I woke up this morning to a song Micah Tyler sings going through my mind...
I wanna be different
I wanna be changed
'Til all of me is gone
And all that remains
Is a fire so bright
The whole world can see
That there's something different
So come and be different
In me!
I wanna be changed
'Til all of me is gone
And all that remains
Is a fire so bright
The whole world can see
That there's something different
So come and be different
In me!
Yes! This is exactly how I desire to be. I don't want to be like anyone else but Christ. I don't want to have the next best thing for sale that everyone else wants nor do I want to 'keep up with the Jones' for the sake of looking good. All I want to be is "Different" so people see God working in and through me. As I live such a life, I will be blessed in knowing I am living as He desires. His ways will become what I desire. His love will pour out of me in such a way that there will be no doubt in anyone's mind who I live for. In the New Kings James Version, Psalm 119: 2-4 reads:
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
Who seek Him with the whole heart!
3 They also do no iniquity;
They walk in His ways.
4 You have commanded us
To keep Your precepts diligently.
Who seek Him with the whole heart!
3 They also do no iniquity;
They walk in His ways.
4 You have commanded us
To keep Your precepts diligently.
Yes! I love these verses that tell me I will be blessed as I "keep His testimonies...seek Him with the whole Heart...do no iniquity...walk in His ways..." Psalm 128:1 tell me, Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, Who walks in His ways. Woo hoo! Proverbs 10:9 tells me the result of a life walking with Him. He who walks with integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will become known. I will have eternity in heaven with Christ when I walk this earth in His ways. Woo hoo! Proverbs 19:6 tells me people who do not walk in His ways will have eternal death. He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of his ways will die. Oh how I desire for more people to come into relationship with Him. But that is not enough. We must not only know Him but we must walk in obedience to His will. We must be "Different" than those of the world. We must shine brightly for Him. That will be the only way for people to have the same desire to live for Him in a way that will bring them into eternal life with Him. All believers are responsible for people He puts in their path. We all are responsible for walking in obedience to Him so no one will perish in hell. That is a big responsibility. It is a responsibility many think belong just to pastors, missionaries, etc. But it belongs to all believers. I think the hardest people to share Christ's love with are those who have been 'brain washed' in thinking they don't need Him. Many times people who have a 'good' life have no reason for Him. They think they have everything they need when in fact they have nothing that will stay with them for eternity. My heart breaks to see children being taught the Bible stories
but not being taught about what it means to walk in obedience to Him. It breaks to hear people talk about what they are doing in their church when God is clearly not in the center of their life. It breaks to hear churches in conflict over financial issues when if the leaders and people of the church were listening to God they would not be in such a mess. We all must walk in obedience to Him if we desire to spend eternity with Him. Oh how I wish more pastors would preach this knowledge. I pray more pastors would live out this way of life. Then, more people would begin to live it. My heart is breaking this morning as I think of so many who attend church today who are just playing the part and not walking the walk. It breaks for many who are looking in from the outside and not seeing people sold-out to God. I can't imagine how God feels over it...
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones You will give me in the day ahead! Thank You for Chris mowing the yard and for the beautiful ornament they gave us! What a treasure! Father, You continue to bless us through people in some mighty big ways. I pray people will be blessed through our words, actions, and attitude throughout this day. The only way for that to happen is for a cleansing in my spirit so You can fill me to overflowing with Yourself. May You be greater than me in a new, different way. May You shine brightly through me and may Your love ooze out of me greatly as I live out II Timothy 1:7 throughout this journey. Lord, I pray today will be a better day for Doc in his physical body. I pray for the chemo fuzziness to be gone from his brain, the ickiness to be gone from his body, and for Your strength to shine through from the tips of his toes up to the tip of his head. I pray Your strength to continue to be in Kandi, Mike, and Dale as they battle their disease. I pray for Your strength to continue in Bob, Elizabeth, and Debbie as they recuperate. Lord, most of all I pray for all believers to get to the end of themselves so You can shine brightly in and through them. Woo hoo! Thank You Jesus for being The One to Make Me Different! Amen.
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