Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus

Turn Your Eye upon Jesus

O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There's light for a look at the Savior, and life more abundant and free! 

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Thro' death into life everlasting he passed, and we follow him there; Over us sin no more hath dominion-For more than conq'rors we are! 

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His word shall not fail you-he promised; Believe him, and all will be well: Then go to a world that is dying, his perfect salvation to tell!

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Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. 

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When Helen Lemmel was only 12 years old, her family moved to America from England. Her father, who was a Wesleyan Methodist pastor, determined to strike out in a new area of ministry. After a brief time in Mississippi, the family moved to Wisconsin, where they settled. At her young age, Helen showed remarkable musical gifts and her parents saw to it that she received voice lessons from the finest teachers. After finishing school, Helen traveled to Germany for further vocal training and studied there for four years. Helen launched a ministry of her own when she returned to Wisconsin. She gave concerts in auditoriums and churches across the Midwest; She also was a member of a women's quartet that traveled on the Chautauqua Circuit, bringing concerts to small rural towns and villages that would otherwise have no opportunities to hear quality performers.  

Although talented enough to succeed as a professional singer, Helen Lemmel sought fulfillment using her musical gifts as a form of ministry for God. She joined the faculty of Moody Bible Institute where she taught vocal music. In 1918, when she was 54 years old, Helen Lemmel wrote the beautiful hymn "Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus." She had been visiting with a missionary friend who had shared a gospel tract by Lillias Trotter, titled "Focused." The pamphlet included the statement: "So then, turn your eyes upon Him, and look full into His face and you will find that the things of earth will acquire a strange new dimness." Those words seemed to repeat themselves over and over in Helen's mind during the following week. In her memoirs she wrote the following: 

"Suddenly, as if I commanded to stop and listen, I stood still, and singing in my soul and spirit was the chorus, with not one conscious moment of putting word to make rhyme, or note to note to make melody. The verses were written the same week, after the usual manner of composition, but nonetheless dictated by the Holy Spirit."

The song was published in 1922 by the British National Sunday School Union in a book called Glad Songs, which contained 66 other songs by Helen. Two years later, the hymn was first published in the United States. Although she is perhaps best known for having written this favorite hymn, it was only one of the 500 hymns to come from her pen. Mrs. Lemmel is well-known in musical circles for her contributions in the field of children's music. She was a gifted writer and composed and published several works of poetry, and authored a popular book for children entitled Story of the Bible.  It seemed that she made the words of her hymn her personal creed as she continually turned her eyes toward Jesus, serving him faithfully until her death, November 1, 1961, at the age of ninety-six.  
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Hope you all have a good and godly week. 
Sincerely yours in the Lord,
Ashley
Acts 17:27-29  
  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

Family Valentine's Day Party

Hello friends!
For Valentine's day, our family had a formal party. I wanted to share a few pictures from the special evening with you. 
The Decorations   

The Food

 Beef Strip Steaks

Broccoli Soup

 

Chocolate Lasagna

 

Cherry Cream Cheesecake 

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We also had potatoes and salad with the candlelight dinner meal. Actually, one light was on so it wasn't completely a candlelit dinner.   (I know the menu has rolls on it, but we didn't have them.) For dessert, Sarah made chocolate lasagna, (it's one of the best desserts...to bad you all couldn't have tried it ;)  )  and mommy made Cherry Cream Cheesecake, because it's my daddy's favorite. (It's another one of the best desserts.  :) Oh, and since the fair is going on right now, we also had Apple Pie as a side choice of dessert. I entered the apple pie in the fair. We may or may not have indulged ourselves with too many sweets that evening.   ;) But it's okay...it was a special occasion. Very special.  :D

Did you have a special Valentine's day? Leave a comment below. I would love to hear what you and your family did! :D 

Your friend and sister in the Lord,
Ashley 

1 John 4:9-11

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

A Trip to the Everglades

A happy Tuesday to you, friends!

Last week, on Feb. 10th, we took a field trip to the Everglades. What an amazing time we had! After waiting for about an hour for everyone to arrive, we finally got in line and were able to step into the air boat fairly quickly after that.  Here's a video I took while we were speeding along on the water. 

