AT JESUS' FEET

http://www.biblewheel.com/

 "Draw me near your presence, oh Lord."  How sweet it is to spend time at the feet of Jesus.  I could just imagine how Mary was drawn at His feet, listening to His stories and insights.  What a privilege that was for Mary who preferred to sit at the floor rather than be like Martha, who had the gift of service and hospitality.  Martha was so busy playing the perfect hostess to Jesus and always on her toes to make him comfortable and fed.  But you, very well know, that although it was never a bad thing to be hospitable to your guest, He was pleased with the child-like, awe-inspired attitude of Mary.  Times to draw near to Jesus, being at His precious feet, was something all of us hunger for.  However, those times, are often-times, given up for other mundane things.

The word of Jesus:

But the Lord answered her “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her”.’
(Read Luke 10:38-42)

I am so thankful to Jesus this morning, for giving me time to draw near Him, down at His feet.  I sat quietly before His awesome presence, just silent and listening.  He made me sing the beautiful songs "Draw Me Near,"  and "I just want to be Where You Are."  What a wonderful time I had and what a gracious privilege to come near Him.  When you feel His righteous hand laid upon your head, you will know that nothing could ever separate us from His love, no nothing....... and His peace, which knows no bounds, will cause you to "be still."

Psalm 46:10 (KJV)

" Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."

"There are times to speak up and take action--but sometimes it's important to just humbly sit back and silently reflect on God's presence. This psalm encourages us to take time to meditate quietly in the assurance that God is in control. "
http://biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ps.46.10&version=NIV

 Times of Refreshing in the presence of Jesus.  Help me, Oh my Lord, to thirst for those times. Amen!

