Satisfaction and Glory

Surfing through facebook this morning I came across a quote that really made me stop and think!  I just love when that happens!  It was also very convicting!  Being of the Reformed faith one thing that is very important is Soli Deo Gloria meaning glory to God alone.  Basically, it means that everything is done for the glory of God ALONE.  We focus a lot on making sure our motives are pure, we pray for the Lord to create new hearts within us, all for His glory and His glory alone.

So it really gave me reason to pause when I read this quote this morning. The friend who posted it didn’t leave the author’s name but here is the quote.

-God can be most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him.

WOW!

Where do we find our satisfaction. I mean honestly, truly, where do we find it?  More often than not it is not in the Lord.  We, of course, find some satisfaction in the Lord but how often do we seek satisfaction else where?  In our work?  In our parenting? In our spouse? In our accomplishments? In the things we own? In how we live? In _________.

But read that quote again…..

-God can be most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him.

We must find our FULL satisfaction in the Lord!!  And why?  Because that brings the most glory to God!!  Remember it is ALL about the Lord!!

The Best Gift

As Mother’s Day approaches the focus always seems to be on what to get mom. Although it is nice to get gifts if that is the focus it can bring bitterness. What if you don’t get breakfast in bed? What if you don’t get those beautiful flowers or that awesome massage you desperately need? Will your day seem not as bright?

Let me encourage you this Mother’s Day to remember that the ultimate gift is actually BEING a mother! What greater gift than the fact that the Lord saw fit to bless you with your children! If this is your focus this Mother’s Day you will not be disappointed! You will see your blessings overflowing!

Keep your focus this Mother’s Day. You are honored by the simple fact that you ARE a mother. Any other gift is just icing on the cake.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Failing or Not?

Some days are better than others.  Some days I think I may actually be in the running for at least a good homeschool mom.  Some days I think I am the last person on earth who should even be attempting to homeschool!  There are days (quite a few lately) that I feel so poorly physically that not much gets attempted, let alone accomplished!  There are other days that are so busy I cannot even see straight by nightfall. I wonder if in the midst of all this craziness if I am even in the ballpark with where the Lord has called me minister(within my home).

I often begin to doubt myself and feel a failure.  What on earth could I EVER offer to the Lord???  I was feeling this way today when I picked up my Bible and sat down to read.  I had not read the book of Micah in quite some time so I decided to read that today. Here is what stuck out to me.

Micah 6:6a   “With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high?”

Oh Lord!  This is me today!!!  What can I offer you????  I have nothing!!

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
(Micah 6:8 ESV)

Oh, how that comforted my heart!  Even on those days when I seemingly have nothing to offer, when my failings abound, I can still accomplish that which the Lord requires!  I may not have finished all of our school lessons but did I act justly today?  I may not have cleaned the entire house and had dinner on the table on time but did I love and show kindness?  And what better way than a crazy, seemingly failure of a day for the Lord to teach me to walk with humility?  Those are the most important things!  If I can just keep those things in the forefront of my mind no matter what my day is like I will honor the Lord!

So be encouraged when your days do not goes as you would like.  Be encouraged when you feel like you are failing.  Keep honoring the Lord amidst that and you will have fulfilled what the Lord requires and that will bring you peace!

Canned Prayers

I have heard the argument often that to use scripted prayers is to use canned prayers with no life.  Some people feel that for one to have a vibrant, life- filled, personal relationship with the Lord that prayer must always be spontaneous and of our own crafting.  While it is true that we are to pour our own hearts out to the Lord and to have a personal relationship with the Lord; I would propose that it isn’t a bad thing to use some so called “canned prayers”.  We do not have to throw out the prayers of others that have been recorded for us.  Would you say the Lord’s Prayer is a canned prayer?  Would you say that to pray the Lord’s Prayer is to be lifeless or meaningless?  You may say that is different because the Lord’s Prayer is scripture. There is truth in that.  I have, however, heard people say it is wrong to pray it with any consistency because it becomes a “canned prayer” void of meaning.  When did repetition mean death?  When did repetition lose its value?  If repetition has lead to meaninglessness then I would suggest it is because the individual’s heart was not in it and allowed it!

Just as the prayer beads in the previous post, the prayers of others can be of an amazing value!  We have some books of prayers around our house but my favorite is most definitely the Valley of Vision!   Sometimes I do not always know what to pray, sometimes I do not always “feel” like praying and it becomes more difficult, sometimes there are things that I just don’t think to pray!  Using the prayer of another, more articulate, and probably with a deeper relationship with the Lord, can be such an encouragement!  It can call to mind things that I neglect, things that I should be praying for, they often contain a focus that I so often lack.  God can use those prayers to stretch and grow me!