 

This is the air boat we rode on.

 

If you look real closely, you can see an alligator resting on the left side of the bank.

 Here he is. He's appropriately named Scar because one of his front legs is missing.

 These birds are called Purple Gallinules. Our air boat driver called and coaxed him to come over to the boat. He even held one of these birds on his arm. 

These beautiful yellow flowers were easy to pull out of the water. The drive showed us how to make a necklace out of them.  We learned that one of the biggest problems in the Everglades are the pythons. A 6 ft. python can kill a 10 ft. gator. But the gators can be just as dangerous. We heard this true story from someone else who rode in a different air boat. 

There was a man (the grinch who stole Christmas presents lol) who used to steal presents from houses at Christmastime. One night he stole presents and was being chased by the police. He  escaped from them, but ended up running onto the Everglades property and was eaten by a huge mother alligator. The gator was killed after that.

 After the air boat ride, we listened to a presentation about the alligators by a lady who had worked with reptiles about 13 years.

 After the presentation, we had a picnic lunch.  There was a herd of about 6-8 Peacocks under the ramp, and a few of them wandered up the ramp. It was quite interesting to watch the wild Peacocks roam around the picnic tables. One of the Peacocks pecked sunflower seeds out of Deborah's hand.

After a long drive (and being stuck in traffic) we made it home. Mommy made Taco Soup and Sarah made egg rolls. A friend and her daughter, who had gone on the field trip with us, came over for supper and we had a delightful time with them. We set up our tent and the daughter camped out with us. In the early morning, the temperature was 40 something degrees. Last time we camped out it was on one of the coldest days as well.  :) 

So there you have it. Hope you enjoyed hearing about our interesting and informative field trip. Until next time...

Walk with the King!
~Ashley

Proverbs15:13

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

Jesus Paid It All

Jesus Paid It All

By: Elvina Mabel Hall

I hear the Savior say "Thy strength indeed is small, child of weakness, watch and pray, find in me thine all in all."

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Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain, he wash'd it white as snow.

Lord, now indeed I find thy pow'r, and thine alone, can change the leper's spots and melt the heart of stone. 

~~~

Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain, he wash'd it white as snow. 

For nothing good have I whereby thy grace to claim; I'll wash my garments white in the blood of Calvary's Lamb.

~~~

Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain, he wash'd it white as snow.  

