Being Thankful - Day 6

   As I write this, I sit in a warm coffee shop, surrounded by delicious aromas and one of my favorite people. There is something wonderful about sipping a toffee nut latte while finishing academic reports. When someone grinds away at homework while at Starbucks, they are bound to be successful. :) 
   We are so fortunate to be citizens of the United States. We have so many luxuries available: warm clothing, wireless internet, delicious warm beverages, laptops, clean water, sports cars. The list could honestly go on forever. It make me wonder, how often do we count these blessings? 
   What if we woke up today, with only the things we thanked God for the day before? Would we still be comfortable, or would we find ourselves destitute? As Christians, exhibiting a spirit of thankfulness is crucial. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."As you go about your day, thank God for all He has graciously given you. Learn to be thankful and recognize His blessings - both the obvious and those that are hidden. 


"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!" - Psalm 107:1


"Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ..." - Ephesians 5:20


"Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!" - Psalm 105:1


"Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!" - 2 Corinthians 9:15

Be Strong! - Day 5

   In Paul's letter to the Corinthians, he commands them to "Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong". Whenever I am told to picture something "strong", my mind tends to envision a valiant Spartan warrior. These courageous soldiers idolized strength, honor, and valor. They were taught to show no signs of pain whatsoever. If one did not possess these crucial traits, they were considered utterly worthless.
   When these fearless warriors would leave for battle, their wives exhortation, "come back with your shield, or on it", would be resounding in their souls. Death was far more respectable and desirable than surrender. Although these pagan peoples did not worship God, they possessed an immense amount of passion for their battles. As troops of the King of the universe, we should show huge enthusiasm for the cause of Christ. We should exhibit greater bravery and valiance than a mighty Spartan Warrior. With a Holy cause to pursue, should we not even be more ready to engage in battle when it is to come?
   It is not always easy to resist the pull of the world. Temptation, in all of its outward beauty blatantly parades itself before us, coaxing us to indulge in its "pleasures". Every day, Christians interact with people of the world. We form acquaintances, make friends, and move in the world's various social circles. Although there is nothing wrong with this, we need to constantly keep ourselves in check. We need to continuously undergo self-examinations to make sure that we are not conforming to the ways of this world. We should always be ready to draw our sword, and further the name of Christ.
   This is a lot more easily said than done. Sometimes we just want to be liked, we want to fit in, and we don't want to look dumb in front of others. Is that really too much to ask? Is it so very wrong to just want to be accepted?
   Since it concerns the eternal fate of our soul, yes, it really is too much to ask. As Christians, we cannot trade our identity for acceptance. In Revelation 3:16, the Lord declares "so then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth." That is a pretty serious command! The Lord would rather us be against Him than serve Him with a mediocre attitude. Spartan Warriors were not allowed to be mediocre - they had to fight each battle with the utmost strength, courage, and dignity.  
   As followers of Christ, sitting on the sidelines is not an option. We have to choose. We cannot serve two masters. Are you for Christ or against Him? As you go about your day and come across your "prayer landmarks", remember who you are fighting for. Grab your weapon, and ask the Lord for renewed strength. Be strong! Ask Him to fill you with the courage to stand for Him. 


^"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 24:15


"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake oyu. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged." - Deuteronomy 31:8

Our Command, His Delight - Day 4

   Charles Spurgeon wrote, "Our God not only hears prayer but also loves to hear it." When I read that quote, it was 'amening' the thoughts of my heart! How often underestimate the love and grace that God has for us. People can often take His mercy and grace for granted, but that is a post for another day. ;) 
   Do you ever feel like your prayers just disappear in the wind? Or fade away with time? Sometimes we may assume that our prayers are insignificant, or that the Lord is far to occupied to hear them, or even care. 
   The truth is, the Lord not only commands us to pray, but He loves hearing our prayers! Prayer is a very intimate time of communication, and Jesus savors hearing our requests, thoughts, or thanksgiving. Bring every petition, request, heartache, question, thought, and feeling to Him. Make a habit of continually laying everything at the cross without restraint. We will never bore Him, tire Him, or get on His nerves if we constantly pray. Make a "prayer landmark". Every time you arrive at a stop sign, see your child, or touch your hair, decide at that moment to pray. Do not be afraid to seek the Lord about the things that may seem petty; come to Him knowing that His arms and ears are wide open. Continue to seek the Lord in every decision you make. Remember, our command to pray is His delight. Relish it. 



"Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." - James 5:13-14


"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." - James 5:16


"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way." - 1 Timothy 2:1-2

iWait - Day 3

"Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up on wings like eagles, they call run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." - Isaiah 40:30-31

   Patience. It is one of the hardest things to master. Whenever we flip through the TV channels, the commercials advertise products that being promises of "faster results", "higher speed", and "increased velocity". What is the problem with all of this technology? The issue at hand does not lie with technology. Rather, all of these rapid changes are taking a great toll on our patience.
   All throughout history, nearly all of the machines invented were to make our lives easier and faster. Take the letter, for example. In 1750, in order to communicate with a friend someone would need to sit down and compose a letter. Fifty-nine years later, the telegraph machine was invented and people could receive messages in a significantly shorter amount of time. Then in 1806, Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone and people who were miles apart could actually speak to one another! It was revolutionary! Once families began installing these modern devices in their homes, they did not have to travel a lengthy distance to reach a phone to call someone. Next came the email, shortly followed by the cell phone, and then the modern text message. The rest, they say, is history.
   Do you see how significantly communication has evolved? In 1750, a person could patiently wait several weeks to receive a response to their letter. Today, if someone does not answer our text message in 10 minutes, we are upset. Not only has our method of communication altered, but so has our patience span.
   The era that we live in is one defined by iPhones and high-speed internet. Our culture is loosing its willingness to wait as we are becoming iFast. Although these technological innovations are truly marvelous (both a GPS and a Starbucks locater in a tiny 5oz device!), they can easily take a toll on our patience. Let us focus on strengthening our longsuffering. As you go about your day, pay attention to the opportunities that test your patience. Ask the Lord to constantly give you a spirit of joy while as you wait. :)

"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance". - 2 Peter 3:9

"But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth." - Psalm 86:15

"...that you may walk worthy of Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God' strengthened with all might according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy." - Colossians 1: 10 -11

The Meditations of Your Heart - Day 2

   As you lay down to sleep tonight, take a moment to analyze your day. In all of the various situations you encountered, think about your actions. How did you handle your stress? Were you kind to your neighbor? Would you be comfortable sharing the deepest meditations of your heart with a friend? What thoughts passed through your mind? 

   This self-assesment is not meant to implant guilt into your heart. It is simply meant to make you ponder a few things. How can you better honor the Lord with your mind, secret thoughts, and attitude? Make a habit of asking the Lord to turn your thoughts, actions, and motives into methods of glorifying Him. :)

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer". - Psalm 19:14

Changing our Perspective - Day 1

   When the alarm goes off early Monday morning, we sleepily opening our burning eyes and languidly hit the snooze button. We breathe in the chilling air and quickly pull the sheets over our head, soaking in their warmth. We dread to begin the new week. After two minutes pass, the shrill beeping sound from our clock fills our ears again, and our hand finds its way to the snooze button once more. This routine carries on several more times until 6:00 slowly turns into 7:45. 

   Mondays. We never seem to be fully ready for them when they arrive. For many of us, a new week brings promises of stress, long hours of work, and constant exhaustion. By Monday evening, we are ready for another weekend to rejuvenate our worn-out selves. 

   However, our weeks do not have to begin like this. I am slowly learning that we do not have to rely on vacations, caffeine, or even weekends to recharge our batteries. When we do not have the strength to accomplish the week's goals (and frankly, we often do not) we need to cast our cares on He who sustains us. Instead of using our alarm clocks as a device to merely improve our dexterity, let us use them as a call to prayer. Change your perspective and translate the sound of your alarm clock as a reminder to pray. Think of the day ahead of you and pray for the Lord's strength. The Lord promises in the Bible that when we ask for wisdom He gives to all liberally and without reproach. 

   Monday mornings, nor any other day of the week, have to be filled with tears and pressure. As soon as the sound of the alarm goes off, pray and dedicate the day to Jesus Christ and greet each day with an enthusiastic smile, knowing God is with you. Ask for His strength, ask for wisdom, and ask for Him to sustain you. Meditate on these Bible verses as you go about your week, and watch the Lord work mightily. :) Welcome to the 30 Day Challenge. 

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous hand". - Isaiah 41:10

"Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually!" - 1 Chronicles 16:11

"Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes". - Psalm 119:23

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". - Phillipians 4:13

The 30 Days Project

   The Era of the Persecuted Church was a frightening time. When Christianity was outlawed, people did not dare to utter the name of Jesus in public. The followers of Christ were heavily reprimanded for their faith; some were even put to death. Christians paid a heavy price for following Christ. They had their churches crumbled into dust, their Bibles were taken away and burned, and their Christian meetings were banned. However, there was one thing that could not be taken from them. There was one object that no law could prevent them from doing: praying. 

   Reader, our special communication with the Lord can never be stolen. No principality or power can ever seize this beautiful thing from us. It is intangible. Prayer is precious, and we must cherish it. We serve an awesome God who gladly gave us a way to communicate with Him freely. We don't have to go through a priest, we can call upon the Lord right where we are! Why don't we take advantage of this more often? How many days go by when the only prayer you've said was to just bless a meal? Indeed, thanking for the Lord for our food is wonderful, but our prayer life needs to be something deeper. If we gather around the dinner table and recite the exact 5-second-long prayer we always do, then our prayer life is weak. Prayer should be an active part of a Christian's life. 

   The title of this blog "It is Good for Me to Draw Near to God"was inspired by one of my favorite scriptures Psalm 73:28: "But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works."When we foster a life of prayer, we are drawing near to the Lord. The closer we draw to Him, the closer He draws to us. When we delight in the Lord (part of this comes from an active prayer life), the Bible Says He will give us the desires of our hearts. Prayer is not to be undermined - it is to be taken very seriously. 

