Preparing to Study the Word

Pre- 1 & 2nd Peter Study


I hope this Sunday in March finds you well. I'm planted near a window, sitting in the most Hipster coffee shop I could find to try to draw my creative juices for this post. Unfortunately, the tiniest flakes of snow just started to swirl around the window... floating down from the grey sky onto the windowsill (and slipping through the crack in the window onto my keyboard. Let's all hope it stops soon.

My dear friend and I are starting an online Bible study tomorrow! We're digging into 1 & 2nd Peter. It's an 8-week study that comes with it's very own packet to get you to the finish line (hyperlinked above). All you need to participate in this one is good wifi.

Here's a verse to segue into tomorrow's study:

Psalm 1:2-3 says: Blessed is the man whose “delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”

I will DELIGHT in the law of the Lord and MEDITATE on it day and night. By these things, I will yield the fruit that are attributes of a person more like God... in other words, how I will PROSPER.

Those are my goals for this study:

• I will DELIGHT in His word, and seeking God's goodness!
• I will MEDITATE and do so daily, finding balance in consistency with God.
• I will PROSPER by taking the Truth from this study to heart and growing more like God.

What are your goals for this #LoveGodGreatly study? Write them in the comments below... I'll talk to you soon :)

Much love,

Vanessa

Muted colors.

Hi again,

Now that I've had almost an entire year away from blogging, I decided there was no better time to return.

I took some time to think through my re-brand... it's potential for longevity, and of course, my newest favorite color palette. Here we are. I've chosen rich yet muted colors, hoping that they'll continue to translate through winter and into spring/summer 2014. Inspired by the beautiful balloon collection that you see to your left, I take no credit for the wonderful photography collection on my pinterest pages.

It's funny to look back through posts and realize how quickly time passes. I'm used to looking back and thinking about how little I've changed, but lately I haven't felt that way.


Ways 2013 has changed me:

-I have a full-time job!

-I've started a budget. (though, I have yet to follow it)

-I fostered a sweet puppy named Roger.

-I finished two half marathons.

-I've used my crock pot.

-My best friend in the universe got married!

-I chopped off 5 inches of my hair.

-I drink wine on a regular basis. (sort of)

-I feel comfortable navigating the craziness of the Twin Cities.

-I have a big kid Bible and I read it daily. (and look forward to it)

-I visited Seattle and Long Beach, and am traveling so soon to Ft. Meyers! (all new places)


So what do I want to change in 2014? That's what I'll spend my week deciding. What do you want to change in 2014? It's the time of year to plan for change. If there's anything I've learned - it's to prepare for change, because it's going to happen whether you're looking or not!


Until next time,
V

I'm Burning Plows & Digging Ditches for Rain

Life is hard. I'd like to publicly make some goals:

I've started a Bible/book study with a very large group of amazing people. It's the Melissa Taylor study of the book, Greater, by Steven Furtick.

Funny chapter titles with deep meanings. I joined the study a little late, so over the past week I've read up on five chapters to catch up. They've hit me hard today, because today is my mom's birthday. I miss her so much. So what has the book taught me so far?

I have plows to burn and ditches to dig. Yes, the ditches are for rain, and NOT the Minnesota snow. These are analogies from the story of Elisha, who was approached by Elijah while he was in his routine of plowing with his oxen with a lack of a vision for what was "greater." When Elijah found him, he symbolically burned the plows as a sign of his radical faith in the greater plan for his life. Years later, he instructed a city in the midst of a drought to dig ditches for the massive amount of rain that God was about to provide.

My plows to burn:

• "what if" thoughts
• critical/skeptical spirit
• the grasp I have on my routine (work and personal)

The rain to come (after I dig some ditches):

• I have a hope and a future!
• I am blessed in the field, and blessed in the city
• He knows every hair on my head, and clothes the flower, He will take care of my needs and desires

Now it's time for me to remember this and put these thoughts into action.

Faith without works is dead.

It's good to be back,

V

להתפלל

In James 5, it says that the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.  I just finished Nehemiah That man's prayers are very effective. He is in fact, a righteous man who we should learn from. What makes his infamous prayer in chapter one so convicting, and so inspirational? What can we learn from it and apply from it to our own prayers?

What do people pray for God doesn't need us to do what He wants on earth. I think prayer is more than that. When you pray, God is refining YOU. and me. Prayer does not accomplish the external, prayer is for the internal. God uses our prayers to purge us of our grime and dirt and replace us with clean, pure hearts.

