A Jewel Box for Life

I will never forget one particular story my mom read to me from a children's story book when I was small...

The little girl in the story wanted a jewelry box full of jewels for her birthday. However, on her birthday, she received from her parents a brand new Bible. She was so angry that she threw the Bible against the wall and ran from the room. Her mother came to her later and told her that they had indeed given her a jewelry box and then proceeded to explain that the Bible is full of promises that are jewels for life and would last far longer than the cheap little jewelry box that she had wanted. Then, together, they started a project to search through the Bible for verses and promises that started with "R" for ruby, "E" for emerald, "D" for Diamond, "P" for pearl, and so on...and the little girl eventually realized that she had a greater treasure box than she could have ever imagined.

I've always loved this story, and it has become a new inspiration for me right now! I have found myself struggling with various issues lately and particularly the temptation to look elsewhere for entertainment and pleasure...when I really should be reveling in the Word of God.

So I'm inspired to begin a new project...

• STEP ONE: Buy a pretty new journal.
• STEP TWO: Every time I am feeling lonely, missing family, wondering if or when I'll ever have the privilege of being married and raising a family, feeling aimless or bored or fighting temptation in an area where I'm particularly vulnerable, I will open my Bible and search for verses and promises that apply to my situation. I will write them down in my book - a new "jewel" in my "Jewel Box for Life."

I believe that this will help me stop the habit of wasting time on the Internet and will also bring me the fulfillment I desire, along with a closer and more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Lord Jesus, show me the infinite preciousness of Your Word and cause me to delight more and more in Your incomprehensible and amazing love for me, to treasure who You are and find my pleasure and my completeness only in You.

Because HE CAN

Philippians 4:13 says this: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
This verse is one of my favorite verses, and it is also one of the key themes of an endearing and well-written book I've been reading lately, called "At Home in Mitford," by Jan Karon.

I'm going to be perfectly honest and tell you that recently, I was beginning to wonder if I really could do what had been set in front of me. Now, don't get me wrong - I didn't doubt God's plan or His hand at work to bring me to where I am - my struggle came because I let my focus slip. I had become lackadaisical and had allowed temporary pleasures to take over from what I knew was more important.

As a result, I lacked ambition to work hard, I began to question my dedication and whether I had what it takes to meet the expectations I had for myself and the ones I believe God has for me also.

I realized that I needed help, so I asked a number of trusted friends to pray specifically for me in this area and I also asked a very close friend to help keep me accountable. I have already begun to see some answer to the prayers, and in that I have realized something very important, a truth that is contained in this verse. I know it is true, but sometimes it's not obvious in the way I live.

Here is Philippians 4:13 paraphrased in my own words: "I can do all things through Christ because He can do all things."

If we are able to do anything, it is not because we have done something that equips us for the task -- the only reason we are able to do what God wants us to is because His Holy Spirit, who is given to us by His Son, Jesus Christ, is able to work in and through us.

When I pray and present my requests to God with thanksgiving and faith that He will answer (Philippians 4:6), my humility - although required - is not the reason why God is able to answer. It is the catalyst, the act that enables me to place my trust in Him and to allow Him to show me His answer, but He is always able to do whatever He chooses.

Romans 8:28 confirms this belief of how and why God works in our lives, and it makes some very strong statements:

1. We KNOW that God works in our lives - it's not a question or a hope, but a reality.
2. God works for GOOD, never evil - evil is a consequence of sinful choices - but God will use everything in our lives for our good.
3. Why? Because GOD LOVES US and HE HAS CALLED US for a purpose that He has determined.

I tell you this because I have realized AGAIN (I already knew this, but I needed a reminder) that I CAN do what God has put before me only because HE CAN and He has promised that He WILL accomplish His good purpose in my life (Philippians 1:6).

• I can learn Russian because HE CAN give me understanding and the ability to remember what I've studied.
• I can share Christ's love with people - anywhere I go, not only here in Ukraine - because only HE CAN change their hearts and fill them with the same love He has given me.
• I can resist temptation and stand strong because HE CAN keep me by His power and grace and enable me to do what I am powerless to do on my own.
• I can please Him with my life because HE CAN take everything that we offer to Him and make it holy and pure to present to His Father on our behalf.

As long as I keep my focus on Jesus Christ - fixing my eyes on things above, not on earthly things because I belong to Him (Colossians 3:2-3) - I will be able to do what He asks of me, because He is more than able. And because God's power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9), I will gladly acknowledge my failings and confess them to Him because then HE CAN change me and work through me to do what in my flesh seems impossible.

John Piper shared recently in a blog some insights from Jonathan Edwards and the part that stood out to me was the statement that God is glorified by communicating and manifesting Himself to us, not by receiving anything from us, and that this is seen most excellently because we are so remarkably poor and empty in ourselves.

We do not serve God because He needs anything from us, but because in the process of dying to ourselves and offering ourselves to Him in humility, He gives us the opportunity to see and know Him and in our great need, He miraculously endows us with His power and love and grace.

Father God, forgive me for my shortsightedness. Forgive me for forgetting that I need You not only for the great and seemingly impossible things, but for every moment of every day. Forgive me for putting other things ahead of You and for neglecting to sit in Your presence and accept from You the strength and grace that I need and desire to accomplish what You want me to.
Speak to me through Your Holy Spirit and remind me when I am tempted to stray that I need You more than anything. Convict my heart and cause me to turn to You and You only for what I need. In the holy and powerful name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, amen.

The Perfect Act

Interesting title, yes? I just finished reading a book yesterday, which is called "The Garden at the Edge of Beyond" by Michael Phillips. It's very thought-provoking, a fictional story of a man's supernatural near-death experience and what he learns about life on earth and eternal life with God. Although the story itself is fictional, the teachings in the book are inspired and enlightening because they align with the truths of God's eternal Word.

