The Pearl of “Life”

by Angie Thomas

As I was reflecting on the lecture, “The Pearl of Great Price” and looking through the list of the plastic pearls that we cling to, the Lord led me back to the Precious “Life” pearl.  I know this pearl well.  From the time I was a little girl I have loved dreaming and considering how the Lord might use my life.  I have always wanted to do something really special/incredible for His kingdom.  How difficult and painful it has been to take to heart the words of Jesus in John 12:26, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls in the earth and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”  My heart to be used by Him is not wrong, but my motive certainly has been.  There is still so much pride wrapped up in that desire and a lot of my own thoughts about how it would be best for God to “use” my life.  Over the last few years as He has asked me to forsake my career, friends, and in many ways, my dreams, to follow Him it has been really painful, but it has been really wonderful as well.  Laurie said in the lecture that, “We are afraid of giving up our mediocre life, because we don’t understand His love for us.” As I have faithfully tried to follow the Lord in obedience, not knowing where He was leading, I have known His love in a more powerful, tangible way!  It is so worth it girls! To leave our mediocre lives we truly have to die to everything! Our hopes, dreams, the way we want or see our lives going!  Ask Him for His dreams and desires. His greatest desire is that you love Him with All your HEART, SOUL, MIND and STRENGTH and that you seek Him first, before your hopes and dreams.

That is my prayer for all of us this fall as we go through this study, that we would fully, completely, surrender our lives to Him, being willing to lay down what He asks and pick up what He asks, with a joyful heart!  This is only possible with His grace and strength, working in and through us!

Ask the Lord to take your plastic pearl of “Life”. His Word promises that He will give us the most beautiful, true pearl “Life” that we can imagine.  He has already given us the Life of His Son and has promised us eternal Life, but He will also give us Life in abundance here on earth (John 10:10). It probably will not look like what we have imagined, but it will be full of His faithfulness and love!

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From the Lips of Children

by Amy Sizemore

“From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise…” says Psalm 8:2.  This verse comes to mind so often as I hear the deep, simple truths that come from our little ones’ mouths.  Like one day, when the children were answering the question, “How do you obey God?” I was expecting to hear what some were saying, “I clean up my room….I do what Mommy tells me…” which are praiseworthy for sure, but it seems to come straight from God when out of 3 year old Walker’s mouth came, “I get His righteousness all in my heart.”  Wow!  Praise You, Lord for that reminder!  It is a continual blessing serving your families through this ministry.  Thank you for making Jesus your family’s first priority.  As a parent, it is encouraging to see the Lord raising up so many mighty warriors who will prayerfully be fighting the good fight of faith along with my children as they grow.

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All In?

by Susan Sampson

So are you all in?  There’s not really any confusion behind the word “all” is there?  All means all.  It doesn’t mean half-way or part way or 99% of the way.  It is 100% total commitment.  It is absolute abandon.  Full surrender.  I know my heart is not all in.  I know there remain walls of self-protection that I continue to cling to.  If I go all in then I will no longer be in control.  It is ironic isn’t it?  Because the truth is that we are not in control.  We are not sovereign.  Only the One true Living God is the Sovereign Lord.  He is in total control at all times.  It is pride, idolatry, unbelief, and fear that cause me to want to be in control.  We must confess and repent.  Our only hope is Christ alone.  Do we believe this?

In order to cleave we must leave.  In order to become one flesh with our husband, we must put our old girl to death.  We must confess our sins and turn in repentance receiving the forgiveness of Christ and walking forward by faith in the grace that is ours in Christ.  This is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit.  The visual example Laurie used was so powerful.  The two hard stones clanging together that cannot mix, cannot become one.  It was the soft and pliable Playdough that was able to become a new entity.  It is truly amazing what our Lord has done for us.  A miracle of new life.  “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.  And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26).  Do we believe?

Jesus was all about “all.”  He didn’t meet us half way.  He didn’t hold back a portion of His heart.  He didn’t protect His rights.  He walked all the way to Calvary.  Jesus, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:6-8). He gave us His all.  His very life.  He died so we could live.  This was not something we deserved.  We deserve death, not life.  In Christ, we have been shown great mercy.  Amazing grace.  Do we believe this?  Do we really believe the gospel?

Therefore, our goal is the gospel.  Our goal is to die to self that others might live.  We are to forsake all to follow Christ.  While we were still sinners Christ died for us.  He loves us unconditionally, right where we are.  He loves our husbands the same.  It is so easy for me to notice what my husband does wrong and be completely blind to my own sin.  We must take our eyes off our husband’s sins and look to Christ alone.  Because of the gospel, we can extend the same mercy and grace we have been given in Christ to our husbands.  We can forgive as we have been forgiven.  We can love as we have been loved – freely, lavishly, extravagantly, tenderly, compassionately.  Will we choose by faith to believe?

May the Lord help us all to believe and receive the love the Lord has lavished on us in Christ.  Let us ask the Lord to help us become one flesh with our husbands.  Let us put to death our self-centeredness; fear; unbelief; greed; covetousness; ingratitude; impatience; sense of entitlement; pride and critical spirit.

Lord, please help us leave everything and cleave to Christ.  Help us lay down our very lives and fully surrender our hearts to you.  Apart from you we are unable.  Please help us submit to our husbands as unto the Lord.  You are our Covenant Lord.  May we remember the example of Jonathan and David and love our husbands as our very own soul.  May we remember the example of our Savior and humbly follow Him, living out the gospel in our marriages for the glory of God.  Let us believe by faith and humbly submit to your Word and to our husbands, truly becoming the helpmates we were created to be!

Let us not grow weary in doing good.  Let’s be “all in.”

 

 

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