The Power of Music

Psalm 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 

To say that I love music would be a severe understatement. I am passionate about it. Music is such a huge and important part of my life, I can't imagine what my day to day life would look without it. (Just look at the name of my blog! :)

Whether I am driving, washing dishes, cleaning, doing laundry, cooking, working out, writing, reading, or just lying on my bed thinking, I will usually have music playing, or be singing myself. Just ask my family...it is a part of just about every waking moment of my day. ;)

Music is fascinating, powerful, and entirely underestimated by many people. Let me say it again, because it is so true:

Music. Has. Power.

Music can inspire, encourage, and brighten a day. Conversely, it can cause depression, frustration, stress, and dark thoughts when used for evil. My entire mood can be changed for better or worse, depending on what music I am around. Don't get me wrong, I am always responsible to act and react in a Godly way, no matter the surroundings. However, music has such a great propensity to affect even the little areas of life!

Because music holds such power, we need to be very, very careful with it. The Almighty Himself is musical; He proves it in the nearly 600 Scripture references to songs, singing, music, instruments, and musicians. Music is a good and holy thing when used in a Godly manner. 

However, for every good thing God has given us, Satan has made an evil counterfeit. So called "Contemporary Christian Music", or "Christian Rock", or any other form of worldly music tweaked the tiniest bit to sound spiritual, is not Christian. In any way, shape, or form. I'm being blunt here, but it's true. When all you do is take the world's fleshly music and change the words, there is no difference. I have seen videos of "Christian" concerts, that literally looked like a heavy metal performance. NO discernible difference, except you could maybe catch a random reference to God scattered through all the screaming, pounding thrashing drummers, and lights wild enough to give you an instantaneous migraine. It's really sad to me that so many Christians are fooled into thinking this is right and good. In Isaiah 5:20, it says, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" What better example of this verse than music that feeds the old man, the unregenerate flesh, and calls it a holy thing!

As followers of Christ, it is our responsibility to discern between good and evil. To walk in the Spirit, not in the flesh. I realize that many who are deceived by the modern "Christian" music movement are sincere in trying to worship God. However, you can be sincere in doing something, but be sincerely wrong in doing it. Music is something that has led many people astray, because it is important to us as humans. We are made in the image of God, and God loves music. Because of that, we are born with an innate appreciation for beautiful melodies and harmonies. Just watch a small child when there is music playing. They will almost always be wiggling or singing or banging along! Music is so close to our hearts that it's easy to become caught up in the emotional side of it without stopping to think about whether or not it is truly honoring to God. 

An interesting thing to consider about the relationship between music and the way we were created by God: Just as God has three parts (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost), so we have three parts--Spirit, Soul, and Body. The melody (tune) of music appeals to the spirit, the harmony (chords) to the soul, and the rhythm (beat) to the body. Satan's counterfeit godly music is dominated by the rhythm. The goal is to stimulate the flesh, not the soul or the spirit. True Godly music does have a rhythm, (obviously! ;), but it is not rhythm dominant. The goal of Godly music is to bring glory and praise to God, and to refresh and uplift the spirit. (Not the flesh). 

Here are some important questions to ask yourself, with an open heart, about the music you listen to on a regular basis:
1. Does the Holy Spirit lead you to listen to this music? Rom. 8:14
2. Can you pray while listening to this music? 1 Thess. 5:17
3. Does it bring glory to God? 1 Cor. 10:31
4. Does it offend other Christians or cause them to stumble in any way? 1 Cor. 8:13
5. Does this music appeal to the flesh, or to the soul and spirit? What draws you to it? Rom. 8:5
6. Does this music create Godly joy in your life? Isaiah 51:11
7. Would you be comfortable letting your pastor, your parents, and the most Godly Christians you know sit down and listen to this music? (Wow, that's a hard hit!) Heb. 13:17, Prov. 24:6
8. What doctrines are being taught through this music? Titus 2:1

It is my sincere hope that you will prayerfully consider these thoughts. Please know that my purpose was not to offend anyone through this post, but if you are offended...maybe there might be something you need to change? Believe me, I KNOW this is a delicate subject, and it can be difficult to let go of long-held beliefs (or lack thereof), on the subject of what is or is not Godly music. I have faced struggles with this at various times in my life, and sometimes it is not easy even to discuss it with people, because it seems that there are so many different opinions on the topic! However, in James 1:5 God promises that He will give His wisdom to those who ask for it with unwavering faith. He will guide and direct your steps! 

May the music we listen to, write, sing, and play be a source of encouragement and blessing to everyone around us. Especially The God who created music for us to enjoy!
Mykaela

Lovely Sayings: August 31, 2017

Hello, all you wonderful people!
I have read some articles on a blog by a young lady named Moriah lately, and one of her blog series stuck out to me. She calls it "Sweet Saturday Sayings", and publishes a post every week with a bunch of beautiful quotes and sayings about various and sundry topics. 