I would submit to the neighsayers that if the prayers of others offer no value that maybe it is not the prayers that are canned but possibly your own opinions or even heart.  To look down one’s nose at the growth of others and not see a benefit or value is arrogance.  I am NOT saying that you must use the prayers of others in your own walk, not at all.  I am simply saying that we should not discourage one another and invalidate, diminish, or judge another’s faith on whether or not they use a prayer book!

If the prayers of the Puritans stir your heart, if the prayers of the heroes of the faith bring about conviction, if you find yourself inspired and longing for the kind of intimacy with God that the authors of written prayers obviously had, by all means use them!

One who is alive in Christ will pray those prayers with life!!!  One who is stagnant will pray with stagnation.  Once again we are back to the heart.  It is not the prayers. It is the heart that approaches and prays those prayers.

Motives

Why do we do the things we do?  So often our outward actions are judged but the motives of the heart are ignored.  They are easier to hide from people.  As believers there is an ever constant battle. Our hearts must be forever dwelling on the glory of God.  Our motives must always be pure.  I am thankful that I serve a forgiving God because that is one tall order and one that I cannot fulfill on my own.  It is an area of constant repentance!

You see, as believers it is not enough that we “do”; we must “do” out of pure and right motives.  The Lord God judges not only our actions but also our hearts.

I have been working my way through Romans as of late.

He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.

(Romans 2:6-10 ESV)

Paul teaches us that our salvation is by grace.  You will never hear me say anything different.  I  believe Sola Gratia!  Paul also teaches that judgment is according to works.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

(2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV)

Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.

(1 Corinthians 4:5 ESV)

This judgment will include disclosure and evaluation of the motives of our hearts.
Nothing can be hidden from the Lord. We must repent of all our sin, even the sin that is so often unseen. What arrogance (another sin btw) to even think that we can hide anything from the God of this universe!

If indeed God can see and will openly reveal the intentions and innermost thoughts of our hearts shouldn’t that make us all the more diligent to have those intentions and thoughts be pure??  Even the motives behind desiring a clean heart must pure, not merely because we must appear before the judgment seat but for the glory of God ALONE!

May this be our daily cry and may God be glorified!!

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
(Psalm 51:10 ESV)

Make this Psalm a part of your daily requests to the Lord and you will be amazed at how the Lord will cleanse your heart! It is refreshing and renewing!

Fifteen Minutes A Day

A full month before Resurrection Sunday our church had a special focus in our Sunday School classes.  That focus was on devotional times.  The big kick was to get all of our church members to spend a minimum of 15 minutes a day in a time of devotion.  Now, on one hand, I find this saddening that a church would even have a need to address this.  You would hope that those who profess faith in Christ Jesus would be spending that time in communion with him each day.  On the other hand,  I think it was a good thing because if we are completely honest many believers do not spend that time.  We need to be encouraging one another to spend time in the Word.

There were several people who shared with us how they structure their time with the Lord.  Different tools were shared and opportunities were given for individual quiet moments with God.  Some ideas were good and some were actually dangerous practices in my opinion.  I pray that God would help all in those classes to able to discern and glean the best from the ideas shared.  The goal was all the same though; we need to be spending time in the word and with our Lord each and every day.

There were several ladies there that had some of the same struggles as myself.  The ladies teaching our class kept saying, “Find yourself a quiet place alone without distractions.”  I will just say it right now for all of you mothers with little ones, “I can’t even manage to go to the bathroom alone and you want me to find a quiet place ALONE??”  That being said there are ways you can still spend quality time with the Lord and his Word even if you can’t (pardon my language) pee alone!

This is really an important thing for me.  If you read my last post about being distracted and needing to focus you will understand more fully why this is so important to me.  We just recently bought a camper and it is still parked in our driveway.  Who knows how long the HOA will allow that but it has been a God send this week.  I have been able to have my older children watch the youngers and go to the camper for some uninterrupted time with my Savior!  I am aware of how rich a blessing that is!  I am sure though that the camper will not always be in my driveway.

I thought that I might share with you some ways that you can manage, amidst your little ones or any distractions in your busy life to be able to carve out 15 minutes a day or more to spend with the Lord.

• If you have time to read this blog post…..
• If you have time to check facebook……
• If you have time for pinterest…….   OK you see where I am going with this….right…
• Start your homeschool day with scripture reading. Give each child a turn to read.
• Read a childrens’ Bible with your little ones
• Study some catechism questions and scripture proofs with your little ones
• Place several small devotionals around the house, when you find 5 minutes pick one up and read
• You can pray, pray, pray throughout your day
• You can sing praise through out the day
• Do scripture copywork.  Have your children color.  OR make this your school work while the children are working their math problems.
• Place scripture you want to memorize on index cards and place them in prime places around the house where you are sure to see them often.
• Read scripture on your iphone throughout the day.  Even if you only pick a short section of scripture and go over it several times a day. Short bursts several times a day will help root that scripture in your mind and heart.

These are just a few ideas.  Please share some of your own…