Monday, February 6, 2012

"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in the world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." --C.S. Lewis

If we take the time to reflect, I think we all recognize that there is a yearning within us for something that this world can not provide. We are meant to know God - to have a relationship with Him that transcends earth and time. Let us push aside all the unnecessary things that clog our lives and take time to spend with our Father. He is the One who satisfies and completes us.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Law and Grace

I have to admit I like the law. Give me a list of things I should do, and I will try to do them - that's my personality. But I know that I can't do all the commands of God perfectly - in fact, I can't do any of them perfectly - not even close. So I am totally dependent on grace. And what marvelous grace it is! Forgiveness of sins through the death of Jesus, the love of my heavenly Father, the help of the Holy Spirit.

Grace does change everything. Live your life in God's grace. He loves you and His power is available every moment.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Meditation

"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Bible reading and Bible study are important and good, but meditation on God's Word, I think, is the most important. That's the way the Word goes down from your head into your heart. One good way to mediate is to take a short passage of Scripture and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. Meditate on what you learn about God and what He is showing you to do. Remind yourself about what He shows you throughout the day. The hard part is remembering to think about it, and, at first, when you are busy, it seems impossible. But keep asking the Holy Spirit to remind you. It cannot help but be a blessing to you.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Unchanging God

God doesn't change. He doesn't adapt to changing culture. He doesn't lower his standards. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is and always will be holy, mighty, loving, righteous, good. We can always rely on His unchanging love and mercy toward us, as well as on his absolute promise to punish evil. He is to be loved and feared. He is an awesome God in the true sense of the word. There will come a time when EVERY knee will bow before Him. Choose every day to love and follow Him.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

You Make Beautiful THings

All this pain
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You

You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new
You are making me new

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Life and Death

"In Him was life..." John 1:4
"The wages of sin is death..." Romans 3:23

In his "Showers of Blessings" that I have been reading to Grandma, Grandpa says he is fascinated by pairs - both in the Bible and in nature. One pair is "life" and "death." Michael probably sees this most clearly in the physical realm, but it is in the spiritual realm, too. Every day we choose either life or death in what we say or do. We can speak words of life to others, or words of death. The things we choose to do either are life-giving or death-giving. Choose life.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

The Value of Human Life

Please listen, at least for a few minutes.

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId={4CF5FEA6-5F68-48C4-A5F5-030DBB351A83}