Devotional by David Jeremiah

This post is in answer to a follower who asked me to share a devotional by David Jeremiah after reading a previous post, No One Like You ,which is based on his thoughts.--P.G.

Wednesday, January 19

Uniquely You

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them.
Romans 12:6a

Recommended Reading Romans 12:3-8

When we think of uniqueness, we often think of snowflakes--the classic example of "no two being alike." But there are other worthy examples: Forensic science developed around the uniqueness of human fingerprints--no two being alike. And now the retina of the human eye is being used as a means of identification and security clearance because, you guessed it--no two are alike.

Those unique traits of humans speak to the larger uniqueness factor that every human being possesses: There has never been a person in history with the same combination of appearance, personality, natural talents, and spiritual gifts as you! And there never will be. That should be the basis for the positive self-esteem of every person in the world--and especially every Christian, once spiritual gifts are added to the mix. If you are a follower of Christ, no one in the world is qualified to take your place in the kingdom of God. Every Christian's prayer should be, "Lord, guide me into fulfilling the calling for which You created and gifted me."

Uniqueness is not a human boast, but a boast in the creativity and generosity of God. Ask Him today to use you to be a blessing to others that is unique to only you.

Take note of what God gives you, then you will also know the task He sets before you.
Emil Brunner

www.davidjeremiah.org.

~Princess Gloria

No One Like You

It's true. There is no other person in the world like you. No one else has your exact personality, shade of hair, color of eyes, and height all wrapped up in one the way you do. Everyone is different and unique.

I was recently reading a devotional by David Jeremiah that was talking about uniqueness and it mentioned how no snowflakes or fingerprints are alike. God specifically creates each one.

As I read, this phrase caught my attention:


"There has never been a person in history with the same combination of appearance, personality, natural talents, and spiritual gifts as you! And there never will be."



Reading this, I thought that since no one is, ever has been, or ever will be like us, only each one of us can make a particular difference to further God's kingdom. No one has done it yet, and no one will ever do it, because it waits especially for us.

Because we are all unique, we can't expect all our differences to be the same. Oh, yeah, I guess that's why they're called differences. Sometimes this is where the difficulties arise. We can easily see that girl who openly witnesses to others, or that person who can fly over the piano or play that guitar like nothing else, but when we don't have those accomplishments, it makes us feel inferior. In reality, those aren't things the Lord has determined for us to do. What would happen if no one cleaned the church bathrooms? Or if no one babysat the kids whose moms are in Bible study? What if everyone wanted to sing but there was no one working the tech to make the microphones and speakers work?

Every Christian's place and contribution to the the Kingdom is valuable. Though some are more visible than others, each one is special and important.

There is a difference somewhere that only you can make. What is it?





~Princess Gloria

Falling in Love, Part 4

In this post I'm going to discuss the final two "tips" that I've discovered on my quest for loving Him more.

3. Go on a Date with Him

I wish I could have seen your face when you just read that! :) But, like before, I'm being honest to goodness serious.

I went to a Christian summer camp this past year, and one of the ladies talked about how a close friend of hers would always have her "dates" with Christ (I'll call her Amy). It wasn't easy. As the oldest, Amy had a lot of responsibilities. She lived in a small house with seven siblings (and when I say "small house" I mean small house), plus the daily chores were almost never ending. Still, she managed to sneak out into the only place where no one else would bother her: the outhouse (no, not a bathroom. An outhouse). It was smelly, leaky when raining, and cramped, but still it was important enough to her that Amy was willing to push aside the unpleasantness to go on her dates with her Prince. There she would just start talking to God, singing to Him, sharing her hopes and dreams with Him, and strengthening her relationship with Him. She would write Him letters, songs, and poems, or just caress flowers from the garden that He had "given" to her. How many of us would do the same? I pray God gives me that same urgent desire to be still and just enjoy His company. You don't have to go into your bathroom for it to be a "date", but just try and spend time with Him on a more personal level than "Hey God, how's it going?". His love for us is above that of any mortal, because He is immortal and omnipresent. He is love, He created love, and His love for us is so vast that even the oceans couldn't contain it!

Point of Grace, a singing group that I really enjoy listening to, captures this picture in a beautiful way. Their song "Love of Christ" describes the vastness and largeness of His adoration of us.

