an unholy christianity?

I heard someone say the other day that our Christianity today has no holiness in it. It kind of took me by surprise for a second as I contemplated that statement and let it kind of soak in. And then I realized how very true that statement is. We live in a world of Unholy Christianity. How sad is that? How tragic is it that the very thing that our Christianity should stand for is the very thing that is missing in it?

As Christians, we should be striving for a greater desire to obtain purity in all things. Right thinking - right behavior - right attitudes. But it seems like we lack this desire to live holy lives. Somehow we have it all wrong and have let the world take control and dictate our inclinations and we just kind of leave Christ out of it. How absurd. We leave Christ out of Christianity.

I am not really sure why we make being a Christian so hard, because in actuality living right seems to be a whole lot easier than not. It is easier to be nice than be mean. It is easier to think good thoughts than bad ones. It is easier to do the right thing than to spend all that energy doing the wrong thing!

I think that it is time for us to get back to the basics of living a Christian life. Filling ourselves up with the Word so that it just overflows out of us. Loving Jesus so much that it just spills out on others and we just love them too. Keeping our minds filled with things that uplift and edify and not spending time or money on those things that pervert and bring down. Putting back the Holy in Christianity! Amen?

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8)

Paul never fails to get right to the point and I love how he covers it all in those verses. That is an amazing recipe for living a holy and sanctified Christian life. 

I know that I have wasted many years and much time not 'doing the thing' like I should. It saddens my heart to realize the lost opportunities of witnessing that God sent my way. I know that I have lacked holiness in my life in the past and possibly caused another person to stumble. Oh, how that just causes my heart to ache.

But you know the awesome thing about God?  He gives us new mercies every day. EVERY single day.  We can wake up each morning and know without a shadow of a doubt that God is a God of new beginnings. We have a new opportunity each day to live a life of holiness. A life of purity. A life that glorifies and edifies Christ. We can determine from this day forward to put the holiness back into our Christian walk and be the men and women of God that He has purposed us to be.  Throw off that which entangles and put on the cloak of righteousness and just 'do the thing!"

We just praise you, God, for all that you are in our lives. We just give you all honor and glory. Thank you for allowing us new mercies every day and help us to live our life with holiness and righteousness. Stir the hunger in our hearts and fan the flame in our spirits  for more of you and your Word. Thank you for loving us and thank you for your precious Son, Jesus. Amen

Something beautiful - the legacy of hungering for God

I love when God shows me something new and in this case something new and beautiful. As I was at Angel's blog this morning, I noticed she had linked up with RENEE for this great meme, so I just popped on over to her blog to check it out and  I just loved it! When I saw this button I immediately began singing the song "Something Beautiful, something good." God is so good and He is truly the most beautiful thing in our lives. He is responsible for every good thing that we are blessed with and I just thank Him for all that He does for me and my family.

Anyone who knows me know that some of my favorite things in the whole world are my grandkids. God has truly just poured out the blessings in that area and I have 6 of the most amazing grandyoungins that I could ever imagine having!

Last Saturday night, my grandson Bryton (3) spent the night with me and his papa. On Sunday morning, as we were getting ready for church, Bryton had his little bible story book in his hand and he said, "Nana, I need to go out on the patio and study before church". Oh, praise you Jesus! His papa is a preacher and His nana is a bible study fanatic, so it is no surprise that he already knows how important it is to study. That was something so beautiful to me at the time. Handing down that legacy of the love of God's word.

I can't think of anything more beneficial to hand down to our children and grandchildren than that. An intense hunger for God and His Word.

I am thankful that his mother is also teaching him about God and about Jesus and about the importance of reading the bible . It is beautiful to me that he already has the love of God instilled in his precious little heart. He even tells his little brother Sawyer about God.

Truly, this is something beautiful to me...

"Train up a child in the way he should go; and when

he is old, he will not depart from it."

(Proverbs 22:6)

thankful that He doesn't change

"For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye

sons of Jacob are not consumed." (Malachi 3:6)

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I just love God's Word. I love how I can read a scripture and the Lord just pricks my heart with a Truth that speaks loudly to my heart and my spirit. I love how He can just open a window of understanding into my soul and then fill it.

I love the way God gets right to the point in this scripture. "I am the Lord, I change not". Yes, He is Jehovah. The eternal One. The maker of heaven and earth. He is the Lord. And He doesn't change. Not ever.

He is the same now as He was in the beginning and that He will be forever. He is unchanging. Immutable. Constant. He is the Lord.

God can do exactly what He says He can do. He is the one constant in our lives as Christians. When other things change and go awry, we can always count on God being just the same. When we can't depend on anyone or anything else, we can count on our Savior.

We should desperately desire to obey Him and His unchanging nature. We should embrace the amazing knowledge we have been given through the Holy scriptures of the nature of God. Without this knowledge, it would be near impossible to be obedient to Him. But when we are armed with the Truth of His Word, we know exactly who He is and what He can do. We don't just believe it, but we KNOW it!