    Readers, I introduce to you The 30 Days Project. One month of actively seeking the Lord every day. One month of being committed to prayer with the intent of growing in our walk with the Lord. One month of drawing near to God while watching Him will draw near to us. 

   Once The 30 Days Project starts, I will post on my blog every morning a specific subject to pray for during that day. On one day, a particular blog post may be titled: "pray for our national leaders". Another could be "pray for self-control". Following these posts will be a collection of Bible verses that can help direct your prayer time. During each day, watch how the Lord grows you as You dedicate a couple minutes directly to Him. Allow the Lord to mold you and change you. Give Him the reins to your life and watch Him take control. 

    I plan on starting this project on Monday, April 23rd where I will post my first "prayer assignment" (for lack of a better term :)). I pray that you will consider joining me. Please leave a comment stating that you will participate in The 30 Days Project. An alternative way to letting me know that you are joining, is to check the "inspirational" box below this post. This is a more private way to letting me know you will undergo this project. Whether you leave a comment, or put a check in the box, I will nevertheless be so thrilled I have "a partner in crime prayer"! ;)

   May God bless you as draw closer to Him! 

"For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." - Romans 10:13

   

April fools

Hi big sis it's April Fools so i wanted to fool you :) he he

Our Best Life...When?

 

"And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteosness' sake, you are blessed."

- 1 Peter 2: 13 - 14

   Why don't they speak to you as often anymore? You can hardly bear their judgmental glances as soon as you enter the room. You were living fully for Christ, but you lost your job anyway. You prayed earnestly to be healed, but you are still sick. You went out of your way to be kind to that standoffish neighbor, and all they did was blow you off. You have mounds of bills stacked up on the counter, and all you can do is close your eyes and hope that they will vanish, for there is no other way that they will be gone.

   Why?

   We Christians are constantly told by our friends, coworkers, or even pastors that this is 'our best life now', and that Jesus will spare us from all suffering if we have enough faith. They boldly declare that Jesus came to give us a better life, and that He wants us to be wealthy, healthy, and problem-free! Sounds nice, doesn't it? But if Christianity were truly a life of utopia, wouldn't millions be converting every day?

   Readers, if Jesus truly came to give us our best lives now, why would we even bother looking toward Heaven? If life in Christ is supposed to be problem-free, then why are missionaries suffering? If this is supposed to be our best life, what a disappointment Heaven must be. 

The truth is, this is not our best life now. It is completely normal for Christians to endure hardship and suffering. It is not due to a lack of faith. When Jesus was carrying out his earthly ministry, He suffered and He was God. When the nails pieced His hands, when the whip was slashed across His back, and when the crown of thorns sunk into his skull, He felt every ounce of that pain.  

   If Jesus came just to give us endless benefits without any hardship, people would not follow Christ because they believe in Him, they would be Christians in order to enjoy all of the goodies. Trusting in the Lord and living our lives for Him costs us something, and we may even have to suffer for His sake. But 1 Peter says that we should count ourselves blessed when we suffer in the name of Jesus. Enduring hardships while living fully for Christ is much better than living the perfect life apart from the Lord. When we stay committed to Christ, even amidst our struggles, just think of how great our reward in Heaven will be! We Christians have such a hopeful future to look forward to!  

   Be encouraged today, "counting it all blessing when you fall into various trials", for the your reward in Heaven will be great. :) God bless you, my dear readers!

A Very Busy Semester

   I have returned! I apologize for not posting for over a month - life has undergone some very busy moments lately which has, in turn, prohibited me from blogging. However, I am now emerging back into the world of social networking! How have you all been? Please leave a comment telling me about your life!

   As you may have conjectured, my school semester has been quite busy! This year, I am enrolled in my local community college as well as my high school. Balancing life as a high-schooler, violinist, and a college student is very rigorous. Lately, I have caught myself saying, "At least it is better to be busy than to be idle!" Maybe I have taken that statement a little too far...hehe. :)

   My courses are: English, Microeconomics, Algebra 2, U.S. History, Spanish 3, Orchestra, and regular violin lessons. Although these courses have proven quite challenging, I am thoroughly enjoying gaining more knowledge about all these subjects.

   Another exciting recent development has been occupying my hours as well. This Saturday night, I will be participating in the "Distinguished Young Women of Modesto" scholarship competition. I, along with sixteen beautiful and talented other ladies, will be judged on our grades, our talent, our on-stage question, fitness, and our personal interview. I will post pictures of the event on Sunday afternoon, and will discuss the results. I have been looking forward to this competition for 3 years; it is hard to believe that it is finally happening! Please pray for me, as I can affirm that I will be very nervous. :)

   Thank you for being patient with me, my dear readers. I have missed blogging very earnestly, and am very happy to be getting back into the swing of things. God bless you all today!

"Delight yourself in the Lord'; and He will give you the desires of your heart." -Psalm 37:4