You are always on their lips but far from their hearts (Jeremiah 12:2). If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. (Jeremiah 15:19)
I am so tired of giving God my lip service. Of praising Him when I am alone but then being so distracted in the world that I forget to honor Him publicly. It's not that He isn't always on my mind throughout my day or that I am not striving to always pray, it is more so the fact that I realize I don't preach the gospel as I should. I don't speak out loud the wondrous things he has spoken to my heart. I do not share His love with others. I have a few co-workers I have the privilege of sharing Christ with and I am always talking about Jesus with my fellow Christian friends. However, I feel like I am somehow missing the point of the Great Commission. I continually wait for God to open up doors to create a forum in which I can share His word with others. While I realize that I have to allow the Holy Spirit to work and to open these doors, I also know that I have had hundreds of opportunities that He has created for me to share His love for others and I have neglected to do so.
Today I am going to try to become more active for Christ by truly sharing His word and His love with others. I realize this means not being afraid to open up my mouth and to speak the words He has put there. Just like Jeremiah I tend to feel like I am only a child and do not have the words to speak (Jeremiah 2). Then I realize that is because I keep trying to find my own words to speak rather than letting He who saves speak through me. Today I become a spokesperson for God and I refuse to just offer Him my lip service. I dedicate my entire life to the One who is Faithful. Amen
Friday, January 23, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
A Way out of the Wilderness
Lord, You are good and Your mercy endures forever! God never ceases to amaze me. For months now I have been feeling completely lost and have had so much pain inside and even though I was doing everything I could to stay in the word and cry out to God it seemed like the gloom and depression was never going to end. I felt as if darkness had consumed my soul. But my God is greater than any pain, any suffering, any depression, and anything else in this world.
God also has perfect timing. It is so easy for us as humans to feel as though God is at fault for not rushing in and saving us the moment we ask Him to. The reality is that if He in fact did that, then He would not be loving us the way He promises to in His word. In my opinion, our society has trained us to believe that we have some sort of entitlement in this world, some kind of privilege, and that if God was such an awesome God then He should move when we tell Him to. This is of course quite contradictory to the process of Submitting ourselves to God. Instead we often times try to control Him.
Throughout the pain and hardships I have experienced in recent months, I have learned so much more about the nature and love of God. I have truly begun to understand what He is trying to tell me when He says He loves me with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3), and that He rejoices over me with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). About a year ago I had gone quite deep in my devotional life and felt like I was truly walking side by side with God. I now realize that He provided me with this security so that I could strengthen my faith in Him. Then all of a sudden I felt like no matter how much I prayed, how many bible verses I read, no matter how loud I cried out to God, I felt as if he had forgotten me. Thankfully, I attend an amazing church (Victory Fellowship) with a Pastor (Mitch Horton) who week after week continues to preach the word of God and to emphasize the Father's love for all creation. He reminded me that even though there may be times when it feels as though God is far off in the distance, the reality is He never leaves us, nor forsakes us (Hebrews 13:5). He is always standing strong by our side.
I now realize that God used this hard season in my life to really teach me about faith, and especially about His love for ME. Not His love for Isaiah, or Jeremiah, or any other prophet for that matter. He loves Me the same way He loves Jesus. For so long these were only words to me. I wanted so badly to believe them but it just wasn't sinking in. Until now. God came and met me in my wilderness and used the opportunity to show me things that I couldn't understand until all of my distractions had been stripped away.
Even though I am still struggling (as any human being does), I now have a much more brilliant understanding of God's love for me. I praise Jesus for being so faithful to me even when I was faithless (2 Timothy 2:13).
Lord, I praise you for being so wonderful and so magnificent. There truly is none like You. You have captured my heart and I never want it back. It is Yours, I give it all to You and I lay down everything in my life for You and Your kingdom. To you be all the glory, and all the honor, and all the power. Forever, Amen.
God also has perfect timing. It is so easy for us as humans to feel as though God is at fault for not rushing in and saving us the moment we ask Him to. The reality is that if He in fact did that, then He would not be loving us the way He promises to in His word. In my opinion, our society has trained us to believe that we have some sort of entitlement in this world, some kind of privilege, and that if God was such an awesome God then He should move when we tell Him to. This is of course quite contradictory to the process of Submitting ourselves to God. Instead we often times try to control Him.
Throughout the pain and hardships I have experienced in recent months, I have learned so much more about the nature and love of God. I have truly begun to understand what He is trying to tell me when He says He loves me with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3), and that He rejoices over me with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). About a year ago I had gone quite deep in my devotional life and felt like I was truly walking side by side with God. I now realize that He provided me with this security so that I could strengthen my faith in Him. Then all of a sudden I felt like no matter how much I prayed, how many bible verses I read, no matter how loud I cried out to God, I felt as if he had forgotten me. Thankfully, I attend an amazing church (Victory Fellowship) with a Pastor (Mitch Horton) who week after week continues to preach the word of God and to emphasize the Father's love for all creation. He reminded me that even though there may be times when it feels as though God is far off in the distance, the reality is He never leaves us, nor forsakes us (Hebrews 13:5). He is always standing strong by our side.