I thought I would steal her idea (because what would the blogging world be without some honest plagiarism? ;P). I don't think it will be every week, but I do have a LOT of good quotes saved on my Pinterest boards and around my house, etc. My life is surrounded by words. Different fonts, colors, and hundreds of phrases of joy fill the walls of my room. So why not start a little blog series that hopefully will bless you all in the same way? :) Disclaimer: I do not own any of these images, and though I don't know if I can give credit to the original creator on every one, I hope it's ok if I'm simply showing them on my non-monetized blog. ;P Here are some quotes to brighten your long weekend up even more! ;) (By the way, my comments on each image are underneath the quote, not above. Sometimes it's hard when there is a row of images and words to figure out which one I'm referencing. ;)

Isn't this one lovely? The hands of Almighty God...wow. It makes me think of Isaiah, where it says that He holds the waters in the palm of His hand. :)

This one blows me away. I have no words. :O

So very true. <3

I need to take this to heart and practice it every day. Thoughts have power!! 

I try not to open my phone before I open my Bible, but it is a definite conscious decision that has to be made every day to put God first!

This is from Ann Voskamp, whom I don't agree with on everything, but my goodness...that lady has a gift with words. And some of her quotes are so beautiful they can bring tears to my eyes. :')

So good!

Hopefully this one is big enough to read...this is incredibly true. As an ENFP, I have to struggle against letting emotions or feelings become things that I rely on too much. That is a dangerous game!

How important prayer is!

And finally, one of my favorite quotes of all time. I want to write a song with this phrase soon. :) 

I hope you all enjoyed this post!! Let me know what you think...should I do more like it? Also, if you have a favorite quote or verse, send me an image or just tell me what it is and I'll try to include it in the next quotes post! :) Hope you all have a great weekend!

Mykaela

What Does God Think of Us?

Psalm 103:12-14 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

I wish I had some good, clever, or valid excuse as to why I haven't posted anything in the last two weeks, but all I can say is two words. Writer's block. You thought that was just for novelists or people who write all day every day? Yeah, well, it's not. ;P I've had it for a little while now, so bear with me. :)

I was reading these verses the other night, and thinking about them in a new way. As far as the east is from the west...how far exactly is that? Well, as my littlest brothers are very fond of saying: "It's infinity far!!" You can go east for ever and ever, without ever coming to a point where you are going west, and vice versa! That's a pretty long way. And that's how far He removed our sins from us when we came to Him through Christ for salvation! They can never be retrieved. We can never again be blamed for them because they are under the blood of Christ.

A lot of people have a completely twisted idea of God. They have this thinking that God is some kind of dictator sitting in heaven just waiting anxiously for us to mess up, so He can punish us for our sin. Nothing in this world could be farther from the truth! For those of us who are saved, we are the children of God. You are His child. If you are striving with all your heart to walk in His ways, living in the fear of The Lord, and trusting Him to guide you into the path of truth, God is not just waiting to blast you into a cinder!! He pities, supports, loves, and upholds you. He knows the weakness of your flesh, the struggles you face, the temptations that at times seem overwhelming...because he went through all of that too. Hebrews 2:18 says, "For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted." What an encouraging thing to realize--that God knows what we're going through!

Please note: With this being said, I am not in any way downplaying the justice or holiness of God. Yes, God loves and pities us, but He is also perfect in righteousness and does not take sin lightly. Neither should we. Just wanted to make that clear.

In all the many distractions swirling through our lives, please let's not lose sight of the fact that God wants to have sweet fellowship with us. Would you go entire weeks or months, (or even days!), without ever communicating in any way with your very best friend? Think about that. No texts, no calls, no sending them a fun pin or post you found. Nothing. For most of us, that sounds terrible, because we love our friends and family, and want to communicate and spend time with them! So why should it be ANY different with the One who saved us from spiritual death, promised us life eternal with Him, carries us safely through each day, showers us with constant, moment-by-moment blessings...the list goes on! How can we "not have time" for God?! Let's just step back a bit more, and walk with Him. Go to a quiet place alone, and sit down with your Bible and a notebook, and just be still. No phone, no distractions, just communication with The Lord. (Aren't you glad you can talk to Him instantaneously, no technology needed? ;) I guarantee you that no moment spent at The Saviour's feet will be wasted. Have a wonderful weekend! Love,
Mykaela

Be Not Weary...

2 Thessalonians 3:13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

"May I never grow so weary with fighting this daily battle that my sword falls from my hand. May I never become like so many around me--complacent, content to dabble in the mud at the foot of the holy mount, instead of pressing step by step to the summit. May I instead be like a strong, thriving tree, pointing others to heaven. Like the moon, brilliantly reflecting the sun of my Saviour's righteousness. May I be a warrior, valiantly struggling against the enemies of the truth. May I be a lamb, meekly accepting instruction and enduring persecution and suffering, with the knowledge that I am ever in The Good Shepherd's hands. May I live passionately, fervently, in sweet communion with my King, not caring for the opinion of others. May I live so victoriously that those around me will glorify God because of my life. May I pour out my time, my energy, my talents, my desires, my very life at the feet of Christ, allowing Him to use them as He will. May my heart never be wandering or distracted, but instead fixed solely on performing the will of The One who redeemed me. May it never be said of me or any other true follower of Jesus, that I became weary in well doing."

