Show Me Your Faith

"But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.  You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!  Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?  Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?  You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;  and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.  You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.  And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?  For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead."
James 2:18-26
 
I started college this semester (only one class, but, hey, you gotta start somewhere, right?).  Take me, a Christian teenage girl who grew up home schooled in a Christian household, and put me in the middle of a 16 college students and a professor in a pottery studio (yes, I'm taking a pottery class as my first college class).  Besides learning to make bowls, I think the biggest lesson this class has taught me thus far is how dependent I am upon Jesus, and how different he has made me from the world. 
 
I went into this class knowing it would be a whole new experience for me.  Not only because it's college, but because it is a place totally outside of my comfortable circle of  Christian friends.  Every time I have been in the workshop for the past few weeks, there has been extensive cussing, as well as discussions about sex, homosexuality, drugs, and etc..  Had God not prepared me for this, I'm pretty certain I would have gone into complete culture shock. 
 
Prayerfully, I have begged God to give me courage, wisdom, patience, and love for my classmates.  I have failed multiple times to be intentional to glorify God with opportunities in class.  Despite my failures, he has answered my prayers!  He has shone through me in class, and my classmates are taking notice!
 
It did not just happen, though -- them seeing Christ in me.  It took effort.  I have spent hours in prayer.  I prayed that God would empty me of myself, and fill me with him.  I prayed he would give me a selfless servant's heart.  I prayed for patience... courage... wisdom... you get the idea.  However, I didn't stop there.  Prayer is not a place were you stop.  It's where you start.  I intentionally made the effort in class to serve.  If someone needed something, I tried to be quick to offer help.  If someone was getting discouraged, I did my best to give a word of encouragement or praise.  I wanted those around me to see that when I said I was a Christian, I meant it. 
 
Today, while alone with one of the girls from my class that I have been forming a fairly good relationship with, she said something that really encouraged my heart.  She said, "You know what I love about you?  You say you're a Christian, and you act like it.  I know people who say they are Christian, but really, they only act it on Sunday.... I feel like you try to be that way all the time. and I love that! I can believe you when you say that you are a Christian."
 
My heart gushed with happiness!  I have only known this girl for a month.  The fact that all the effort I was putting forth for my faith was actually showing... and people were taking note of it... I am just so in awe of God!! I have been learning to show my faith by works like never before in my life!!  It has been a struggle, not to mention exhausting, but oh how sweet the work of the Lord is!! Each week I come home with new stories of God's faithfulness and goodness.  He continues to amaze me, and leave me craving for more of him.
 
I share all this with you for two reasons -- The first is to show you that, when you show your faith by your works, people take notice.  People are watching you, especially when you claim to be a child of God.  When you say you're a Christian, but your life doesn't back up what your mouth says, no one is going to believe a word you say.  So be conscious of your actions.
 

Secondly, I want to encourage you to serve others for the purpose of the gospel.  Tonight my youth pastor discussed how when we serve, but the spread of the gospel is not the desire of our heart, our good works are pointless.  We serve to build relationships; in those relationships, we gain the trust of others, that they might listen to us when we share with them the hope and truth of the gospel.  We serve because we genuinely care about everyone God created in his image.  We serve not for ourselves, but for the glory of God in every way.  We serve because we genuinely care about everyone God created in his image.  We serve not for ourselves, but for the glory of God in every way. 

I hope by reading this you were encouraged and/or challenged in some way.  If you need some guidence on how to live selflessly, here are some Bible verses to get you started.  Please comment if you would like more verses, or have any questions!

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."   Ephesians 4:2

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."  1 Corinthians 13:4-7

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Put on then, as God's chosen onesholy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."  Colossians 3:1-17

ReFocus

"Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me."
Psalm 51:10-12

Sometimes, your heart just has a hard day.  There is no particular reason why, it just is.  Although, not spending enough time with God is usually the root of the problem. 

Today was that kind of day.  I don't know why, but something was just not right most of the day.  Actually, I do know.  The beginning of my problem was that my prayer was not focused this morning.  My Bible study was not a desire to be in the scriptures.  It was more of a "okidoki. check that one off the long to-do list I have today. Next?"

