Author: Anastasia Irene

My name is Anastasia, and I long to bring praise and glory to Jesus Who redeemed my soul. I live in California with my parents and younger siblings. My mission in life is to love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love others wholeheartedly. My hobbies are spending time in God’s Word, listening to and making music for Jesus, God's creation--particularly birdwatching--spending time with family and friends, reading and writing, ministry, and more.

Merry Christmas!

by Anastasia Irene, posted in Christian holidays, Holidays, Scripture, Theology

John 1:14

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

God incarnate became a man, and He died for our sins and rose the third day. Don’t let that ever cease to amaze you! God very God, the Almighty Creator of the universe, humbled Himself and became a human being, clothing Himself in flesh. Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, was born as a baby in Bethlehem, fulfilling hundreds of Old Testament prophecies. The joy of Christmas is that God loves you so much that He Himself came to die on the cross and rescue you from your sin. He is the Holy One–the Messiah! He came to save us, and He died and rose so that we can have eternal life with Him. What a miracle–what a Savior! What a God we serve!

Philippians 2:5-8

5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Merry Christmas to you and your family! May you draw closer to our precious Lord and Savior this new year!

Our Purpose Revealed

by Anastasia Irene, posted in Scripture, The Christian Walk, Theology

Ephesians 2:8-10

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.“

What is our purpose? Why are we as believers here on this earth? More specifically, FOR WHAT PURPOSE did God choose us in particular among all people–to redeem us by His blood and sanctify us to Himself?

A look at the book of Ephesians, particularly chapter 1, answers this question. Let’s look at the two specific and clearly laid out reasons God chose us to be His.

  • To be holy and without blame before Him in love. Many times, in our modern day, people overemphasize “making a decision for Christ.” “Pray the prayer and you’re saved” is the mentality. But the truth is that the first moment the Holy Spirit leads us to put faith in Christ is only the beginning. WHY did God choose us to be His children? Why did He choose us “in Him before the foundation of the world”? To be holy and blameless in Him. Becoming a Christian means dying. It means dying to our sinful nature and the old man. It means crucifying the flesh and dying with Christ. It means leaving our past and sinful nature. A prayer does not save us. Christ Himself saves us by grace through faith, NOT of ourselves (Eph. 2:8). Faith without works is dead (James 2)! God gives us faith in Him, and He redeems us. Faith is not a one-and-done thing! Faith is living and active! We must LIVE OUT our faith, bearing fruit for Jesus. He saves us not so we can just keep living however we want to. Our old selves have DIED, and we no longer have anything to do with them. The first purpose for our salvation is HOLINESS. We are to be set apart from the world, spotless and blameless, pure and holy, consecrated to His use alone. The Greek word for without blame (ἄμωμος) is translated as a sacrifice without blemish. Going to Romans 12:1-2, we discover what the sacrifice is. It is ourselves–a holy, living sacrifice to the Lord. This is what He chose us for–in Him–before the foundation of the world! He predestined us for HOLINESS and BLAMELESSNESS. We have no place mingling with darkness and the world. We must be completely set apart and consecrated for His service.

  • To the praise of the glory of His grace. The phrase “to the praise of His glory” is repeated three times in Ephesians chapter 1, as relating to the purpose for which God chose us to be His children, predestining us before the foundation of the world to adopt us as His own. The second purpose God has for us in Christ is for His praise and to His glory! All things are of Him and through Him and to Him. He is worthy, always entirely worthy of all our worship and adoration. All that we do should always be for His glory alone. When we praise Him, we bring Him glory. When we live in holiness, fulfilling our purpose, we bring Him glory. When we endure suffering with patience, we bring Him glory. He has called us to bring Him glory. He has saved us for the sake of His glory. Everything He does is for the glory of His name. Strong’s concordance describes the Greek word for glory (δόξα) as a “most glorious condition, most exalted state.” The glory of God should be our end purpose, our chief goal in life. And as we pursue holiness in Christ Jesus, who has purchased us with His precious blood for this very reason, we bring glory, honor, and praise to His name.

Now that we know our purpose in Christ, are we living it out? Let us reevaluate our lives. In what ways do we need to be separate from the world–set apart and consecrated in holiness to our Master? In what ways do we need to rededicate our lives to solely seeking after His glory and praise in all things? This is our calling. This is the reason our Lord and Master chose us to be saved. This is the reason He purchased us on the cross, suffering the ultimate penalty for our sins. He has done so much for us. Can we not fulfill the purpose to which He has called us?