God doesn't change. Not ever. That is HUGE in our lives. He is our stability. He is our foundation. He is the only one we can count on all the time. The God of Abraham and Jacob is the God of today! The God that performed miracles then, can perform miracles now!

1. God will always love us.

"Beloved, let us love one another:

for love is of God; and every one

that loveth is born of God, and

knoweth God" (1 John 4:7)

2. God will never leave us.

"...for He hath said, I will never

leave thee, nor forsake thee"

(Hebrews 13:5)

3. God gives us eternal life when we believe.

"For God so loved the world, that he

gave his only begotten Son, that

whosoever believeth in him

should not perish, but have everlasting life."

(John 3:16)

We can be certain of those 3 truths regardless of what comes our way. Regardless of what befalls us. No matter what, we can KNOW that our precious and sovereign God loves us, will never leave us and gives us eternal life. Our God is unchanging. He is the same today as He was yesterday and as He will be tomorrow.

He loves us today in our sinful nature as much as He did before we were born.

I don't know about you, but this gives me a peace that is surpassed by nothing else. The surety of His unfailing love even in the midst of all my frailties gives me joy unspeakable, confidence and security unfathomable. To know that God gives us these promises in His Word, is the best assurance that I could have. I have assurance of His love. Assurance of His fellowship. Assurance of everlasting life.

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Thank you, Jesus for your Word and for the promises contained within.  To know that you are exactly who you say you are and that you can do exactly what you say you can do, is life to me. You fill me with love and hope. Peace and comfort. You bestow such mercy and grace upon me that I stand in awe. I love you and I thank you for loving me.

Thanks GREG for hosting this each week!

my dwelling place

Lord, you are my dwelling place. I find peace and safety

in the loving embrace of your arms.

I abide in the secure and mighty covering of your wings.

There I find solace and hope.

Strength and courage.

There I find protection.

Beneath the shadow of your almighty presence, I rest

in the promise of your faithfulness.

Where the darkness becomes light,

and

the unknown becomes unveiled.

and

the fullness of your glory is revealed.

I rejoice in the sheer wonder of your Name!

I stand in awe at the magnitude of your greatness.

For You are King above all kings.

Lord above all lords.

You are higher than the highest mountain

and

deeper than the greatest depths of the seas.

You reign victorious over all creation. We are yours.

The heavens declare your righteousness and they clap

their hands at your power and sovereignty.

They sing your praises and extol your majesty.

They make a joyful noise before all the

 nations and declare the awesome

wonder of who you are.

Your mercy is limitless. It is from

everlasting to everlasting.

Your grace is boundless.

Your love unfailing.

Your compassion endures forever.

Praise you, Jesus.

Longing for your presence. Your touch. Your Spirit.

I revel in the deepest joy at the very  mention of your Name.

Breathing in the sweet aroma of your Holy Spirit.

Feeling your presence dancing on my skin.

Letting the invisible handprints of your touch

sear my body with glorious fire.

The consuming fire of a Holy and Mighty God.

Abounding in your amazing grace.

Frolicking in the freedom of redemption.

Enjoying the profound presence of you God.

Surround me.

Enclose me.

You are my dwelling place and I give you praise.

oh, what a thankful thursday it is

Thanks, Greg, for hosting this amazing Thankful Thursday post each week.

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I am thankful for the four little grandyoungin's that these feet represent and I love how my daughter captured their personalities in each picture. I love Sila's little chubby feet and Mikaela's prim and proper stance. I love that Mercie's crocs are on the wrong feet and that Eli chose to wear his boots with his shorts instead of his flip-flops. I love being a Nana!

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I am thankful for the 2 precious grandsons in this picture. Bryton and Sawyer bring me much joy and laughter. They are brothers and best friends and as they get older, it is fun to watch them play.  I love how they are walking together in this picture.

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I am thankful that our amazing God never sleeps. He is always awake and attentive to our every need. He loves us and watches over us 24 hours a day. He loves us so much and for that I am eternally thankful!

 "He will not suffer thy foot to be moved;

he that keepeth thee will not slumber"

(Psalm 121:4)

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I am thankful for answered prayer this past week. God is faithful and He is an on-time God. He knows what is best for our lives and all we have to do is surrender our will to His and be obedient to His calling.

"Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD;

that walketh in His ways"

(Psalm 128:1)

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I am thankful that we are able to worship without worry. We can pray and praise without threat to our lives. We have the freedom to read and study the bible anytime and anywhere. I am so thankful that we are able to be open with our faith and I pray that we won't take it for granted. May we never open our bibles without being thankful for the God-breathed work that it is.

"From the rising of the sun unto the going down

of the same the LORD's name is to be praise.

The LORD is high above all nations, and

His glory above the heavens"

(Psalm 113:3,4)

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Thank you, Lord, for your hand of protection upon us. Thank you for your mercy and grace. For your peace and your hope. Thank you for loving us and for caring about us. Thank you for the sacrifice of your precious Son on the Cross, so that we could have forgiveness of sins and eternal life. You are awesome and amazing. You are wonderful and merciful. You are our all in all. You are the one true God.  We give you glory and honor and praise for all that you do and all that you are.