I was attempting to spend time with God.  I prayed as I drove to class.  I sang worship along with the radio, and I was trying to be sincere.  But, my actions were not stemmed from a desperate desire to be with him.  My heart was crying out, but with no direction or focus. It did not know what to cry out, or what it needed.

I was too focused on me, and not on him.

God really is too marvelous for words, to faithful to be fathomed.  Finally, tonight, feeling defeated and overwhelmed, the focus was taken off of me.  My strength was not enough.  My time was not enough. My words were not enough.  The Holy Spirit took hold and humbled my heart. 

After prayer, after my focus was straightened out, the Lord refilled and reminded me of his love for me.  My daddy passed me two items of mail. The first was a check with donation money for a mission trip God has called me on this summer.  A sweet thank you postcard was the second. 

Sometimes, it's just in the little things that God reminds you that he's still there and he cares. But if he is not our focus, how will we see him in those little things?  I wonder how many precious moments of his presence I miss because my focus is on something else...

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."
Colossians 3:1-2

He Humbled Himself

"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,
complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:1-11

You will often hear it told that Christmas is not about the presents, the decorations, the parties, etc. And indeed it's not. This year, however, God taught me this in a new way.

Christmas has probably always been my favorite time of year. I fall in love with the atmosphere of love and joy it brings. The friends and family... The hot cocoa... The christmas lights and gift giving. It usually gets me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. You know?

This year was different though. I didn't have that warm, fuzzy feeling I usually got as December rolled around. I was baffled for much of the month not understanding why I was not in a more joyful mood! I was incredibly frustrated some days, even!

But today, rather than search for a feeling that would be as steadfast as the sand under a wave, I kneeled in awe of my Savior: Jesus Christ. Wonderful Counselor. Mighty God. Everlasting Father. Prince of Peace. He, who deserved to remain on his thorn at the right side of his Father in heaven, entered a sin-stricken world. "who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the like was of men."

My Creator grew from a babe into a man. He was tempted as I am. He suffered - even to the point of brutal death. And all of this was by his choice. Because he loves me and you: sinners not deserving of any grace, any forgiveness, any love... But chosen, desired, even cherished by the Father!

I am simply in awe of this beautiful truth!! I don't understand how you cannot be!! I am humbled by the love shown. This love that left perfection, and entered into corruption. This love that lived and died that I might have a relationship with him. This love that gives me faith and light to walk in this dark world.

This love humbled himself. For you. For me.

And I kneel in awe of the precious name of Jesus Christ...
"Therefore God has exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

To Him be all glory and honor forever!!! Amen.

This is what Christmas is all about.

Between My Heart and Soul

Between My Heart and Soul

The stillness of my soul,
My heart cannot handle
Stirring up tumultuous waters
As it begins the battle
Between my heart and soul

It begins as a ripple
A question without answer -
A single bullet shot
Bringing about tension
Between my heart and soul

With a cautious stroke I
Tread the growing current
Entertaining idea
Contradicting thoughts swimming
Between my heart and soul

Current... Thoughts... each gaining speed
Threatening to wash over -
To replace the air with lies
To drown me in my thoughts
Between my heart and soul

My voice cries out for help!
To the calmer of the seas,
The one who walks on water
Only he can calm battles
Between my heart and soul

With feeble attempts I kick
Trying to stay above the
Doubting waves of my mind
That are flowing quicker
Between my heart and soul

"Stop!! be still." All is calm.
Not a ripple flows through
My Lord commands the waters,
my waters once rough now rest
Within my heart and soul

God know my anxious heart,
You hold my trembling hand,
And lead me through crashing waves
Whispering peace to my soul.

..........................................................................................................................................................
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;"
Isaiah 43:2a

Walking with God

"Enoch walked with God 300 years and fathered sons and daughters... Enoch walked with God." Genesis 5:22-24

I worry about life, the future, things to do. That sentence pretty much describes my focus this morning. Praise be to God that he can calm my anxious heart and remind me of his sweet desire for my life!! His desire for me to know him, to walk with him. Too often my longing for his companionship gets clouded by the pursuit of worldly success. But, softly he whispers to me, "Slow down." He reminded me to focus on walking with him, before I worry about running. He spoke today, through Beth Moore's words:

"When all is said and done, God may have His own personal testimony of all who lived by faith. Don't miss the four word testimony of one of His saints found in Genesis 5: "Enoch walked with God."
"That's all we have to do in order to please God. Walk with Him. He wants our company, and the only way we can walk with Him is to walk by faith and not by sight. The law of Moses did not exist in Enoch's era. He had no rules or regulations. We have no ground for believing that God appeared to him or spoke aloud from the heavens. In a cold world, Enoch simply had a feverish pursuit of God."
Believing God Day by Day, November 27, by Beth Moore

Note to self: stop running through life like the world, and start walking with God.