How long (how long)
How wide (how wide)
Is the love of Christ
How deep (how deep)
How high (how high)
Is the love of Christ

It would take ten thousand lifetimes
To comprehend, a love with no beginning
A love that knows no end

More than any heart could measure or ever hold
His love could fill the oceans
'Til they overflowed

Higher than the mountains
Deeper than the ocean
Farther than the reach of the sky
Wider than the heavens
Longer than forever
Greater is the love of Christ

So go on a date with your Prince. His schedule is very flexible! :)



4. Write Him Love Notes

When you're doing something for someone, it makes you closer to them. You've taken the time to prepare something for them, and you were probably thinking about them while preparing it. Writing Him songs, poems, letters, or little lines of random thoughts is a special and unique way to draw you closer to Him. Like I stated in my previous post (Falling in Love, Part 3), He has written you lots of love letters. Why not write Him some in return? It not only is spending time with Him, but it's spending time thinking about Him, and that is obeying His word (see Philippians 4:8)! :) It can be whatever you want, and it doesn't have to be literature. You could make Him a quilt, or paint a picture, or perhaps teach others about Him. Even if you don't write down your acts of service for Him, let your life be a living testimony of your growing adoration for your Prince Charming.

Hopefully these four tips will start you on one of the most amazing journeys of your life; it will definitely be the most rewarding!
If you seek after God by asking Him for the desire to fall in love with Him, He is more than willing- and able- to grant it. Also, if you read His love letters to you, it will give you a new appreciation and love for Him. It really is a mystery that He loves us! Go on a date with Him, and spend time with Him. Not only that, but since He has written love letters to you, write some back. However you want to will work. We're all "wired" different ways- He made us that way- so use what gifts He has given you.

For Him!

Princess Catherine ~*~

Falling in Love, Part 3

I promised that in this post I'd share some ways that I've found to discover what has been described as the most amazing journey you can take. I've come up with four ways, and in this post I will share two with you. :) 1. Ask You want to take the first footsteps onto this path? Just ask God to show you the way to go. He's been waiting, and He is more than able, and willing, to help you. Pray for a desire to become closer to Him, and pray that you will let Him become your Prince Charming. He's waiting. Are you ready?

2. Read His Love Notes

He's written you a letter.

No, I'm being serious. In fact, He has written full books to you! What do you think the Bible is, if not a letter from God to man? It contains romantic stories in it though. Think of Ruth and Boaz (see story in the book of Ruth). And what about the whole book devoted to a bride and her groom, the Songs of Solomon?

But we need to be reminded. Humans are forgetful. Think about the Israelites in the Old Testament, and how they continuously asked God to save them, complained, and then fell back into sin. Or recall what your biology definitions were, word for word. What about that Scripture verse you memorized a year back, and haven't kept up with? I could go on and on, but you know what I mean. So we, as humans, need to be reminded of what is in His love letters to us. I've heard an acronym for the Bible that I really liked: Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. He's showing us through His word how to grow closer to Him, and how to have a walk that is deeper than our previous one. As Christians we should continuously grow (see 1 Corinthians 3). Think of it as the straight and narrow road. You're safer than on the broad and crooked, but the farther you walk along the straight and narrow, the better and better it becomes. Yes, you many still have trials, but you can face them with a new strength knowing He is your strength (Philippians 4:13). So read His love letter to you. It will plunge you on a new and exciting ride that brings you closer to Him, and more in love with your Prince of Peace. :)

For Him!

Princess Catherine ~*~

Falling in Love, Part 2

I waited for You, today,
But You didn't show,
No, no, no...
I needed You, today,
So where did You go?
- "Never Alone" by Barlowgirl

You've waited. And waited. And waited. Still, you don't seem to find Him. You don't feel different, you don't act different, and you certainly don't look different (okay, maybe now you have a disappointed frown on your face). How can you try and get closer to God, when you can't see, touch, or physically hear Him? How can He become your True Love, if you don't ever experience Him in a real way?

I'm taking a Bible Study class in which we started discussing what you would do if you wanted to change someone. Would you...
a) Try to change their attitude first (feelings)
b) Try to change their behavior first (actions)

Pick one. Now think about it. Why did you chose that answer?

Okay, now that I've got you thinking (warm up exercise! :), I'll tell you which one has been proved more effective. If you picked b), you are correct. :) I know as humans we hope to change the attitude first, but if we get into a routine of behaviors (actions), the attitude will come along with it.

