Transformers

 By Gail Purath (read her blog here)

When I became a Christian, I couldn’t get enough of God’s Word.

And God began to rid my life of things that didn’t conform to His Word: I tossed out record albums and books with immoral themes. Certain words disappeared from my vocabulary, and I was convicted when I treated someone selfishly.

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The truths I was learning in God’s Word, Christian books, and Bible study groups were transforming my mind. This process, often called sanctification, is an integral part of our Christian life “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” (Romans 12:2; Philippians 2:12-13).

Transformation is a lifelong process, worth our best efforts.

This year let’s make a resolution to be more deliberate and serious about our sanctification. Let's give it our all.  

About Gail:

Gail Purath has been married to her best friend for 41 years, has two married children and seven grandchildren. 

Her blog Bible Love Notes(http://biblelovenotes.blogspot.com) features one-minute devotions each weekday.

Unhidden

 By Amanda T. (read her blog here)

“God sees everything.” We have heard this concept, but do we really know it? Reading through Psalm 139:1-16 helps to paint a clearer picture of this concept.

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Verses: O LORD, Thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my Thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, Thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. (Psalm 139:1-5)

Truth: The Lord knows everything about us. He not only knows who we say we are, but also who we really are – better than we do ourselves. Right now, He is around us seeing what we are doing.

Verses: Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. (Psalm 139:6)

Truth: God, the Creator of the Universe, the Master of the seas, the all-knowing, omnipotent Ruler, know my name! He has bowed down from His Majestic throne to take interest in my life!

Verses:  Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from Thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee. (Psalm 139:7-12)

Truth: There is absolutely nowhere that we can go to hide from God. He sees us wherever we are, at all times. Our sins might stay hidden to those around us, but they are open and revealed before God’s eyes.

Verses: For Thou hast possessed my reins: Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from Thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. (Psalm 139:13-16)

Truth: From day one of conception, God saw us. He was working in our lives to mold us as He saw best then, and is still working in our lives today – spiritually and physically – to continually mold us as He sees fit. Because God created us and molded us, we are a marvelous work.

What are some truths that you see in these verses?

About Amanda:

Amanda is a homeschool graduate living with her parents and eleven siblings in Louisiana. Their family sings together, sharing God’s love through music in churches and nursing homes. Until God shows her a different path, she enjoys teaching piano and music theory, hymn-arranging, photography, writing, spending time with her siblings, and home economics. In the past few years, Proverbs 3:5-7 has been a passage that God has used in her life, showing her how vital it is to trust Him in any issue. You may visit her blog: withajoyfulnoise.blogspot.com

Happiness

By Ana Renee

What makes you happy? A nice, warm mug of hot cocoa? A big hug from your baby sister? A long hand-written letter? In our modern world, there are many things that make us “happy” and many things that steal our happiness. But what is happiness according to God’s Word?

                                      

In the Old Testament, one form of being happy is esher, meaning “how happy!” What things does God consider adequate to make us happy? How can we truly be happy?

1) Have God as our Lord

          Psalm 144:15, “Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.”

2) Fear God

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          Psalm 128:1-2, “Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in His ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.”

          Proverbs 28:14, “Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.”

3) Trust God

          Proverbs 16:20, “He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.”

4) Keep God’s Law

          Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”

5) Seek God’s Help

          Psalm 146:5, “Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:”

6) Accept God’s Wisdom

          Proverbs 3:13, “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.”

7) Show Mercy to Others

          Proverbs 14:21, “He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.”

In the New Testament, the Greek Word for happy is makarios, meaning “Supremely blest, fortunate, well off.” Added to the Old Testament’s list for happiness, we can have happiness with the following:

8) Serve God and Others

          John 13:16-17, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”

 

9) Suffer for Christ’s Sake

          1 Peter 3:14, “But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;”

          1 Peter 4:14, “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.”

True happiness is not merely a mushy, warm feeling, but a secure faith and trust in Christ Jesus, a heart wholly dedicated to serving Him.  

Are you happy?

What Path of Life?

By Ana Renee

"Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in Thy presence if fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." 

(Psalm 16:11)

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I am seeing something in young people today that greatly saddens me: the search for worldly pleasures and their desire for me to join them. According to this verse, I need not college to understand the "path of life," I need God. I need not relationships, clothes, or career to give me fullness of joy, I need God's presence. I need not parties, games, movies, and activities to give me pleasure, I need closeness to God. The world (ultimately satan) wants to make us believe that praying to God is boring, a life spent going to church dull, and reading/memorizing God's Word is a chore, but the more time we spend with our Heavenly Father, the more we see the truth of the hymn, "And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." (Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, by Helen H. Lemmel)

As a new year dawns, may our desire be to grow closer to the Lord and separated from the world.