I now realize that God used this hard season in my life to really teach me about faith, and especially about His love for ME. Not His love for Isaiah, or Jeremiah, or any other prophet for that matter. He loves Me the same way He loves Jesus. For so long these were only words to me. I wanted so badly to believe them but it just wasn't sinking in. Until now. God came and met me in my wilderness and used the opportunity to show me things that I couldn't understand until all of my distractions had been stripped away.
Even though I am still struggling (as any human being does), I now have a much more brilliant understanding of God's love for me. I praise Jesus for being so faithful to me even when I was faithless (2 Timothy 2:13).
Lord, I praise you for being so wonderful and so magnificent. There truly is none like You. You have captured my heart and I never want it back. It is Yours, I give it all to You and I lay down everything in my life for You and Your kingdom. To you be all the glory, and all the honor, and all the power. Forever, Amen.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
My Deliverer
I don't normally post videos on my blog but this one does such a phenomenal job describing what I am feeling right now that I wanted to share it: This is David Olinger from Morningstar Ministries singing "My Deliverer," Enjoy!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Spend Time with Me
Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you] (Romans 12:2 Amp).
God has been speaking to my heart lately about how much He desires face to face communication with me. I realize that I have gotten so busy lately, that although I still have my personal devotion time daily, the quality of that time has not been where it could or should be. I need to spend more time renewing my mind. I woke-up the other day with these lingering words that God had placed in my heart:
"Find the quiet time to speak directly to my heart, converse with me face to face. I do not desire for you to have a long distance relationship with me as though i am a distant relative living in another state. I desire intimacy that comes from the time you physically spend with me free from all distractions. I desire your undivided attention. Brief interactions are not enough. I am seeking quality time.
The only way you can get to know my heart and my desires for you is to spend time talking with me. I long to sing over you with rejiocing for I love you with an everlasting love. I am standing at the door knocking, will you let me come in and rest with you? Will you rest with me? I love you my child, let me shower you with my love. Lend me your ear and I will whisper songs of love."
God is calling me to spend time with Him that is not shared with anyone or anything in the world. He is longing for each of us to find time that is dedicated 100 percent to Him. It is important that we do certain things in our lives to help build us up spiritually but if time spent alone with Him is not at the top of our list, then we will have much harder time hearing His voice or discerning what it is He is asking us to do. Let's make a commitment to spend some alone time with our Father today, let us renew our minds in the Word of God!
God has been speaking to my heart lately about how much He desires face to face communication with me. I realize that I have gotten so busy lately, that although I still have my personal devotion time daily, the quality of that time has not been where it could or should be. I need to spend more time renewing my mind. I woke-up the other day with these lingering words that God had placed in my heart:
"Find the quiet time to speak directly to my heart, converse with me face to face. I do not desire for you to have a long distance relationship with me as though i am a distant relative living in another state. I desire intimacy that comes from the time you physically spend with me free from all distractions. I desire your undivided attention. Brief interactions are not enough. I am seeking quality time.
The only way you can get to know my heart and my desires for you is to spend time talking with me. I long to sing over you with rejiocing for I love you with an everlasting love. I am standing at the door knocking, will you let me come in and rest with you? Will you rest with me? I love you my child, let me shower you with my love. Lend me your ear and I will whisper songs of love."
God is calling me to spend time with Him that is not shared with anyone or anything in the world. He is longing for each of us to find time that is dedicated 100 percent to Him. It is important that we do certain things in our lives to help build us up spiritually but if time spent alone with Him is not at the top of our list, then we will have much harder time hearing His voice or discerning what it is He is asking us to do. Let's make a commitment to spend some alone time with our Father today, let us renew our minds in the Word of God!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Have faith in Him
The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
People never negate who God is or what He is doing. So many times as humans many of us are turned off from Christianity because of other human beings. We put so much faith in people that we are continuously let down. I am guilty of having put too much faith in people before. It's not that people purposely try to be unfaithful to each other or try to let each other down, it is just an inherent flaw we have all possessed since the fall of man.
I do not use this as an excuse to shut myself off from trusting others or from placing my confidence in them, instead I just closely monitor myself to make sure that I am not putting an unrealistic amount of faith in them. I have learned to trust in God and to place ALL of my confidence in Him. This way I know that I will never be let down completely. I may mess up my circumstance or make bad decisions, but I know that if I am trusting God and have placed my faith in Him and in what He has promised me, then I know that I will never be let down. I may create disappointment in my own life, but God will NEVER let me down. He is always faithful to come through with whatever it is He has promised me. Praise the Lord!
People never negate who God is or what He is doing. So many times as humans many of us are turned off from Christianity because of other human beings. We put so much faith in people that we are continuously let down. I am guilty of having put too much faith in people before. It's not that people purposely try to be unfaithful to each other or try to let each other down, it is just an inherent flaw we have all possessed since the fall of man.
