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 ~*~

Getting into the Thankful Mood

One of the most sure ways I get into the Holiday spirit is to write a list of things I'm thankful for. Family and friends are big ones, along with Christ coming to earth and dying for us, but this year I challenge you to take the time and think about the smaller things, like hot water or clouds, and thank God for them.

Here are some things I'm thankful for and why:

1. Shadows
I know it's not summer anymore, but boy was I glad to have shadows on those hot July and August days! The shade is somewhere cool and inviting, a place of rest. I'm thankful that God gave us the shade. He didn't have to.

2. Music
Just like shadows, He didn't have to make music. But could you imagine a world without it? The birds wouldn't sing, the crickets would thrum with their little legs, and the frogs wouldn't croak to their tunes. Lions wouldn't roar, wolves wouldn't howl, and bees wouldn't buzz. Because everything that God made sings praises to Him, without music there would be no sound! Not only did He make sound, but unlike the bees and birds, He also made it possible for us to make our own tunes! Each one of us can make up our own songs as praises to Him!

3. We (humans) can smile
I'm so glad that we have a chance to express our happiness in a way that others can see. Just like it brings joy to see a dog thumping its tail, I am blessed whenever I see someone else grinning from ear to ear.
"You're never fully dressed without a smile." - Harry Connick Jr.

4. We can communicate
Not only can I say the word "apple" and you know what I'm talking about, but there is a letter system that allows me to write the letters "a-p-p-l-e", and you know what I'm referring to. And get this: we can also communicate with God! No matter what language you speak, you have the ability to speak to Him if you know His Son personally!

5. Memories
Aren't you glad that you can remember your own name? Or what about that homework that you suddenly remembered one day? Could you imagine studying for a test without being able to remember what your studying for, let alone successfully studying for it? Aren't we blessed that even when we can't see someone face to face all the time, the next time we see them we can remember them? I sure am!

So go on: make your own list! It doesn't have to be long, or fancy. You don't even have to write down your reasons. But take the time- even if it's mentally doing a list- to be thankful. You will be surprised, and left feeling refreshed and grateful! :)

Blessings,

Thanksgiving, Then Christmas

I'm sure all of you know that Thanksgiving comes before Christmas, right? But have you ever noticed that? I mean, have you ever thought about it?

I know they were both set on their appointed dates for important reasons, but have you ever taken into account that Thanksgiving is before Christmas? I'm sure it's more than a ploy to try and tempt children out of their numerous Christmas list items. But as soon as I saw this from a new perspective, I started wondering if it had any significance.

Christmas is after Thanksgiving, but shouldn't it be the other way around? I mean, Christ came down to earth, making it the first ever Christmas day! That's a good reason to be thankful!
Perhaps so, but I think of something else as I ponder this food for thought. What if we are supposed to be thankful before Christ comes? What if we are to thank Him before His blessings, and trust Him to follow through with them? What if we are to give thanks, and have a heart of gratitude without knowing for sure we are going to be rewarded? It's easy to be thankful during Thanksgiving and Christmas (presents, family, and food are in abundance), but what about the rest of the time? And what about the time in between? I think Thanksgiving is a gentle reminder that starts off the holiday season, reminding those to be grateful for what Christ did for us. It points us in the right direction, reminding us that He didn't have to save us. And those days in between Christmas and Thanksgiving should be a time of heart preparation for the greatest blessing of all: Jesus Christ.

So as you get ready for Thanksgiving this week (and enjoy a couple days off from school!), take the time to be truly thankful, and ask God to give you a thankful spirit throughout the year.

Thanks for reading. :)

Princess Catherine ~*~

Christ-Esteem

The snow is lightly falling, glittering lights in every window, Christmas songs playing in every store...


I LOVE Christmas shopping (in case you couldn't tell!).

It seems, however, that before I can even think about Christmas shopping (like, in August, for example), stores are already sending out magazine after magazine through the mail, and more advertising e-mails than I can possibly handle. In s0me ways this makes Christmas shopping easier later on, because I already have a pretty good idea of what to get everyone. In other ways though, it can be annoying.


One of the things I like least about advertisements is the extent they go to to get us to buy whatever they're selling. Who hasn't seen ads with phrases such as:

"You deserve it."
"You NEED this."
"This could change your life."

The problem with all of these statements is the focus: SELF. I don't think I've ever seen an advertisement that supported contentment, giving, or being happy with who you are, where you are, and what you have. If you were content with what you had, after all, you wouldn't be buying their product.


The sad thing is that in our culture, many people do think predominately about themselves. This selfish mindset can produce all kinds of tragic consequences in people's lives. Our society desperately needs to find the cure for selfishness so we can turn our focus back toward God and other.

So what IS the cure for selfishness?

Many people will tell you it has to do with believing in YOURSELF and having SELF-esteem. In fact, these ideas are quite popular among people trying to escape the our current selfish society. But do you see the problem with these two phrases?

The problem, again, is SELF. Though popular, the core focus in this belief is still SELF.


The only true answer to a confidence issue is to stop focusing on yourself and begin focusing totally on Jesus Christ. When we find our worth in Him alone, everything else fades into the background. Thoughts about how we look and what others think of us will fade out of the picture, until all we are truly care about is learning to serve Christ better. He created us to shine as a living example of His glory, drawing other believers and unbelievers closer to Him. Suddenly, what we look like is no longer the first thing people notice about us. They will see Christ's light shining so bright in us, that nothing really matters. When we stop obsessing about ourselves and allow Christ to take complete control of our lives, we become a reflection of Him. As Princess Gloria said in an earlier post, we become like a mountain lake that reflects His glory. He is so much bigger than us, he takes up all of us so that noting else can even be seen. One of my favorite verses is something Paul says in Galatians 2:20, "For it is not longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." I would love for that to be a description of my life.