Lamentations 3:40

Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the LORD.

Ephesians 1:4-7

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace…

7 Key Reasons American Christians Should Support Israel

by Anastasia Irene, posted in Current Events, Prayer, Scripture, The Christian Walk, Theology

“I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Genesis 12:1-3

  1. The Bible tells us to. In Genesis chapter 12, God promised Abraham that those who blessed his descendants would be blessed, and vice versa. This was never a conditional promise, and God never set a time limit for the “expiration” of this verse.
  2. Jesus Christ came to the earth as a Jew. Jesus Christ was born of the seed of David according to the Law (Gal. 4:4, Matthew 1). He came as a Jew, and His main earthly ministry was to the Jews. (Matthew 15:24) Salvation is of the Jews since the Savior came from the Jews. (John 4:22)
  3. Israel is God’s special people. We are to be imitators of God (Eph. 5:1-2). God has numerous times declared that Israel is His special chosen nation. Scripture clearly states that even in New Testament times, God has not cast away His people. (Romans 11:1-2: “I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew.”) Even though the Jewish people as a whole have rejected their Messiah, God has not rejected them, and the nation of Israel still plays an essential role in God’s plan for history.
  4. Jesus Christ, God incarnate, loves Israel. As previously mentioned, Christ’s earthly ministry was nearly entirely focused on the Jewish people. Salvation came first to the Jews who spread the Gospel to the Gentiles.
  5. Israel will play a key role in God’s plan for the future of the world. There are many prophecies in Scripture concerning Israel’s future salvation and her role in end-time events. In fact, these events will center around Israel.

Even if you take these most important factors out of the equation, there are significant practical reasons for the US to support Israel.

  1. Israel is America’s strong ally. Historically, Israel and America have worked side by side. This is no different from the present! The leaders of both countries have great relationships and work closely together.
  2. Israel is very smart and up-to-date on technology, making them a valuable country to have a good relationship with.
  3. Israel’s location in the Middle East gives the US an ally in that turbulent area of the world.

God has made it abundantly clear that His children in Christ must support and bless His chosen nation, Israel. That fact alone ought to convince us that we must do so and stand boldly for the Jewish people.

I hope this post equips you to better understand and defend your position on Israel!

Psalms 122:6 (NKJV)
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces.” For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, “Peace be within you.”

Or in Hebrew: Shaalu Shlom Yerushalayim! (Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!)

Humble Yourself

by Anastasia Irene, posted in Current Events, Literature, Prayer, Scripture, The Christian Walk, Theology

1 Peter 5:6-7

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.

A little booklet by John MacArthur, Found: God’s Peace, casts these famous verses in an entirely new light. As Christians, we’ve probably all heard them a time or two, and thus, they can easily be overlooked due to how well we know them. But the question stands: how often do we actually put these verses into practice?

MacArthur explains what it means to humble ourselves under God’s hand: “The key is never to contest God’s wisdom but instead to accept humbly whatever God brings into your life as coming from His hand.”

Humbling ourselves under the hand of God equals accepting everything, even trials and pain, as coming from His perfect plan. Instead of getting angry or bitter, it means trusting and submitting. Instead of continually questioning “why?” it means saying “Lord, I do not understand what You are doing. But I trust that it is good–in fact, it is best for me–and it is for Your glory and my good, ultimately.”

Of course, we all struggle, and there are times we face doubt and questions. That is common; go to the psalms and you will find that other men of God struggled with the same things. But at the end of most lamenting psalms, you will find declarations of praise and trust. Even in the book of Lamentations, which is a declaration of mourning and sorrow, we find some of the most beautiful verses in Scripture: “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

That is what truly makes a person of God–not someone who never struggles with their faith, but someone who does not stay there but always comes out victorious, humbly and joyfully submitting to God’s will in all things.

It is most certainly not an easy practice. But may we pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help us peacefully and joyfully submit to His will! What a God we serve, that we can trust Him wholeheartedly, for He always does what is best for us, for our good and more importantly, for His glory.

