Seek God's Kingdom First

We've all seen the Hollywood kingdoms portrayed in Bible-time movies, read chapters of Revelation about what Heaven looks like, and colored pictures in junior Bible coloring books that portray the throne room in a palace. Disney has put marble floors, gem-filled crowns, and castle spires into little children's minds with the Cinderella story, and picture books have helped us imagine what it would be like. We tour Biltmore houses, and other splendid structures across America, and overseas, trying to get a glimpse of the awesomeness of a kingdom. So, what did Jesus mean when half way through the greatest sermon ever preached, he says "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God."? Lets put it into perspective:

(Paraphrase) Don't worry about what you'll eat, or what you'll drink. Don't worry about where you'll get clothes, or what they look like. Your life, and your body consist of more than food and clothing. Look! My Father takes care of the fowls of the air. He clothes the lilies of the field! Even Solomon was not arrayed as beautifully as one of them! Can you add stature to yourself? Stop worrying about your needs. My Father in heaven knows them all! Therefore, do this:

"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself! Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

Actually, there are two kinds of kingdoms. The one that you and I think of when we think "Kingdom" is the future kingdom:

"The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." (Rev 11:15)

Then we have the kingdom Jesus refers to in Matthew 6:33. God's present kingdom is within us! Jesus said:

"Behold, the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:21)

Mr. Gothard in his book "49 Secrets of Power for Living" notes that the disciples often talked about who would be greatest in the kingdom of God. However, they failed to recognize that "The Kingdom" was within their hearts where the Holy Spirit dwells. This is why the first two things required to enter the kingdom are (1) repentance, and (2) new birth. We repent, and then we are saved. This results in the kingdom of God within us which is where the Holy Spirit takes up residency in our lives. Once this happens, we now have a new struggle:

Jesus was speaking to the multitudes when he gave this command. The word "seek" is a present, active verb. Jesus wasn't telling them to seek later, or that they already had sought, or to seek for a time, and then stop. Jesus was commanding them to seek continually, never to stop seeking, and to make seeking a way of life! Once we are born again, this seeking doesn't come to a sudden halt. Instead, we must take the initiative to keep seeking the kingdom of God, and thus, experience spiritual growth.

Initiative is acting on the rhemas that God gives to us in his Word. Initiative is also carrying out the will of God by being in tune with the heart of God

Idleness is the ground in which every form of evil takes root. The hour of idleness is the hour of temptation. This is why we are commanded by Jesus in Matthew 6:33 to be continually seeking God with a kingdom focus! Amy Carmichael thoughtfully said "Satan is much more in earnest than we are. He buys up the opportunity while we are wondering how much it will cost." How true! While we worry about what we will lose when we seek only God, Satan snatches the opportunity and leads us into temptation.

In tying all of this together, we have a kingdom within us that we are commanded to continually seek. We have initiative which is acting on the rhemas God gives us (those rhemas direct us and are both the motivation to seek, and the reward of seeking), and we have the warning that idleness breeds only temptation. So, what exactly are we seeking when we say "the kingdom within us"? There are eight things that a kingdom consists of:

1. A King - Jesus Christ
2. A Jurisdiction - Our Hearts
3. A Law - Christ's Commands
4. An Enemy - Satan
5. A Treasury - Sowing
6. A Citizenry - Disciples
7. A Flag - Banner of Love
   
8. An Army - Disciple Makers

Mr. Gothard lists these eight points in his book (49 Secrets of Power for Living) and here I have summarized it: we seek the kingdom by studying our King, Jesus Christ, in the Bible (God's instruction manual/love-letter to his children). As we learn about his Lordship, we surrender our hearts willingly to his jurisdiction. Now that we have surrendered to him, we seek to obey His commands, and in keeping with obeying them, seek to conquer the enemy that is ever present, wanting to devour. As others see our witness for Christ, we sow seeds in their lives. We then seek to build the number of citizens in God's Kingdom by making disciples. As we show our banner of love to them, they eventually mature, and thus, go out and make more disciples. Although there are many aspects to seeking the kingdom of God, this is one way we can "Seek God's Kingdom."

Now, why does it say "Seek ye FIRST"? Why not do other things first? I have to stick in an element from my Journey to the Heart binder, as usual, so this time, I am taking out "The Pure Heart." What is a pure heart? One with a pure heart is one who matches the standards of Christ (definition taken from "A Pure Heart" in the journey to the heart binder). Will any of us ever be perfectly pure during our life here on earth? No, but Jesus still calls us to live lives of purity...lives that don't see how close to the line they can get, or lives that sit on the fence, but lives that go the extra mile, make extra sacrifices, and show their love for their King liberally. We are promised by a God who does not break his promises, if you seek the kingdom first, ALL these things WILL be added unto you (i.e. you will never lack anything that Jesus Christ thinks you need.) A pure heart will enable us to throw away our worldly values and desire Jesus more!

