Honoring God and His people.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. (Ephesians 5:3-4)

"So you can see how thanksgiving is the alternative to a life driven by cravings for what you don't have (whether sex or money). Thanksgiving says: “In God I have all that is good for me, and I will not be driven to dishonor the worth of His name just to get a few sexual sensations or a few new toys.”

"Thanksgiving is the opposite of treating God's gifts as filthy or trivial. When you're truly grateful for something, you don't despise it or trivialize it."

"Just test yourself: when your heart is overflowing with gratitude to God, do you use filthy language or make light of things? No.

Gratitude is what you feel when you have been given eyes to see that life is the work of a sovereign and gracious God. It is not for trifling and it's not for defiling.

So we should strip off the old garment of fornication and impurity and covetousness and filthiness and silly talk and levity and in its place put on the garment of gratitude."

source: credits to the site Desiring God. 

Laying Down My Isaac

When I was a baby, I relished being fed with milk. But as I grew deeper in my walk with God, I began to understand that to be fully His requires my laying down of anything that threatens to take the place of worship I should hold for Him alone.

A few months back, God asked me to lay down what was so precious and dear, what I loved so much. Was it easy? Far from. My mind kept wandering back to how Abraham must have felt when God asked him to offer the very son he and Sarah were given. How could he just get up, load his donkey, and take his beloved Isaac? That level of letting go just amazed me. If I had to lay down my Isaac, HE would have to do it, for I couldn’t summon any strength to handle it myself.

It had been extremely difficult and way beyond my own understanding. Countless times I just needed the Lord’s comfort, to just stay in His arms and let my tears flow. I got tired of asking Him, and I ran out of whys. But looking back now, I wouldn’t trade that heart-breaking time, when I had basked in His presence and found the God that loved me more than any love I could ever have imagined..

I have tasted His peace, and it is the sweetest thing..I have delighted in His comfort and immeasurable love, and it was all that mattered..I couldn’t get hold of one question in my head, and even if I could, they no longer count..

Yes, the questions are still there. But I have found how true Jesus is, that I am willing to patiently and joyfully wait to ask Him again, in heaven, when I see His face..

We all have our Isaacs that we need to lay down. It may be a person or a thing that we are possibly not letting go. But would you rather keep what is coming between you and your future blessing, or release them in the wisdom of the Father? After all, God does work all things for our good (Romans 8:28). If I hadn’t been broken, how could I minister to someone hurting, and testify of God’s power to mend a heart and make us whole again?

1 Samuel 15:22 says:

"What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. (NLT)