Friendly Forum #4

Welcome to Friendly Forum #4! 

Again, I will just remind you all that Friendly Forum is for you and by you, so comment as often as you like, interacting with other commentors or adding additional thoughts. I will be reading over each response; I so enjoy hearing your thoughts!

If you have an idea for the next Friendly Forum, leave me a comment on the Friendly Forum page or drop me an e-mail. I hope you are encouraged!

Here is our question/situation for this Forum: 

   We often hear/use the phrase "quiet time" in reference to our time set aside with God. What does your quiet time involve and can you give an spiritual advice for those just starting their quiet times and are wondering where to start?  

Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day! 

My prayer for you today, is that you, "being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God." (Eph.3:17-19)

May you have a blessed day as you think on the love of Jesus and the love of others.

A Letter To My Single Sisters

My Precious Sisters in the Lord, 

I am writing this letter to those of you who are "alone" this Valentines Day... knowing that thoughts of your loneliness and the desire for a special someone in your future has probably consumed some of your thoughts today. My desire for this letter is not to make the ache in your heart grow stronger, but rather remind you that there is Someone who can fill our emptiness and comfort our downcast status. That is our Savior, Jesus Himself.

I truly know the feelings of "incompleteness" and longings in your heart, especially today, as lovers send sweet notes, roses, and have romantic dinners with one another - and those of us whom God has yet to unite with our "someone" feel left out and alone. We may feel empty and incomplete. Well, daughters of the King, we do not have to remain in this melancholy state today or any day.

In Christ we have been made complete and filled (Col. 2:10). There is not someone or something missing when we are in Christ, fully abiding in Him. His great and passionate love can consume us and ground us. (Eph. 3:17-19) The love of Christ surpasses knowledge; we can hardly take measurement of it. But in the Psalms, David's description is breathtaking; read this with all your heart:

"Your love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies... How precious is Your love, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; and You give them to drink of the river of Your delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light. O continue You love to those who know You..." (Ps. 36:5, 7-10)

Doesn't that love just steal your breath and your heart?!

In the moments of loneliness we experience, we need to run with all our strength to the Fountain of Life and drink our fill in His love, abundance, and delights. Run outside and look up into the sky... see how enormously tall the sky is? That is how far His love for you reaches. He fills us up with His love and faithfulness, and we are satisfied... we are complete. And when our souls are quietly digesting this overwhelming love, we can say with the most sincere passion and truth, "How precious is Your love, O Jesus..."

We are urged to fully know and comprehend the love of Christ - that we may be filled up to all the fullness of God. (Eph. 3:17-19) We are not missing someone to make us complete - we are complete in Jesus alone. He fills the "holes" in our hearts with Himself, cleansing us and completing us, making us more like Himself.

Now, as we see and believe this great and precious love that Jesus has for us, and we diligently allow Him to fill us completely with His love, taking refuge in Him and hiding in the shadow of His wings - will He not reward the one who loves and trusts Him?

Psalms 31:19 reads, "How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You... those who take refuge in You..."

Jerry Bridges makes a beautiful and honest comment on this verse. He says, "That is what God does for those who fear Him. He sets aside and stores up goodness for His children, to be given at appropriate times in the future. What this goodness is, and when it is bestowed, is unique to each individual according to God's plan and purpose for that person."

When we rest in God's love, taking refuge in Him especially in these difficult and lonely times, trusting in His wisdom and knowledge of our purpose and future, He blesses us with His goodness which is given at the perfect time according to His knowledge and plan for us. That goodness could very well be a husband one day, but he will be given to you at the appropriate time in God's perfect plan and purpose for you. We just have to trust Him on that.

But in this time, in this moment, we must be filled up in Him with all the fullness that is in God, being completely satisfied in Him, no matter if we are single or married. He must be first in our hearts always.

I hope this has encouraged you, my dear sisters in Christ, to run to the River, the Fountain of Life, for your filling and satisfaction. Bask in His love for you today. Drink of His delights. Be filled and satisfied with Jesus.

I love you all, precious women of God.

Your sister and partner in this life of faith,

Kaysie

Devotion and Deception

I would like to share a verse that is very special to my own heart:

"But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:3

Devotion to Christ - ah yes, the goal and purpose of every true child of God, including myself. This is my passion, my very heartbeat... to be zealously devoted to Jesus. And I have sincerely attempted to communicate that purpose to you my readers in hopes of encouraging your hearts to be fully devoted to Him above all else. But, as this verse clearly warns, it is an easy weakness to fall away from that holy purpose by deception of mind. I have been deceived and wandered from it far too many times.

