Practical Simplicity ~ For His Glory

No, today is not my Birthday (in a sense), or any of my family member’s Birthdays, nor is it my parents anniversary…………

Today is the day I thank the Lord for saving me from the chains of sin and bringing me into His loving arms and calling me His child…..

MY SPIRITUAL BIRTHDAY!!!!!

Today I am reminded of the day on April 21, 2000 (Good Friday) when I submitted my heart to my Savior and my life would never be the same again.  He has blessed me in so many ways, and I thank Him for the many trials he set on me and my family to grow stronger in my relationship with Him.    I am still learning all of His wondrous ways, even though I know I will not understand them all, I strive to live my life to the fullest, pleasing Him in all I say and do and encourage other fellow believers in their faith.

A verse that has stuck with me for the last few years has been

1 Corinthians 10:31

“So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

We must always remember that EVERYTHING we do must bring glory to Him alone, that means when we watch a movie, hang out with friends, doing schoolwork, and even how you spend your time, is it being spent glorifying the Lord?   If not, I encourage you to look through the the Bible and see what you need to change, and if it coincides with His word, if not, you most likely will need to be rid of it.

Matthew 18:9

“And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.  It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes and be thrown into the hell of fire.”

Our lives need to reflect our Savior, or the world will not recognize us as children of God.  If we do not reflect Jesus Christ in our lives the way we should, we are considered not one of His own and must repent and change our ways.

Matthew 5:13-16

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?  It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.  You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

1 John 2:15-17

“Do not love the world or the things in the world.  if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world- the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions- is not from the Father but is from the world.  And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

Becoming a Christian does not mean our lives get much better and we are happy and care free the rest of our lives.  When the Lord calls us to Himself, we will have trials and many hard times in our lives, but they are to bring us closer to Himself and test our faith.  It is not an easy thing, but with the Lord as our help and our strength, we can accomplish so much in His name to bring glory to Jesus Christ our Lord.

Hebrews 12:1-17

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.   Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.   In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.   And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?   If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.   Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?   For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.   For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.   Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.   Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.   See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.  For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

I pray this has encouraged you and given you some food for thought!   It has been something on my mind as of late and I felt led to share with you dear readers and I thought what a better time to share than on my spiritual Birthday.

Since music is a BIG part of my life (I am always humming/singing  around the house) I thought I would share one of my favorite hymns (thanks to a couple dear friends of mine!)

Here are the beautiful, and powerful words to this hymn:

Stricken, Smitten, and Aflicted

Stricken, smitten, and afflicted,
See him dying on the tree!
‘Tis the Christ by man rejected;
Yes, my soul, ’tis he, ’tis he.
‘Tis the long-expected Prophet,
David’s Son, yet David’s Lord;
By his Son God now has spoken:
‘Tis the true and faithful Word.

Tell me, ye who hear him groaning,
Was there ever grief like his?
Friends through fear his cause disowning,
Foes insulting his distress;
Many hands were raised to wound him,
None would interpose to save;
But the deepest stroke that pierced him
Was the stroke that Justice gave.

Ye who think of sin but lightly
Nor suppose the evil great
Here may view its nature rightly,
Here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the Sacrifice appointed,
See who bears the awful load;
‘Tis the Word, the Lord’s Anointed,
Son of Man and Son of God.

Here we have a firm foundation,
Here the refuge of the lost;
Christ’s the Rock of our salvation,
His the name of which we boast.
Lamb of God, for sinners wounded,
Sacrifice to cancel guilt!
None shall ever be confounded
Who on him their hope have built.

May you all have a wonderful day!

Love in Christ,

PS. I will be posting the finished hankie I made for our winner Miss Lindsay soon, so keep a look out!

Filed under: Christian Living, miscellaneous, Practical, Random, Scripture on April 21st, 2010