Looking for one good man

Yes, I am. But not just any man will do. Pastor preached this morning about prayer, and he expounded on I Tim. 2:8...how the men were exhorted first to continue in stedfast prayer. Pastor noted that though the women were addressed in the next verse, it is significant that the men were addressed first. So I wrote down the reference and idea of prayer on my "List." Yep, I've got one...it's about 14 items long now. I'm not sure if it's just wishful thinking on my part, or if there really are real men out there that are "Spirit-controlled, growing Christians...with vision...brokenly relying on Christ...humble and teachable...bringing restoration and peace to others...full of faith and the Holy Ghost."
Well, those are just a few. I used to have a longer list. But then I saw the selfishness contained in it, so I whittled it down to the things that really matter. Things of the Lord. So all of them have references in Scripture...those are the non-negotionables...you know, being "tall, dark, and handsome" would be nice perhaps, but I'd rather have a real man of God. Sometimes I wonder, am I setting my sights too high? Does this kind of man really exist? But for now at least, I'm holding out. There were Stephens, Pauls, Timothys, Barnabases, Davids, and Jonathans in the past...why not expect that there should be some today?
So girls, don't settle for mediocrity, which is something that is unfortunately rather common these days, even on the Christian college campus. Maybe if we didn't settle for lukewarm Christianity in our guys, they would press on to higher things. You know, the whole "supply and demand" idea from Economics.
And guys, don't settle to be less than all you can be--shoot for excellence. We girls need you to set the standard higher. It's discouraging sometimes to look around and think "is this all there is?" God is looking for real men. And so is the female side of campus!
Ezekiel 22:30--And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
How sad that God couldn't find even one man who would stand for righteousness, even one man who would build the defense against Satan's forces, even one who would save the whole land! Let this not be said of us!

Ornamental Chains

I was again reading a book for one of my Missions classes, and wow...
listen to this letter from Nepali Christians imprisoned for their faith:

Dear brother and sister. We know you are worrying about us. So at the first chance we are sending you this letter. Do not worrying for our sake. We are well. God's glory is with us. This small cell is God's temple. These chains are God's ornaments. We have been
given the greatest privilege on earth--the chance to suffer for our Lord Jesus. Thank you, brother and sister, for coming to our village and telling us about him.

I almost cried when I read that! The missionary couple after reading this letter said, "We went out to disciple them, but it is they who have discipled us." How true that so many times, we in our American mindset are shocked at opposition to the gospel! Oh, that we would be stedfast in our dedication to our gracious Saviour Who gave His all for us. Oh, that nothing would move us from the task set before us! May our great God so ingrain His calling on our hearts that we cannot resist! May He accomplish His eternal purpose in us!

Holiness

I'm reading this book Missions in a New Millenium for one of my classes, and here is a quote that is quite profound.

The great God of the universe...inhabits human beings themselves, members of the church. With such great truth comes grave responsibility, for this bodily temple is the residence of deity, and everything about this temple must be holy.

Wow...the Lord has really been convicting me in the last month or so about holiness--it was really hammered in at SGI, and through some books I was reading (Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges especially). I John 2:1 says in effect that he wrote what he did that we "sin not." Not that we might sin less. That we sin not. At all. Not even a little bit. Not for even "a few whiles." I mean, come on, that perfect and sinless Deity is residing in us...can we not give up a few earthly pleasures for His glory?
This is definitely a thought-in-progress.

My Triplets

No, they are not really mine. But we're close, so I call them mine. Justin is the oldest, then Landon, then Kellie. This picture was taken on their seventh birthday. Cutest kids on the planet!

Landon Kellie Justin

This is Justin, with Spot, his "Build a bear" dog. Isn't he a cutie?

Class today

Well, Bible Doctrines 1 was a good class today! Dr. Meyer is such an awesome teacher. We were discussing the passage II Tim. 3:16, and he was explaining what "doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction" meant. He illustrated reproof/correction as pulling your arm (well, it was his son's collar bone specifically) out of socket. When the doctors put a brace and started pulling the bone back in, it was hurting and hurting and hurting, but when it finally popped into place, the pain level went way down. It still hurt a little, but not so much. I though, how true of us when we are away from the Lord (broken), and the Holy Spirit through the Word of God gently begins to pulls us back into place (the brace). It hurts and hurts because sometimes we resist, but when we "pop" back into fellowship with Him, and it doesn't hurt so bad. Yes, there may be consequences, but once that fellowship is restored, you can begin to heal.
I just thought it was profound. Yes, I'm an extremely deep thinker. Some of the time.

It All Comes Down to Love

I was reading in my devotions yesterday starting in Rom. 8:28. Well, that was as far as I got... I was all about claiming that promise that "all things work together for good" but then I came to the limitations on it--"to them that love God..." So I was thinking, well, how do I know if I really love Him? We all like to say we love Him, but what does that look like in my life? So I remembered something in 1 John saying "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, for if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." So then I started thinking, what are the things of the world? Well, like the rest of the chapter says, "the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life." That was convicting. Wow, sometimes I'm so "good" that the pride of life rears its ugly head. So I was still thinking on what else loving God looks like, so I was looking later on in the book, and chapter 4 brings out some interesting points...like loving others, for "every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." Hmm. That was convicting too. Just today I thought of another person I need to work on loving, and yesterday I already thought of three! Wow, I have so much to learn. Plus that verse later on that says "there is no fear in love, for perfect love casteth out fear...he that feareth is not made perfect in love." Sometimes...kidding, a lot of times!...I'm apprehensive about really openning up or sharing my heart with someone because I'm fearful of what they will think...so I don't really love them completely. It's like a constant fear of mine in the whole dorting [Dr. Olilla from Northland...yes, that school up north!] thing...but that means I'm not truly, completely, perfectly loving that person. And sometimes people intimidate me, just by how they look--where's the love in that?
So anyway, the Lord has really been hounding that into me recently. Then in class, Mrs. Brown was giving a little "openner" and guess what it was on??? Yep, loving God. She mentioned the verse "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength." So that was kind of neat.

Nothin' Movin'

So what doesn't move me? Well, as the apostle Paul said, "And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." (Acts 20:24) Later on, Paul confronts the people that were mourning the thought of his arrest, saying, "What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." (Acts 21:13)
Yes, this world is so tempting, and the desires of it strong, but none of these things should move me. It is my heart's prayer that I, too, would be ready not to be bound only, but also to die...for the name of the Lord Jesus!