Plain Red Cup~

November 10, 2015

If we knew what everyone stood for, believed in, and supported, and based our living on that, we would die… We would not shop here, or there, or take our children here or there, or, or, or…  We are in this world, but not of it. “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own.  Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15: 18-19).  We do not have to support those who do not believe, but, if we are Christians, we do have to shine God’s light… the light that gives hope to a dying world.  “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”(Matthew 5:16).

I once walked in darkness.  I am thankful for God’s grace, and the grace of His children who shared with me who He is, so that I can obtain this blessed hope!  “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;  who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10).  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”(1 Peter 1:3).  God provides for us through people that do not know Him.  Our role here is not to condemn those who do not believe, but to live life in such a way that they see what we stand for, believe in, and support, and that they might see our good works and glorify… Our Father in Heaven… not us, not what we think is right, but glorify all that is right.  

We are quickly approaching the Christmas season.  Every day is Christmas to me, as His mercies are new every morning.  The gift of His birth, death, and most importantly, His resurrection is one that I am thankful for each and every day!  All that claim to know Him and call themselves His children should be.  I’m not better than anyone else in this world.  We are all sinners in need of a savior, some just don’t know it, or want it.  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”(Romans 3:23).  ALL… including me, and every human that exists, or has ever existed.  

Satan is a big fat liar, and is currently using a stupid red cup to cause division, and upset.  It’s a cup people.  The owner needs to see Jesus, not crazed people that call themselves Christians saying "my name is Merry Christmas” or any other negative action that is being taken.  My name is redeemed, and I am forever grateful for that!  I want to be salt, not ice water.  May the Lord open all of our eyes on how we can truly show His love, and stand up for Him, not what we think is right.  

As Christians, we know and value what Christmas is about.  The Bible doesn’t say Merry Christmas in it anywhere… It does say “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men!” (Luke 2:14).  Our Jesus, our Savior, and salvation, was born in a dirty stable because there was no room for them in the inn…  I don’t think God is too concerned with the cups at Starbucks… He is concerned for the hearts, minds, and souls of all He has created though… Let’s be smart… Keeping Christ in Christmas should look a whole lot different, don’t you think?

Perspective~

“I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.  My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.  Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together” (Psalm 34: 1–3).

Some days begin bright and sunny, and end bright and sunny.  Some days begin bright and sunny, and end a little gloomy.  Some days begin gloomy, and end bright and sunny.  Some days are gloomy from beginning to end.  Some days the waters are calm, and some days they are rough.  The wave’s crash with great thrust, or the waters are still and peaceful.  The wind will blow, or there will be a calm in the air.  Sometimes you will go out for a walk with clouds all around and think… It won’t rain on me, I’ll be fine… only to go out and have it pour after you were too far to come back, and then have to walk back in the rain.  

Just like life really.  Some days start out great and end great.  Some days start out great and end kind of crumby.  Some days start out crumby and end kind of crumby.  Some days start out down right depressing, and end cheery.  

The times that I go out in my flesh and think; I’ll be just fine, seldom turn out without some rain.  Not thinking things out, or planning, or just wanting what I want, and do it regardless, is never good.   

“Why are you cast down, O my soul?  And why are you disquieted within me?  Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God” (Psalm 42:11).

Sometimes this is determined by our attitudes, sometimes, it is just what it is.  Life is hard.  It has its ups and downs.  It has been this way from the beginning.  Whatever the day, how it begins, how it ends, we should always have praise in our hearts, and on our lips for the one who created life.  Regardless of how our day is going, or how things in life are turning out, God is still God, and He is worth of our praise!

“Blessed are You, LORD God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever.  Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head over all.  Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all.  In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all.  “Now therefore, our God, We thank You And praise Your glorious name.  But who am I, and who are my people, That we should be able to offer so willingly as this?  For all things come from You, And of Your own we have given You.  For we are aliens and pilgrims before You, As were all our fathers; Our days on earth are as a shadow, And without hope” (1 Chronicles 29: 10 – 13).