Sitting at His Feet, Forgetting My Worries

"Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.  But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.'  But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.'" Luke 10:38-42

I am so easily distracted. Ask anyone I have a conversation with! I'm tellin' ya.  I am the queen of chasing rabits!  God knows this about me all too well.  Distractions are something I struggle with daily in my walk with him.  Stress, worries, and/or doubts usually are what do it too.  It's something I am constantly asking him to forgive me of. Often times, the doubts that creep into my heart are  just silly, and, quite honestly, have absolutely NO firm foundation at all.  Never the less, I get to thinking about them.  Which turns into worrying about them.  Which turns into my head yelling at my heart for being stupid and not just trusting God.  (James and Peter knew what they were talking about when they said that there's a war going on inside of each of us!)

Praise God for his faithfulness! He is always faithful to forgive, and draw me back to him.  It amazes me every time he does...

Tonight was one of those times.  It took him a while... but he finally got me to be still, sit at his feet, and listen. As I read Luke 10:38-42, I was amazed that I ever worry about things other than knowing Christ more deeply.  Because really, what's the point of my life?  To be in a growing relationship with my Savior.  To glorify him through that. Nothing else! My life is not about material things. Not about people. Not about the future.  Not even about worrying what his will is for me!  My life has to be about knowing Christ more and more, and growing in my relationship with God.  Because when it is, he takes care of everything else! Jesus says so in Luke 12:22-32:
"And he said to his disciples, 'Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!  And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried.  For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them.  Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.'"

"For all the nations of the world seek after these things."  If by seeking these things, I am being like the world, I want nothing to do with worrying and being anxious!  The last thing I want to be is as the seeds that were thrown among the thorns: "And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature." (Luke 8:14)

I desire to be like Mary.  I want to just sit at Jesus' feet, for that is where a true disciple belongs.  I want my thoughts to be fully focused on the words coming from his mouth, and nothing else.  I long for my heart to desire him, and only him.

"One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire in his temple."
Psalm 27:4

"Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;
you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.

But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
that I may tell of all your works."

Psalm 73:23-28

 

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."

Colossians 3:1-2\

Your Word

How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
    By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart;
    do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart
    that I might not sin against you.
Praise be to you, Lord;
    teach me your decrees.
With my lips I recount
    all the laws that come from your mouth.
I rejoice in following your statutes
    as one rejoices in great riches.
I meditate on your precepts
    and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees;
    I will not neglect your word.
Psalm 119:9-16

This past month, the title of this blog has been my prayer.  Lord, bind my wandering heart to Thee! As more things competed for my attention, I became more and more fickle in my walk with God.  Intimately focused one day.  Distracted for a week...  I knew my priorities were off-balanced. My mindset was "I'll get to my Bible study next...." Only, "next" quickly turned to night and my day had run out of time.  I knew that I would only know God more deeply through studying his word, yet I kept relying on my "great" time management skills to work things out on their own.

Thankfully, my God is faithful.

He continued to tug at my heart day after day.  Reminding me that it was only in his word I would grow closer to him.  Only there would I learn him, love him, desire him.  My prayers were (and still are) to desire him more, but I was not listening as he told me where to find him.  Praise the Lord, yesterday he broke through my stubbornness once again!! Even this morning, my human laziness to open his word ailed me.  But his truth is like sweet medicine to the soul! Healing and restoring my heart and my mind.

But medicine only works if you take it.  Right now, I want to encourage you to turn off your phone, TV, iPod, etc.  Spend some time in God's holy word and in prayer.  You need it! And if you just wait for time with God to happen, without putting effort into making it happen, it won't!  Take it from a girl who knows. 

Why are you still reading this?! Time's a-tickin'! Break away from the business and restlessness of life for a little bit.  Let God refresh you with his unfailing peace and love!! :)

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