And when, before the throne, I stand in him complete, "Jesus died my soul to save," my lips shall still repeat.

~~~

Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe; sin had left a crimson stain, he wash'd it white as snow. 

This hymn was the result of some very interesting coincidences that took place in the Monument St. Methodist Church of Baltimore, Maryland, in the spring of 1865. The church's cabinet organ had been moved to the home of the organist, Thomas Grape, while the church was undergoing some remodeling. Thomas Grape spent many hours practicing and composing, since he had access to the organ all the time. He was trying to write a tune for a hymn composted by William Bradbury and finally came up with one that satisfied him. He entitled the melody "All to Christ I Owe" and gave it to the pastor of the Monument St. Church, Rev. George Schrick. Rev. Schrick didn't feel that Grape's music was quite right for Bradbury's poem, so he tucked it away in his files.  

Elvina Mabel Hall was a member of the choir at the same church where Thomas Grape was organist. She and her husband had been faithful members there for many years and she loved being part of the choir and singing the lovely hymns every week. One Sunday morning, Elvina's attention drifted from the sermon Reverend Schrick was preaching. She thought about the pastor's words regarding God's forgiveness and all that Christ has done to provide redemption for mankind, but specifically for her. As she meditated on this, she became filled with gratitude. She felt a compulsion to write her thoughts on paper. Since she was sitting in the choir loft, she had no paper. Then she spied a hymn book, and opening to the blank flyleaf, she began writing the verses of an original poem. 

By the time Rev. Schrick finished his sermon, Elvina Hall had completed all four verses of the hymn-poem. Elvina waited until everyone had left at the end of the service, and then approached her pastor. She handed him the hymnal with her poem written on the flyleaf and explained why she had written it. After Reverend Schrick read Mrs. Hall's poem, he quickly located the paper with Thomas Grape's melody on it and found the words and the music matched beautifully! Three years later, in 1868, Rev. Schrick had the hymn published in a collection entitled Sabbath Chords. Since that time, "Jesus Paid It All" has been included in gospel songbooks and hymnals around the world. It's really interesting that God could move in the heart of an amateur church organists to write a melody for a hymn not yet composed. Then, He inspired an unsuspecting choir member to scribble in the flyleaf of her hymnal the words that would match that melody perfectly. And finally, He would lead both the author and composer to give their work to their pastor, who would bring the two together to produce a beautiful musical tribute to God's redemptive work. It is fitting that the chorus reminds the singer of the true author by affirming, "All to Him I owe."

 

I hope you all enjoyed learning about this hymn. Have a joyous week, friends.

Happy Valentine's Day! 

Joyfully in the Lord,

Ashley

 Titus 3:5-7

 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

I Need Thee Every Hour

"I Need Thee Every Hour"

By: Annie S. Hawks

I need thee ev'ry hour, most gracious Lord;

No tender voice like thine can peace afford. 

I need thee ev'ry hour, stay thou near by;

Temptations lose their pow'r when thou art nigh. 

 I need thee ev'ry hour, in joy or pain;

Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.

 I need thee ev'ry hour, teach me thy will;

Thy promises so rich in me fulfill.

I need thee ev'ry hour, most Holy One;

O make me thine indeed, thou blessed Son. 

I need thee, O I need thee;

Ev'ry hour I need thee!

O bless me now, my Savior, I come to thee. 

The author of this deeply personal hymn of hope was a thirty-seven year old mother and homemaker. She didn't hold any place of great responsibility in her church, yet her simple and heartfelt verses have been a blessing to countless Christians over the past century. 

Annie Sherwood Hawks was born in Hoosick, New York on May 28th, 1835. She loved poetry and began writing original verses when she was still in grammar school. She was successful in getting her poems published and had become a regular contributor to several newspapers by the time she was fourteen years old. Annie married Charles Hawks at the age of twenty-four, and they moved to Brooklyn, New York, where they raised three children. While she was with the children at home,  the words of her famous prayer-poem, "I Need Thee Every Hour" came to her. In her writings, she recalls it this way.

 "One day as a young wife and mother of 

thirty-seven years of age, I was busy with my regular

 household tasks during a bright June morning in 1872.

Suddenly, I became filled with a sense of nearness

to the Master, and I began to wonder how anyone

 could ever live without Him, either in joy or pain.  

Then, the words were ushered into my mind and 

these thoughts took possession of me- 'I need Thee every hour.'"  

Annie seated herself at a desk beside an open window as the words flowed into her mind. With the bright June sunshine streaming through the window, and the early summer breezes fluttering the curtains, she wrote the lines of this poem. She hadn't thought of them as a hymn, but as a poetic prayer. One day, however, she decided to show her composition to her pastor, Dr. Robert Lowry. Besides being the pastor at the Baptist church in Brooklyn, Lowry was an accomplished gospel hymn writer and had composed such gospel favorites as: "Shall We Gather at the River" and "Marching to Zion." When he read Annie Haws' poem, he saw in it the makings of another gospel hymn. Dr. Lowry added the refrain and wrote a simple melody. 

