Perfect Peace

It is so easy to get weighed down by our own fears, concerns, disappointments, etc., that we become anxious, worried, and even discontent. 

Turn to Isaiah 26:3 and focus on that amazing truth for just a moment.  It's so powerful!

"You will keep Him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You: because he trusts in You." 

This is such a great verse!

Followers of Christ need to keep their mind on the truth, God's Word. 

When we become fearful and anxious, we allow our feelings to sometimes take the lead instead of following what God's Word teaches...to trust, to depend, and to lean on the Lord instead of giving way to our emotions which may tell us to panic and worry.

I woke up this morning with such feeling that caused me to doubt God and forget His promises of provision, care, and help, for me, His child. 

I am thankful the Lord lead me to this verse here in Isaiah 26:3.  I can go to bed with this in mind, that when I focus on the truth and trust in the Living God, then, He will keep me in perfect peace!

~Grow in Grace~ 

When I am Weak Then I am Strong

"Lord, teach us that it is only out of weakness that we are made strong, 

 only as we suffer that we may reign, 

only as we lose that we may gain." 

~Elizabeth Elliot~

Elizabeth Elliot knew her Bible.  She understood that we are often made strong through the difficulties we encounter because Christ is the One who sustains us and leads us. 

As Paul boldly declares in 2 Corinthians 12:10, "...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."

Also, 

"For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.  For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:19-21)

It is made very clear in scripture that we will encounter trials and hardships, but we are given such a great hope and promise: that we will be given the grace and strength to endure!!!  We are not alone.  Christ is our Great Sustainer and He is our guide!  

So, as we encounter overwhelming difficulties, know that we will be given the strength to endure and to persevere.  

This is such a great promise to hold on to!  

Be encouraged dear friends that when we are faced with a great obstacle (or even a little one), we will be given the provisions we need to endure!! 

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18 

The Birth of Hope

"The Word became Flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory.  Glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." 

~John 1:14~ 

"He who has seen Me has seen the Father." 

~John 14:9~ 

   Both of these verses declare that Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Son of God, our Savior.  He humbled Himself, taking on the form of man and dwelt among us.  He sacrificed Himself for sinful humans.  What grace!  What love!!  What hope!!!  

   Indeed, we have a great hope, in Christ!  On Christmas Day, we celebrate the birth of this miraculous hope.  

   I love what John MacArthur wrote:  

 "Christmas is a time of celebration and song, goodwill and good food, family and friends.  Bu it's important to remember that the source of Christmas is the saving Christ.

Humanity is lost, fallen.  We were separated from God because of our sin, and our only hop of forgiveness was for someone completely innocent of any wrongdoing to take all the punishment for our crimes.  Such a perfect life and a perfect love were impossible for any human to achieve, so God Himself did it for us.  He sent His Son form eternity into mortality, form glory into flesh, and from a throne to a manger.  Ultimate hope was born in ultimate humility.

Whenever you study the Gospels, you see God in every picture of Christ.  He talks like God, acts like God, thinks like God, performs miracles that only God could do, teaches truth only God would teach, and responds with the love, goodness, wisdom, and omniscience that only God could possess. And it all begins with the birth of the divine Child. 

This is the immeasurable gift of Christmas.  Christ, God's own Son, gave up His wealth and privilege to live as God with us.  Immanuel, that He might save his people from our sins and that through His poverty we might become rich. 

The miraculous gift of Christmas is God being born in a manger, so we can be born again in His glory!" 

   What a GREAT hope we have in Christ!!!  Praise His Name!!!  

   So, as we celebrate Christmas day tomorrow, may we focus on the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and the true meaning of that.   It is something that we should give thanks for every single day of our lives!  Praise the Lord for this Great Hope given 2,000 years ago!  

Merry Christmas dear friends! 

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18

Who or What are You Committing Yourself to?!

   I read this devotional this morning and let me say that I was VERY convicted.  Please, take a moment to read what Jerry Bridges wrote.

"When Paul turned his attention from his masterful exposition of the gospel in Romans chapters 1-11 to practical issues of Christian living, the first thing he did was call for commitment: 'Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act of worship' (Romans 12:1, NIV).

As we look at Paul's call to commitment, we can see one obvious difference between the commitment of the devoted athlete and the commitment Paul called for.  The athlete's commitment is to himself or herself or perhaps to the team.  The commitment Paul urged upon us is to God.  Commit yourself to God.   Offer your body to Him as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Him.

When we commit ourselves to the pursuit of holiness, we need to ensure that our commitment is actually to God, not simply to a holy lifestyle or a set of moral values.  The people of my parent's generation were generally honest, chaste, sober, and thrifty.  They were committed to those values, but they were not necessarily committed to God.  Many of them were outstanding moralists and even church people, but they were not committed to God.  They were committed to their values, not to God.

As believers we need to be careful that we don't make a similar mistake.   We can be committed to a set of Christian values or to a lifestyle of discipleship without being committed to God Himself.  But Paul said to offer yourselves to God, and in doing that commit yourselves to the pursuit of holiness in order to please Him." 

   I truly want to be committed to God and not just be "bound" to a set of Christian values or to a lifestyle without truly being dedicated to God. 

   It is really good to think about, dear friends!  Who or what are you committing yourself to?!  To God or to a set of Christian values and principles?!  

Psalm 37:5- "Commit your ways to the Lord." 

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18 

My Prayer

This is my prayer:

"To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.  O my God, I trust in You; let me not be ashamed; let not my enemies triumph over me.  Indeed, let n one who waits on You be ashamed; Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.  Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths.  Lead me in Your truth, and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.  Remember, O LORD, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, For they are from of old.  Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness sake, O Lord." 

(Psalm 25:1-7)

   It is easy to become discouraged, weary, fearful, and impatient,  and to therefore give in to such feelings, but know that God is forever faithful and His promises are true, and that should be what drives us onward!  What great hope we have, friends!  

    When I talk to my friends who are not trusting in Christ, who do not believe in the Truth, and when they share with me their difficulties and troubles, it is so sad that they live their life without hope which is only found in Christ.  

  I am so thankful to my Lord and Savior that He is my hope and stay!  When I encounter difficulties and discouragements, I know that He is forever faithful and He is my strength!  He gives me hope and comfort!  What a great God we have!  

   My prayer is what David expressed in Psalm 25:1-7.  May the Lord continue to show Himself to me more and more.  

   What is your prayer? 

~Grow in Grace~

2 Peter 3:18

Lord of my Judgment

   Have you ever been in a particular situation when you feel so frustrated at someone and all you want to do is just "let them have it"?!  Or lets say a friend was not being thoughtful and they acted in an insensitive way toward you, and you are feeling so discouraged and hurt because of their actions.  I am sure we ALL have experienced these situations in some way or another.  What do you tell yourself in those moments?  How do you react? 

