19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Matthew 6:19-24.
I have some things weighing heavily upon my heart today. My daughter is very sick but I know that she is safe and sound in the arms of my Savior. He takes care of His children's children. That isn't necessarily what is weighing upon my heart, although, my heart grieves when she's sick and I want nothing more than to take away her sickness.
I am weighed down by my own sin. The Holy Spirit so tenderly revealed my sin in a very clear way through this passage of scripture I was reading yesterday. I felt cut to heart by the conviction but then a sense of joy and relief washed over me because He also reminded me that if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). You see Beloved, I have been caught tight into the reigns of materialism. I've sat too long staring at all that the world has to offer and what others have that I have lost sight of what's important.
It is so easy to do this and find yourself entrenched in it before you even realize what your doing. The enemy is crafty and he wants nothing more than to take your eyes off of the glories and riches of Christ and onto the lies and temporal fleeting pleasures of this world. Michael and I don't have a lot of money but we are rich according to the Bible, we have food, clothing, and shelter and that is more than most of the world has. I found out that you don't have to be rich to become materialistic. It starts with the eye, then moves to the heart, and soon sin breads more sin and there you have it. Society does such a wonderful job at shoving "stuff" and more "stuff" before our faces every day, especially around the Christmas season. Satan has taken Christmas, which is suppose to be about the first advent of our Lord and perverted it into this shopping, present, Santa Clause fiasco that might throw in a Silent Night at the end to make you feel better about all the idolatry. I am NOT saying that these things are bad in and of themselves, I actually happen to love most of the Christmas traditions!
However, I am guilty of just simply getting caught up in all the glitter and glam of the season and before even realizing it, I've lost sight of what should be exalted most during Christmas, and that is Jesus Christ. I am amazed at the Lord's faithfulness because He will always bring His children back to Himself when they wander off into various sins. He is such a merciful God and He longs for His children to come up higher from the world and to lay aside every sin that clings so closely so that we can run the race with endurance, looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith (taken from Hebrews 1:1-2.) We are free to pursue Kingdom realities when we aren't rolling around in the muck of the world. We can put our focus on things that the Lord's heart is about like, the body of Christ, orphans, widows, and most of all making the Gospel known across the world.
Beloved, pray for me, pray that by the help of the Holy Spirit and through the power of God's word, I would be able to put to death this sin in my life. It has already brought so much death in my heart by choking out the eternal promises of the Word and replacing them with temporal vain pursuits. Thank you for your prayers, I need all the help I can get on this pilgrimage. I am so thankful we serve such a loving and merciful God who disciplines His children like a loving father would. We have much to be thankful for Beloved and we have much much to look forward to in Glory when sin will be done away with and there will be nothing keeping us from loving our Lord Jesus in the way in which He deserves. All Praise and Glory to His Precious Name!!! Enjoy this Christmas season with your families, relish in the Gospel of Christ, sing hymns and praises to our King, celebrate with your favorite Christmas traditions, but most of all keep Him the focus in your hearts.
I love you Beloved,
Glory to the Newborn King!
Cait Graham
It is SO easy to get wrapped up in all things Christmas, and forget the true reason for the celebration. I don't know if you read my blog titled "Oh What Fun," but I think you would LOVE the new tradition we are starting this year with Natalee, and the gifts under the tree. I also felt guilty of the "buing frenzy" experience, and a woman from our Sunday school class shared the most amazing idea. I have enjoyed buying this year more than ever with this new tradition in place. I will keep you in my prayers...this is a prayer I will also pray for myself. Thank you for having a heart for Christ, and reminding me to as well. :)
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