Tag Archive | Christian

Adorned

Jun8

Adorn: to make more pleasing, attractive, impressive, etc.; enhance:
Synonyms of adorn: embellish, beautify, enhance, enrich, array

that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. — Titus 2:10

How do you wear the doctrine of God our Savior? Are you aware of your speech and actions at all times and how they could affect your witness of the One you represent? What is your first response when you realize you haven’t represented the holy, perfect, worthy God? Does it tear at your very soul and crush your heart? Do you run to the throne of God seeking His forgiveness?

Let us be so entwined in our relationship with Jesus that every deviation from His teachings makes us sorely regretful. Let us adorn the doctrine of God in all things. In this way we are a witness of a wonderful, merciful, holy, loving God.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Continually Seeking Him!

Jun7

Amazing! God makes Himself so visible especially in those times of great need, when dismayed, fearful and weak.

God knows my heart and speaks straight to it. Open my Facebook page and out from the News Feed comes scripture of comfort, support, and strength from my dear friends in Christ who post the Lord’s Word. (I love how God uses all of us to minister to each other.)

Opening up the Word of God, the Scriptures draw me to words of comfort, support and strength as they jump out from the pages of God’s Word. Now opening up my Scripture treasure chest, I pull out the card of the day and there He is again.

Fear thou not; for I am with thee:
be not dismayed; for I am thy God:
I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee;
yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Isaiah 41:10

So very grateful for my loving, intimate relationship with the Lord.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Changed

Jun6

Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples.
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
Speak of all His wonders.
Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad.
Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face continually.

Psalm 105:1-4

Sometimes I just need to be reminded of why I am here and my purpose. When I am reminded I am changed and so are others. 

Thank you Lord for your Word and it’s reminder to me.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Children’s Responsibility

Jun5

The church should take loving care of women whose husbands have died if they don’t have anyone else to help them.  But if they have children or grandchildren, these are the ones who should take the responsibility, for kindness should begin at home, supporting needy parents. This is something that pleases God very much. But anyone who won’t care for his own relatives when they need help, especially those living in his own family, has no right to say he is a Christian. Such a person is worse than the heathen. — 1 Timothy 5:3-4, 8

My Mom and I had a discussion yesterday morning about my helping her and my Dad when he was alive. I believe that God called me to stay in Washington State with my Mom and Dad after a visit there found my Dad in poor health. All the time I have been very content knowing that I was doing what God had called me to do.

Since my Dad’s deliverance to heaven in March I have been taking care of my Mom who has some confusion and other health issues that does not allow her to live alone. We are discussing what we can do to have me home with my family in Missouri and still be able to provide for her. Mom always told us kids as we were growing up that when we were grown and had our own families that she would not be a burden to any of us. She insisted that we were to put her in a nursing home when she got too old to take care of herself. That thought just didn’t sit right with me and believed that it was not what God had planned for me to do.

I share with my Mom that I believe God desires for me to care for her and has made provision to do so. I also stated that I believe the Bible says that it is my responsibility to care for her. Well in our conversation she called me on it. Where does it say that in the Bible? I immediately started searching for it and when I wasn’t finding it I started to pray asking for God’s guidance to find it. I was beginning to think I had to eat crow and humbly confess to my Mom that I was wrong. Thank God that He led me to this verse. I had read it before in the past, probably several times in my life and I believe the Holy Spirit reminded me of this verse even if I didn’t know where or if it was in the Bible. I rejoice that we have the Holy Spirit to bring to mind the things of the word when we need it.

I covet your prayers for my Mom and me so that we both see God’s guidance and will in this issue of her care. I just long to please God.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Writer’s Block

Jun4
having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. — Colossians 2:7

Sometimes scripture just jumps off the page and you have such a testimony to tell. Other times scripture just seems to sit on the page and do nothing. Let me tell you that scripture is always good and has something to say but it is the one who reads it that is closed to it. It could be that the person has not received the Holy Spirit, through salvation, to interpret the scripture. It could be that sin in the life of a person is blocking understanding. It could be that it is just a dry time in the life of a person. Today I am experiencing a dry time.

Dry times are those times when we need to rely upon the Word of God that is firmly rooted in our hearts that establish our faith. When I have a dry time I always seem to look to who God is, all the blessings He has bestowed upon me, and how He has transformed me and continues to do so. I can’t help but be filled with joy and gratitude when I focus on Him. Psalm is usually the book I look to. Today Colossians spoke to me.

I overflow with gratefulness when I examine my life and realize the work of transformation the Lord has done in me. It is not anything I have done but what He has done. When I am reminded of His great mercy, grace and love I can’t help but be grateful and write of the joy that comes from focusing on the One true God.  Again He has come through with something to write about. To God be the glory!

