Greater love hath no man

      It often comes in the most unlikely source, in the most unexpected ways- when you're smelling a flower, greeting a friend, or holding a new baby for the first time- it is in moments like these that it comes; that gentle whisper brushing across your soul, reminding you of HIS love. That very same Love that died for us, has to remind us of what it cost Him to love us, because we in our ungratefulness, take Him for granted.

    Even though we know the cross was premeditated and came at no surprise to God, I still like to imagine how that converstaion went down in heaven. I invision the Godhead sitting there, discussing man and their errors. They're talking about how to mantain perfect justice while still upholding their love and compassion. Jesus throws Himself at His Father's feet. Tears of blood roll down His face as He pleads for our lives. "Father, take My life instead! I will die in their place!"
 

     Every day Jesus looks at us with more joy than a father does the birth of his child. He cradles us close to His heart, gazing at us with all the love in the universe. That love is the reason He died for us. He didn't hesitate to offer Himself in our stead, because we are worth the price. For every sin we commit, a drop of HIS blood fell upon the dirt; the very dirt He created. The thorns that marred that noble brow, the nails that peirced His loving hands; such was the price He paid.

 

    Let us never take for granted the trail of blood that flowed down that cross, nor allow life to distract us from having a thankful heart.

 

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

John 15:13

Rivers of blood

  "Why is there no peace...? Why do our brothers and sisters lie in piles of blood?  Why does Al Shabab seem to rule more than You do?"

 

      WHY?!? This word resounds through my mind as I stare in shocked numbness at the screen, watching as our brothers lay down their lives for Your sake; their dieing breath evidence of their faith as each man dies with Your name on his lips. WHY?? Why are such atrocities being committed against Your people Lord??  Why do You turn a blind eye? Where were You as our brothers blood stained the ocean scarlet; as their noble heads fell upon the sand? Were you not listening to your people's screams as we cried out to You??  

Did You watch it all happen and do NOTHING?!?

  Yes, God does see all things, and YES He did know these things were going to happen. In fact, He warned us about them (Mat. 24: 2-14). That doesn't mean He doesn't care, that He isn't listening or watching.We look with out earthly eyes and see only blood and death. He looks with His Sovereign eyes and see ALL. He sees the heart wrenching pain and sickening slaughters, but He also sees the ultimate outcome; the glory and beauty that will come of this.

     We weep with our brothers and sisters. We cry out with all our strength to a God who appears to have "turned a blind eye to His creation." We feel like the Israelites; stranded in Egypt for 430 years before God answered and delivered them. But that's just it: He DID answer. It took 430 years for His plan to be established, for His people to be ready for salvation, before He could act. God did not and never shall turn away from His children (when they're walking in righteousness and holiness.) We cry out now and He hears, but the time isn't right for His salvation. We watch in horror and pain as the world dissolves into evil. A bloodbath of martyrs flows across the sand causing the earth to groan in labor pains as we wait for the day of the Lord. It may seem as if Satan has the upper hand now; that he will win in the end. How can God win the war after losing so many "battles?" But we must remember, we serve the REAL GOD and all of this- every part of it- are part of His ultimate plan. Not one event in history has ever caught Him by surprise or been out of place. every being, supernatural and earthly, answers to God. Even Satan. God is allowing Satan to unleash his havoc now, but when his time is up God will come roaring  like a lion to save His people!!

"..Even when it seems there is no sound except the dripping of blood. YOUR tears are bigger than ours. YOUR heart broken in more pieces. We live on in the pain only because YOU are sovereign."

 "For the glory of God!"

 

Grace as new as the dawn

 "As the daystar crowns a new horizon, 
Night's silence is sundered and Light's symphony rings.
Divine rays colour the low-lying clouds 
a veritable plethora of hues, both bright and subtle. Cottonwool-spun gems are arrayed, 
layered and drifting about on the morning wind.
Heaven shows itself in the sky." 

-Dawn beckons by Stephen Purcell  

                            ~*~*~*~

    God has put so much of Himself into His creation. Even the very sunrise is a glimpse of His glory. God freely pours forth His love and grace upon His people every day. Every morning before I even awake, He is there. Waiting, watching. Delighting over me in song. (Zeph. 3:17), eagerly anticipating the moment I wake up so that He can be talk with me and walk with me throughout my day. It doesn't matter that I haven't done anything to deserve this love or grace, and I know I certainly don't deserve His forgiveness. But it's there all the same. I've sinned against Him and walked away from Him more times than I can count.  I've allowed myself to get busy and neglect my relationship with Him, but through it all He never withdrew His grace or love.

The truth is, I will never be able to live up to or deserve this grace, this love. He knows this, but He doesn't care. You see, He loves us not for what we could be or do but rather, for who we are in HIM. God's love and grace is never failing. It is everlasting, infinite, overflowing. It pours forth from His Father's heart towards His children. No matter how badly we sin or how far we stray, He will always be there, ready to forgive and forget. To pour forth his grace and remind you of His love.

               "Your  mercies are new every morning;

 great is Your faithfulness." 

Lamentations 3:23

"For the glory of God!"

A lily of the valley

 "I am the rose of Sharon, The lily of the valleys.

 Like a lily among the thorns.."

 Song of Solomon 2:1-2a

 ~*~*~*~

  For those of you who know me, you know that my favorite color is yellow. I love all things yellow! So naturally, my favorite flower would my yellow rose bush. It is the most beautiful rose, with  petals that range from a soft butter yellow, to a vivid pink! I've seen a rose to pretty! I've been diligently tending this plant for a few months now, but no flowers have yet to grace it's leaves. Tonight, as I was tending it I was reminded of how this rose is like a young lady's life. As a gardener I am eagerly awaiting that first bud opening. I am excited to see the beauty that is hidden in that bud. Now, I can go out there and rip a bud open to see it's glory, but the petals are so delicate they would rip, and all it's beauty would be gone forever. A good gardener knows to let her plant be and when it is ready, it will bloom on it's own. Each bud blooms at it's own time, each one has it's own beauty, none are exactly alike. It is the same with us. 

      Young ladies, somewhere out there is a man of God just waiting to watch us unfold our petals. A man who has eagerly awaited and prayed for a "rose of Sharon, a lily of the valley." A woman who's purity and inward beauty shines forth like a rose newly bloomed. How do you think our man would feel if he came into our lives to find that we had already started blooming before the season was right- to find us torn and tarnished? Once we start blooming, it is too late to undo what has started. Just like a rose cannot fold back into it's self, so too we cannot. What has been given away can never be taken back. 

        Dear sisters, our hearts are "like a garden that needs to be protected and kept clean." (Sarah Maley)

The enemy will do anything to destroy that garden. We must stand strong in our fight to remain pure, to hide our beauty from that which would destroy it. I know this is hard. As we get older, our desire grows to find our "Prince Charming," to be loved with that kind of love. Trust me, I get this. The wait can often seem unending, and that is when Satan sneaks in to whisper his malicious lies into your heart. THAT is when we must guard our hearts more than ever before! But there is nothing more rewarding than the beauty of a God given relationship, in HIS timing.

 

"The sharp thorn often produces delicate roses." -Ovid 

   I believe in arranged marriages, but I believe that GOD is the one doing the arranging and when the time is right we will get our "happy ending," ( or rather, our happy beginning.) "Can you imagine anything better than a couple who is just right for each other coming together in exactly the right way at the right time?? Only GOD can bring about something so perfect!" -Sarah Maley

 
              "You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride; 
                   you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain."
                                  Song of Solomon 4:12
                                          "For His glory!"

Suffering for the cross

I recently read a book about a pastor who challenged his congregation to live according to "WWJD" for a year. Everything about their lives was to be measured according to what Jesus would do. At the end of that year each member of that church had their own story of trial and tribulation but the pastor remained untouched. At the end of the book the pastor is challenged to ask himself, "what have I suffered for Christ?"

 

   These words have stuck with me since I read that book. I heard it said once, that if a Christian's life is easy then they're no giving their all to Christ. If a Christian is living luke-warm they are not a threat to Satan, therefore he has no reason to mess with them. However, when someone dedicates their life to Christ and lives each day accordingly, suddenly they're on Satan's radar. They pose a real threat to his evil and darkness. That's when he starts targeting them, and just as we see in Job, God often allows Satan access to our lives to test or strengthen us. As I pondered these words I realized: my life has been very easy this past year. True, I've had a few hiccups along the way, but nothing that has been a result of my faith. What does this say about my faith? If my life is so smooth, then how strong is my faith really? 

 If I was accused of being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict me??

   I want to be the kind of Christian that makes Satan fear the moment I wake up each morning! The kind of prayer warrior that has all of heaven rejoicing. The sojourner with her homeland ever on her mind. But I have to ask myself:

 WHAT HAVE I SUFFERED FOR CHRIST?

Am I ready to take up my cross, whatever that may be, to follow Him in everything I do??

"...Anyone who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me." 

Matthew 10:38 

"For the glory of God!" 

                            

 

Changing the world through love

"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but     no one thinks of changing himself."-Leo Tolstoy 

~*~*~*~

A tree does not grow without water and sunlight. A flower cannot bloom until the weather is right.  In the same way, change cannot happen until someone rises up to set it in motion.

So many people desire to be world changers, to make a difference in this life, but very few of them are willing to make the effort to do so. Being a world changer does not always mean being a Mother Theresa or Bill Gates. It simply means loving those God brings to us. The things we do do not need to be great things, they just need to be done with great love. We might not always see the difference we make in this life, but when we're loving those around us we can be assured that we ARE making a difference.

    ~ SELFLESS LOVE WILL CHANGE THE WORLD~

God has not called us to understand everyone and everything, nor does He call everyone to be a great leader, but He calls all of us to love those around us.

"You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving." 

-Amy Carmichael

         "For the glory of God!"

How wonderful are His gifts

Life is not a spinning wheel of repetition. Rather, it is like a good book. Each chapter is new and exciting, filled with blessings and gifts that God is just waiting for us to notice. God's gifts come in many different sizes, but all of them are precious in His sight. None of them should be taken for granted or passed over. Some of His gifts come into our lives for a short time then quietly pass out of the door they came through. Quite often we get so caught up in the big things in life that we miss those precious, little, moments that He gives us.

Everything in our lives is a gift from God. Each person in our lives is there for a reason and a season. Each day is a blessing. Every smile, every laugh, every conversation, is a passing gift that will never be repeated. We must take advantage of those. We must learn to see those moments in life, for the small and insignificant things are often the most beautiful gifts of all.

Our Father delights to bless us with His precious gifts. We cannot let them pass by without thanking Him.

  

"For you make me glad by your deeds, LORD;

  I sing for joy at what  your hands have done."

 Psalm 92:4 

"For the glory of God!"