~~Anonymous

Just wanted to share this with you all. I pray you each have a blessed day in The Lord's house tomorrow, and a great week to come! Let's start off the week in praise to God! :) 

Mykaela

Sunday Snippets: Feeling The Joys and Sorrows

Romans 12:15  Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Ok, so I have posted about this verse before, and with a very similar topic line. (You can read that post here.)  I just thought it was important enough to reiterate. :) 

Empathy. An often misunderstood and misused word. A lot of people think that empathy and sympathy are one and the same, but just because they sound similar does not mean they are the same thing! That's like thinking that bricks and sticks are the same because they have some of the same letters. ;) Here is a story to illustrate the difference between the two. 

Once upon a time, a hedgehog was walking through the woods, feeling very down in the dumps. She was crying as she walked along, so much so that she missed the hole in front of her in the path! She tumbled in and landed with a plop. This of course made her day a whole lot brighter. Not. Along came a squirrel, carrying a new rope ladder for his tree house, and seeing her crying in the hole, looked sadly down upon her. "Ooh, that looks really dark and scary down there!", the squirrel said. "You must be super sad to be crying like that...I feel so bad for you! Want a sandwich, or a lollipop maybe? No? K, well, I'll be seeing you...Hope things clear up soon!" Shaking his head, the squirrel continued down the path. Soon, a chipmunk arrived on the scene, also carrying a new rope ladder. Instead of gazing sorrowfully into the gap, he let down the ladder, and descended to the floor of the hole. He sat down next the hedgehog. "It's dark and scary down here.", he said, his eyes filling with tears at her distress. "I can see that it's been a very hard day for you. The ladder is over there when you need it, but I'm going to stay with you until you're ready."

This is just a silly story, and probably not the clearest illustration either, but do you see the difference? Sympathy looks at the suffering of others with sadness. Empathy is having the suffering of others in your own heart! Feeling their pain, so to speak. Not just giving condolences or a clap on the back and walking off. 

This verse about rejoicing with those who rejoice, and weeping with those who weep, is one that is short but packs a punch. Do we do this as much as we should? I think a lot of times we are afraid of showing a lot of emotion (whether joy or sorrow), for fear of being thought overly sensitive or babyish. And while we do need to be careful not to let emotions rule us, I think there are way too many people who are not willing to empathize with others like the Bible commands. 

Empathy is not just feeling others' suffering, though...it's feeling their joy, too! What is wrong with laughing and rejoicing with someone who just got good news or had something wonderful happen? For goodness' sake, if you can't do that, you need to loosen up a little! Or a lot, actually! ;) There have been times that I have been super excited about something, and couldn't wait to tell someone I loved. And then when I told them, it was kind of...meh. They were glad for me, but it didn't really mean anything to them. Okay, I get it if my passion is not your thing. That's fine! Everyone is different, which is wonderful. However, if I am passionate about something, you could try to have the slightest bit of joy with me about it! ;) Maybe I am just getting on a soapbox here, but my point is that we need to quit being such fuddy-duddy stick in the muds that we can't empathize with those around us. As an old pastor friend of ours used to say:

"Y'all look like you've done been baptized in pickle juice!!"

Let's get rid of the pickle juice, ok? :) The next time someone needs you, don't just offer them a sandwich and move on. Get down in that dark place with them. Cry with them. Laugh with them. Pray that God will give you the words and ability to be a Christlike friend to that person. God will bless you for it! 

I hope you all have a good week! Is it snowy where you live? We have about 6 inches here, and it is gorgeous!!! :) I'm dreaming of a white Christmas... ;)

Mykaela

Sunday Snippets: What Could Go Wrong?

Proverbs 3:5-7 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

I apologize for the very late post today--I had my wisdom teeth out on Friday (you can see the aftermath here ;), and have not felt up to doing much over the past couple days. 

These verses are very famous, at least verses 5 and 6 are, and they get talked about a lot. I think this is one of those passages (like John 3:16), that we tend to overlook or undervalue, because we have heard it so many times. Also, verse 7 is almost never included when these verses are quoted. :/

This past week, I faced a big decision, one that will change my everyday life quite a lot if it comes to pass. It was one of those things where I kept praying and praying about it, and eventually had to just step out in faith, do what I can, and pray that if it's God's will for it to happen, He'll line it up for me. 

So many times in life we agonize over choices. Whether it is a move, a job, a health decision, a sacrifice, etc., we tend to overthink things a LOT. Is that trusting in the Lord with all our hearts? Or is that leaning on our own understanding? 

Think about a choice that you are facing, big or small, and let me ask you this: If God wants a certain thing to happen in your life, can you mess it up? Yes, you can. If you are not walking in The Spirit, and are not trying to follow God and His Word, then He is not going to bless you, but rather chastise you, if you're His child. 

However, if you are following verse 7, fearing The Lord and departing from evil, you cannot mess things up!! Isn't that a really comforting thought? When you are walking in the footsteps of The Saviour day by day, you are not going to stop God's will from happening in your life! 

God knows what He is doing. As cliche as that might sound, it is so true. All you can do is pray that He will keep you walking close to Him, and He will lead in every pathway that comes up. Until then just rest in Him! Trust that He has a plan that's way better than anything you can lay out in your own feeble mind! :) 

I realize this post may be a bit disjointed, and again, I apologize...I hope I made at least a little bit of sense. Have a wonderful week, everyone!
Mykaela

Sunday Snippets: Through The Word in 30 Days?!

