Meditate on this! July 21, 2008
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Thus says the LORD:”Cursed is the man who trusts in man
and makes flesh his strength,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a shrub in the desert,
and shall not see any good come.
He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness,
in an uninhabited salt land.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose trust is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?
”I the LORD search the heart
and test the mind,
to give every man according to his ways,
according to the fruit of his deeds.” (Jeremiah 17:5-10 )
We were reading over this passage at church yesterday, and it just grabbed my heart and soul! I need to meditate on scriptures like this one ALL THE TIME! It reminds me of so many things. First, that GOD commands us NOT TO TRUST IN MAN. In fact, it says “cursed is the man”…pretty powerful statement there. You think God means it or what?!? For those on this earth that put there trust in man and not God, justice will be His in the end. This also means ourselves. We read at the end of the verse that the heart is sick and deceiving, who can understand it? Second, that our trust should always and only BE IN GOD. When we have reverential fear (i.e. trust) in God, we produce fruit, whether we are in a difficult time (drought) or a joyous time (plentiful green watered tree by the stream). We know God is always there for us, is a Sovereign God, and we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. ( Romans 8:28 )
No matter what or who you believe in, God knows all of our hearts, and will have justice on each one of us based on our hearts, not our deeds (good or bad). So, if you say you love God, trust Him with all your heart, never trust man, understand that your heart fails you and cannot be trusted, and love God by obeying His commands! I pray that this passage will mediate in your minds all week long. Be blessed!
Trusting God,
Lauren
More than Love July 18, 2008
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In this world that we live in, so many people claim to know God. Some of the claimers say they are Christians, some say another religion, but insist it’s the same God. Most everyone says, “God is love”. And He is….but He is so much more.
In fact, God’s character is vast, and love is just one attribute. If you claim to know God, did you know that He is all of the following?…..
God is: Wisdom, Infinitude, Sovereignty, Holiness, Trinity, Omniscience, Faithfulness, Love, Omnipotence, Self-sufficiency, Self-existence, Justice, Immutability, Mercy, Eternal, Goodness, Gracious, Omnipresence
Wow…what a GREAT God we serve! That’s who God is…..and He’s the only God out there. He isn’t a God of many religions. He’s the God who made the heavens and the earth, the Father who sent His son Jesus Christ to live such a meek and humbling life, to be here as a servant and ultimately give His life as a ransom for those who believe. (Matthew 20:28 ) (more…)
Happy to be Narrow May 16, 2008
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“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14)
I’ve been wanting to write a post like this for a very long time now. The theme has been in my head for months and months…the theme is my life. The theme is Christianity. The point is Christ and Christ alone.
Evaluate your heart:
If you are reading this, and claim the Christian faith, do you find yourself on the narrow road, looking to enter the narrow gate? Does the word narrow have some negative or degrading undertone in your perspective? Do you find happiness and joy when you someone refers to your beliefs as narrow?
I’m so happy to know narrow, to love narrow, to be narrow. God’s given me such perspective over this concept. Of course, I didn’t always believe this “hard core”…but that’s because I wasn’t saved. I definitely believed Jesus was the way, but never truly considered the whatif scenario for those who lived “good” lives, but believed something else. The fact is that the Christian faith is a very harsh reality, and not one that many want to really think about. So, many people don’t. They all just go about their lives, and “live for today”, and “live for themselves”, but aren’t considering eternity. One thing is certain about life…..we will all die. It’s a fact. Most people don’t want to think about it. And, although I don’t feel ready to go right now, I am excited to go Home. I know where I am going, and it’s through the narrow gate. And it’s because of God’s grace, through faith, and not of my own works, but a gift from God, so that no one may boast. (Eph 2:8-9)
I’ve been hated on for declaring the narrow road. I’ve been called judgemental, a bigot, and close-minded. I would say to those people that they just don’t know who God really is. They wouldn’t say such things if they sought His Truth found only in the Bible. They would have the same understanding and peace that comes from knowing the one and only true God, and living out what He has called us to be, disciples.
The persecution of believing God and living His narrow path is one that I welcome. He has called me to be an ambassador for Him and a loving disciple of Jesus. I am alive by God’s grace, and will spend eternity with Him and all the other fellow “narrow believers”, and I count it all joy!