I do not use this as an excuse to shut myself off from trusting others or from placing my confidence in them, instead I just closely monitor myself to make sure that I am not putting an unrealistic amount of faith in them. I have learned to trust in God and to place ALL of my confidence in Him. This way I know that I will never be let down completely. I may mess up my circumstance or make bad decisions, but I know that if I am trusting God and have placed my faith in Him and in what He has promised me, then I know that I will never be let down. I may create disappointment in my own life, but God will NEVER let me down. He is always faithful to come through with whatever it is He has promised me. Praise the Lord!
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Trust ME
In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).
It has been a while since I last blogged. I am still living without internet at home which makes it much more difficult to spend time on the computer writing blogs. However the Lord has been doing so much in me lately that I just had the urge to write a quick update. I have spent most of this weekend being incredibly humbled. I was able to go see Jason Upton perform on Friday at Winston Salem First Church. My friend Nick and I had been planning to see him for months. There are no words to describe what I experienced while I was there. God's Presence was overwhelmingly strong the entire evening. The Lord really used Jason to speak truth into my life and I am so blessed because of it. Throughout the performance God was tenderly dealing with little things that need to change in me. Things that I had been brushing off as being minor and had justified away. This however is never a good thing to do and eventually the Lord will bring even the small things to the surface. I also felt the Lord dealing with my issue of trust, more specifically, trusting Him.
This mornig when I got up, the Holy Spirit really spoke to my spirit about striving to do things and warned me not to focus on works or my own desires but instead to just trust Him. Here is what I felt the Lord spoke over me today:
"Stop striving for the things you think you desire and start trusting Me to give me things you truely do. Fix your eyes on me and let My desires become your desires. I have placed desires deep within you which are full of abundant blessings. I have promised to direct your paths. I have reminded you that no good thing do I withold from those who trust Me. Trusting me does not mean merely saying that you do; show Me through your actions and obedience. Faith without deeds is dead. Trust Me with all your heart. Your own understanding could never comprehend nor imagine the blessings I have for you, neither will it lead you down the path that leads to my greatest blessings for you. Trust me today with all of your strength, all of your mind, and all of your heart. Cease striving and know that I am God. Trust Me."
I know I need to work on trusting God because of what he says and not because of what i think I must do. He is faithful and will complete the good work He has started in me (1 Thessalonians 5:24,Philippians 1:6).
It has been a while since I last blogged. I am still living without internet at home which makes it much more difficult to spend time on the computer writing blogs. However the Lord has been doing so much in me lately that I just had the urge to write a quick update. I have spent most of this weekend being incredibly humbled. I was able to go see Jason Upton perform on Friday at Winston Salem First Church. My friend Nick and I had been planning to see him for months. There are no words to describe what I experienced while I was there. God's Presence was overwhelmingly strong the entire evening. The Lord really used Jason to speak truth into my life and I am so blessed because of it. Throughout the performance God was tenderly dealing with little things that need to change in me. Things that I had been brushing off as being minor and had justified away. This however is never a good thing to do and eventually the Lord will bring even the small things to the surface. I also felt the Lord dealing with my issue of trust, more specifically, trusting Him.
This mornig when I got up, the Holy Spirit really spoke to my spirit about striving to do things and warned me not to focus on works or my own desires but instead to just trust Him. Here is what I felt the Lord spoke over me today:
"Stop striving for the things you think you desire and start trusting Me to give me things you truely do. Fix your eyes on me and let My desires become your desires. I have placed desires deep within you which are full of abundant blessings. I have promised to direct your paths. I have reminded you that no good thing do I withold from those who trust Me. Trusting me does not mean merely saying that you do; show Me through your actions and obedience. Faith without deeds is dead. Trust Me with all your heart. Your own understanding could never comprehend nor imagine the blessings I have for you, neither will it lead you down the path that leads to my greatest blessings for you. Trust me today with all of your strength, all of your mind, and all of your heart. Cease striving and know that I am God. Trust Me."
I know I need to work on trusting God because of what he says and not because of what i think I must do. He is faithful and will complete the good work He has started in me (1 Thessalonians 5:24,Philippians 1:6).
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Be who HE created YOU to be
God created each of us with a purpose. One of the things I have the hardest time with is being who HE created me to be and not what OTHERS think I should be. This even includes myself. Often times I think I am growing spiritually and becoming more like Christ and then I realize that I am striving to be what some other Christian is and I begin trying to mimic their life. God did not create us to strive to be like others. We are to strive to be like Him and only Him.
One of the greatest examples of this I got from a teaching by Jason Upton. He talks about how God uses the birds and the lillies as examples in the Bible because unlike humans, these things do not change. A redbird does not suddenly decide to act like a bluejay, just as a white lilly does not try to be a yellow daffodil. They simply are what God created them to be and what that is never changes. Though they may appear to look different in each season, their core remains the same.
I believe this is what Jesus wants us to do. He wants us to grow and to change and to become more like Him. However, He does not want us to get caught up in what He has called someone else to be. Essentially, He has called each of us to be the same, just like Him. Jesus wants our spirit to be the same over the years. In other words, while our physical appearance and mental abilities may go through changes, our spirits should remain the same. What I find so amazing is that He has already created us to be EXACTLY who He wants us to be. Unfortunately who that is has been warped and twisted by ourselves and the world. We get so caught up as humans on other people's expectations for our lives that we tend to forget what our original callings were. It is no surprise that when we reach adulthood we are usually doing something completely different than what we had dreamed about as kids. It's like to older we get, the more we give up our individuality and creativity and just settle for what the world dishes out to us. We begin to see our selvesas the world defines us versus who Jesus says we are.
It's no wonder that Jesus refers to little children so many times in the Bible to be examples for the rest of us. The faith of a child is one of the purest forms of faith there is. I agree with Jesus that we can learn a whole lot from children about what our identities truely are. Jesus used little children to demonstrate what the Kingdom of God is like.
Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." And He took them up in His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them (Mark 10:13-16).
And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all." Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me (Mark 9:35-37)."
I guess we could all benefit from spending some time with children. I thank God everyday that He has blessed me with a job where I work with kids of all ages everyday. It has been such a learning experience to be able to watch kids everyday and to see how simplistic they make even the most complex tasks seem. Kids don't walk around in a masquerade rapped up in a facade created by others. They are who they are and they don't apologize or make any excuses for it. They remind me everyday that I need to be more like them and to be who God created ME to be. Praise God!
One of the greatest examples of this I got from a teaching by Jason Upton. He talks about how God uses the birds and the lillies as examples in the Bible because unlike humans, these things do not change. A redbird does not suddenly decide to act like a bluejay, just as a white lilly does not try to be a yellow daffodil. They simply are what God created them to be and what that is never changes. Though they may appear to look different in each season, their core remains the same.
I believe this is what Jesus wants us to do. He wants us to grow and to change and to become more like Him. However, He does not want us to get caught up in what He has called someone else to be. Essentially, He has called each of us to be the same, just like Him. Jesus wants our spirit to be the same over the years. In other words, while our physical appearance and mental abilities may go through changes, our spirits should remain the same. What I find so amazing is that He has already created us to be EXACTLY who He wants us to be. Unfortunately who that is has been warped and twisted by ourselves and the world. We get so caught up as humans on other people's expectations for our lives that we tend to forget what our original callings were. It is no surprise that when we reach adulthood we are usually doing something completely different than what we had dreamed about as kids. It's like to older we get, the more we give up our individuality and creativity and just settle for what the world dishes out to us. We begin to see our selvesas the world defines us versus who Jesus says we are.
It's no wonder that Jesus refers to little children so many times in the Bible to be examples for the rest of us. The faith of a child is one of the purest forms of faith there is. I agree with Jesus that we can learn a whole lot from children about what our identities truely are. Jesus used little children to demonstrate what the Kingdom of God is like.
Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." And He took them up in His arms, put His hands on them, and blessed them (Mark 10:13-16).
And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all." Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me (Mark 9:35-37)."
I guess we could all benefit from spending some time with children. I thank God everyday that He has blessed me with a job where I work with kids of all ages everyday. It has been such a learning experience to be able to watch kids everyday and to see how simplistic they make even the most complex tasks seem. Kids don't walk around in a masquerade rapped up in a facade created by others. They are who they are and they don't apologize or make any excuses for it. They remind me everyday that I need to be more like them and to be who God created ME to be. Praise God!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
His purpose for our life
It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy (Romans 9:16).
God has created each of us with a purpose. Not just any purpose, HIS purpose. Sometimes what we want in our own lives does not match up with the purpose God has created us for. Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy and He hardens whom He wants to harden (v.18).
He called Pharoh to be pitted against God's people so that God could show His power and that His name might be proclaimed in all the earth (Exodus 9:16). He did this in the same way He called Abraham to be the father of many nations, and Mary to experience the virgin birth, and Paul to be a humble apostle. It was He who called some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13).
Some of our purposes may involve suffering and hardening, but the result of such things is that God is glorified and His name is lifted high for all to see. We have a choice to be obedient so that His name is glorified or to be diobedient by ignoring our calling so that our own names are lifted high. In the end, God's purpose will be satisfied even if it means that our own plans fail. Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. For the Lord will carry out His sentence on earth with speed and finality (Romans 9:27).
God has created each of us with a purpose. Not just any purpose, HIS purpose. Sometimes what we want in our own lives does not match up with the purpose God has created us for. Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy and He hardens whom He wants to harden (v.18).
He called Pharoh to be pitted against God's people so that God could show His power and that His name might be proclaimed in all the earth (Exodus 9:16). He did this in the same way He called Abraham to be the father of many nations, and Mary to experience the virgin birth, and Paul to be a humble apostle. It was He who called some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13).
Some of our purposes may involve suffering and hardening, but the result of such things is that God is glorified and His name is lifted high for all to see. We have a choice to be obedient so that His name is glorified or to be diobedient by ignoring our calling so that our own names are lifted high. In the end, God's purpose will be satisfied even if it means that our own plans fail. Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. For the Lord will carry out His sentence on earth with speed and finality (Romans 9:27).
