Vlogemotion

My wonderful husband bought me a new camera for my birthday, so I thought I would join in the video fun. Tim over at Fort Thompson started this VLOG carnival where you post a video every Thursday of your emotion that week. So here is my emotion for the week.... Pop on over and check out Tim's blog. But first check out my video!

Unending Mercy

As I studied the book of Hosea recently, I was strongly impressed by how great the mercy of God is. The story gives us a picture of a forgiving husband. One that loved his unfaithful bride enough to not just stay with her but go after her when she left her home behind for another lover.

Hosea 2:5, 8 their mother has been unfaithful and has conceived them in disgrace. She said, "I will go after my lovers, who give me my food and my water, my wool and my linen, my oil and my drink"... She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold - which they used for Baal.

Gomer was unfaithful, not only to her husband, but to her children. She thought not of those who loved her and the harm she would cause them, but of herself instead. She went after her lovers, thinking they could provide her with the luxury and pleasure she desired. She was selfish, looking for only her desires to be fulfilled.

But what happened to Gomer, is what often happens to us when we chase after pleasure. The more she chased after pleasure and material wealth, the more illusive it becomes. A man who desires a temptress like Gomer will soon tire of her and throw her aside. Each time she chases after another lover, the level of riches decreases until instead of driving a Mercedes and wearing mink, she’s on foot and pulling things out of the trash heap.

God, just like Hosea is a faithful husband and we just like Gomer are an unfaithful, adulteress bride. How often we chase things we shouldn't and end up like Gomer looking to other things to make us happy. How often we look to the things around us for pleasure only to be left unfulfilled and empty inside.

What amazes me is that God never seems to run out of mercy. Unlike Gomer who only needed to be brought home once, I have strayed many times. In my times when I wonder off in the wrong direction, God finds me and brings me back. He watches and waits for me to tire of my wandering. He waits for me to turn back and look his way. Then he picks me up and carries me back home again.

His mercy is unending and I am grateful.

Charice - A Note to God

This young girl is incredible. You can buy her new single on itunes.

Losing The Next Generation

As a Christians, I believe its time we opened our eyes. While in some parts of the world the gospel is spreading, here in the USA the gospel is shrinking. The moral fabric of our nation has torn and is becoming a thing of the past.

The statement, one nation under God, now mocks God instead of standing true. Those of us that truly stand for and believe in this statement are becoming the minority not the majority.

What really brings a tear to my eye though is the hope of our children. At a larger rate then ever, our children raised in the church are leaving the church and not returning. We have failed to pass our faith to our children.

Not that we didn’t try. We raised them in church. They went to vacation bible school as children. They went on to youth group as young adults. But when they went on to college and into the world their belief didn’t seem to stick.

Statistics show that between 70 to 88 percent of Christian teens leave the church by the second year of college. 80 percent of youth that claim to be born again do not believe in absolute truth.

What has gone wrong for the youth that hold the future of our nation? Why have they not made God their own?

There is so much to combat for a child in the world today. If they are to make the faith of their parents their own, they must know God themselves in a very real way. They must be taught why they believe what they believe. Every person must find the foundation in the truth by questioning the faith and having God confirm it for them.

There are so many things that must happen for our children to find God for themselves. First we can’t protect them from everything, they must learn that suffering is ok and will build the character of God in them. They must learn that in hard times God will be their protectors, the one who is their safe hiding place.

Secondly, we have to take the legalism out of the church and teach our children to believe in God in His way. There are no set of rules, no task list to check off to get it all right. Too often we put the rules in place and as long as our children follow them, we assume they are ok spiritually.

We have taken the power out of God. If you are honest with yourself you will admit that often we want to execute our own plan more than we want to follow God’s plan. God’s way is often risky and unpopular.

When Noah was told to build the ark, no one believed there would be rain. I am sure everyone thought he was nuts, even ridiculed him, until the rain began. But the miraculous happened and rain came from the sky.

In my lifetime, when I have been used the most by God, it was when I put myself out there. When I have obeyed even when I thought the idea God had given me was nuts, those are the times that God has done powerful and amazing things.

If we are to change the destiny of our children, we must show them there is power behind what we believe. We must begin first with our own lives and act like we believe it ourselves.

Snippets of Time

Snippets of time. That’s all we really have here on this earth.

This weekend, I watched a video taken by my Uncle back in 1986. The content was an interviewed with my Grandparents about there family and how they had grown up. Seeing them again took me right back to that time. It seems such a short time ago. Now that they are gone, how I wish I could go back and spend more time with them.

