Holiness: A Determined Heart

By Carin LeRoy –

As a piano teacher, I see many types of students. But the child who excels at piano is the one who has the desire and determination to learn. They become disciplined in their practice and focus on improving their skills. That student comes excited and ready to study each week. They take my instruction to heart and make musical adjustments at my suggestion.

Living a holy life is much the same. As believers, we should become a student of God’s word and desire to live a life that is holy. It takes discipline and determination to say no to sin. The Psalmist tells how he kept his heart determined on obeying God’s words. “I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. I hold fast to your statutes, O Lord; do not let me be put to shame. I run in the path of Your commands for You have set my heart free” (Psalm 119: 30, 31 NIV).

He chose. He held fast. He ran.

He set his heart to follow God’s laws, no matter what. The choices he made were calculated. He determined that his heart would follow God, and he protected himself from the trappings of the world. I feel sure he asked himself, “Is this a good choice? Would God be pleased with this? Will this become a trap for me? Just because everyone else does this, is it right for me?”

Holiness is not a word we talk about these days because it seems rather archaic. Nevertheless, God still requires it of His children. In a culture that goes soft on sin, be the one who has a determined heart that follows hard after God.

PRAYER: Lord, give me a determined heart that will obey Your Word. Help me to avoid sin that may become a trap for me. Give me a heart that follows hard after You.

“Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1: 13-15 NIV).

Call Me Cheap!

By Carin LeRoy –

I have a confession: I’m a chronic bag washer. It seems a waste to throw out a useful Ziploc bag when it only needs a wash for another use. I also save cereal bags because their sturdiness is perfect for freezing quantities of meat that I buy in bulk. Rather than cleaning up things with wads of paper towels, I use rags. They are great for scrubbing, polishing and wiping up spills. I throw them in the washer and then store them under the sink for my next use.

Not only am I a bag washer, but I love to find a good deal. You’ll find me checking out clearance merchandise, browsing the Goodwill or stopping at a yard sale. I’ve even been known to pull my neighbor’s furniture off the street (after asking, of course!). My family groans if I pull out left-over food too many times. Now, they’re thankful that our puppy gets some so that I don’t feel too wasteful. Call it my missionary cost-saving background, but the bottom line is: I’m cheap. (Well…maybe that’s what others think, but I think I’m frugal!)

In these challenging economic times, we all need to cut corners and stretch our dollar. The price of gas, food and utilities take a chunk from the family budget, so finding ways to save in other areas has become a necessity for many of us.

In Scripture we see that even Christ was careful with provisions. After feeding the 5,000, he sent the disciples to collect the food not eaten after the crowds left. “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted. So they gathered them and filled 12 baskets,” (John 6:12,13 NIV). I’ll bet they ate it for days and gave it to others in need. Even Christ felt it important to be careful with the resources they had.

Not everyone feels compelled to wash Ziploc bags like me, but we can all find ways to be resourceful. God promises to supply our needs, but I think we can use His example to know that Christ wasn’t wasteful even when His own miracle supplied 5,000 people with food.

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, that You have promised to supply our needs. Help me to learn in these hard economic times to be resourceful with what You have given to me and find creative ways to stretch the budget.

BIBLE VERSE: “Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. The days of the blameless are known to the Lord, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty” (Psalm 37: 16-19 NIV).

A Steady Outlook: Joy

By Carin LeRoy –

What is the difference between happiness and joy? We think the meaning would be the same, but there is a distinction. Theologians define happiness as a temporal fleeting emotion, while joy is something that goes deeper. Many people can be tossed around in life depending on their circumstance–having gladness in the good times, but miserable in the difficult. Their emotions vacillate according to their situation.

Even though life brings its high and low moments, as believers we can have a steady grasp and outlook on life because we walk with God through them.

Scripture talks about joy. It is listed as a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, and we are admonished to “be joyful always” (I Thes. 5:16 NIV). When God tells us to have joy, it’s not perpetual happiness, because life isn’t always pleasant. It’s an inner steadiness and outlook on life no matter what circumstance comes our way. It’s a strength that comes from our knowledge of who we are in Christ and how He has blessed us. We have an awareness that God is in control and at work in our lives. Joy comes as we trust in God and His ability to accomplish His will for us.

