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

Psalm 61:8 So I will sing praises to your name, as I preform my vows day after day.

As the holiday seasons come to an end, and 2013 fades into 2014, I think it's very beneficial to look back over the past year. Be reflective. What worked. What didn't. What prayers were answered. What did God protect me from. Where did He show up big time when I fell short. How have I changed. How have i grown. 

For me, I can answer all of these but it would take blog posts for days. There is one area of my life and my walk that had been heavy on my heart. I have been studying the subject of this post for a couple of weeks. Usually, that doesn't happen for me. I study for a week or for a couple of days and then I feel led to write. This time it is a little bit different, but I know I am writing this post at the perfect time for me and for another. 

Flipping back through my journal, December 3 was the first day I came across the word "vow" in the Bible while I was reading through Psalms. That triggered the thought "vows. original vows. Who are our original vows with?" 

If I asked you who our first original relationship was with or who our original love was with, that seems to make more sense and settle a little easier in understanding. But using the word "vow" even for me challenged me to think a little more and see my relationship with God a little differently. Relationships and love represent a connection. Vow represents work and effort. 

If I threw out the question "when you hear the word vow what comes to mind?" I think a lot of my answers would be very similar (and of course I actually did this. These are real answers I received)

Marriage

Wedding

Forever

Commitment 

Bride & groom making vows to each other. 

How they are supposed to be kept forever 

Something to always remember and want to remember 

One day one time & then basically forgotten. 

Being the teacher I am, I of course have to find the real meaning of this word. 

Vow - 

a solemn promise 

Dedicate to someone or something

Voluntary promise to preform or abstain from performing something 

I'll be honest, when I think of vows I think the same things. Marriage, love, husband and wife. Vows are your commitment and voluntary promise to that other person who you make a promise to. That in sickness and in health you hold to those things.

So if we take that word "vow" and apply it to our relationship with Christ, how much more serious would we be? How much more intentional would we be with our time with him? Because realistically vows require us to do something. 

In this time of reflection, I needed a heart check and that's why I feel like God laid this on my heart. Have I made my vows to The Lord my God and performed them (Ps 76:11) or have they been something for me that has been basically forgotten. 

Christ is ultimately our first love. Adam & Eve's first relationships and vows were with God and ours should be also. When we let things come between or hinder our relationship our hearts suffer and other relationships suffer. I don't think we go into a marriage with the viewpoint that we aren't going to do anything and that the love that person has for us is enough. Or that it won't require work but will still remain strong. If we don't have that mentality with a marriage or dating relationship, why would we have that same mentality and thought process in regards to our relationship with God? To remember our first love that will never leave us or forsake us (Deut 31:6), that has a love that surpasses knowledge (Eph 3:19), that went to extreme measures to save us that ultimately will not withhold anything good from us (Romans 8:32) is to know true love and true fulfillment and fullness like no other. Much joy and comfort can come from love (Philemon 1:7) but ultimately the love of another this side of heaven will fail us and fall short. No matter how much they speak your love language or express their love, that person will never truly fill your love tank. No person profession possession or position can ever fill the cup of an empty wounded heart, that is a cup only God can fill and wants to. 

I think in this season of my life, and of course being a female, marriage is a thought heavy on my mind. So as I think of vows for my future husband and keeping those promises to him and fulfilling them to one another, I am reminded that will never be possible if I can't keep my original vows to The Lord and continue to work on my relationship with my first love.  

We each have made vows to God somewhere along our walk with him and as we go into the new year we need to refresh our hearts and minds to what they are. Ask God to create in you a pure heart and steadfast spirit (Ps 51:10) so we can see whether we kept them or not; what helped, worked, or hindered them?

So as you watch 2013 fade into 2014 I challenge you to remember your original vows and your first love. Living close to God requires making him your first love and highest priority. He desires to love you more, better, and deeper ths anybody else. In return, he needs to be first in your life. It's not about works, acts, and checklists. Submit yourself whole heatedly to the maker of your heart, because maybe in this last year you have forsaken your first love (Rev 2:4). 

Best thing is, He is waiting for you with open arms and an open heart. He's just been waiting on you to turn around and come back running. It's never too late.

Merry Christmas and Happy New year to all!