The hymn was first published that same year in a pamphlet of hymns used at the National Baptist Sunday School Convention held in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was was well-received by the delegates to the convention, and the hymn was printed in a new song book by Lowry and William Doane entitled The Royal Diadem. A few years later, when Ira Sankey and Dwight Moody held their huge evangelistic campaigns across the United States and in Great Britain, "I Need Thee Every Hour" became a popular favorite on both sides of the Atlantic. In 1888, Annie's husband Charles died, and she described the time of sorrow as a "shadow of great loss". In this dark hour her own hymn ministered to her and she wrote: "I understood something of the comforting power in the words, which I had been permitted to give out to others in my hour of sweet serenity and peace."

Some parts taken from Hymns of Faith & Inspiration by Pamela Kennedy.

I hope you all enjoyed learning about Annie, and I hope your Lord's day was wonderful. 

May you rest in God's grace and promises this week. 

Yours warmly, His redemptively,

Ashley

1 Peter 5:7

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 

Amazing Grace

Hello friends! 

I hope you all had a godly Lord's day.  A reader asked if I could write about the author of the hymn "Amazing Grace", ( thank you for suggesting it!) which is another one of my favorite songs, and I'm very happy to do so. 

Amazing grace! how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me! 

I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see. 

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'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved;

How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed!

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Thro' many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come;

'Tis grace hath bro't me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.

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The Lord has promised good to me, His word my hope secure;

He will my shield and portion be as long as life endures.

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When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, 

We've no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun.  

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John Newton, who was born in the summer of 1725 in London, England, is the author of this well-known hymn. As a young boy, John's mother taught him to pray and she filled his mind with the Scriptures.  John's father, an often-absent sea captain, captured John's imagination, though. He dreamed of sailing ships and the wide, wild seas, of adventures and mysterious destinations. 

Just before John Newton's 7th birthday, his mother died due to an illness. His distant relatives took him in and he was mocked for his belief in God, discouraged from praying, and ridiculed for his childish faith. At the age of 11, unhappy and lonely, John ran off and became an apprentice on his father's ship. 

Sadly, his father rejected him too, just like his relatives had. For many years, John sailed the Mediterranean on sailing ships. He was frequently fired for insubordination, but just as frequently hired, for many ship masters were eager to hire young seamen and not to particular about their character.  

He found new adventures after he deserted and ran away to Africa to seek his fortune in the African slave trade. He signed on with an unscrupulous slave dealer, and was harshly dealt with by the man's vindictive wife. John escaped into the West African forests and eventually made his way to the Atlantic Coast. He was finally spotted, after lighting a signal fire, by a passing ship's captain, who sent a small boat to pick him up. 

The captain had hoped the lone man had gold or ivory to offer, and was disappointed to receive a penniless runaway. John was put to work as a mate, which was an unwise decision as the captain later found out.  During a particularly long watch, John became bored and broke into the ship's supply of rum and shared it with the crew. He downed a goodly amount of liquor, and fell overboard after becoming totally disoriented. One of the ship's officers, either out of pity or spite, saved John from drowning by spearing him in the thigh with a harpoon and reeling him back aboard like a flailing fish! 

Painfully wounded and severely disciplined, Newton was relegated below decks. It was a miserable journey from Africa to England in the stinking, stifling hold, and John had endless days and nights to ponder his empty life and unfulfilled dreams. Somehow, a copy of Thomas a Kempis' book Imitation of Christ fell into his hands. As he read the book, John awakened his conscience to the things of God, and he began to recall some of the early lessons his mother taught him. 

As the slave ship neared Scotland, severe winds and rains battered her and she began to take on water. Desperate measures were take to keep the ship from sinking and for four days, every able-bodies man bailed water from the founder ship. Exhausted, frightened, and facing certain death, John Newton had a life-transforming experience with God. The assurance of God's love flooded his soul and mind. He would later describe it as a miracle, an amazing manifestation of God's grace. 

Although that voyage was not his last, John Newton's heart was drawn in other directions. Two years after his miraculous conversion, he married Mary Catlett, a devout Christian. Soon after that, John left the sea and became a minister. Even though he loved to preach and tended to his flock of believers with zealous care, his great joy was writing hymns to be sung at the weekly prayer meetings. He composed over 280 hymns, but the one for which he is most remembered came from his shipboard conversion and carries the message of his personal experience, "Amazing Grace." 

