Proverbs 25:28

“Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.”

What makes a little girl beautiful? To get to the true definition of beauty, we have to start off where we left: childhood. 

I am fascinated with the beauty of children. There is just something about them that shines. They don’t meet the “expectations” of the culture. They don’t always have perfect skin, perfect hair, or the perfect body; however, no one could deny that the face of a child is beautiful. 

Why? 

I”m convinced it’s love. When a little girl knows that she is love, she exudes confidence and beauty. She’s comfortable in her own skin. In fact, she could not even imagine being someone else. She is true to herself because she knows that no matter what, there will always be someone who loves her. 

Have you ever seen a little girl who doesn’t believe she is loved? She’s the girl whose eyes are downcast. She’s the girl who stands at a distance. She’s the one who doesn’t believe that she is beautiful. 

To be loved is more than a gushy feeling; to be loved means to be beautiful. Love IS beautiful. It transforms. It builds up. It gives confidence to face life. When love is absent, beauty is absent. 

Christ’s love for us is what makes us beautiful; it’s what makes us shine. It is the transforming power that creates beauty…even when we don’t look like the pictures in the magazines. 

Most of us, though, don’t live as though we are loved. We don’t believe that a love like that exists. 

Let me tell you, it does exist. 

I used to think the same way you probably think now. I used to believe that no one loved me. They may have said it, but I didn’t believe it. The “love of Jesus” was preached at me time and time again, but I reacted with disdain. Yes, the idea sounded good. The concept was encouraging. But was it truth? 

I was not convinced. 

Yes, I knew God so loved the world. I knew that He sent His son to die in my place. But that wasn’t enough. I wanted to know that He loved me. I didn’t want to be one of many…I wanted to be the one. The one whom He loved. The one whom He saw. The one whom He sacrificed His son. 

I didn’t want the “whole world” kind of love; I just wanted to know that He loved me.

It took a long time, but here is what I found out: He loves me. Not because I am one of many, but because I am me. He made me. He sees me. He knows me by name. He sent His son to die for me, despite my past (in spite of my past, actually!). 

And He loves you. Not because you are included in the census of the world. Not because you just “happen” to be here. Not because He has to love you. 

He loves you because He made you, and He would love you if you were the only person walking this earth. 

That is truth. That is transforming. That is beautiful.

Today’s challenge is to search for truth. Search for love because without it, beauty is only a replica that will fade. True beauty is not physical perfection; it is knowing that you are completely and divinely loved by the One who created the world. 

Verse: “…May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:23)

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For as long as I can remember, I have always loved thinking about how Christ will one day come back for us.

We will then go up to heven to be with Him for eternity.

Doesn't that seem hard to believe? That such an amazing, perfect place as Heaven exists?

For me the most amazing part is trying to grasp that we will live forever! Forever is such a long time, forever is forever.

There is no end to forever, and just writting this is giving my goosbumps.

Heaven is such a wonderful place, it's thrilling to think about the day we will al go there to live, FOREVER!

Though, as thrilled as I am to go to Heaven, I have to be honest, it scares me.

I'm not sure why, but it does. Maybe it's because I will be there forever, and maybe the thought of infinity scares me? I don't know.

I am excited to go to heaven, but I feel like there is so much I want to acomplish first, before we are taken up.

If Christ is going to return during my lifetime, I dont want it to be untill I am about 50.

It may sound silly to say that, but I want to be able to live most of my life before being taken up.

Maybe you may feel the same, maybe not.

I know it is kind of silly to want that, considering once we go to heaven, anything we have acomplished on earth will no longer matter.

I know I have mentioned this verse in a previous blog post, but I still love to re-read it over and over again.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

16: For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

17: After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

Some people predict that Christ will return in 2012, but I dont believe that the date of Christs second coming is something that can be predicted.

At times I think His coming wont be for another hundred to thousand years, then at other times I think it could be during my life time.

No one can be sure, all we can be sure of is that He is coming.

He promised His descpiles after He had risen from the dead, and we know that He is preparing a place for us.

In Revelations, we can find a list of events that will occur before He comes back.

Some of the things on that list have already occured, and now that there is talk of a one world currency, people are considering that Christs return is closer then we thought.

As I said, we will never know when He will return, untill the clear signs, such as a trumpet blow that all of earth will hear and when it happens, we will all know it, even those who did not believe.

His followers and believers, both dead and alive will kneel down to worship Him, but those who did not believe or aski Him into their hearts, will be terrified.

If Christ does return during my life time, whether it be tomorrow or in fifty years, I want to be ready!

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

16: For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

17: After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

Revelation 20:9-15

"And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."

When we pray, it's like a direct connection to God. We can guarantee that the line won't be busy, and it will never be out of service.

We can use this line whenever we want, however we want. We can pray for anything, big or small. We can thank Him for our blessings, tell Him how we feel. Share our worries and fears, hopes and dreams with Him, and we know He will always listen to us.

I pray allot, but it's more like I'm having a conversation with Him rather then just asking for stuff.

I ask Him to forgive my sins and I thank Him for all the blessings in my life, big or small, I count them all.

I pray about everything, how I would like things in my life to go and I ask for His guidance in everything I do.

But where do we draw the line between asking for His help, and being selfish with what we pray for?

When I pray, asking God to help sell our house, am I being selfish?

What if I pray that God helps me to win the lottery?

Asking God to help with problems in our life is not being selfish, but to ask Him for things such as winning a lottery, I do find that a bit selfish.

But what if the things we are praying for are of less importance then the prayers of someone who is praying for food, shelter or clothing? Should we still be praying for the less important things?

Psalm 55:22 says "Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall"

So the Bible does not say that we should only pray in case of emergencies. God clearly tells us to give all our burdens to Him, not just the urgent ones.

We still have to be careful not to be selfish in our prayers.

Many times I have found myself asking God to answer my prayers of selfish wants.

I've learned now to stop asking God for selfish things I want from Him, but focusing more on asking Him what He wants from me.

"Lord, forgive my sins of asking for selfish things. I know you hear my prayers and care about them, big or small. Help me to not ask what you can give me in my life, but what I can give you through my life."

Q- Do you think it is wrong to expect God to listen to our less urgent prayers when someone out there is praying for things like food or shelter?