Consider this:
Don’t take my word for it, Take The Word……MANY enter through the wide gate, which is EASY, and leads to destruction. Are you going through life with ease, just “livin”…carefree and “acceptance equals love” type of mentality, or are you living a disciplined, obedient, God-centered life, seeking the Truth found in the Bible, all for the purpose to be His glory?
Walking Narrow,
Lauren
Proof of Change April 15, 2008
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This weekend I was cleaning out some drawers that had old papers, folders, etc., when I came across a small old binder. It was the binder that I wrote my lessons in while I attended a class called Companions in Christ at my old church. I was reading through it, and literally was beside myself in total shock. I didn’t need any further proof from the Lord that I am a new Christian, a transformed life, a regenerated human. But as I read, I just couldn’t believe those were my words. We studied different Scriptures in this class, but I have NO memory of that. In fact, I came to a page where I am describing in detail how much I Iike a certain passage that happens to now be THE passage that is now my life, my transformation. I have no memory of ever reading that before I was saved. I continue to read on in my little journal entries, and see how lost I was, having NO understanding of interpreting the Bible. But then, I come to a page here and there that gives a glimpse of hope. I was writing in ways that elude to a strong desire to understand the Truth. To live for Him. To be an imitator of God. Unfortunately, almost everything I wrote was so surface or worldly in perspective. I just wasn’t getting equipped correctly. But in these entries, I can see that God was working on me, waiting patiently for the moment to make Himself known to me. I want to share a couple of these entries, as further OBVIOUS proof of a changed heart, a changed life, and a TOTAL TRANSFORMATION.
Here’s an entry that blew me away;
- Exercise 1: Who do you relate to, Marin Luther or Mother Teresa? (*Keep in mind, I had NO idea who Marin Luther was–thought they meant MLK, and knew of M.T., but not who she really was)
“The only person I would perhaps identify with would be Mother Teresa. I am not the type of person that would stand up and preach the word, or lay out my testimony and convictions for everyone to hear. But rather I would enjoy something that felt more inimate, heartfelt, and one on one. I’ve never had the honor and blessing through God to have “saved anyone” (that I know of), but I do believe through God, I have been a strong advisor to close friends and family members. That feels gratifying and my faith strengthens.”
WOW. Let’s all say it together…WOW. Where do I start with that one? How about the fact that I was so turned off by evangelism. I said I wasn’t the type to share my testimony! Ha…..and now look; God just allowed me to do that last Friday night, and ALL I want to do is share the Gospel. PROOF. And how about me saying that I actually could do the “saving”. Can we say confused and blind. More PROOF.
Here’s another entry–this one is talking about THE passage that describes my life now;
- Exercise on Ephesians 4
“I long for the spiritual maturity that allows a complete humble attitude; to be a more patient person. I also long for true righteousness and holiness as we find in God’s image and love. I feel like these 2 verses reflect the “old” me shedding and the “new” me that’s beginning to grow. Not that all I have done in the past was wrong and deceitful; and not that all that is to come will be without imperfections, but rather the conscious change of heart and mind to put certain feelings that are to be considered impure, immoral, and deceitful behind me and close that door. Open a new door to better choices and to put much thought into them, reflecting on the past decision making.”
Hmm….can I get another WOW? Anyone, anyone? I’m not even sure I understand what I just read, but I think I thought I had total ability and control over change. I just took the passage in Eph (4:22-24), and claimed personal authority to overcome that change….all by myself. Do what??? And as far as the first part where I am claiming the longing to like God, in true righteousness and holiness; yeah, I am pretty sure I just re-wrote the end of verse 24, having no clue what that even meant. A plagiarism of sorts, if you will. PROOF.
I am so glad that I came across this small old binder. You see, in many ways, this is a little treasure to me. It allows me to have a tangible reminder of God’s unbelievable, undeserved and unmerited Grace in my life. He did something Awesome to me! Just like the Scripture says, this relates to me before I was saved;
“The God of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Cor 4:4)
And then what God, in His grace, did for me;
“The LORD opens the eyes of the blind;The LORD raises up those who are bowed down;The LORD loves the righteous” (Psalm 146:8 )
Lord God, I kneel before you with such a thankful heart. I am amazed at what You have done in my life, and what You continue to do. Thank You for opening my blinded eyes, and revealing The Truth to me. You are an AWESOME GOD, and I praise Your name. ~Amen.
By His Grace Alone,
Lauren
I am weak April 3, 2008
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This last month I have been preparing for an opportunity to share my testimony in public. It’s a great opportunity to boast in Christ, and to glorify Him in everything I say. I always get excited when I get to make much of Him, make His name famous, and tell people of His gracious and transforming power. I was warned that as I prepared and studied in The Word, I would come under fire, and be distracted by the evil one. He would use this time to confuse me, bring the shame into present day, and convince me that I am not worthy to speak. Well, every bit of this has absolutely happened. I have even experienced persecution from loved ones. It’s been unreal. And it has caused me to become quite weak. But here’s where I become so ever thankful for knowing His Word;
“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor. 12:10)
Yes indeed! I will praise Him from the mountaintops when I am weak, because I know HE is doing something good. My earthly body can fall apart from the outside in to the inside out, my house can be in total chaos, relationships can be tense, but I believe God’s precious Word. I do delight in the trials HE allows me to go through. I will take these moments in stride and worship a God so great, so perfectly Sovereign, that He disciplines us for our good, for His glory!
Lord, I do pray that You will be with me tomorrow night. I ask that I would not stand in the way, but lay aside my flesh, so that You can use me as Your instrument, for Your glory! Thank You for such a special opportunity….to boast in Your mighty transforming power! Amen.
In Sweet Worship,
Lauren
**Please send comments to: laurenandjohn@comcast.net**
My life’s theme song February 29, 2008
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Well, this is a “light” post, in terms of context…which I guess is unusual for me. I just stumbled on this song the other day, and I LOVED IT! There are a few other songs like this in the Christian world of music, but this is the only one I have found so far that’s by a woman artist. It’s danceable and fun, and gets me all pumped up and thankful to God for my new life! I guess she doesn’t have a music video for it yet, but I found this on youtube, which is better than nothing…plus you can see the lyrics! Enjoy!
Worshiping Him in song,
Lauren
Who do you live for? February 25, 2008
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Okay, so if you know me, either by way of friendship, family, or just through the Internet, then you probably know that I am passionate about one thing……evangelism. I think about God, His grace, my faith in Him, my church, my friends and family in regards to Christianity, and spreading the Gospel-pretty much all day long. I’m not kidding. I remember asking my husband a year or so back, “how often do you think about God?” I don’t remember exactly what he said, but I do remember telling him that for me it was (and still is) 24/7. I think about how humbly blessed I am that God picked me out and saved me. I think about how unbelievable the whole concept of grace is. But more than those, I am constantly thinking about how I can witness to someone. What can I say? How can I say it? When do I refrain and pray, and when do I open my mouth and hope the Holy Spirit does the talking? Then this passage came to mind…..
“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void. ” (1 Cor 1:17)
Well, for several weeks, if not longer, one question has been echoing in my mind and heart. It’s this; “Who do you live for?” I really have grown to love this question because it starts the domino effect in a conversation. I have turned to myself and my own life with this question, and the question that naturally follows, and here’s what I got;
1. Who do I live for? God.
2. How do I live for Him? I live for God with my voice-by praising Him with worship, by laying all my burdens at His feet through prayer, and by talking to my husband, friends, family, and strangers about the Good News.
I live for God through my hands-by my fingertips to the keyboard, by serving my church family and others, and by using my hands at home for His glory-whether that be housework or cooking.
I live for God with my heart-by always asking God to cleanse my heart and give me His desires, by being passionate about my faith, by feeling heartbroken for the unsaved, and by loving one another in a way that is pleasing to God.
I live for God through my marriage-by using it as a ministry, by honoring my husband through submission and obedience, by sharing my testimony in effort to give God glory for a transformed relationship, and by teaching our children the spiritual tools they need to equip them for a Christian life.
I live for God by means of an obedient lifestyle-by staying in fellowship with a church body as He has called us to do, by spreading the Gospel with every chance I get, by standing firm in my faith and not being afraid of the persecution of man, by keeping His commandments, and by loving my husband and honoring our marriage.
I hope as you read this, you will take the time to look in the mirror, and ask yourself the powerful question, “Who do you live for?” If you don’t like your answer, then maybe it’s time for something radical to happen in your life, namely God!
