DAY IX

Bargaining with God

When i go on a shopping excursion, I love hunting for great deals. What girl doesnt love the adventure of finding the best clothing or the coolest decorations for the best price? I think it's part of our DNA as females.
No wonder it's easy at times for us females to approach God and try to bargain with Him. In our hearts, we know that He knows what's best for us, yet we tend to be concerned with what the whole "deal" looks like. Sometimes the fear of not knowing everything He has planned keeps us from giving our dreams to Him. We may not say these words, but we may be thinking them: God, Ill do this if You'll do this. I'll give you this if You'll give it back to me the way I want it. He's the Lord of the universe, yet sometimes we act as if we can manipulate Him!
It really all comes down to a matter of trust. God wants us to live fulfilled lives. He wants to shower us daily with His extravagant love. He is not withholding good things from us. He desires that we come to Him in obedience -- pure and simple. And if we do that, we will be free, and that's what He wants us to be. I can't think of a better deal anywhere.
The Old Testament wisdom books offer some great insight into this theme of accepting from God what He wants to give us rather than bargaining with Him. We may not always understand what God is up to in our lives, but we can be assured that He's all about what's good for us. (Eccl. 5:18-20) (Ps. 119:124-125)
Do you spend more time in prayer asking God for His guidance, attempting to bargain with Him, or simply coming to Him in obedience? Make a concerted effort in your prayer time today to leave the bargaining out, and willful obedience in.

~Rebecca St. James

DAY VIII

In Awe

I remember one Sunday we were singing worship songs in church and i looked up at my mum, who was standing beside me. I saw tears streaming down her cheeks. I asked her why she was crying, and she said there was nothing wrong -- she was just worshiping Jesus.
Although i didn't really understand it then, I see now why she was crying those tears of joy. I've since experienced worship like that and responded in the same way. There's something very extraordinary that happens when the body of Christ comes together corporately to give honor to God. We stand in awe of His character, His wonders, and His blessings in our lives. Sometimes the sheer power of that moves me to tears. My mum taught me to love Jesus, to stand in awe of Him, and express my praise. Worship is delighting in God, whether through music, words, or even tears.
To be in awe is to be overwhelmed by Gods majesty. David proclaimed, "Because of Your unfailing love, I can enter Your house; I will worship at Your Temple with deepest awe" (
Ps. 5:7, NLT ). The concept of being in awe seems to be lost today. We are in awe of practically nothing. In our culture we've overused the word awesome. In the Old Testament it originally referred to something that was "terrible" or "dreadful," something to be feared. It signified a holy reverence before God, because He is a devouring fire.
(Gen. 28:16-17) (Exodus 14:30-31) (1 Sam. 12:18) ( Matt. 9:8) (Luke 1:65; 5:26; 7:16)
When was the last time God did something really awesome in your life? What can you do to stand in awe of God, in the truly biblical sense of the word? He is worthy of your awe-inspired praise today.

~Rebecca St. James

DAY VII

Removing the Mask

For a long time I thought people shouldn't see my flaws. I thought that when I was going through a tough time I just needed to buck up and be strong; I needed to put on a brave face and just get through it alone. But I've found out otherwise. When you take off the mask (the brave face), you relate at a base level to everyone else who has been through pain -- and everyone has. Honesty promotes intimacy, and intimacy encourages our mutual reliance on God. True honesty is beautiful.
The origin of the word 'hypocrite' comes from the Greek word that literally means " a stage actor . . . one who pretends to be what he is not."
Jesus had some pretty strong words for the play actors, the hypocrites, of His day. They were more concerned with the way they appeared on the outside -- how they looked in their giving to the needy, praying in the synagogues, and in denying themselves through fasting -- than in what should have been happening in their hearts (Matt. 6:1-18) About them Jesus said: (Mark 7:6-7)(Matt. 23:25-27)
What masks do you have a tendency to wear? Do you ever find yourself acting one way with certain people and a completely different way around others? God calls you to walk consistently, allowing you actions to mirror whats going on in your heart. Get rid of the masks and be real with God, yourself, and others.