Phillips drew from the writings of C.S. Lewis and George MacDonald in the writing of this book, and he devotes two chapters to expounding on the meaning of Matthew 5:48 -- "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (NASB)

I don't know about you, but I have always thought that although this is a command Jesus gave, that is was unattainable -- because I was thinking about my behavior and circumstances. How am I supposed to be perfect in this life, living in this sinful world? The insights I read in this little book were enlightening...

I'm going to try and summarize what he said in the book, but I will include a few quotes too, because I just can't say it as well as he did.

The character in the story is trying to understand what Jesus meant when He said, "Be perfect," and his guide in the garden tells him this:

"The Lord spoke neither naive nor idealistic injunctions. He gave only possible commands.

He expects us to become creatures that can and will obey Him in everything..

"Our Lord spoke not of sinlessness, but of the perfect act...not of perfection in the face of sin,

but of yielded abandonment of rule..

it was the yielded abandonment of self-rule that the Master modeled for us on the cross."

Jesus is our example -- we know this from Scripture -- and what He did in yielding His own will to the Father is something any man or woman can do as well. When we do this, give up our right to rule our own lives and live the way we want to, we allow our Heavenly Father's perfection to begin living in us. We begin to allow Him to shape us into what He wants us to be.

"God gave each of us a will, and that will becomes fully our own only when we offer it in loving sacrifice back to Him."

We will not be perfect in the endeavor to live selflessly, to surrender our will to God, and although this abandonment or yielding of our free will is what Phillips calls 'the perfect act,' on this earth it will never be a one-time event. We must continually, daily, moment by moment, surrender ourselves and our wills to God. And every time we do, we enter the realm of obedience to Jesus' seemingly impossible command.

Jesus Christ modeled this self-abandonment perfectly in Himself in order that we might be able to follow His example. And He has sent us the Holy Spirit, to live within us and help us beyond what our finite humanity is capable of doing. I like this quote from the book:

"The labor of the Son of God within the heart of every man and woman is for one purpose, to enable them to die as He died...to the rule of self."

God gave us the gift of being able to choose and think for ourselves, with a will that no one else can control unless we surrender it. But the most amazing thing about this gift is that we have the opportunity to yield this freedom, without force or manipulation, back into the hands of God and when we do, we find that He accomplishes greater things in and through us than we could ever have done if we fought to maintain control and power over our own lives!

Heavenly Father, once again I give You all that I am.

I surrender this day into Your hands, with all my desires, my plans, my hopes, my thoughts and my fears. I give You my will and choose to let You control my steps and guide me in the way that is pleasing to You.

Holy Spirit, please remind me that I am not my own when I am tempted to do things my way.

Lord Jesus, thank You for showing me the way and for making it possible - through Your death and resurrection - for me to be made perfect like You.

I long for the day when that perfection is realized, but in the meantime, please help me to remember that I have the choice and responsibility every day to yield myself to You and allow You to do the work You desire to complete in me.

In Your name, to the glory and praise of God, amen.

A NEW BEGINNING

Every new dawn is a new beginning,

Every new day is a reason to sing.

And though, with our eyes, the future we cannot see,

There is one truth that we must believe.

God will always be faithful and true;

Every morning His mercy springs forth anew!
~ written by Darlene Koop ~

The beginning of a new year usually causes people to think about starting things anew, making changes in their lives, finding new inspirations....the list could go on. Psalm 98:1-3 makes this declaration:

Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!

For He has done marvelous things;

His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.

The Lord has made known His salvation;

His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.

³ 

He has remembered His mercy
and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

The salvation of God provided in Jesus Christ is not new -- but every moment of every day is a new opportunity to recognize who God is in our lives and to sing a "new" song of praise to Him. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, but every time we come to Him we discover anew how real He is and that He is constantly doing new things in our lives.

And although Solomon declared in Ecclesiastes, "there is nothing new under the sun," and it is true that most people cannot keep the goals they set at the beginning of a new year, there is hope for us as followers of Jesus Christ because...

1. In Christ's sacrifice, a NEW covenant was formed, one which frees us from the bondage of the law. (2 Corinthians 3:5-7)

2. If we are "in Christ," He has made us a NEW creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

3. God spoke through His prophet to tell His people that if they would repent, they would receive a NEW heart and a NEW spirit. (Ezekiel 18:30-32)

4. We are exhorted to regularly put off our old ways and habits and put on the NEW characteristics of the One who created us. (Colossians 3:9-11)

5. God doesn't change, but His mercy is NEW every morning. (Lamentations 3:23)

6. One day all that we know of this earth and our lives here will pass away, God will make all things NEW, and there will be a NEW heaven and a NEW earth. (Revelation 21:1-5)

There will be lots of "new" things and experiences for me this year -- I think this has been the case every year in the past, but my awareness is heightened now because of where I am and the incredible adventure God has taken me on.

But what I want most of all is to be renewed in my spirit and my heart, to have a new understanding of who Christ is, and to be renewed in my love and passion for Him! It is far too easy to get caught up in other things and to lose sight of what - and WHO - is most important.

Heavenly Father, would You please help me to see a new glimpse of You every day? Would you touch my heart and renew that burning desire to be focused on You and You alone?

Holy Spirit, would You reveal "new" truth to me from God's Word and teach me what the "new" me is to look like? Would You give me reminders to come before You daily, humbly, on my knees, to seek Your forgiveness and grace and to learn to depend completely on You alone?

Father, would you give me a new song daily and help me to be a testimony of Your work in me? In the holy, precious and powerful name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray, amen.