Ezra 7:10 "For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments."

Psalm 119:16 "I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word."

Joshua 1:8 "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."

So this month I have been reading through The Bible in 30 days. Today is Day 12, and I am actually ahead of schedule by a few chapters. It has definitely been a challenge and a blessing! I've never read it in shorter than a year before, so it feels kind of crazy. ;) Today I'd like to voice my thoughts on what I've learned from reading God's Word in so short a space of time. 

1. You get a really nice "big picture" or overview.
I was kind of expecting that reading through so quickly would make my comprehension go down quite a bit. Maybe it has in some ways, but at the same time, when you read about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the formation of the nation of Israel ALL in one day, it's really cool to then read about their journeys as a people the next day, and have all the recent history fresh in your mind, so to speak. It's been great to get a vision of the whole thread of God's narrative throughout the Bible, and all the symbolism pointing to Christ, from the very beginning. 

2. It takes dedication.
When I started this, I really did not want to begin it and then fizzle out three or four days in. I wanted to see it through all the way. Praise God I have been able to do so thus far, (and Lord willing I'll be able to finish it), but it has definitely taken a lot of time and dedication. If you want to do something like this, you have to be determined: it doesn't happen by accident. This being said...

3. It is so, so good to spend more time in God's Word.
It takes me around 2 hours a day, cumulatively, to finish the section. As a result, I have not had as much time to spend browsing Pinterest, reading other books, or wasting time in various other ways. And it has been really, really good for me! The self discipline of choosing what is more important, God's Word or my "fun time", has helped me to refocus my priorities instead of doing my own thing. 

4. God manifests Himself so clearly in EVERY book of The Bible. 
So many times we tend to skip over the long genealogies in Chronicles, or the preparations for the tabernacle, etc., but honestly...every word of God is pure! Throughout His Word, God manifests His glory and love for His people. The fact that God wanted them to live for Him and only Him, turning completely away from other gods and people groups that hated the true God; in everything He displays the great compassion and love He has for those who choose to serve Him faithfully. 

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I would highly recommend that you at least pray about going through The Bible in a shorter period of time soon. Even if it's 40 days, or two months, or whatever...it's really been eye opening to me, and I think you would be blessed by it as well! :) If you do decide to do it, let me know and we can keep each other accountable! I think accountability truly can help so much with things like this. And whether you decide to read the whole Bible through right away or not, do try to spend more time in The Word...time spent with God is never wasted! God bless you all this week!

Mykaela

Sunday Snippets: Thankful on the Wonderful Days

Deuteronomy 8:11-14 "Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage..."

We've got a bit of a longer passage today, but I encourage you to read it carefully. Let's break it down and analyze it a little bit. In these verses, God is giving us a solemn warning, signified by the term "beware". When anyone says beware, it's usually best to listen, but when the God of the universe says it, you absolutely better hold everything and pay attention. 

So what is God warning us of? In verse 14, it tells us: the warning is against us becoming lifted up in pride and forgetting The Lord who has done so much for us. Wow. In the verses following, it lists some of the things that God has done for the children of Israel. Since we are applying it to ourselves today, let's list some of the things He has done for us. 

Are you on your way to heaven? Has God given you a family and friends? Do you have a roof over your head, clothing on your back, and food to eat? Do you have a means of income, however small? Do you have a church? My guess is that most of us are blessed with all of this and a whole lot more. The God who gave us all these incredible benefits, and holds our very existence in His hands...surely we couldn't forget Him, right?! Obviously God would not be warning us against this grave sin unless it were possible for it to happen!

Now that we have established this, when are we in the most danger of falling into this trap? When bad things happen, maybe? Or when our pockets are empty and we don't know how we are going to pay the rent or buy dinner? 

No. 

No, this awful error of pridefully turning our backs on God will become a temptation in a completely different time. A time when everything is going our way! When we have lots of money in our checking account, delicious food overflowing the pantry and fridge, and extra time to spend vacationing, hanging out with friends, and relaxing. In short, when all is right with our world, so to speak. 

In those great days, when the sun is sparkling down on us, is when God says to beware; to watch and be so cautious. Because it's at that time that we can become complacently lifted up in our own pride...we can begin to think that it's of our own goodness or strength that we were able to get these things! And from there, it is a slippery slope downhill. Eventually, we could be led completely away from following God, who is the One who poured these blessings on us in the first place! Oh what a black day it would be for a Christian to turn their back on God as they revel in His gifts! 

So how can we fight against this happening to us? In the verse before this particular passage, it tells us: "When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee." We combat the sin of unthankfulness and pride by blessing God's name! Every single day of our lives, whether we wake up to sunshine or rain, we need to be praising God for the blessings He has given us. I don't care how bad you think you have it, I can promise you that if you're God's child, He has not abandoned you, and if you look for it, you will see that you have so much more to be thankful for than you think! Be careful...be so, so careful to never stop worshipping at The Saviour's feet, whether your wallet is full or empty. Spend time in His Word, listening to what He has to say. Serve Him with your whole heart. And if He has you rich or poor physically at this time in your life, you can always become more rich in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

Thanksgiving is coming up, what are you most thankful for? I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Mykaela

Sunday Snippets: Male and Female...Born That Way After All! (Guest Post)

Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."

