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Monday, June 14, 2010

Some Things on My Heart

I have had a few things that have been impressed upon my heart lately that I don't want to forget. I want to share them here and meditate on them as well.

The first one is from a one year devotional that my sister-in-law got for me. It's called, The One Year Devotions for Couples by David and Teresa Ferguson. I will summarize some of it.

"Giving freedom in marriage means I allow my spouse to be different from me, to be unique. Freedom means not dwelling on past hurts. It means not being fearful about the future, but being committed to living in the present. Freedom means learning to relax and enjoy life with one another. It means not fearing rejection or a withdrawal of love. Freedom means living in liberty in all that we share- physically, emotionally, and spiritually...True freedom means that I can live and love liberally and yet I am constrained by the love of Christ. What an awesome thought: Christianity isn't about what I can't do, but about all God has provided. A free man is under no obligation and is not motivated by fear. God's grace frees me from the bondage of performance, and security in Christ frees me from the fear of His judgment or rejection. Because of the gift of such love, I now have something to share with others, beginning with my spouse. I can share grace and acceptance, not fear and rejection."

Live as free men... live as servants of God. 1 Peter 2:16

The second one is from a Bible study book I am doing on James. It is called, Growing in Wisdom & Faith by Elizabeth George. I will summarize the things that I really wish I could grasp and live out.

"He who teaches the Bible is never a scholar; he is always a student." I really need to remember this because I sometimes put pastors and certain people on pedestals.

"It's beens said by someone that 'there are two dangers which every teacher must avoid...He must have every care that he is teaching the truth, and not his own opinions or even his own predjudices. It is fatally easy for a teacher to distort the truth and to teach, not God's version, but his own. He must [also] have every care that he does not contradict his teaching by his life...'"

This because I teach my children (and also the co-op class of pre-k children this past year). The last sentence being the hardest for me yet. But, how I hope to push on toward the goal of "living it out" in front of my children. Have you ever, like me, been convicted when you have loudly yelled something to your children like, "Stop yelling at your brother!" I remember wondering where my kids learned to say, "Oh, great!" when they dropped something or something. I didn't say anthing to them about it but I just thought it sounded kind of negative. And then, one day I spilled something or something and said, "Oh, great!" just like them and I then I knew.

Here is something else from this study:

"If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." James 3:1-8

Oh, my tongue! I have much work needed in this area. I need to let my words be few. I get frustrated with myself because I get nervous and feel like I have to fill up space in a conversation so I just talk. Or I don't think before I speak. Or I speak when I should be listening...

And the last one is from a recent sermon.

He said we bring glory to God by the way we live. He said when he was 30 years old he realized that he was dead to himself and could live for Christ. That he didn't have to worry about his wants, needs, and desires anymore but that he was free to live for Christ. He said he has asked himself thousands of times since then, "What can I do for Christ today?"

How often I get tangled up in my own affairs and, much of the time, insignificant things instead of remembering to live for Christ instead of fulfilling my own desires.

1 comment:

Stacie, A Firefighter's Wife said...

Hmmm, What can I do for Christ today? I can serve my husband and children with a grateful heart. Thanks for the reminder. I loved your comment on my blog. I have heard the same thing. I've actually done something like that before.