Be Quick to Listen

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. James 1:19-20

Hello Friends!

Before I discuss the verse and page today, I want to take a moment to pray for the people of Ukraine and everyone affected. Lord, we know that You are sovereign. What is happening now was not a surprise to You. In fact, You can use it for Your good purpose. Father God, please be with the people of Ukraine. Give them strength, courage, and safety. I pray for the governments of the world, that they will seek Your wisdom, that You will guide them. I pray that Putin will turn to You. I pray that many will be led to You, that they will find Light in this darkness. Help us, Lord! In Jesus' name, Amen.

If only our world leaders and the rest of us would heed this verse, our world would be a very different place. Is this not a perfect verse to guide us in how we relate to others in this day and age? We're all so sure we're right. And, we definitely have to speak our peace. Far be it from us to be silent. We must be heard even if that means yelling over everyone else. And if we do stop talking long enough to actually have a conversation with someone, so often instead of listening to each other, we're just thinking about how we're going to respond to prove them wrong. Can anyone disagree without getting angry these days? It sure doesn't seem like it. 

We are doing the exact opposite of this verse. W are slow to listen, quick to speak, and quick to get angry. And sadly, believers- true believers and professing believers alike- are often some of the biggest culprits of this. Let's remember Whose name we bear. Yes, we must stand for truth. But we must do it humbly and lovingly and in a way that glorifies Jesus. If we don't, we won't win anyone over to Him.

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: Watch Your Mouth and God is Love. I used watercolor crayons for the background and colored pencils to color in the flowers.

Pray, church, pray, and listen. Have a blessed week. Andrea

 

Let Us Love

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. 1 John 4:7

Hi friends! It's Valentine's Day. And to be honest, I've never really liked this "holiday." I have always thought that it's a made-up, "Hallmark" holiday just so people will spend money on each other. I mean, do we really need a holiday to show our love to each other? I hope not.

But personal feelings aside, I will take this day to talk about God's love and what receiving that love should encourage us to do. God's love is immeasurable. It's never-ending. It's active. It's Jesus hanging on the cross for every single one of us. 

There's a very familiar passage about love in 1 Corinthians:

• Verses 1-3: "If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing." What these verses are saying is that what we do is not eternally meaningful if it is not done in love. If we are just going through the motions, we need to stop and re-evaluate. God wants us lovingly serving others.
• Verses 4-8a, "Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not boast. It is not proud. It does not dishonor others. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." When I read these verses, I see Christ's love through and through. It is an amazing love that we can strive for but only achieve through the Holy Spirit.

Since God loves us, we are called to love others. When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He said this, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: love your neighbor as yourself." (Matt 22:37-39) God didn't tell us to judge others or tell them all the things they're doing wrong. He told us to love Him and to love others. This love seeks the highest good in the one loved. Our world needs love. Church, we are not doing a good job in loving others as Jesus loves us! I'm not saying we should condone sin. We shouldn't. But we are all sinners. And people will be more open to changing their lives and following Jesus when they're not put on the defensive, when they feel loved. Sinners were drawn to Jesus. Why? He certainly didn't condone their sin. But they felt His love. And that drew them in. Oh, that we might love like that.

Page details: I used the following Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets: God is Love and Grunge Elements 3. It's a super simple page! I applied distress oxide ink to the page and spritzed it with water. The ink reacts to the water and lightens where the water droplets were. Then, I stamped the verse and images. Journaling pages don't have to be all involved. Simple is good too. Time with God is the best!

Have a blessed week! Andrea

Where Can I Run From Your Love

Read Psalm 139 here.

Where shall I go from your Spirit?  Or where shall I flee from your presence?

8 

If I ascend to heaven, you are there!  If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

Good morning
from yours truly!
I've been seriously considering just how fortunate I am that there's a platform for me to share - what a grace to be able to share openly, the love, faithfulness, and mercies of our God!  Simply amazing!

This blog post won't be like others, though it will still come from a heart that seeks the Lord and His strength, day by day.  Of that, I am certain.  I've had a somewhat miserable, and definitely difficult season these past couple of months.  I suppose it hasn't been weeded out of me, this desire to control all situations and lives in my care.  I suppose Jesus is still working on me, my heart and all the deep, underlying issues that remain.
My daily prayer is that one day soon, I will be able to face hardship without feigned faith, with unfettered hope, armed with the sword of His truth.  The most common place in which I typically find myself is in the valley, wishing for the peak.  I know I'm not the only one.  I think we all fight the urge to long for better, comfortable, and easy.  I understand fully however that until glory, we are in the thick of the earth's corruption, powers of the air, and spiritual battles for lost souls.  Which is why I'm so thankful for the comradeship of the Holy Spirit, and the companion of His Word.  I have Jesus Christ to thank for saving my soul, and Him alone to thank for the Helper He has so generously given.  I desperately need Him!

This introduction is a preface for the outstanding and timely effects of God's presence.  His movement in my heart as He guides the trajectory of my day, is too much for me to handle at times.  Even when it's hard, He's there.
Even when it hurts, He's there.
Even when it's lonesome, He's there.
When I sleep,
When I wake,
When I hide,
When I speak,
When I rise,
When I fall,
He is there.

This is why I labeled the blog "Where can I run from your love."  It's the simple question of rhetoric that follows hard on the heels of the rest of Psalm 139.  Where, indeed?
This, and Psalms like it, have an invasive glow in the darkness that surrounds both the Psalmist and me.  I'm sure this is something you've run into before as well as you've battled the schemes of the enemy to further work out your salvation:
"Lord God, it's hard.  It seems to never end.  This turmoil, this trial, it's forever.  It's devastating.  It's hurting me, my mind, my will to go forward.  I want to bury myself in heaps of comforts that can only serve their purpose as would my next breath.  I feel alone.  But...
God, I know you're here.  I know you've not gone.  I know you've never gone.  You're never caught fleeing the scene of my days, my panic-stricken mind, or ever-burdened soul.  I cannot hide my thoughts, my words, or my person from You.  You do not run for cover - You ARE my cover.  I pick up the functional, tangible savior, only to put it down again because in Your mercy, You remind me of Your faithfulness."

You cannot hide from this God.
That's a good thing.
That's a gracious thing.
That's a God thing.

His hand is on the matters of His creation, His heart tenderly working for our complete healing and sanctification.  No wonder the Psalmist says,
"How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.    I awake, and I am still with you."  (vv.17-18)
This God of all comforts never sleeps.  Always thinks.  Always considers.  Always knows.  Always sees, always seeks, always loves.
God, even when I get caught up in my mess, or lost in my thoughts, or deep in my disbelief, You are there.  Where could I possibly go that Your love will not find me?  I do not ask for an answer, but glory in Your unbending will to see me through.  God, You are so good!

I pray you have a wonderful day, friends! Below are links to the stamp sets I used as well as the link to the song that inspired this page.  I thank you for your time in reading this, and I encourage you, sweet and hopeful sister, to continue on knowing that the Lord has not lost your way; He is leading you home!  Hallelujah!

Much love,
Deeds

Early Bird Bundle!
hurry!  Ends 12/9

Vintage Love

Art Deco Alpha

Youtube video, "139" by Gateway Worship .  ENJOY!