Matthew 19:4, 12 "And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, [...] For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it."

Today I am excited to have another guest post! I haven't done a guest post in some time, so I am grateful to my wonderful dad (Papa ;) for guest posting today. This topic is very important to me, and is something that is usually either grossly mis-taught, or worse, not talked about at all in many of today's churches. The hatred of action and words that flow out of many of today's Christians concerning this matter should be a cause of great shame. If you want to know more about anything talked about in this post, please contact me (mkmcdpiano@gmail.com) or go to Born That Way or Josh Agan for more information. This Page, (Also written by my dad) goes into more detail as well. 

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There is a lot of emphasis today upon the subject of "transgender people." Proponents of transgenderism, the homosexual lifestyle, and the "transgender community" make it clear that they do not agree with the biblical definition of marriage, male, female, and other terms used in the Bible that violate their beliefs concerning these issues. How should a Christian respond? What should our mindset be? As Bible believers, we state that the Bible is our sole authority for faith and practice. Do we use it to guide our thoughts and words in relation to these topics?

It is clear from Scripture that God created us male and female. Organizations like Glaad (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) try to tell us that sex (the classification of people as male or female) is something that is assigned at birth and is based upon the physical characteristics of the infant. They then state that it is actually a combination of many different factors (hormones, chromosomes, etc.). However, we merely recognize sex at birth not assign it at that time. A baby, from the time of conception, is male or female. Psalm 139:14-16 tells us that God knew ALL of our members (even those related to our sex) when we were still in the womb, and that we grew according to the plan that God had for our bodies (our DNA). The very fabric of our being establishes who we are, whether male or female.

Many though, do not feel they "fit" society's definition of a male or female, so they must be a homosexual or a transgender. What they do not understand, and what most Christians do not understand, is that society's definition is not God's definition. To be a male does not mean that one will have an intimate desire for women, and to be a female does not mean that one will have a desire to be a wife and mother. Not everyone will possess a desire (in an intimate manner) for the opposite sex. God has created some without that desire. The Bible describes them as eunuchs "so born from their mother's womb" (Matthew 19:12).

When one is born without this desire, it does not mean that they have a desire for the same sex, but our current culture automatically declares it an either/or situation. The Bible describes homosexual desires as unnatural and inconvenient (Romans 1). 

Believers attempt to force society's definition upon others as well, and when someone feels "different," and acts "different," we look down our noses at them. Generally not accepted by believers, these souls find acceptance with open arms by the gay community. We have allowed the world, with its depraved mentality, to define the terms. And we wonder why the battle for society (and for our children, who are entering the gay community at an alarming rate) seems to have a bleak future.
Those created by God without sexual desire are in a position to serve Him in a very special way, without the "distraction” that those desires create. We need to recognize the special gifts God has given to each of us, utilize those gifts, and allow these individuals to serve in the capacity they were intended. Let us recognize God's created order of male and female, but not put a worldly definition upon what those terms mean. Above all, be thankful for how He created you, and fulfill that role in a godly, Christ-honoring way.

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Thank you again to my dad for writing today's guest post. :) He is such a Godly example to me in my Christian walk. I hope you all have a blessed week filled with service to The Lord!

Mykaela

Sunday Snippets: Why All the Trials?

Numbers 11:11a And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant?

I want to share with you a short devotional that I read the other day, by C.H. Spurgeon. It really touched my heart, and I hope it is an encouragement to you as well. So many times we ask God this question. "Why am I being afflicted? What's the purpose of this trial? What have I done wrong?" Sometimes trials are for the purpose of correcting us, but I think more often they are not. They are to grow and refine us! Anyway, here is the devotional. :)

"Our heavenly Father sends us frequent troubles to try our faith. If our faith be worth anything, it will stand the test. Gilt is afraid of fire, but gold is not: the paste gem dreads to be touched by the diamond, but the true jewel fears no test. It is a poor faith which can only trust God when friends are true, the body full of health, and the business profitable: but that is true faith which holds by the Lord's faithfulness when friends are gone, when the body is sick, when spirits are depressed, and the light of our Father's countenance is hidden. A faith which can say, in the direst trouble, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him," is heaven-born faith. 

The Lord afflicts His servants to glorify Himself, for He is greatly glorified in the graces of His people, which are His own handiwork. When "tribulation worketh patience; and patience experience; and experience, hope," the Lord is honoured by these growing virtues. We should never know the music of the harp if the strings were left untouched; nor enjoy the juice of the grape if it were not trodden in the wine-press; nor discover the sweet perfume of cinnamon if it were not pressed and beaten; nor feel the warmth of fire if the coals were not utterly consumed. The wisdom and power of the great Workman are discovered by the trials through which His vessels of mercy are permitted to pass. 

