Thursday, November 26, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving!


Happy Thanksgiving, my friends! I pray that your day is blessed as you enjoy the many gifts of God in your life. Whatever today holds for you, I hope that you will be able to take a moment to thank Him for His gifts and praise Him for His goodness in your life.

There is so much I have to be thankful for today, but I am especially thankful for the wonderful presence of God in my life. I am also thankful for you, my readers, who are serving the Lord and loving Him along with me!

Let's enjoy today, a day full of food, people, love and more! And let's give thanks to the Lord with all our hearts. He is so good to us!

"I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, 
and I will glorify your name forever." ~ Psalm 86:12

Blessings, 
Christina

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory!

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Transformation


It felt like an instant transformation. I went to bed last night with the world outside looking like a typical Fall night. But this morning it was another story. Waking up, I saw a sign taped to my bookshelf, put there by my youngest sister. It said, "Happy Snow Day!" When I got out of bed, I opened the blinds and peered out the window. Everything was covered with snow. It was beautiful.

Later in the morning my siblings were out playing in the snow. I couldn't help but want to join them, so I put on my coat and gloves and boots and tread out into the beautiful snow, sneaking up behind my brother and chucking snowballs at him. Missing him many times, since my aim isn't very good, it was a few minutes before he realized I was trying to hit him with a snowball. When he turned around and saw me, a friendly battle ensued. It wasn't long before I got cold, so after trying to sled a bit, I made my way back inside.

All day today, I have enjoyed thinking about the snow outside. I love the feeling of being enclosed by the snow that surrounds our house. And when I walk past a window, I can't help but think how beautiful the world looks all covered with the glorious, pure, soft whiteness of the snow.

Snow transforms the world. And Christ transforms our lives. Do you ever think about how amazing it is that when we are saved, we are covered with the righteousness of Christ? I've been studying righteousness in one of my classes this semester and was so encouraged by thinking about how I am clothed with Christ's purity. When God looks at me, He sees the righteousness of Christ on my behalf. My sin is covered by the blood! Look at these marvelous words from the book of Romans:

"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 
For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—
though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 
Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, 
much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, 
much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 
More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 
through whom we have now received reconciliation."
 ~ Romans 5:6-11

Because I am saved, I am covered. Jesus' blood satisfied God's requirement for my sin. So I am transformed. My life is not my own. It is Christ's. When I think of how the snow transforms the world, I think about how God transforms my life. He is so good to me. I did nothing to gain His love and covering. But He called me out. I am forever His.

Are you transformed? Does Jesus' righteousness and cover you like the snow covers the world outside? May we together be forever grateful for this miraculous transformation of God in our lives!  

Transformed in Him,
Christina

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory!

Monday, November 9, 2015

Ephesians 1:2


Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
~ Ephesians 1:2

Monday, November 2, 2015

Peace Isn't An Emotion, But It Is


I don't know about you, but I often think of peace as an emotion; a feeling of restfulness and quietness of heart. But you know what? Peace is not an emotion. I think we get way too caught up with wanting to feel peaceful that we forget what peace really is.

Peace is knowing that God is in control of our lives no matter what (Romans 8:28). Peace is trusting that God is with us always (Isaiah 41:10). Peace is laying down our concerns at the feet of Jesus (Matthew 11:28). Peace is believing that we are forever secured in our salvation (John 10:29). Peace is resting in God's promises, knowing that He will keep His Word (Psalm 18:30). Peace is found in the Prince of Peace: Jesus Christ (Isaiah 9:6).

When we are truly resting in the peace of God, the emotions of rest and quietness will often follow. So in a sense, peace is an emotion. We can feel at peace. But there will be times when we don't feel at peace, but are still at peace in God.

Things in our lives will not be always peaceful and our emotions at times will be up and down. But in the midst of it all, we can find peace, if we seek it. Turning our focus back to what is important in those moments, we can rest in the truth about God. We need to turn our eyes back to Christ. Peace is a choice, by God's grace, to focus on the Lord, not an emotion based on what's going on in our lives. But the emotion of peacefulness often follows our focus on true peace, the peace of God.

When we stop trying to feel peaceful, and rather, focus on the things of peace that I mentioned above from God's Word, feelings of peacefulness will often result. While, on the other hand, if we try to feel peaceful by just trying to feel peaceful, there isn't really anywhere to go with that. If anything, we will only have a fleeting, unreal, fluffy peace that is dependant wholly on what's going on in our lives. But in Christ, our peace is secure, even in the most turbulent of times because it isn't built on an emotion. It is built on Him. This peace is real, steadfast, and strong. We can cling to Jesus Christ. He is our Peace.

"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. 
The Lord be with all of you." ~ 2 Thessalonians 3:16

In His Peace,
Christina

Soli Deo Gloria ~ To God Alone Be the Glory!