A little prayer~

"Can you imagine yourself standing at the edge of the Jordan, dripping wet, and turning your head to see Jesus himself being baptized after you? What would go through your mind? What are your thoughts and feelings toward your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? Who is He to you? Reflect on these questions and close in prayer" (You version devotional: 'Jesus I Need You' part 3').

Father God, You are my Lord and my Savior.  You love me more than anyone has ever loved me.  I have experienced what I thought to be love in my life, and know that people love me, but You surpass them all.  Your care for me blows my mind.  You want me.  When I just want to be wanted by people, You gently hold me and let me know that You want me, and that is better than any person.  You tell me to be still and know that You are God, and comfort me when I am hurting.  Even when I am at my worst, You show me grace.  You are my Lord, and I love You.  I think about what You sacrificed so that I could have relationship with You, and am dumbfounded.  When I was still walking in sin, You sent Your only Son to take the punishment that should have been mine.  I am sinner of sinners, and You still show me Your grace each and every time that I fall.  You say that You cast them as far as the East is from the West... they never meet, which means to You, they are gone.  Thank You, God, for your love, grace, and mercy.  I deserve death, and You give me life.  You are a great and mighty God.  I will praise You as long as You give me breath.  In Jesus' Name, Amen

John 3:16; Psalm 46:10; Psalm 34:18; Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 5:7; Romans 6:1; Psalm 103:12; Romans 8:11

Character~

According to Merriam-Webster, character is the way someone thinks, feels, and behaves: someone's personality.  

True character comes out in hard times.  When the pressure is on, the truest of our being is displayed.  You may think that someone is not capable of what is displayed during those times, however hard it is to believe, that is true character.  People can be completely broken, others can hurt, lash out, slander, destroy, and are just plain mean.  What we have to remember is that just because someone lashes out and displays their character, what they may be saying, or how they are behaving towards you, is not a true reflection who you are, but a revelation of their character.  It is important to also know that our own true character comes out during these times, and we must examine ourselves to make sure that we are who we say we are, and that we are being true to that.  “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm139: 23-24). 

If you say you are a Christian, and are living contradictory to what God’s Word says, you are lying to yourself, and everyone around you.  “He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4).  This is not to say that we don’t all fall or sin, because we all do.  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) It is important to ask God for forgiveness.  He will forgive.  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us. (1 John 1:9-10).  We need to give weight to everything in His Word.  This passage also warns that if we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us.  If there is only one thing God cannot do, it is lie!  

You may have recently made some life changing decisions that have affected other people.  Regardless of how that person responds, or chooses to react, you have to be confident that you are following what the Lord is leading you to do, and not be pressured into compromising, or going against your morals and integrity.  There is a good chance that you are in the place you are now because you neglected to heed God’s Word in the first place.  Don’t beat yourself up because of this.  There is grace for all.  God does not condemn, neither does He want us to continue in sin.  “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12: 1-2).  

Paul goes on to mention not to think more of yourself that you ought.  As I stated above, we have all sinned, and fall short of God’s glory.  We must press on in Him, look in the mirror at ourselves (the only one we answer to Him for), and continue with endurance on this journey.  “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).  God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.  None of us is better than another, or more deserving than another.  God created all, loves all, and forgives all that come to know Him as their personal Savior.  His grace is more than I deserve, and what I need to bestow on others.  Keep your eyes on Christ, and the ultimate prize. 

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you” (Philippians 3: 13-15). 

Forgiveness~

August 9, 2015

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8: 1-2).

We seek God in our lives, to live in us, to flow through us, and to use us as He sees fit with the gifts He has given.  If there is sin in our lives, it is not likely that He can flow freely.  We are a temple of the Holy Spirit, and God’s Spirit dwells in our midst (1 Cor. 3:16).  If you know there is something in the temple, or that you are doing something that will hurt the temple, simply pray and ask God to forgive you.  “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us” (1 John 1: 8-10 emphasis mine).  Pray and confess any unconfessed sins, ask forgiveness and be forgiven.  

There is nothing that we have done that His blood hasn’t already covered. To feel that what we have done is too much for Him to forgive means that Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross was not enough.  “He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor His anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103: 9-12).  You should remember them no more either, only to proclaim what God has done in and for you.

God, I come before You and ask that You forgive me of my sins.  Wash me as white as snow.  Father God, I invite You to come consume me.  Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, and draw me closer to You.  Flow through me, and use me for Your Glory.  I welcome You.  Fill me, overcome me with Your presence Lord.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

Roots~

"He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great" (Luke 6:48-49).

It is essential to have good roots.  To do this, it is very important to establish a relationship on a solid foundation, one that is strong so that when the winds blow, and when the storms come, you are able to stand.  If you are not built on a solid foundation, then you will not be able to stand, and most certainly shift, or even fall. The ground will crumble out from underneath you, the winds come and blow you over.  The rains come and flood the core of your being.  A relationship built on feelings and emotions can never last.  Feelings and emotions change like the seasons.  Christ alone is a solid foundation and never changes.  If you are in a relationship and you realize that the foundation is not strong, it doesn’t have to be the end of the relationship.  It’s going to take work, but can be fixed, no differently than if your house foundation was bad.  You have to jack the house up, sure the foundation, and replace the structure on top.  The couple may need to go get some counseling, talk things out, work on making themselves stronger for the other person.  Sure, the house could be plowed in, but it is still a good structure, just needs some support.  It is always best to try and fix something.  That relationship that is not built on solid foundation may need to end if both parties are not willing to fix the foundation.  In this case the relationship certainly has to end.  It will never work if only half of the houses’ foundation is secured.  If one party thinks that everything is fine, eventually the house is going to shift so much that it caves, or crashes in.  Be strong, don’t compromise, and build on a solid foundation.  Men and women alike should care more about godliness than superficial qualities.  Look for men and women of character that you can spend the rest of your life with.  “Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business” (Acts 6:3).  If you excuse essential faults, they will not be a life match… without MUCH work.  If you are in a relationship and the other person does not think that God’s way is best, heed that red flag and run, for it cannot last.  “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).  

"Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish (Psalm 1:1-6). 

Change~

“A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).  Change is inevitable.  As written in God’s word, we plan our way, but He directs our steps.  There are times when he pulls on the reins and says “whoa girl, not so fast”.  I’m so thankful for His leading and guidance in this life.  

How is your life?  Are you right where you want to be?  Do you wish that you didn’t behave and respond in certain ways?  It has been said to me that “I can’t change”, “I don’t want to change”, “I shouldn’t have to change”, and “don’t ask me to change”.  Thankfully, God is the only One that never changes.  “For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob” (Micah 3:6).  “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).  “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).  

We should always strive for change.  We are commanded in God’s word to change.  We cannot run a race and not change, we must always be moving forward.  Sure sometimes we fall, but we must pick ourselves up, get back on the track, and run.  “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3: 13-15).  There is action, and purpose in what we are doing.  By ditching the negative, and the things in our lives that cause us to trip up, we can focus on the goal.  “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12: 1-2).  We are to run this race that we are in with endurance, to win a prize, the ultimate prize… eternity with Him!  

I do not want to be who I was yesterday.  Tomorrow, I hope to be different than today.  I am always learning (from my mistakes) that I do not have it all together, and striving to be more like Christ.  Thankfully the Lord is merciful and forgiving, and also desires for me to be like Himself, and wouldn’t have hung on the cross if I was able to ever have it all together.  Another word for change is transform.  It is not just in outward form, God desires for us to transform by the renewing of our minds.  “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).  

Every day I want to be a better child of God, a better mother, a better girlfriend, a better daughter, a better friend, a better employee, a better stranger, a better… Yes, different than today, I’m striving for perfection because He is perfect… and knowing that perfection will only come the day when I arrive on eternity’s shore.  His desire is for me to be holy, set apart, different, I can be, only by changing.  

