For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

~ Romans 2:13 (ESV)

   I can watch Cooking shows on TV, collect recipes, buy cookbooks…but that doesn’t put dinner on the table.(just ask my sweet husband..:) )

   I can read God’s WORD, but just “reading” it isn’t enough. I can even memorize scripture..but what good is that if I don’t put it into practice.

   If you buy the bait for fishing, and you don’t put it on your fishing pole..How do you expect to catch a fish?

   I can own 5 or 6 Bibles… BUT, if I am not studying HIS Word..the BIBLES are just decoration or dust collectors.

   Getting the picture yet? 

   Followers of Christ are called to ACTION. Complacency isn’t an option.

   What good is it to KNOW GOD personally and keep that knowledge to yourself?

   If we keep God hidden, then we are NOT doing…we are simply hearing.

   I always feel the closest to God when I am serving others. I feel the closest to HIM when I am giving of my time and resources to others..in an effort to further HIS Kingdom. There is NO BETTER feeling!

   Why do you/I feel so good when we help others..monetarily, with our time, etc.. ?

   I believe the reason is that we are letting Jesus SHINE through when we serve. We are putting HIM on display..not ourselves..but JESUS.

   It is important to remember that if you are serving with the attitude of: “look at me”, that you are not shining for Jesus. That is shining for yourself. Yikes. Reality check. Been there and done that.  Don’t want to do that again. Who hasn’t? Unless you are perfect, that is.

   Are you hiding Jesus?

   Do you need to come before HIM and be honest about anything?

   As I shared yesterday, He already knows. AND..He is merciful and He is a forgiving God!

   I guess that the point I am trying to make is this:

   KNOWLEDGE WON’T CATCH A FISH…

   You (or I) can know all the right things to say and do, but if we don’t DO it…what good is that?

   We (those of us who know, believe & trust in our Savior) are called to be Fishers Of Men. In Matthew 4:19, Jesus tells Peter and his brother Andrew to follow Him and He would make them fishers of men.

   Matthew 4:19 ~ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

   Jesus is the light that shines within us..the light that we are supposed to shine for others to see and come to know Him. Jesus tells about this “light” in Luke 8:16.

   Luke 8:16 ~ ”No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.”

   I love how Jesus speaks to us. He uses stories..illustrations..so that we can “get it.” The verse above is as clear as it gets. That’s what it’s all about friends! Letting our light(Jesus) shine! By living what we profess to believe. By serving. By loving. By giving. By forgiving. In every way..to let our light SHINE. Knowing what to do and DOING it are two different things.

   Matthew 5:16 (ESV) ~ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

   Love this song by Kari Jobe… listen and enjoy! 1-02 We Are

  Striving to SHINE for Jesus!

P.S. The links that are scattered through this post are of previous posts that I have written. You may want to read them again. I especially love the one about the Fishers of Men… Also, feel free to share my blog with others..It is my hope that others are reached for Christ through the writings in this blog. Blessings to you all! Shine on! ~ Heather

    Psalm 139:1-4 (ESV)

1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!

2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

you discern my thoughts from afar.

3 You search out my path and my lying down and are

acquainted with all my ways.

4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord,

you know it altogether.

   Isn’t that a beautiful passage of scripture… GOD already knows. HE knows my feelings. HE knows my fears. He knows when I don’t feel like doing something.

   I’ll be honest with ya! There are days that I JUST DON’T FEEL LIKE IT. I get weary. I get tired. I get to throwing myself a little pity party…

   Sound familiar?

   Be honest…Be real…

   There are those times, when I wonder why I am even writing, teaching, etc. I feel so unworthy. I AM unworthy. Then..HE shows me again that HE is the reason. He reminds me that HE doesn’t call the equipped…NO, HE equips the called.

   Did you notice in the few sentences above that there were a lot of “I” statements?

   Here’s what happened this morning:

   I sat down at my kitchen table to have my “quiet time“ with God. I was tired. My mind was filled with so many distractions and things that I was concerned about. From questions about what I should be doing with my life to thoughts about my kids starting back to school. I just felt very compelled to be real with God. Before I even opened my Bible, I just talked to God.

   I told HIM…as if HE didn’t already know…(see Psalm 139:1-4 above). I told HIM what was on my mind.

   You know what? It felt GOOD to be honest with HIM.

   He already knows. He appreciates our honesty. More so than that, HE loves for us to admit that we can’t do it alone.

   See, true faith begins with humility. True obedience begins with surrender.

   There are going to be times when you won’t “feel” like being obedient. There will also be times when you will feel like you aren’t making a difference. Those are the times when you have to take YOU out of the equation and totally put the focus on God.

   There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with telling God that you are tired. There is nothing wrong with being completely honest with your Father. He prefers honesty anyways.

   We can’t fool HIM.

   We CAN trust HIM to lead, guide and direct us.