~Rebecca St. James

DAY VI

Praying Through the Pain

There's a saying in sports when it gets tough for an athlete to compete due to an injury of some sort. The athlete must learn to "play through the pain." I think when it comes to some of the inner pain we all deal with, a good solution is to "pray through the pain." God already knows everything about us, and He knows what we're going through at a given moment. He wants us to come to Him recognizing that we need Him in order to persevere through the pain.
We put pressure on ourselves not to show on the outside what's happening on the inside.
That's why it is so important to have people in our lives who can really bee trusted, and a God who redeems every part of our lives--the mountains as well as the valleys.It's difficult sharing the hard stuff with God or with other people, letting them see the part of you that you're not proud of. But you've got to.
Jesus understands our pain because He's been there. He became flesh and blood by being born in human form.(Hebrews 2:16-18). What an awesome thought. He entered into "every detail" of life. And He knows how to pray through the pain.
(Exodus 3:7-8)(Psalm 81:6-7)
(Psalm 69:29) When your dealing with some kind of private pain, to whom do you go for comfort? Air it out in prayer. God stands ready to hear and to rescue.

~Rebecca St. James

DAY V

A New Season

I recently took an extended sabbatical and truly focused on praying and seeking God concerning what this time should look like. A sabbatical is a time of open space to approach God with open hands and hearts and say, "God, renew me; speak to me; prepare my heart for new things you want to do in my heart and in my ministry." I really have a sense of anticipation that God is moving me into a new "room" of life -- that I have actually been in one room for some time and He is moving me into another space in the house of my life.
I'm very excited about this new season. It feels to me like a season of newness, and I think this sabbatical is a key to that. Ultimately, I always want to be in the center of God's will and involved in the adventure He has for me.
What about you? Do you feel that you are in the center of God's will? Or are you at a place in which your walk with God seems stagnant? Do you long for Him to do something brand-new? The first is to express that desire to Him. Then sit down and listen to God. If you are sensitive to His will and want to find His best for you, you can be assured that He will respond.
Often we think of new beginnings on January I, but God is about the business of newness far more frequently than that. God is a God of new things. Multiple times in the Psalms, David urges us to "sing to the LORD a new song": Psalm 40:3, Psalm 98:1, Rev. 5:9 ; 14:3 . There are many good songs already in existence. Why is God so concerned with new ones? Because they arise out of new experiences, new ways in which God has recently revealed Himself in our lives.
Do you feel as if your in a spiritual rut? Have you allowed yourself to settle into a state of mediocrity, because the same old songs drone on in your life? All you have to do is ask, "God, what new things do You want to do in my life this season?" If you are willing to ask, He is willing to answer. What are you waiting for? Do it today.

~Rebecca St. James

DAY IV

What's on Your Mind

There are many things which vie for our attention every day. Working or going to school consumes much of your energy; you may have others need you must attend to, hobbies you'd like to pursue, shopping trips to the mall or outlet stores, conversations on the phone with close friends, e-mail to deal with, and favorite TV shows to watch. How many times have you nwished for more than twenty four hours in a day? Its so easy in the midst of all this busyness to put GOD on the back burner.
It's impossible for GOD to purify our minds if we're not hanging out witjh HIM on a regular basis. Our minds dwellon the things that occupy our time. It's so easy to just go through the motions and become lukewarm. (Revelation 3:16). A part of being hot, of being radical for HIM, is seeking HIM and requesting, "GOD, speak to my heart." If we humbly come to HIM with this heartfelt prayer, HE will purify our minds and our hearts. Time with HIM everyday is essential to HIS transforming work in our minds.
If we are not spending time with HIM, we can't expect HIM to change us from the inside out. We must choose to make time with GOD a priority. There are always things we can say no to. But when we say yes to GOD powerful things happen!
Just as GOD was concerned with the purification of the temple in the Old Testament, HE desires that we also purify the temple where HE dwells today-our hearts and minds. Here are some verses to meditate on as you seek GOD's purity for your life: 2 Cor 7:1, Titus 2:14, Heb 9:13-15.
In a notebook, record how you spend your hours in a typical day. What things are essential? What things are non essential? Are you happy with the amount of time you spend with GOD on a daily basis? If not, what can you cut out of your routine in order to spend more timne with HIM? Now it's just a matter of following through with your plan. Do it and watch GOD transform your mind.

