Growing In Christ
12.23.03 (11:11 am) [edit]
"Consider the lilies how they grow."
~Luke 12:27
What we all need is to 'consider the flowers of the field,' and learn their secret. Grow, by all means, dear Christians; but grow, I beseech you in God's way, which is the only effectual way. See to it that you are planned in grace, and then let the Lord cultivate you in His own way and by His own means. Put yourself out in the sunshine of His presence, and let the dew of heaven come down upon you, and see what will be the result. Leaves and flowers and fruit must surely come in their season; for the Lord is skillful, and He never fails in His harvesting. Only see to it that you oppose no hindrandance to the shining of the Sun of Righteousness, or the falling of the dew from heaven. The thinnest covering may serve to keep off the sunshine and the dew, and the plant may wither, even where these are mose abundant. And so also the slightest barrier between your soul and Christ may cause you to dwindle and fade, as a plant in a cellar or under a bushel. Keep the sky clear. Open wide every avenue of your being to receive the blessed influences your Divine Husbandman may bring to bear upon you. Bask in the sunshine of His love. Drink of the waters of His goodness. Keep your face upward to Him as the flowers do to the sun. Look, and your soul shall live and grow. :wink:
By: Hannah Whitall Smith
I love this devotion! It's such a beautiful way to put it!!
God Bless!!
~*~Heather~*~
~Luke 12:27
What we all need is to 'consider the flowers of the field,' and learn their secret. Grow, by all means, dear Christians; but grow, I beseech you in God's way, which is the only effectual way. See to it that you are planned in grace, and then let the Lord cultivate you in His own way and by His own means. Put yourself out in the sunshine of His presence, and let the dew of heaven come down upon you, and see what will be the result. Leaves and flowers and fruit must surely come in their season; for the Lord is skillful, and He never fails in His harvesting. Only see to it that you oppose no hindrandance to the shining of the Sun of Righteousness, or the falling of the dew from heaven. The thinnest covering may serve to keep off the sunshine and the dew, and the plant may wither, even where these are mose abundant. And so also the slightest barrier between your soul and Christ may cause you to dwindle and fade, as a plant in a cellar or under a bushel. Keep the sky clear. Open wide every avenue of your being to receive the blessed influences your Divine Husbandman may bring to bear upon you. Bask in the sunshine of His love. Drink of the waters of His goodness. Keep your face upward to Him as the flowers do to the sun. Look, and your soul shall live and grow. :wink:
By: Hannah Whitall Smith
I love this devotion! It's such a beautiful way to put it!!
God Bless!!
~*~Heather~*~
BITTER OR SWEET
12.12.03 (10:24 am) [edit]
This little story was e-mailed to me:-) Hope it warms your heart as much as it warms mine :wink:
~Heather
[b]BITTER OR SWEET[/b]
At the University of Chicago Divinity School each year, they have what is called "Baptist Day." On this day each one is to bring a lunch to be eaten outdoors in a grassy picnic area. Every "Baptist Day" the school would invite one of the greatest minds to lecture in the theological education center.
The story is that one year they invited Dr. Paul Tillich. Dr. Tillich spoke for two and one-half hours "proving" that the resurrection of Jesus was
false. He quoted scholar after scholar and book after book. He concluded that since there was no such thing as the historical resurrection the religious tradition of the church was groundless, emotional mumbo-jumbo,
because it was based on a relationship with a risen Jesus, who, in fact, never rose from the dead in any literal sense. He then asked if there were any questions.
After about 30 seconds, an old, dark skinned preacher with a head of short-cropped, woolly white hair stood up in the back of the auditorium. "Docta' Tillich, I got one question," he said as all eyes turned toward
him. He reached into his sack lunch and pulled out an apple and began eating
it. "Docta' Tillich"... CRUNCH, MUNCH..."My question is a simple question," CRUNCH, MUNCH." Now, I ain't never read them books you read..."CRUNCH, MUNCH"...and I can't recite the Scriptures in the original Greek"...CRUNCH, MUNCH..." I don't know nothin' about Niebuhr and Heidegger"..... CRUNCH, MUNCH... He finished the apple. "All I wanna know is: This apple I just
ate -- was it bitter or sweet?"