   If I am focused on how I feel…then I am NOT focused on obedience to GOD. Pray for the desire to be obedient. I DO. By the way, did you notice that my word popped up again? Here is the link to the post on Obedience that I posted earlier…if you don’t know what I am talking about.

   It boils down to this. This life is NOT ABOUT ME. Tired, weary, confused…those are all “ME” feelings. If I am focused on “ME” then I am not focused on all of the blessings and all of the ways that I can be a blessing to others because of God working through me.

    THINGS TO PONDER:

   Are you being real with God?

   Sometimes I am…and sometimes I forget that HE knows my true feelings.

   Do you ever feel weary even though you are actively serving God and others?

   I do. When I take my focus off of HIM…and begin thinking of how I feel…When I am being selfish.

   Do you realize that GOD knows your thoughts..your heart..the words that are going to slip off of your tongue?

   I realize that..but, sometimes I don’t grasp this truth completely.

   Does the fact that God already knows your thoughts, etc.. scare you? Does it make you want to apologize to HIM?

   It is definitely a humbling thought. It definitely makes ME want to be very careful and thoughtful and to please HIM completely!

   I pray that on the days when YOU just don’t feel like doing something that HE has asked you to do, that you will take a step back and be real with God. Take a breath. Pray. Be honest with God. He understands and HE can and will change your heart! You just have to let Him. Like I did…

   “If God sends us on stony paths, he provides strong shoes.” ~ Corrie ten Boom

   Blessings to you all…

   UNTIL NEXT TIME,

I am trying hard to be more like my Jesus. I have lots of improving to do..I know I am far from perfect. My kids and husband are kind enough to remind me of this sometimes too. And yes, I remind them as well..so don’t feel bad for me.

Ever had one of those days when your patience is just worn thin? Oh boy…those are the days when I am not at my finest. Those are the days when I have the choice to overcome my flesh and not let the little or big things bother me. I have to admit that I don’t always make the correct choice.

Nope. I have definitely had my share of moments that I wish I could take back..because I reacted when I had no patience left. Not my finest moments at all.

Thank goodness God is a forgiving and merciful God. Thank goodness I’ve come a long way. No.. Not even close to perfect..but lots better than I was before!

So, in order to improve in this area..I have to be aware of those times when I may not be as patient as I should be. I have to choose to be patient even when I don’t feel like it. Jesus possessed all of the aspects of the Fruit of the Spirit..and so should I.

Ephesians 5:1 ~ Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.

Yes..I fail at times…but I am trying harder than I ever have before to be like Jesus. I love Him so much and I realize who and what I would be if I didn’t have Him as my Savior and Friend!

We all have areas that we need to work on. Areas in our life that need to be more like Jesus. When you realize that you aren’t perfect and are able to admit it..then you are closer to becoming more like Jesus than ever before.

Jesus is perfect..yet He chose to live a life that wasn’t luxurious or glamorous by any means here on earth. Jesus is perfect..yet, He willingly took my place on the cross so that I, being imperfect, could live in the presence of a perfect God for all eternity.

Not one of us is perfect. However, when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit..who is perfect…comes to live inside of us. So..to say, “Oh, I am just human.” is so wrong if you are a true believer. We truly grieve the Holy Spirit when we act in ways that don’t reflect Jesus in us!

Working moment by moment to become the person that God created me to be, that is how I am living now. I know that Jesus loves me..I know that I don’t deserve the mercy and grace He shows me daily. I know that I am so grateful for His forgiveness and mercy and grace.. I know that I want to make Him happy..not sad. My Savior Jesus is worthy to be praised and He deserves my very best.

When my patience runs thin now, I am a lot more calm and I am improving only because I am seeking Him. It is ALL because of Jesus.

What about you? Are there areas you might need to improve in..or work on? Have you trusted Him as your Lord and Savior? Do you really know Him? Are you trying hard to be like Jesus?

You are not alone.. you are one step closer to being more like Jesus when you admit your imperfections and begin working on those things. If you have never accepted Christ and if you can’t say that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are going to heaven when you die, then now is the time to invite Him in. Let Jesus love you..let Him lead you..Let Him save you. I could not imagine going through life without my Savior Jesus. He provides a comfort that is beyond words..a peace that surpasses all understanding. It is so freeing to know that God has everything in control..so I don’t have to be in control..He’s got it!

Please leave me a comment if I can pray for you. There is power in prayer. Prayer is our direct line to God.

Until Next Time,
Heather

Recently, someone asked me a question.

HOW DO YOU TELL SOMEONE ABOUT JESUS? Someone who doesn’t want to hear about HIM..someone who has chosen to reject HIM..

My answer: You live it. They simply need you to SHOW THEM JESUS. They don’t need for you to hit them over the head with The Bible..they don’t need your condemnation. They just need to SEE JESUS.

Sound simple enough?

LIVE IT. BE A DOER..NOT JUST A HEARER.