Wouldn't you?


Blessings in Christ,

Poem on God's Power vs. Our Weakness

(c) Izori

What few years have we
On our road to decay?
Fine petals have we,
Gone tomorrow, here today.
Our colors are temporary
For it is humans' way.

What awe inspires He
As our own breath flies away?
The Master of eternity,
Beginning, here to stay.
One hand rests on me, the other lights the day.
That is God's way.

In Christ,

Princess Izori

Reflection

Picture with me, if you will, a beautiful, breath-taking mountain. It stretches high into the sky and is the most beautiful thing you could ever see! Its color is a glorious and clear blue, and the top sparkles in the sunlight.


Down below, at the foot of the mountain, there is a lake. It has been put in that particular spot for a reason: to reflect the mountain and its splendor. However, the lake is more like a swamp, with brown grasses and bare trees growing in it. The water is murky and dirty, and the bit that can be seen through the plant overgrowth has no way of reflecting anything. How can the lake fulfill its purpose? If only there was some way to remove the ugliness from it!



So it is with us and God.


God is like the beautiful mountain. His majesty and wonder are indescribable! He is so glorious and strong.


We are like the lake, meant to reflect His beauty and glory. This, though, is impossible for us to do on our own. We are full of sin, which dirties the water and produces tangled vines and tough grasses. There is no way that Jesus can be reflected in us.


But God, Who is rich in mercy, gives us the opportunity to be redeemed, to accept Him into our hearts and lives. Once we do that, He starts the long process of cutting away the debris and clearing out the water. Bit by bit, we lose our life-dominating sin a little at a time: disobedience, rebellion, mean words, ugly and improper thoughts, evil desires, lusts, jealousy, pride, selfishness, discontentment, and the list continues.

If we let Him, we will, little by little, begin to reflect Him, drawing more attention to our King than ourselves. As He clears the lake, it looks more like the mountain than a lake because the mountain is bigger than the lake and its reflection fills the entire area of water.


Becoming a beautiful, reflecting lake is a lifelong process. The Lord knows the amount of sin that we have in our lives and, in His compassion, deals with that sin little by little, one at a time. But we have to be willing to allow God to deal with us.


That doesn't mean that we will never return to a sin once it has been conquered through Christ. However, because we can approach the Throne of Grace with confidence we can be forgiven of the sin and given the ability to move on.

Is there something that Jesus might be pruning from your life right now? Something that you won't allow Him access to deal with? You can only be transformed into a beautiful lake, a radiant reflection of His glory, if you let Him be in control.


~Princess Gloria

All the Time You Need

I'm sure that if I asked any one of you, "Have you ever been short on time?", you would look at me like that was a really obvious question. Everyone is short on time! We all have jobs, chores, schoolwork, and other responsibilities, and we only have a matter of hours to do them before we have to begin all over again the next day.

But have you used that as an excuse not to read your Bible or pray? Have you been shoving God aside so that you can get everything else accomplished? I am speaking from personal experience as I tell you girls (and guys!) this. It's hard to admit for me, but it's a convicting truth: I, as well as a lot of other people, don't have the Lord as our highest priority.

Is it true that we simply don't have enough time to fit earthly responsibilities and God into one day?

"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me"
John 10:14

"for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed."
1 Samuel 2:3b

The Lord knows us, His children, and he has given us all the time we need to accomplish what he wants...but not a second more. If you don't have time to do the most important thing--worship your Creator and Savior--then you are either not doing what he wants, or not being efficient with the time you have.

But what if everything you do is a necessity, and there's no way you can eliminate things to make way for God? First of all, the Lord is the number one necessity. Everything is a waste if you don't do it for Him.

Secondly, are you sure all you are doing is so important? It may be high on the priority list in your mind, but is it in the mind of God? After I realized I was having a time problem, I examined my actions and found that most of my time I squandered away in non-important things. Here are a few major trouble-shooting questions I asked my self.

1. Am I spending too much time on the computer? There's a really cute website that has hilarious captioned pictures of cats that I've found. Although a lot of the pictures are really funny, I find that whenever I'm on the computer, I automatically check that site to see if there's anything new to laugh at. It wastes a surprising amount of time.

2. Am I avoiding or sloppily rushing through my tasks? Getting it done poorly but quickly only means that you'll have to do it again. It's a short cut that is really longer.

3. Is what I'm doing the most important thing? Am I missing out on something even more crucial?

4. Is everything that I'm doing absolutely important and pleasing to the Lord, but I feel really rushed?

And here is how I fixed them:

1. Take an internet break for a couple days. I took one just recently, and I was amazed at how I got used to not spending time on the computer.

2. In everything you do, do it for the Lord. Try memorizing Bible verses about a thankful heart/good attitude when doing an unpleasant, menial chore like folding laundry. Always be cheerful and willing to help others. Also, don't procrastinate!

3. Carefully evaluate all that you're doing. Could you be doing something else that really needs to be done?

4. Consider a schedule change. This is a lot easier if you're home schooled, but even people who go to school can still mix around their chores and homework. Try getting up earlier to have quiet time with God. However, I wouldn't suggest staying up later to have it unless there's no other option.

I hope this helps anyone who has been struggling with the same issues as me!

In Christ,

Princess Izori