So why am I telling you this? It's the same thing with getting closer to God. We may feel despondent, hopeless, and sorta silly trying to fall in love with an invisible lover, but if we just try and wait for the right attitude, we may never accomplish anything. I mean, honestly, would you have done your math problems if you had to have the right attitude to do them? I doubt that biology paper would be written if your teacher had told you not to write it unless you had the positive attitude she was looking for. So first, we change our behaviors.

I will be the first one to tell you that I'm not perfect (okay, maybe my family will beat me too it ;). You have probably notice-d some: grammar, mistakes! in? (my posts") or seeen sum speling air-ers to. I haven't achieved my goal in falling in love with Him totally. I'm human, and I'm working on it. But after reading some wonderful Christian books by writers who have vastly more experience in this "subject" than I do, I've found a few "tips" that I think will help you change your behaviors- and hopefully your attitude- so that Jesus Christ isn't only your Best Friend Forever (literally :), but your Knight in Shining Armor and your Prince that gives you peace.

I'm signing out for now, but next post (I promise! :) I will have some "tips" for helping you change your behaviors towards Christ.

For Him!

Princess Catherine ~*~

P.S.

You know how I started this post with the lyrics of Barlowgirl's "Never Alone"? Well, it goes on to sing about how He will never, can never, leave or forsake us..because He loves us. He's holding up His end of the bargain (I mean, He died so that we could love Him!), now let's hold up ours.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8QubLxJI54

Falling in Love, Part 1

All the TV shows, movies, stories, and even some music have a love story in them. Boy meets girl, or girl sees guy and...well, you know the rest. So when were in a society revolving around "love", and one that is always trying to get us into a relationship, it's hard to focus on the One who should be our true love: Christ Jesus.

Do you ever hear a song, and one of its lyrics just speaks volumes to you? Well, that's what happened to me (Catherine) when I was listening to the song "By Your Side" by Tenth Avenue North. Verse 2 starts off with these lyrics:


Why are you looking for love?
Why are you searching, as if I'm not enough?
To where will you go, child?
To where will you run?
(to hear the whole song, click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J95rAr0gOFU )


Those two lines especially struck me. Why are we always looking for love? Why do people, no matter if they believe in Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior or not, always have that burning desire to be cherished and adored?
The answer is simply that Christ gave that feeling to us so that we would look for Him. He knows that the world can't satisfy that want for love, because He made it so that only He could fill that hole. That's why the culture is constantly trying to get you into a relationship or go the next step. It's trying to fit the wrong puzzle piece in the hole that only God can fill. You may think you're close to filling it up, but it will never fully be complete.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying it's wrong to love, or that we should only love God, and shun everyone else. That's not at all what I'm getting at. You see, God made the Church as a body, not as a single-cell. We were designed to work together as a community. What I am trying to say though is that God should be our first love. We must strive after Him constantly, because He is the only unblemished picture of what true love really is (see 1 John 4:7-8). He created love, and He created us. How can we even begin to honestly love someone, if we don't even know what genuine love looks like? It would be like trying to make just one puzzle in a whole bin with other mixed puzzle pieces without the box-top: no matter how hard you tried, it would never come out how the creator of the puzzle wanted it to look like.

So to find what real love is like, we must go to the Creator: Jesus Christ. But how can we start our journey to loving Him? You can't send Him cards, or talk to Him, or go out on a "date" with Him. Or can you?

In the second part of this post, I hope to show you some ways that will hopefully start pointing you in the direction.

Blessings,

Princess Catherine ~*~

The Extra Mile

I had a lot of New Year's Resolutions this year. Some are the usual ones that I make every January 1, like reading my Bible everyday and becoming a better steward of my health and time. But this time, I decided to add a special one: every month, I would focus on doing something that would benefit others.

For January, I decided I would try to 'go the extra mile', especially with my chores. I suspect that there have been times when my family feels that I try to find the way I can help the least. I do what I'm asked, but I don't do it as best as I can and I definitely don't do anything else!

What better year to change that than 2011? I figured, to keep myself accountable, that I would post my goal on this blog. That way, I have to do it. =)

Going the extra mile is...

1. Doing more than what you had to do.
2. Doing your extra tasks knowing that you might not get a reward, or even get noticed, but you do your best anyway.


Going the extra mile is not...

1. Avoiding the task you were asked to do in the first place by doing something else. Remember, 'obedience is better than sacrifice'.
2. Doing anything extra because you want to be thanked or given a reward.

I could use some company going the extra mile. Care to join me? =)

In Christ,

Princess Izori