Friday, April 25, 2008
Tuning in to God
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2)
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2)
Wow, God is soooo completely amazing! I feel like in the past few weeks He just has me going at mach 3 but feeling completely at rest the entire time. He has really shown me how to rest in Him even when things are busy around me. Even when He is busy developing my character and softening my heart. The biggest thing he has taught me lately is to focus on Him.
For years I have heard people quote Hebrews 12:2 and Colossians 3:2 which talk about keeping our eyes on Jesus. I decided in the past few weeks to really put that scripture to work in my life. Everytime my mind has tried to drift off and think about things of this world that have me stressed or confused or worried, I have made the decision not to dwell on such thoughts. Instead I have shifted my mind to things above. I have learned to not only take every thought captive and to make it obedient to Christ, but also to keep my eyes fixed in Him in any and every situation. He is my life, my reason for breath, therefore leaving Him out of my thoughts would essentially be like holding my breath and refusing to breathe.
The result of my thoughts being constantly fixated on Jesus are indecribable. It's as though I have brand new ears to hear the wonderful things he has been whispering to me. I no longer feel like I am struggling to hear His voice. He has been singing over me and guiding me with His words. Last night God spoke something to my heart that truely touched me that I feel led to share:
"You've been too long upon that mountain, it's time you journey to the sea. It is time that you step outside of your comfort zone. The zone, while appearing to be safe, will restrict all growth. By staying there, you are choosing to put up walls between yourself and Me. By staying in your comfort zone I can not develop your character. I can not mold you into the masterpiece I predestined you to be. You have robbed the potter of His wheel and all of his sculpting tools. Let Me shape you. Trust Me, for the plans I have for you are plans to prosper you and to give you a hope. Hold onto me and I will direct your path and order your steps. The first step you must take is out of your comfort zone. Although this may be difficult at first, let Me be your strength. Remember that I will never give you more than you can bear. Come and journey to the sea with Me for I promise good to those who put their trust in Me. Step out in faith today and your reward will be great indeed."
Now I have no idea specifically where God is calling me, where the sea is, but I know that I am going to let Him lead me there. I have learned that He is a lot more trustworthy and accurate than myself. I praise Him every day for being such an amazing Father and for all the gifts that he is pouring down from heaven on my life. To God be ALL the glory!
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2)
Wow, God is soooo completely amazing! I feel like in the past few weeks He just has me going at mach 3 but feeling completely at rest the entire time. He has really shown me how to rest in Him even when things are busy around me. Even when He is busy developing my character and softening my heart. The biggest thing he has taught me lately is to focus on Him.
For years I have heard people quote Hebrews 12:2 and Colossians 3:2 which talk about keeping our eyes on Jesus. I decided in the past few weeks to really put that scripture to work in my life. Everytime my mind has tried to drift off and think about things of this world that have me stressed or confused or worried, I have made the decision not to dwell on such thoughts. Instead I have shifted my mind to things above. I have learned to not only take every thought captive and to make it obedient to Christ, but also to keep my eyes fixed in Him in any and every situation. He is my life, my reason for breath, therefore leaving Him out of my thoughts would essentially be like holding my breath and refusing to breathe.
The result of my thoughts being constantly fixated on Jesus are indecribable. It's as though I have brand new ears to hear the wonderful things he has been whispering to me. I no longer feel like I am struggling to hear His voice. He has been singing over me and guiding me with His words. Last night God spoke something to my heart that truely touched me that I feel led to share:
"You've been too long upon that mountain, it's time you journey to the sea. It is time that you step outside of your comfort zone. The zone, while appearing to be safe, will restrict all growth. By staying there, you are choosing to put up walls between yourself and Me. By staying in your comfort zone I can not develop your character. I can not mold you into the masterpiece I predestined you to be. You have robbed the potter of His wheel and all of his sculpting tools. Let Me shape you. Trust Me, for the plans I have for you are plans to prosper you and to give you a hope. Hold onto me and I will direct your path and order your steps. The first step you must take is out of your comfort zone. Although this may be difficult at first, let Me be your strength. Remember that I will never give you more than you can bear. Come and journey to the sea with Me for I promise good to those who put their trust in Me. Step out in faith today and your reward will be great indeed."
Now I have no idea specifically where God is calling me, where the sea is, but I know that I am going to let Him lead me there. I have learned that He is a lot more trustworthy and accurate than myself. I praise Him every day for being such an amazing Father and for all the gifts that he is pouring down from heaven on my life. To God be ALL the glory!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Open up our eyes O Lord
I have been spending a lot of time waiting on the Lord lately and reading the Old testament. Since I am now living without internet in my home it is much harder for me to blog, yet it has made it that much easier to not be distracted by the world and to spend more time seeking God. The Lord has opened my eyes to so many new things that I can hardly write about them without getting overwhelmed. My mind has been on overdrive these past few weeks and I am just enjoying basking in His glory and spending time with Him. As much as I have to share in my heart it has been difficult to blog lately. However, I feel compelled to right this blog about all of the help God has given us in this world.
