The Incomparable Christ (chpt 1)

Today the topic (from the book, "The Incomparable Christ" by Oswald Sanders) was "the Moral Perfection of Christ." His beauty, His Loveliness, His Perfection.
There is NO ONE like HIM!

I have a few thoughts that I would like to share, because when I am having a feast... You know that I am compelled to give you some. I want you to see what I am seeing, to hear what I am hearing. Certainly, I cannot recount it all. But just maybe you will be encouraged by the nuggets. And even maybe some will join in reading the book, and listening to the podcasts.


John Flavel (a Puritan pastor in the 1600s) wrote:
"Bread has one quality, water another, raiment another, medicine another; but none has them all in itself as Christ does.

He is bread to the hungry

water to the thirsty

a garment to the naked

healing to the wounded

and whatever a soul can desire is found in him. "

Nancy Leigh DeMoss makes this observation:

When we realize the treasure that Christ is, that will cause us to live our lives differently.

We will not spend all of our lives in pursuit of things and people that can never fully satisfy.
We will focus our attention and efforts on Christ.
We will want to have undistracted devotion to Him.
We will want to spend time with Him.


That is food to "chew" on for this day. Looking at Christ. The Incomparable Christ. He is altogether Lovely!

It is my prayer that TODAY (well, actually everyday) I will reflect and display the beauty of Christ...

Ash Wednesday

Today is known as Ash Wednesday...

There are many posts on Facebook - from people who are denying themselves certain things for this season leading up to Easter. A fast of sorts.

I am choosing to join Nancy Leigh DeMoss on a study of the book, "The Incompariable Christ", by Oswald Chambers. (My friend Tricia was my encouragment to do so... I am following her lead)

The Revive Our Hearts Broadcast Schedule of Nancy teaching through this book is posted here. I have just purchased my book from Amazon for my Kindle (by the way - I LOVE my Kindle). Maybe you will want to join us too!

Quoted from the coversheet:

"MAY YOU COME TO KNOW, LOVE, TRUST, FOLLOW

AND REFLECT CHRIST IN A GREATER WAY

DURING THIS HOLY SEASON."

That is what I want...

Reading and Writing Again...

I have been reading again.

And I am reminded today of the quote, "Readers write, and Writers read." I posted a blog on that same topic in 2009.

When I am reading, I want to share the "nugget" that I have found. I want you to enjoy it too. I want it to speak to you as it has done for me.

So you know where I am going with this...
I have a quote to share today:

"Bad attitudes breed bad attitudes. Grumpy hearts breed more grumpy hearts. Ungratefulness breeds ungratefulness. On the flip side, praising God breeds more reasons to praise God. Thankfulness breeds more thankfulness. And a person who daily practices both praising and thanking has a rare joy that very few people possess." (Lysa Terkeurst, "Becoming More than a Good Bible Study Girl")

A RARE JOY THAT VERY FEW PEOPLE POSSESS.

I desire to be filled with that rare joy. The joy that comes from a thankful heart. The joy that comes from praising.

And on the flip side, I do not want to have bad attitudes OR a grumpy heart OR ungratefulness. Nor, do I want to be the one who breeds such.

It is all about attitude and perspective and truth and holiness and priorities and choices and...

Will you join me? Let's agree to truly let "the joy of the Lord be our strength"...

A rare joy...

2011 Scripture Memory #3 (and another quote)

Can you tell that I have been clearing the desk???



Another post-a-note...



"The decisions you make today will dictate how you end up in ten years."



Once again - I did not write who said it - or where I read it.



But once again... I am pausing to get the message that obviously I thought was worthy to write on a note. And for some reason, it is coming up AGAIN for me (or you) now.





On another note... but there could be a connection I think...



When I was trying to decide if I would go ahead and just cut the hair short enough to get the rest of the color off, my son encouraged me to "Just do it!" (sounds like a commercial-huh?) That particular day, that was all that I needed (well, and the fact that my hair stylist did have an opening - which is a miracle in itself). I just needed someone to tell me to go ahead.



Maybe that is what is holding us back sometimes in other decisions or dreams. Maybe we just need someone to tell us that we can. And to go ahead. Maybe even to push.



I have a few of those things sitting in my ideas and dreams.



Maybe that is the reason that these quotes, notes, and thoughts keep coming up.



I have heard this called a "God parade". He is so faithful to KEEP bringing up. He is so faithful to not give up. He is so faithful to PUSH. And He even brings others in our lives to do so too!



Scripture for me today: (you can feast on it too if you would like)

Isaiah 30:21 ESV

"And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,

"This is the way, walk in it,"

when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. "

Leaves me with MUCH to think about...
What about you?

More thoughts about our time...

A quote I found on a post-a-note on my desk. I do not remember who said it - or where I read it. But in light of my last post and last scripture committed to memory... it fits.

"A lot of us put off till tomorrow what we ought to be doing today.

And we keep doing that until years turn into decades.

Then... a lot does not turn out like we planned."

Scripture reminds us that our God has plans for us....

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD,

plans for welfare and not for evil,

to give you a future and a hope."

So, what does God have planned for me...for you? What does He desire that I (we) be busy doing?

A couple of things that I know from Scripture:

(1) He wants us to trust Him to guide.