After reading about John Newton and writing this post, I am reminded of this verse. "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:" Isaiah 59:1 It just goes to show you that the Lord desires to save everyone, even the lowest, poorest, worst sinner. As the song says "amazing grace! how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me..." The salvation Christ offers is free to all. Just "...believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." ~Acts 16:31

Hope you all enjoyed this post, and have a good and godly week. Remember to walk with the King, and be a blessing! 

Sincerely yours and eternally His, in the unbreakable and glorious bonds of Calvary,
Ashley 

Prayer Request Page

Good morning sweet friends!
I wanted to let you all know that I added a new page...a prayer request page where I'll be sharing prayer requests. If you have any requests you would like me to add to the list, and that you would like me to pray for, leave a comment or use the contact form. When you visit the page, and if you think of it throughout the days and weeks, please pray for the names listed. You can click here or up above on the tab to visit the page. 

Have a joy filled day in the Lord! 

~Ashley
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice evermore: Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Onward Christian Soldiers

Onward Christian Soldiers

Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,

With the cross of Jesus going on before!

Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe; 

Forward into battle, see his banner go!

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 Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,

With the cross of Jesus going on before.

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At the sign of triumph Satan's host doth flee; 

On then, Christian soldiers, on to victory! 

Hell's foundations quiver at the shout of praise;

Brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise!

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Like a mighty army moves the church of God;

Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod;

We are not divided; all one body we,

One in hope and doctrine, one in charity.

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Onward, then ye people, join our happy throng,

Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song;

Glory, laud, and honor, unto Christ the King;

This thro' countless ages men and angels sing.

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Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,

With the cross of Jesus going on before.  

********** 

 Sabine Baring-Gould is the author of this well-known hymn. He was an Anglican curate in the parish at Horbury Bridge in Yorkshire, England, in 1864. Time had come for the annual Whitmonday procession of Sunday school children from one village to the next, and he despaired of keeping the little children in line as they tramped over the countryside. (Whitmonday is the Monday following Pentecost.) It occurred to him that a marching tune would help keep the children in step and headed in the same direction, both physically and spiritually. Sabine reviewed his hymn texts, but couldn't find anything he felt appropriate. 

Undaunted, he composed the verses of "Onward Christian Soldiers". In his own account of the writing this hymn, Baring has said: "It was written in a very simple fashion, without thought of publication. It was written in great haste, and I am afraid that some of the rhymes are faulty. I am certain that nothing has surprised me more than its popularity."

Although this song is the one piece of writing for which Sabine Baring-Gould is more remembered for, it's interesting to note that he was one of the most gifted men-of-letters of the Victorian Era. He wrote eighty five books on religion, travel, folklore, mythology, history, fiction, biography, and theology during his lifetime.

One of his best known publications is his fifteen-volume Lives of the Saints. In the British Museum's literary catalogue there are more titles by Baring-Gould than by any other writer of his time. When "Onward Christian Soldiers" was first performed by the children of his Sunday school, it was sung to a melody by Haydn. The hymn didn't gain great popularity, however, until a second melody was composed for it by Arthur Seymour Sullivan, a man well-known for the operettas he wrote.

When Sabine Baring-Gould died at 92 years of age, he left the literary world greatly enriched by his numerous contributions and Christian music. He has given believers a cadence for commitment and a challenge to march on as soldiers for Christ. 

 

    ~~~~~~~~~~

When I think of "Onward Christian Soldiers" I think of Philippians 3:14, which says "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

I want to thank the reader that commented asking if I would write about this song. I learned some interesting facts about the author I didn't know before.

Hope you all have a blessed Lord's day.

In the unbreakable and glorious bonds of Calvary,

Ashley

More Love to Thee

More Love to Thee

More love to thee, O Christ, more love to thee! 

Hear thou the prayer I make on bended knee;

 This is my earnest plea: 

More love, O Christ, to thee, more love to thee, more love to thee!

********* 

Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest;

Now thee alone I seek, give what is best;

This all my prayer shall be: 

More love, O Christ, to thee, more love to thee, more love to thee! 

*********

Then shall my latest breath whisper thy praise;

This be the parting cry my heart shall raise;

This still its prayer shall be:

More love, O Christ, to thee, more love to thee, more love to thee! 