The Lord has been speaking Psalm 34:7 over me lately: The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and He delivers them. I couldn't quite figure out why He was pointing this scripture out to me. Then He led me to 2 Kings 6, where Elisha the Prophet is talking to his servant and telling him that he has nothing to fear because "those who are with us are more than those who are with them" (v. 16). He was saying this because he knew that the Lord had sent many men with their chariots of fire to fight against the men who had surrounded them in the city. Although Elisha's servant was unable to see these men, they were still there all the same. Elisha then asked the Lord to reveal this to his servant. I believe the Lord was reminding me of all the help he has sent me.
I realize that God has sent many people into my life to help me and to encourage me, but now I also realize that God has also set angels in the spiritual realm to look after me and protect me as well. He has gently reminded me that not only is He with me and by my side, but so are others that i can not necessarily see with my eyes in this world. Lord, I thank you for watching over me both throught he physical and spiritual realms. You supply ALL of my needs according to your riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19)
We serve such an amazing God! I am so thankful that no matter what this world says to me or how I feel, I am NEVER alone, for my God never leaves me nor forsakes me (Hebrews 13:5). Thank you Lord!
The Lord has been speaking Psalm 34:7 over me lately: The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and He delivers them. I couldn't quite figure out why He was pointing this scripture out to me. Then He led me to 2 Kings 6, where Elisha the Prophet is talking to his servant and telling him that he has nothing to fear because "those who are with us are more than those who are with them" (v. 16). He was saying this because he knew that the Lord had sent many men with their chariots of fire to fight against the men who had surrounded them in the city. Although Elisha's servant was unable to see these men, they were still there all the same. Elisha then asked the Lord to reveal this to his servant. I believe the Lord was reminding me of all the help he has sent me.
I realize that God has sent many people into my life to help me and to encourage me, but now I also realize that God has also set angels in the spiritual realm to look after me and protect me as well. He has gently reminded me that not only is He with me and by my side, but so are others that i can not necessarily see with my eyes in this world. Lord, I thank you for watching over me both throught he physical and spiritual realms. You supply ALL of my needs according to your riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19)
We serve such an amazing God! I am so thankful that no matter what this world says to me or how I feel, I am NEVER alone, for my God never leaves me nor forsakes me (Hebrews 13:5). Thank you Lord!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Follow Me
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it." (Mark 8:34)
Throughout the gospels Jesus gives a very clear command to all of His disciples and that is "Follow Me." As much as all of us want to follow Christ in theory, we find that in practice this is sometimes an extremely difficult thing to do. We all want a Messiah without rejection and suffering. We all want the promise without any of the pain. We all want the reward but don't want to pay the price. When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die (Bonhoeffer).
Christ had to be a suffering servant before he could become a conquering king. Jesus had to remind Peter of this in Mark 8:33. As Jesus was teaching His disciples how the Son of Man must suffer at the hands of men and be rejected and killed and will on the third day rise again, Peter rebuked him. Jesus then replied by saying, "Get behind me, Satan!" For Peter couldn't understand why Jesus should have to suffer. He wanted things to remain the way they were and to have Jesus continue to teach him as he had been doing. He did not want Jesus nor himself to have to pay a price for our freedom. Jesus explained to His disciples that he must bear the cross and be crucified in order to fulfill the will of His Father. His disciples had no idea how great a sacrifice their teacher was about to make for them.
As disciples of Christ, we are called to the cross as well. The cross is not merely a metaphor that we are to gently ponder in our minds. We are called by Jesus to take up our cross and to die daily as Paul did. We must take up our cross but not until we have put the old self under, not until the old man is dead. For if we did it through our old self then it would be our own strength that would have to bear our cross. We could never bear a cross without the help of God. Even Jesus had to have His flesh crucified before he could die and be raised again. For every great reward there is a cost. That cost will always involve obedience. Obedience is not something that is typically cost free. We must all sacrifice knowing in our hearts that Jesus already paid the ULTIMATE sacrifice for us. So today I make the choice to die to flesh and to take up my cross and follow Him!
Throughout the gospels Jesus gives a very clear command to all of His disciples and that is "Follow Me." As much as all of us want to follow Christ in theory, we find that in practice this is sometimes an extremely difficult thing to do. We all want a Messiah without rejection and suffering. We all want the promise without any of the pain. We all want the reward but don't want to pay the price. When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die (Bonhoeffer).
Christ had to be a suffering servant before he could become a conquering king. Jesus had to remind Peter of this in Mark 8:33. As Jesus was teaching His disciples how the Son of Man must suffer at the hands of men and be rejected and killed and will on the third day rise again, Peter rebuked him. Jesus then replied by saying, "Get behind me, Satan!" For Peter couldn't understand why Jesus should have to suffer. He wanted things to remain the way they were and to have Jesus continue to teach him as he had been doing. He did not want Jesus nor himself to have to pay a price for our freedom. Jesus explained to His disciples that he must bear the cross and be crucified in order to fulfill the will of His Father. His disciples had no idea how great a sacrifice their teacher was about to make for them.