Dr. Tillich paused for a moment and answered in exemplary scholarly
fashion:
"I cannot possibly answer that question, for I haven't tasted your apple."
The white-haired preacher dropped the core of his apple into his crumpled
paper bag, looked up at Dr. Tillich and said calmly, "Neither have you
tasted my Jesus."
The 1,000 plus in attendance could not contain themselves. The auditorium erupted with applause and cheers. Dr. Tillich thanked his audience and promptly left the platform.
[b] Psalm 34:8
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in
Him![/b] :wink:
~Heather
[b]BITTER OR SWEET[/b]
At the University of Chicago Divinity School each year, they have what is called "Baptist Day." On this day each one is to bring a lunch to be eaten outdoors in a grassy picnic area. Every "Baptist Day" the school would invite one of the greatest minds to lecture in the theological education center.
The story is that one year they invited Dr. Paul Tillich. Dr. Tillich spoke for two and one-half hours "proving" that the resurrection of Jesus was
false. He quoted scholar after scholar and book after book. He concluded that since there was no such thing as the historical resurrection the religious tradition of the church was groundless, emotional mumbo-jumbo,
because it was based on a relationship with a risen Jesus, who, in fact, never rose from the dead in any literal sense. He then asked if there were any questions.
After about 30 seconds, an old, dark skinned preacher with a head of short-cropped, woolly white hair stood up in the back of the auditorium. "Docta' Tillich, I got one question," he said as all eyes turned toward
him. He reached into his sack lunch and pulled out an apple and began eating
it. "Docta' Tillich"... CRUNCH, MUNCH..."My question is a simple question," CRUNCH, MUNCH." Now, I ain't never read them books you read..."CRUNCH, MUNCH"...and I can't recite the Scriptures in the original Greek"...CRUNCH, MUNCH..." I don't know nothin' about Niebuhr and Heidegger"..... CRUNCH, MUNCH... He finished the apple. "All I wanna know is: This apple I just
ate -- was it bitter or sweet?"
Dr. Tillich paused for a moment and answered in exemplary scholarly
fashion:
"I cannot possibly answer that question, for I haven't tasted your apple."
The white-haired preacher dropped the core of his apple into his crumpled
paper bag, looked up at Dr. Tillich and said calmly, "Neither have you
tasted my Jesus."
The 1,000 plus in attendance could not contain themselves. The auditorium erupted with applause and cheers. Dr. Tillich thanked his audience and promptly left the platform.
[b] Psalm 34:8
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in
Him![/b] :wink:
Haven’t got the Time For Pain
12.04.03 (2:39 pm) [edit]
[b]Haven’t got the Time For Pain[/b]
Many people are deeply worried about what they’d have to give up if they followed Jesus. They ask questions like:
“Can I still sleep with my boyfriend”
“Can I still party on the weekends?”
“What if my husband rejects me, thinking I’ve become a religious fanatic?
“Will I have fun? Will I be happy?”
Let’s just address this last question right off the bat. “Happy” is not the goal. “Happy” is fleeting. “Happy” gives you thrilling roller coaster rides. The goal is loving Jesus. Then, and only then, do you experience an inextinguishable joy. Jesus doesn’t require things of us or ask things of us because He’s a big dictator who gets a kick out of being in control and making us miserable. He is Lord. He is God. The “rules” are because He knows what is best for us. As you grow and know Him more, your trust grows and you are truly able to see why He requires certain things of you. He always acts out of love. That doesn’t mean you will not feel a loss, or that the process will be painful. Sacrifice is frightening. The cross is excruciating. But as bleak and as dark and as hopeless as things may seem, as they seemed to Christ’s followers when He hung in agony on the cross, remember, God has a perfect plan! Just as He brought Christ back to life three days later, He will bring life out of our death. When we take up the cross, when we identify with Christ– whether it is dying to our own agenda, bearing the reproach of being a Christian, or trusting the Lord in painful times– God sees, God moves, and God will always in His name, bring a resurrection
Ruth exemplifies abandonment and the resurrection that follows. She abandoned herself to Naomi and to Naomi’s God. When Ruth died to her old way of life and her old gods, when she embraced the one true God, she did not know what was around the corner. But she trusted. And, under the fashioning hand of the Lord, she became an amazingly beautiful bride. Everybody thought so. Boaz told her:
“All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character.”
