Who's Your Sweetie?

Proverbs 25:27 (New International Version)
It is not good to eat too much honey,

nor is it honorable to seek one's own honor.

Satan hands us a bag of whatever we think we want or need and says, "Here kid, make yourself sick."  As if he's doing us a favor.  We've all done this, and may still be doing this, over indulging in self.

If you pursue yourself, you will only make yourself sick.  Trust me.  As it is true with honey, it is true with me.  Only the Lord satisfies, only His glory ever increases.  Of Him, I can never have too much.  He knows my dearest desires even more than I know them.  Do not be deceived.  Pursue His righteousness alone.

Psalm 37:4 (New International Version)
Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

You can not serve two masters.  Choose this day whom you will serve.

In the Love of Jesus,

Carmen Sunshine

Me First?

Psalm 119:105

"Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light for my path."

The bright beacon of God's Word is for personal application. 

Luke 6:42
"How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

The application of truth only to others, and not to one's self, is hypocrisy.  If you do not apply what is true personally, can it be asserted over someone else?

My husband was directing me from a afar on how to train our 17 month old, being more diligent in his assessment and demands than I could possibly hope to actually be in the fray.  Finally my heart said, "You get down here and let's see if you can uphold your own standard!!"  And that's when the Lord, whispered, "I did.  Because you believe me, so you can."  Whoa, Lord...

The Word has come to us.  He achieved it, for me.  Self is where the application must start.

Romans 1:16
"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile."

First for the believer, the one in relationship, then to the one who is not.  The Word is for me first.

Romans 9:8

"In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring.

Why has He called us out, established this relationship with us?  Given us the revelation of His Son?

Isaiah 43:10

 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD,
"and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe Me
and understand that I am He.
Before Me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after Me."

The only place we should be 'self-centered' as Christ followers is in the application of the Word.

John 8:31-32
"To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, "If you (1) hold to my teaching,  you are really my disciples. Then (2) you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Free from what?  The tyranny of self.  Free to do what?  To be His witnesses, to serve the Living God in truth and love.  The Lord said to Pharoah, "Let My people go that they may serve me."  We follow the same Passover.  First we believe.  If we believe then we must apply.  Faith without works is dead.  From application then comes personal experience and growth.  We know the truth in our own lives.  Then comes daily reapplication, living in the truth.  Only then we are equipped and rightly positioned to minister and witness to others for God's glory and the salvation of many.  When you live out your faith, you become a living epistle to give an effective witness to salvation in Christ.  If it is so effective, so useful, so true, it must be for me first.  Every day.

Why am I given all this to 'see' and to 'know'?  Because I am in need of it, desperately.

I just have the privilege and responsibility of sharing it as I apply it.

Help me to apply it Lord,

Carmen Sunshine

In Dependence

Isaiah 29:19
¹⁹ The humble also shall increase their joy in the LORD,

      And the poor among men shall rejoice
      In the Holy One of Israel. 

Who has the joy of the Lord?

The poor, the humble.

Why?

They can't avoid their need.

If you feel your joy waning, or your courage failing, resume your dependence.  

Ask, am I poor?  

Am I meek?  

If the answer is no, get there.  

Recognize your poverty, your absolute dependence on God.  See yourself rightly before the throne of grace.

Because the Lord doesn't forget those who don't forget Him.

Isaiah 40:31 
"but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."

Nehemiah 8:10

 ¹⁰ "... for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

In humility,

Carmen Sunshine