I love this verse which directly follows Luke's documentation of this same passage in Matthew where Jesus says:

"Fear not little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

i.e. It's not a drudge for God to fulfill our needs, or to dwell within our imperfect selves. He delights in it. He loves it! It is His joy! Why should we worry about our physical needs when God not only fills them, but it is his GOOD PLEASURE to fill them??? This passage serves only to reiterate the beautiful words pf the prophet Zephaniah in Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

Summarization II: the kingdom of God is within you! You know the eight things that you are seeking in that kingdom. You understand that initiative, and a pure heart are required as you seek the Lord, and you know that you don't need to worry about your needs, because God delights to fulfill them as a demonstration of His love and compassion. I want to tie this off with a story:

A young man is walking down the streets of Judea. Everyone can tell by his appearance that he has many worldly goods. As he walks, he meets a man named Jesus with his disciples. He asks Jesus, "What must I do to have eternal life?" As Jesus tells him to obey the commands of Christ, and lists a few of them, the young man looks hopeful. He has done these well. Then Jesus stops. "But, I have done all of that! I am still empty inside!" I can almost see his face, so empty, yet so hopeful that Jesus will have an answer for him he has not already heard. "Go, sell what you have and give to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven, and you can follow me." There is silence. The young man's head falls, and he turns slowly and walks away. What is wrong with him? He is worried about his earthly possessions. He is too attached to temporal things to lay up eternal treasure. If only he had sought first the kingdom of God, He would have found eternal life, free, and abundant. But so often, I think we are like this young man. We may be saved, but we hold onto our rights, our expectations, and when someone comes along and says, "Throw them away, and seek God," we turn away, sorrowful. We want the answers in life to go our way, and fulfill our desires! Notice Jesus' response: (paraphrase) It is hard for a rich man to enter heaven. Actually, it is easier for a camel to walk through the eye of a needle. His disciples were shocked! They responded by saying "Who then can enter the kingdom of God???" I can picture their amazement! Jesus replies, "With God, all things are possible." Why? Because when we stop worrying about ourselves, and let God handle the details, He carries the load for us.

Are you seeking Jesus Christ? Or have you hung your head, and walked away, too scared to let go of the very things that make you feel so empty?

Be Blessed in Jesus! Live only for HIM!~
Hannah-

Read more...

The Good Home-school Girl: A Follow-up on Honoring Parents

We all know her. She is the person we often see ourselves to be. When her parents tell her not to do something, she doesn’t do it. She helps with the clean-up after every meal. She goes to church every Sunday, sometimes even twice a week! She keeps her room cleaned up. She checks with her mom before she goes out with friends. She turns in her homework assignments on time. She is involved in ministry opportunities. If someone asked her if she was rebellious, she could honestly say no…most of the time.

But what about the little things? What about when her parents tell her “You can make the choice, but we’d rather you choose this option.” What about when her friend calls and she knows if her mom were there, she’d want her to finish her school first. What about when she’s shopping with friends, and isn’t sure if her mom would like a certain purchase? What does the Good Home-school girl do then?

Most of us fit into the Good Home-school girl category. We are generally obedient to our parent’s stated commands, we don’t gossip, or even excessively complain, and generally, we try to be respectful, even though we fail much of the time. So I began to think about this concept. Is “The Good Home-school Girl” someone I want to be?

Two weeks ago I went shopping with my younger sister. It was just the two of us and naturally, we were having fun. We like thrift-store shopping (who wouldn’t?) and we were finding good deals everywhere we looked! I decided it was time for a new pair of pants. The church camping trip was just two weeks away, and I didn’t have anything to wear, so I looked around, found a practically new pair for three dollars, and bought it. The whole way home, my conscience condemned me. Why? Because I knew without a doubt that my mom would have preferred I not buy them without her there. I knew she had a certain way she wanted things to fit. Did she tell me before I left the house “Don’t buy any pants!” ? No! Of course not…but I knew her preference.

So, it blew over. They fit fine, she was disappointed at my ignorance to her preference, but hey, it was my choice, it turned out okay, and that was that. But then there was another thing: “You know I really want you to wear a skirt camping this time.” My mom told me. “But, I am going to let you make the choice.” Okay…I’m 18 years old, I’m not in rebellion, I dress modestly every day of my life, and my mom has told me that I can make the choice. Is there a choice to make? So, I looked it up:

Submission: an attitude of reverence in which a person voluntarily places himself under God-given authority as an act of faith in the sovereignty of God.