DOWN AT YOUR FEET:  NO HIGHER CALLING

Lenny LeBlanc Greg Gulley Down at Your feet, Oh Lord Is the most high place In Your presence, Lord I seek Your face, I seek your face Chorus There is no higher calling no greater honor Than to bow and kneel before Your throne I'm amazed at Your glory, embraced by Your mercy Oh Lord, I live to worship You Down at Your feet, Oh Lord Is the most high place In Your presence, Lord We seek Your face, we seek your face http://music4christ.cjb.net
	~~~Quote~~~~ Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving. ~ Kahill Gibran (borrowed from Diane's collection@http://warmtheheart.blogspot.com/p/worth-repeating-to-yourself.html)
	Reflections: What did Jesus mean by saying "which will not be taken away" from Mary?  Did He mean the wisdom we can gather when we stop to listen to His words, and in so doing would make us grow stronger in our faith and knowledge of who God is in our life? Did Martha miss a lot of learning opportunities down at Jesus' feet while she was busy doing household chores?  Was the bond that grew between Jesus the teacher and Mary the student more important to Jesus than being fussed over by Martha?

THE MORNING HOUR

Be still and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in truth!

~Psalm 46:10~

THE MORNING HOUR

Alone with God, in quiet peace,

From earthly cares I find release;

New strength I borrow for each day

As there with God, I stop to pray.

Alone with God, my sins confess'd

He speaks in mercy, I am blest.

I know the kiss of pardon free,

I talk to God, He talks to me.

Alone with God no sin between

His lovely face so plainly seen;

My guilt all gone, my heart at rest

With Christ, my Lord, my soul is blest.

Lord, keep my life alone for Thee;

from sin and self, Lord, set me free.

And when no more this earth I trod

They'll say, 'He walked alone with God."

(Author Unknown-I got this from a devotional) 

        I need to walk alone with you, my Lord.  In the early morning hour when the world is still blanketed by the dark, when it is not yet time to rush.  But I also need your help to make this a regular habit.  One that is essential to my being, a requisite to my existence. 

         I must confess to you that this is something I have to master.  I am used to having a time out with God as a midday appointment.  Our office shuts off the lights after having had lunch.  We usually just stay in and take a nap.  I am one who is not used to taking a short nap at midday because I would be too full after having  lunch, so I take this time to read the bible, the devotionals and take a quiet time.  But I so desire to be able to wake up at dawn when the house is quiet and the rush is a few hours away.  Unfortunately, I seldom is able to rise at this hour because I sleep late.  The household chores that needs my attention takes the remaining hours after dinner.  Therefore, if I am to switch into the "morning hour" to have a quiet moment with my Lord, I need a complete body clock change.

        I am claiming this change with my Lord and I need your prayers because I would love to do this.  Today, my Lord woke me up at dawn but I fell asleep again.  It was the exact time that I should arise but my enemy told me that I needed to sleep more, so I failed.  Take note that Jesus was so faithful to wake me.  Was I faithful to myself and my desire to arise early?  Nope.

       To be a good soul-keeper, a regular and specific time to meditate is a must.  I am convicted of this for  a long time now.  Plugging in with God is a must-do prior to the hassles of daily activities.  This way, my mind and heart would be attuned to Him and upon His leading and guidance, which become the order of my day, in everything I'd say and do, and how I would deal with every situation that would come my way.

HOUSEKEEPING-TAKING OUT FILTH FROM MY TONGUE

http://mattstone.blogs.com/photos/christian_art_tattoo/hell-tongue-tattoo.jpg

I do not want to lecture you about this subject.  I am "camping out in the valley" with God in various issues I have with my own tongue.

When I emerge from this one...... which I know would take some time.... as there may be people I need to ask forgiveness from, I will be able to open my mouth or write about it then.  As of this time....... I've got my "little-poisonous-judgemental-tool-of the evil one" part surrendered before the Lord.  Your prayers are most appreciated and necessary for the process I am submitting to.


Some references I am reading, which will help me through this:

• http://www.tenbasicsteps.org/english/obedience/step6l5.htm#

Often the hostility in our hearts reveals itself through our words and actions. The word "tongue" is mentioned ninety-three times in the Bible, often referring to its destructive power:

The lash of the tongue (Job 5:21).

Your sin prompts your mouth; you adopt the tongue of the crafty (Job 15:5).

Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue (Job 20:12).

A deceitful tongue crushes the spirit (Proverbs 15:4).

Their tongue is a deadly arrow (Jeremiah 9:8).

The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell (James 3:6).

No man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison (James 3:8).

• http://www.av1611.org/jmelton/SinsofTongue.html
•  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/Jas/Specific-Dangers-Tongue

There is no amount of testimony I can offer, or write about that is of value, until my own tongue has been tamed by my Lord, repented upon, confessed, forgiven and cleansed.  Forgive me, my dear sisters in Christ, for I am guilty of using my tongue in other forms other than praise, honour  and glory of God.. 

Thank you and may in your prayers, you will include me, for divine intercession.  AMEN

Jumbled Writings: Appointment With Love

Jumbled Writings: Appointment With Love

A House Is Not A Home

            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home (Not to be confused with House)

(My thanks to Wikipedia for the picture of this beautiful house-read its description in the link)

The song A House is Not A Home,

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/luthervandross/ahouseisnotahome.html/ is so popular and it has been sang many times over.  It is the title of my post today because I want to define a house from a home.  Click on the link above to the definition given by wikipedia(with my thanks and my acknowledgement) for it.

A clip from that definition:

"Sometimes, as an alternative to the definition of "home" as a physical locale ("Home is where you hang your hat"), home may be perceived to have no physical location—instead, home may relate instead to a mental or emotional state of refuge or comfort. Popular sayings along these lines are "Home is where the heart is" or "You can never go home again".

Therefore a home is a state of mind, not a particular physical place as opposed to a "house."  A state of belonging wherein a large part of one's life has been lived and spent  in.   A place of nurture and love,  an abode where dreams have been built and achieved or even expired, a dwelling place "where your heart" keeps coming back to.  One that will overshadow other places and be tagged as transient.

Now, let me examine my own body, whether it is a home or an empty shell.  There is another song playing in my mind as I penned "empty shell" down.  It is a song which would divulge how many summers I have existed in this world.  For those among my age-group, I'd like you to link to this song: What Kind of Fool Am I?,  http://www.lyricstime.com/sammy-davis-jr-what-kind-of-fool-am-i-lyrics.html/.  If you are like me, who do not like to go to so many links, here is the second stanza of the song:

"What kind of man is this?
An empty shell-
A lonely cell in which
an empty heart must dwell"

Is my body housing a mind who is in-dwelt by the Holy Spirit and a heart that is ruled by Jesus Christ?  Are they calling it home because I have been nurturing them?  Or are they squeezed in together with the unemptied thrash bins?  I know all the filth that I may have been stacking would never drive Jesus off my heart and my life.  He has knocked, I opened my heart's door and asked Him to come in more than two decades ago.  He came to stay even if He has to stick it out  with the evils I may have inside me.  But has it been a home for Him?

Now, that is something to reckon with and one that I have to traverse in my quest to spiritual housekeeping.  I find myself crawling and I know the journey will be long and narrow.  I am cowering and sometimes I hide under the table.  Even to this writing, I can pinpoint something that I have been struggling with.  Something that has taken hold and perhaps has become a stronghold in my life that makes me a coward to face it and deal with it.  Why did God gave me the word "housekeeping?"  Is the holy spirit groaning inside in discomfort?  He might be less empowered because of these things I am hanging on to.  An idol that is hiding behind love?

Recycle Bin

(Thanks wiki)

Is there someone out there, having a predicament like mine?  We can pray with each other and claim victory over them together.  One day I will be able to conquer it and be able to write about it in detail.  Brokenness and transparency is required to be able to declare God's Victory over our shortcomings.  My wings, will then, be no longer clipped and I could soar to the heavens.

As of today, I am writing for the sake of locating a room in my mind and in my heart that will get the top priority being scrubbed and bathed with the Living Water of Jesus.  If I were to decide, I would tackle first those that don't need high-powered detergents and cleaning acids.  Those that could only be dusted over and would shine instantly.  That would be easy.  But who knows?   I believe  it would come unbidden because God will be with me on this.

Phil 4:4-8
"Let us focus on thoughts of good report." (paraphrased)

2012 ONE WORD = HOUSEKEEPING

Image of housekeeping owned by:

(http://healing.about.com/od/chakras/a/chakra-clutter.htm)



HOUSEKEEPING

Housekeeping is the act of cleaning the rooms and furnishings of a home. It is one of the many chores included in the term housework. Housecleaning includes activities such as disposing of rubbish, cleaning dirty surfaces, dusting and vacuuming. It may also involve some outdoor chores, such as removing leaves from rain gutters, washing windows and sweeping doormats. The term is often used also figuratively in politics and business, for the removal of unwanted personnel, methods or policies in an effort at reform or improvement.^[1]

Housecleaning is done to make the home look better and be safer and easier to live in. Without housecleaning limescale can build up on taps, mold grows in wet areas, bacterial action make the garbage disposal and toilet smell and cobwebs^[2] Tools used in housecleaning include vacuum cleaners, brooms, mops and sponges, together with cleaning products such as detergents, disinfectants and bleach.

courtesy of Wikipedia

A housewife and mom scrubbing the floor:

thanks to 123RF for the image

I have been battling with this "one word," ever since it was conceived in my mind for a challenge from a friend whose blog became a source of daily encouragement.  I have meditated and it seemed God has been steering me to this word. "HOUSEKEEPING."  I joggled it in my mind, even practically chewing at it to get a foretaste.  Anyway, the length of time it took me to even write a simple introduction for this 365 day companion is a simple indication that it is only FEAR that has kept me from attacking it.  I know deep inside that this would entail a lot of work, resistance and denial.  I could not skim around it but there will be cobwebs to remove, closets to empty, rooms to sweep in all corners of my mind, soul and body.

We love to come home to a well kept home, a place to unwind and rest our weary heads.  But before we could enjoy the ambiance and comfort of a  restful sanctuary, we need to work at it.  As a middle class income earner here in our country, we seldom could fit a housekeeper's pay within the budget.  It only means that it is the duty of a mom to keep her abode neat for her own peace and to invite every member of the family to enjoy its benefits to the fullest.  Now, this physical part of housekeeping would be a million times easier than the prospect of spring cleaning my inner self. There might be unfinished businesses in my past that will surface that has to be tackled.  I would need God's grace, all the way, in this journey coupled with regular quiet moments up the mountain with God, Bible readings and a prayerful life.

Firstly, I want to thank God that I have surmounted the FEAR of raising my voice to write in my blog.  I have always been moved to write but I feel so inadequate.  I might produce thrash rather than a piece worthy to read. That could be pride, of course, hiding behind false humility.  I am grateful too for friends who are praying for me and encouraging me to write......So help me God!

Romans 6:13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.

Romans 12:1

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.

My life verse:

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

(image for housekeeping tools: from 123R)