It made me think on what a short time we have here on this earth. We are here and then one day, we are gone. No one can know when that time will be when we will leave this earth.

As I thought about this, I wondered, with time so short, why do we waste so much time? Life is about the moments with other people. It’s about the love we build and give to God and others. Life is about relationships, our relationship with God and our relationships with others.

So why do we spend so little time valuing those around us and so much time on what we think must be done.

I am so guilty of this. "Mom, will you play a game with me?" My son asks. "Not right now, I have to do the dishes" I say to him. Not right now, seems to be a phrase I use often, when it comes to answering my son.

As I began to think of the time I spend, I see that I have forgotten how to enjoy things. I am so focused on the responsibilities of life that enjoying the little things are hard for me. Simply enjoying the relationships in my life is what I need to do. Why is that so hard?

Lord,

Help me let go and enjoy those that you have put in my life. Let me give to them and put the tasks aside for a while. Help me live in the moments of happiness and love that you give me with those around me. Help me seek to be in relationships in spite of how messy they can become. I want to enjoy the snippets of time you have given me here on the earth.

Amen

Click Here for Love Advice

What the world needs now, is love, sweet love. It's the only thing, that there’s just too little of.....

Remember the song? What truth it spoke.

Everywhere you look, everybody's looking for that elusive thing called love. Headers on websites everywhere spout, click here for love advice. Articles in magazines, television commercials, and entire books are devoted to finding a just little bit of it.

If we could just find that forever kind of love, we would be complete and whole. No more need to fill the hole within with other things like food, medication, alcohol or a warm body. All we need is love. Right?

Absolutely true. What the world does need is love. But not from an individual. The world needs it from the source, from the one who is called love. We need love from God.

We were created to love God so when we don't there’s a hole inside us where the love is supposed to be. Here's the catch though, we can't love completely, God is love, He must be the one to love through us. We have to begin by asking Him to give us a heart like His that loves like He does.

In John 14:15, Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep my commandments." If we really love like God does, we will want to do as He asks. In other words when we have a problem being obedient, what we really have is a love problem. We must in turn go to God, not with the request of "make me obedient" but "make me love You enough to be obedient"

This is much of our problem in the world today. Though we fill our churches on Sunday and try to be good, we do not really love God. We love our plans. We love our comfort. We love our nice lives. We love our possessions. We love our children. We love having our life our way. We love other things more than we love God.

You might be saying, “If I gave everything over and really loved God like that, He might make me do things I can’t do” “He might send me to some jungle with no indoor plumbing or make give up everything I enjoy”

God will never make you do something. When you really love Him, He begins to put His desires in your heart. If He sends you to the jungle to wins souls for Him, He will first put that desire in your heart. We need to stop worrying about what we will lose and trust in His ability to give us what is best for us.

Today, if you are reading this blog, I believe it’s probably for a reason. Let today be a day of examination and change. The world does need a little more love and it starts with each of us. But it needs to be the right kind directed from God Himself.

If you have a love problem today, there is only one place to go, on your knees before the source.

I Got Nothing

I wish I had some inspirational piece to write that would knock your socks off today, but I don't. Truth is, I am fresh out of inspiration. I got nothing for you.

So maybe thats the topic today..... Being transparent and honest enough to say I got nothing for you. There are times it seems that I just fail to live up to what I would like to be in the eyes of man. I would like to be an inspiration to others but sometimes there are dry periods where there just seems nothing to give. Today is one of those days.

In a time like today where I don't feel God all around me I have learned this, I must trust in what I know to be true.

What I know to be true is that God didn't leave just because it seems dry and I can't feel Him. God is faithful. He has His eye on those He loves.

These are the times that hiding the word in your heart is for. We must learn to know God and His word so we aren't living our christian walk by our feelings and experiences but by our faith. It is our faith that holds us through when God seems distant.

I know my God, He has not left. He is waiting for me to clear the fog so I see Him better.

Mister Satorian's Shoe Emporium

I had set out that day on a quest. Not just any ordinary quest, but one that would lead me to the perfect, most fabulous, enviable shoes. Shoes so super scrumptious that everyone would sit up and take notice.

