The Heart of the Matter  August 13, 2008

Shalom!
I am back after 3 weeks in a foriegn land, where God taught me more than I could have dreamed.  And of course it was all in such a way that I could not pride myself on any of it.   I have seen a nation in darkness, and in the midst of this, the Lord has shown me the darkness in my heart.  I saw a nation full of addicts, and the Lord showed me a person who clung to closely to objects of this world.  Yet in the midst of this, he shown through me and used me to encourage believers in that nation.  The contrast to me between my nature and His is growning sharper.  Yet those who saw Him in me grew fond of me.  Can I forget the pastor whose face radiated with love and joy?  Can I forget the lady who treasured me and held me in her heart?  Can I forget the fireball of a young man devoted to his Lord and absolutely willing to be undignified?  Can I forget the young lady I prayed for whose face bore testimony to sorrow?  No, nor can I forget those I saw enslaved, bound, and dying.  Never before could I so clearly see how lost and alone my world is without the Lord.  I felll in love with the heart of some of these dear people, indeed, from this land I have a thousand souls I will pray for, most ones whose faces and names I do not know.  There is that bus driver, and that police officer, the drunk, the saddened woman, and dmany whose faces I saw but briefly.  There are the children who walk by their unsmiling parents. 

So, in my last blog, I introduced part of 1 Peter 3:15 "But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts,..."  To sanctify Christ in your hearts is to think and meditate on his holiness.  It is to dwell on his perfection and wholeness.  To sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts is to bring your heart under His rule in every area, understanding that he is above all others.  There is so much more just in this phrase.  Now for our next phrase from this verse: "always ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you,..."  This is action.  This is preparation.  This is study and asking yourself questions about what you believe.   Next blog, I hope to give some practical advice as to how to carry this out.

Sarah



Preparing and Surrendering  July 13, 2008


Shalom, shalom
In my journey right now, the Lord is leading me to surrender to Him.  I cannot yet express the depth, because I have not yet followed far enough to understand it as I will.  But know that the love the Lord has for you is not one that wants to be a focus most of the time.  It is all.  How passionately he loves us, wanting every momment with us.  In all honesty, I do not feel this for Him, but my will is to love Him as He loves me, to give up all I am to Him.  I have nothing to offer but time, and it is already His.  So when I spend time with Him, it is not a favor I do Him, but a reasonable, paid for service.  He paid for my time with His Son, giving up fellowship with Him for what we would call a short time, but who can judge how hard it was for Him?  I am not my one, I was bought, paid for, with the cost of an innocent Lamb.   My life cost His death.  So even though I would like to say that my service was a gift, I cannot.  But what I know is that although I have nothing my own to give, my Lord takes delight in my praise.  He does not so much desire the works as the Fellowship.  So as you work, remember, it is lacking if the time is not in fellowship with your Lord, the most jealous lover you can ever have.  Turn your eyes from you worldly things and focus on Him. 

I am preparing to go my first time out of the US.  The best way I can see is to pray and study the Word.  A good friend of mine has taught me so much about prayer and focusing on the Lord, and also the need to memorize scripture.  Hide it in your heart.  "Sanctify Christ as Lord in your heart..."  Feed off of that, meditate on it awhile, and truly ask the Lord to teach you what it means.  In a later blog, I will comment on it and introduce some more of the verse.  God bless you.