Psalm 37:4-6 ESV
4. Delight yourself in the LORD,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5. Commit your way to the LORD;

trust in him, and he will act.

6. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,

and your justice as the noonday.

(2) Whatever we do - it is to bring Glory to our Lord:

1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV
So, whether you eat or drink,

or whatever you do,

do all to the glory of God.

Thoughts? What are we putting off? What does He want to do in/through our lives? What is keeping us from doing so? Am I settling for good...when He is pushing me for BEST?

What thoughts are going through your head/heart right now?

Quote from Susanna Wesley...

Back in Feburary of this year I posted a blog about all of my books and being a book-a-holic. In the course of the year and all that life brings, I have not completed any of them yet. I have however, started many. That is just how it happens some times.

I am back reading "The Grand Weaver" by Ravi Zacharias again. And have put all others down until I finish this one. My goal is to have it read completely by the time I go back home to Alabama. (In my free time while here in VA visiting with my Julia, Ronnie and baby Josiah!)

I have a quote that I want to share...
John Wesley had asked his mother, Susanna Wesley, to define sin. Here is her answer:

"Son, whatever weakens your reasoning,

impairs the tenderness of your conscience,

obscures your sense of God,

or takes away your relish for spiritual things;

in short, if anything increases the authority and

power of the flesh over the Spirit,

then that to you becomes sin,

however good it is in itself,"

I agree with Ravi Zacharias- I doubt any theologians could have done better than she did!

Certainly we all would do well to use this as a guide to search our lives and our decisions and our choices.

Daily Quiet Time

This morning, while reading Secrets of the Vine (by Bruce Wilkinson), I came upon this:

"Some Christians I know try to have their meaningful personal times with God just before bed, but I have yet to find a respected spiritual leader throughout history who had devotions at night. Unless you get up early, you're unlikely to break through to a deeper relationship with God."
(p. 107-- italics mine)

Personally, I know that I do better in my day, in my attitude, in my work, and in my relationships when I meet with my Savior first. However, I have said many times to many people - whether in face to converstation, or in class discussions, or even in teaching a seminar-- that it does not matter when you have your devotion/quiet time. The key is just that you DO IT.

But, I am challenged by this. I am going to be looking up - yet again - the "rising while it is yet night" and the "early in the morning" passages from scripture. Also, I want to do some research of men and women of the faith who have faithfully walked with God and thus made an impact on this world. (in THEIR world)

Not that I am trying to disprove the statement made by Wilkinson, I am just quite intrigued and challenged by it. Perhaps, it is the gentle hand of my Savior to once again bid me to get up and meet with Him early EVERY DAY on a consistent basis. A time set aside that is not determined by the night before, or the weekend, or the busy lifestyle that I mentioned in my last post, or the..... whatever.

I am sure that I will be back with you on this one...
But in the mean time, I would love to hear your thought and your devotion times...

Readers Write...Writers Read

I have heard this particular saying several times in the last few months. Maybe it is because I have been reading/studying more about "writing." Hence, I have read several who have made that statement: "Readers write and writers read." Interesting.

Then I find as I read, it gives the prompting to write. Often, I just want to share with you here in blogland what has touched me as I have read. So I would have to agree with the statement. As I read, I want to write. After I write, I want to read more.

Saying all of that leads me to the main point of this post. I want to share with you a quote that I have read recently. It is marked in my book and I have returned and read it several times. Actually, when I pick the book up to read again, I first turn to this page and read this quote again. I think I am trying to digest.

Ministry is when the people who hear you don't want more of you, they want more of Him because of what you have said.

When you point them to God's fire instead of trying to get attention for yourself--that's ministry.

Often our thoughts run to "what do they think of me?" when what we should be concerned with is, "what do they think of Him?"

This is from Pricilla Shirer's book, He Speaks to Me. (pg 56)

Now for those of you who are not in full-time ministry... do not excuse yourself thinking that this is not for you too. Certainly not. We are all called to be Ministers of God's Grace to our world. Our world consists of our homes (with our immediate families), our church (with our church family and in the area where we are called to work), our vocational work (with our co-workers and/or our boss), and then those that we touch as we go along (like those who wait on us at restaurants... check us out in the grocery store... help us at the mall, etc.)

Do you see what I am talking about?

Ministry. Pointing others to our Lord. In such a way that they will desire more of Him.

Ministry. Let's do it-- to the best of our ability and to the Glory of God.

As I read, I share with you.

Readers write, writers read.

A Socrates Quote...

"The unexamined life is not worth living"

I am currently working on the Bible Study by Kelly Minter, NO OTHER GODS. Today (I am only on day 2) she is encouraging all of us to take some time for personal reflection and see what things hold power over us. Thus the quote above. Examine yourself.

Psalms 139:23-24 says it this way..."Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

Examine me Oh Lord with your Light. Know my Heart. Know my thoughts. Reveal the offensive ways in me. Lead me in Your way.

And unexamined life leads to a LOT of self... a lot of worldly influences... a lot of waste... a lot of wrong priorities...

I am thinking on this one today...

I would love for us to have some interaction. If so, I will continue the discussion on Monday. (See tomorrow I am going to the Deeper Still Conference in Atlanta YEA!)

Let me know what you think...

Blessings,
DeeDee