  A few weeks ago, my mom shared this little "prayer" with me that she would say when times were difficult for her and when she found herself in those situations, as mentioned above. 

"Lord, let Your Spirit tell me what to say and do in this situation.  Be Lord of my judgments, subdue my passions, control my impulses, and let Your Spirit guide me.  Lord, be soul and life to me, and in the triple kingdom of my spirit, soul, and body, be my supreme Master.  In every providence of my nature, may Your law be set up and Your will be done."

   I want this to be my prayer as well in that moment and time when I do not feel like acting Christlike because of my circumstances.  Our emotions and feelings are so powerful, and they most certainly can lead us in a way we do not want to go.  That is why we should stop, pray, and align our thinking up with what the Word of God says to do instead of following our impulses and feelings that tell us to "lash out" or to "give them what they deserve".

  Psalm 39:1 and Proverbs 21:23 are great verses to memorize and meditate on.  Go read them!!

  

Have a great start to your week, friends! 

~Grow in Grace~

(2 Peter 3:18) 

Listen up!!!

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? 

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  

He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.  

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.

Even the youths shall fain and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; 

they shall mount up with wings like eagles; 

they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not faint." 

~Isaiah 40:28-31~

  This is such a beautiful passage of scripture!  I can just picture these verses being yelled on top of a mountain or on some high place so that all could hear:

"HAVE YOU NOT KNOWN?! 

HAVE YOU NOT HEARD?!"

  How often we forget who our God is.  We get so caught up in our difficulties and trials, often blaming God for what we are going through, and we, in a sense shake, our fists at Him saying, "can you not see that I am suffering and hurting?!"  

 Do you ever feel like that?! I am sure we all have at some point.

 I read this passage of scripture (the one at the beginning of this post) on a day when I was burdened with worry, hurt, anxiety, and even confusion.  It is easy to have our minds wander away from the truth and think that God does not care or He is is not understanding.  Well, after I read this passage in Isaiah, those doubts and wrong thoughts were immediately shut down!  Every thought I had that went against the truth was immediately exposed and destroyed. 

My thought:  "Is this out of God's control or too far for His 'reach'?" 

Truth: "...He does not faint or grow weary..." (v. 28) (notes- He is not too weak to ac to act, nor was fatigue an obstacle for the Creator in caring for His people.  Though even the young and strong become tired and fall, the Ancient of Days never does)

My thought:  "Does He truly understand what I am going through?" 

Truth:  "...His understanding is unsearchable..." (v. 28) (notes- to the human mind, God's wisdom is not fully comprehensible in how He chooses to fulfill His promises) 

My thought:  "I am so discouraged and tired of dealing with these difficulties.  I don't know how much more I can take!" 

Truth:  "...He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength.  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."  

   See friends, when we counter attack the lie with the truth, then we can clearly see who our God is and there is great hope!  Our situation may not change all of a sudden and we may continue to deal with the same problems, but we are given a peace that surpasses all understanding and the strength we need to endure and push through!   Also, God is with us, and He will never forsake us.  

  Trust and wait upon the Lord and He will mount you up with wings like eagles, He will give you the strength to run and not be weary, and the endurance to walk and not grow faint.  

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18

The Peril of Comparing

"When they...compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding." 

(2 Corinthians 10:12) 

   I read this passage of scripture this morning and was completely convicted.  I find myself often comparing my own life and situations to others.  As a result, I become discontent with what I have and am unthankful for all that the Lord has done in my life, forgetting all that He has blessed me with!  Well, as scripture so clearly expresses, this is wrong.  Comparing is very dangerous, do not underestimate it.  It can lead believers into jealousy, envy, covetousness, and it can strain their relationship with the Lord.  I myself need to be very careful and not compare.  

   I have a twin brother, and for all you twins out there, you know what I am talking about when I put the word "twin" and "compare" together.  It seems almost inevitable for twins to compare themselves to each other.  I found myself doing this all growing up.  I would compare myself to Chad, my brother, whether it was in school, sports, or just fun activities we would be involved in.  We both grew up playing the violin and let me tell you, I did a lot of comparing when it came to that subject.  There are things that came more naturally to him than me, and vise versa.  He was always a stud when it came to sports, and me, well...I love sports, but let me just say, that my hand-eye-coordination is not so great.  However, when it comes to running and training for long-distance runs, let's just say I got the upper hand on that one.  ;) 

   Ok, so as you can guess, there may have been some comparing and competitiveness going on growing up, but to get back to what Paul was talking about in the verse I first mentioned, "When they...compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding" (2 Corinthians 10:12). 

   So, me comparing myself to Chad or whoever else, is dangerous, because it can lead to a discontent, unthankful, and even prideful attitude.

   My prayer for myself is that when I find myself comparing myself to others in any way, whether it be concerning what possessions they have or even their circumstances in life, I am to "shut down" those thoughts and focus on what the Lord has given me, and to be thankful for that.  Also, I want to share something that Jerry Bridges wrote that was very convicting for me to read: 

"We constantly see believes around us who seem more blessed by God than we are.  Some are more gifted in spiritual abilities; others always succeed with little effort; others seem to have few problems or concerns.  Probably none of us is exempt from the temptation to envy someone else's blessings and secretly grumble at God, or even charge Him with rank injustice, for giving another person more in some way than He has given us.

Yet God in His sovereignty has the right to bless each of us as He chooses.  consider these words from the apostle Paul: "But who are you, O man, to answer back to God?  Will what is molded say to its molder, 'Why have you made me like this?' Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable uses? (Romans 9:20-21) 

Regardless of how we understand the particular application of Paul's teaching, we cannot escape its basic principle: God is sovereign.  And He's sovereign in every area of life.  Our Creator has the right to endow each of us at birth with different physical and mental abilities, different temperament characteristics, and different natural talents.  He also has the right to give each of us different spiritual gifts.  and it's obvious God exercises those rights.  We're not created equal nor given equal opportunities throughout life. Each of us has his or her own unique set of circumstances, some appearing much more favorable than others.  Since God is under no obligation to any of us, He's free to bless some more than others as He chooses.  He has the right to do what He wants with His blessings." 

~Jerry Bridges

   Yep, that was good for Breana to hear!  I need to be thankful for where the Lord has me in life, for what the Lord has given me in possessions, and for what the Lord has bestowed on me in EVERY area of life.  I should not compare myself to others (including my brother), but instead, thank the Lord for His blessings that He has graciously given me, and be content.  This is easier said than done of course, and O boy do I have a lot of growing to do in this area, but I need to continually depend upon the Lord and pray that He will give me a thankful, content, and gracious spirit!   

Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and as it is only appropriate, take time to count the blessings the Lord has given you, and thank Him for them!  

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, friends! 

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18

Power of Prayer

   I have been reading a little book on George Mueller, a great man of faith and prayer.  If you don't know much about this man, maybe you should take just a minute and learn about him.  He has an amazing story.

