Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, let us reason together... though your sins are scarlet they shall be white as snow"

Isaiah 5:1 "Why will you be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick and the whole heart faint."

On this actual snow day, with a heavy heart and a mind full of questions, stumbling across this verse was very... eye opening. If you summed up all the questions that were running marathons in my mind, these two questions could not be more perfect to explain them.  I would have to add one more though

Why do we remain so faithless at times when The Father has always remained faithful?

We know the devil wants us to succeed in nothing that glorifies God. We know this ways and his motives. We also know God is powerful, all knowing, sovereign, loving, and merciful. We know His ways and His motives too. We know that He will always get us through. So if that is true, we remain so faithless at times yet He remains so faithful. 

We as humans are capable of anything sinful. We are sinful by nature, but that's when we have to empty ourselves of human desires, fleshly ambition, selfishness, wants, and thoughts. By emptying ourselves of these things, by denying ourselves, that is how we ultimately overcome that urge to quit. The urge to remain faithless. The urge to rebel. The urge to be struck down. We have to fully empty ourselves to be fully filled with the power and strength of Christ. 

"We all fall prey to poison. All the time. We take it in because we don't recognize it for what it truly is." (Your Captivating Heart)

When the poison enters our hearts, the depth and core to who we are, then it becomes deadly. The heart becomes faint and it begins to impact what we believe about ourselves. Then, the poison becomes has the power to kill. 

The poison I am referring to here is the little word "convince". 

To convince is to cause someone to belief firmly in the truth of something. 

We fall prey to what the Devil convinces us of. 
That we aren't good enough. 
That We are good enough.
That God is holding out on us.
That God can't be trusted.
That We can't overcome our sin.
That We are guilty.
That We are shameful.
That We are unworthy.
That We are useless.
That We are powerless. 

Those are just a few of my poisons. I could go on and on. I'm sure if you thought about it, you too could add a few more to that list. 

Ultimately the point I am trying to make is that we fall prey to the poison of the devil's convincing lies. Because we have fallen prey, we are struck down, and we continue to rebel. Our whole head is sick, and our heart is faint. The beauty of that is, there is always a chance for God to come in and reveal to us the truth; to wipe it all clean, again, and continue to transform and renew our hearts. Remember what I said before, He remains faithful even in our faithlessness (2 Tim 2:13). 

Even though we have been faithless, even though we have been struck down, even though we continue to rebel, we have the sweet truth of Isiah 1:18 to remind us we can have a renewed head and heart.

'Come now, let us reason together' says The Lord 'though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.'

We are all capable of falling prey to some poison. Maybe your poison isn't mine. Maybe yours isn't the shiny apple that was both appealing to Eve and Snow White, but it is something. Regardless of what it is, be attentive, When you get struck down, don't let it keep you down. Rely on the promises and truth The Lord is constantly trying to speak to your heart. 


though your sins are scarlet, they shall be made white as snow. 
How perfect and humbling for this snowy day. 

think about it//what are you holding onto that is scarlet and needs to be made white as snow?

-B

2 Corithians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; BEHOLD, the new has come! (ESV; emphasis added)

Happy New Year & Happy 2014!

Over this past week, as the end of 2013 approached, I have seen millions of posts, links, and articles for how to be the "Best you in 2014!" each one consisting of lists for days of 5 to 25 things to do to become the "best you in 2014".

& Now, I can't say that I have read any of them because if I had to guess they are all the same..

diet.
exercise.
make new friends.
travel.
break old habits.
create new habits.
get a hobby.
go back to school.
get a new job.
start a new career.
find yourself. (whatever the world that means...)
get more sleep.
get married.
spend less time on Facebook, Snap Chat, Instagram, and what not.
beat all the levels of Candy Crush 

Okay, so I may have just made that last one.. but regardless, all of those list are basically the same. And yes, I have only seen 22 years of life so I may not be hitting the "wise" mark on some of your scales, but I can tell you that NONE of those will work. NONE of those will truly make you the "best you in 2014".

So now you're probably thinking, "well okay then.. so what will?"

To answer the lingering question, "how to become the best me in 2014?" I give you one way. One answer. One thing to do.

to become the best you in 2014, you have to lose yourself in Christ. The closer you grow to Him, the more fully you become your true self. 


2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come! (ESV emphasis added). 

This verse right here tells us that in Christ you are made new. Nothing else can truly change you like Christ having your heart, soul, and mind. 

So why don't those long list of worldly things work or last... Galatians 5:17 & Matthew 26:41 tells us.  

Galatians 5: 17 "For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other"

Matthew 26:41b "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." 

Now, there are a bunch more examples I could pull and share about how that list of worldly things would not work.. but that is not my point. My point is to share with you why that one way, one answer, one suggestions, and one thing that the Lord placed on my heart to share,  will work. 


In reading my new devotional to start the 2014 year "My utmost for His Highest" (which is amazing!) I read that our determined purpose is to become my utmost (which means most extreme or greatest) for His Highest -- my best for His glory. 

So, it's not for you? Your spouse? Your significant other? Your children? Your friend? Your family? Your neighbor? None of these? Than who for? Why do it?

 You become the best you for the glory of The Lord. 

Okay-- so now we know the one thing; what does that one thing look like? 

I have read a lot of Lysa Terkeurst books, as a lot of you know because I reference them quite often in my writings. This exert from "What Happens When Young Women Say Yes to God" explains why it will work better than I could muster up myself. 


p9. 

"Ready for something better?

Most of us long for something better. Different. Special. Extraordinary. We desire something more meaningful than day-to-day survival.
And the amazing thing is that even before we can name that desire, God has placed within us and is drawing us closer to Him through that desire. Our hunger to be special and to do special things is our spiritual hunger to have an extraordinary relationship with God.

But how do we leave the normal behind and heard toward the extraordinary?

We start a journey! The amazing, transforming, anything but normal journey you begin the moment you say "yes" to God. "

No diet, new workout schedule, tanning package, wardrobe, hairstyle, boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, baby, job, hobby, or any worldly thing will really bring out the best version of you. Not in 2013. Not in 2014. Not in 2015 either. You can plan all you want to break bad habits and create new ones or whatever your "new years resolution" is ---- but no matter what, if you you try it on your own surely you will fail-- but if you give him your whole heart and your undivided attention, with His strength and power and with full reliance,  on The Lord you will be successful in becoming the best you in 2014. 


and one last quote from "What Happens When Young Women Say Yes to God"

pg 58.

"One thing you can be assured of is that God has already worked together all the details of what your obedience will accomplish and it is good"


So friend, I challenge you today, tomorrow, and the rest of your days to come to try this one thing. Say "yes" to God and be obedient to His calling on your life. 

Tell him you want to crave Him more than anything else. You want to give your whole heart to Him. You want Him to lead you on that extraordinary journey. You want to have that amazing relationship with Him that is like none you will ever experience. You want to follow Him hard and continue to seek His face and His will, kingdom, and righteousness above all else (Matthew 6:33). 

Open your heart up to The Lord. Become a new creation in Him. Start your amazing, transforming, anything but normal "yes" journey with Him. Become the best you in 2014 by the absolute and irrevocable surrender of your will. His will is better, He knows better, and He always has you best interest in mind.

Be determined to be the greatest you absolutely and entirely for Him.

-B