Scouring every inch of the city with no luck, I began to feel my quest would end in vain. Then just as I was about to call my mission a failure, I stumbled upon the gem I had long awaited. There it was like a light in the darkness for all great shoe lovers to see. It was a shoe store I had no recollection of ever seeing before. It seemed to magically appear right before my eyes. Above the door said Mister Satorian’s Shoe Emporium in big bold letters.

“Interesting name” I remember thinking as I entered the store. Looking down the center isle, it seemed the store had no end. I could see no walls in any direction. Shoe isles splintered off to the right and off to the left. Isle after isle, rack after rack. Shoes and more shoes, they were everywhere.

I felt a euphoria come over me as I took in a deep breath that filled my nostrils with the smell of leather. I felt giddy, almost high from the smell.
I searched and shopped, isle after isle, rack after rack. It felt as if time was standing still. Turning the corner to peruse another isle I ran smack into the owner and proprietor himself, Mister Satorian. “Hello There” He said in a lilting tone. Just those two words made me feel like he had softly caressed my face. I knew that I wanted to hear more from him so I could feel his voice on my face again. But something inside me felt a bit uneasy.

Mister Satorian wasn’t tall but he wasn’t short either. He wasn’t big but he wasn’t small either. It was almost as if he could become what ever you wanted him to be. A very handsome man he was. He had smooth dark hair, eyes that twinkled and a sly smile that turned up on one side. Was he smiling or smirking? I wasn’t quit sure.

Pointing to a pair of lovely shoes, Mister Satorian said “these shoes are special; there are no other shoes like them in the world.” My ears perked up and of course my interest was peaked. “They are magical, they can become any kind of shoes you wish” he continued.

“Do tell more!” I eagerly replied.

“Well, they can be tall or short, thick or thin and any color you choose. They go from a boot to a sandal, straps to strapless and open toe to closed. They can transform in an instant, lickety-split. It’s all in your command. It’s all up to you. You will be the envy of every woman and the desire of man with these shoes on your feet.” He promised with a nod.

“Would you like to try them on?” He offered me. “Oh yes” I said. “I would love too.”

As my feet slipped in, the comfort was amazing; they seemed to hug my feet perfectly. So soft, they were like walking on pillows made just for my feet. As I imagined a sandal, instantly they changed, a sandal they had become, dainty and cute.

I’ll take them! I need them! Oh, I must have them! “How much will they cost me?” was the question I asked.

“Not much, twenty pieces, gold dollars in coins. I prefer them to bills, if you happen to have them. If not, bring them later, I trust you” he said.

Packing them neatly in a box then a bag, Mister Satorian’s sly smile returned to his face. “I’ll need a photo with address left behind. You know, for safe keeping, you know, just in case.” Handing photo and address, I then replied, “Just in case? For safe keeping? What exactly does that imply?”

“You know, just in case something happens and you need them no more, I can pick them back up for the next woman to wear. You see, they are special, you grow old but they don’t. They last forever while you, well, you won’t”

Walking out of the store, something nagged at my mind. What a great deal it was but what was this feeling? The one that was tugging and pulling inside, the one that keep nagging and saying beware?

I paused for a moment then looked at my watch. I would need to hurry if I wanted to make it to church on time. Wednesday night service would start in an hour. There was just enough time to eat dinner and change if I hurried. So I ignored the nagging and the feeling soon passed.

That night, with my shoes on, something had changed. Every woman green with envy and man with desire, showed that I was the object which they would like to aspire. The shoes had transformed not only my feet but the heart that was in me had become different indeed. Not only had my heart become hardened inside, but my head became swollen and hard to hold up. The shoulders that held it hunched from the weight. I was prideful and arrogant, nasty and mean. I became the very things that would hold me back from God’s team.

God couldn’t reach me, I was full of myself. If I didn’t shed the shoes soon, they would soon be my death. Struggling to remove them I pulled and I pushed. Finally, with much force, they sailed from my feet, hit the wall in my bedroom and fell in a heap.

Carefully, I packed them back in the box, then the bag and strutted off for the jaunt. Back to the store these foul shoes would go, but where did Mister Satorian’s Shoe Emporium go? It was here, the same spot, I had found that old place. No longer a shoe store, it had vanished with no trace. Left was only a large hole that looked dark and deep, so I shout “hello” to see if it would echo back to me. The echo went on for a very long time. Wanting safety for all I dropped the shoes down the hole. They fell and they fell with no sound as they dropped. Though I stayed and I waited for quit long while they never did seem the ever hit bottom.

Eventually, off I sprinted without looking back. No more shoe emporium in my future. That’s a fact! Done was I with arrogant pride. I will look to God from now on for the approval I need.