As disciples of Christ, we are called to the cross as well. The cross is not merely a metaphor that we are to gently ponder in our minds. We are called by Jesus to take up our cross and to die daily as Paul did. We must take up our cross but not until we have put the old self under, not until the old man is dead. For if we did it through our old self then it would be our own strength that would have to bear our cross. We could never bear a cross without the help of God. Even Jesus had to have His flesh crucified before he could die and be raised again. For every great reward there is a cost. That cost will always involve obedience. Obedience is not something that is typically cost free. We must all sacrifice knowing in our hearts that Jesus already paid the ULTIMATE sacrifice for us. So today I make the choice to die to flesh and to take up my cross and follow Him!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Craving Intimacy
Days like these make it hard to breathe. Not because anything bad happened in my life, but because of the love and joy that is in my heart. I am so overwhelmed with emotion when I think about Jesus and what He did for me. I know a lot of people say that Jesus is there Savior and that they love Him, but to many the words they speak never make it past their minds to penetrate their hearts. Everyday that I live my goal is to become more and more like Christ. In order to get to know someone intimately, you must spend time with them. Even more so, we desire to be around those we are intimate with. We crave it with every fiber of our being. This is how we should feel about our personal relationship with Christ. God longs for intimacy with each and everyone of us. Not in some distant, liturgical, mass production kind of way, but in an extremely personal, unique and intimate way.
I find that the closer I get to God and the more time I spend with Him, the more I desire and crave His presence in my life. I have withdrawal when I feel cut off from Him in any way whether it be because of the world or because of my own disobedience. I am so grateful to know that my feeling that way does not effect God's level of intimacy with me at all. Even though I may feel distant from Him, He is never distant from me. Yes my sin separates me from Him but that is because of me, not Him. He is holy and therefore can not be in the presence of sin. I get to make decisions everyday to either draw near to Him in obedience, or to run away in disobedience. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8) Below are some scriptures were God reveals His will for us to be intimate with Him.
God who as called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9)
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends... (John 15:15)
Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17:1-3)
"You are my witnesses", declares the Lord, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he... (Isaiah 43:10)
God wants to know each and every one of us on an intimate level. He calls us friend. How awesome is that? The Creator of the universe calls us friend! That alone is enough to make my heart overflow with joy. Let us take time to get to know Him more, so that our hearts will long for Him the way He lovingly longs for us.
I find that the closer I get to God and the more time I spend with Him, the more I desire and crave His presence in my life. I have withdrawal when I feel cut off from Him in any way whether it be because of the world or because of my own disobedience. I am so grateful to know that my feeling that way does not effect God's level of intimacy with me at all. Even though I may feel distant from Him, He is never distant from me. Yes my sin separates me from Him but that is because of me, not Him. He is holy and therefore can not be in the presence of sin. I get to make decisions everyday to either draw near to Him in obedience, or to run away in disobedience. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8) Below are some scriptures were God reveals His will for us to be intimate with Him.
God who as called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9)
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends... (John 15:15)
Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17:1-3)
"You are my witnesses", declares the Lord, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he... (Isaiah 43:10)
God wants to know each and every one of us on an intimate level. He calls us friend. How awesome is that? The Creator of the universe calls us friend! That alone is enough to make my heart overflow with joy. Let us take time to get to know Him more, so that our hearts will long for Him the way He lovingly longs for us.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
We must stand in the gap
I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord (Ezekiel 22:30-31).
The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him and his own righteousness sustained him (Isaiah 59:16).
The Bible is filled with examples of God searching for those willing to fight the spiritual battle for their land. The Lord is earnestly seeking those who are obedient and are willing to stand in the gap and intercede on the behalf of others. He doesn't care who it is that stands in the gap, just that somebody does. It is our job as Christians to intercede for others just as Christ intercedes for us. I know this sounds like a difficult task, and many feel that they are not equipped to do such a thing, but we know that God has equipped His saints for ministry and He always prepares us to do the work He has set out for us to do. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will(Romans 8:26-34).
Just as God spoke the following words to Solomon, he was also speaking them to us, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from my wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14). Paul reminds us in Galatians 6:2 to Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.) He also says the following in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone- for kings, and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all goodness and holiness. This is good and please God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
It is our job to intercede and stand in the gap. The Bible reminds us that Jesus is constantly interceding for us, Now there have been many of those priests , since death prevented them from continuing in office, but because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them (Hebrews 7:23-25) Who is He that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us (Romans 8:34). If we are to be Christ like, we must follow His example and intercede for others in need.
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16). So let us be obedient to God and please Him; Let us stand in the gap today!
The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him and his own righteousness sustained him (Isaiah 59:16).
