.
For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. Ephesians 6:12

What do we do when the bombs of the enemy tear families and friends apart? How do we cope when the rockets of condemnation, hatred, lust, and greed pierce our minds and those around us?

First, their trails of light remind us that we are at war, so hit your knees in prayer. We were told this would happen. Jesus says in John 16:33, "I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world."


Jesus is our flag. We see Him support us through these hurts and are reminded that we will win the war. The battles may be intense, but the outcome is assured. Even in all the enemy's schemes, Jesus will shine bright. We only need to have our eyes focused in the right direction.

To ____ Be The Glory

To whom or what have you given the most glory lately? The "church" answer is, of course, God - as it should be.

Prove it.

Take the next five minutes and list the ways you have glorified Yahweh or Jesus Christ. And be honest. He knows your heart. If your not sure of your own true intentions, ask the Spirit to reveal it to you. Psalm 139:23

Dear Father, let this never be said of me...  "For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened." Romans 1:21

On The Tail Of The Titanic

Have you ever felt as though you were on a sinking ship?

Sometimes it's obvious to those around us: Health issues, job loss, death in the family, etc. Other times no one may know: Emotional distress, family disagreements, complacency, and such.

My sinking ship really just has a slow leak. For the last several months I've been in a "dry season", "dark night of the soul", "slump", or whatever you want to call it. I've just had a hard time connecting with God. As a result, I've found that I'm having to rely more on faith and less on feeling. I know God is there- Matthew 28:20. I know He is faithful- Exodus 15:13. So the question I've had to answer is, "When I don't feel it at all for long periods of time, what am I going to do about it?"

I'm going to keep seeking Him with everything I have. I know He wants me to come to Him, so He'll give me the strength to do it, if that's truly my heart's desire.

I'm picturing it like the movie Titanic. They main characters did everything they could to get off the boat, yet in the end they had to run to the back of the ship and ride the tail to the water in order to stay afloat as long as possible. The only difference here is that I know He'll teach me to walk on water when there is nothing earthly left to stand on!

What I Have Learned

What has God been teaching you this summer?

I've learned...

   that when I forget to read my Bible I tend to pray less and miss Him more.

   His patience is amazing. He doesn't force me to come to Him, but waits lovingly. That makes me love and want to please Him even more.

   I must be vigilant in order not to fall back into my old ways. When we start dabbling in gray it quickly consumes life's color scheme.

   He is everywhere and cares about the smallest details and prayers in our lives. Even down to the "Please Lord let no one come home covered in ticks..."

  

But what I've learned most is that I can do NOTHING without God in my life: I can not seek Him, love Him, take care of my family, take care of my health, wake up, fall asleep, or have a good laugh without Him. Through good times and bad, He gives me the only peace, joy, love, security, and hope I've ever known. I can not love my family without the love He gives and teaches me. I can not think straight, reason, or comprehend. There is no song of praise or joy in my heart without Him placing it there. 

This summer I have learned that I am nothing without Jesus Christ.

...yet, through Him, I can do anything.

No Favoritism

..."In truth, I understand that God doesn't show favoritism, but in every nation the person who fears Him and does righteousness is acceptable to Him."
Acts 10:24-25


What a blessing and relief it is to know that God does not show favoritism in this way. Otherwise we would all be lost! As we develop our walk with Jesus Christ and strive to become more and more like Him, it is good to remember that He shows no favoritism. Anyone can come to Him. Shouldn't we then act as though we know and believe that is so?

Psalm 77:12

I will reflect on all You have done and meditate on Your actions.

The Great Pretender

Today I was speaking with someone telling them about the amazing things God has done in my life- things that can only be attributed to God. They kept exclaiming how unbelievable it was, and I was so excited thinking that perhaps today was the day they could deny Him no longer. Then I mentioned a specific concerning one of my medical miracles, and they latched on to it. "Well, that has happened for me too!" Yet, as they explained their situation I saw how easily Satan can sway those who are his to believe in his "miracles" too. Yes, he has the power on this earth to bless people to blind them. How infuriating!!


I find comfort in two very important things though:
1.) 2 Timothy 2:19a "Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, having this inscription: The Lord knows those who are His..." I can save no one, and if the Lord chooses this person as a precious child of His, He will make it so.
2.) My God wins in the end. John 16:33 Jesus says, "I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world."

A Beautiful Thought In Paint

This is such a beautiful representation of the resurrection. Is it fully accurate? Probably not. But I sure enjoy it and imagining my Savior raise from the grave!

Enjoy!

CBN TV - Ron DiCianni: Painting the Resurrection - Video

A Bit of Wisdom

Here is a thought provoking quote from Selwyn Hughes, a great writer of devotionals read around the world. Take a few moments to meditate on his words in regard to His Words:


Reflecting on what God has done for us in the past enables us to have a clearer perspective on the present and the future. A biblical approach to history makes us neither wide-eyed nor downhearted pessimists. We become devout realists, for we see God at work in all things and triumphing over everything. -- Selwyn Hughes, Every Day With Jesus

Feeling What I Know

I realized once again tonight that I have one of the most precious and sought after gifts of mankind: I feel safe and at peace. 

Do you realize how rare that is for humanity? Even among Christians, we do not always feel what we know.

I have no fear of life, because I have full confidence and trust in my Father. He is trustworthy and I know He loves and wants the best for me. What a blessing!

For the LORD loves justice and will not abandon His faithful ones. They are kept safe forever, but the children of the wicked will be destroyed.

Psalm 37:28

Our Lord and God, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because You have created all things, and because of Your will they exist and were created.

Revelation 4:11

For the word of the LORD is right, and all His work is trustworthy.

Psalm 33:4

Do not despise the LORD's instruction, my son,
    and do not loathe His discipline;
    for the LORD disciplines the one He loves,
    just as a father, the son he delights in.
Proverbs 3:11-12

The one who has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father. I also will love him and will reveal Myself to him."
John 14:21

All My Children Are Home

I just had - for the briefest moment - a glimpse of what my heavenly Father must feel when his children come home to Him.

Dear Father, how you love us. Please help me to feel that love for my brothers and sisters. I long for the day everyone is home.

Victory?

After Judas  ate the piece of bread, Satan entered him. 

Therefore Jesus told him, 

"What you're doing, do quickly."

John 13:27

Have you ever thought about the fact that our God is so powerful, even in Satan's greatest moment of "victory", Jesus Christ told him what to do and he obeyed? How can I not live victoriously?

A Sporadic Month

June is my vacation month. Yep. A whole month!

I'm not going anywhere and am not really doing anything different except that my older boys are home for the month. I love it! That's really all I could ask for and be blessed with. My whole family is finally together.

So, this month might be a little scarce on blogs. I plan on trying to write at least ever few days, but I'm going to allow myself only posting them when the Spirit is really prompting me to say something. I pray each of you have a wonderful summer and that you are starting to see God's presence everywhere and in every situation. Please post a comment when He brings some interesting point to mind- I'd love to see how He's teaching you!

God bless each and every one of you. May God open your eyes to His wonders this summer and mold your hearts to be a little more like His.

The Power of the Cross

Thank you Father for the power of the cross.

Thank you Lord Jesus for the sacrifice You endured for us on the cross.

Please Spirit, help keep the cross foremost and central in my life.


But as for me, I will never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Galatians 6:14