So I ask you today have you learned from my story? What is your shoe called? Where is your place that you shouldn’t be lurking? We all have our temptations, our places of weakness. What is your fancy?

I urge you beware. Mister Satorian lurks in strange places. He can be quit deceptive and knows where you’re weak. He tickles your fancy, makes it look quit attractive. Though, in the end, brings destruction to all drawing near him. I advise you, steer clear of his tactics and schemes. For there is nothing he has that makes you redeemed.

It is only the grace of a Savior you want. Believe me, I’ve been there. This is not just a taunt.

Good Girl, Bad Dog

“You’re a good girl! Yes you are! You’re a good girl!” I said as I scratch Lola’s fuzzy white head. With her tail wagging so hard that her whole back end swayed back and forth, she lapped up the praise. She danced excitedly around waiting for me to continue. “Please show me more” she seemed to be saying.

I had just arrived home and there was Lola, at the door to greet me. She was always there waiting, just to show me how grateful she was for my arrival. Now finished greeting my still excited dog, I kicked off my shoes and thumbed through the mail. Bill, bill, bill, “always bills, doesn’t anyone write letters anymore” I thought to myself.

As my mind wandered back to a time when getting the mail was an enjoyable thing I caught a glimpse of Lola out of the corner of my eye. “What was she chewing on?” I thought as I turned to give it my full attention. My shoe! Not just any ordinary shoe that could be easily replaced. No, she had my brand new, expensive, once in a lifetime, sale find shoe. You know the kind, the bargain of the century, the kind that would be irreplaceable.

NOOOOOOOO, GET AWAY FROM THAT SHOE!!! I screamed at the top of my lungs. BAD DOG!!! BAD DOG!!!!! I scolded. “LOLA, YOU’RE A BAD DOG!” I said as I shook the now ruined shoe at her.

Crouching down as low to the floor as she could, Lola backed away. The shoe now chewed up and torn beyond repair, I was furious as I glared her way. Skulking away, she headed to bedroom to hide. Just before she turned the corner and was out of my line of sight, she turned back with one last glance my way. “Could I be your good girl again?” she seemed to be asking me.

As she turned back and slinked off, a thought crossed my mind. “Why is she considered a girl when she’s good and just a dog when she’s bad?” I knew instantly the thought was a message from within. But the next thought stopped me in my tracks, “What you are showing her is when she’s good, she is something special, but when she’s bad, she is nothing. Does she have to be good to be special in your eyes?”

What a question! Pondering this thought a little further made me realize something. Isn’t this often how we treat others? And more than that, I had to ask myself, had God ever treated me this way? Did I have to be good to be considered special in His eyes?

I had to admit, the answer was no. His only requirement of me was my acceptance of His son. It was my belief in Jesus that had made me acceptable to God. I was required to believe and accept Christ, two things that had nothing to do with anything I had done. In fact, in my own power, I could never be acceptable enough. It was Christ who had done all the work so I could be considered special in God’s eyes.

In my lifetime I had done many bad things that had broken God rules. In my own way, I had torn up God’s shoes before. Instead of condemnation though, I had received forgiveness and grace. He had lovingly corrected my bad behavior without judgment or character assassination. Somehow even in his discipline I knew that I had not lost His love. I was never made to feel less special, loved or important.

For me, a valuable lesson was learned that day. Lola no longer is just a dog when she has bad behavior. She is always my girl.

More importantly, it has changed the way I treat others. Giving grace has become much easier. Understanding everyone has flaws and expecting others to fail me at times, makes me more empathetic.

God is removing the character flaws in me one at a time. But I do need to ask just one thing from you. Could you be a little patient, because I can be a little slow?

Have A Happy Mothers Day!!!

To all the wonderful mothers out there, this is for you!!!!

Love is a Gentle Nudge

Love is...... A gentle nudge to stop my husband from snoring instead of shoving him clean out of the bed. And here’s why.

The clock now reads 1:30AM. "How long have I been lying here?" I wonder as I count back to when I first crawled in bed. “11:30, 12:30, 1:30, UGH! It’s been three hours!”

By this time my husbands snoring is doing a bit more than mildly grating on my nerves. The last three hours have included a multitude of tactical maneuvers which by now should qualify me for the Secret Service. It went down something like this.

