Fasting and Praying for the Younger Generation

Take a look at this:
(A Call for Fasting and Praying for the Younger Generation)
(The direct links to the posts are broken links, so the related posts are the top four in the [above] March 2007 archive - "A Call for Prayer and Fasting for Daughters" through "A Most Unusual Generation of Young Women".)

And a young lady's response:
(A Plea to Single Women)

What do you think?

I Cannot See

I cannot see beyond today
So I know not what is the way
That I should take.

I cannot know what lies ahead
And so, by faith, this path I tread
To higher ground.

Lord, why the darkness? why not light?
I walk by faith, and not by sight
He leadeth me.

When trusting Him, I need not fear
He holds my welfare very dear
And sees ahead.

So when the way I cannot see
I trust in Him who loveth me
And I can rest.

Answers in Genesis cartoons

Check out this AiG cartoon:
Man at His All-Time Best?

(These are creationist cartoons if you haven't figured that out yet. ; ))

While you're at it, here's a few more of my favourites:
Celebrate Something Real
Intelligent Design
Nope, I Don't Believe in Science

And this one is an encouraging one:
A Smile & Some Tears

Be Still, My Anxious Heart

Be still, my anxious heart, and rest-
Thy Saviour will supply thy need;
Gives He, who loves thee, aught but best?
Be still, my anxious heart, and rest.

Be calm, my fearful heart, be still-
Thy soul the Shepherd well doth feed;
I trust my future to His will;
Be calm, my fearful heart, be still.

Take rest, my weary soul, and trust;
In pastures green the Shepherd leads;
He knows our frame - we are but dust-
Take rest, my weary soul, and trust.

Be filled, my longing heart, with Him;
Oh, His is love, yes, love indeed;
The cares of earth will soon grow dim-
Be filled, my longing heart, with Him.

The Modesty Survey Results are out!

TheRebelution.com just launched the results of their massive Modesty Survey! Over 1,600 Christian guys have answered questions on everything from glitter lotion and lip gloss to swimsuits and skirt slits! It's everything girls have ever wanted to ask guys about modesty, but were afraid to ask! For guys, it's really interesting to see what other Christian guys think!

Most importantly, the survey is presented as a resource to help Christian girls (and guys), not a list of legalistic rules, and it is accompanied by the Modesty Survey Petition (which tons of guys have signed) which encourage young women to focus on the heart, not the hemline, to honour their parents, etc.

TheRebelution.com presents the results of the survey as a big Valentine's Day gift from 1,600 Christian guys to all Christian girls.

It is pretty amazing. Encouragement for girls that modesty really is important to guys, and for guys, that many girls do care! So...

Check it out! -->>

Strength In Quietness

"For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel;
In returning and rest shall ye be saved;
In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength:
And ye would not."
(Isaiah 30:15)

I've pondered that verse before, but this time it really hit home. I've been meditating on it a lot over the past few weeks. What does it really mean to find salvation in returning and rest, and strength in quietness and confidence? Who is the object of our return and confidence?

I'll answer the last question first. Clearly, this is the Lord God beckoning us to return to Him. To find rest in Him. We do not find strength as we run ourselves past our limit serving, working, and "doing" for God... while forgetting to just BE in His presence.

But so often, we do just that. We have our own ideas of what constitutes good things to do, and, in most cases, they are truly good things. But are they the best? Are they what God has placed as priority for us, right now? When we're just busy doing our own thing, we can't expect God's blessing.

Now, I'm not discounting or discouraging ministry and serving the Lord. That's an important part of our Christian walk. But take a look at Luke 10:38-42 for a minute:

"...[Jesus] entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

Jesus knew very well that Martha desired to serve Him by having the house just so, a special dinner, and all the trimmings. But He gently rebuked her, saying that Mary, who had chosen to sit at His feet and listen to Him speak, had made the better choice.

Our service has to flow out of a living relationship with Him. Even if we're doing good things for God, He is not pleased if we serve Him to the neglect of really knowing Him. The listening must come first.

“And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”
(I Samuel 15:22)

"Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened…
I delight to do thy will, O my God..."
(Psalm 40:6,8)

He asks of us a listening, quiet heart, and a willing, obedient spirit.

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
(Isaiah 40:31)

When we take time to be still and delight in the Lord, when we trust confidently in His perfect way and wait upon Him, that is when we will find His strength, and His blessing.

God forbid He need ever say of us "...and ye would not." He offers rest for our souls. But we will only find that rest and strength when we learn to sit still and commune with Him, and seek HIS will.

"And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart."
(Jeremiah 24:7)

Let us first pursue the best – to know God, to be quiet and listen – and He will add everything else.