Video Blog #3 --- Recent events in my life

I did another video blog, just to give people an update about what has been happening recently in my life. I'm hoping to become a little bit more regular in the near future with my blogging. But we'll see how that goes. :-)

I pray you have a blessed and wonderful day!! Stay strong in Jesus! He's got you! His death covers everything!!

Because of His blood,
Faith Christine
Galatians 2:20; 1 Corinthians 15:10

Attributes of God

I have been thinking a lot about the different attributes of God recently. There is a song I have been listening to a lot lately, because it just seems to say it so well. It's a song called "All of these" sung by the Steve Pettit Evangelistic team. Here are the words:

"How vast his grace! How great His faithfulness!
How deep His love! How rich his mercy!
How high His thoughts! How sure His wisdom!
And all of these, He gives to me.

Chorus
So I will praise Him with every breath.
For He has rescued me from certain death
And now this life I live, I live in Him.
Oh let His glory shine while mine grows dim.

How just His ways! How good His discipline!
How pure His truth! How kind His goodness!
How calm His peace! How long His patience!
And all of these, He gives to me.

How broad His power! How grand His majesty!
How true His reign! How bright His glory!
How strong His might! How clear His triumph!
And all of these, He gives to me."

Are those not just the most magnificent words? Yet they cannot even begin to describe the greatness of God. Have you stopped lately to think of the greatness of God, and His many attributes? He will never fail you. You cannot say that about anyone else. He will never leave you. You cannot say that about anyone else. He will never break His promises. You cannot say that about anyone else. He is perfect! You cannot say that about anyone else. You get the picture? All men will let you down, but if you are setting your hope in God, He will NEVER let you down. His ways are perfect! His timing is perfect! His ways are mysterious, yet they are best. The Psalms are filled with praises to God. Have you ever stopped to write down some of the attributes of God, and then thank Him for them? I am not as good as I should be at doing this everyday, but I do try to make it a regular thing to thank God for something that He has done for me, in writing (usually in my journal), so that I will never forget His goodness towards me. I encourage you to do the same. Write a letter to God thanking Him for some of these attributes, or others. There are so many! Well, that's my word for the day. Just some things I have been thinking about lately. Stay strong in Jesus!! He's got you! His death covers everything!

Because of His blood,
Faith Christine
Galatians 2:20; 1 Corinthians 15:10

Mindful of Me

Psalm 8

"O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!"

I read this beautiful Psalm this morning, and the verses in bold stuck out to me. Who am I, what am I that God should even look at me? That God should even think a single thought about me? But He is mindful of me! He knows my every thought. He knows my every burden. He wants us to cast all of our burdens upon Him, because He cares for us. Who am I that God should care for me? And the thing that continues to overwhelm me is the fact that He sent His only Son to come and die on the cross for my sins. Why would He do this for me? His love overwhelms me! I am a wretched sinner. My righteousness is as filthy rags. All the good works I could ever do are as dung. Nothing in me is good. Nothing in me is holy. But he still chooses to love me!! Why does He do this? Because He is love!! God is love! (1 John 4:4) Have you stopped today to think about how awesome His love for you is? Have you stopped today to thank Him for this love that you do not deserve? Way too often we take His love for granted. Thank Him today for this love that you and I are so unworthy to receive. Just some thoughts for today. God bless you all! Stay strong in Jesus!!

Because of His blood,
Faith Christine
Galatians 2:20; 1 Corinthians 15:10

The Relapse of Concentration

I have read yet another amazing devotional from My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, and I just felt like it needed to be shared with my fellow believers, because I believe it is a problem all of us face in our lives.

"But the high places were not taken away out of Israel; nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days." 2 Chronicles 15:17

Asa was incomplete in his external obedience; he was right in the main but not entirely right. Beware of the thing of which you say---"Oh, that does not matter much." The fact that it does not matter much to you may mean that it matters a very great deal to God. Nothing is a light matter with a child of God. How much longer are some of us going to keep God trying to teach us one thing? He never loses patience. You say---"I know I am right with God"; but still the "high places" remain, there is something over which you have not obeyed. Are you protesting that your heart is right with God, and yet is there something in your life about which He has caused you to doubt? Whenever there is doubt, quit immediately, no matter what it is. Nothing is a mere detail.
Are there some things in connection with your bodily life, your intellectual life, upon which you are not concentrating at all? You are all right in the main but you are slipshod; there is a relapse on the line of concentration. You no more need a holiday from beating. You cannot have a moral holiday and remain moral, nor can you have a spiritual holiday and remain spiritual. God wants you to be entirely His, and this means that you have to watch to keep yourself fit. It takes a tremendous amount of time. Some of us expect to "clear the numberless ascensions" in about two minutes.

I would like to call attention to the underlined passage: The fact that it does not matter much to you may mean that it matters a very great deal to God. Nothing is a light matter with a child of God. How many areas of our life have we not completely surrendered to God, because we don't think it's a big deal? Have we completely and totally surrendered every area of our life to Him? Have you given your music standards to Him? Have you given your dress to Him? Have you given all of your friendships to Him? Are you ready to tear down every "high place" and truly follow God with your whole heart? We need to lay every thing down at the cross of Christ, and follow Him with our whole heart. Are you ready to truly surrender EVERYTHING to Christ? Are you ready to tear down those high places?

Just some things that the Lord has burdened my heart with today. I pray that you will prayerfully consider every single area of your life (ie. your music, your dress, your friendships, etc.) and see if you have completely surrendered those things to the Lord, or if you still have high places in those areas. May the Lord tear down those high places in your life as you surrender them completely to Him! Stay strong in Jesus!

Because of His Precious Blood,
Faith Christine
Galatians 2:20; 1 Corinthians 15:10

The Glory That Excels

I wanted to share with y'all (yes I say y'all 'cause I'm a Texan) the devotion from My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers that I read this evening. It really sums up what life is all about. Keeping our focus on Jesus. I underlined the parts that really stood out to me.




"The Lord...hath sent me that thou mightest receive thy sight." Acts 9:17
When Paul received his sight, he received spiritually an insight into the Person of Jesus Christ, and the whole of his subsequent life and preaching was nothing but Jesus Christ---"I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." No attraction was ever allowed to hold the mind and soul of Paul save the face of Jesus Christ.
We have to learn to maintain an unimpaired state of character up to the last notch revealed in the vision of Jesus Christ.
The abiding characteristic of a spiritual man is the interpretation of the Lord Jesus Christ to himself, and the interpretation to others of the purposes of God. The one concentrated passion of the life is Jesus Christ. Whenever you meet this note in a man, you feel he is a man after God's own heart.
Never allow anything to deflect you from insight into Jesus Christ. It is the test of whether you are spiritual or not. To be unspiritual means that other things have a growing fascination for you.

Since mine eyes have looked on Jesus,

I've lost sight of all beside,

So enchained my spirit's vision,

Gazing on the Crucified.

Isn't that amazing?! My favorite quote is "No attraction was ever allowed to hold the mind and soul of Paul save the face of Jesus Christ." I want this to be said of me! That only the attraction to the face of Jesus Christ would ever hold my mind and soul! I pray this has been a blessing to you, as much as it has been to me! Stay strong in Jesus!

Because of His blood,

Faith Christine

Galatians 2:20; 1 Corinthians 15:10