You know that verse that says “Submit yourselves to them that have rule over you.” I wondered if making a deliberate choice that was just not my authorities’ preference would be a violation of submission. Do we always have to do what our authorities prefer? So I chose to ask three questions. Ask yourself these three questions!

• If I dress the way I do because I am afraid that those at the camp-out will think I’m weird for camping in a skirt, I need to re-evaluate what is more important: is my relationship to my authorities, or my relationship to my friends more important?

• If people think I’m weird for camping in a skirt and make fun of me, are they really making fun of me? Or are they making fun of God…because I am under the authority that He has placed over me! (I had to come to the conclusion, that they are not rejecting me, but God and the authorities HE put over me).

• Lastly, if I am given a choice by my authorities, and I know their wishes, is it right to do my own thing anyways?

So this may seem like a really silly, not very important example, and it is! Isn’t that what always gets us? The music we listen to, the people we hang out with, the clothes we wear, the things we buy when we go shopping, the words we say when our parents aren’t there…all of that is what stops the “Good Home-school Girl” from being a “Submissive Home-school Girl.”

This leads me to ask one final question: God says that iniquity is “doing our own will” What we do that is defined as “iniquity” may not be inherently wrong at another time, or in another circumstance, but because it is done outside of God’s timing, it is wrong! Therefore, are we committing iniquity every time we make a choice that we know is against the preferences of our parents? I think we are, and here are the results of that iniquity:

• The Lord will not hear us (Ps 66:18)

• God will set our iniquities before His face (Ps 90:8)

• We will reap vanity which is translated sorrow (Prov 22:8)

• We will be separated from God (Is 59:2)

• We will not get good things from God (Jer 5:25)

• Our iniquity will be bondage to us (Acts 8:23)

• When we name the name of Christ, we will destroy God’s reputation (II Tim 2:19b)

All of us have different ways that we commit iniquity, but iniquity in this way is dishonoring our parents, and Ex 20:13 says to “Honor thy Father and thy Mother that thy days may be long…” Am I stretching this too far? I don’t think so. I would encourage each of you to search your life and heart for ways that you are regarding iniquity in your heart, dishonoring your parents, and thus, grieving the Holy Spirit. Then, check out the rewards of having a submissive spirit!

Eph 6:1-3, Col 3:20, Rom 13:3&5, Heb 13:17, Col 3:23-24, I Tim 6:1, Prov 6:20-24, Prov 15:5, I Pet 2:13-14, I Thess 5:12-13, and I Tim 6:2-4. The rewards outweigh the pleasure of a season of iniquity!...and…yes, I am wearing a skirt camping ;-)

Be Blessed!

~Hannah

PS: This does NOT only apply to Home-school girls :-)

Read more...

Despise Not Little Ones

I'll be honest. One of my first thoughts on this command was, "Despise not little ones? . . . Who despises kids?" I mean, clearly, some people are more gifted in dealing with children than others are - take my sister, for example. She doesn't just tell her class about Goliath. She makes Goliath. Plant a flower? Heh. She'll grow a garden. In fact, she'll travel 1,000+ miles and learn their language if it means reaching a little person's life for Christ. Even though some are less or more involved with children's lives, I don't believe I know one person who despises little ones . . . right? Well, then I remembered Hebrews 12:2, which says,

 "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

What word would you use to replace "despise" in this verse? Did Jesus really have repugnance or contempt for the shame? Let me give you another perspective as we look at the original Greek. In both Hebrews 12:2 and in Matthew 18:10, the word for "despise" is kataphroneo, which means to look down upon, to regard as insignificant, or not worthy of consuming our time and energy. Jesus was not regarding the shame as hard to bear, but rather the opposite - it meant nothing to him for the sake of His objective! The word despise means to shrink in value, literally: to look down at (de-  "down" + specere  "look at").  Is this, perhaps, our attitude towards children? Do we mentally shrink their value?

Children represent the most usable people in God's eyes. They are weak. Dependent. Innocent. Teachable. Spotless from the polluted world around them. Think of the times that Christians cried out to God for a leader; Who did He send? Mighty warriors? Actually, he sent babies... such as Moses, Samuel and Jesus. God loves to take the unlikeliest hero and give him the most daunting challenge of all. Why? Because God gets the credit.

