Beautiful People

What makes someone beautiful?

First, the most beautiful person who ever lived was Jesus. What then are the characteristics of beautiful people? Beautiful people are enthralled by the flight of a sparrow. Beautiful people rejoice at the presence of children, love their simple faith. Beautiful people recognize the importance of a loaf of bread and a piece of fish to a hungry man. Beautiful people are perfectly at ease in the storm or in the calm. Beautiful people cherish moments of conversation with a friend; in fact, they find that more "appetizing" than a good meal. Beautiful people constantly encourage their friends and intercede on their behalf in prayer. Beautiful people are concerned for the well-being of the friend who in a moment of weakness betrays their love and friendship. Beautiful people defend the acts of devotion showered on them by a friend even if--especially if--the rest of their friends criticize the gift. Beautiful people weep with those who weep. Beautiful people do everything in order to please God no matter the cost.
In addition, Jesus tells us that the lily of the valley was more beautiful than Solomon on his most splendidly arrayed days. And it simply radiates the beauty God has given it--where He has "planted" it. To remove it from its place is to cause it to wither, to destroy its loveliness. We, too, will never be beautiful in any place other than the place God has "planted" us.
And in Isaiah 61:3 God tells us that He makes beauty from ashes. As we repent and admit our failures, our disappointments, and our shortcomings, God replaces them with His purity and loveliness. Those that give such ashes in submission to the Father allow God to turn those yesterdays into beautiful todays filled with renewed fellowship and deepening intimacy with Him. Such Christians are indeed reflectors of the Light, the beauty of God and His grace.
God has also given us "beautiful feet." Those who leave "footprints" of God's gospel of peace wherever they go are beautiful people. They bring the message of peace with God to the hearts of others. They are the peacemakers in God's universe. They radiate peace in the midst of the most difficult circumstances. No one can spend time in their presence without seeing their beauty--God's beauty shining through them.
So, you want to be beautiful? Imitate Jesus. Be content with the beauty God has given you and the people to whom He has called you to radiate His beauty. Give Him the ashes and tears of your yesterdays that He might transform you into His beautiful masterpiece of grace. Leave beautiful impressions of God's beauty and gospel with each step that you take, wherever He leads you.

The Problem

Our nation's problem is--I believe--simple. There is no reverential awe of God, no fear of the Lord, the Sovereign, Creator, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Ungodliness means having no fear of the Lord. Thus, decisions are made corporately, legislatively, judicially, personally without the slightest thought of one's responsibility to Him for each and every decision. God is irrelevant. Thus, decisions are made from one's self-absorption, one's self-aggrandizement, one's selfish, self-centered desires. When decisions are made from any perspective other than a fear of Him, they cannot be wise. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Without that reverential fear, one cannot be discerning. Decisions will not--cannot--be made based on an understanding of the essence of right and wrong as God defines it. And He is the only Definer. When man defines morality and righteousness, they cease to exist. Preference and pleasure and popular opinion replace them. Out of love for himself, a man commits acts of hatred. Out of love for power, he oppresses the weak. Out of a love for fame, he does the most infamous things. Out of a love of self-righteousness, he will call his darkness light, and the light darkness. And love his darkness. Out of a need for self-justification, he will call the believer's love, hatred. He will hate their love for him--despise God's love for him. Abhor it. Mock it.

What's the cure? His return to rule and reign.

What must we--I--do in the meantime?

Fear the Lord. Make my every decision with this mindset--When I stand in His presence, will He say, "Well-done?"
Pray, pray, pray intercessory prayers for those you love, for His people around the world, for your neighbor, for your enemy. Intercede, intercede, intercede.
Be committed to excellence.
"Invade" the arts.
Shine. Destroy those self-protecting baskets of fear.
Be salt. Live the life of obedience that proves you are eagerly and confidently anticipating His coming--that you love and long for the promise of His appearing.
Purpose in your heart. Love not the world, neither the things in the world. Lay up your treasures in heaven. Fix your heart on the things above.
Show compassion. Commit yourself and your resources to the widow and orphan, to all those in need.
Be a comforter to the hurting.
Never return evil for evil, but return good for evil. Forgive as Christ forgave you..
Love the unlovely.
Pray for those in authority. Their hearts are in His hands, not yours.
Be Christ-in-the-room whatever "room" you're in.
Speak the truth in love--let the redeemed say so.
Be of good cheer.
Let not your heart be troubled.
Rejoice and do good.