*Note: I wanted to mention that Dr. MacArthur’s recent passing is deeply sorrowful for those of us on earth who have been impacted by his life and ministry. I have been so blessed by his materials and am thankful for the man of God he was. Praise the Lord for his life and legacy, and may the Lord help his ministry to continue going strong!

Reflections

by Anastasia Irene, posted in Current Events, Prayer, Scripture, The Christian Walk

Psalm 46:1

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.”

The events of the past few days have left me speechless. Many of us feel deep grief and pain at so much loss, from the terrorist attacks in Israel to the brutal murder of a dear young man who loved Jesus and his country–Charlie Kirk.

On Thursday, I had the opportunity to view the latter tragedy through the eyes of several different people from various walks of life. The assassination impacted each differently, yet the feelings seemed to be the same. “I never met Charlie, but I cried all day yesterday,” is the same message I heard from many. Why? Because Charlie Kirk was a young man who was passionate about his faith. Nothing impacts this dark world more than a light that shines radiantly, unashamedly, courageously. Nothing is as powerful as believers who live out their faith in all their actions, not just claiming to be Christians but bearing fruit and proving it with their deeds.

This is our generation’s 9/11. (Quite literally.) This is our wake-up call. Will we carry on Charlie’s work? Will we stand for Christ and for His truth–which is THE Truth? Will we seek righteousness?

If you are like me, you may be feeling discouraged and somewhat defeated this week. But I have good news for you–we as Christians are not defeated! Christ is not defeated–He is victorious, and we are victorious in Him! Although it may seem like darkness has prevailed at this moment, it has not. The Light of the world always overcomes the darkness. God is perfectly sovereign. His plan is perfect, and the darkness cannot thwart His purpose. He does whatever He pleases, and His ways are higher than ours. (Isaiah 55:8-9) Psalm 21:11 stood out to me today: “For they intended evil against You; they devised a plot which they are not able to perform.” (emphasis added)

Charlie’s work on this earth is done, but ours has just begun. We must step out and stand up. We must live for Christ wholeheartedly–the time for a lukewarm faith is past. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer, another Christian martyr declared, “When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.” In order to live fully for Christ on this earth, we must die to sin and to self. Once one becomes a Christian, he simply can no longer live the same way he always used to. Instead, we as believers must become living sacrifices for Jesus (Romans 12:1), surrendering everything to Him and committing to obey Him in whatever He calls us to do, no matter the cost. He may not call each of us to speak before millions, but He may call us to tell one family member about Jesus. And that is worth it.

It is not wrong to feel a sense of intense grief at losing Charlie, a fellow believer. We all mourn together. Jesus understands our sorrow; He wept at the tomb of Lazarus. Yet, we do not mourn as those who have no hope. (1 Thess. 4:13) We know Charlie is with Jesus, and we have our marching orders to carry on his work, fearlessly speaking the truth in love and spreading the good news of Jesus Christ. Charlie was a Christian martyr who died for his faith. May we live fully for our Savior and be willing to lay down our lives for Him, if He calls us to. May we boldly speak out for truth and for righteousness.

And most of all, let us pray. Pray for Charlie’s family. Pray for our leaders. Pray for protection. Pray for our country. Pray for the light of Christ to shine and to mightily overwhelm the darkness.

And if you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, there is no time to wait! He died so that we can live with Him. He willingly shed His blood on the cross so that we can be with Him forever, in eternal life. We are all totally depraved sinners–anyone who denies that fact is thoroughly deceived–and we could never earn eternal life. BUT GOD stepped in and sent His Son to take the penalty on our behalf. He bore the wrath of God so that YOU don’t have to. Believe in Him. Jesus Christ is the Lord–God incarnate–and He is the ONLY Way to salvation. I pray you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior today! For more information, visit the Gospel tab.

John 16:33

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.“

Proverbs 31:8-9

“Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy.“

Psalm 10:13-14

Why do the wicked renounce God?
He has said in his heart,
“You will not require an account.”
But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief,
To repay it by Your hand.
The helpless commits himself to You;
You are the helper of the fatherless.

Prisoner’s Prayer

by Anastasia Irene, posted in Literature, Praise and Worship, Prayer, Scripture, The Christian Walk, Theology

Recently, I read some writings by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, one of my personal heroes. If you do not know much about him, I hardly know where to begin in describing his life to you. Rather, I will have to refer you to one of my favorite books ever: Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas. Once you start digging into the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, you will find yourself challenged, inspired, and encouraged in your walk with Christ.