Children should be our role models in more ways than one. Granted, babies get away with a lot more than adults do... there's simply nothing to be desired about a 50-year-old crawling on his hands and feet drooling. But, there are attributes characteristic of children that Jesus treasured to the extreme. So much so that he said,

Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:2-4

Have you ever had the opportunity to minister to bereft children? A friend of mine, Lesley Hoover, recently traveled to China for this very cause! She writes,

Last month, I was blessed with the opportunity to travel to China and minister to hundreds of orphans, many of which had special needs or critical health problems. As I spent time with these precious little ones and grew to love them so much, I developed a deeper understanding of God's heart towards children. I have grown up around children and love them dearly, but this was a totally life changing perspective. I was hit in a powerful way with how deeply children matter to God and how deeply He loves each one. 

As I was talking with the head nurse, she told me that every child they receive is considered a 'dying child' in society. No good. Not worth caring for or about. No hope. And the last ones to ever be loved. Many of these children wouldn't even be alive today if not for those laboring in China to be the hands and feet of Christ to these precious little ones. Some of these orphans don't even get a chance to have a family. Children with Downs Syndrome, for example, aren't even put on the list for adoption. They are looked down upon their entire lives. The more I heard, the more my heart broke. I thought, How can this be? How can anyone consider innocent children as not worthy of life, love, or even a family? My mind could hardly comprehend how these children could not be loved or wanted just because they were 'different'. Each child is a precious testimony to the gift of life and dearly loved by our Lord and Savior. 

I thought of so many times in Scripture where children are said to be a gift - a blessing - and here they were, the very 'least of these' in society, despised and rejected. It broke my heart, and I can only imagine how terribly it must grieve the heart of God to see children looked down upon and rejected. They have done nothing to deserve such treatment! And then I thought of my Savior. He too, was looked down upon and rejected, though He didn't deserve it. This same Savior, Who felt what these children feel, Who went through what they are going through, tells us not to look down upon them. For their angels stand in the very presence of God Almighty. I thought of this as I held babies so tiny I could almost hold them with one hand. I thought of this as I walked along the roof and the Wall of Remembrance, praying as I read all the names - tiny little names. Each one the name of a little one who breathed their last without a family this side of Heaven. They are unknown to a world who said, "We don't want you...you aren't important to us." And I wept as I thought, As my God loves these precious little ones, I, who claim to bear His name, can do no less but love them as He does.

Read more...

Living For Jesus

Lord prepare me,
to be a sanctuary,
pure and holy,
tried and true!
With thanksgiving,
I'll be a living,
Sanctuary for you!

Read more...

Knowing the Heart of God

"...When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.

Two weeks ago, I came home from my fourth Journey to the Heart, a program put on by the Advanced Training Institute in Chicago. Most of you are probably familiar with it. Why we continue to go back seems to puzzle everyone we run into, but the reason is simple: we will never be perfect. The opportunity to get away for ten days and just seek God, and allow him to peel back yet another layer of our own selfishness and pride is an opportunity rarely experienced by the youth of our day, and one we want to have as long as we can. We also have been taking girls back with us as a ministry and have found it a blessing beyond what we could ever imagine.
Back in September of 2009, when we were on our second one, Madison, one of the team leaders who was there, gave a message that stuck with me and really hit home hard on this last journey. I have always struggled with making lasting changes for the good in my life. Most of us do. I think the reason for this is because Satan is out to steal, to kill, and to destroy. When a seed of truth that could impact us eternally is planted in the garden of our hearts, he does all he can to snatch up that seed and take it away before it can take root. Madison shared three steps to find the heart of God, and to continue "living the journey" at home:

1. Pursue God - run after him, search for him in the scriptures, pursue him until you find yourself surrounded by his greatness and his love!
2. Believe God - when you find him in the scriptures, believe what he says. Those rhemas are promises...not to be easily forgotten, but applied to life! It amazes me how difficult it is to believe those passages for what they are. Taking scripture at face value is not as simple as we think.
3. Praise God - I am not talking about thanking God. Thanking God is acknowledging what he has DONE. Praising him is acknowledging who he IS.

These foundational steps have prompted me many times to step back into God's will, and to realize how real Satan is and how much he wants to steal away my heart! I have started writing down a promise from God every day in my journal and hanging onto it. It has helped me to believe God when he says he will do something. All the promises he made to David are still applicable to you and me for today! Here are some of the ones the Lord has given me in my quiet times the past few weeks:

"And now shall my head be lifted up above my [spiritual] enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord!" (Psalm 27:6)

"My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth." (Psalm 89:34)

"I, even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." (Isaiah 43:25)

"Fear not; for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned: neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, The Holy One of Israel, thy Savior...since thou was precious in my sight, thou has been honorable and I have loved thee; therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy life. Fear not. I am with thee..." (Isaiah 43:1b-5a)

"...everlasting joy shall be upon your head; you shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away." (Isaiah 51:11b)

"Blessed be... the Father of all mercies, and the God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." (II Corinthians 1:3-4)

I have also started turning a psalm or other passage of scripture into a prayer of praise to God. This reminds me to praise God, not just thank him. I find it immensely difficult to live out the Christian life the same way at home that I do at the Journey. There is a definite difference of atmosphere, and so many ways that Satan loves to trip me up. The other day, I was driven to the point of despairing life itself. Satan had brought so many lies and so much irritation and frustration into my life at that moment that all I wanted was relief! Thinking back on a sermon I heard recently, I jotted down what the pastor had said in my notebook, clinging to the reality of the fact that his words were so true!