 *********

 Elizabeth Prentiss wrote this hymn after two of her children died from an epidemic that swept New York. She found comfort in the hymn by Sarah Adams, "Nearer, My God, to Thee" and she used an almost identical meter to pen "More Love to Thee." She didn't intend for it to be more than a communication between herself and her Saviour, but after she showed it to her husband 13 years later, he encouraged her to publish it. 
The philosophy that is expressed in the hymn's verses reflects that of its author. Despite her pain and discouragement, Elizabeth found she could still experience great joy in expressing her love to God.
Among her writings is this reflection: 

"To love Christ more is the deepest need, the constant cry of my soul...out in the woods, an on my bed, and out driving, when I am happy and busy, and when I am sad and idle, the whisper keeps going up for more love, more love, more love!"

Elizabeth also wrote the book Stepping Heavenward and though it is written for young people, I highly recommend and encourage all of you read it. It outlines the techniques of living the Christian life and describes the Biblical view of the life hereafter. I find it greatly enthralling and am currently reading it a second time.    

Ephesians 3:19
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

It is my prayer that each of you will love Christ more and more each day and grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. I hope you all have a blessed week filled with the grace and mercy of Christ. 
Your sister in the Lord,
Ashley  

Don't let bitterness ruin you. Forgive because Christ forgave you.

Hello dear friends.

Last night our pastor preached a really good message and I wanted to share it with all of you. Here are the notes from his sermon. (I added my thoughts at the end. :)

Hebrews 12:14-15
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
The writer was thinking, perhaps, of the words of Moses in Deuteronomy 29:18 "...lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;" Gall was a bitter plant and used as opium and worm wood was a poisonous plant. If there's even been a root that is both poisonous and dangerous at the same time, it's the root of bitterness.
You can either follow peace with all men, as vs. 14 says, or you can follow bitterness with all men.
Bitterness is a condition of the heart. It's an emotion that is a very common theme in the Word of God. Everyone is human and everyone has a human heart. The heart is pictured as the soil so anything can grow out of it.

Roots can grow anywhere. Every single person has the potential of letting bitterness take root in your heart. It's possible for a child of God to run his race well with a good spirit until the last lap. And then, because of what someone did or said, they finish their race with bitterness and trouble. Look diligently, friends, because roots can grow anywhere.

Roots grow underground, under the surface. Bitterness is the root-not a branch, or trunk, or fruit that people see. It infests itself deep and if we let the root grow, it will do much damage.  Usually, it is the result of a little small offence that takes root and destroys through bitterness. It's not the magnitude of the offence that makes us bitter. It's the closeness to us, and that speaks of pride. Pride is the mother of bitterness. Bitterness doesn't take root in us if someone else is hurt by a huge thing. Bitterness takes root in us if we are hurt by a little thing. It's subtle, and it's pride, so don't let it grow.

Bitterness affects everything. It brings in all kind of pain and problems. Bitterness is the poison that you drink hoping the other person will die.
Romans 3:13-14 says "Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:"
Someone said "the fruit of bitterness is like acid that destroys its container." It leaks out and defiles other people.

How do you get rid of bitterness, you may ask?
Let God reveal it.
Let grace remove it.
Let good replace it.

Verse 15... Looking diligently....let God reveal it.
Verse 15... lest any man fail of the grace of God...let grace remove it.
Verse 14...follow peace with all men...let good replace it.

There are basically 2 ways the world says how to handle bitterness.
1. Keep it in. Learn to own it and channel it.
2. Let it out. Go to that person that offended you and spue it all out.
God's way is to get it out when it's a root and give it to God.

The single largest offence ever committed was the cross. And the One who was the closest to the biggest offence ever committed, answered it with the words Father forgive them. Wow!
Only the grace and power of God can change a person on the inside, and remove the root of bitterness. If you're thinking, "you don't know what this person said to me or did to me." I know what they did and said to Jesus, but He still forgave them. Christ was never bitter and He is our great example.
The bitter heart eats its owner, so don't let bitterness take root in your heart.

1 Corinthians 13 is all about what true love, God's love, really is. Love suffers long, is not puffed up, is not easily provoked, doesn't think any evil, doesn't rejoice in iniquity, it endures all things. And love covers a multitude of sins, so if you are bitter against someone, you really don't have God's love in your heart. Jesus forgave and loved the cruel people who put him on the cross, and He forgives and loves you, even though we've all sinned and aren't deserving of His forgiveness and love. We offended Christ with our sin much more than anyone will ever offend you, and He forgave, so why can't you have the love of Christ in your heart and forgive? Get rid of the bitterness in your heart and replace it with kindness, goodness, and love.

Hope you all liked this post, and I hope each one of you has a joy filled week in Christ.
Your sister in the Lord,
Ashley