The Leaper

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to reap the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

Galatians 6:7-8

So today I was talking to a friend over dinner about how I haven't updated the blog in a while. She suggested that I just update it when I have time, when I want to. I told her that I update when I feel God putting it on my heart to update it.

What I failed to realize during dinner is that she is partially right.

I have to want God to come into my life, otherwise I remain blind to Him. I have to want God to change my heart. God will show me what He wants to, whether or not I want Him to show me, but I have to want to update my life in order for God to use me. I have to choose God's perfect plan that He chose for me. More than that, I have to do what God asks me to do.

I have to follow Him with my whole heart, my whole mind...my whole being.

How badly do you want Him?

How closely do you follow Him?

Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

1 John 2:6

Fireflies

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

Something to ponder:

What are the dangers of saying "No" to Christ?

This is something that I have most recently been stuck on. I feel that I haven't been saying "Yes!" to Christ enough. There's a lack of service, kindness, and direction, even at the very beginning of my Christmas break (which started Dec 23 [today]). Satan got to me and made me feel as if Christ was so far away. I then remembered that sweet poem, Footprints in the Sand. Christ will never be far from us. In fact, He is always right by our side.

For you, what are the dangers of saying "No"? How can we encourage one another to get closer to Christ, and say "Yes!" to Him with absolutely everything we have?

Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:8

Gaze Into Your Eyes

When Joseph woke up, he did what the Lord's angel had told him to do. Joseph took Mary as his wife, but he did not have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to the son. And Joseph named him Jesus.

-Matthew 1:24-25

My new NCV devotional got me thinking.

So recently I've been against myself buying a devotional--why would we need one if Christ supplied us with the Bible?! It is just money we can give to someone who needs it. However, as I was going through Barnes and Noble today (Christmas shopping), I came across this devotional. Something about it was really attractive (hmm...Christ possibly?). So I bought it.

I started with the Monday devotional--my bad, but from tonight's prayer, it was God's Plan.

What if we (all of God's children) said yes to Christ for the whole day? Yes to Christ, no to Satan, for absolutely everything. Oh, how the world would differ! We would give up our riches, and all come together as a family. Once the day was over, we would all live our lives, "grow our roots," starting in a different location. That one change in our lives would change a lot of things afterwards, at least for a while.

Then I got praying about myself in that situation. What if I said yes to Christ about absolutely everything for one day? For the rest of my life? What if I got a group of friends together, and the whole day we said yes to Him in all ways, and no to any Distractions. What could that one day do? Where would your roots start to grow? How could that one change, change the whole world?

As obedient children,

we do not conform to the evil desires

you had when you lived in ignorance.

-1 Peter 1:14

and every proud thing that raises itself against the knowledge of God. We capture every thought and make it give up and obey to Christ.

-2 Corinthians 10:5