So then, our prayers are important. How we pray, when we pray, and what we pray for all reveal who we are. Here's what Nehemiah's prayer means to me:

He is direct. He prays for God to remember him multiple times. Also, his prayer follows a specific pattern. It begins with praise. That is followed by repentance. Then comes asking. Finally, Nehemiah yielded.

God will reveal things through prayer. Try spending more than two minutes in prayer one day. Push it. Double it, triple it. Try something new. I will too.

Much love,
V

What are you thinking?

1 Thess. 5: 16-18, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

What would you say the difference is between the flesh of a Christian and that of an existentialist? I say nothing. We were all born into this world from a mom and a dad. We wake up each day, we interact with the people around us, live the best we know how, and ultimately die.

We move, we talk, we learn & we love, we think & feel, we work, rest, and breathe. And things happen. Life is hard, and can be tough for Christians and non-believers alike. We come to our wit’s end and wonder if life is worth living. But wait, Christians have more than sinful flesh. We have a savior who has replaced our hearts of stone, so now the difference between us is great. Without a savior, in a difficult place we might say,

“I’m so unhappy today and nothing can fix it.”

“I’m in despair and don’t know what else to do.”

“I just want some joy in my life, because this life is it.”

“I want truth, but I can’t find it.”

BUT, with a savior, you and I can proudly declare the Word of God…

“I’ve had a rough day – but I choose joy because in 1 Thessalonians 5:16 it says, “’Rejoice always!’ I have Jesus on my side.”

“I don’t need to despair because in Isaiah 41:10 it says, ‘Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.’”

“I have joy deep in my soul because Jesus said to the Jews in John 8:31 & 32, ‘If you abide in my Word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”

We are believers, but there are days we wake up and feel like we could just have easily pass as an existentialist. Don’t let that happen. Today, I encourage you to cheer up because we have a Living God to glorify. Remember to choose joy; it’s worth it.

If I care, will you?

Here's the story:

You hear about this incredible mission trip. In this trip is a chance to see desolate places, meet the most impoverish people, and witness firsthand how spiritually deprived the world is. People whom you would never ordinarily speak with would pour out to you their secrets and struggles. You would learn about hunger, abuse, and disease; maybe even have the chance to work to build friendships or a school or church. You hear you have the opportunity to give a large amount of money to send someone on this trip or the chance to go there yourself.

One issue: you don't feel passionate about it.

Not that you don't care, it's just not something that directly affects the course of your every-day life.

Other people have been dreaming about going to Africa, Vietnam, NYC, India, Mexico, Chicago, the slums, Oklahoma, New Orleans, Brazil, Russia, Canada (fill it in) for months or years. Their "heart for missions" has been impressed in them ever since the age of 9 when they first met a missionary family who transferred to the church from Zimbabwe, Nicaragua, Haiti, (fill it in, again). You know it'd be great, and you would love to support people who are actively feeling passion from God. But maybe, since you aren't getting the "being called" vibe about doing/going to (fill in the blank), it must be something God is leading you away from.

Welp, guess you aren't cut out to be involved in God's plan...not.

Here's what I've been enlightened with lately:

Just because I don't have a constant, fire-y desire from the pit of my soul, even my being, to sponsor a Compassion child, join the Mocha Club, go on a mission trip, or donate $200 to support a ministry does not give me an excuse to not do it.

I agree that God does not call us all to fly to South Africa to translate the scriptures into an otherwise unknown language. What I'm saying is, if I ever feel discouraged that deep down, I don't have a passion to save the world: that is okay. Sometimes it takes training.

We don't have to feel called from the depths of our souls to give money towards a cause. The important thing is that out of obedience, we do it. God calls us in Matthew 28 to make disciples of all the nations.

Here's a link with a BUNCH of scriptures about it, just in case you don't already believe me!
(link is over here)

Test it out. Pick something that you know is in line with scripture that you don't necessarily feel "called" to and join. Start giving money towards this ministry, or showing up, and pray that if it is something that the Lord has been seeking your obedience in, that he will give you a desire in your heart for it. I've been praying that what it is that I'm doing will lead to some fruit (of the spirit, i.e. love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, ect) showing up in my life as proof that it's something that God really has for me.

I hope this means something to you today, especially as we enter the season of Thanks & giving :) Have a blessed weekend, and I'll be back soon!

Much love,
V

Photo compliments of The Mocha Club

Staring at a Maple Leaf

Like the title? I hope so. Don't get it? Look up those five words in google. Still don't get it? You don't know me well enough yet.