Fear the Lord.

"Even so, come Lord Jesus."

Reflections July 2016

"In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus."
In God's will today?
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Pray without ceasing is a command--not a suggestion.
The torn veil reminds us that through our Savior's sacrifice we have been given access by grace into the presence of the Father--for eternity. We have been justified. Our sins taken away and replaced with Christ's righteousness. But sometimes we--I--forget that the torn veil also means that I have access to the throne of God right now and every "right now" of every day. Prayer. Do you spend each day in the throne room? He expects you to.
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 Grace that is greater than all my sins. Live a life of confident forgiveness. Obey and confess and walk in the light. You are forgiven.
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 Energizing, conquering faith does one thing well: Waits.
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 No one is being daily filled with the Spirit. living a life of submission to the Spirit, walking in the Spirit, under the Spirit's control who is not daily being enriched by the Word. "Let the Word of God dwell in you richly." The alternative is spiritual poverty--a loss of intimacy in your relationship with Him. Drawing near to Him demands a well-worn Bible.

Dare?

Daniel set his mind--his heart--on things above; on honoring God in all things.

What identified him as a young man who had made that choice?

Courage to resist the assimilation of the world.
Godly friendships.
Gentleness and a spirit of submission in dealing with those in authority.
Confidence in God's sovereign graciousness.
The wisdom that comes with the fear of the Lord.
Commitment to excellence in all things.
Facing his problems on his knees.

Dare to be a Daniel?

My Hope

I cannot begin to understand why the righteous, holy, eternal God would willingly die for me--pay my debt for my sins; nail them to His cross--my debt paid in full.

But He did.

I cannot begin to understand why He would want to spend one second with me, let alone all of eternity.

But He does.

I cannot begin to understand how in His loving presence He will wipe all my sorrows--all my tears from my eyes--and my heart.

But He will.

He did. He does. He will.

"His grace has planned it all, 'tis mine but to believe, and recognize His work of love and Christ receive. For me, He died. For me, He lives, and everlasting light and life He freely gives."

"My hope is in the Lord, Who gave Himself for me"

In whom or in what have you placed your hope?

Growing in Grace

"Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Lord, I thank You that each breath I take is a gift from You.
Lord, I thank You, for those talents that You have given to me--may I use them--and use them for Your glory, not my own.
Lord, I thank You for the spiritual gifts the Spirit has chosen to give to me--may I understand that they are not for my benefit but to bear fruit in the lives of others.
Lord, I thank You for all that You have given me to enjoy--every need met--and so many mere wants You have blessed me with as well..
Lord, I thank You that my weaknesses are conduits through which You infuse me the strength of Your all-sufficient grace.
Lord, I thank You that each day can be spent in a conversation with You.
Lord, I thank You that in my sorrow and my loss You weep with me--and draw me deeper into an understanding of what You suffered for my sake.
Lord, I thank You that my obedience to You is not a duty or a way to somehow earn more of Your love, but the way that You have given me and empowered me to say, 'I love You" all day long.
Lord, I thank You that You so deeply desire a relationship with me that the Spirit reveals to me my sin, calls me to confession, all because You want to walk with me today.
Lord, I thank You that You have promised to fill me with all Your fullness beyond my wildest imagination.

In All Things

Christ is preeminent in all things. Preeminent in creation--all things were made by Him both visible and invisible. Preeminent in His Lordship, He is King of the Universe. The Authority. Preeminent in sustaining the universe. He holds all things together by the word of His power. Preeminent in the church--He is the head of the body. Preeminent in life--both physical and spiritual. All things were made from nothing--He spoke life into existence. And He is the first born from the dead--His resurrection defeated sin and death and assures His children everlasting life. He is preeminent. It is God's purpose that He have first place in everything.

Is He preeminent in your life--your decisions, your loves, your calling, your every moment?