Living For Him,
Lauren
My theme is Prayer February 20, 2008
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Really since the beginning of this year, prayer seems to be the hot topic of my spiritual life. With every situation, I’m reminded either from The Holy Spirit directly, or through a Christian friend (or even awesome sermons at CBC), that I must go to the Lord in prayer. I have learned to appreciate prayer and the power in it, more and more as I walk with Jesus. I have enjoyed reading books like “The Power of a Praying Wife”. I have even seen the mercy of God by answering my prayers. Not that God owes us any sort of validation or confirmation, but when I see what a tool prayer really is, it certainly does strengthen my faith.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Phil 4:6)
Every time I read this passage, I am reminded of two things. 1.-God calls us to pray–not to worry, stress, fret, gossip, consume, or be ridden with anxiety over something. He wants us to fall on our knees, cry out to Him, surrender the burden at His feet, and trust His Sovereignty.2. God calls us to be deliberate and consistent, without wavering. We don’t pray for something one time, but over and over, with a consistency and trust for His timing in all things. This is something I had to learn through different trials. But God is so gracious to me, and lovingly taught me to just keep coming to Him with my burdens. And I praise Him for that!
I can’t help but think of my past in relation to prayer. You see, I used to “pray to God”–but he didn’t hear my prayers;
“He who turns away his ear from listening to the law,
Even his prayer is an abomination.” (Prov 28:9)
Yes that’s right, an abomination! If you aren’t truly a believer, a child of God, then when you pray, you are praying to a false God. One that you have created in your mind of who you think God is. A God of this world, not the true God found in His Word. And that’s exactly what I was doing. I had claimed to know God, therefore I knew who I was praying to. But it was in vain. It was idolatry. It wasn’t praying to my Heavenly Father, who calls me by name…it was praying to, nothing. God has pruned me so radically, that I am now seeing and understanding the fruitfulness that will bear from prayer. Even still, I need to be (constantly) reminded to go and seek Him, pray with a fervent heart, and be devoted and committed to Him in doing so. I challenge the same thing for whoever reads this. If you already know God, the True God, then be reminded today to seek Him first, to have a strong prayer life, to give Him thanks and praise when praying, and to be patient for His Sovereign timing in all things. If you think you know God, but aren’t sure, then fall on your knees and cry out to the Lord. Confess and repent for your sinfulness (we all are fallen, and always will be), and ask the Lord to come into your heart. Then He WILL give you the desire for prayer, and so many other things! The Holy Spirit is an amazing, supernatural being that will reside inside of you, and transform your life! Just fall down and ask Him for help!
As for me, I really mean it when I say that prayer is my theme right now. It will always be an incredibly important tool in my Christian life, but for some reason only God knows right now, He is really teaching me to just…pray pray pray! With that said, what better time to do just that;
My precious Lord and Savior, I praise your name. I thank you for giving me the gift of Your Holy Spirit, that resides in me. I know this was not a gift that I earned or ever could, but a free gift of your grace. I boast in you Lord Jesus. For your transforming power in my life. For the work you are doing in me everyday. Oh God, for the awareness and merciful reminder to me that I must come to you in prayer. I desire that through my prayer life, I will know You more, seek You more, and love You more. I thank You for Christian friends Lord. Specifically for Ali. Lord I cannot thank You enough for her friendship, love, and Christian accountability. I praise You Jesus for allowing her and I to make time to come together in prayer. I ask that You will strengthen my desires to start our prayer time again, as we have let that slip. I love You so much Lord God, and thank you for sending Jesus to take on the judgement that was intended for me. I know that hell is what we all deserve, but because of Your grace, I will meet you in heaven! I can’t wait to see Your face! In Your name I pray, amen.
Prayerfully His,
Lauren
This is what Love looks like January 13, 2008
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Love. A word too commonly used, and barely understood in it’s true meaning. We say we “love” all sorts of things. I’m certainly guilty of it. I say I love a good filet mignon….but that’s not really being used appropriately. People say they love one another in the blink of an eye, when most times it’s just mere lust and attraction. Unfortunately, the word love is just way too overused, and has lost it’s importance and true definition along the way. There are 18 results to define love in the dictionary. The first 11 all have to do with a worldly perspective. Affections of another, sex, desire, attraction, feelings, and it goes on and on. Finally by 12 we read something more profound;
The benevolent affection of God for His creatures, or the reverent affection due from them to God.
Now we may be getting somewhere. It goes on with 13-18 all being more of the same worldly ideas about what love is and how it’s used in different areas of life. I then looked up agape love…and found very different definitions, one of which was;
The love of God for Christ, for humankind. Unselfish and without sexual implications. Spiritual in nature, as modeled for us in Jesus Christ.
