Every Day Death: Becoming Teachable

"Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck."-Proverbs 1:8-9

Have you ever tried to debate with someone who is convinced that they are right? You try and you try to reason with them, but they refuse to consider the possibility that they are wrong. As frustrated as I often am by stubborness, I confess that I can be extremely stubborn myself. I tend to want to teach---not be taught!

Proverbs 15:32 says,
"He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding."
We all want to be wise and have understanding, but do we take the steps required to become wise? Do we listen and accept rebuke? We cannot make any steps toward wisdom without being willing to surrender and be taught. Surrender.

Jim Elliot once wrote,
"'He makes His ministers a flame of fire.' Am I ignitible? God deliver me from the dread asbestos of 'other things.' Saturate me with the oil of the Spirit that I may be a flame. But flame is transient, often short-lived. Canst thou bear this, my soul--short life? In me there dwells the Spirit of the Great Short-Lived, whose zeal for God's house consumed Him. 'Make me Thy Fuel, Flame of God.'"

Not long after writing the above quote, Jim Elliot left with his young wife for the mission field in Ecuador. There, he and four other missionaries attempted to reach a previously unreached Indian tribe--the Aucas--with the Word of God. On January 8, 1956, they were attacked by a group of Auca tribesmen. Though each of the missionaries had brought rifles with them for protection, they all refused to use them in self defense. Every one of the missionaries was killed.
All five of the missionaries who died were young, newly married, and seemed to have their entire lives ahead of them. Yet, conscious of the danger of trying to reach the Aucas, they sacrificed their own interests for the purpose of obeying God. What does this have to do with us? It is most likely that we will not all have to die for our faith as Jim Elliot did, but each of us must die to ourselves.

"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Matthew 16:24

It has been said before that it is easier for us to surrender our bodies to death than it is to surrender our will to God. This death to ourselves is not one that we only die once, but it is a continual, every day death to our own selfish desires. This surrender includes giving up our own stubbornness and willfulness and laying it at Christ's feet, giving it up so that we might become teachable and pliable in His hands.

Charles Spurgeon said,
"Jesus is to believers the one pearl of great price, for whom we are willing to part with all that we have. He has so completely won our love, that it beats alone for him; to his glory we would live, and in defense of his gospel we would die; he is the pattern of our life, and the model after which we would sculpture our character. Paul’s words mean more than most men think; they imply that the aim and end of his life was Christ—nay, his life itself was Jesus. In the words of an ancient saint, he did eat, and drink, and sleep eternal life. Jesus was his very breath, the soul of his soul, the heart of his heart, the life of his life.
Can you say, as a professing Christian, that you live up to this idea? Can you honestly say that for you to live is Christ? Your business—are you doing it for Christ? Is it not done for self- aggrandizement and for family advantage? Do you ask, “Is that a mean reason?”
For the Christian it is. He professes to live for Christ; how can he live for another object without committing a spiritual adultery? Many there are who carry out this principle in some measure; but who is there that dare say that he hath lived wholly for Christ as the apostle did? Yet, this alone is the true life of a Christian—its source, its sustenance, its fashion, its end, all gathered up in one word—Christ Jesus. Lord, accept me; I here present myself, praying to live only in thee and to thee. Let me be as the bullock which stands between the plough and the altar, to work or to be sacrificed; and let my motto be, 'Ready for either.'”
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Jim Elliot quote taken from Through the Gates of Splendor, by Elisabeth Elliot, page 18
Charles Spurgeon quote from Christian Classics Ethereal Library Re-posted by Kristin, originally written by Hannah Beth

This post was from a blog called "Beauty from the Heart" It is a blog written by 3 young women, ages 14-17 !! They AMAZE me with their depth, wisdom, humility and beauty. We can learn alot from these teens !! They are the kind that keep me going....making me believe that teens don't have to go the rebellious stage in order to truly know God. They challenge me to be better than I am, I pray that Tawni will have such a heart when she is a teen!!!

When a man turns 40......

AAAAHHHHH ! I'm HOW OLD?!?!!?


What happens when a man turns 40?? Well as these pictures prove .....the normally unfeeling male goes through a wide range of emotions ....mostly SHOCK & Fear.......but there you have it!
The real question now is....will his face stay like that?? Will it ever be the same??

HAPPY 40th BIRTHDAY JEFFREY!!!!!

P.S These pictures were taken when he was exactly half the age he is now !!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MRS>KLUMPER!!!

Happy Birthday Kristina!!!

Today my Kristina is...well...ok maybe we won't say her age...But I will say she is more beautiful now than she was when I met her 18+ years ago.....now if that doesn't make you feel old......

She is a wonderful friend, always there to lend an ear and shoulder if need be.....She has helped our family in time of need and she can always make me laugh...on top of all that...she gives a GREAT back rub!!!What more could you want in a friend???

I Love ya Kristina!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY JIMMY!!

Happy Birthday Jimmy!!!
There he is.....doesn't this picture just show the real him!!
He's Ornery, obstinate, sneaky and a pain in my butt most days but I love him more than words can say. I guess that would make me kinda weird for lovin him but he's all those things and so much more!
He's beyond giving...he gives of his time, talents, money, opinions(to freely some might say!) and would give you the shirt off his back in the middle of a blizzard, He's always doing something for someone(usually me) even when he REALLY doesn't want to!
He's funny... ok...well corny...but he tries and that just makes him extra cute,(sorry I know MEN don't like the word cute...)
He is always there to help (he's help people move more times than I can count) and he often goes out of his way to do it!
He's loyal, he sticks by friends and family, even when they might not deserve it!!
He's dependable (most of the time...I wouldn't depend on him to take a plate of brownies anywhere!) ,
He's a GREAT father,even when he's teaching my then 4 yr old daughter to moon people..or that its really funny to fart and burp in public!!!
MY BEST FRIEND ......
and I couldn't imagine my life without him.

Keep your finger, toes & what ever else you can manage crossed!!

We have wanted a house for a long time...almost as much as our friends want us to have a house so that we will quit moving in with them!!! Well our mortgage lady is sitting with her underwriting person now....we are sitting here staring at the computer....waiting to get her email......so please pray hard fast and continuously..... we are sooo excited!!!

WE ARE SO EXCITED !! AND WE JUST CAN"T HIDE IT!!!

BRAYN MADE FREEDOM FEST!!!!!

BRYAN MADE FREEDOM FEST !!!! WWWHHHOOOO !!!
We are so Excited !! He plays on Aug. 19th !! Everybody has to come !!
**For those who don't know Bryan is Jim's cousins Kid..who has a passion for music and an awesome Talent to go with it!! He has already produced an album with a band, the band has since broken up...but Bryan is just about finished with his solo album!! He also writes his own music !!And he's only 17!! We can't wait to see what the future holds for him ! But for now it is FREEDOM FEST !! At Stocker farms in Snohomish Aug 19th!! For more info go to Freedom Fest Or BryanWoodMusic.com....