abandoned to Christ.

Meek: patient, long-suffering, or submissive in disposition or nature; humble; humbly patient or quiet in nature, as under provocation from others.—synonym: gentle (ref. dictionary.com). And He [Jesus the Christ] opened His mouth and taught them, saying:    "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.    "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.    "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.    "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.    "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.    "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.    "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.    "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.    "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all ki...

What we praise, proves what we value. And what we value, determines our moral compass. If we value all that glitters (gifts that make us feel important, our homes, cars, vacations), all that feeds our egos (popularity, flattery, external beauty) and all that the world values (positive thinking, constant entertainment, Photoshopped versions of our lives a.k.a social media), then that is what we will praise, value, and fight for. But if what we value are the things of God: holiness, righteousness, justice, kindness, sacrificial living/giving, and humility/humiliation; then that is what we will praise, value, and fight for. Let the saints learn then to be more open mouthed for Christ. Let them commend him to others, and commend him from their own experience; first, to their fellow saints, saying, ‘Come, and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.’ O! should not Christ’s friends be commending their friend one to another. This would be a ...

I’ve read 2 Samuel numerous times. And I’ve been moved by my Father’s faithful Holy Spirit, to pray what is written in chapter 16, verses 10-14. And once again, I’ve learned something new, about an old and familiar passage I’ve long loved and prayed to be true in my life. But before I share what our compassionate and faithful and superbly loving Father taught me through His Word, by the power of His Holy Spirit today, allow me to digress for a moment to share a brief summary (and the passage) that has long been a staple of my prayers. When Shimei (a relative of the late King Saul, whom the LORD deposed of his throne) violently accosted King David and his servants both physically and verbally by hurling stones at them and slandering the good name of King David, one of his mighty men, Abishai (a son of Zeruiah, one of David’s two sisters) being rightly indignant, offers to avenge his king’s integrity by killing Shimei. But King David’s response was a very unusual one. Rathe...

As I read and studied passages that speak of hearing and understanding, and hearing and having no understanding, I thought, “How sad and hopeless it must be, to be able to physically hear the eternal and powerful and most happiest Word from the LORD Most High, yet, have no clue what any of it means. Or worse, to hear the mighty and awesome, sanctifying Word of God, and believe you understand, but turn and twist and misapply the Almighty’s righteous Word.” I’m all too familiar with the gravity of the latter sin, for I’ve done this many times before. And no doubt, will do it again. But by the grace of God my Father and His holy and kind hand that preserves the Good Seed He implanted in me (Php 1:6), the grievous occasion of repeating this sin, decreases as my Father faithfully prunes me. Is there a greater sadness—to think you have an intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus, but have not? Is there anything more frightful in this life or at the end of your days, than to hear...

Many say that the true character of a person is most clearly evident in the midst of trials. I suppose it’s similar to when someone is hungry, in physical pain, or even, inebriated. In all cases, a person hasn’t the physical strength nor mental ingenuity to put on airs. But rather, they’re only capable of being genuine and honest about how they perceive their immediate situation. As a matter of fact, it seems that anytime we’re in a position of various physical deficiencies or discomforts (minor or major, fictitious or true), who we really are, spills out. In these mortal bodies of ours, that is, common jars of common clay, all people either carry within: the life of Christ or the death of sinful man. In recognizing these truths, we can reasonably assess, that just as the essence of an olive uninhibitedly flows out when its pressed, so also, it is with all people. The heat and pressures of trials from without, will prove the essence of a person, either the Treasure (Spiri...

Let love be genuine.  Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection.   Outdo one another in showing honor.  Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and  seek to show hospitality. ~Romans 12:9-13, ESV So often (too often, for my liking), we compete. We participate in inane, daily competitions with one another. Especially us women. I can rarely be in a group of women where most, if not all, are sizing each other up. Who's the prettiest, who's the most fit, who has on the cutest outfit, who has the most perfect family? And nowadays, the most common competitions are: who has the most friends/followers, likes, comments, and social media birthday wishes (insert eye roll). The list of self-exalting, sinful comparisons, is endless. But our God and Father says the only "competition" we ...