"We need more than just relief. We need repentance towards our self-centered lusts. Our greatest need is to submit unconditionally and surrender to God."

How true! In my life, I often find myself running from tests I never studied for...tests that Jesus warned would come! He told his disciples not to be surprised if the world hated them, because it hated him first! I often expect life to go my way when in fact, Jesus has already announced that it won't! In the midst of all my anger and doubt, I even felt irritated at God. "Why are you letting this happen? Don't you know how much I want to be faithful to you? Don't you care about me at all? You certainly aren't showing it!" In the midst of my self-pity and hypocrisy, God seemed to prompt me to look at Him for help. "You are not representing me the right way." That still small voice seemed to prompt in a way that frustrated my stubbornness even more! I reached for Charles Spurgeon's book "Morning and Evening" and flipped open to the correct day. What I read was really convicting. Conviction had not been exactly what I had in mind. My problems were everyone else' fault...or so I assured myself...

"They lay their own foundation and hew out the pillars of their own house, refusing to be debtors to the sovereign grace of God."

Certainly it was not working out my way! My mind flew back to Madison's talk about pursuing God. I had been sitting there giving ground to Satan - what he wanted most - and letting Jesus Christ down! For a moment I was well assured that I was the only Christian in the world stubborn enough to dig herself into such a mess! I realized later on that so many of us are prone to fall into the same entrapment's of the enemy. I was encouraged to lean on the verse I put at the top of this post. God will lift up a standard against the enemy when he comes flooding in. That standard is you and me! Will we be strong enough to withstand that flood? Will we represent our Lord and Savior and stand strong amidst all the pressures of life? Or will we allow Satan to break down the barriers of our Lord, and come in and steal, kill, and destroy? Think on these things this week and may you be encouraged...you are not alone in the battle!

~Hannah

Read more...

Come Lord Jesus!

Gold rimmed clouds.
Heaven's rays of light streaming through like gigantic stage lights. My earliest memories reach back to brilliant moments as, with my little girl blond head tilted back, my small frame faced the magnitude of the sky's message above. With reels of anticipation I remember exclaiming "Jesus is coming back!" At times I could almost see Him. The more the light radiated in the break in the clouds, the more sure I was that Jesus would come before the sun went down. Have you ever looked up to the clouds with the thought on your heart, "Lord Jesus, You are coming. Today?"
Jesus described His heavenly accent as a man going on a journey who would leave his business and home in the care of capable, trusted servants. At all times they were to be ready - ready for his return.
The parable went on the describe how easy it would be for the servants to become despondent, distracted and their hearts disconnected from the post the master had left them to fill. In fact Jesus questioned in His earth walk, "When the Son of man comes will He find faith on the earth?"

This year I've been blessed to live in a little apartment, affectionately called "the tree house". Through the skylight window in the kitchen, I enjoy the summer's golden rays. Deep in my heart I question, "Lord Jesus, are You coming today?" And His smiling answer returns, "I'm here today." And thus, while I await His appearing, I yet love His Presence.


In this time of waiting we've all been given a post to fill, a delightful duty for the kingdom's sake. It isn't manditory, but rather expressive of a heart that knows it is loved by the Master. What is the Master's post for you? Are you still there?


The Master has given me a post that doesn't have an official sounding name, a trendy title, or a black and white schedule, but it is a post of the heart. A calling of the mind, will, emotions.

A calling of Hope. (Eph. 1)

A calling to HOPE.

A calling to watch and pray. I don't know His ETA (estimated time of arrival), but I do know that He's coming soon. May we be found "looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ." Titus 2:3


"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that Love His Appearing.
II Timothy 4:7,8

A few thoughts:

• Be ready. As the old songs goes: "When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?" In the secret chamber of your heart ask the Lord, "Are my garments spotless, with not a stain of the world?" Jesus is faithful to reveal the stained spots and has already provided the washing of them. Praise God!
• 
  
  Minister to the Lord through praise: tell Him you love the promise and anticipation of His arrival.
• 
  
  Be beautiful for Jesus: there's nothing so beautiful as a thankful heart.
• 
  
  Exercise spiritual alertness. Beaware of current events and understand the times.
• 
  
  Stay in tune with the Holy Spirit and His work around (and in) you, through prayer.

Blessings are yours in Jesus,

Janny

Read more...

Take My Yoke

ORDIN"Come unto me, all ye that labour
and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon
you, and learn of me; for I am meek
and lowly in heart: and ye shall find
rest unto your souls. For my yoke is
easy, and my burden is light."
Matthew 11:28-30



Studying this Command could not have come at a better time for me. I have been struggling with my walk with the Lord recently. This Command showed me that I have not been trusting in the Lord to take full control but have been leaning on my own strength.
When two animals are yoked up together, one is to be dominant and the other submissive. The Lord showed it to me like this, How can I (Lord) direct your life if you are trying to take over, when you are supposed to be submissive!

I'm sure most of you have heard the song, that goes like this: Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe, well I forget the part, action is the key do it immediately, the joy you will receive. I have been singing that song pretty ,much my entire life and never stoped to think about what the words really say or mean.
Thank you Lord for showing me how to get back your yoke, before you had to show me the hard way!! My Dad had me memorize this verse about a year ago and I think it goes really well with this Command: "But let it be the hidden man
of the heart, in that which is
is not corruptible, even the
ornament of a meek and
quiet spirit, which is in the
the sight of God of great
price." 1Peter 3:4

Please pray for me to continue to stay in the word, and equally yoked up to Christ:)
Jordin

Read more...

Love the Lord!

She sat in a wheelchair amidst a generation in their late eighties and early nineties who were oblivious to her or her situation, and then looked sorrowfully into the mirror that seemed to confirm her thoughts… Nineteen. I don’t belong here. This place is for old people! I can’t use my hands to play piano or guitar anymore, I can’t talk clearly enough to teach Sunday School, I can’t run, can’t even walk, can’t do anything that made me useful before. “What good am I?” she said out loud as tears welled up in her dark brown eyes and spilled down her quivering face. “Sarah,” the voice that responded held a weight and tone to it that only a mother can own, “what is the greatest commandment?” The pause was deliberate and focused.

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and with all thy strength.”

The rhythmic beeping of machines kept on unnoticed in the background. “Do you need to be able to walk well to do that, or use your arm to do that? Nothing you need to fulfill the greatest commandment has been taken away from you.”

Do we hang our sense of worth on the way we can perform physically? Perhaps we are distracted from realizing the highest calling we have is to love our God, not just to serve Him. God wants our hearts first and foremost. The activities and business of the day should simply be how our love for God is played out-- the outpouring of our gratitude, affection, and personal relationship with the Savior of our souls-- taking form by the spirit in which we clean, the kindness that we choose to express to others throughout the day, or the boldness we illustrate by witnessing to someone who does not know the Lord as we do.

Loving God should always come before our “to do” list, as it will be what drives us to do and be all that pleases Him! Let's see our love for God as the “leader” of all that we do. Because love shapes the interests and pursuits of a heart, our love for God will cause all that we do to fall into line behind the leading pursuit of God’s desires for our life.

Helpful Verses to Memorize:

Exodus 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

I John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Matthew 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

I John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

Proverbs 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

Read more...

Do Not Covet

Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. (Luke 12:15)

We don't like to think of ourselves as covetous people!!! It's not a pleasant thought, but the fact of the matter is, that we walk around every day saying "If so n' so has this thing, why can't I have it too?" At least I do! I find myself wrapped up in material things so much that I forget the glory of God...I forget to see him for who he is! Is his glory and his presence really worth trading in for material things? I think one of our greatest downfallings is that we put ourselves in boxes and beg God for earthly treasure. God wants us to rise above our selfishness to his brilliance so that he can give us eternal treasure which will last for eternity! The world tells us that our life purpose relies on what we own. The real truth however is that the kingdom of God is within us. Our purpose lies in furthering that kingdom and in doing everything we possibly can for our Savior...to keep that Kingdom pure, clean, spotless, for the Master's use! It was only a few weeks ago that God was showing me all of this...

"Lord, I know I've been here three times. I'm grateful for all you've done so far. Now I want you to show me the little things...the blind spots in my life...that are holding me back from your greatness." God must have laughed at my obliviousness. "Hannah, you are still holding onto some BIG things. How can I deal with the little ones?" I protested for several days. Clothes, music, email, cell phones, friends, all of it had to go on God's alter. Sure, I had said I had "surrendered all" but God knew the bigger picture. I was not living a life totally sold out for him. I was placing my desire for the things of the world above my hunger and thirst for Jesus Christ.
It is often painful to deal with things that we hold onto for so long. It is hard to say "Lord, you were right, I was wrong." Most of all, it is hard to go home and tell your mom and dad that you were wrong and they were right!!!!! However, it is necessary. What is more worth it...The presence of God, or the presence of earthly things? What is more important? Getting your way, or leaving the choice up to God? My story is not the only one. America's teenagers live off of this method of thinking. "How much can I get to fit into society???" It is the big world-wide question. Think on it. It's silly!

In the clip below by Eric Ludy, he explains how Jesus Christ has set out a banquet for us...but we hesitate to partake in that...why? Because we are afraid to leave behind the things that we'll have to give up for Jesus Christ. Take a few minuets and watch this and realize that God's glory, his presence, his banquet, is worth more than any earthly possession ever will be to us!



Think on these things.
Love you all!

Read more...

Honor Marriage

"For this cause shall a man leave
father and mother, and shall
cleave to his wife: and they twain
shall be one flesh?.... What therefore
God hath joined together, let no man
put asunder."
Matthew 19:5-6


When we (I) as a single young person look at this Command, we sometimes think, this is not for me. As I was studying this Command the Lord showed me this verse;
"She will do him good and not
evil all the days of her life."
Proverbs 31:12
It does not say, when you get married, but All the days of her (his) life. That means, that we should be preparing ourselves for that one person that God has for us.

Another way that the Lord showed me how to apply this Command as a young person is to Him. How do I apply Honor Marriage to my relationship with God? Doesn't the Bible give us Jesus' relationship with the church ( all believers), as an example on how we are to treat our spouse? "Submitting yourselves one to
another in the fear of God.
Wives submit yourselves unto
your own husbands, as unto
the Lord. For the husband is
the head of the wife, even as
Christ is the head of the church:
and he is the saviour of the body.
Therefore as the church is subject
unto Christ, so let the wives be to
their own husbands in every thing.
Husbands, love your wives even as
Christ also loved the church, and
gave himself for it; That he might
sanctify and cleanse it with the
washing of the water by the word.
That he might present it to himself
a glorious church, not having spot,
or wrinkle, or any such thing; but
that it should be holy and without
blemish." Ephesians 5:21-27
Wow! What an example we have to follow!
May God bless each and everyone of us to be pure and blameless before Him!
Jordin

Read more...

Honor Your Parents

My heart was heavy for a friend of mine as I heard the news about her husband's death. A newly married young woman in her early 20's now found herself in a position she never desired: a mother of a bright young boy but widow of a man who committed suicide. I was serving at IBLP's headquarters when I heard the sad news, and after explaining the situation to Mr. Gothard, was surprised when he said, "Rejoice!" Rejoice... rejoice when my dear friend is suffering? "Rejoice," he counseled, "that God's Word is being proven to be true." Ephesians 6:2 and 3 say,

"Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;

That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth."

Indeed, God's Word was being proven to be true. As much as my heart went out to my friend, I also recognized that she had not honored her parents, but had, in fact, rebelled against their authority and counsel, and married this man against their wishes. The blessing of God can not rest on one who has rejected the very ones God has provided to protect her.- it would be unjust for God to cause to prosper one who has thrust himself outside of the umbrella of authority and into the whelms of the world!

There is hope for someone in this situation, though. God

is merciful, and will forgive anyone

who is repentant and aligns their life back into harmony with the principles that have been laid out in the Bible. Mary Magdalene, the Prodigal Son and Jonah are all examples of this.

We can not look at every trial someone goes through and assume it is because they have not honored their parents-- John 16:33 says, "In the world ye shall have tribulation:". It is good, rather, to examine our own lives, as often our trials are brought on by our own foolishness; foolishness that could have been avoided had we had embraced the Scriptures. It is an incredible blessing to have a mother and father to help us lead a God-honoring life and avoid the pitfalls of one void of understanding. I am deeply thankful that my parents have chosen the route of homeschooling in order to protect and shelter me from harming influences, and who seek the Lord on my behalf. Parents that I have the privilege of going to with a transparent heart when I am struggling, that I might benefit from their wisdom and protection. God will lead through parents, even though they are imperfect.

Soon enough, we may be responsible for the rearing up of our own children. How do we want them to respond to our counsel? Are we responding that way to our own parents? Proverbs 10:1 says, "A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother." The responsibilities only increase as a man or woman gets older. Why, then, would we add to the burden our parents bear by erring from the way that is right?

III John 1:4 says, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." I believe every Christian parent could add a hearty amen to this verse! Let us strive to make a "glad father" by obeying the first commandment with promise:

"Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;

That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth."

Read more...

Hear God's Voice

This seems perhaps like a funny command. "Hear God's voice? He doesn't talk out loud!", some of you might say. True, we often don't have the privilege of hearing God's voice in the same way Isaiah did:

"Also, I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" (Is 6:8)

Actually, we have the priviledge of hearing God's voice through our spirits. Through Christ's death on the cross, we have free and unlimited access to the holy of holies...God's dwelling place. Unlike Isaiah who had to experience the voice of the Lord FOR the people, each one of us can individually experience the voice of God and hear his message for our lives. How???

Not too long ago, I was praying and I suddenly remembered hearing someone say, "Prayer is not talking to God or at God. Prayer is talking WITH God." My mind reeled. "Oh dear...will he really say something to little insignificant me?" I wondered. I was half afraid...no, I was completely afraid that he would not say anything if I were silent before him. Isn't that just like us a believers? We want to take the step of faith and yet we are too faithless to do it?! Somehow I missed that verse in James 4:8

"Draw nigh to God and he will draw night to you."

Faith is throwing both arms up and saying "God, I believe you. Take me. I am yours...faith is in essence, a very important aspect of surrender. One does not give themselves fully to something or someone unless they have faith...TRUST in that thing! God has been demanding trust from me lately in a very real and sometimes uncomfortable way. It is causing me to hear him clearly though. We will not hear the voice of the Lord for the little things we want answers for until we trust him in the big things he demands we know.

Anyways, back to my faith experience...I got down on my knees and I decided to just be quiet. Don't you laugh when you think of God telling you to just shut up a second so he can get a word in edge wise? I do...I think God has a sense of humor, but I also think it disappoints him when we're so wrapped up in our struggles that we won't let him take a moment to give us the answers. We want to hear God's opinion, but we're too busy talking to let him tell us what it is.

"Bow down thine ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge." (Proverbs 22:17)

God gets tired of our whining. He wants to help us get over it fully and completely!!! As I quieted myself before the Lord, he did speak. At first, it was soft, not so audible to my soul, but then it came quickly like a rushing wind. "You were created for greater works! You must trust me to know what is best for you!" I was shocked. Why? I should expect this of the God who wants a relationship with me...yet my faithlessness had made that impossible. Girls...you will never know the power of the voice of God until you stop to listen to it. It is not loud or glamorous...it is instead filled with a glory that steals in and fills all the cracks, and then takes over your life if you let it. I would challenge you. Get alone with God...let his glory cover you and overflow you. Be silent and watch the fireworks as the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart and soul. He is greater than you know...if you just take the time to get to know him!!!

Read more...

Be A Servant

Be A Servant
"But we preach Christ crucified"
1 Cor. 1:22

*Crucified (4717)~to impale on the cross; to extinguish passion or selfishness

With humble gratefulness I sit here on the evening of Good Friday. I remember the goodness of God. His Son, in servant hood of the finest quality lived and died on my behalf and yours. We've been fully reconciled to God through the crucifixion of Jesus. No longer angry with anyone, His goodness compels, it leads us to repentance. What a gift! What a God! What a Saviour! I believe!
*Believe(4100) ~to have faith, put in trust with, commit
Along with you, my heart is committed to the truth and longs to know this Servant King.

Every path walked in Christ will be one of servant hood.

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, or things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:5-11

The humble, meek Lord Jesus poured out in love His life-giving flow, His blood. Is that loving, life-giving stream channelling through me unhindered?

Selfish ambitions block Love's celestial flow through my heart.

What do I need to remove from my life in order to be more profitable to the ones I serve?

But dearest ones, it must be that we first understand the deep, abiding, unhindered love of God for us, before we even attempt to do this mighty, privileged work of serving the kingdom of heaven. Otherwise fleshly overtones pronounce our work to be for us, for results, for praise of men.

"From Me thy fruit is found." Hosea 14:8

Raised to help out (even take over when needed), to be 2nd mothers for the siblings, to say right, to do right, you and I might sometimes rely on this routine of works to keep us "doing", as if in some way to impress or perform for our "rightness" before God. What bondage! "Cumbered about with many things", anyone?! Let us love, live, and serve in joy for the righteousness Christ Jesus bought us with His precious blood rather than serving to "master mind" for merit. Serving- it is a matter of the HEART!

I bless each of you in the name of the Lord Jesus with joy in serving your neighbors and with the peace of knowing Jesus as He is.

"And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."
"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you in due time."

Special thanks to Kayla for her amazing shots of the path and water at Bon Falls!

Read more...