At first, I softly brushed my foot against my husband’s leg, hoping it would wake him only enough to change his snoring to a light purr. After multiple attempts and thirty minutes pass, I decide the maneuver is a failure. Onward, I move to the next tactic.

With my foot, I lightly push on his calf. I retreat quickly, pretending like I did nothing, just in case he wakes completely. I proceed for the next hour, pushing randomly on different parts of his legs. Sometimes harder and occasionally multiple pushes during the same occurrence. This seems to work for short bursts but not long enough for me to fall into slumber.

Frustrated, I retreat to the living room for a small break. I surf the internet a while and check some emails. Half hour later and a little more optimistic, back to bed I go. This time I will sleep, I assured myself. Crawling back into bed I realize the snoring has gotten louder! I sigh loudly, toss and turn with exaggerated motion, bouncing the whole bed for effect. Doesn’t seem to phase him, he’s still snoring, louder than ever now.

Time for stronger tactics I decide. This time, I will use my hands. Firmly, yet lovingly I rub my hand against his back and right at the end I push slightly. Nothing happens. Through the next hour I use a variety of touches, rubs and nudges only to eventually, once again, fail miserably. As with the foot technique, some attempts with the hands also work temporarily. None though, for long enough to allow sleep to come.

Now we are at the pinnacle of frustration. “Do I shove?” Is the question running through my mind. “If I push really hard he will fall out of the bed and have to stop snoring.” I think. As I prepare my feet to push squarely in the middle of his back I realize just what I am about to do. “What am I thinking?” I ask myself. It’s amazing what sleep deprivation and a high level of frustration will push a person to consider doing.

After some thought and I believe what was probably was the Holy Spirit screaming at me STOP, I came to my full senses and realized there was a much more loving response to the whole situation. I was reminded right then of the scripture in I Corinthians 13 that tells us love is patient, love is kind…. So I decided to do something I should have done hours ago. I gently leaned over, put my hand on my husbands shoulder and whispered “Honey, roll over your snoring”. Immediately, he rolled over and the snoring stopped.

Now that’s love!

A Day to Pray

Today is the official National Day of Prayer. Every day should be a day of prayer if we are to obey the command to pray without ceasing. Still, a national day to observe and focus us on prayer is a good thing. Actually, I think we should do it more than once a year, but I'll settle for this day.

Here are my prayers.....

I pray for great blessing over each of you that read this blog. That the Lord would bring much love and growth into your life. I pray each of you would become a leader among those around you. That your impact for the Kingdom of God would be great and far reaching. And you would be bold in your witness reaping a harvest of many souls for Jesus.

I pray for America and its leaders. I pray that America would turn back to the beliefs of the bible. That we would turn from the rampant sin and selfish behavior. The soft life has spoiled us and we are no longer strong and unbendable in faith. I pray we would return as a nation to the roots we came from, to the foundation America was built on. That we would return to the God that raised our nation out of the dust. I pray that our leaders would find a personal relationship with Jesus Christ so that they would begin to turn the moral current around. I pray that they would say no to abortion and yes to one man and one woman as the standard of marriage. I pray they would cast down the wave of hate speech understanding that belief is not hate, it is Gods law.

I pray for my community. That I would be an impact on the community around me. That the place that I live and gather with believers would know me and my love for Christ. Let me not make a name for myself, but instead make a name for Christ in my community. I pray that you, God, would pour out your spirit and bring great revival. That the body of Christ would seek to serve those in my community and make a lasting impact for the kingdom of God.

I pray for my local church. That we would put our own agenda's aside and look to what God would have us do. That we would seek to find where God is working and go there. That we search the community for needs and be the ones to fill them. That we would love and care for the poor, the hurt and the broken. That we would become a beacon of hope for a lost community, known only for the love of Christ we show. I pray that such a sweeping force of spirit comes over our congregation that the whole city will have to take notice and glorify God because of it. That we would be tools ready at all times to be picked up for His service.

I pray for the body of Christ throughout the world. That a great awakening will sweep the world. Time is short and we must act quickly. Many need the word of God, many need to hear the truth. I pray that the body of Christ will begin to act with urgency. That we would share with abandon the truth of Jesus Christ. Knowing that time is short and everyone around us needs the truth. I pray that the body of Christ would wake from its slumber and begin the greatest revival this earth has ever seen. Such a revival that Satan will quake in his boots and fear the coming of Christ. I pray that the foot soldiers of Christ would become battle ready and geared up to win souls at any cost. Let us go back Lord to a strong and unwavering body of believers ready for anything.

