They will know we are Christians by our love...

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity will one day be restored
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah they'll know we are Christians by our love

We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we'll guard each man's dignity and save each man's pride
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

This song is on the Jars of Clay CD Redemption Songs. I love this song because it is so true. Often times people will notice how we treat each other and they want to be a part of it. One thing that I have come to realize recently is that it truly is much harder to love fellow believers and forgive them. I know for me if a non-believer does something, I am quicker to forgive them because they may not know better. When a fellow believer does something, it is much harder for me to forgive. I heard this sermon recently that really shook me up and made me realize that I do this. Yes, they may know better, but they still make mistakes. I know when I am sinning, and I still mess up and do it. If I were to look at them the same way that God looks at them, then I would see perfection through Christ. If God can look at them and see this even though they have sinned, I ought to be able to look at them in the same way. Recently I was put in a situation where I dealt with this same thing. I was very upset with this person and I should have been able to forgive him, but simply because they never said that they were sorry, I held it against them and I was holding onto this hurt. I realized that I am now in the wrong. I can't justify my actions just because he hurt me. I still have to be able to forgive him or I am in turn hurting him. I am not only hurting him, but I am not showing my love for a believer in the way that I should and I know that doesn't look good to non-believers watching. We all are supposed to be working towards the same goal; glorifying the Lord. If I am not able to forgive and work with them in this same goal, how do I expect to accomplish it? It is so important to love our sisters and brothers in Christ and treat them the way that God sees them. We too mess up and still want people to treat us with love.

Amazing Grace!

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.

Yet another amazing song! I listened to a three year old sing the first verse of this song and I couldn't help but tear up for a couple of reasons. The words are so true and so strong! If we really thought about this song on a daily basis, we would probably struggle with insecurities a lot less. Another thing that I thought was really cool was when I heard a three year old sing it. We are to train up children in Christ and it is so sweet to hear a child of God at such a young age worship the God of everything. Instilling these values at such a young age is not a waste of time for even when she is old, she will not depart from them.

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.


I am pretty sure that I have already posted this song on my blog somewhere, but the lyrics are so good that I had to do it again! I encourage you to really meditate ont hese words and what they really mean.

Finally Satisfied!

All my life long, I had thirsted
For a drink from some cool spring,
That I hoped would quench the burning
Of the thirst I felt within.

Hallelujah! He has found me
The One my soul so long has craved!
Jesus satisfies all my long - ings
Through His blood I now am saved.

Feeding on the filth around me,
Till my strength was almost gone,
Longed my soul for something better,
Only still to hunger on.
(Chorus)
Poor I was, and sought for riches,
Something that would satisfy,
But the dust I gathered round me
Only mocked my soul's sad cry.
(chorus)
Well of water, ever springing,
Bread of life so rich and free,
Untold wealth that never faileth,
My Redeemer is to me.
(chorus)

*I love this song because it goes along with one of the songs in a previous post "All I Need". It is so true, all that I really need is Christ. Apart from Him, I am nothing and I have nothing. I know this seems drastic, but it's true; this is what I strongly believe. I still continue to search daily for things of this world that bring me no true satisfaction. I wish I could say that I base my life fully on words such as these, but, unfortunately, I am sinful and I mess up day after day. You'd think that I would have learned a long time ago that people and things of this world will always fail me at one time or another, but I haven't. Thankfully He gives me more time each day to try to take my eyes off of wordly things and focus on Him and bringing Him glory.

Being Single is a Blessing

In RUF Brad has been talking about sex, love, and relationships. This semester has been absolutely amazing. Last night he talked about how our ultimate goal in life is to glorify God. Yes, we all may "know" this already, but do we really apply it to everything? I know that I don't.For me it is easy to say that I want to get married so that I can glorify the Lord to the best of my ability. Ha, that's not the point of marriage. We are more than capable of glorifying the Lord while single. In fact, I tend to think that I must not be doing things right and I should be more content if I am still single because obviously the Lord isn't blessing me with a boyfriend and future spouse. The Lord used Brad in an awesome way to turn my whole perspective of being single around. First of all, marriage is not something that can be earned. It's a gift that we cannot earn. I find myself trying to be content in hopes that if I am content with being single, then the Lord will bless me with some amazing husband. If I can't earn it, then why am I so dumb to keep trying to earn it?? I ought to focus on the Lord and be content in the fact that He loves me. Secondly, being single is a blessing. I would have thought that you were crazy if you had told me that just yesterday morning, but now I see that it really is a blessing. I shouldn't be looking at who can I find that will love me, but instead, who can I be loving? after all, that is the whole story of the Gospel. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son to die for our sins. For God so loved the world. Take a minute to take that in. He has loved us first. The whole Bible is a love story. This love story talks about how He has loved others. He didn't sacrifice His one and only Son so that we would look at Him and praise Him. We praise Him because He sacrificed His one and only Son. I need to be looking at me being single as an enormous blessing! Because I am single I have more time to go forth and love others that need to see Christ's love for them. To me that is pretty exciting; I hope that it is exciting to you too.

He loves us well...

"When God blesses our hearts with boredom, discontent, anxiety, emptiness, or restlessness, He loves us well. For His goal is to wean our wayward hearts away from things that hold no ultimate satisfaction."

Objects of His Affection by: Scotty Smith

This is just one of many short passages that have hit me hard from a book that I have been reading. I encourage you to meditate on it; when is a time that this applies to your life?

It is well, with my soul

"This hymn was writ­ten af­ter two ma­jor trau­mas in Spaf­ford’s life. The first was the great Chi­ca­go Fire of Oc­to­ber 1871, which ru­ined him fi­nan­cial­ly (he had been a weal­thy bus­i­ness­man). Short­ly af­ter, while cross­ing the At­lan­tic, all four of Spaf­ford’s daugh­ters died in a col­li­sion with an­o­ther ship. Spaf­ford’s wife Anna sur­vived and sent him the now fa­mous tel­e­gram, “Saved alone.” Sev­er­al weeks lat­er, as Spaf­ford’s own ship passed near the spot where his daugh­ters died, the Ho­ly Spir­it in­spired these words. They speak to the eter­nal hope that all be­liev­ers have, no mat­ter what pain and grief be­fall them on earth." http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/i/itiswell.htm

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When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

Refrain

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Refrain

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

Refrain

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Refrain

"Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!" Psalm 146:1