“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;  but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,  because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1: 13-16).  

 “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.  And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Ephesians 5:1).           

Words~

This is written while looking into a mirror.

You are working in an office, and you walk down a hall and hear your name mentioned in conversation, or hear a conversation that you had with someone else being repeated.  It is so easy to complain about someone when they upset us, or treat us in a way that we do not like.  We have to be very careful not to sin against that person, and ultimately God by gossiping about things.  Forwarding emails, texting, phone calls, face to face chats, and the like about someone else is not acceptable.  The Bible clearly tells us that if we are offended by someone to go to THAT person (Matthew 18:15), not others.  The Bible is full of verses on this; there are 17 verses in the Bible about taming the tongue, 26 verses about gossiping, and 48 about slandering.  God makes it clear that we are not to do it.  Gossiping is talking about something that is going on in someone else life.  Slander is malicious, false, and defamatory statement or report.  It may not be exactly gossip, or slander, but if we talk about what someone has done in a negative light, or make that person look poorly, we are not doing what Christ commanded.  He loves us all, and does not desire for anyone to tear another down.  "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.  And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4: 29 -32).  If someone comes up to you and says did you hear about so and so?... simply say, no, and you should go talk to so and so.  I have hurt in my heart for the times I have chosen to talk about a situation instead of confronting it, and have asked God to forgive me.  He has, but I still have sorrow knowing that I have done this.  This has been my prayer as of late: "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.  Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, To practice wicked works With men who work iniquity; And do not let me eat of their delicacies" (Psalm 141: 3-4).  I like the image someone has put out of a broken plate.  A caption goes along with it that reads: 

Drop the plate on the ground...  What happened?...  It broke.  Now tell it you're sorry...  What happened?... Nothing, it's still broken.  Exactly.  Words can do this. 

We are all different, all important, and all have individual purpose. "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ" (Romans 12:12).  All of us were created for Him, by Him, and for His glory.  "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).  Just because someone behaves a different way than we do, doesn't make them wrong, bad, or anything other than different from us, which is a good thing.  We all need each other as members of the body, and not one of us, or our position is better than any other.  I'm not saying that there are not times that people need to be talked to about behavior, choice of words, etc, but the talking should be done with that person, not other people.  Talking about other people hurts the person being talked about, as well as hurting your own character.  Food for thought...  If someone is talking to you about someone else, what are they saying about you behind your back?  "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer" (Psalm 19:14).  

Father God, please keep me mindful of my words and the power that they hold.  Remind me how it feels to know when I have heard someone talking about me, remind me that this is not what You desire from me.  Please continually surround me with Your Holy Spirit through in and out and protect me from the evil that is when talking about someone else.  Thank You for piercing my heart with this, showing me that You care, and desire me to be more like You.  Please continue to lead me in Your ways, and to glorify and honor You.  In Jesus' Name, Amen. 

"See how great a forest a little fire kindles!  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity.  The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.  For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.  But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison" (James 3: 5 - 8).

"He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8).  Live it.  

Depend on the Master, not the provision~

Our staff devotion this week was from 1 Kings 17.  It is the passage where Elijah told Ahab that there would be no rain or dew in the land accept at his word.  The Lord proceeded to tell Elijah to go hide by the brook Cherith, which flows to the Jordan, and the ravens would feed him.  So he went and did what the Lord had told him, and the ravens brought bread in the morning, and meat in the evening.  After a while the brook dried up, because there had been no rain.  If that was me, I may have seen that the brook was going to dry up and get all stressed out, and may have even tried to figure something out on my own.  Elijah was faithful to God, and trusted Him for his care.  Our pastor pointed out that even in the center of God’s will, the brook dried up.  Elijah was not dependent on the provision, he was dependent on the Master.  A great verse follows the brook drying up; “Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you’” (1 Kings 17: 8-9).  Following God’s path always equals Him caring for you, even if things look like there will be nothing, if we are grounded in Him, and following what He desires, He will lead you on the next path to take, and continue providing.  My devotion this morning (Jesus Calling) correlated with yesterdays.  It encouraged that I don’t plan, and try to anticipate what will happen in the future. Rather, that I “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and ask His Spirit to take charge of every detail of the day.  This seems so easy to do, and can be if we are living in communion with Him.  Daily discipline is a must.  It’s funny, I don’t forget to eat breakfast, or drink water… how much more important it is for me to be in communion with my Maker, the One who loves me, and will care for me more than anyone (including myself) on this earth.  Looking into the future takes my eyes off of the provision.  “My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him” (Psalm 62:5).