We see here that devotion to Christ is simple and pure. It's uncomplicated (until I make it complicated!) and flawless, genuine and clear. If I am honest, I would have to tell you that many times I have struggled to write a new post here only because I didn't think I had any new revelations or surpassingly wise comments to share. How foolish... how deceived.

My mind was led astray from 1) the simplicity of devotion to Christ 2) the truth that I, apart from Christ, have nothing of worth to share with you. If our mind is the battlefield for devotion and deception, then what should we be sharing and speaking to others for encouragement and conviction if they have been led astray?

Nothing but the piercing Word of God and the power of our testimony. (Heb. 4:12, 1 John 5:9-11) I can speak nothing to bring encouragement and conviction like the Word of God can. I cannot renew your mind so that it stays protected and guarded from deception from the evil one... but the Word can. So truthfully and seriously the only thing I have to give you is the Word.

"For the Word of God is living and active and sharper that any two edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able o judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 

That is powerful - and a challenge to us. Have we allowed our hearts to be pierced with the Word today? Has it cut us to the soul by judging our thoughts (guarding our minds from deception) and revealing the true intentions of our hearts?

Let's be honest, sometimes this is actually very painful and incredibly humbling. But it is good - really good - for us. It brings intimacy with our God and undistracted and pure devotion to Christ. And that is what we really desire, right? That passionate devotion to Jesus that transforms our lives and impacts all those around us?

Don't be led astray. Devotion to Jesus is simple and pure. Protect your mind from deception with the all-powerful Word of God that renews and reveals.

Like A Rose...

Like the unfolding of a rose, our hearts are developing in the tender hands of God; unfolding slowly into womanhood. This process is delicate and of the utmost importance, requiring diligent protection and faithful guardianship from the world's bitter frost and deadly diseases. To ensure a maiden's heart survives and blooms in the fullness of life and beauty, she must be hidden in the Living God, her Savior Jesus Christ, entrusting her heart to the Maker of the rose and the Author of her very life.

Our Wonderful Counselor

How often do you ask God for His wonderful wisdom? Have you ever made your plans without consulting Him first?

I am asking myself these questions for God has kindly brought to my attention my own self-reliance. Honestly, I lean on my own understanding more than I seek His kingdom first. (Matt. 6:33)

This realization actually reveals to me what I think about God, and myself. If I am quick to depend on my wisdom and my plans, what am I saying about God? That He is not as wise as I?! Oh my, we all know the answer to that!

"Oh the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!" Romans 11:33

We do well to take heed to His warnings:

"Do not be wise in your own estimation..." Rom. 12:17

"Lean not on your own understanding..." Prov. 3:5

...But in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths. How often I have overlooked Proverbs 3:5-6 assuming I truly know the meaning of it. But if I really planted this verse into my reality it would transfuse throughout every area of my life and change every situation I encounter.

God has made Himself available for us to trust completely and seek devotedly. He is our Wonderful Counselor, "who has made His counsel wonderful and His wisdom great." (Is. 28:29) Our meager worldly wisdom is foolishness to God (1 Cor. 1:20) for we can not predict or see one minute into the future, but God holds the future in His hands.

Seeking God's wisdom first and above our own is the result and overflow of a heart in utter dependance on God; an attitude of humility possessed by the truly devoted Christian.

Let us not follow in the Israelites steps, who, in rebellion, relied on their own wisdom rather than consulting the Lord their God:

"Woe to the rebellious children," declares the Lord, "who execute and plan, but not Mine, and make an alliance, but not of My Spirit, in order to add sin to sin; who proceed down to Egypt without consulting Me..." Isaiah 30:1-2 

Let us rely on the abounding wisdom of our Wise Counselor, our Father who cares greatly. And let us not be wise in our own eyes, but, in total dependance, lean on His understanding in complete trust.

First in My Heart

Is the Lord first in your heart today?

Is He above all the duties in life, family and friends, jobs and projects, even your service and ministry to Him? 

These were the questions I have been asking myself as I have devoted this past week to rest, surrender and refocusing. And I wanted to extend this call to you: take some quiet time out of this day and examine your heart to see what you might have placed above Jesus, valuing whatever it might be as more important, or demanding, or pleasurable than knowing Christ more. Step back from the hustle of life and name some ways you have made an effort to know and grow closer to Christ your Master and Heavenly Groom.

Jesus must be first and foremost in your heart for now and always... life must be found in Him, not elsewhere. Listen to His call for your heart, "Come away with Me, My Love, My Bride..."

"I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Chirst Jesus my Lord ... and count them but rubbish that I may gain Chirst..." Phil. 3:8