~Rebecca St. James

DAY III

Faithful Followers

Sheep are known to be some of the simplest thinking animals in all of GOD's creation. They are followers, and they do just fine when they are following the direction of the shepherd who cares for them, feeds them, protects them, and tends to their need. But they can get themselves in trouble when, out of fear, they react to a startling sound and run away from the safety of the flock, or follow another sheep that has gotten lost.
Developing pure minds begins with making a decision concerning which voice we will follow. The battle of the mind is fought and won by putting a stake in the ground that says, "I choose to think and act on thoughts that are motivated by my heavenly Father, not the thinking that comes through the ne4gative influences of this world." (Colossians 3:1-2)
(Isaiah 53:6)Is there a specific area in your life right now in which you have not been faithfully following the LORD's voice? Confess that area to HIM, and thank HIM that HE laid HIS Son on the cross so that you could be forgiven. Ask for HIM to protect and guide you today; then trust HIM to do it.

~Rebecca St. James

DAY II

Who Determines Your Worth?

One of the things i had to confront in my life was the issue of perfectionism . When you are a perfectionist, you tend either to push yourself all the time to be better or to go into failure mode and give up, believing that you'll never succeed. My tendency was to live with a sense that GOD was disappointed in me - that i was not good enough. Through study and prayer and time alone with HIM, the LORD assured me that i am loved and secure. I know that i'm HIS princess, accepted and cherished.
Because many people spend much of their time trying to please others, they're uncomfortable in their own skin and don't know who they are Unfortunately, they derive their sense of worth from what they do or don't do for others. It's all based on a false and conditional love. We can get so wrapped up in our selfishness that we cant see beyond ourselves to find our worth in GOD - who we are in HIM.
GOD's love is purely selfless because HE was willing to give up what's most important to HIM - HIS only son - to redeem you. He cherishes you as HIS precious creation. (Romans 5:6-8)
How much time do you spend in the morning thinking about how other perceive you based on what you look like each day? How could you spend some of that time contemplating your worth in GOD's eyes? Look in the mirror and realize how precious you are to HIM.

~Rebecca St. James

DAY I

In Tune with GODs Purpose

This devotional journey is all about seeking purity of mind, body and spirit. And to seek after purity, we must start in our minds. One definition of pure, when used in the sense of a musical tone, means 'free from harshness or roughness and being in tune.' GOD has a purpose for every one of our lives, and HE invites us to get in tune with HIS plan. To be pure is to seek HIS purpose first and foremost in our lives. If we want our lives to have an impact, that begins and ends with discovering and living our GOD-given purpose. Without purpose we have no clear direction, and we may not know which decision to make when we're at a crossroads. We aren't really living unless we know why we're alive.
Since the begining of time GOD has made everything 'on purpose.' HE created the sky for a reason: to separate the water of the earth from the waters of the heavens (Gen. 1:6-8). HE made the land with a purpose: so there would be dry ground between the seas for us to live on (Gen. 1:9-12). HE designed the sun and the moon with a plan in mind: to mark off seasons, days, and years (Gen. 1:14-18). And as the crowning glory of creation, HE fashioned human being in HIS own image (Gen. 1:26-27). If HE thinks highly enough of you and me to put HIS fingerprint on us, we can be assured that HE has a purpose for everyone of us (Col. 1:16-17).
Are you in tune with GOD's purpose for your life? If you are not on the same page as HIM, ask GOD to show you what HE has in mind and to give you the courage to follow HIS plan.

~Rebecca St. James

Introduction

Pure is a ninety day devotional by Rebecca St. James. Though it is written for girls much of it is applicable for any Christian. Becuase of how quikly a day goes by i will post weekly instead of daily. I invite you to join me on an amazing journey. This devotional will show you how to live a pure life in mind, body, and spirit. I encourage you to buy the book as it will be something you will read over and over again.
love ya all