What Perfect love God has for us….and moreso, what Perfect Love IS God. Pondering that, my heart and mind started consuming in thoughts of how I love and how I am supposed to love, in regards to my personal relationship with God. These are the first things that came to mind. 1. I love God with all that I am, even though I know it’s not enough, and I can never reciprocate the love He gives me. 2. I love God for knowing that we as humans can never do enough to save ourselves, and so in turn gave us a pardon to an eternity in hell by means of Jesus Christ crucified. That’s grace, so I love Him for that too. 3. I love God for giving us His Perfect and Absolute Truth, found in The Word of God. 4. By reading His Word, I know that to love God is to obey Him, so I love God because He commands me to be obedient. And that’s where my mind stopped. I could have continued, but I felt a conviction when I got to thinking about this: obeying Him IS loving Him! That’s what our love should look like. That’s what our Merciful and Heavenly Father has commanded of us to do. And when we show this love to God, He then gives us the desires to love one another appropriately. In other words, if we love God and we want to obey Him, we will look to His Word for answers about how to live our lives and how His design for loving one another should look, instead of relying on our own ideas of what we think is good and right. I have been reading MANY wonderful passages in The Bible this afternoon that pertain to obeying Him and keeping His commandments (a few are: Exo. 15:26, Exo. 19:5, Exo. 20:6, and Exo. 23:22). Then I stumbled on a very profound passage in Leviticus. All of these passages force you to examine your own heart, your sin, your walk (or lack thereof) with The Almighty One. They have been convicting scriptures for me to read. I fall short every day, and God knows; but He has still asked me to keep His commandments. If I break one (and I have), a desperate and repentant heart must follow. The Holy Spirit will convict my heart in such a powerful way, that I will literally and physically become sick with disgust over my sin, and confess it to The One whom I sinned against. This is what love looks like. Do you say you love God? Do you say you know Him? Then do you have the desire to obey the things He has commanded of you and I? So many of us have this all wrong. I confess that I used to be one of those persons. I proclaimed to know God, to love Jesus, but I wasn’t living an obedient lifestyle. Not even close. Some of my lifestyle choices I knew were wrong in the eyes of God, others I didn’t…because I hadn’t read His Word to find out. I want to leave you with this powerful and profound passage that I was talking about in Leviticus. It’s a good, long passage, so be patient to read it all the way through….. remember, it’s His Words, not mine. God shows His merciful love to us in these scriptures to follow, but also shows that He is our Judge, and a Wrathful God too, for those who disobey. This is what love looks like, and I feel more challenged than ever to follow Him and keep His precious commandments (and I’m not just talking about the “famous” ten)! I hope you feel the challenge too………….
(by the way, I thought about linking the passage since it is a bit long, but felt a strong need to type out each word specifically, helping it be ingrained to my mind and heart. Just thought I would share!)
For His Glory,
Lauren
Leviticus 26:3-43
If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out, then I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit. Indeed, your threshing will last for you until grape gathering, and grape gathering will last until sowing time. You will thus eat your food to the full and live securely in your land. But you will chase your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword; five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword. So, I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will confirm My covenant with you. You will eat the old supply and clear out the old because of the new. Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you would not be their slaves, and I broke the bars of the yoke and made you walk erect.
