"Older, Teach the Younger"

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This is a piece that was inspired from the following Scriptures and a smaller version I created for my faith planner at the beginning of the month.

It was intentional that it have a very childlike quality about it, though it certainly applies to every stage of our life.  God is looking for the pure and innocent, filled with His Holy Spirit, to speak the wisdom of God into the young, the old and everyone in between.

I pray we would continually press into the Lord, with teachable spirits, ever gaining His wisdom, growing in His love, and ready to receive and share the same. 

Scripture Meditation:

Titus 2:1-10 - But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.  Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.  Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. 

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 - And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. 

Proverbs 22:6 - Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Ephesians 6:4 - And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
Hebrews 12:5-6 - “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.”

"Create & Inspire"

 
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It is the living God, the Creator of all things who lives in His redeemed.  And so, when I hear someone say they have no creative ability, I have to disagree.  And, by the way, I used to say the same thing.  

It wasn't until many years ago as the Lord led me into a position that I never imagined I'd be in and doing things I felt quite ill-equipped to take on, not to mention be successful at, that I began to explore and discover to a greater degree what the Lord had placed in me.

There, He stretched me.  Beginning with small steps, I began to take an interest in new things as they related to my job, and, just for fun!  I was hungry for learning and as excited as a child to venture out into new territory.

We are not without responsibility in the process of our growth.  It's not some instantaneous manifestation but a process as we seek Him out and bravely and obediently follow the Lord that we can be all He has created us to be.  He refines us and the works of our hands that in all humility we may pursue the very dreams He has inspired in us.

I think sometimes we can have misconceptions as to what being creative looks like.  Creativity takes on many different forms.  Our gifts may not be the same as another, and the Lord may use you to express yourself differently than your brother or sister, but nevertheless, you have been designed with the ability to create and inspire and praise the name of the Lord!

Since we have been created in the very image of God we are meant to be His reflection that as the world looks at us it's Him they see and are drawn to.  

May the wide array of the colors of Christ explode in us and through us to create the masterpiece born from His beating heart; the heart that brings hope, healing, encouragement, salvation, and all we need from a beautiful, loving God through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Create, and inspire
and praise the name of the Lord
For we are Heaven's poetry
life in Christ to be born.
The colors of the Spirit
upon hearts to be poured
Speaking to touch souls
raised up to soar.
Artisans, arise
to make what God commands
Filled with skill and wisdom
guided by His hand.
For His glory shall be seen
throughout all the earth
And what God has conceived
He brings forth to birth.
We present our lives to Jesus
all done in His name
Giving thanks to God our Father
as in us He rules and reigns.
Coming short in no gift
we suffer no lack
Enriched by Him in everything
blessed to impact
This, and future generations
declaring Christ, the King
Work in us to worship
my God, as we would sing.

Scripture Meditation:

Exodus 35:10 - All who are gifted artisans among you shall come and make all that the Lord has commanded...

Ephesians 2:10  (The Voice) - ...we are the product of His hand, heaven’s poetry etched on lives...
1 Corinthians 1:4-9 -  I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.