Scripture gives many examples of what brings joy:
• God himself (Psalm 4:6,7)
• Our salvation (Isaiah 44:23)
• God’s unfailing love (Psalm 90:14)
• God’s presence (Psalm 21:6)
• Our eternal blessings (Proverbs 10:28)
• A timely word (Proverbs 15:23)
• A Cheerful look (Psalm 15:30)
• Music (Psalm 92:1-4)

These are only a few examples, but joy can be with us daily. Psalm 126: 5,6 says, ” Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping carrying seeds to sow will return with songs of joy carrying sheaves with him.” Life’s tears will bring joy. Hard times are not happy times, but we get through them if we learn where the source of our joy comes. It is in God. Remember God’s blessings, trust in His sovereignty and know He is still at work in your life. Let’s have joy be the outlook of our soul.

QUOTE: We would never learn to be brave and patient, if there were only joy in the world – Helen Keller.

PRAYER: Lord thank You that you are a sovereign God and You are always working out Your purposes for my life. Thank You for the many ways You have blessed me. Give me a joyful heart that is willing to trust You through the good times and the bad.

A Personalized 2012

By Carin LeRoy –

Now that we’ve entered another New Year, what resolutions will you make for 2012? Usually they are something practical like lose weight, de-clutter the house, take a vacation or eat healthier. But have you considered what type of spiritual resolutions you might make to grow stronger in your walk with God? Let’s consider a few thoughts.

Prayer. That’s never been my personal strong point, and who doesn’t need to think about that one? Keep a notebook of one-line requests and pray through them briefly. Save a space to write out the date when the prayer was answered. Or write out your prayers to keep your mind from wandering and read them as you pray.

Faith. Which of us can’t use more of that? Ask God to give you the ability this year to trust Him more. Even the apostles asked God to increase their faith (Luke 17:5). Be active in helping your faith to grow this year. Stand on promises in Scripture that will build up your faith.

Thankfulness. Instead of focusing on the negative, let’s learn what it means to have a grateful heart. Not only should we thank God for His blessing to us, but show appreciation to those around us. A person who is gracious and appreciative can change someone’s day. Be that person.

Think through spiritual resolutions that you want to consider this year, and personalize it. This list provides only a few ideas to get you started. Ask Him what He wants to change in your life. There is always room for more growth, and God has a plan to take you to the next step in your relationship with Him. So grab a steaming cup of coffee and find a quiet place. Sit down with a Bible and notebook and get started. Let’s see what God has in store for 2012!

BIBLE VERSE: “In Him and through faith in Him, we approach God with freedom and confidence.” (Ephesians 3:12 NIV).

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for another new year. Help make this a year of growth in my life and strengthen my relationship with You. Show me the areas that need change, strengthen my faith and give me a heart to listen to Your voice.

Truest Worship

By Carin LeRoy –

Recently my neighbor knew a family who had a fire in their house, and she asked if my husband had a spare pair of shoes she could take to the husband. We remembered a pair of casual nice leather shoes that didn’t fit my husband that were never used. They were sitting in the closet gathering dust, so I gave her the pair. My neighbor was grateful, and I felt good they were going to someone in need. As I thought about those shoes, I began to think that giving those was not a sacrifice because we couldn’t use them anyway.

How much do we sacrifice for others? As Christians, we go to church most Sundays, give our tithe, attend small group, maybe give a gift to a missionary and fill our lives with good and honorable things. But these things are not sacrifice. Mothers forgo a career to raise their children; fathers give up comfort and peace to work hard and support their family; and parents forfeit their desires for their children’s needs. These are ways we sacrifice for family.

When we are self-absorbed, we focus on our own needs and desires and are not willing to give for the sake of others. Many marriages fall apart because one or both partners refuse to compromise or meet the needs of the other. Sacrifice means we are willing to deny ourselves in order to bless others or to bless God. We relinquish for the benefit of another.

I think of a missionary pilot and friend who flew a small single-engine plane for years helping others. He flew into isolated areas taking in supplies and food, carrying out those needing medical care and making sure that he was meeting the needs of those in his area. His work cost him his life one day as his plane crashed into the side of a mountain after encountering bad weather. He sacrificed for others.

Do we live a life of sacrifice? Or are we self-absorbed? Christ is our ultimate example. In Scripture we read in Philippians that “Christ made himself nothing, taking on the very nature of a servant.” Why? Because He knew that living in obedience to God’s will was worth the sacrifice of his own life—even death on a cross. Out of His great love, Christ left all the glories of heaven and His deserved place beside His father to sacrifice His life for us.

As we move into this new year, let’s remember that a life of obedience and a willingness to sacrifice is the truest form of worship.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for Your great sacrifice and willingness to come to earth and die for my sins. Keep me mindful that a life of true worship stems from a life of obedience and sacrifice.

“You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death– even death on a cross! As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow– in heaven and on earth and under the earth – and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:6-11 NET).

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