Thinking long-range...

" In our hurry to solve the crisis of the hour, we often fail to consider the long-range consequences of our short-term solutions."

-Liz Curtis Higgs

Follow Jesus

"My fear is that there are a lot of people in the Church following the rules, but not really following Jesus."

"I think that most people in most churches think that they're following Jesus—and it's well intentioned—but the reality is, they have invited Jesus to follow them. And that's a whole different thing."

"The Gospel cost [us] nothing, but it demands everything. Too often we want what God is offering, but we don't want to give anything up in return. And that's where we miss out. I'm afraid that some people feel like, 'Well, if I don't hold out a little bit, I'm going to miss out on what life may have to offer.'  But the reality is, when you hold out on God you're missing out on everything that He wants to do in you and through you."

~ Mark Batterson on Focus on the Family
(broadcast on 10/15/13)

 

Obedience

In the old way, obedience was an obligation to keep the rules. In the new way, it is an opportunity to be exactly what you were created to be.

-Ethan Formo

Perspective for 2011

Be thankful for
whatever God allows
to come your way.
He will not allow anything
that will not ultimately be
for your good and growth
and for His glory.
[quote by Bonnie Trude, from the booklet A Woman More Precious Than Jewels]

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purposes for them."~Romans 8:28

Learning how to be God's woman

This hit a nerve for me this morning during my time with God...

"A Christian worker [anyone called by God] has to learn how to be God's man or woman of great worth and excellence in the midst of a multitude of meager and worthless things."
~Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest, October 25

He is not kidding! Can you think of "meager and worthless things" that threaten to keep you from being excellent for the Lord? I could probably rattle off a handful without thinking too hard...

Lord, help me/us run hard for You— for Your purposes and Your glory!

Draw close to Jesus

Phew! It's been awhile since I've blogged! I've been struggling with fatigue for awhile... but my energy is returning. Praise the Lord! :)

Last night at growth group, our study was about "over-desire" (idols). For me, I have the desire to connect with people... but my over-desire is doing email and blogs much longer than I should, at the expense of my family. I gave the example of me going to the computer, but sensing God telling me "No, not now"—but then basically ignoring His voice and sitting down at the computer anyway.

Well, God convicted me about that comment this morning during my quiet time (QT). James 4:17 says: "Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it." Being on the computer is not a sin; ignoring God's prompting is. When a person starts ignoring God, they start to get desensitized to His voice. Perhaps that is contributing to why my QTs haven't been great lately.

I want to be a Spirit-filled and God-powered mom. But I can't just hold my lucky rabbit's foot and wish for it. I've got to physically turn away [walk away] from what is drawing me away from Him and turn TO Him. That takes self-control! Eek! I asked myself this morning during my QT, "Am I afraid to give my life—my time—100% over to the Lord? Do I think He'll work me to death, never give me a break, never let me use email, etc?" No—that's a lie! God is good, and He is just—He will provide for my needs, in His perfect timing! And in my heart of hearts, I know I'd rather be in His will than anywhere else—much more satisfying! (Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand anywhere else! ~Psalm 84:10)

So I repented this morning and I'm starting out on a new foot today. I'm purposing to seek Him for what I do with my time during the day—all of it. [Yes, even here, God directed me to wait to write this until my kids were in roomtime this morning!] How can I expect to be Spirit-filled if I don't repent of "doing my own thing" when I know He's calling me to do something else??

This quote from Steven and Teri Maxwell's book "Keeping Our Children's Hearts" (p. 55) really struck me—

"Are we constantly looking for the line of sin so we can live as close to the world as possible without sinning, or do we desire to draw as close to Jesus as we can?"

GULP! Convicted—right here!!

And here's a John Piper quote that our pastor mentioned in this weekend's message at church—

"The work of the Holy Spirit in changing us is not to work directly on our bad habits, but to make us admire Jesus so much that sinful habits feel foreign and distasteful."

I know a lot of moms [myself included] who so strongly desire to be led by God during our mothering days! Lord Jesus, help me/us to obey You, even when we don't feel like it! I pray your Holy Spirit would move in each of our hearts, causing us to admire Jesus so much that sinful habits would feel distasteful. Help us not to walk up to the line of sin, but to strive to walk right next to You. Amen!

Room in hearts taken up by other crowding interests

This is a thought-provoking quote from Billy Graham, perhaps best presented at Christmas-time — but relevant to our lives every day of the year...

"One response was given by the innkeeper when Mary and Joseph wanted to find a room where the Child could be born. The innkeeper was not hostile; he was not opposed to them, but his inn was crowded; his hands were full; his mind was preoccupied. This is the answer that millions are giving today. Like a Bethlehem innkeeper, they cannot find room for Christ. All the accommodations in their hearts are already taken up by other crowding interests. Their response is not atheism. It is not defiance. It is preoccupation and the feeling of being able to get on reasonably well without Christianity."