Bonhoeffer wrote a prayer to encourage his fellow prisoners at Christmastime in 1943. It ministered to me greatly, and I thought I’d share it with you. Enjoy!

MORNING PRAYERS

O God, early in the morning I cry to you.

Help me to pray

And to concentrate my thoughts on you;

I cannot do this alone.

In me there is darkness,

But with you there is light;

I am lonely, but you do not leave me;

I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help;

I am restless, but with you there is peace.

In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience;

I do not understand your ways,

But you know the way for me.

O heavenly Father,

I praise and thank you

For the peace of the night;

I praise and thank you for this new day;

I paise and thank you for all your goodness

and faithfulness throughout my life.

You have granted me many blessings;

Now let me also accept what is hard

from your hand,

You will lay on me no more

than I can bear.

You make all things work together for good

for your children.

Lord Jesus Christ,

You were poor

and in distress, a captive and forsaken as I am.

You know all man’s troubles;

You abide with me

when all men fail me;

You remember and seek me;

It is your will that I should know you

and turn to you.

Lord, I hear your call and follow;

Help me.

O Holy Spirit,

Give me faith that will protect me

from despair, from passions, and from vice;

Give me such love for God and men

as will blot out all hatred and bitterness;

Give me the hope that will deliver me

from fear and faint-heartedness.

O holy and merciful God,

my Creator and Redeemer,

my Judge and Saviour,

You know me and all that I do.

You hate and punish evil without respect of persons

in this world and the next;

You forgive the sins of those

who sincerely pray for forgiveness;

You love goodness, and reward it on this earth

with a clear conscience,

and, in the world to come,

with a crown of righteousness.

I remember in your presence all my loved ones,

my fellow-prisoners, and all who in this house

perform their hard service;

Lord, have mercy.

Restore me to liberty,

and enable me so to live now

that I may answer before you and before men.

Lord, whatever this day may bring,

Your name be praised.

Amen.

Extravagant Love

by Anastasia Irene, posted in Current Events, Prayer, Scripture, The Christian Walk

Mark 14:3-9

3And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. 4But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? 5For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply.
6But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. 7For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. 8She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. 9Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

While she was pouring out her extravagant, costly love on Jesus’ feet, Mary received criticism. “This fragrant oil was wasted.” “She should have sold it and given it to the poor.” These sharp words were spoken by Judas; but Mark adds the detail that “they” criticized her sharply, which indicates that others around the table, potentially even other disciples, also thought ill of her action. But Mary did not care what they thought–believers or unbelievers. She knew she was pleasing her Lord by pouring out her love on Him.

Sometimes Jesus calls us to do what may be “unpopular” or “unacceptable,” even among Christian circles. Professing believers may lift their chins and criticize us.

“How could he talk about hell? No one is going to come to Christ that way.” But “he” knows that Jesus spoke about hell, and that speaking the sometimes-hard truth, in love, is the only way to gain true converts. So “he” seeks to follow and obey Jesus alone, only caring what HE thinks. And HE is well pleased.

“Why is he preaching against abortion? These types of issues are too ‘politicized’ and divisive these days. Christians must stay out of all that. Doesn’t he know that converting the unsaved is more important?” But “he” knows that Christ calls us to stand against injustice and to speak out for the voiceless. (Isaiah 1:17, Proverbs 31:8-9) “He” knows that preaching the gospel to the unsaved alone without discipling and exhorting both new believers and the faithful in Christ is pretty much useless, for it will result in too many shallow professions of belief that shortly wither away. “He” knows that merely professing belief without living it out in both deed and action results in a dead faith. (James 2:20, 26) And “he” knows that biblical figures such as Elijah and John the Baptist, even Jesus Himself, spoke out against evil and immorality. The criticism does not bother “him” because “he” knows that what “he” is doing is right in Jesus’ eyes. So “he” seeks to follow and obey Jesus alone, only caring what HE thinks. And HE is well pleased.

