God has uniquely created us that way, but He did not intend for those thoughts and feelings to dictate or control how we live. Regardless of how we feel, we must actively put aside our “feelings” and emotions and do what is biblically right and most excellent. In regards to offering our lives as worship to the Lord, I love what Elisabeth Elliot writes in “Let me Be a Woman”: “Very often (nearly always, I’m afraid) when I come to church my feelings are uppermost in my mind. This is natural. We are human, we are “selves,” and it takes no effort at all to feel. But worship is not a feeling. Worship is not an experience. Worship is an act, and this takes discipline. We are to worship in “spirit and in truth.” Nevermind about the feelings. We are to worship in spite of them.”

Remember in the Garden of Eden when Eve was tempted and ate the fruit that God forbid? Note what the text says was her reason to eat it: “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took the fruit and ate it…” Genesis 3:6. Eve saw the fruit. It looked delicious, it looked beautiful, it might even allow her to know more. Based on her reasoning and her feelings, it seemed good and was a delight! So she just took the fruit and ate it. What were the consequences of her actions? You know the rest of what happened (Genesis 3).

As I was reading these, I rewrote what Elisabeth Elliot said to reflect life in general, “Very often, almost always, as soon as I wake up and start my day, my feelings are first and foremost in my mind. This is natural. We are humans, we are “selves”, we are women, and it takes no effort to “feel” at all. But living a God centered life is not a feeling. It is not a performance, it is not impulsive decision making on the whim. Life is an active and ongoing journey that takes discipline and thought. We are to live in a way worthy of the Gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:27). Nevermind about the feelings. We are to obey Christ and die to self in spite of them.”

I urge you to purposefully set aside a time to think and pray about this coming year. How will you push aside those feelings that dominate your actions? How will you fill your mind, so that your life will be dictated by truth? Let God alone be Lord of your life.

http://graspinggrace.com/

“God’s chief end, purposed in all that he does, is his glory, and he has so made us that we find our own deepest fulfillment and highest joy in hallowing his name by praise, submission, and service. . . . Christians get so hung up with the pagan idea (very dishonoring to God, incidentally) that God¹s will is always unpleasant, so that one is rather a martyr to be doing it, that they hardly at first notice how their experience verifies the truth that in Christian living duty and delight go together. But they do! And this will be even clearer in the life to come. To give oneself to hallowing God’s name as one’s life-task means that living, though never a joyride, will become increasingly a joy road.” ~J.I. Packer (Praying the Lord’s Prayer)

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n-NWbd3pis] It’s summer and modesty is a “must mention” for all girls! This video is definitely worth watching for everyone. Let’s continue to pursue purity and holiness!

~Maranatha

1. God is the composer and conductor, I am merely an instrument. To be honest, I love the excitement of the last minute changes, plans failing and then re planning, having to run from place to place and make tens of phone calls to reshuffle plans. I get excited when time comes, everything seems to “fall into place.” I like to say that it’s all because I love seeing God work things out in His planning, His timing, and His way. However, I have to say that it’s also because I like to think that what I did was good, or my ideas worked. In my pride, I liked the credit. But again and again, God reminded me of my place in this world. I was to be a faithful instrument for His purposes and His ways. I couldn’t take credit for any of it. Throughout this year, this verse was a constant reminder of what was more important, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves.” ~2 Corinthians 4:7

2. “Rejoice always, again I say REJOICE!” In light of all the things that happened, good or bad, I knew that the mere privilege of serving the Lord in this ministry, the Gospel being shared and heard, and the handful of hearts that repented and believed brought glory to God and a host of angels to rejoice in heaven. Our true joy does not come from circumstantial things or the results of our efforts. But based on what God has already done. In times of trials, struggles with ministry, remembering this helped to turn my gaze back on Christ and rejoice in all circumstances!

3. A Pure and Simple Devotion to the Lord. Simple enough. Love God first and foremost. Love the Gospel. Love the ministry. Love your small groupies actively. Love those around you. And do not neglect to tend to your own heart. Feed and surround your soul with truth!

To Live Is Christ

Verse1
Before You gave us life and breath
You numbered all our days
You set Your gracious love on us
And chose us to be saved
This fleeting life is passing by
With all its joys and pain
But we believe to live is Christ
And death is gain

Chorus
To live is Christ, to die is gain
In every age this truth remains
We will not fear, we’re unashamed
To live is Christ, to die is gain

Verse 2
And though we grieve for those we love
Who fall asleep in Christ
We know they’ll see the Savior’s face
And gaze into His eyes
So now we grieve, yet we don’t grieve
As those who have no hope
For just as Jesus rose again
He’ll raise His own

Verse 3
And now we’re longing for the day
We’ll see the Lamb once slain
Who saved a countless multitude
To glorify His name
We’re yearning for the wedding feast
Of Jesus and His bride
His nail-scarred hands will finally
Bring us to His side

Mark Altrogge and Bob Kauflin
© 2011 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI)

“Worship is essentially an inner stirring of the heart to treasure God above all the treasures of the world, a valuing of God above all else that is valuable, a loving of God above all else that is lovely, a savoring of God above all else that is sweet, an admiring of God above all else that is admirable, a fearing of God above all else that is fearful, a respecting of God above all else that is respectable, and a prizing of God above all else that is that is precious….”

From John Piper’s “Let the Nations be Glad”

I once was lost in darkest night
Yet thought I knew the way.
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave.
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will.
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still.

But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross.
And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace.

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life
Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me.
Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose.
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You.

© 2008 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI), by Jordan Kauflin

Oh that this would be the cry and song of my heart!

“I have found there are three stages to every great work of God: First it is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done.” – J. Hudson Taylor

* When I am anxious about some risky new venture or meeting, I battle unbelief with the promise: “Fear not for I am with you, be not dismayed for I am your God; I will help you, I will strengthen you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

* When I am anxious about my ministry being useless and empty, I fight unbelief with the promise, “So shall my word that goes forth from my mouth; it will not come back to me empty but accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).

* When I am anxious about being too weak to do my work, I battle unbelief with the promise of Christ, “My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9), and “As your days so shall your strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25).

* When I am anxious about decisions I have to make about the future, I battle unbelief with the promise, “I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you” (Psalm 32:8).

* When I am anxious about facing opponents, I battle unbelief with the promise, “If God is for us who can be against us!” (Romans 8:31).

* When I am anxious about being sick, I battle unbelief with the promise that “tribulation works patience, and patience approvedness, and approvedness hope, and hope does not make us ashamed” (Romans 5:3–5).

* When I am anxious about getting old, I battle unbelief with the promise, “Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save” (Isaiah 46:4).

* When I am anxious about dying, I battle unbelief with the promise that “none of us lives to himself and none of us dies to himself; if we live we live to the Lord and if we die we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose again: that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living” (Romans 14:9–11).

* When I am anxious that I may make shipwreck of faith and fall away from God, I battle unbelief with the promise, “He who began a good work in you will complete it unto the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:6). “He who calls you is faithful. He will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:23). “He is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).

-John Piper

In the midst of all this anxiety and busyness– God is still God, and God is still MY God.
That alone is something to praise Him for

Hello friends, hello apartment, hello classes, hello small group….

Learning to do all things JOYFULLY. Not JOYpartly– but FULLY JOYFUL.
“But I have trusted in your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in your salvation!” ~Psalm 13:5

~Jeremiah Burroughs, 1648, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment

What a beautiful, pure and simple thing true contentment is. Lord, give me the grace to live dwelling in it every moment. Complete dependence on the Lord.