-B

1 Corinthians 12:14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many.

Three posts within three weeks. Can't remember the last time this happened. Thankful to have the time to sit still, rain or shine, and just pour out what is on my heart. Usually when I have a post or a topic come to mind I grab my iPad or the computer and rock it out. This time though, I grabbed my journal and wrote it all down. I have actually been sitting on this one for a couple weeks now. Reading some scripture today during service (no I am not always 100% attentive and yes I do flip around and read different parts of scripture around the main stuff) and it fit perfectly with this message. I wanted ts bad to save this for a speaking situation. I just felt like this needed to be heard and seen. I will do my best to make it come alive through this social networking system. 

Usually I don't include a whole section of scripture, but this needs to be read first to set the stage for the picture I am about to draw

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 Corinthians 12:12-24, 27 ESV)

One body. Many members. 

Let's look at the body of Christ like a puzzle, and you are a piece of that puzzle. 

Imagine, for just a minute, that I have handed you a puzzle piece. 

Now you just hold onto that piece. Study it a second (if you feel fancy, google a picture of a puzzle piece and study that) and I am going to put the puzzle together. Without your piece. Is my puzzle complete? No. The only piece that is missing is the one you are holding. The puzzle is incomplete without every piece. Just as the one body is incomplete without it's many members. 

So I asked you to study that imaginary puzzle piece I gave you. Thanks for playing along and being such a good sport. So now describe it to be. 

Many if you probably went 1st with what part of the puzzle it came from. Where it belongs or fits instead of focusing on that piece as an individual.

Maybe you uses words like "weird" or "strange" because of its odd shapes. 

Maybe that piece to you seems insignificant because it's just an edge piece, or doesn't have much of a design on it. 

You know, that piece is exactly the way it should be. If you changed even ONE thing about it, it would no longer be able to fulfill the purpose that it was ultimately created for. Don't you think that the maker of this puzzle knew exactly what they were doing when it gave those pieces the loops and it's little arms and straight edges? 

"Will what is molded say to its molder, why have you made me Iike this?"  Romans 9:20

Now with your imaginary puzzle piece, take it and break off one of its little arms. You wouldn't do that, would you? Because you know that if you tried to put it back with the puzzle it would no longer fit. If you broke a piece of it, it doesn't fully fill its spot and it couldn't fully fulfill its purpose in the puzzle. 

What if I told you that piece represented you? 

Beloved, if you wouldn't do that to that puzzle piece, then why do it to yourself. Why describe yourself compared to others around you? Why label yourself as "weird" or "insignificant"? Why question the way the creator made you? Why try to change things about you? 

If you wouldn't do this to a puzzle piece and you understand how significant this one little piece of cardboard is, then why do it to yourself? 

Like the puzzle piece is unlike any other piece in the entire box, so are you unlike any other. Like the puzzle piece had a special pace, so do you. Like the puzzle piece has a special purpose only it can fulfill, beloved so do you. Like the puzzle would be incomplete without that piece in your hand, the body of Christ would be incomplete without you. 

In Corinthians it says ALL parts matter. ALL parts are significant. No hand can replace the foot. No ear is less worthy than the eye. The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable. 

All. Parts. Matter. 

You matter. You, beloved are fearfully and wonderfully made. Nobody, and I mean nobody was better created for what you do, than you. You have a special calling. 

Just as no puzzle piece can replace another, no person could ever replace you. Embrace who you are and where your worth comes from so you can stand firm on the foundation, and fulfill your part of the body. 

For the body does not consist of one, but of many members and the body is incomplete without all members. 

-B

1 Peter 2:9 (NIV) But you are a chosen people... God's special possession.

Time has changed, the fall season has clearly been skipped 6 out of 7 days of the week, and earlier darkness leads to more time to sit and study. I don't just study random things. I study things that I crave an answer for. Right now that topic is self worth. Just about every one of my blog posts stems from sort of study I have done. So here we go. 

[Disclaimer : No this post is not me fishing. So lets establish now you don't have to be searching for a hook to bite. I am a woman, and therefore I know I am not the only one who is or has struggled with the area of self worth. My blog posts are to grow my knowledge and understanding as well as reach the heart of another. ]

My current read aside from the Bible of course is "What Happens When Young Women Say Yes to God" by Lysa Terkeurst.  (side note--I chose the young women version simply for the way it is written and I am surrounded by young women. ) I also read Jesus Calling each morning and some scripture from the Bible.  All of three of these have been a fantastic help in my study on this topic. If you want to find your self worth, I urge you not to look to those around you or to look to the world around you. Look for tools that can sharpen your understanding of what the word says about you. So here we are with another world vs word topic. 