Lastly, I pray for my family. That each member of my family would surrender to Christ. For those that do not know Jesus, I pray that the Spirit would convict them until they fall to their knees before a merciful God. I pray that the conviction would be relentless until they would finally yield and turn to you. That they would give their life to you and live in the center of your will.

For those already knowing you, I pray they would become great servants of yours. That you would change them and mold them to do your will. That their lives would be in the center of your will doing your service. I pray that you would pour your blessing over each of them and give them what ever it is that they need today.

Today, mostly, I would like to give you praise. I praise your for the breath I take, for waking me up to a new day this morning. I praise you for your infinite love and grace. I praise you for the heavens and the earth you've given us to inhabit. You didn't have to paint it with an array of color that would take our breath away but you did. You didn't have to give to us but you did. I praise you for your glorious ways, all merciful, all loving, all just, you are God. All the heavens praise you and eventually every knee will bow to you. I bow to you now and say thank you. You are my love, you are my all. I Praise you!

Amen

Silent Witness

If I came to you and said I wanted to spend a week with you, observe your life and at the end write your story, what would you say. I would be writing about what you loved most in your life, what your character was like and who you were. I would describe you and what you stood for. I would write the story of who you are.

Just one catch.....

You couldn't say a word to me. You couldn't tell me you story, instead, it would be written only by what I observed.

Who would you be? Would my story reflect who you are?

What we spend our time on is what we love in our heart. Or it should be. Do your actions reflect your heart?

Hmmmmm........... Much to ponder.

Humility Vs Pride

Humility.... Something we lack here in America these days. Instead we see the opposite all around us, we see pride.

As I began to study the subject of humility, the picture it created was so far removed from what we see that it saddened me. How much more it must sadden our God. He must look down broken hearted on a country that was a gem in His eye, one with much promise to spread and extend the gospel. Only to now find a country full of indulgent and prideful people. Yes, we are materially wealthy, but how are we spiritually?

So how does a people return to humility when they don't even understand what it is anymore? I suppose we must first look at what it means to humble ourselves before God. Then it starts with each person submitting themselves.

Humility- not unfairly glorifying ones own self. It need not include timidity or becoming a wallflower. Instead, it simply requires us to think of our abilities and actions as no greater, and no lesser, than they really are. It mandates us to be completely honest with ourselves.

In the quest to become humble, often, people confuse humility with false modesty. "Oh, that old thing, it's nothing!" When it really was something that we took much time putting together.

So how do we practice humility?

First we give credit where credit is due. We don't try to gain credit for things that are not our, instead we humbly give the credit to the one responsible. When someone compliments you for something you did do, you simply say thank you. Then in your mind give the praise back to God who gave you the abilities you have.

Don't name/experience drop. Building an image of yourself larger than you are is lying to yourself and others. Also, do what’s expected of you without making a big deal about it. Perform service and charity work anonymously, without recognition from others. Don't try to one up others, you should be truly glad for others and there accomplishments. These are some practical things that we can begin to change to take pride from our lives.

Deuteronomy 8:2-3 And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandment or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your father's know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.

God cannot guide a prideful person. If you are to "follow" God, you must humble yourself. Believe me, to have God humble you is not a painless experience. Just like the nation of Israel in the desert we are stiff necked people. It took forty years for God to humble the people in the desert. We are much better off when we just humble ourselves and yield to God instead of Him having to humble us. Do you want to spend forty years in the desert just to learn the lesson of humility?

Psalm 25:9 - The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His ways.

When we are humble and seeking His ways, He begins to teach us, change us and we love His ways instead of our own. Breaking self pride can be difficult and painful but it is the only way to really be in God's will. If we really want to follow Christ, our pride must go.

Proverbs 29:23 - A mans pride will bring Him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor.

I Timothy 3:6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fell into the same condemnation as the devil.

Pride will bring us low and in humility we will retain honor. God hates pride! Being puffed up with pride we will fall in the same condemnation as the devil. What a strong statement Timothy makes. It was pride that caused Satan to fall from grace. Do we really want that? Is having our own way really worth that? I would say not.

James 4:10 it says humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

I Peter 5:6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.

When we humble ourselves we get lifted up by God himself. We get exalted not by our own means but by His. In due time of course, as scripture points out. It may not be right away, maybe not even in this lifetime. But we are promised that He will exalt us and make us heirs to the Kingdom of God. Isn't that worth our humility now?