Present afflictions tend also to heighten future joy. There must be shades in the picture to bring out the beauty of the lights. Could we be so supremely blessed in heaven if we had not known the curse of sin and the sorrow of earth? Will not peace be sweeter after conflict, and rest more welcome after toil? Will not the recollection of past sufferings enhance the bliss of the glorified? There are many other comfortable answers to the question of our text, let us muse upon it all the day long."

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Psalm 119:67 says, "Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word." Let's remember that when trials come, we need to lean on The Lord and trust that He is bringing about our growth and His glory! Don't let your trials make you bitter. God knows what He is doing! I hope you all have a wonderful week! :)

Mykaela

Sunday Snippets: Guess Who Has Moved!

Jeremiah 29:12-13 "Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart."

1 Chronicles 16:11 "Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually."

Isaiah 55:6-7 "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

I heard a quote recently that gave me pause. I can't remember who said it, or I would give credit, but anyway it wasn't me. ;) They said, "If you feel far from God, guess who's moved!" 

Wow.

If I feel far from God...who has moved? Obviously if two people or things were once close, and they are now apart from each other, one or both of them has moved. We know for an absolute fact from God's Word that He NEVER changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So if I am far from God, He has not moved. I have.

More times than I can count, when I realize that my daily devotions are slipping, I shove the thought aside, thinking things will get better on their own. Stupid, Mykaela!! What I fail to think about is, if I'm not seeking God with my whole heart, how will my spiritual life improve?? Do I think that somehow I will magically draw near to God once more, when I am making no effort to do so? 

The verse in 1 Chronicles says we are to seek His face "continually". What is something else we have to do continually? The first thought that popped into my head was breathing. Can we just decide one day that breathing isn't that much of a priority...we can put it off for a couple hours with no harm done. Uh, no. That ain't gonna work, folks. 

Our walk with God should be just as important to us, if not more so, than our daily life-giving things like breathing, eating, hydrating our bodies, and resting. After all, Who is it that gives us the ability and strength to do these things? We are not guaranteed anything in this life. It is of The Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, for His mercies are new every morning. Did you ever notice in that verse how it says "every morning"? The Lord doesn't put off telling our bodies to wake out of sleep and have the strength to even get out of bed. Why do we refuse to seek the face of The One who gives us all things richly to enjoy?

It takes a conscious effort to draw near to God. He waits for us with open arms, like a Father asking His child to come; but we must run into His arms of our own volition. He is not going to force us to pursue close, sweet fellowship with Him. 

When we return from our selfish wanderings with repentant hearts, God will never refuse us His love! He will abundantly pardon our iniquities. All we have to do is turn from sin and call on His name. We tend to complicate everything, and yet it's as simple as crying out to our Father in the silence of our own hearts! God can do more in a moment's time to restore and make things right than we could do in a hundred years of trying in our own strength. 

We cannot live Godly without God. The very words are a contradiction. Without Him, we are nothing. 

Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. (Hosea 6:1)

Mykaela

Sunday Snippets: Liberty in Christ...a Free Pass to Live it Up?

Galatians 5:13 "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another."

Once upon a recent time, in a land that lies very close to all of us, there lived a young woman. We will call her Jill. Jill grew up in a Christian home, and repented of her sin and turned to Christ for salvation as a child. During her teen years, however, Jill began to feel that her parents were way too strict and stuck up about this faith stuff. She mostly just went to church so she could hang out with her friends in youth group. Plus it was nice to have that routine on Sundays. She could check off her good deed for the week. Once she started going to college, she kind of left off with the church deal...I mean after all, she did lots of nice things to make up for it.

One day, Jill decided to try out a local assembly, since she didn't have any previous plans for that particular Sunday morning. As she drove into the parking lot of Bubbly Springs of Overflowing Happiness Church, Jill was already getting the feel-good vibes, and she loved it! People were smiling, there was a nice coffee and donut shop right inside the front door, the music was super trendy, with just enough reference to God that you could maybe guess that it was supposed to be a Christian song, not a rock song. As the pastor stood up to preach, he instructed the congregation to turn their eyes to the projector screen, where Galatians 5:1 was outlined in front of a gorgeous nature photo. Being careful not to reference the context of the passage, Pastor Stan the Man read off the text: "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." 

During the following eighteen minute sermon, Jill's previous thoughts were totally confirmed...Since she now had her ticket to heaven, everything was permissible!!! She could live however she wanted to. She could do, say, eat, and drink whatever her flesh desired. In fact, she should glory in her liberty, and not let anyone bring her into the bondage of cumbersome standards or principles again. This was amazing!! Jill was beyond thrilled as she left the building. No more following endless rules and regulations for her! 

She began to live it up...drinking, partying, relationships--she had freedom in Christ! She wore whatever was all the rage, with no regard for any kind of modesty. She listened to the latest bands and artists, reveling in the way their music made her feel. If any well-meaning friend happened to mention that maybe she should think about trying to live for God a little more, Jill was quick to blow their self-righteousness out of the water. Who did they think they were?! She reminded them sharply of the fact that she was a Christian, but that Jesus had freed her--and they could just take their legalistic, old fashioned ideas elsewhere. 

