Absolute Surrender - Andrew Murray

"While I, a poor worm on earth and a trembling child of God, full of failure and sin and fear, bow here, and no one knows what passes through my heart, and while I in simplicity say, O God, I accept Thy terms; I have pleaded for blessing on myself and others, I have accepted Thy terms of absolute surrender." p11

"Deliverance from self-life means to be a vessel overflowing with love to everybody all the day." p25

Cold contemplation

I came across the following in a devotional challenge -

"One of the greatest ways to learn about God is to spend some time looking at His creation. His power, His majesty, His beauty and His incredible creativity all come out in the world He made.

"Take a walk in the woods or in the country and take some time to behold God's creation. What do you learn about His character-and about heaven-through what you see?"

Saturday morning I went out early hoping for a beautiful sunrise. I strapped on a pair of snowshoes and headed out equipped with a camera and anticipations. My anticipations lived longer than the camera (Even when charged the night before, lithium batteries don't do so well in the cold).

As the sun came up above the trees I heard the chatter of a beaver at work. Trees popped as they moved in the cold wind. The water's constant rushing became soothing background noise to the sun's silent crescendo.

I left with some great pics and vids, but more valuable to me is the remembrances of thoughts and challenges they recall.

Artistry - Idolatry or Ministry

"If art is our master, then it becomes idolatry; but if art is our servant, it becomes ministry . . . True art is simply the human attempt to use what God gives us to touch our senses so that experience (religious or otherwise) is clarified and interpreted."
Wiersbe, Real Worship p132.

Wisdom, Understanding, & Knowledge

By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

Proverbs 24:3,4

By wisdom a house is built. I define wisdom as "skill in everyday living." Solomon also said, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Prov. 9:10). When homes are built on godly wisdom, family members respond to circumstance according to God's design, not their own.

A wise home builder recognizes God as the Architect and Builder of the family. As you search the Scriptures and ask God for wisdom, He supplies the skill to build your home.

Through understanding it is established. Understanding means responding to life's circumstances with insight-having a perspective that looks at life through God's eyes. When you have God's perspective of your mate and children, you accept each other's differences and learn how different personalities can complement each other.

Through knowledge its rooms are filled. Our culture virtually worships information. But information without application is an empty deity. The knowledge Solomon speaks of is more than information. It is knowledge that results in conviction, application and family values.

Source - FamilyLife Ministries

Questions revealing Values - Tozer

What do I want most?
What do I think about most?
How do I use my money?
What do I do with my leisure time?
Whose company do I enjoy?
Who and what do I admire?
What do I laugh at?

The Pursuit of God

Questions revealing Values - Tozer

What do I want most?
What do I think about most?
How do I use my money?
What do I do with my leisure time?
Whose company do I enjoy?
Who and what do I admire?
What do I laugh at?

The Pursuit of God

Body as Temple & Psalm 90

I'm sore from in-service bowling. How pathetic is that? Sore from bowling! Muscle stiffness is a hypothyroid characteristic. On the good side, I have that feeling of having had a great work out the day before. I was reminded today in an in-service session by Bobby Wood that the believer's body is the temple of the Lord. If a distinguished guest were to visit my home I would present it in the best way possible out of respect. The Lord Himself resides in me. How are the accommodations? How am I a steward of what He has entrusted? Are big people more spacious?

Ps 90:12, 15, 17
Teach us to number our days.
Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery.
May the Lord our God show us His approval and make our efforts successful.

Life is brief, but we have a God Who does not forsake us. He does not punish without purposes of love. He has taught us and promises joy if we follow His guidance. When we do so we will experience His approval as Joshua did.