(Ruth 3:11)
Ruth didn’t know what was in the future, but she walked, step by step, in the light God provided. She abandoned herself to Him. And He filled her life with sweet surprises: a godly man, the restoration of her mother-in-law, a beautiful baby boy, and a legacy of godliness.
There is never, ever a death without a resurrection.
Every time we die to ourselves we are falling back into His arms. Will He catch us? No matter how long you’ve known Jesus, there are days when it is easy to ask that question. He understands our fears. But the answer will always be yes. We fall back. He catches us. He speaks to us with words of love and reminds us that there is a ring on our finger. We are His Beloved, His Betrothed. And never will there be a Bridegroom like Jesus.
Many people are deeply worried about what they’d have to give up if they followed Jesus. They ask questions like:
“Can I still sleep with my boyfriend”
“Can I still party on the weekends?”
“What if my husband rejects me, thinking I’ve become a religious fanatic?
“Will I have fun? Will I be happy?”
Let’s just address this last question right off the bat. “Happy” is not the goal. “Happy” is fleeting. “Happy” gives you thrilling roller coaster rides. The goal is loving Jesus. Then, and only then, do you experience an inextinguishable joy. Jesus doesn’t require things of us or ask things of us because He’s a big dictator who gets a kick out of being in control and making us miserable. He is Lord. He is God. The “rules” are because He knows what is best for us. As you grow and know Him more, your trust grows and you are truly able to see why He requires certain things of you. He always acts out of love. That doesn’t mean you will not feel a loss, or that the process will be painful. Sacrifice is frightening. The cross is excruciating. But as bleak and as dark and as hopeless as things may seem, as they seemed to Christ’s followers when He hung in agony on the cross, remember, God has a perfect plan! Just as He brought Christ back to life three days later, He will bring life out of our death. When we take up the cross, when we identify with Christ– whether it is dying to our own agenda, bearing the reproach of being a Christian, or trusting the Lord in painful times– God sees, God moves, and God will always in His name, bring a resurrection
Ruth exemplifies abandonment and the resurrection that follows. She abandoned herself to Naomi and to Naomi’s God. When Ruth died to her old way of life and her old gods, when she embraced the one true God, she did not know what was around the corner. But she trusted. And, under the fashioning hand of the Lord, she became an amazingly beautiful bride. Everybody thought so. Boaz told her:
“All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character.”
(Ruth 3:11)
Ruth didn’t know what was in the future, but she walked, step by step, in the light God provided. She abandoned herself to Him. And He filled her life with sweet surprises: a godly man, the restoration of her mother-in-law, a beautiful baby boy, and a legacy of godliness.
There is never, ever a death without a resurrection.
Every time we die to ourselves we are falling back into His arms. Will He catch us? No matter how long you’ve known Jesus, there are days when it is easy to ask that question. He understands our fears. But the answer will always be yes. We fall back. He catches us. He speaks to us with words of love and reminds us that there is a ring on our finger. We are His Beloved, His Betrothed. And never will there be a Bridegroom like Jesus.
I'm a White Rose
12.04.03 (8:14 am) [edit]
Your soul is bound to the White Rose: The
Pure.
"I've been waiting in the dark for a long
time, shining my beacon of hope through the
shadow. If you see me, don't you hide your
eyes from me."
The White Rose is associated with purity, honor,
and chastity.
As a White Rose, you are a person of your word.