Years passed. Jill married, had a successful career, and raised two kids who were allowed to do just exactly what they wanted. Jill never quite understood why John and Susie didn't turn out like she would have liked them to: after all, she and her husband gave them everything a kid could want! Oh, well, if they were happy, that's all that mattered. Jill grew older, retired, had grandkids, and one day, she became ill. Surrounded by her family, Jill died. And a moment later, she stood before the Creator of the Universe, Jesus Christ.

Jill looked on The One who gave her life, and hung her head. She had nothing. Nothing to show for the years He had given her on this earth. She realized now that as she had used her liberty in Christ as an occasion to the flesh, she had wasted the one most precious thing she had--to bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ. God had created her with one purpose, and one purpose only, and she had turned away from it so she could enjoy the things this world had to offer. In pursuing wealth, love, accomplishments, praise of man, bigger and better cars and houses, and entertainment, Jill had rejected the sacrifice Christ had made. The sacrifice He had made not only to set her free from the law and the second death, but to give her the power to serve Him with her whole heart!

Jill entered heaven with no crowns to lay at her Saviour's feet. Will you do the same?

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I realize this was a bit of a sad story. I don't want to be a downer, but I'm going to be honest. I know a Jill. In fact, I know quite a lot of Jills. They waltz through life with the mindset that since they now have their ticket out of hell, they can live the good life and squeak into heaven by the skin of their teeth, so to speak. But they never realize the heartache it will be to live without fulfilling God's glorious purpose for their lives, and then enter His rest with not one treasure laid up in heaven. 

I implore you to think carefully about this. Are you living every day with the realization that you are a Child of the Most High God? Are you bringing Him glory? Or is God just Someone you might think about on Sunday morning as you cross off your mandatory church attendance box? May none of us be guilty of living like this!

Mykaela

Sunday Snippets: But for the Grace of God, There Go I

2 Kings 8:10-13 And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the LORD hath shewed me that he shall surely die. And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept. And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child. And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria."

A bit of a longer passage today, but this is a very interesting and sad story, with a serious application to our lives. The background is, the king sent this servant, named Hazael, to ask Elisha if he would recover from a sickness. Elisha told the servant that the king would surely die. After he delivered this news, Elisha the man of God began to weep as he looked on the servant, Hazael. His heart broke as he contemplated the future, showed him by God. He told Hazael that he would become a heartlessly cruel man, doing violence and evil throughout Syria. As Elisha described these horrors, Hazael was shocked and offended by the mere suggestion that he would ever do such a thing. The words, "Is thy servant a dog...?" shows just how disgusted he was by the picture Elisha had painted; in Israel it was the deepest of insults to call someone a dog. Hazael thought that he would never, ever sink so low as to commit such great sin. Let's look at what happened in the next passage.

2 Kings 8:14-15 "So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou shouldest surely recover. And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead."

First mistake: when Hazael returned to the king, he told him that he would recover from his sickness, even though Elisha had expressly told him otherwise. Then, the very next day, Hazael must have decided the king was taking too long to die, and he suffocated him! What?? He had just been adamantly protesting the idea that he could do such things! Hazael then went on to do exactly what Elisha had predicted, becoming an evil and cruel ruler.

I heard a message on this passage years ago, and it has stuck with me ever since. Do you know what Hazael's problem was? He looked at certain sins, and said "I am above that. I could never do such a thing." How many times do we do this? Do we hear a story about some pastor's child that jumped off the deep end, maybe running off with a boyfriend or getting deeply involved in drugs or alcohol...do we hear stories like this and gasp, "I could never do that!!!" No. I'm sorry. You could, and you would if you got the chance and the temptation. We all would. We are not above ANYTHING. I am not above anything. There is no sin that I could not fall into, without the overwhelming love and grace of God that prevents me. Without Him, I am nothing. So when I look at someone else's sin with disgust, and the attitude that I am better than they...what am I thinking?? 

My immediate response when I hear a story such as the examples above should be these two things:

1. Pray for the person who has fallen. Pray that their eyes would be opened and their hearts softened to repent and return to The Lord.

2. Pray that God in His mercy would keep me from falling into the same sin, realizing that it is 100% possible without His help. 

We must look to The Lord and Him alone for strength to resist temptation of all kinds. "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to presentyou faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen." (Jude 24-25)

Have a blessed week!

Mykaela

Sunday Snippets: Searching the Scriptures...

Here I am in Oklahoma, with my awesome friend, Kimberly!! I am so excited about being able to visit with her for about 10 days...we are going to have a blast. :) Since we are together, and it is a Sunday, we thought it would be fun to write today's Sunday Snippet together! We'll be talking about some of our favorite verses/passages, and why they are special to us. Hope you all enjoy! (P.S. The initials delineate who is speaking. In case anyone was in the dark on that. ;)

M: Psalm 18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

I love this verse because each description of The Lord is so applicable to our everyday lives. He is our Rock to stand on, our fortress to hide in when trouble comes, and our deliverer from temptation. He is the Great I Am! It's a very all-encompassing verse.

K: 2 Chronicles 14:11 And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.

This verse reminds me of the absolute power and trustworthiness of the LORD. I turn to this verse when I feel like I'm facing a wall of trouble or fear or defeat, myself. I love resting in the boldness of this verse, and reiterating Asa's prayer for myself and my own battles. 