James 2:17 (NIV) ~ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

It can be so hard to hold our tongues…we just want them to know HIM. We want them to have what we have.

It takes patience. It takes intentionality. It takes perseverance. Time. Prayer. Obedience.

Patience, because of the many times you may hear “no” or “not interested” or “I’ve tried that”…

Intentionality, because when God calls you to do something HE is calling you to give it your all.

Perseverance, because it may not be easy..and you may feel like giving up. DON’T. GIVE. UP.

Time, because not everything happens fast. God’s timing is not our timing.

Prayer, because we need to communicate with God..we need to listen to HIM.

Obedience, because our obedience to God’s call will lead to blessing..and if the one we are witnessing to is obedient..it will lead to them knowing our God.

One more thing: Don’t take rejection personally. They aren’t rejecting you. Sadly, they are rejecting God.

What an awesome question that I was asked! Made me smile inside. Just knowing that the ones asking desired to share God with others.

Remember the saying…YOU may be the ONLY BIBLE that some people ever read.

We as followers of Jesus Christ, are called to ACTION. We are called to LIVE IT. To let our light shine..so that others may see Jesus in us!

Matthew 5:15, 16 (NIV)~ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Keep Shining my friends! Don’t. Give. Up.

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

P.S. ~ stay tuned for more posts about sharing Jesus.. Because not only do you need to Show them Jesus, but you have to KNOW His Word and know HIM..so that you can shine for HIM!

So…lately, a certain word keeps popping up. Like all the time. In my quiet time. In my “digging deeper” study time in HIS Word. In life in general.

Have you ever had this happen? You probably have. Do you try to ignore it..just a little bit? I know that I do sometimes. Why? Because, that means I can put off making a change.

Well, I’m sure you are wondering what the “word” is.

Drum roll please: OBEDIENCE

This word is popping up everywhere. Making me question myself and search to see what I need to change so that I can be completely obedient to God.

Obedience doesn’t always come naturally. To be even more blatantly honest, it hardly ever comes natural. Who doesn’t want it “my way”.. ? Who wants to be obedient when it’s hard? Who wants to ruffle feathers (that’s a southern slang).. ?

I’ve been studying a lot in the Old Testament lately. It kills me when people say that the Old Testament is boring, etc.. Even though I once didn’t think it was really interesting. Then, I began really reading it. Really studying it. Really “getting” it. Folks, there ain’t (yes, I said “ain’t”) nothing boring about the OT!

In my studying, I’ve come across a ton of things that have to do with obedience and disobedience.
Point blank, OBEDIENCE to God leads to blessing and DISOBEDIENCE to God leads to desolation, despair, and turmoil. From Genesis to Jeremiah… (because that’s where I’m at with my “reading through the whole Bible” plan right now) there is true story after story of God’s grace and mercy and patience. AND story after story of the people just completely choosing sin and refusing to repent and turn to God.

I can’t help but think of the world we live in today in comparison to ancient times that were before Christ! I can’t help but think of myself..and the times that I have let HIM down. I can’t help but think of this one word: OBEDIENCE.

Verse after verse in HIS WORD is referring to being obedient to God. In everything. Not just the big things. Not just the things that seem do-able. But. In. Everything.

So, after putting off writing for a few weeks, I picked up my iPad and said “Here goes”. I know that this blog is not “mine”… It’s His. I must write.

So, after putting off the hard questions that I must ask myself… I began to look within. I asked myself.. What is it that I need to do or not do in order to be completely obedient to HIM? AND… Why is it so hard sometimes?

The answer to the second question is: It’s hard to be completely OBEDIENT if I am being selfish in ANY area of my life. Just being real with y’all. Obedience isn’t just about saying “Yes sir and Yes mam”.

Obedience is about being completely… COMPLETELY… willing. No matter the cost. No matter the sacrifice.

Don’t get me wrong, I have come a long way. I’ve got a long way to go still, though. How about you? If you have ever read one of my posts, you know that I will ask you questions and make you think. So, how about it? Maybe “obedience” isn’t your word. Maybe another word keeps popping up for you. But, let’s stick with my word. Is there any area in your life that could be better if you were more obedient to God?

God didn’t “play” when it came to disobedience back in the Old Testament times. God never changes. He is always the same. So what makes you (and me) think that He feels any different about obedience today?

In the book of Jeremiah, Jerusalem was destroyed because of sin. (see Jeremiah 39)

Take a look at 2 Chronicles 31:20,21… You’ll see why Hezekiah prospered.

Just look in the book of Isaiah…glance there and see… all of the times God warned the people.

Then.. Take a look at Deuteronomy. Especially chapter 28.

Deuteronomy 11:26-28 (NIV)~ See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse – the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.

What do you see in these books of the Bible? Do you see the truths that I see? Obedience is a must for those of us who profess to be authentic followers of Christ!

Striving to be obedient!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

HEATHER