“Why should they be spending money on _____ when there are homeless people who need assistance and heathens who need to hear the gospel?” Yet, “they” spend their money in whatever way God calls them to. “They” do not care what others think, as long as they know they are obeying God’s will and purpose as revealed in Scripture for their lives/ministries. So “they” seek to follow and obey Jesus alone, only caring what HE thinks. And HE is well pleased.

It does not matter what people say. What matters is that we seek GOD and HIS WILL for our personal situations. Do not listen to other people’s criticism! Go to your Savior. Listen to Him alone!

Obey Him in WHATEVER He calls you to do. You can find His standards clearly laid out in His Word. It does not matter what anyone else thinks, says, or does. Pour out your love extravagantly and abundantly on HIM, no matter the cost. Follow HIM without doubt, without reservation.

What will it matter on the last day, what others thought, said, or even did to us? When we see our Savior face-to-face, it will only matter what HE thought of our actions. And if we disobeyed Him–if we kept silent when He asked us to speak, and if we did not act when He asked us to act, or rather, acted in the manner He despises, there will be sorrow and loss of rewards.

And, on the other hand, let us not be quick to judge fellow believers (unless, of course, the matter involves a direct violation of the Word of God). But let us rather seek His will for our own lives!

Our Savior has poured out His EVERYTHING for us. How can we not do the same for Him? Let us pour our whole lives at His feet, a costly, living sacrifice for Him, ready to obey Him in all things, whatever He says, for His glory. Let us love Him far more than anything on earth.

Acts 5:29 (NKJV)
But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.

Happy 4th of July!

by Anastasia Irene, posted in Current Events, Holidays, Scripture, The Christian Walk

Galatians 5:1 (NKJV)
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

“Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act. God will not hold us guiltless.” –attributed to Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Happy 4th of July!! Today, may we thank God for His amazing blessing of freedom in this country! It is truly such a privilege that God has blessed us with, living in such a wonderful country, and I pray we do not take this gift for granted. Many in other nations do not have freedom of religion, the press, or any other freedoms. God has granted our country many freedoms!

But the question is, will we use that freedom for His glory? I received an email update this morning from the president of a prominent pro-life ministry, where he remarked, “independence from tyrants presumes a right to one’s own life.” He went on to explain that the Constitution is clearly against abortion and that Christians must fight for the unborn and stand up for life. Will we speak for those who have no voices, when the Lord has given us a free country in which we may do so? Or will our silence display our agreement with those who take life?

As we celebrate the freedom God has so graciously granted to our nation, may we pray that He continues to guide it on the right paths–that all Christians and government leaders will stand for life, Israel, marriage, and other Biblical values. God bless America! 🎆🎇

Storms

by Anastasia Irene, posted in Praise and Worship, Prayer, Scripture, The Christian Walk

A comparison and a poem.

Psalm 107:23-32 and Mark 4:35-41

Psalm 107:23-32

23Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters,

24They see the works of the Lord, And His wonders in the deep. 25For He commands and raises the stormy wind, Which lifts up the waves of the sea. 26They mount up to the heavens, They go down again to the depths; Their soul melts because of trouble.

27They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits’ end. 28Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble,

And He brings them out of their distresses. 29He calms the storm, So that its waves are still. 30Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven.

31Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 32Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, And praise Him in the company of the elders.

Here is a poem I wrote based on Matthew 14:22-33, which also talks about the storm, and in which Peter walks on the water.

Storms

The winds are howling, the waves arise

The clouds are dark and black

Why did You place me in this boat?

And when will You be back?

I struggle with the oars alone

Against the rising tide.

Despair grips my heart and soul

As I long to reach the other side.

The winds whip as I struggle

I perish; where are You, Lord?

My boat is about to capsize;

I need Your commanding word.

Then, I see a Figure

Walking on the raging sea;

I behold Your holy form

On the very thing that terrifies me.

“Come forth,” You say, and I obey,

Reaching for Your hand.

I look to You and then step out,

Longing to be taken to land.

But the storm is raging, oh, so hard,

And I don’t know what to do.

In absolute terror and fright,

I take my eyes off You.

The icy, dark waters engulf me

As I prepare for the end.

But then, Your hand delivers me

And praise to You I send.

You enter my struggling, tossing boat

And take me to my desired place.

You used the storm to bring me here–

Now I long only for Your face.

Mark 4:35-41

35On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 

37And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 

38But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

39Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” 

41And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”