iron sharpens iron

I was just finishing my Bible study, Seeking Him and one of the questions that was asked was concerning the testimonies in the study. I couldn't personally relate to each of the testimonies but I was encouraged by each person's willingness to take a good, hard look at his/her heart and make the necessary changes to in life to be obedient to Christ and find peace and joy again.
When the Bible says that iron sharpens iron -Proverbs 27:17, one of things we can take away from this is that living life next to each other brings encouragement and growth in us. I don't have to personally relate to each event or life change in your life to be encouraged in mine. But I am encouraged by your obedience to Jesus and willingness to stand by Him and listen even in difficult times and I can definitely praise and worship along side you when you share an answer to prayer or a discovery in His Word.
That is what this blog is all about. Maybe I am getting excited about a truth that you discovered a long time ago or doesn't touch you yet. If that is the case we can together celebrate who Jesus is and how He does meet us right where we are.
Well little did I know when I got this thought this morning where it would take me. See I started this draft after my Bible study and then made breakfast for my family (waffles and sausage, yum!). Then I started checking the blogs I follow and what do you know, I was encouraged and sharpened. This particular writer was sharing with all of us how his wife has encouraged him through the years and particularly when he started his own business. It was great to hear the testimony of a man about his wife particularly when I know their family. However, that was not what stuck with me. What stuck with me was his willngness to follow God's direction in his life and start his own business. The risk he took in God's timing (he and his wife had prayed for a while about the timing)was difficult and not without its bumps. But six years later this man is blessed by Christ and His faithfulness and the sucess of his business.
This blog I have started is somewhat of a risk for me. I know that it is what Christ has for me now but it's a risk because I know almost nothing about blogging and I have no idea where this is going to take me or if anyone is going to read it. But I know that this is what I am supposed to do and I love to write and share what God is teaching me and greatly enjoy praising and worshipping Him with others. Maybe years from now I too can shout from my "mountain top" how much Jesus has done through this little venture of "Celebrating Truth".
Thanks Meg for posting the story of Tom and Heather!

Gentle Reminder

Well when I started this blog or even started thinking about this blog, I envisioned praising Him for answers to prayer, verses that touched me or someone I knew in a new way or just getting excited about the goodness of Jesus but there is something else to celebrate. In Hebrews we are reminded or taught that God disciplines those He loves. When we experience the discipline of Jesus, don't get discouraged and angry, be encouraged that He loves us enough to take the time to discipline us. Well, that sounds good but when you are feeling the correction, no matter how gentle, it stings.
This happened to me last night. I was spending some time before bed reading the Bible and praying for a friend. I was asking specifically for verses to pray over her. I was led to a couple of verses (Deut 5:7 and 6:5). When I read these verses I was a bit confused because they had nothing to do with what I knew of her current situation but they definitely gave me a start.
Let me back track a bit. I have struggled sometime with setting priorities. How do I fit time with God into my day of work, family, house maintenance and other responsibilities and just relaxation? I had prayed about that and struggled with that for about a year and a half. Then last summer I started a new study called Seeking Him by Nancy Leigh DeMoss and Tim Grisson. Through the course of this study, I reestablished more balance in my life and experienced the talked about revival in my relationship with Jesus. It has been amazing!
Well, I must confess I have been struggling a bit with balance because the study is completed and I have nothing to replace it. Yesterday was a bad day for balance. I did more relaxing than anything else and it was not good. When I read those verses intended I thought for my friend, I knew they were for me. A reminder that I am to have no other gods, except the one true God and that I am to love Him with all my heart, soul and mind. I was not doing that yesterday and have not been loving Him with all of me for at least a week. This stung because I know I was hurting Jesus by ignoring Him and not intentionally spending time with Him.
Some may say, "Well, lighten up,Renee, it's one week or one day!" My response to that is to say, "Thank you, Jesus, for knowing my heart so well!" For me discipline is required and needs to be kept in short account. I don't want to go back to the life, when I didn't feel close to Jesus and I spent very little time with Him. That was an empty time in my life, filled with loneliness for Him and the intimacy we once shared. Those verses last night were a loving reminder to me to keep myself on track and love Him the way I truly want to. It's not much different than my relationship with friends and my husband. I long to spend time with each of them and make an extra effort to be with each of them. When I don't there is something missing in my life because one of them has not been in it for some time or had alone time with me for catching up and renewal of intimacy.
This is what I celebrate this morning, Jesus loves me enough to tell me and you, "I love you and I want to spend time with you. Don't forget Me and put other things ahead of Me. I love you with My whole heart, please return that love with your whole heart."
Thank You Jesus!