Father God, thank You for Your word, and speaking into my heart and mind.  You always care for me.  I don’t always obey and do what You command.  Please lead me and guide me in Your ways, and help me to focus on You, and trust You wholly.  “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;  And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139: 23 – 24). In Jesus Name, Amen.

Sacrifice~

February 17, 2015

Challenge

• List your top five priorities (something regarded as more important than another; fact or condition as being regarded or treated more important).
• Now, list at least five sacrifices (the act of giving up something that you want to keep especially in order to get or do something else to help someone) that you have made, and make on a regular basis for those priorities. Be honest.
• Look over your list. Are your top five priorities really priorities?
• Make a list of five things that you can do to make the priorities you listed truly priorities. 
• Reorder your list, what are your actual priorities? 

Now that the lists have been created, what are your top priorities? Are they on your list? What do you spend most of your time doing? Social Media? Television? Reading books? Partying? Work?  Again, be honest. If you are spending a lot of time on social media, watching television, sports, working out, working, anything that is taking a lot of your time and focus, that is a priority.  Sometimes things that are not necessarily a bad thing to be a priority, can be unbalanced.  Are you sacrificing (giving up something important or valued for the sake of other considerations) for that priority? If not, reevaluate that priority.  Is that a priority that you want to keep?  Do you value that priority?  Do you take that priority for granted?  Do you truly sacrifice for that priority?  Really think about it.  Don't let it beat you down, rather, let it motivate you to be better.

I know that when I listed, and evaluated my priorities I was a little disappointed.  While a few of them are truly priorities, I may be over achieving (sacrificing more of myself than perhaps I should), and a few, I am seriously failing at.  Balance is essential.  The ones that I am failing at should be more of a priority than they are, and therefore have listed what I can do to make them better.  Now I have to implement, and take action. 

This may open your eyes a bit as to what your priorities truly are, as well as what priority you are in others.  Brace yourself, it could be a little painful.  It can also be satisfying.  Whatever it may be, know that your value and importance is not based on others.  

Just a few scriptures on sacrifice...

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and contrite heart" (Psalm 51:17). 

"I will freely sacrifice to You; I will praise Your name, O LORD, for it is good" (Psalm 54:6).

"Let my prayer be set before You as incense, The lifting of my hands as the evening sacrifice" (Psalm 141:2).

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another" (Romans 12:1).

"And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" (Colossians 3:17).

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality" (Colossians 3: 23-25).

"But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead" (Philippians 3: 7-11).

Fight~

Marriage is designed by God.  He intends for one man to be married to one woman.  Children need two parents.  Struggles come, but we must fight to keep the covenant that was made with God, and each other.  Everyone suffers if this is not followed.  It hurts for long amounts of time.  I have been divorced for 5 years and 5 months, the pain still is there, it is strong at times, and is depressing.  I never wanted this for my life, and I really need help getting through it.  God is the only constant in my life, the only real source of peace.  I have fallen in love with a man, and sometimes feel like things will not work out with him because of our kids, and our ex’s. The pain in my heart is so evident today that I feel like there is no hope for a future. God, I need You, oh I need You now.  Written January 31. 2015

http://youtu.be/9ylnx0NA9X4  "Need You Now, Plumb"

"Keep Your Marriage Vows
Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife. But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her.  And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him.  For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?" (1 Corinthians 7:10-16).