Anyways, hello. I wrote this first paragraph back when I created my blog in 2009, amazing how it still can relate:

"As I begin to see the changing colors of the leaves, I also begin to reflect on my year. What did I do? Where did I travel? Who did I date? What new inside jokes do my best friends and I have? Time flies. I wish I could say that I am excited for fall to come along with the changing of seasons, but I absolutely love summer, and I never want it to end. Fall is beautiful, but just reminds me of what is to come, when it gets to winter all I see is ice and cold. I live in Minnesota, I should be used to bundling and just sucking it up, but I can't seem to get over how much I just wish it was still summer when I was free to lay in the sun..."

[funny, I just moved to Nashville, guess I solved that problem for a while.]

Now that we have been able to fast forward two years, we're still seeing fall colors change, time still flies, and there is still much to look back on about this year. How have I grown? What in my life has changed? Where am I looking to be next year at this time? So much life happens. It is insane to me how quickly it can travel. Blink your eyes, and it's a new season, even a new year.

A maple leaf is so distinctive because of its shape. Not only do the Canadians recognize it as their nation's symbol, but the rest of the world knows it from any other leaf out there. It's officially fall when the maple leaves change colors, and the crunching of the leaves is a benchmark of the path to winter.

Today my point is this, where do you want to see yourself a year from now? We know how time flies, so if you want to see a change in yourself when you reflect on the past year, you better start now. Before you know it, another year will have gone by, and you'll be looking back on the future (if that makes any sense.)

I hope this finds you at a time when you can relate and take something from it. Blessings always & much love,
V

Flashbacks

I found this little book. The story goes like this: My friend Chels buys books from Hallmark where she used to work and then vandalizes them with little sayings of us and labels each kid as one of us. Then she wraps it all cute and gave them to her best friends. There were two or three cute little vintagey books with little kids all dressed up in them. Unfortunately, she used all of those on other people, so she had none left for me.

I got the odd book out. It was cute though, so cute that I have used it as decoration for years. I randomly opened it tonight for the first time in years, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover it might have been the best book of all. It's unreal how accurate this book depicts my relationship with many of my friends...

You all are amazing.

So here it is, my tribute to you via Sarah Mueller's
"the best of friends: celebrating the mystery and magic of true friendship"

You don't need much more than friends and cookies.

And with friends, "making cookies" doesn't have to involve actually baking the cookie dough.

Friends can have parties for any reason:

You-got-a-new-couch party!

  Our-favorite-show-is-starting-a-new-season party!

  It's-your-quarter-birthday party!

  It-didn't-rain-today party!

We-need-a-party-because-we-didn't-have-one-yesterday party!

You know you've found a friend when her opinion matters more to you than what the BILLIONS of other people in the world think.

A friend will never sugarcoat a bad situation, but she'll also never pronounce it hopeless...

  because no situation is hopeless when you've got a friend by your side.

A friend will tell you the truth.

Even when it hurts.

Even when the truth threatens your friendship.

  Because she knows that there is no real friendship without truth.

A true friend will not think twice of acting like a fool, an idiot, or the big B-word

  (especially the big b-word) if it will help you out.

You know you're tight when she stops loaning you the jacket you love...

  and just gives it to you for keeps.

Friends can talk about anything. In detail.

Friends don't expect you to clean the house before they come over.

A friend is simply someone...

  who listens.

Real friends sign on for everlasting on-call emergency duty.

If your friend is stranded at the airport, emotionally wrecked, or simply without anything to wear, in the hippocratic oath of friendship, you are required to be there, STAT.

Friendships are for being weird together.

There's a lot of comfort in the rituals you create with you friends.

Your once-a-week lunch or every other sunday movie night may seem like no big deal now,

  but when things get rough, they can be your lifeline to a little laughter, clarity, and sanity.

Friendship is when you can skip the warm-up and go right to the big questions.

  Is the medication working?

  Did he apologize?

  Did you call your mom about that thing?

Best friends also have the best fights. And the best sob fests when they make up.

A real friendship can withstand some good yelling. You should be able to read the riot act to a friend (and vice versa) and still be able to go out for coffee the next day.

(Apologies included with the cappuccino, of course.)

Women need friends and men. Both.

But the honest truth is most often, if not always, you'll need the friends because of the men...

not the other way around.

Friends always have something to say to each other, and sometimes they don't even need words.

Friends can have an entire conversation using only pronouns and never once get confused.

All friendships hinge on forgiveness.

Forgiveness for our shortcomings, our unreliable memories, our self-centeredness.

Forgiveness is the magic that makes being friends possible.

A friend gives you space to be gloriously messed up but is willing to help you get straightened out the moment you ask.

Talk therapy: one of the best parts of having friends.

Friends know how old you really are and how old you'd like to be.

And they do their best to make you move those numbers closer together.

Friends know what color your hair really is.

And they are prepared to tell you whether the color you now claim is an improvement... or not.

Friends know your weaknesses...

treat them gently, and get a kick out of seeing you grow beyond them.

Friends know that getting into a fender bender isn't really a story.

Getting into a fender bender with your former roommate's ex-boyfriends brother-now that's a story.

Reason you need friends #1

Someone needs to diagnose what's wrong with your martini (Chelsey crossed this out & replaced it with "soda") and give you the courage to send it back to the bar for one that tastes right.

Reason you need friends #2

When you make a fool out of yourself, you need someone willing to remind you of all her own most embarrassing moments-just to heal your smarting little ego.

Reason you need friends #3

You must have the voice of reason to counter all the insinuating advertising; toxic fashion magazines; and lying, thieving dressing room mirrors. We all need to hear the truth from time to time: You're beautiful. Period.

Reason you need friends #4

Once you hit a certain age, you really must replace your parents as your "emergency contact" number.

Reason you need friends #5

Friends can clue you in on everything your mom forgot to teach you.

Reason you need friends #6

Second opinions are a good, good thing. On those jeans. On taking that new job. On Mr. Could Be Right.

Reason you need friends #7

You always have an exit strategy out of bad parties and awkward dates. "Oh. So sorry. My friend is feeling really ill, and I've just got to take her home."

You can tell a friend "don't ask," and she won't. (She knows you'll tell her about it in five minutes anyway.)

Friends understand that it's not gossip if it's good news.

A friend will always do what's best for you, whether you like it, or not.

A good friend reminds you of who you are and who you can be.

A real friend will not set you up with one of her bet guy friends unless she's absolutely positive that it will work out.

And I mean white dress, butter-cream frosting work out... 

  So, pretty much, a real friend will almost never set you up with one of her guy friends.

"Single" doesn't mean "alone" if you've got friends.

OK. The truth is everybody neglects her friends in some way after falling in love.

But a real friend will come to her senses within a few weeks and call you, begging for forgiveness and a good gab fest.

Absolve her, because someday it will be your turn.

A friend knows when to nag and when to nurture, when to contradict and when to commiserate.

A friend is someone who knows the words to all your favorite songs

and isn't afraid to sing them with you at the top of her lunges.

With the windows down.

At a stop light.

When people are staring.

A real friend will spot you when you're broke...

  and find free stuff to do with you when your budget is tight.

Without friends, we'd all have to eat cheesecake by ourselves.

And everyone knows you shouldn't eat cheesecake alone.

Friends know that you can acknowledge you irrationality and still want to live in it for a while. 

And a true friend will live there with you until you're ready to come back to the real world.

When you're being emotional and hormonal,

  a friend knows to just order you the large frozen custard and let you rage.

A friend can listen to you expound at length on your latest passion,

whether it be a boy,

a band,

a book,

or an idea. 

If you're into it, then she's ready to learn.

It's such a relief to be in the company of friends  who speak your language, read your mind...

and sing your songs.

One of life's little joys is recognizing the name of a friend in your inbox amongst the sea of spam.

A really good friendship will change you;

  It will make you into more of yourself instead of whoever you were trying to be.

Real friends allow you to change.

Friendship is knowing you can call her in the middle of a fight...

  and she'll still pick up the phone, just in case you're in trouble.

A real friend knows when to offer advice...

  and when to just offer hugs.

A friend is the first to start clapping for you...

  and the last to stop.

There are so many parts in this book that remind me specifically of one of you, and I think that's great. Know that you always and forever have a friend in me.

Love, love, love you all :)

S is for...

Scrabble. I've been struggling lately.

It's hard to make a decision and play when you just can't find the right word you're sure is out there.

Gosh, I wish I knew what it was. It's also pretty challenging to live life when you are searching for the perfect time to make a move with a bunch of Zs and Js on your tray.

Here's the parallel: S also stands for searching. If you continue to search for your vowels while you still have a full tray of Zs and Js, and try to have a seven-letter word before you make a move, you won't get very far.

You need a mix of consonants and vowels to come up with the perfect word. It is almost always necessary to purge the old consonants to get the 100pt word.

2 Corinthians says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation."

K, read it once more. (that helps it sink in a little better) 

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW creation. The OLD HAS PASSED away; behold, the new has come. All this is FROM GOD, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation."

So what we've learned is that the old and new do not coexist. In order to be in Christ, to be a new creation through Him, we must throw out what does not represent Him. This is what I'll be practicing this week. Purging the habits that do not honor the Lord and making room for the ones that bring Him glory. 

Therefore, that is my challenge to you this week: look for your habits that are useless, and replace it with something that brings glory to God. That way, any move you make will be a good one.

Much love, 

V

My Commanding Personality

Wait, I don't have one of those.

Hello again, this is Vanessa, your blogging friend. Let's be real. I'm not commanding.

So, why the title? I don't want to be an overly-commanding coworker, friend, or family member. Yes, there is a need for that sometimes, but nobody likes a know-it-all. There is a part of me that needs to take control though, that is I want to command my day. I want to use the power of words to speak positivity, energy, and the Spirit of the almighty God into my day. Why? Because I can. And so can you. Words have power.

Today I want to go talk about ways I plan to do this.

First, attitude really is everything. A study from the Mayo Clinic came up with incredible results. A positive-thinking person is more likely to have a longer life, elevated moods, lower stress level, a better immune system, and a stronger sense of well-being and ability to cope during traumatic or stressful events. The bottom line here: cheer up!

Next, guard your heart. "Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." Luke 6:45. If you want to have power over words, you must take control of your thoughts. This takes practice and intentionality. The bottom line here: use discretion.

If you guard your heart, you will have a much easier time watching what you say. This is the next piece of advise I would offer. 

This post has been surprisingly difficult to write, and I think it's because this is something that is hard to put into practice. It's easy to wake up on the good mornings and praise God for the sun and the free time and the money.

But life isn't always that way. Today for example: it's raining, I'm broke (I even have a broken car at the moment), and people let me down. So here I am, saying that when I woke up this morning, the first thing I did was not praise God. But when I wake up and do, it is ENORMOUSLY easier to see the blessing, or the light through the trees.


But one thing I can rest on, God is so faithful, I know He is with me always, and I know He is with you.

Much love,
V

Where Were We?

First blog in a few weeks, hello. It's difficult to blog sometimes. I hear something, get inspired; get home, forget my inspiration.

My posts are very often around a spiritual basis. This usually isn't intentional, but I find if Christ is truly the center of a life, shouldn't conversation of the Lord and His goodness somehow manage to squeeze itself into every topic and every theme, all of the time?

Luke 6:45 says, "The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." If we have our hearts overflowing with thoughts of Jesus Christ and how good He is to us, we will spill the beans about it, just like anything else we are proud of. We should be reminded of Him with even the littlest things, and we should strive to be close to Him all the time.

Every topic should come back to Jesus. Similar to reading God's word, exercising, or thinking positive thoughts, or the more it happens, the easier and more fulfilling it becomes. I want to be dying inside to talk about or with or to the Lord all the time. 

Psalm 119: 10-14 says, "With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches." This will be my meditation for the week.

Few but rich thoughts for today; I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

Much Love, 

V

Food for Thought

Food. Have you ever been hungry? Like, feel like you are going to pass out and (due to a lack of nutrition) reach the point where you lost the hunger and decide that it must be because your stomach forgot what it even felt like to consume food? I can sometimes relate. Being hungry is a bummer. I hate to invoke guilt, but yes it's coming. Take about 25 steps back and contemplate those in the third world countries who go weeks with no substance, months, and years? Yes, they exist and sadly, these people often die. Whether or not we go without eating because we cannot afford the food, the point is that there are many people who cannot eat because they do not have real food. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to cut a meal out for the sake of others.

Now because God is generous, He expects us in the same way to be generous to other people. Paul teaches us this in 2 Corinthians 9 when he says, "6The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9As it is written, his righteousness endures forever.”“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; 10He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God."

Now--

Go back to those hungry thoughts. Being generous doesn't necessarily involve giving money or food (even money for food). It can be as simple as spending time to pray with or for someone, offering services, or sharing skills. Generosity will lead us to a life of peace, joy, and love. Being generous softens our hearts, lessons our obsessions with material things, and ultimately strengthens our spiritual walk with God. If generosity is something that you struggle with, maybe it would be a good idea to ask for the Lord's help with something simple like sharing your gifts and talents with someone and then build up to more.

God's nature is generosity, kindness, love, and selflessness. Basically? He Cares.

Whether we know it or not, He is concerned with our well-being and wants to bless us.  The best part about this is that is exactly what He does. The Lord is constantly finding new and exciting ways to bless His children. In Luke 6:38 it says, "For if you give, you will get" Your gift will return to you in full and overflowing measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use to give -- large or small -- will be used to measure what is given back to you."

And that's that. Thanks for studying the Corinthians letters with me! We finished my little series, next week we'll talk about something fresh. For now, blessings and love on this sunny Sunday :)

Much love, 

V

The Way you Do the Things you Do

Max Lucado has a great commentary on 2 Corinthians called Remember What Matters. He brings up valuable questions that are worth considering and reflecting. I hope you'll be blessed by what he writes:

"Motives. We all have them. We all have reasons (conscious and subconscious) for why we do what we do. What would you say are your dominant motivations in life... those compelling urges that prompt you during the average day?

An unnamed group of smooth-talking, slick-operating troublemakers had infiltrated the church at Corinth, bashing Paul and encouraging a departure from his new covenant gospel of grace. To prevent this terrible possibility, Paul contrasted his ministry and motives with theirs. In a world that is obsessed with "image," it is always tempting to pretend always tough to be authentic. Why is absolute honesty essential for those who serve God?

Paul obviously lived a life full of trouble and hardship. Why would God allow such difficulty for one of his most faithful servants? What silver lining does Paul see in his troubles?

Moses asked to see it on Sinai,

It billowed through the temple, leaving priests too stunned to minister,

When Ezekiel saw it, he had to bow,

It encircled the angels and starstruck the shepherds in the Bethlehem pasture,

Jesus radiates it,

John beheld it,

Peter witnessed it on Transfiguration Hill,

Christ will return enthroned in it,

Heaven will be illuminated by it,

It gulf streams the Atlantic of Scripture, touching every person with the potential of changing every life... including yours.

One glimpse, one taste, one sampling, and your faith will never be the same...

Glory

God's glory.

People were created to live for God's glory, but in reality this is not most people's primary concern. What are they living for? What is the treasure we have from God and what are we supposed to do with it?

In this chapter, Paul makes a big deal about speaking for and about God. How much do you do this in your life? Other passages also speak of Christians "shining" for God. What does this look like in everyday, practical terms?

Soli Deo Gloria means "to the glory of God alone." What are some indications that a believer has embraced such a mind-set and lifestyle? What are some specific acts you can commit to that will shine the glory of Christ into your world?

You can get attention by being slick and flashy and by cultivating a certain "image," but you'll never have a deep impact on others that way. The most powerful and eternally significant lives are on those, like Paul, who realize they are mere vessels who have been filled with a heaven-sent treasure. They realized God is the point, not them. According to the Bible, we exist to bring God glory, to shine for him, to point others to him. Like John the Baptist, we need to say, "He must become greater, and I must become less important," John 3:30. Focus today on the substance of your life more so than on mere style. Spiritual depth, authenticity, faithfulness--these are the qualities that honor God and cause others to stop and stare."

Let's make it a point to embrace more God-honoring motives and abandon our less worthy ones this week.

Much love,
V

I'm Sure

The Orchid of the Holy Spirit

Okay, in 2 Corinthians chapter three, Paul spends the first eleven verses telling the Corinthians that he knows that the Lord has called him, chosen him really, to be doing exactly what he is doing. He doesn't need to be assured of it from friends or family. Paul says, "our competence comes from God" in 2 Cor 3:5. The Holy Spirit is all we have to confirm and sustain ourselves as Christians.

The two terms Paul uses in relation to standing firm in what the Lord has called us to are letter and Spirit  By letter, Paul is referring to the Law, aka the words in the Bible. In the book of Romans, Paul talks about the letter's old age. When he says Spirit, it appears as though he is referring to the Gospel Spirit, aka the Holy Spirit that enters a Christian's heart after they realize and then open the need they have for Jesus in order to live eternally in heaven. The Holy Spirit is the life-giving power of God that is often confused with a conscience.

One of the beautiful things about following Christ is that we are never alone. Prayer is a powerful thing, and when we pray we open up a place where we can be taught and molded to be more like Christ. We can be absolutely sure that the Lord has a part in our lives if we are submitting ourselves in prayer and being vulnerable to obeying what the Bible says. I want nothing more than to be completely in line with His will for my life, it is what brings God glory and makes the ministry of salvation so powerful.

Much love,
V