I am going to create a picture for you. Imagine you are standing in a room and you have two mirrors to look into. You cannot look into both mirrors at the same time. If you turn to your right and look into that mirror, your back is to the mirror on the left. If you turn to your left and look into that mirror, your back is to the mirror on the right. Can you see it? I know you are thinking, okay... get to the point please? That mirror on your right, is Christ's mirror. How HE sees you, defines you, and pictures you. That mirror on your left is the mirror of the world. How the world sees you, defines you, and pictures you. If you are looking at yourself in regards to the world's mirror, your back is turned to God and you can't even get a glimpse of how He sees you. If you are looking at yourself in regards to Christ's mirror, your back is to the world's mirror and you can't get even a little glimpse of how the world defines and sees you.  

So you can make a decision; do you want to keep your eyes on God, and your back turned to the world, or your eyes on the world and your back turned to God? 

Let me elaborate more on what I have learned and studied to see if that might help you understand a little better which mirror is the best to look at. I am going to type exactly what I have written to myself in my journal. All of these books I have read, along with the Bible, & Marcus Hayes message, God all used together to speak His truth. I am a firm believer that God uses people to speak truth to us. I love it when so many parts of scripture and words of wisdom from others piece together the perfect puzzle of HIS truth.  

"God you designed this journey for me, and this journey cannot be lived out by anyone else. God you made it for me. God you made me as a special, nobody else like me young woman & He has a plan for me life. My family knows me and my quirky habits, and my friends may share common interests, but nobody else is taking MY steps through the day. Nobody else is equipped to carry my load, and I am not equipped to carry another  All of my circumstances in life are, were, and will be hand picked specifically for me. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works. In your books were written, everyone of them the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them (Psalm 139:14&16). For each one will have to bear his own load (Galatians 6:5). Who are you to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to it's molder "Why have you made me like this?" (Romans 9:20). Set your mind on the things that are above not the things that are on earth (Colossians 3:2). For the mind set on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace (Romans 8:6). Things of this world and from the flesh do not and should not control my sense of worth, value, security, or joy. God's love is responsible for those. God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). For I am sure that neither death nor life nor angels nor rulers nor present or things to come nor powers nor height depth or anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from that love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). Never let the compliments of others go to your head or their criticisms go to your heart. Avoid comparisons, resist exaggerations, and seek only God's commendation. Give thanks to God always, because He is faithful. He will sustain you (1 Corinthians 1:4 & 8-9). Don't lose heart. May he strengthen me with power through HIS spirit in my inner being (Ephesians 3:13&16). Strengthen me in who I am in YOU Lord. Give me strength to make it through this life. Strengthen my inner being to make it through this journey you handcrafted for me. "

What is handcrafted? What does that mean? 

handmade (adj)

made by hand, not by machine & typically therefore of superior quality. 

Superior.

Quality.

Read that word again, superior. 

Because I am a chosen people and one of God's special possessions, He handmade me, every step I take and every breath I take. 

Think about it this way.

Everything that has ever happened to you or will happen. Every hair on your head. Every freckle on your cheeks. Every scar. Every inch of height or pound of weight. Every little mark on your face that you wish you could change that nobody but you sees. Every inch of your thighs. Every downfall in life. Every dark day. Every light day. Every tear. Every smile. Every laugh. Everything about you and everything that has ever happened to you or will happen to you in life was handmade for YOU and nobody but you. God only made one you. Nobody else will ever be able to carry your load or walk through your steps each day. Nobody else will ever be able to be a better you than you. Nobody. You are God's special possession that He loves. 

So it's your choice; which mirror are you going to choose to look at yourself in? The world's mirror or the Lord's mirror?

I prefer to look into a mirror that will tell me that my thighs are exactly the size they were crafted to be, not be told they are too big. I want to look into the mirror that showers me with love, not hate. I want to look into the mirror that will tell me I am worth far more than I could ever imagine. I want to look into a mirror that tells me every part of me is a divine creation of things that were brought together for a special purpose, not the mirror that will do anything to tear every part of me down. 

A sweet friend allowed the Lord to speak through them, and they said to me "You are worth more than you could ever imagine, and God is using you in a powerful way." That truth and the truth from my studying is a sweet whisper reminding me of where my worth comes from. I pray it reaches a heart of another the way it has mine, because beloved.. you are worthy. 

-B