M: Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

When we are witnessing to others, whether a person on a bench in the park, or a neighbor we know well, God's Word is NEVER wasted. When you plant the seed of Scripture, it will accomplish what God wants it to, no matter whether you are eloquent or not! For me, this is encouraging when I feel like I "messed up" during a witnessing conversation. It's never a failure if the Word of God was presented!

K: Zechariah 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

Hardly a day goes by when I don't need this reminder! Sometimes I deceive myself into thinking that I might be able to persuade somebody into Salvation or a specific conviction, or something like that, and this verse brings me back to the reality that I am nothing. God doesn't need me. I need Him. None of my fleshly efforts will work if His Spirit is not in it. 

M: Colossians 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

This verse is special to me because it reiterates the principle that we are all one in Christ Jesus. Rich or poor, small or big, physical appearance doesn't matter...there are no social barriers within the family of God. It breaks down every wall of class and distinction that we as foolish men have built between ourselves. True Christianity unites men in one glorious purpose--to honor and serve their Creator.

K: Matthew 5:14-16 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

In this day and age, more wicked than any the earth has produced before, I find this increasingly applicable. Darkness is nothing; darkness is only an absence of light. It has to be pretty dark for one little candle to light up an entire house. The world is pretty dark today. Let us be candles, and together be cities. Let us not be afraid of being called out or held to a higher standard; let us use this opportunity to shine for Christ that they might glorify our Father in Heaven, as they might never do if it were any lighter out. 

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There are so many more verses we could have done...we cut it down for the sake of length. ;) What are some of your favorite passages? Leave a comment and let me know! Have a wonderful week!

Mykaela

Sunday Snippets: Come and Dine!

Isaiah 55: 1 "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."

As you all have probably already guessed, I love Isaiah a lot. Every time I read through it, or even just scan all the verses I’ve previously marked, it is SUCH a good book!! So many encouraging and uplifting verses, each of them deserves their own post. This one is so beautiful to me…The Lord is calling to those who are thirsting for Him. He offers them beautiful, satisfying blessings—without money and without price. These people, who have nothing to give, nothing to offer, and He offers them His abundance in return? Wow. This is such a testimony to the everlasting love of God. 

It makes me think of myself before salvation. I came to God with NOTHING to offer Him. All my righteousnesses were as filthy rags. Filthy Rags!! Go to any hospital, and go to the laundry ward. There are some pretty seriously filthy rags there. And I am telling you, they are not pleasant. But that's all that my "good deeds" were before salvation. Paul said that, "In me, (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing..." There was nothing good in me. 

Notice how it says COME YE to the waters. God doesn't ever drag us to the springs of living water and force our faces into them for us to drink. It's our choice. We just have to ask Him.

When we come to God with nothing, asking to partake in His mercy and grace, He will fulfill our needs abundantly. Not just with some old moldy bread and tepid water... No!! Wine (Fruit of the vine), and milk, and honey! The fat of the earth! 

The next verse says, "Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness." 

Why do we run around chasing after things that are never going to satisfy our deepest needs? Why would we spend time or money on frivolous amusements that have nothing to do with the bread of life? When will we learn to simply come, ask, and hearken diligently to His righteous commandments? He has offered us innumerable blessings--if we choose to follow His way. Not throwing our relationship with God in as an afterthought to the rest of life that's so much more "enjoyable". Enjoyment does not equal contentment, peace, or true joy. Let's learn to delight ourselves in doing His will with a pure, single minded faithfulness. His rewards will be more fulfilling than you can fathom. Without money, and without price. Priceless. :)
Mykaela 

Sunday Snippets: New Eyes

John 5:39 "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."

So...I don't even know where to start. We've been having a conference at our church, and I promise you I am going to do a post, and possibly a series of posts, on the subjects we've talked about. But right now I can't because my mind has been blown. I've lost count of how many times. I wouldn't be able to formulate a coherent post at all!

I feel like about 1,000 lightbulbs have turned on, my eyes have been opened, and I've seen God's Word in an entirely new perspective. I am not even sure how to articulate, or put into words exactly what God's been doing in my life, but I'll tell you it's amazing. Brother Johnny Nixon and Joshua Agan from Born That Way ministries have been preaching the conference, as well as staying with us...they have been SUCH a huge blessing!!! Just how huge, they may never know! We've all stayed up into the wee hours every night talking, and I have loved every minute of it. 

Today, all I can do is praise God for how He has worked in my life lately, and to encourage you in one thing:

I've been a child of God for over 9 years, and within a few days I have seen things in God's Word that I have read probably hundreds of times and never truly understood. I know The Bible fairly well! Or at least I thought I did. Which is the problem. I think sometimes we get so comfortable with our knowledge level, almost an "I have arrived" attitude, that we miss out on brilliant, beautiful, vital truths that God is wanting us to see from His Word! If for once we would just look at God's Word with open hearts and minds, and a DESIRE to hear new things from Him, we would learn so. much. This week as you read God's Word, try to look at it afresh. Think about the words and phrases, and how God placed them. Nothing is in The Bible on accident!! Not one single word. Ask Him for new eyes to see with. :)
Mykaela