Turn Away my Eyes

      This morning someone sent me an e-card for that was meant for Christmas, it was one of the joke cards and they thought I'd find it funny, but it wasn't the kind of joke I do find funny. In fact it upset me. The words on card said something about Santa's retiring and his son Nick Jr. would be taking over, if it had had a picture of a cartoon, a child, or an elf something like that I would have laughed, because it's a joke and I would have thought it was harmless. But this particular card had the image of a half naked man on it posed in what was supposed to be a 'sexy' or 'enticing' position, I immediately responded to this message asking the person not to send me such things anymore because I find it repulsive. 
              I know that to some the word 'repulsive' may seem strong for such a card and you might be wondering if it was because the naked man was unfit, but honestly that's not the case, the man was very muscular and many women probably find him very attractive. My strong word was more about the actual purpose of the card and how God feels about such things. These cards are supposed to be funny yes, but they also stir up lustful thoughts in the minds of those looking at it, and lust as you know is a sin. I realize that there are people who can look at those cards without feeling lust, but it is a partial purpose to those images and that's what is so disgusting to me.
       I know many who see no harm in looking at such images, but in Matthew 5:28 we are told how God feels about looking at people in a lustful manner where it reads “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” To God there is no difference between looking at someone and thinking lustful thoughts and actually doing them. This is why I find cards or images, or movies that are created to stir lust in others so sickening, whether they realize or not they are having a hand in causing others to stumble and sin.
       Maybe I'm taking this too far, but I don't think so, I understand what God said in Matthew 5:28, I know from experience why David said in Psalm 101:3 'I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.' Images are powerful, that's why if you watch murder shows every night before bed you start to get frightened, the images stir emotional responses, so to avoid stirring emotions that can cause you to stumble you have to 'set no wicked thing' before your eyes. Is a half naked man really wicked, no, but the emotions it can stir are, and to avoid succumbing to sin it's best to avoid such images. I am sure many will or do disagree with me, and that's fine, honestly it makes no difference to me, because I know in my heart that it pleases my Father that I avoid such things. My soul intent in writing this post today was simply to draw your attention to the fact that what you put into your mind, what images you take in, has consequences and we need to stop and think before blindly following the path of temptation into sin.

Psalm 119:37
Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, And revive me in Your ways.

Proverbs 4:25-26

25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;

fix your gaze directly before you.

26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet

and be steadfast in all your ways. 

 

Ecclesiastes 6:9

What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and a striving after wind.

       
1 Peter 1:13-16
13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
  
 
      

Facing Myself

       Facing myself and who I was becoming was probably one of the hardest things that I ever did in my early twenties, but when I did that and allowed myself to really examine my choices and where they were leading me I saw for the first time how much I really needed a Savior. It broke my heart to see how far I had fallen and to know that my impressionable baby sister was looking up to me, every time I heard her say 'I want to be like you sissy' my heart sank lower because I did not want her to be that person I so despised, I didn't want her to be me, and to make my bad choices. I wanted her to be a better person, a happier person than I was and I knew if I wanted that for her I had to change who I was because she was watching me, I knew I needed Jesus to help me change.
       I made some serious changes in my life after all of that and I started to work hard at becoming a woman I would be honored to have my sister look up to, I started to seek God again at this point because I knew I couldn't change without Him.  The first couple of years after all of this I was still pretty lukewarm to be honest, I prayed most days, went to church regularly, and occasionally read my Bible, but I didn't really make Jesus a big part of my life, faith was more of a moral compass for me than a real relationship. At this time my relationship with God was pretty much that I prayed when I needed something and that was about it. Then a storm of tragic and difficult circumstances blew through my world and suddenly I realized I needed more than just going through the motions to keep from falling back into the pit.
       I started to pray that I would be closer to Him and that I would know Him personally and feel His presence daily, I knew I wouldn't be able to get through everything without Him, I knew I couldn't go back to the person I was and hated and I knew I couldn't stay on course without Him. What I didn't realize was that to get closer to God and build the kind of relationship I was seeking is that I would have to again face the girl I had been and confess the darkness that was in my heart, the thing I had hiding. I would have to hold out all the pain and all secrets to Him and let Him have them all.  I had to break down my defenses and become completely vulnerable and broken before my God, completely  exposed to Him.
       The amazing thing was, once I came to Him offering everything and holding nothing back I was completely overcome with His presence. Suddenly, I felt peace, comfort, strength, joy and forgiveness all at once. I felt reassured and certain that God was with me, that He would see me through, and build me into the person I needed to be for His purpose. What I have learned from this experience, and what I hope you take away from this is that if you truly want a relationship with God, if you really want to know Jesus, if you really want to feel His presence in fullness, you must be honest with God and yourself. Not because God doesn't already know what's in your heart, but because He is waiting for you to give it to Him in humbleness. He wants you to come to Him offering everything you have and allowing Him to cleanse you of all your impurities.

2 Chronicles 7:14        
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Isaiah 66:2        
All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

Luke 18:9-14
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

1 Peter 5:6-7
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.      
 

Share Your Story

       Have you ever experienced something so amazing you knew it must be God? Or has God really turned around your life, made you into someone new? If you're a follower of Jesus Christ I know that you answered yes to one or both of those questions. And now I have another, have you told anyone about it? Have you shared that experience with other people?
        Something I have come to realize in my walk with Jesus is that the blessings we receive from the Lord are meant to be shared, we are supposed to go tell people what God has done. God wants us to share our testimonies to glorify Him and bring Him praise, but also by sharing our story with others we can bring hope, encouragement, and plant seeds in the heart of those who do not yet know the Lord. A perfect example of this is found in John 4 after a conversation Jesus has with a Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob, where verses 39-41 read, 'Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”  So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days.  And because of his words many more became believers.' This is the power in your testimony, your words can lead others to come to the Messiah.
       Sharing your testimony is important to God, He wants you to tell others about Him, so much so that in Mark 5 we see that after Jesus cast out a demon from a man, who once released from its hold, begged Jesus to go with him, Jesus replies to that man with this in verse 19 'Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” ' And this is not the only place where people are instructed to give testimony of the works of the Lord, throughout the Bible you can find verses about that, like Psalm 107:1-2 which reads, 'Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble' If you are the redeemed of the Lord, you need to be saying so!
       Bless someone by what you have been blessed with, give freely what has freely been given to you, tell them about the goodness of your Lord! You don't know and may never see the fruits of sharing your testimony, but God does and He has a purpose for it.
 
1 Chronicles 16:23-26

23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth;

proclaim his salvation day after day.

24 Declare his glory among the nations,

his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

25 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;

he is to be feared above all gods.

26 For all the gods of the nations are idols,

but the Lord made the heavens.

Psalm 71:15-18

15 My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds,

of your saving acts all day long—

though I know not how to relate them all.

16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord;

I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.

17 Since my youth, God, you have taught me,

and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.

18 Even when I am old and gray,

do not forsake me, my God,

till I declare your power to the next generation,

your mighty acts to all who are to come.  

 

Matthew 10:32        

So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,

1 Peter 3:15        
But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

Credit Where Credit is Due

        I have this sign that sits on a shelf in my kitchen, that reads 'Today is a gift from God, what you do with it is your gift to Him'  just about every time I read that sign I ask myself, 'what have you done for God today? Did you praise Him, or give Him the glory, or did you talk to anyone about Him?' Each day that we are alive is a gift, and proof positive that we have purpose, but it's ultimately our choice what we do with it. If you are follower of Jesus Christ you should be deciding everyday to glorify the Father, everyday returning to Him the gift of your life with your obedience to Him. The bible says to do our work as if for the Father and not earthly masters (Colossians 3:23) and that is really what I am getting at here, that everything we do should be for Him, and glorify Him.
       I've been feeling like I should write about this for a while now, but I haven't known just what to say until today. What I want to say is it is important that we never lose sight of the fact that anything we are capable of doing or any area that we are gifted in is a gift from God, the glory and the talent are not truly ours. God formed us in our mother's womb (Jeremiah 1:5), He knew what he planned for us and what gifts or talents, and experiences we would need to become the person He meant for us to be.
      If my response to a comment you made on the blog post has ever seemed a little awkward it is because I am always surprised, and honestly a little unsure of how to respond. When people tell me they appreciate the post I wrote, or that they related, or it touched their hearts I am always humbled, but I'm also unsure of how I should respond. I have never been good with compliments to begin with, but this is even more difficult for me to respond to because I feel that the credit for my post really belongs to God. His word, and the experiences He has provided me with are usually my inspiration and sometimes the words I write are His and I am just responding to what He is laying on my heart. Either way, I feel like I'm not really the one responsible for touching anyone with what I have written, He is.
      Because God is our Creator, and the Creator of everything, He is worthy of our praise in all things big or small. Because He is God, He is deserving of the glory. Because He is just, God deserves our obedience. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross we are now able to be righteous and holy in God's eyes so that we can spend eternity with Him, for this alone we should get down on our knees everyday in humble praise because He loves us! Today I will be thinking about how I can give Him the credit more, and turn away praise of myself, I hope you will think about it too.

Luke 14:11
For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

1 Peter 5:5-6

5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

“God opposes the proud

but shows favor to the humble.”

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time 

     
Colossians 3:17
17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  

Real Love Is

       I read a post this morning and re-shared it, the nine words on it were so true and touched my heart so deep that I very nearly cried as I read them. It read 'God gives me the love that the world cannot,' as someone who has lived their whole life feeling rejected by their peers and worlds away from the rest of their family I know those words, I could have written them. I never felt secure in love before God's love covered me and I began to finally understand real love. Before that I had doubts and fears and walls to protect myself in all my relationships, including my parents and husband. My experiences and disappointments taught me that nothing and no one was to be trusted and I had to protect myself, protect my heart.
       This is a really hard thing for me to admit, but it's true. I doubted and questioned every relationship in my life and because of that I was kept from fully experiencing just how wonderful love could really be. But after I started an intimate, time consuming, thought consuming, heart consuming relationship with Jesus this changed. In the last 2 1/2 years and especially this past year as I worked on this blog and God used it to teach me about Him, and my own shortcomings, I have learned a lot about what love really is, and what it takes to experience love to it's fullest.
       I learned first that I had these same walls in my relationship with God, and God broke me down until I accepted that it was all or none. He brought me to a point where I finally confessed everything and begged to be free from it for good. When I was finally fully vulnerable and open to Him I was filled up with a peace and a security that I never known before. I finally felt safe and loved so deeply that I knew nothing could ever shake it, and I knew in that moment that I could never live without it in my life again. I realized suddenly that there truly was no life outside of God, and pleasing Him was much more important than pleasing man. Man had rejected me, man had made me feel worthless and afraid to trust anyone even myself, but God's love covered all of that.
      I have learned that real love is honest, and vulnerable, it is giving and forgiving, and has nothing to do with fairness. Real love is jealously protected and more interested in the other's happiness than your own. Real love is sacrifice, just as Jesus self-lessly sacrificed for us. To love there must be vulnerability, there must be trust and honesty, there must be forgiveness without expectations of fairness, and you must be humble, pride has no place in love and will bring only tension and distance. God has taught me all of this, some of it many times over until I understood. God gives me the love that the world cannot, because there is no love outside of God,  because God is love, you must know God to understand the fullness of love, otherwise what we experience is only a shadow of what could be.

Psalm 62:8        
Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah

Jeremiah 31:3        
The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

1 John 4:8        
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:16        
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

1 John 4:19        
We love because he first loved us.                    

Comfort and Refuge

       When I'm searching for comfort because my heart is aching or the world has just been too much for me I often find myself reading Psalms. I can always find something that David, Solomon or the other Psalmist wrote so long ago that speaks to what I am experiencing or how I am feeling at that time. One Psalm that I woke up thinking about today was Psalm 61; it's only 8 verses long but it's verses 1-5 that were playing in my head this morning. It describes someone going through a seemingly terrible time and begging to be safe in the presence of the Lord.
        While I am thankfully not going through anything major right now, I can relate to how David felt, I have often been down on my knees in times of struggle begging God to feel His presence, to let me know that He was close by holding me through the storm. I love David's words in this Psalm, I love that he refers to God as his refuge and strong tower. And I really love that David doesn't ask to be removed from the struggle, just for the comfort of the Lord.
       Some people have this misconception that nothing bad will happen to good Christians, that their life is easy because they are blessed, or that if they become a Christian all of their problems will suddenly stop. But nothing could be farther from the truth. Being a Christian doesn't make life easier, in fact Jesus warns us that we will be hated, and persecuted for following him. Nowhere in the Bible does it say abiding in God's will, will make life easy and trouble free. But what we do have as Christians is the opportunity to do what David did, we have the opportunity to go before the Father and ask for His comfort and protection. That doesn't mean the struggle will end, because God often allows us to struggle and be frustrated so that we can mature in our spirit, but it means we have hope and peace in our hearts during struggles because we know and believe that God uses everything for the good of those who love Him.         

Psalm 61:1-5

1Hear my cry, O God;

listen to my prayer.

2From the ends of the earth I call to you,

I call as my heart grows faint;

lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

3For you have been my refuge,

a strong tower against the foe.

4I long to dwell in your tent forever

and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.

5For you, God, have heard my vows;

you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.   

 

Romans 8:28

28And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.    

Invitation to Gratitude

       This week here in the States it is Thanksgiving, and for me it also marks one year that I have been writing on this blog and started pursuing my dream of being a published writer. I have been really blessed this past year, not only because my blog has done better than I expected, but because my relationship with the Lord has grown so much.
       I have seen my character grow and change this past year as I made pursuing God and sharing what I am learning with others a priority in my life. I have seen how you can intend for something to go a certain way but if placed in the hands of God it can become something different, something better and unexpected! I have learned to endure storms by seeking shelter in the presence of the Father, I have learned the power of the name of Jesus in times of fear and I have learned to praise Him in my pain and heartache. I have much to be grateful for this year at Thanksgiving, and everyday. 
       I want to invite you to be grateful too, I want to invite you to turn to the Father today with a heart that is truly seeking Him and see what He can change in you in a year. Make a commitment to spend time with Him everyday and see where He moves you! If you are willing to surrender in obedience to the Almighty I can promise you that you will not be disappointed, you will be up lifted! God never fails to provide for those who seek Him, God never fails at all.
       I ask you today to look into your heart, spend some time in quiet solitude thinking of all that you to be grateful for, and all that you overcome, this was all done by God's grace. Give thanks to the Father in heaven, seek Him diligently, and recognize that He loves you.

Psalm 100:1-5        
A Psalm for giving thanks.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

1 Chronicles 29:12-14        
Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name. “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.