But if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, if instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all commandments, and so break My covenant, I, in turn, will do this to you: I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that will waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away; also, you will sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies will eat it up. I will set My face against you so that you will be struck down before your enemies; and those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when no one is pursuing you. If also after these things you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. I will also break down your pride of power; I will also make your sky like iron and your earth like bronze. Your strength will be spent uselessly, for your land will not yield its produce and the trees of the land will not yield their fruit. If then, you act with hostility against Me and are unwilling to obey Me, I will increase the plague on you seven times according to your sins. I will let loose among you the beasts of the field, which will bereave you of your children and destroy your cattle and reduce your number so that your roads lie deserted. And if by these things you are not turned to Me, but act with hostility against Me, then I will act with hostility against you; and I, even I, will strike you seven times for your sins. I will also bring upon you a sword which will execute vengeance for the covenant; and when you gather together into your cities, I will send pestilence among you, so that you shall be delivered into enemy hands. When I break your staff of bread, ten women will bake your bread in one oven, and they will bring back your bread in rationed amounts, so that you will eat and not be satisfied. Yet if in spite of this you do not obey Me, but act with hostility against Me, then I will act with wrathful hostility against you, and I, even I, will punish you seven times for your sins. Further, you will eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters you will eat. I then will destroy your high places, and cut down your incense altars, and heap your remains on the remains of your idols, for My soul shall abhor you. I will lay waste your cities as well and will make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not smell your soothing aromas. I will make the land desolate so that your enemies who settle in it will be appalled over it. You however, I will scatter among the nations and will draw out a sword after you, as your land becomes desolate and your cities become waste. Then the land will enjoy its sabbaths all the days of the desolation, while you are in your enemies’ land; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it will observe the rest which it did not observe on your sabbaths, while you were living on it. As for those of you who may be left, I will also bring weakness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies. And the sound of a driven leaf will chase them, and even when no one is pursuing they will flee as though from the sword, and they will fall. They will therefore stumble over each other as if running from the sword, although no one is pursuing; and you will have no strength to stand up before your enemies. But you will perish among the nations, and your enemies’ land will consume you. So those of you who may be left will rot away because of their iniquity in the lands of your enemies; and also because of the iniquities of their forefathers they will rot away with them. If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their forefathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also in their acting with hostility against Me– I also was acting with hostility against them, to bring them into the land of their enemies– or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that they then make amends for their iniquity, then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land. For the land will be abandoned by them, and will make up for its sabbaths while it is made desolate without them. They, meanwhile, will be making amends for their iniquity, because they rejected My ordinances and their soul abhorred My statutes.
My Love, Jesus December 6, 2007
Posted by theregenerateme in Thoughts that sanctify.3 comments
Yes, it’s that wonderful time of year again. I can hardly believe it, except that I have a couple handfuls of days before delivering my second child, thus counting down every day….no, every hour! I am elated to think about my daughter getting to celebrate her birthday so close to such an important time of the year for us Christians. A time that reminds our hearts to be humbled by a God so awesome, so majestic, that “we love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)
I think I fall in love with Him more and more as my walk matures. I have been saved for nearly 2 years now, and I can’t believe how much He has taught me. I think about how patient and merciful He was to me all those years I was living in a false walk- a pseudo walk if you will- proclaiming to know God. I truly believed I was one of His children, though I never had desires to seek His Word, evangelize, talk in depth with another believer about my faith, or share my testimony ( I had no idea what that even meant). How could I have known God when I didn’t even know or care to know His Word? But there is NO doubt now that The Holy Spirit resides in me! I remember when I started feeling different. It was when things had to be confessed, even though I didn’t want to confess them. I couldn’t keep quiet with my sin. And every time I thought I had nothing left to hide, The Holy Spirit convicted me to expose more. I became aware of what sin felt like, and how much I began to despise it. My attitude started changing, which was the cleansing that only He can do. I found myself praying almost all day long, and not because I felt like I had to, but just because it was an overwhelming urge that could not be ignored. My desires became the complete opposite of what they had been for so many years. And now, not yet free from sin, The Holy Spirit within me is that light against my own fleshy ways, exposing the sin nature that is my wicked heart.
“The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
He does these things for me because He loves me, and this is the reason I keep falling more and more in love with Him. I’m so happy we get to honor the birth of Jesus in just a few weeks. Christmas! It’s so very special, but unfortunately gets confused with alter-meanings. Let us set aside the commercialism of this holiday for a moment, and remember that it’s not about exchanging gifts, eating delicious food, the joy of giving, or spending time with our families; although these can certainly be included as part of the celebration. It’s not open to interpretation. There aren’t alternative meanings to this day. To be completely honest, it’s a religious holiday for people of the Christian faith…period. CHRISTmas is a time to celebrate a God so great, that He humbled Himself in the likeness of a human baby, only to be raised by fallible human parents, and inevitably sacrifice his life so that we might be saved.
“And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” ( Luke 2:9-11)
No need to make alternative meanings, when the original is Perfect. That’s something to celebrate. That’s Someone to fall in love with, to be thankful for, and to live by. I encourage those who are true believers, to extend the olive branch to others this Christmas season. Let us exude the love that Christ has given to all of us by means of the Gospel, for it is all for the glory of God anyway. May we be faithful and unashamed witnesses to others during this holiday that has become grossly misunderstood and wrongly celebrated. May we pray for the courage and the confidence to show others who don’t know Him that the answers to life’s questions are in His Word, and only His Word….for the path IS narrow. May all of you see the blessings that our Great Majestic Savior gives, this Christmas season and always!
Celebrating Him,
Lauren
