A wedding ...

Today my husband Jim performed the wedding ceremony for his Little Brother. A new chapter as husband and wife begins for 21-year-old Rocky and his bride, Christina. Jim helped Rocky grow up; he became Rocky's Big Brother when Rocky was 12-1/2 and when their weekly visits with each other ended 5-1/2 years later, they maintained they would remain friends and they'd always be lifelong brothers in Christ. The wedding was very nice. Just a handful of friends and relatives gathered for the 6 p.m. ceremony at the gazebo at Ellis Park in Cedar Rapids. Pictures were taken with the Cedar River in the background, the sun still bright and glowing. The weather was cool but pleasant. We wish them happiness and many blessings.

Don't Worry ...

You've probably heard the song, "Don't Worry, Be Happy," but a better thought to live by is Don't Worry, Have Faith in our Lord, Jesus Christ, in His word, His promises, His love.

Whatever ...

Thoughts to ponder, to remember, to keep within:

Whatever we are in the midst of, wherever we are, our focus needs to be on the Lord, not on the circumstances surrounding us. If we focus on these circumstances, we will become bound by them, we will falter. However, if we stay on Jesus with our heart and mind, He will help us see it through, complete the task before us.

If I focus on God's presence rather than the presence of difficulties then I will be victorious over fear and discouragement. God encourages me to meditate on and obey His instruction.

Character traits

In 2 Peter it talks about the character traits of Christ. It mentions virtue and what should be added to that, with seven things total mentioned. Do you know what they are and the meanings of each? So often I think we kind of skip over words and we miss the meaning, because we don't stop and contemplate what is actually there.

I've been doing a personal Bible study on 2 Peter for several weeks. I used the book "Peter's Principles," and then I came across another book "You Can Beat Those Spiritual Blahs" - Your Personal Strategy for a Rejuvenated Faith ... based on Second Peter, written by Lew Miller. We have had this particular book in our home library since 1988 and this is the first time I picked it up and read it. Lew Miller was the first pastor of the church I am a member of, have been a member of for the past 24 years. I never met the man, but have gleaned much from his writings. He explains verse-by-verse what Peter has to say and he explains it in easy to understand terms.

Many times over many years we have all heard about the character traits of Christ and how once we are saved/born again we too receive these character traits. But we sometimes wonder if we really have. We hear the words virtue - knowledge - temperance - patience - godliness - brotherly love - love, and question whether we really have any of those, because sometimes it just doesn't seem like we do. I think the problem is we don't live like we have those traits. We don't purposely live for Christ, striving to be what He wants of us and for us. We live for ourselves.

So I looked again at these character traits.

Virtue is a quality of life which enables us to respond immediately when God speaks. Its courage, moral strength and purity. Its a lot of things all wrapped up in one. Giving God our all. God gave His son for all of our sins past present and future. Why is it so hard for us to give Him our all. If we have accepted Christ as our personal saviour, then why do we not accept that He can and will take care of all we have need of. If we live in Christ, if we follow Christ at all costs, if we go when He says go, if we wait when He says wait, we have virtue.

Knowledge is more than knowing, its understanding what the Scriptures say and then its applying it to specific situations. We need to have a personal devotional life of Bible study all the time, not just occasionally. Sunday school is good - there are many churches who do not have Sunday school for adults. Knowing what the Bible says and how to apply it to your personal situation is necessary for every last one of us. But stopping there or believing just coming to church on Sunday is enough is wrong thinking. We need to get into His word, think about what He is saying to us.

Temperance is the mastery of temptations which come from within. I haven't mastered this by any means. I imagine there are a great many of us who haven't really mastered this.
Temperance is keeping a reign on/ holding in our passions, appetites and instincts so that they are our slaves instead of our masters. Lew Miller uses the example of losing your temper ... as a Christian its a definite no-no. As are griping/complaining, self-pity, jealousy, grouchiness.
Being depressed isn't good. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Just means you shouldn't let it control you. Because once it controls you, God takes a backseat in your life and He needs to be the driver.

Desires for material things, for sweets, are temptations that can be mastered. But it takes more than our personal willpower to make it happen. Willpower doesn't work. Remember, we can do all things through Christ which strengthens us. We can do nothing by ourselves. We do not remember this enough.

Patience is the mastery of problems which come from without. Yielding to God without complaint, in spite of our circumstances. A brave, courageous acceptance of everything that life can bring to us. I am forever learning patience. Sometimes it gets the best of me and you can see where my lack of it has gotten me. Other times I have found peace and joy. Joy is a fruit of the spirit that brings calm assurance and victory in every circumstance. That doesn't mean the circumstance has necessarily gotten better. But it does mean because we have stayed in tune to Christ and His word, God has enabled us to endure whatever the circumstance.

Godliness is acting and reacting as Christ would in every circumstance. Nope, don't think so. It would be good if I did, but of course I get my self-will in the middle of things and then its not God I am listening to and obeying at all, but my own selfish thoughts.

Lew Miller says the best way to witness is by our actions. Interesting. Frequently you hear witnessing is door-to-door, visiting folk, sharing your testimony. I don't really like to witness for that very reason. I'm scared to death. Fear factor numeral uno. But when you talk about witnessing by how we live, it makes it easier. At least I think it does.

Brotherly Love is a genuine affection and concern for our Christian brothers and sisters. A willingness to bear the burdens of others with a desire to move in and help. Everywhere we see people in desperate need of kind words, kind deeds, kind friends.

Love is looking at all people from God's viewpoint. God loves you. God loves me. He does not love many of the things we do. He does not love the sins we commit. But He does love the person you are, because He created you.

When we allow the spirit of Christ to control our lives, others will be spiritually refreshed.