You may have a strong moral code, but
regardless of your virtue, you always stay true
to yourself. To you, love is the most pure of
emotional forms and it's just a matter of
waiting for it to bless you. Some people may
say you are too idealistic, but it's only
because you don't want to mess things up.
What Rose Is Your Soul Bound To?
brought to you by Quizilla
Pure.
"I've been waiting in the dark for a long
time, shining my beacon of hope through the
shadow. If you see me, don't you hide your
eyes from me."
The White Rose is associated with purity, honor,
and chastity.
As a White Rose, you are a person of your word.
You may have a strong moral code, but
regardless of your virtue, you always stay true
to yourself. To you, love is the most pure of
emotional forms and it's just a matter of
waiting for it to bless you. Some people may
say you are too idealistic, but it's only
because you don't want to mess things up.
What Rose Is Your Soul Bound To?
brought to you by Quizilla
I Promise
12.04.03 (6:58 am) [edit]
[b]I Promise[/b]
Lord, You know my heart
And all of my desires
And the secret things I'll never tell
Lord, You know me well
Though I may be young
I see and understand
That at times like sheep we go astray
And things get out of hand
So I promise to be true to You
To live my life in purity
As unto You
Waiting for the day
When I hear You say
Here is the one I have created
Just for you
Until then, O Lord
I will be content
Knowing that true love
will come someday
It will only come from You
Cause' I have seen the suffering
That loneliness can cause
When we choose to give our love away
Without a righteous cause
So I promise to be true to You
To live my life in purity
As unto You
Waiting for the day
When I hear You say
Here is the one I have created
Just for you
By: Jaci Velasquez
God Bless you all!!
~Heather :D
Lord, You know my heart
And all of my desires
And the secret things I'll never tell
Lord, You know me well
Though I may be young
I see and understand
That at times like sheep we go astray
And things get out of hand
So I promise to be true to You
To live my life in purity
As unto You
Waiting for the day
When I hear You say
Here is the one I have created
Just for you
Until then, O Lord
I will be content
Knowing that true love
will come someday
It will only come from You
Cause' I have seen the suffering
That loneliness can cause
When we choose to give our love away
Without a righteous cause
So I promise to be true to You
To live my life in purity
As unto You
Waiting for the day
When I hear You say
Here is the one I have created
Just for you
By: Jaci Velasquez
God Bless you all!!
~Heather :D
Wow....it is so refreshing...
12.03.03 (8:23 am) [edit]
I tell ya....it is so soo refreshing to know that there are still some wonderful Christians in this world!! I am so blessed to be able to fellowship with them and talk with them:-)
So, how you all feel about "dating" today? Well, I know how I feel about it...
A wonderful girl (:wink: hhee) sent me a link to this website and I absolutely love it!! Check it out!!
http://www.thesongofsolomon.com" title="http://www.thesongofsolomon.com" target="_blank"http://www.thesongofsolomon.c...
God Bless!!!
~Heather
So, how you all feel about "dating" today? Well, I know how I feel about it...
A wonderful girl (:wink: hhee) sent me a link to this website and I absolutely love it!! Check it out!!
http://www.thesongofsolomon.com" title="http://www.thesongofsolomon.com" target="_blank"http://www.thesongofsolomon.c...
God Bless!!!
~Heather
CHARLIE BROWN ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
12.02.03 (5:59 pm) [edit]
Well, I'm sitting here just chillin' for a bit and I'm watching CHARLIE BROWN's CHRISTMAS!!! Charlie Brown ROCKS 8)
Anyway, today was great! I finally finished my Dietetic Tech. assignments last night around 1 am :shock:
God Bless you all!!
~Heather
[image]flyhoneydew_350127 203.jpg[/image]
HYPER!!!!!!!!!!!!! hehee
12.01.03 (6:28 pm) [edit]
WOW!! I am so hyper!! My sis and I have basically been dancing around and laughing like crazy people :lol: heheheh Anyway, don't be too scared :P
God Bless!
hehehehehehehe :lol:
God Bless!
hehehehehehehe :lol: