abandoned to Christ.

In a world where #IamEnough is the mantra of the day, I am inexplicably happy and relieved to affirm that #IamNotEnough because, thanks be to God, Jesus Christ IS. I can't imagine the heavy weight and burden; the amount of daily self-cajoling it takes to justify to self and others, that who I am and all that I possess and am capable of, with my finite knowledge and capabilities, is enough for me and all those around me. I am truly and deeply grieved for all who are deceived by this devilish lie. The same lie from the Garden: "God is not enough. You are just as good or better than God. That’s why He’s keeping things from you. You can and should be your own god to insure you receive all that you deserve." If Adam and Eve had just taken a moment to prudently consider what God named the only thing (a singular tree) in all of the Garden of Eden, that they were forbidden from touching, taking, and eating was called; they perhaps, would have not been so easily deceived. And ther...

I know it sounds a bit strange to say that I’m grateful I grieve. But when I add the words, “when God grieves”, then, for any beloved child of God Most High, it doesn’t sound strange at all. Rather, it demonstrates the power of the Holy Spirit in us; that renews our minds and transforms our hearts to think how God thinks, and to feel what He feels, and do what He does; the way He does it—in His steadfast love, righteousness, and justice (Jer 9:23-24). One of the sins that us Christians rarely speak, think, or teach about, is the sin of omission. The sin of knowing the good we ought to do and not doing it (Js 4:17). This passive sin (neglecting to do good) grieves our God and Father just as much as when we actively doing evil. Examples of the sin of omission include: neglecting to daily seek the face and counsel of our God in all our ways (Prov 3:5-8) and neglecting to pray without ceasing for the needs of others as well as ourselves. This particular sin of omission is fr...

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 ...

Part of my Scripture reading and study yesterday, was 1 Samuel 4. Verses 3 and 4a, in particular, piqued my interest. And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, 'Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.' So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned on the the cherubim. The first thing I noticed and found interesting, was that though the Israelites didn't know  why the LORD allowed their defeat, they rightly discerned that this was done by the sovereign hand of God. The second thing I noticed, was that admitting they didn't know why God allowed their defeat, they never prayed to seek His counsel. Rather, they arrogantly behaved like the pagans they were at war with, by treating the ark of God with contempt...

We all study…something...daily. We study things we must study for school or work. And we also study the things that excite our hearts. The latter is what vividly displays the fruit of what we most love, cherish, and value in life. Regardless of what we profess with our mouths, what we choose to study, without any external prodding, discloses the deepest desires of our heart. What we choose to study is what develops our character—establishing how we think, act, and feel about every aspect of our lives (people, places, and things).  If you love food you will research and study it: nutrition and caloric content, medicinal uses, flavor profiles, food prep, and cooking methods. If you love photography you will research and study it: best camera to use, best indoor and outdoor lighting, editing software, and angles. If you love your spouse and children, you will research and study how to best love and care for them as God commanded: how to keep the home, how to budget a...

"I'm so excited and can't wait to share the Gospel! It's so much fun!" said no true, nor sane Christian ever. Yet, sadly, many Christians, like those of the world, say this about marriage—that they can't wait to be married because it's going to be so much fun! Not that it isn't fun, but that's not the focus and should never be the foundation of a Christian marriage. Marriage is the only earthly relationship God uses as a paradigm of the Gospel. And therefore, as God's holy and dearly loved children, we shouldn't enter into marriage like those of this world: with self-focus and selfish affections. But we should enter into marriage like Christ: with self-denial and selfless service, first to our King, and then to our spouse. Anyone who is intimately acquainted with the Gospel of God's grace—granted through God's gift of repentance and saving faith in Jesus Christ, echoes what the Apostle Paul wrote in his first letter to the...

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet, if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And      'If the righteous are scarcely saved,           what will become of the ungodly and the                sinner?' Therefore, let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a fait...

I love Psalm 29:11 because it reminds me that true peace is not the absence of conflict with people. True peace, is the absence of conflict with God. And for anyone who has received the peace of God through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, know that there must be conflict with people  in this life, for the Gospel is an offense to all who live in their pride, rather than in Christ. For 45 years, God has granted me His peace, and considered me worthy of sharing in the sufferings of my Savior. For 13 years the Lord graciously endured me through brutal persecutions, beatings, and slander for proclaiming the Gospel of God's grace, and refusing to denounce the name of Jesus Christ. Because the Spirit of Christ lives in me, I couldn't deny my Lord who suffered and died to be the propitiation and expiation for the sins I committed against the one and only living and holy God. In the past 14 years, God has considered me worthy of bearing the scars of my Savior. The scars...

More than a couple of decades ago, I cultivated a habit of praying before I have my morning Bible reading time. I was encouraged to do this after reading Exodus 16:4, 14-18; John 6:32-36; Psalm 1:1-3; 1 Corinthians 2:9-13; John 1:1; Hebrews 1:1-2 and 11:6; Psalm 119; Psalm 139:16, Galatians 6:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-10 and Proverbs 3:5-8. Based on these Scriptures and many others, I pray a simple prayer of faith in my God to do what He promised, "Holy and gracious Father, as I open your Word, teach me all that You see fit for me to know and understand today . And open the eyes of my heart to see every opportunity You've prepared beforehand, that I may live for your glory this day." As I prayed this morning before I read my Bible, I meditated on the holiness and awesomeness of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And I thanked Him for who He is, and all that He has done for all His creation, especially those made in His image. While in prayer, I was reminded of ...

I love my life. I really do. What I love most may seem boring to many, and possibly absurd to others. But still, I love everything the Lord has given me—especially the simple, daily pleasures many miss because we think we deserve any good we receive. I love sunny days because they remind me of the warmth and awesomeness of God's grace; His face that cannot be seen by any human lest we be destroyed. I love cloudy days because they remind me of the cool covering and gentle relief of God's mercy. I love that though my body is severely broken, weak, and in constant pain, my Father gives me the strength to get out of bed. And if that weren't good enough (which it is), because my Father is so generous in His love toward me because of Christ, I get to do other "ordinary" tasks. I get to wash laundry for my household. I get to fold clothes and put them away. I get to hem tears and sew buttons. I get to be a diligent keeper of my home with weekly dust...

Twenty-eight years ago, the Lord moved me to Southern California as an answer to my cry for help. My faithful and merciful Father God had graciously and mercifully endured, preserved, and persevered me through 13 years of severe and brutal persecution. But because I did not heed His exhortation and admonition in Deuteronomy 8:11-20, I forgot that it was by His mighty hand that I received relief from my enemies. Much like the Israelites whom the LORD kindly saved and freed from the bondage of Egypt, I fancied that this reprieve was due to something good I had done—and for three years, I entertained the fallacy, that I deserved every good I received from the Lord. I behaved as if God owed me for my obedience, rather than remember that even my obedience was a gift from Him, through Jesus Christ; who through His death and resurrection, freed and enabled me to do what I could never do on my own—please and honor the one and only, holy and righteous God (Heb 11:6). During th...

I love this quote from Spurgeon. Every time I read it, I'm grateful for a wonderful time more than a decade ago, when the Lord Jesus stood before me and protected me, as I stood before someone else, to protect them. I was the Volunteer Coordinator/Trainer (and a volunteer myself) for nearly 100 volunteers at a mega-church (28,000 members at that time). I was in charge of training, coordinating, and managing the volunteers for tickets sales for a large, yearly, community event. One day, a woman who was purchasing tickets began yelling at one of my volunteers. I went to where they were so that I might shelter my volunteer from this irate woman. When I stepped in front of the volunteer to shield her from the woman that was yelling at her, I asked how I could help. The irate woman told me, "I want to purchase tickets, but I don't have the money to pay for it at the moment. I know the seats I want will go quickly, so I need you to make a transaction as ...

It matters not If I say "I believe in Jesus" Yet I bray It matters not If I attend Every church service Yet ,God I offend It matters not If I profess Christ as Savior Without holiness It matters not If I give to the poor And share what I have Yet live as I'm lord It matters not If I say I repent Yet live my life To my heart's content It matters not My standing in church If the desire of my heart Is to lurch It matters not What I proclaim If honoring Christ Is not my aim It matters not If others speak well For only Christ Can post bail If I'm not grateful And humbled by God My feign profession Matters not.

Since this week has been a particularly difficult week for me physically, yesterday's lovely day at the Byron Nelson with my darling Teeny Tiny (a.k.a. Michael, our eldest son) wore out my already frail body. But it was worth it! One of the numerous things that I've come to thank God for during these 13 years of constant physical pain and weakness, is the revelation that pain is not, and cannot be the determining factor of when and why and how I choose to live—only the Word of God determines that. Physical pain and weakness and suffering are not even close to being the worse thing I, nor anyone on this earth can experience. A life lived outside of God's good and perfect will, is the worse thing anyone (both rebellious believers and unbelievers) can experience. Because I'm so weak and in much pain today, my darling husband, once again, planned what we call "home church service". We always use a sermon from Parkside Church (www.parksidechurch.com...