   I was given this book on Mueller by my mom.  She wanted to help encourage me in prayer and to show me that when we go before the Throne of Grace, there is great power. 

  I want to share an excerpt of the book which relays a certain event in Mueller's life in which God answered his prayer in a mighty way. 

This particular story is told by a man named Charles Inglis, a well-known evangelist at that time. He writes:

"When I first came to America 31 years ago, I crossed the Atlantic with the captain of a steamer who was one of the most devoted men I even knew; and when we were off the banks of Newfoundland he said to me, 'Mr Inglis, the last time I crossed here, five weeks ago, one of the most extraordinary things happened that has completely revolutionized the whole of my Christian life.  Up to that time I was one of your ordinary Christians.  We had a man of God on board, George Mueller, of Bristol.  I had been on that bridge for twenty-two hours and never left it.  I was startled by someone tapping me on the shoulder.  It was George Mueller.

" 'Captain, ' He said, 'I have come to tell you that I must be in Quebec on Saturday afternoon.'  This was Wednesday. 

" ' It is impossible,' " I said. 

" 'Very well, if your ship can't take me, God will find some other means of locomotion tot take me.  I have never broken an engagement in fifty-seven years.' 

" ' I would willingly help you, but how can I?  I am helpless.' 

" 'Let us go down to the chart room, and pray,' he said.

"I looked at this man and I thought to myself, 'What lunatic asylum could the man have come from? I never heard of such a thing.' 

" 'Mr. Mueller,' I said, 'do you know how dense the fog is?' 

" 'No,'  he replied,  'my eye is not on the density of the fog, but on the living God, who controls every circumstance of my life.' 

"He went down on his knees, and he prayed of the most simple prayers.  I thought to myself, 'That would suit a children's class, where the children were not more than eight or nine years of age.'  The burden of his prayer was something like this. 'O Lord, if it is consistent withe Thy will, please remove this fog in five minutes.  You know the engagement You made for me in Quebec for Saturday.  I believe it is Your will.' 

"When he had finished, I was going to pray, but he put his hand on my shoulder and told me not to pray. 

" 'First,' he said, 'you do not believe God will do it; and, second, I believe He has done it.  And there is no need whatever for you to pray about it.' 

"I looked at him, and George Muller said this, 'Captain, I have known my Lord for fifty-seven years and there has never been a single day that I have failed to gain an audience with the King.  Get up, Captain, and open the door, and you will find the fog is gone.'  I got up, and the fog was gone.  On Saturday afternoon George Mueller was in Quebec."

• Ephesians 6:18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

• Philippians 1:3-4 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,

• 1 Thessalonians 5:17 pray without ceasing

     It is good to be reminded of the power of prayer!!!  As believers, when we pray, we enter into the Throne of Grace.  How amazing is that?!  Pray without ceasing, friends!  The Lord DOES hear the prayers of His beloved!

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18

Another Monday

   It is another Monday.  The wind is howling, the rain is pouring, and the clouds look mad.  It is on mornings like this that I just want to stay in bed all day.  Unfortunately, I cannot do that.  Responsibilities call and there is much to do.  

    Often times, Mondays are the hardest days for me.  It is not just the start of another week, it is the start of yet another week of ROUTINE.   I have my Monday duties and obligations and then there comes Tuesday, Wednesday, and so on.  Sounds like I am complaining doesn't it.  Well, that may be true.  Lord is always  at work in me in a lot of areas of my life, showing how I must improve. Being content and thankful are definite areas in which He has steadfastly shown His grace and mercy toward me.

   I was thinking this morning that yes, it is another Monday, with all of its routine and obligations...but I need to "rejoice always" and to have the right attitude even on a day when I feel just like staying in bed and doing absolutely nothing.   I sometimes just hate even saying those words, "rejoice always".  My rebellious, stubborn, sinful nature "speaks up", in a sense, saying "Yeah, yeah, yeah...whatever.  I have heard it all before, but I don't FEEL like it, and I am not wanting to "rejoice always. That's hard. Giving in is SO much easier."'

  It is SO much easier to give in when my head is telling me to, "have a bad attitude because you feel miserable", or, "go ahead and feel sorry for yourself because things haven't go your way", and so on.  

  Oh, how extremely easy it is to be "happy" when it is all based on my circumstances and how easy it is to be in a sour mood when life is not giving us that feeling of "happiness". 

   It is on Mondays like this, when I am feeling like giving in to my feelings, that I especially need to be in prayer, asking the Lord for His peace, wisdom, and strength, because I know that I cannot "rejoice always" in my own power.   

   So, even if it is "just another Monday", I am still called to rejoice and to give thanks..."for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  (1 Thess. 5:16-18). 

   Yes, it will not be easy, but where in the Bible does it ever say that living Christlike would be a breeze?!  No where.  That is why we must be in dependence upon the One who gives us strength and peace each day.

   So, despite everything "around me" (the weather, how I am feeling physically, my routine schedule, discouragements...etc.) shouting at me to "have a bad attitude", to "give in and be lazy all day", or whatever...I need to yell back and say, "NO! I may not FEEL like being Christlike, but I know that I MUST rejoice, I MUST be thankful for my circumstances, I MUST praise Him, and I MUST keep going." 

   Wow, that was even hard to type.  Friends, I am in no way "there yet".  I struggle everyday with giving into how I am feeling.  That is why I need to constantly focus on taking one day at a time.  Striving TODAY, to live righteously...TODAY taking all of my burdens to the Lord...TODAY saying "no" to my feelings that want to take me down.... and TODAY depending upon Him to give me the strength to live out another Monday. 

  

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18 

Under New Ownership

  I have read so many great devotionals lately by some amazing, Godly people!  I have learned so much!!  Jerry Bridges has taught me how I can apply God's Word in my daily life.  Charles Spurgeon has inspired me to live more Christ-like, while shedding light on the fact that I need to depend on the Lord every minute of every day.  Leslie Ludy has encouraged me to grow in the Lord daily, as a single, young woman, looking to my King for guidance, comfort, and direction, and as the only One who can truly fulfill me! 

   These are just a few of the godly people the Lord has "brought into my life" to challenge and encourage me!  I would also urge you to glean from those who have "gone before you", in a sense, and who have shown wisdom, discernment, and growth in their own Christian lives. 

   This morning I read a devotional by Leslie Ludy.  It was beyond convicting.  The Lord used what Leslie wrote in order to show me how I can bend my knees in prayer to my Heavenly Father, confessing and pleading with Him for His direction and correction in various areas of my life.

Please read the following:

~Under New Ownership~ 

"The secret to the true Christian life is exchanging our own lives for the life of Jesus Christ; allowing our bodies to be completely overtaken by a foreign power – the very Spirit of Almighty God. And declaring along with Paul, “…it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”

Most of us stand in the way of letting Christ truly live in and through us. 

Instead of giving Him the ownership papers to our home – our body, mind, and spirit – we treat Him like a hired servant.

We come to Him when we need answers; we expect Him to provide us with quick solutions to our problems; we demand that He meet our needs and follow our self-made agendas. And when He doesn’t respond, we quickly dismiss Him and take matters into our own hands. We are led by our own whims and desires. We make our own choices, and then ask God to bless them. 

We often believe we are submitted to God’s will, but in reality we expect Him to bend to our own plans. We follow our own hearts and desires, and then ask God to make our spiritual lives vibrant in the midst of it all. 

But the true Christian life doesn’t work that way. When we exchange our lives for Christ’s, we lay our own agendas, dreams, desires, and plans at His feet. We get completely out of the way, and allow Him to live His life through us in whatever way He chooses. 

This is a difficult life-change to make. For our entire lives, we have been the sole rulers of our internal home. We are used to making the decisions. We are used to calling the shots.  But now we must take a lower position. 

Our entire home – our body, mind, and spirit – now belongs to a new Ruler. We turn the ownership papers over to a new Master. He is not our servant; we are His servant. We come and go as He commands.

Even after two years in Christian ministry, Eric and I were amazed to discover how much of our lives were still under our control. We had been trying to overcome spiritual struggles using our own strength and willpower. Our joy and peace were conditional upon our circumstances. And as a result, our Christianity mirrored the defeated, mediocre spiritual existence of our modern times.

Before we were married, we had given God the pen to write our love story. But now we knew we must allow Him to write our life story. We needed to give up our entire existence, so that Christ could live through us.

And once we exchanged our lives for His, things began to dramatically change. 

The still small whisper of God’s Spirit began directing our steps, rather than our own logic and human reasoning. The supernatural power of God’s Spirit began challenging and fortifying us to conquer sin and live lives that radiantly reflected the righteousness of Christ. And though that refining fire was painful, we gained the unquenchable joy that comes from a cleansed inner life." 

    Is the Lord, you claim to serve, truly your Master or are you living as if you are the captain of your own ship and He is the crew member?!  Really think about it dear friends.  It is SO important to examine your own heart! (2 Corinthians 13:5) 

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18 

The Danger of Anxiety

  I read a devotional this morning that discussed "anxiety".  It wasn't just talking about how anxiety is bad for us and how it can weigh us down emotionally, spiritually, or even physically, but it was addressing it in a much more direct way:  "The SIN of Anxiety".   Woah!

    Have you ever thought of anxiety as being sinful?! To be honest, I don't often perceive it to be, but when you really delve into what being anxious means, it completely makes sense.   It is very convicting to look into, but VERY necessary and good.  I struggle with anxiety at times, whether it be a result of the little things in life or even the big things.  Whether it may "spring up" as a result of a seemingly small issue or because of a gigantic problem...it does not change the fact that anxiety is wrong.

  This is the convicting devotional I read this morning.  Please take a moment to read!

   

"When we tell someone, 'Don't be anxious', we're simply trying to encourage or admonish that person in a helpful way.  But when God in His Word tells us, 'Don't be anxious', it has the force or a moral command.  It's His moral will that we not be anxious.  Or to say it more explicitly,  

anxiety is sin.

Anxiety is sin for two reasons.  first, it's a distrust of God.  In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus said that if our heavenly Father takes care of the birds of the air ad the lilies of the field, will He not much more take are of our temporal needs?  When I give way to anxiety, I'm in effect believing that God won't take care of me. 

 Anxiety is also a lack of acceptance of God's providence- His orchestrating all circumstances and events in His universe for His glory and the good of His people.  Some believers have difficulty accepting this fact that Go does in fact do this, and even those who believe this glorious truth often lose sight of it. Instead we focus on immediate causes of our anxiety rather than remembering that those causes are under God's control. 

Anxiety is one of my most persistent temptations.  If you're frequently tempted to anxiety as I am, can you recognize the types of circumstances that tend to make you anxious?  Do you identify with me in chafing under God's providential will for you when it differs from your own agenda? If so, I encouraged you to ask God to give you faith to believe that His providential will for you in these circumstances flows from His infinite wisdom and goodness and is ultimately intended for your good.  Ask Him to give you a heart that is submissive to His providential will." 

~Jerry Bridges~

  

  As I was reading this devotional, my mind started to wander to the variety of things that I am anxious about.  I think that it would be a good idea to write down those "anxiety prone issues" and pray about them to the Lord.   We need to daily be reminded of this truth, that God is our 'Abba' Father, and He cares for us! (1 Peter 5:7)  As a Father cares for and loves His child, so our Heavenly Father watches out for us and meets our needs.  We need to depend upon Him (John 5:15), and to trust in Him daily (Proverbs 3:5-6).  

   Don't be anxious dear friends, but believe the promises that God has given to us in His word and trust in the Lord!  

~Grow in Grace~ 

2Peter 3:18

How Great is Our God!

   This past weekend I spent some quality time with my dad, mom, and grandmother at the coast.  The beach has always been a favorite get-away location for me, and it is by far, a place that carries the most memories for me and it is a glorious setting that always seems to remind me of who my God is. 

   Yesterday, it was a beautiful day.  The sun was shining, there was no wind, except for a calm breeze, the temperature was perfect (for November), and I was able to enjoy a nice run on the sand.  After I completed my work-out, I walked for a bit on the water line, just gazing at God's glorious creation.   I looked around me and saw the encompassing beautiful, clear, blue sky, the crashing of the waves on the surf, and the soaring of the seagulls overhead...what a beautiful place, what a majestic view!!

    As I continued to look all around me, I was completely overtaken with a sense of great awe..."How great is my God, the Creator of all of this!"  I felt so small and insignificant under the vastness of the blue sky above me and so powerless and weak next to the mighty waves.  My God created all of this, and His creation declares His greatness and points to His majesty.  Wow. 

  This verse comes to mind-

"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?" 

Psalm 8:3-4

   Here in these verses, David expressed exactly what I felt.  We see God's amazing creation and we are in awe of it's vastness and beauty.  It should point us to Him, God the Creator (Psalm 19:1-4).  We also see His great power and might in His creation, and yet we know that it is not even a fraction of how great He is.  So, if such glorious and grand places, such as the beach, (or even to mention...the Grand Canyon), are in a sense "only the fingerprints of God"...it leaves me speechless. How then, is it that our GREAT and AWESOME God, is mindful of me, Breana Haas.

  I love the commentary on this verse.  It says, "If the whole universe is diminutive (extremely or unusually small) in the sight of Divine Creator, how much less is the significance of mankind!  Even the word for "man" used in v. 4 alludes to his weakness."  - Yet, as you read on in verse 6 of this Psalm, it shows the significance of man, who was created in the very image of God, to have dominion over the "works of Your hands".  Wow.  

   He created me, Breana Haas, in His very image, He knew me before the foundation of the world.  He loves me, He cares for me, He knows everything about me...even the number of hairs on my head.  Isn't that just amazing?!  What an awesome God we have!  

    The beach, for me, is a reminder of who my great God is, for He us full of loving-kindness and tender mercy!

    ~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18

The Cure For Insecurity

Today’s women are desperately insecure.  There is no question that our lives are teetering on the edge of disaster; that self-hatred, self-abuse, and self-destruction have become the norm among the female camp.  And sadly, women in the church are struggling just as much as their non-Christian counterparts.

But the modern solution – the self esteem message – doesn’t provide lasting results against female insecurity.  Why?  Because the solution presented is all about self.  Self-love, self-acceptance, and self-promotion.  Love yourself.  Be true to yourself.  Live to yourself.  Some of these messages even go as far as to say that by living this way, we will bring glory to God. 

But what is the pattern of Scripture?

Christ said, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Mark 8:34 NKJV) The word “deny” here literally translates: to forget one's self, lose sight of one's self and one's own interests.  We are meant to let all thoughts of self become swallowed up in Him.

The secret to becoming the radiant, beautiful princess of our childhood dreams is forgetting all about our self and becoming completely consumed with only one thing – Jesus Christ.  Just as John the Baptist who declared, “I must decrease, so that He might increase!”

This isn’t just the secret to living out the true Gospel; it’s also the secret to glowing with divine loveliness.  It’s the cure for female insecurity. 

Think about it.  A woman who has truly denied herself, taken up her cross, and become entirely consumed with Jesus Christ is not going to be an insecure young woman, starving herself and obsessed with making herself look more attractive.  Rather, she’s so enraptured with Jesus Christ that she’s completely lost sight of herself.  As Bishop Bardsley put it, “They care not at all what the world thinks of them, because they are entirely taken up with the tremendous realities of their King.”

A woman who has yielded her selfish agenda to the Spirit of Jesus Christ, who does not listen to the voice of her self but yields only to the voice of her King is not going to become a sex object, throwing herself at guy after guy in desperation.  Her security comes from a completely different source.  She doesn’t derive her value from the attention of guys.  Her value comes from knowing she has been redeemed and loved by the King of all kings.  Her focus is on His desires, not on her own selfish wants.

The women throughout Christian history who have truly glowed with heavenly beauty all had one thing in common – an emptying of self.  They were so caught up in the things of God that they gave no thought to their own lives.  They did not seek to draw eyes to themselves.  The sought to bring glory to Jesus Christ alone.

As a result, they were some of the most confident, poised and courageous women that have ever lived.  They accomplished amazing things for the Kingdom of God.  They saved lives.  They stood before Kings.  They rescued dying children.  They reformed societies.

And they did it without spending their time and energy focused on self.

-Devotional by Leslie Ludy-

(Setapartgirl.com) 

~Grow in grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18

Teach Me Lord

     At church this morning, we sang this beautiful hymn about the walk of a believer, a follower of Christ, and how as Christians, we must seek to obey the Lord and follow after Him.  The words from this hymn really encouraged me and challenged me to grow in my faith!

~Teach Me O Lord~

"Teach me, O Lord, thy way of truth, And from it

I will not depart; That I may steadfastly obey, Give me an understanding heart. 

In thy commandments make me walk, For in thy law my joy shall be; 

Give me a heart that loves thy will, From discontentment and envy free. 

Turn thou mine eyes from vanity, And cause me in thy ways to tread; 

O let thy servant prove thy Word And thus to godly fear be led. 

Turn thou away reproach and fear; Thy righteous judgments I confess;

To know thy precepts I desire; Revive me in thy righteousness." 

   This hymn was a good reminder for me to keep my eyes on the truth contained in God's Holy Word and to find my joy in knowing my King.  I want to walk in the way of truth and to know His precepts! I pray He will give me an understanding heart!!

~Grow in Grace~

2 Peter 3:18 

Our Great Sustainer!

"For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" 

"Or who has given a gift to Him that He might be repaid?"  

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.  

To Him be glory forever.  Amen."

Romans 11:34-36

    Verse 34 of this verse is from Isaiah 40:13.  Reading in the commentary on this passage from the O.T., it says, "Isaiah pointed to the incomparable wisdom of God.  Paul alluded to this verse in connection with God's wisdom in dealing with Jews and Gentiles (Romans 11:34-36) and with God's impartation (communication) of wisdom to the spiritual believer (1 Corinthians 2:16).

    As read in verse 36 of Romans chapter 11, God is indeed the source, the sustainer, and the rightful end of everything that exists.

   What does it mean to 'sustain'?  The dictionary defines this word as, "strengthen or support physically or mentally. To undergo and to suffer. Uphold, affirm, or confirm the justice or validity of." 

   Jesus Christ is indeed our great Sustainer!  He chose to suffer at the cross on our behalf.  He underwent great persecution, pain, and humiliation for the cause of our salvation.  He upheld, affirmed, and confirmed our salvation because of the cross.  He bore our sins at Calvary, He received the punishment for our wicked deeds, He endured the wrath of God in death, but He victoriously validated His deity in the resurrection.   He is our great Sustainer!!!  

   Truly, "of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things"  (v. 36).  

Are you looking to Christ as your great Sustainer?  

~Grow in Grace~ 

1 Peter 3:18 

Growing in Love

   I just read this devotional and found it very encouraging and also convicting!

"How can we develop our love for God so that our obedience is prompted by love instead of some lesser motive?  The Scripture gives us our first clue, or beginning point, when it says, 'We love because he first loved us' (1 John 4:19).  Our love to God can only be a response to His love for us.  If I don't believe God loves me, I cannot love Him.  to love God, I must believe that He is for me, not against me (Romans 8:31) and that He accepts me as a son or daughter, not a slave (Galatians 4:7). 

What would keep us from believing God loves us?  The answer is a sense of guilt and condemnation because of our sin.  the same tender conscience that enables us to become aware of sins that lie deep beneath the level of external actions can also load us down with guilt.  When we're under that burden and sense of condemnation, it is difficult to love God or believe that He loves us.  

We cannot love God if we think we're under His judgement and condemnation.  James Fraser said, 'But whilst the conscience retains the charge of guilt, condemnation, and wrath, there cannot be purity, or sincerity of heart toward God, or sincerity of the love of God.  Human nature is so formed that it cannot love any object that is adverse and terrible to it.'

This means we must continually take those sins that our consciences accuse us of to the cross and plead the cleaning blood of Jesus.  Only the blood of Christ cleanses our consciences so that we may no longer feel guilty (Hebrews 9:14, 10:2). 

~Jerry Bridges~

"The Lord is on my side" (Psalm 118:6).

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18

Cruise Control or Race Car?

{"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." - 1 John 5:3}

   I read the following devotional this morning that discusses more of this verse in 1 John:

"If we're to love God with all our heart and soul and mind, and if obedience is a major part of such love, it follows that we're to obey Him with all our heart, soul, and mind.  We're to put everything we have into obedience to Him.

Most of us believers practice what I call a "cruise-control" approach to obedience.  We press the pedal of obedience until we've brought our behavior up to a certain level or speed, which is most often determined by the behavior standard of other Christians around us.  We don't want to lag behind them, nor are we eager to gorge ahead.  We want to just comfortably blend in.  Once we have arrived at this comfortable level of obedience, we push the cruise-control button in our hearts, ease back, and relax.  We don't have to watch the speed limit signs in God's Word, and we certainly don't have to experience the fatigue that comes with striving to obey Him with all our heart, soul, and mind. 

By contrast consider race-car drivers.  They wouldn't think of using cruise control.  They're not interested in blending in with hose around them.  They want to win the race.  So they're totally focused on their driving.  They try to pus their car to the outer limits of its mechanical ability and endurance, and press themselves to the limits of their skill.  They're driving with all their heart, soul, and mind.

This is what it means to love and obey God with all our heart, soul, and mind.  It means striving for holiness, in the words of Hebrews 12:14.  It means making every effort to add to our faith the various facets of Christian character, in the words of 1 Peter 1:5-7."

~Jerry Bridges~

Holiness Day by Day Devotional

     So, are you one who uses cruise control or are you a race car driver?  

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18 

Sufficiency of Scripture

I read this on an other blog I follow via twitter, and it was very good.  Please, I would highly recommend you taking a moment and reading the following.

"The desires of the heart are not unchangeable. God never promises to give you what you want, to meet your felt needs and longings. He tells you to be ruled by other, different desires. This is radical. God promises to change what you really want! God insists that He be first, and all lesser loves be radically subordinate…

God challenges the things that everybody, everywhere eagerly pursues (Matt. 6:32). What desires of body and mind (Eph. 2:3) do people naturally follow? Consider our characteristic passions: desires of the body include life itself, air, health, water, food, clothing, shelter, sexual pleasure, rest, and exercise. Desires of the mind include happiness, being loved, meaning, money and possessions, respect, status, accomplishment, self-esteem, success, control, power, self-righteousness, aesthetic pleasure, knowledge, marriage and family. Must these rule our lives? They did not rule Jesus’ life. Can these cravings really be changed? The Bible says Yes, and points us to the promises of God: to indwell us with power, to write truth on our hearts, to pour out His love in our hearts, to enable us to say “Abba, Father.”

As we have seen, many of these things are not bad in themselves. The evil in our desires does not lie in what we want, but in the fact that we want it too much. Our desires for good things seize the throne, becoming idols that replace the King. God refuses to serve our instinctive longings, but commands us to be ruled by other longings. What God commands, He provides the power to accomplish: He works in us both the willing and the doing of His good pleasure (Phil. 2:12-13)." 

 ~By Melissa Griffen 

"Beauty Supplements" 

    I pray that the Lord would continually transform my desires into His!  The Christian life is not a life of drudgery, despair, and feelings of lost ambition and dreams, but as we seek Christ daily, we will be fulfilled and satisfied by what He continually does in us.  Will it be difficult at times, of course. Will we have desires that may not be fulfilled right away or at all, yes, but as we continually cling to Him, there is a joy that will abound that is far above anything we could ever wish or dream for!  As Melissa touched on, our desires may change as He transforms our life.  Seek Him friends, and find true, everlasting joy! 

Have a great Wednesday! 

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18 

Like Moses

   I was reading Exodus 4:10-12 the other day, and this passage really "struck home" for me.  In the context of the chapter, God is calling Moses to return to Egypt and go before the evil King, Pharaoh, declaring that he must let Israel go.  After receiving this instruction from the Lord, Moses became very aware of his inability to do so.

    As it states in vv 10-12, "Then Moses said to the Lord, 'O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant, but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.'  So the Lord said to him, 'Who has made man's mouth?  Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind?  Have not I, the Lord?  Now therefore, go and I will be your mouth and teach you what you shall say.'"

    Wow.  As I was reading that, I was just so comforted and even a bit ashamed because at times I fell like Moses.  I can almost relate to him because I am not very eloquent in speech nor am I one to communicate very well at times.  I stumble over my words and thinking on the spot is not one of my strong point.  Well, it seems like this is the difficulty Moses had as well.  Imagine, going before the King of Egypt and declaring to him, "Let my people go", confronting his evil ways and basically declaring to him that he is not in control.  If I ever was told to do such a thing, I would run for the hills!!!  I am sure Moses felt like doing so, but the Lord graciously and kindly corrected his thinking.

    I love what the Lord said, "Who has made man's mouth?  Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind?  Have not I, the Lord?  Now therefore, go and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say."  The study notes in my Bible say this about vv. 11-12, "Three rhetorical questions from God shut the door on any complaints or criticisms about being clumsy of speech.  The follow-up command, 'Therefore go!' including its promise of divine help in speech forbade all such objections.'

     So many times I feel like Moses.  I focus so much on my inability and stop at that instead of realizing that yes, I may have insecurities and supposed inefficiencies in areas, but I need to then set my eyes on the One who ultimately is in control and who will be at work through me despite my doubts.  He made me, He made my mouth, and He is very capable of using it despite my inabilities.

   We all can be like Moses at times, but use those moments to then redirect your thinking and pray to the One who is our great Helper and Provider!  Trust in Him, and He will guide you!

Have a great Tuesday, friends!

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18 

I Have a Big God!

   For the past couple of weeks I have been making my way through the book of Exodus.  I currently have read my way up to the 9th chapter.  The reason I began studying this great book is because I knew that I needed to be reminded of who my God is. 

    I regularly forget how BIG and GREAT  He really is.  In reading through Exodus, I am being reminded of His majesty and glory.


    Seeing His divine hand in raising Moses up as Israel's deliverer, seeing His power and might displayed in Egypt against Pharaoh, and seeing His loving kindness and mercy towards His people Israel, is incredible to read and to really think about...THIS God is my God!  I pray to the same God that Moses cried out to, the same God who mightily worked in Egypt, and who dealt so graciously with Israel.  Wow!

   Isn't that just so neat to think about?!  I need to focus on who God is by reading these passages of scripture because I know that I am forgetful and become distracted. 

    I call these passages of scripture, such as Exodus 6-12, "Big God Passages" because it reveals SO emphatically how mighty and great God is.

     I need to be constantly reminded of who my God is and what He has done.  How easily I forget.

I would encourage you this week to read some "Big God Passages", and really meditate on them.

Have a good start to your week!

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18 

Resting in the Joy!!

This is such a beautiful hymn: 

Jesus, I am resting, resting  In the joy of what Thou art;

I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee, And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For by Thy transforming power Thou hast made me whole.

Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless, satisfies my heart –
Satisfies its deepest longings, meets, supplies its ev’ry need,
Compasseth me round with blessings: Thine is love indeed!

Ever lift Thy face upon me As I work and wait for Thee;
Resting ‘neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus, earth’s dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father’s glory, Sunshine of my father’s face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting, Fill me with Thy grace.

Jesus, I am resting, resting in the joy of what Thou art,
I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart.

( Jean Sophia Pigott, 1845-1882)

Are you resting in the joy of the Lord?! 

Who it is We Pray to

"He is the most Holy of all kings, His throne is a great white throne--unspotted and clear as crystal.  'The stars are not pure in His sight. How much less man, that is a worm?' (Job 25:5-6).  With what lowliness should you draw near to Him.  Familiarity there may be, but let it not be unhallowed.  Boldness there should be, but let it not be impertinent . You are still on earth, and He in heaven.  Yo are still a worm of the dust, and He Everlasting.  before the mountains were brought forth, He was God, and if all created things should pass away, yet He would still be the same.  I am afraid we do not bow as we should before the Eternal Majesty.  Let us ask the Spirit of God to put us in a right frame, that every one of our prayers may be a reverential approach to the Infinite Majesty above." 

~Charles Spurgeon~

Give Me a Quiet Mind

"When winds are blowing, waves are rising, falling
And all the air is full of dust and spray;
When voices, like to sea birds’ plaintive calling,
Confuse my day;

Then, then I know Thee, Lord of highest heaven
In newborn need discover Thee, and find
Nought can discomfort him to whom is given
A quiet mind.

When hopes have failed, and heavy sadness crusheth,
And doubt and fear would weave their deadly spell,
Then thought of Thee my troubled spirit husheth;
And all is well.

In midnight hours when weariness ignoreth
Heaven’s starry host, and battle wounds are mine,
Then Thy right hand uplifteth and outpoureth
Love’s oil and wine.

O Blessed Lord, beyond the moment’s sorrow
I see above, beaneath, before, behind–
Eternal Love. Give me today, tomorrow,
A quiet mind."

~Poem by Amy Carmichael~

    I personally love the stanza that expresses the fear, doubt, and worry that may overtake us at times, but when we think upon the Lord, remembering His promises, then, 'all is well.'  

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18   

Giving God the Glory

This was so good to really think about!

"We all know people, even unbelievers, who seem to be natural servants. They are always serving others one way or another. But God does not get the glory; they do. It is their reputation that is enhanced. But when we, natural servants or not, serve in dependence upon the grace of God with the strength He supplies, God is glorified."
-Jerry Bridges

Are you receiving the glory for the service you may have done or are you giving God the glory for what He is doing through you?!

Learning to Trust

Here are some very wise words from one of my favorite authors and speakers, Jerry Bridges.  Be encouraged dear friends!

~Learning to Trust~ 

"It's difficult to believe God is in control when we're in the midst of heartache or grief.  I've struggled with this many times myself.  Each time I've had to decide if I would trust Him, even when my heart ached.  I realized anew that we must learn to trust God one circumstance at a time.

It's not a matter of my feelings of my will.  I never feel like trusting God when adversity strikes, but I can choose to do so anyway.  That act of the will must be based on belief, and belief must be based on the truth that God is sovereign.  He carries out His own good purposes without ever being thwarted, and nothing is outside of his sovereign will.  We must cling to this in the face of adversity and tragedy, if we're to glorify God by trusting Him. 

I'll say this as gently and compassionately as I know how: Our first priority in adversity is to honor and glorify God by trusting Him.  Gaining relief from our feelings of heartache or disappointment or frustration is a natural desire, and God has promised to give us grace sufficient for our trials and peace for our anxieties (2 Corinthians 12:9; Philippians 4:6-7).  But just as God's will is to take precedence over our will ("Yet not as I will, but as you will"- Matthew 26:39), so God's honor is to take precedence over our feelings.  We honor God by choosing to trust Him when we don't understand what He is doing or why He has allowed some adverse circumstance to occur.  As we seek God's glory, we may be sure He has purposed our good and that He won't be frustrated in fulfilling that purpose." 

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18   

Discouragement Diminished

    The way I picture discouragement is like a large, dark, cloud hanging over someone, just about to pour out all of its rainy, miserable contents.  It's easy for me to picture this because in Oregon, we experience the darkness, the cloudiness, and the extreme wetness.  So, needless to say, that is how I picture, in my mind, discouragement.

     The loss of enthusiasm, confidence, and even joy in how we feel is never a welcome string of emotions.  No one likes to feel a sense of being burdened down with anxieties and stress.   It is, as if, a gloomy, ugly cloud was just hovering over you, making no room for light at all to seep through.  What a depressing feeling, but thankfully, for the Christian, there is hope.

     We can experience discouragement in all shapes, sizes, and forms, but we all need to remember and keep our eyes on the truth that, "surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me.  This I recall to my mind.  Therefore I have hope.  The Lord's loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness.  'The Lord is my portion', says my soul, 'Therefore I have hope in Him.'  The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him."  (Lamentations 3:20-25)   What an amazing passage of scripture!

    Dear friends, we do not have to settle with the thought that there is no way out from underneath the great cloud of disappointment, but we can be ever so confident in knowing that there is a way for the light to break through the great mass and shine brightly.  When we focus on the truth and constantly "preach to ourselves" it is then when we begin to have hope and peace, which is what the Lord graciously gives to those who seek Him! 

     Read the promises of scripture and focus on truth, for it has the power to break through any dark, gloomy cloud of disappointment and diminish it! 

Have a wonderful Christ-centered Friday, friends!

~Grow in Grace~

2 Peter 3:18 

Keep Your Eye on the Goal

"I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." 

(Philippians 3:14) 

     All of us face the pressure of more to do than we have time for.  so we have to set priorities.  We have to determine what's most important in our lives.  We have to ask, 'Do I really want to grow spiritually.'  

     Get your goal clearly in mind and keep focused on that.  Paul used the analogy of the competitive races of his day to challenge the Corinthians to pay the price of growth.  'Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize?  So run that you may obtain it.  Every athlete exercises self-control in all things.  They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.  So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air' (1 Corinthians 9:24-25).  

     In our case, we have an advantage over those Grecian runners.  In a given race, only one received the prize, and it was only a wreath that would soon fade.  But we're not in competition with anyone.  We can all get the prize, and it will last forever.  

     What is your spiritual goal?  Do you really want to get the prize?  Do you want to grow to be the man or woman God wants you to be?  Do you want to pay the price of the spiritual disciplines you need to practice in order to grow?  Or will you be content to sort of muddle through your Christian life and, at the end, have to sum it all up as not more meaningful than a trip tot eh corner store for a loaf of bread?

   The choice is yours.  What will it be? 

-Devotional written by Jerry Bridges- 

He Directs Our Steps

     Over the last few days, I have really been pursuing job opportunities, after being unemployed for a while.  I have prayed to the Lord concerning where I should work, what I should do, and where I should go.  I have updated my resume, created a cover letter, done my research on different employment opportunities, and now I am just starting to go out into the "field", so to speak, and present, to possible employers, all that I have prepared for in seeking employment.   It is quite an intimidating process.  I do not know if I will be well received, rejected, or even if I will be given any feedback at all.  A verse in Proverbs continually came to my mind today as I was online doing my research for different job opportunities.  It is such a great passage of scripture.

     Proverbs 16:9 states, "A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps."  I needed to really think through what this verse is saying.  I, Breana Haas, may, in my own mind, have a business I want to work for, a line of work I want to pursue, but I am still completely subject to the ultimate purpose and will of the Lord.  Meaning, that my sovereign God overrules my plans in order to fulfill His purposes.  My "Abba" Father knows what is best for me, His daughter, and He will open and shut doors in order to lead me to where He desires me, His child, to be.  It is comforting to know that He is in control, but at the same time, I know that the path may be a difficult one at times especially if I do not see the results that I want or receive any responses to my resumes.  It is then, during those times, which I know will come, that I need to pray, "Thy will be done in this Lord".   He will lead me in the way He ultimately desires for me to go.  I can make plans, but He directs my steps.  

   I read these other verses that were very encouraging.  Proverbs 16:1, "The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord."  Psalm 37:23, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in His way though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand."  Proverbs 20:24, "A man's steps are of the Lord; How then can a man understand his own way?"  Proverbs 10:23, "O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in a man who walks to direct his own steps."  Lastly, one of my favorite passages of scripture, "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

   I need to be in constant dependence upon the Lord and seek to obey Him.  He will lead, guide, and direct those who are His.  I am simply not to worry but to trust and obey. 

~Grow in Grace~

2 Peter 3:18

Be Still

    My mom had Pandora playing on her computer the other day and this song came on as we were talking in her at-home office.  Be encouraged dear friends by the words in this beautiful song!  Please, take a moment and listen. 

"Tess-Timony"

   Over the last few months, I have had the privilege of volunteering at a local Pregnancy Resource Center.  It is so neat to see the Lord at work in this ministry to women who are pregnant and may be going through difficult situations.  The Lord has constantly been teaching me so much every time I go in to help out at the center. 

   I read this story during my last volunteer shift and it was so touching to see the Lord at work in a very difficult situation.  I want to share with you the remarkable story of Joannah Tess Fuller.

The following is taken from an article submitted to Focus on the Family's Pregnancy Resource Ministry:

"The doctor had just called and said,  'Nina, I want you to come back in for another test.  There is something suspicious on the ultrasound, and I want to re-examine the baby.'  In that moment, my life began to change forever.  I never imagined that I would have a complicated pregnancy.  After all, my three sons were each delightful pregnancies and easy deliveries.  I loved being pregnant; and at 37 I looked forward to having one more child, one more dream to fulfill.  I always wanted a little girl to dress in pin and ruffles and ribbons.  It seemed my dream was about to be shattered, and a nightmare was lurking around the corner. 

Ever since I can remember, I have been a passionate believer in the value of every human life.  I have based this belief on the knowledge that God is the Master Creator, carefully knitting every human life inside every mother's womb.  My convictions on the sanctity of human life run hard and deep, and in the back of my mind I used to wonder if my beliefs would ever be tested.  

After we went back to the doctor's office for the second ultrasound and an amniocentesis, my husband and I got on our knees and begged God to give us a healthy child.  Yet, we would trust Him, no matter what His will was.  We seemed to vacillate between home and calamity.  We were both fearful, yet full of faith. 

Two weeks later, we sat in the doctor's office and received the news that our fourth child was indeed a girl, and this much longed-for baby had Trisomy 21, commonly known as Down Syndrome.  Instead of having 46 chromosomes in each of her cells, she had 47.  During cell division, the two #21 chromosomes did not separate properly.  We also learned that our fragile daughter had two congenital heart defects. 

There was no doubt in our minds or our hearts that we would carry this baby and do all the we could for her.  Our young, but very mature, sons all agreed that God was giving this baby to our family so she would be loved and not aborted. 

Shortly after we received our news, I began experiencing physical complications.  Severe panic attacks began to interfere with my sleep at night.  Soon, they would hit hard and strong during the daytime as well.  I learned that they were not simply a psychological manifestation of an unresolved issue.  They were real, physical anomalies that could not be mastered by sheer mental abilities.  My heart would race out of control, my skin would crawl, my muscles would tense.  My body retained fluid that was evident in every joint and feature.  I could not breathe or swallow without great effort.

Day by day I resolved to recite Scripture, claiming God's healing on my body.  I took charge of my raging thoughts, standing firm on the truths of God's Word.  The most significant Scriptures that become my anchor were Proverbs 3:5-6, Jeremiah 29:11, and Psalm 139. I knew I must trust the Lord with all my heart, lean not on my own understanding of the situation, acknowledge Him throughout this difficult time and have confidence that He would surely direct our path.  I looked forward to the fulfillment of the promise of a future that held hope and not despair, blessings and not calamity.  I had every confidence that God the Creator was carefully, not carelessly, knitting my unborn baby in my womb.  There was a purpose for her body being formed differently from what I had dreamed.  God had a great plan for each of our lives before one day was even lived. 

The physical toll on my body was exhausting.  During my seventh month of pregnancy, I was admitted to the hospital.  My life was in danger.  My doctor came into the room, cleared his throat and announced, 'This pregnancy MUST be terminated immediately.' I had developed congestive heart failure, pulmonary edema and kidney failure.  I was hours from facing eternity. 

As my husband and I heard those words, I looked over at my youngest son, Joey, and wondered if I would live to ever hold him again, to hug him, to kiss him, to watch him grow up.  Would I give up my life and the children I already had in order to let this unborn baby live? Would she have to give up her life before she breathed one breath?  Would she even survive this premature intrusion of the quiet, silent world of my womb in which she lived? 

At 9:53 p.m., Feb 10, 1995, two-and-a-half months before she was due to be born Joannah Tess Fuller arrived by Cesarean section.  She weighed 2 pounds, 11 ounces, and was only 15 inches long.  After the doctors worked on my heart, I was taken to the Intensive Care unit.  I would not be conscious for almost three days.  But my baby was a fighter and doing amazingly well.  God saw fit to spare each of our lives, and we would live to love again. 

Tess continues to amaze us with her abilities, her incredible charm and her power to bring people of all ages closer tot he Lord.  We also have the privilege of sharing our story with people all around the country, bringing home for the future to other families.  Tess' first name is Joannah, which means "God's gracious gift".  What a prophetic name!  We have received an incredible gift all wrapped up in a beautiful Down Syndrome package, and we cherish every day with our precious little girl!" 

Every life is precious and a gift from God!