December 31rst, Saturday Night

To forget yourself and get lost in a maze of helping and giving to others, is really a saved condition. Making a habit of blessing other people and looking out for their good instead of your own will starve out the selfishness that lies in our various areas of life.

Of course though, we need to be right with God ourselves, and He'll take care of guiding us in our relations to others. He wants us to make things right with Him AND with OTHER souls He is seeking to give a new life to. And Jesus said, "As ye have done it unto the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto Me."

From a song called, "Lord, How Long?" :
"Lord, how long can this go on, family life as it is?
Our love is waxing so cold. So much is going wrong.
          We reach out our hands outside our homes,
          Because we think our family's to blame.
          And we forget our own faults, or just don't see them,
         And then we wonder why we're still ashamed.
Lord, we need a change.
Help us come to right relation, make the wrong things right.
May we have a strong connection, turn our darkness into light...
          If we're going to help the world, then it's YOU they must see.
          We must live by Your example with our own family..."

These are some amazing things God has been showing me lately. And He's been showing me deep things ABOUT these things, which I see are very important for spiritual growth and improvement of life. I feel older after a few months of this amazing experience from God than I would if I were making $12 an hour and had my own house and new car and bills and all that stuff. :) God wants to show us how to prioritize, and to remember the important things. If we feel dis-satisfied about living where we are with those we're living with, etc., maybe God is trying to teach us things that are more eternal and best in the long run for us and for others(do we care? Only God can make us care.) And maybe that we ought to seek these things and be strong through the struggles and the deep heart-searching and painful "heart surgery", rather than by-passing our issues and blaming others as we mess up and run away from our troubles. (We would just find other troubles anyway. We really need to get to the ROOT of the problem.)

The struggles, heart-searching, surgery and ALL are more than worth it! The results are better than what our own mistakes, pride, and unwillingness to change, could bring us. ;)
"Lord, how long can I refuse to let go of the things that by Your grace I know
Are not the things that will be best down the road?
Lord, take it all, and no matter what others do, I still have light to live up to.
I can't cast on them all the blame, and just wait for them to change.
Lord, I must do my part for You.
It's Your will I must do. Lord, I trust You will lead me through."

He will, friend, He will. Whatever your personal issues are, if you listen to Him, trust and obey, He will show you answers. You can expect it to involve leaving your comfort zone. But sometimes, it's just a matter of letting go and being still, so that as your voice and crazy/confused/spinning-out-of-control mind were hushed -- stopped -- Jesus could tell you the truth of the matter.

Whatever the case is -- He really, sincerely, wants to help you.
"Help us put first things first, and to look in the mirror.
And instead of blaming others, the golden rule adhere."
Jesus said, "Do unto others even as you would that they should do unto you."
"The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness..." James 2:20,21. Can we admit it? Acknowledging our sin...it's like going through a dark tunnel for a minute, and then coming out to the other side, which in this case is a much better place to be than the side we came from. It brings us to this: We are in favor with God, simply because we chose Him, not our self, which makes us happy and at peace. Can we admit our true condition? Jeremiah 3:13,14: "Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed My voice, saith the LORD. Turn, O backsliding children..."
Back to James: "Wherefore lay apart all superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness [Let's sell our pride and exchange it for meekness, a treasure in that field.] the engrafted word, WHICH is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving you own selves."

The Worth of a Soul

The worth of a soul is seen in its price, The price that was paid on Calvary’s cross.
We see in Christ’s infinite sacrifice, The true calamity of a soul’s loss.
We cannot over-value one soul’s worth; Its price was paid with blood.
The precious Son of God came down to earth –Jesus was the only One who could.

Only His innocent blood could atone, For one sinner’s evil and vice.
He had to bear the burden alone; No angel could pay the price.
He chose to bear the guilt and pain, Represented by His cross.
Jesus moved forward, despising the shame, In order to save all the lost.

So give Him your heart, O valuable soul! Forget all the pleasures of this earth.
Return to Christ what the devil stole; Jesus paid for your infinite worth.
And how could you not surrender to Him, Who bought you by anguish and tears;
Who died to save you from your own sin? He’s been begging you all these years.

And finally, soul, what have you done, To help other fallen souls;
To lead them to the Father’s throne, Where all can be cleansed and made whole?
When you speak to those who you know best, What is the effect of your words?
At the end of the day, have they been blessed? Have you pointed them to the Lord?

Do you pray for and with your straying friends, To guide them back into the fold?
Do you care what will be the effect in the end? Or is your heart just too cold?
Does your influence testify to your faith? Do your actions and words honor God?
Or are you just playing the Christian game, Pretending to walk where He has trod?

What is the value in playing this game,

If you are a Christian only in name;

If your life leads your loved ones to believe,

That religion doesn’t matter in reality;

And your words and actions have them deceived,

So that they think lightly of eternity?

What will be the result in the end?

The loss of a relative, neighbor, or friend?

Will you sell your own soul for this earth?

Do you not understand the actual worth…of a soul?

The worth of a soul is so great, you see, That nothing can outweigh its cost.
So there lies a burden on you and me, To seek to save all who are lost.
Now we cannot save them all on our own; We need the Holy Spirit’s aid.
But do not despair! We are never alone; God’s plans have already been made.

He plans to save you, and all who you love;

You must only seek for His leading.

He has mansions prepared in Heaven above.

In the most holy, Jesus is pleading…for your soul.

So where will you stand in the end?

Just wherever you go,

Jesus wants you to know,

That you will take a friend.

So remember… the worth of a soul.


~Poem(will likely be a song at some point) written by Dylann G.H.~