Thank You Jesus.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Living For Jesus

Jun3

and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. — 2 Corinthians 5:15

Yesterday’s devotional showed us that we should render service to all as if we were rendering service to our Lord.  Today’s scripture says that we should live for Him. With gratitude for our salvation, our eternal life and our daily walk with Jesus we should be motivated to live not longer for ourselves but for Jesus.

Not living for ourselves means surrendering our pitiful lives to Jesus so He may live in and through us. His desire is our selfless surrender to Him. It means turning from our desires, our independence, our plans and giving them all to Jesus and allowing Him to transform those desires, independence, and plans into a passion for Him and His purpose for us.

After all, to live is Christ and to die is gain.* Are you living for Jesus? Is your whole life wrapped around Him and His word? Do you rise in the morning singing praises to His name? Does His creation remind you of Him? Do you see glimpses of His work as you go through your day? Is He your last thought as you drift off to blissful sleep?

God transforms us to live for Him. Your surrender will never be a a bad decision. Jesus is so worth it. He is everything you will ever need, want or desire. He is sufficient. Won’t you surrender your life today and let God transform you?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

 

* Philippians 1:21

Work – Ugh?

Jun2

With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, — Ephesians 6:7

If you work for a living you “render service”. What does your service look like? Is it an example to others that you serve God? Is your day filled with grumbling and complaining about how the “company” or “boss” is unfair and doing you wrong? Do you look at your day as “I can’t wait to get through it so I can do what I want after work”? Are you always in a hurry for the weekend? In a state of hurry do you mistreat people or grumble under your breath that they are slowing you and your productivity down?

OR

Do you look at your work as a gift from God to meet the needs of your family and yourself? Do you face each day looking to see how you can fulfill God’s plan of salvation through your actions and attitude? Do you respect your authority as much as you respect God?

Is God not in control? Are the people in your life who slow your productivity not put there for a purpose? The purpose may be to teach you patience or perseverance or trust that God is in control. Or is that person there so you can be a witness of God’s awesome mercy and grace?

It really is all about God. May God bless your work day.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Love One Another

Jun1

By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” — John 13:35

Does love draw you? The love of God for His creation draws us to Him through the love of Jesus Christ. Love for our families draws us to the desire to spend time with them every chance we get. Love of a friend draws us to spend time with them.

On Sunday morning, does the love for “one another” draw you to church? Do you desire to be with others believers? Sunday morning to me is a chance to show love to other believers (just ask my family how many hugs I give out on Sunday morning) by gathering with them, rejoicing in the Lord with them, sharing their burdens in prayer with and for them, encouraging them and sharing life with them. If I can’t share love at church on Sunday mornings than chances are I am not sharing love during the week.

I often times envision that churches are so full on Sunday morning that parking overflows into the street and people in the neighborhood are so curious that they come inside to check it out. When they do they find the love of God because they see the love we have for one another.

Are you gathering with the saints? I hope so. God bless your Sunday worship and fellowship.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Attitude

May31

speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; — Ephesians 5:19

Isn’t attitude a choice? When you rise in the morning is your attitude one of thankfulness to God for a brand new day of life; reverence of Him who IS; and seeking His wisdom to make the most of your time? (Ephesians 5:15-16)
Paul tells us to not be foolish but understand what the will of the Father is. Be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:17-18) How is this accomplished? By reading and studying the Bible and by prayer. Our attitude is greatly influenced by our involvement with the Lord Jesus.
Attitude is a choice and I choose to seek Jesus so that my attitude overflows into my day to touch the lives of others all the while singing and making melody with my heart to the Lord!
Are you ready for an attitude adjustment?
Continually seeking Him,
Sharon

Do Not Lose Heart

May30

Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. — Galatians 6:9

The great work of the Lord is good. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to continue His work on earth through us when He went to be with the Father.  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:5 8) Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, (2 Corinthians 4:1) Do not grow weary of doing good. (2 Thessalonians 3:13)

The work of the Lord will bring persecution to those who do the work.  You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. (Matthew 10:22)  But we are not alone.  For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:3) Jesus is our example of endurance. He endured the cross for the sake of fulfilling the Father’s plan.  When we compare our lives of doing the work of the Lord to the work Jesus did, and is still doing, we can’t even endure what He did. Our sufferings pale to the sufferings Jesus encountered.

Think about the saints who endured. We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. (James 5:11) God is with us in our ministry giving us the endurance we need to sow good and then reap.

So do not lose heart as you seek Jesus knowing He is with us always.  He endured the cross so we can endure the work of the Lord and then He arose from the dead. Now we must keep enduring for you too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.  (James 5:8)

Continue the work of the Lord with endurance because of the mercy shown you by the Lord Jesus Christ knowing that our toil is not in vain. Remember, when things get tough, what Jesus did on the cross for you and don’t grow weary. We have received mercy so let us be patient, strengthen our hearts for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. O glorious day!!!

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon