Idols

"Do not make idols or set up carved images, or sacred pillars, or sculptured stones in your land so you may worship them. I am the Lord your God." Lev. 26:1

If you are anything like me you have probably read the above verse and did not give it much thought. You may have even thought to yourself " I don't worship any idols. I am not bowing down to carved sculptures, worshipping other gods or carving up any statues so I can worship." That was my first instinct in dealing with this verse. I brushed off this verse as a outdated command pertaining to the ancient people who worshiped various gods and carved idols, so that they can bow down to them. Then one day I really thought about it and I realized that even though I wasn't carving statues or bowing down to other gods, I probably had just as many idols as the ancient Egyptians did.

What are idols? Websters dictionary defines an idol as "a respresentation of an object of worship;broadly; a false god." So in this sense an idol would be anything that steals me away from God. An idol would be anything that I make more important in my life than God. An idol does not have to be a carved statue or another false diety, but can be a relationship, a career, a television show, the internet, or even yourself. Of course, I am not saying that any of these things are bad things. There is nothing wrong with watching a good television show,having a career, or going on the internet. We all need to be in healthy, godly relationships However, if these things cut into your prayer time with God you are making them your idol.

How can you identify the idols in your life? These are some questions you can ask yourself to identify if there are idols in your life:

Is there anything that is distracting you from spending time with God? This could be anything from television to the internet to the people in your life.

Is there anything that prevents you from giving your whole heart to God?

What are the things that are consuming most of your thought?

Do you have any habbits or addictions that consume you?

What are the things you are spending too much money on? Recall Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is your heart will also be."

Is there anything in your life that you feel like you can not live without?

Is there a thing or person you always turn to instead of God when going through a difficulty? We all need an outlet or a friend to talk to when going through a struggle and sometimes God uses the people in our lives to speak to us. The question would be are we seeking this person or thing MORE than we are seeking God. Are we asking a person what to do every time we have a problem INSTEAD of asking God.

What are the things you are always worried and obssesed about?

If God did not answer any of your prayers would that make you turn away from God. If an unanswered pray would make you turn from God than you are making that prayer request an idol.

When trying to identify your idols spend some time with God in prayer asking him to reveal these things to you. Ask him to help you eliminate the idols from your life. Next week I will be posting a blog entry

2013 is here

New Year's Resolutions for 2013
2013 is here and I'm looking foward to seeing what this year has in store for me. Here are some of my resolutions for the new year.

1) Spend More time in prayer
2) Spend more time reading the bible
3) Worry less trust God more
4) Finish writing the first draft of my novel this year (or at least come close to it)
5) Let go of any friendships that are toxic in my life
6) Not hold any grudges with anyone
7) Spend less time trying to please everyone and more time trying to please God.
8)Spend less time complaining and more time thanking God for everything he has blessed me with
9) Become a more positive person
10) Waste less time and be more productive
11) Be more assertive
And the last one:
12) to strive my best to do these resolutions. To remember that changes take time. To ask God to constantly halp me with these. To keep trying even if I fail,
What are some of yoru resolutions for the new year? Share it in the comments

Stop Comparing

I was reading The Writer’s Devotional by Amy Peters when I came across an interesting quote. Mikhail Baryshnikov, a Russian dancer said “I do not dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself.” Baryshnikov meant this in terms of dancing. Peters intended the quote in terms of writing, but I think that this quote can be applied in terms of Christianity as well.

How many times do we not achieve the greatness that God has intended for us because we are too busy trying to dance like someone, trying to write like someone else, or even trying to believe like someone else? We cannot fully do what God is calling us to do, if we are trying to do it the way someone else does. 1 Corinthians 12 clearly paints a picture of this. This passage explains that each body part, such as the hand, foot, and eye, has a different function, but each part is just as important. The same is true for us. We were each designed differently to fulfill a specific purpose that only we can fill. My purpose is not the same as your purpose, but our purposes are equally important in God’s eyes. If we waste our time trying to compare ourselves to others we will not be able to fulfill what God is calling us to do.

“I do not dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself.” Mikhail Baryshnikov. I encourage you to take in the words of this quote. Do not try to dance better than someone else. Do not try to be better than someone else. Only live up to the standards that God has set for your own life.

Jesus intercedes for us

Hebrews 7:25

On facebook I found a quote that spoke volumes. “If you could hear Jesus praying for you in the room next door you would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference he is praying for you.”

This got me thinking…. How much time do I waste worrying about things I do not need to be worried about? To think that Jesus loves me, so much he is praying for all of my needs. He is praying for all of your needs as well. When I think of Jesus’s love for me and how he is praying for me, I know that there is nothing that I need to fear and that there is nothing for you to fear. 

Next time you are worried or afraid. Take a moment and imagine Jesus praying for you. Let this truth sink in, until you know beyond a doubt that you have nothing to fear.

Family Traditions

Family traditions are a great way to get into the holiday spirit!

My husband and I have a couple of holiday traditions that we started while we were dating. Now that it is our first Christmas together as a married couple, we hope to continue these traditions. When we have children, we hope that we can take part in these traditions as a family, and maybe add a few more traditions.

One of the things my husband and I do is bake Christmas cookies and candy. I don’t know about you, but holiday cookies and candies always put me in the mood for the holiday.

The other tradition is to go to the Festival of the Lights in Natchitoches, Louisiana. We always have so much fun! The river bank is decorated with Christmas Lights. The experience is complete with quaint shops, fireworks, Christmas music, and horse drawn carriage rides. If you are in the Louisiana area and haven’t gone I recommend it.

What are some of the holiday traditions that you and your family look forward to?

God's Beauty

God’s beauty can be found everywhere. You can find it in a smile, a sunset, an abandoned house, a misty fog, a stormy rainfall, or a tiny leaflet. Life often becomes hectic and fast paced. It becomes a hurried race to a finish line not worth running towards, because we do not take a moment to enjoy. We do not take a moment to notice the intricate delicacies that God has put into our path. Where do you find your intricate delicacies? I find mine in a butterfly freely floating ahead. I find it in the rustic fall. I find it in the galloping horses that are next door to my house. Take a moment. Pause. Breathe in the beauty God has put into your path.

Breath of God

The rustling of fall

Beacons me

Much like your spirit

Inviting me to enter in

 

Fragments of the light glisten

Onto the leaves

Transferring its warmth

Onto the lake

 

You reveal your beauty to me

In this place

With one breath

I breathe you in

 

The wind pushes the leaves

I watch

As they glide steadily

Into the lake

 

Nature coos

Calling my heart to listen

With each beat

It listens

Feeling your spirit

Touch  my skin