In Sunshine or in Rain

"It is not Christ's follower that, with averted eyes, turns from the erring, leaving them unhindered to pursue their downward course. Those who are forward in accusing others, and zealous in bringing them to justice, are often in their own lives more guilty than they. Men hate the sinner, while they love the sin. Christ hates the sin, but loves the sinner. This will be the spirit of all who follow Him. Christian love is slow to censure, quick to discern penitence, ready to forgive, to encourage, to set the wanderer in the path of holiness, and to stay his feet therein." DA pg 462 Oh how quick we are to judge and condemn those around us. With self-righteous arrogance we point our fingers at those who are erring in darkness, and we haughtily think that we are better than they. Oh don't we understand that unless Jesus would have died to pay for our sins, we would be lost in everlasting darkness? In our own strength we have absolutely no power to free ourselves from...

I have been asking myself a lot of questions lately. What is my mission? What is my calling? Where would God have me in His vineyard? I desire nothing more sincerely than to follow my Savior wherever He leads. I don't want my own plans and desires to get in the way of His perfect will. So what does it mean to truly serve Him? It means giving Him all I have. It means holding nothing back, but rather surrendering every area of my life to Him. To truly serve God means doing that which is nearest as thoroughly and faithfully as I can. It means doing the little things with the spirit of joyfulness and an attitude of selflessness. Too often we wait for some grand opportunity to serve God while completely overlooking divine appointments God sends our way. Our lives are the most powerful sermons. A kind word, or a helping hand can bring results we would have never imagined. I have felt God gently rebuking me for being anxious about what my future holds, instead of using every opportun...

Prayer. This is a word that I am well acquainted with. I grew up in a home where prayer was a vital part of our day. We prayed at mealtimes, for worship, and before we went to bed my parents would come to my bed to pray with me. Often I would tip-toe into my parent's bedroom in the morning only to find my mother in earnest prayer.This background has definitely provided me with a wonderful foundation. What however does prayer mean to me personally? Prayer means direct communication with heaven. Could I ask for a greater privilege? The Creator of this world longs to have communion with me, a sinful and weak human being. Too often I spend way too little time in prayer. It is easy for prayer to become nothing more than a daily routine. Oh how sad the thought! If Jesus is truly my Best Friend as I claim Him to be, won't I desire to spend every spare moment with Him? When I take the time to pour out my heart to Him, and to listen to what He has to say, it is though I am catching a gl...

I got my very first violin yesterday, and I was so excited to try it out that I could not open the violin case fast enough. I tightened the bow and then tried out the beautiful instrument. It made no sound! I tried a few more times, but could not get the violin to make more than a few pitiful sounds. That is when I realized that in my haste I forgot to rosin the bow. My bow was brand new and had never been rosined, so therefore it would not produce any sound. I immediately thought about how this experience relates to the Christian walk. Unless Jesus' love is part of my life, and unless the Holy Spirit dwells in my heart, my life won't produce a beautiful sound. Even though I may be, just like the violin, a beautiful instrument, unless  the bow is "rosined" with love, patience, and meekness, I will be but a useless instrument. Now to lesson number two. Once the bow was rosined, it made the violin produce beautiful sounds( because it was tuned) However, because I am n...

"Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! "                                                                                     Psalm 107 I am in the process of memorizing Psalm 107, and the above phrase is the theme of the entire psalm. What does it mean to give thanks to the Lord? Do we take the time to thank our Heavenly Father for all the many blessings that He bestows upon us every single day? If it were not for His tender care we would not be here today. It is He who sends the rain and causes the sun to shine. It is He who provides for our daily needs. Too often I find myself  complaining about things that don't go the way I wish they would, instead of praising God for all the things He so fa...