Acts 20:24

But I do not count my life as of any value nor as precious to myself,

if only I may finish my course and the ministry 

that i received from the Lord Jesus Christ,

 to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

1 Corinthians 15:10 Explained

God used this verse from 1 Corinthians 15:10 to show me that He is my righteousness. With my mouth I say the good I do is to glorify Him, but unless I beleive that with all of my heart my lips are lying. 

The truth is, I found that I had stepped away from loving and glorifying Him alone because I had become caught up in the actions themselves. Like the Old Testament saints, I was "serving" God with empty obedience rather than loving Him with a humble heart. 

The process was all wrong. Actions mean nothing if they are not rooted in a love for God.

The solution: Take my eyes off of "i am" and place them on the great I AM. 

1 Corinthians 15:10

By the grace of God I am what I am, 

and His grace toward me was not in vain. 

On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, 

thought it was not I, but the grace of God that is within me. 

Pondering the Old

God has been reminding me of a lot lately. Not surprisingly, it's all related!

The Lord has pointed me towards a series of verses over the course of the last few days and together they speak these things:

He is I AM and i am not. (See the book on my shelf)

i exist to point those around me to Him. 

my existence is worthless unless it is in Him. 

Whatever righteousness i seem to have is actually Him shining through me.

In this new year I'm going to seek to show others I AM by first reminding myself that i am not. 

Want more? Check out the Scriptures I'll be posting over the next few days. 

Issues of the Heart

I have finished reading the book, but my journey to godliness is far from complete. With the rest of my life ahead of me, however long or short that may be, this book has served as a piece of the building that will not crumble, burn, or fade.

Chapter Three taught me: 

God loves music, my love for it is a good thing.

"Music, like all of God's gifts, is meant to draw our hearts and attention to His glory, His power, and His love" (p.88).

As I choose music, I must choose it wisely. If it does not draw my heart and attention toward God, then it probably isn't something I should spend my time on. 

Lastly: I should own no music that I would only listen to in the case that I begin to backslide. 

Chapter Four taught me: 

How to begin considering my heart and motivations. 

Looking at "stuff" was the beginning to realizing how much of an affect materialism has had on me. 

If I let go of stuff, then I will be that much closer to embracing God at the fullest. 

It is time to dematerialize and begin holding onto the riches of Christ!

Chapter Five taught me:

That modesty is an issue that is rooted much deeper than the skin- it, like everything else, begins in the heart.

As I seek to raise my daughters and disciple other young women towards dressing (and living) modestly, I must not begin there. Instead, I must begin at the heart level. 

This is so basic, but it is something I was wrong about. This knowledge will help me to be a better witness for Christ and see the lost as He sees them.

Chapter Six taught me: 

Loving the world properly is made possible by first loving the cross. 

When I begin at the cross and let it touch every area of my life, I will be headed towards the magnificent God Story that is being laid out for man to see. 

This book is a must read for everyone. I'm excited because it sounds like I'll be going through it all again with my family. Read it prayerfully and the effects will last long after the last page has been turned!