Spiritually Healthy

I guess one thing about getting older and seeing more of the world (striving to be in and not of ), I have come to see my great need for Christ. This morning I listened to the whole book of Lamentations and I was struck by these verses: Lam 3:47  Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction. Lam 3:64  Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.  Lam 3:65  Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.  Lam 3:66  Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD. From reading this, I realized something: mand has not changed.  We are so stubborn and refuse to hear anything that is good and right.  Listening to this hard book of the Bible, I am reminded of my own sin and how I naturally do not seek the Lord.  James 4:8 comes to mind:  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded....

I started on a new Bible reading plan last week and I love it! For the past 3 years I have been trying to read through the Bible within a years time - I wasn't always diligent, but God still led me through some pretty amazing stuff while reading His Word.  The first year I read through the Bible in  Chronological  order which was incredible!  I highly  encourage you (if you already haven't) to try this reading plan out.  It gave me such a different view point on the layout of God's Word. The second plan I did was a  52 Week Bible Reading Plan .  I really enjoyed this one because every day it was something different and I felt like I covered a lot of ground. The third plan (and the most recent) was one that had me read the Old and New Testament together (click here  to view the PDF).  I enjoyed reading back to back from the old and the new, but found that I was reading quickly so that I could get it done faster...I hate admitting ...

Not long ago, I was reading through the first book of John and was hit by the 17th verse in the 3rd chapter. (1 Jn. 3:17 ) But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? It rips me up inside to know that I fail at this. (1 Jn. 3:18) My little children, let us not love in work or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. "...in deed and in truth." Reading these two verses has me examining my life and what it is that I actually do...or don't do. How do I show love?  In my words or in my daily doings? Ouch. I have to be honest and say that both of these are hard for me.  I really struggle with acting out in love, and with speaking kind words when they are needed. These two verses tell me that I should be acting out my love for God's people - not just speaking. Why is this SO hard for us to do?  I have a heart for serving people; true joy comes from seeing others h...

I recently read a very uplifting post by fellow blogger,  Stephanie  who blogs over at  The Enchanting Rose . Click on the names to head on over to Stephanie's little place on the web - I know that you'll be blessed just as much as I have by her encouraging words of grace! So. As I read this post God spoke to my dry heart with these verses that Stephanie shared: Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.  Psalm 51:7-10 What caught me was when the Psalmist said "... the bones which thou has broken may rejoice ." Psalm 139:23-24 says (Please don't think that I'm copying you, Stephanie!  I actually shared this verse on my FB page before I went and read your moving post) Search me,...

2 Corinthians 6:10 - As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.  Poor, rich, widowed, married, single, if you possess the One Thing you possess "all things."   This morning I was reminded by God that if I possess Him, I possess all things - even if I'm still (or forevermore) single.  I have everlasting life; I have His grace, His favor, His unending faithfulness (even though I do not deserve it!) and His promise that He'll never leave me nor forsake me.  That my dears, is  all things. Still... I'm sinner and I have hard days, but still this verse seemed to tug  at my heart.  In my prayer journal, I asked this question: "Do I live my life like I possess the Greatest Gift?" That question reminded me of a quote from a book that I've mentioned here before,  The Martyr of the Catacombs  "What you have sought for all your life is our dearest possession. Treasured up...

"When I am pierced, what flows from within me? Is it pride, hate, frustration, impatience; or is it kindness, patience, long suffering, or love?"   As I prayed/wrote in my journal, this kept coming from my lips: "How do I respond to life's hardness - with grace and gratitude? Or with discontentment and pettiness?" Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: Psalm 139:24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 141:2 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of m y lips.  Psalm 73:26  My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. 1 Corinthians 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,  1 Corinthians 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;  1 Corinthians 13:7  Beareth all things...

I've mentioned that I like Nancy Leigh DeMoss' books before, but the one that some of the ladies in my church are doing as a group study has been eye-opening and convicting. For more information, click  here. During discussion time, one of the ladies in our study mentioned (for we were discussing being hurt by others and how we must forgive  - even if we don't want to or don't "feel like it") that sometimes God brings certain people into your life to smooth out your ruff edges; like they are the sandpaper that He is using to soften our roughness.  I think she called them "God's sandpaper". I let that sink in for a second.  In my vain mind, I thought that the people that God brought into my life were the ones who needed changing, not me!  I didn't think that I could be effected in that way.  Not once did I ever stop to think that maybe, just maybe God is using this group of believers or non-believers (in other situations it may not be ...