The Bible is filled with examples of God searching for those willing to fight the spiritual battle for their land. The Lord is earnestly seeking those who are obedient and are willing to stand in the gap and intercede on the behalf of others. He doesn't care who it is that stands in the gap, just that somebody does. It is our job as Christians to intercede for others just as Christ intercedes for us. I know this sounds like a difficult task, and many feel that they are not equipped to do such a thing, but we know that God has equipped His saints for ministry and He always prepares us to do the work He has set out for us to do. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will(Romans 8:26-34).
Just as God spoke the following words to Solomon, he was also speaking them to us, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from my wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14). Paul reminds us in Galatians 6:2 to Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.) He also says the following in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone- for kings, and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all goodness and holiness. This is good and please God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
It is our job to intercede and stand in the gap. The Bible reminds us that Jesus is constantly interceding for us, Now there have been many of those priests , since death prevented them from continuing in office, but because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them (Hebrews 7:23-25) Who is He that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us (Romans 8:34). If we are to be Christ like, we must follow His example and intercede for others in need.
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16). So let us be obedient to God and please Him; Let us stand in the gap today!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
In the Silence You are Speaking
"Elijah came to a cave where he looked for shelter. Then the Lord said to him, 'Go outside and stand on the mountain before the Lord; the Lord will be passing by.' A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks -- but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake -- but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, there was a fire -- but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave" (I Kings 19:9,11-13).
Sometimes I get really frustrated and feel like no matter how hard I am listening, God just isn't speaking to ME. I know He is speaking, I just feel like He's speaking to everyone except me. I am so grateful that the truth is that this kind of thinking is all WRONG. God is always speaking to me, just as sure as He is always speaking. I just happen to drown out His words with the noises of this world. I get so caught up in listening to my music, my friends, my family, my boss, my t.v., my radio, my ... my.... You get the point. Now granted, God uses other people, music, etc. all the time to minister to us in each of our lives, however, He is also constantly speaking to us through His Holy Spirit that dwells in those who believe. He sent The Holy Spirit to be our Comforter, our Counselor, the One that tells us whether to go to the left or the right, the One who directs our paths and orders our steps. This is the voice that I sometimes have a hard time hearing because I am constantly drowning it out by not only my problems, but sometimes by doing good things like listening to praise and worship music, or a good sermon.
Tonight as I was praying about some decisions I need to make, I heard God speak to my inner man and say, "In the silence, I am speaking, all you have to do is tune in to a new station... listen to the silence and You will hear Me whisper in your ear." I realized then that I am constantly avoiding the silence. One of the things I dreaded more than life before I found Christ was being surrounded by silence. I found that in those times, if my mind wasn't constantly being distracted by the things in this world, then I would be left alone with my own destructive and ominous thoughts and that would lead me into an endless pit of despair. I guess, now that I have Christ in my life, I am still very weary to get caught in the silence for fear of repeating my past.
It is so good to know that silence no longer equates with destruction in my life and that God is forever working on changing me, rearranging me, and taking me from glory to glory. He loves me too much to leave me the way I was when I found Him. He is constantly showing me the habits and thought patterns in my life that are in need of change. He is constantly pointing me towards Himself and saying "this is the way, walk in it." (Isaiah 30:21) I will do my best to not fear the silence anymore, after all, I don't want to miss a single thing that my God would take the time to whisper in my ear. One of my favorite quotes is from Mother Theresa when she said, "God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer." Praise the Lord!
Sometimes I get really frustrated and feel like no matter how hard I am listening, God just isn't speaking to ME. I know He is speaking, I just feel like He's speaking to everyone except me. I am so grateful that the truth is that this kind of thinking is all WRONG. God is always speaking to me, just as sure as He is always speaking. I just happen to drown out His words with the noises of this world. I get so caught up in listening to my music, my friends, my family, my boss, my t.v., my radio, my ... my.... You get the point. Now granted, God uses other people, music, etc. all the time to minister to us in each of our lives, however, He is also constantly speaking to us through His Holy Spirit that dwells in those who believe. He sent The Holy Spirit to be our Comforter, our Counselor, the One that tells us whether to go to the left or the right, the One who directs our paths and orders our steps. This is the voice that I sometimes have a hard time hearing because I am constantly drowning it out by not only my problems, but sometimes by doing good things like listening to praise and worship music, or a good sermon.
Tonight as I was praying about some decisions I need to make, I heard God speak to my inner man and say, "In the silence, I am speaking, all you have to do is tune in to a new station... listen to the silence and You will hear Me whisper in your ear." I realized then that I am constantly avoiding the silence. One of the things I dreaded more than life before I found Christ was being surrounded by silence. I found that in those times, if my mind wasn't constantly being distracted by the things in this world, then I would be left alone with my own destructive and ominous thoughts and that would lead me into an endless pit of despair. I guess, now that I have Christ in my life, I am still very weary to get caught in the silence for fear of repeating my past.
It is so good to know that silence no longer equates with destruction in my life and that God is forever working on changing me, rearranging me, and taking me from glory to glory. He loves me too much to leave me the way I was when I found Him. He is constantly showing me the habits and thought patterns in my life that are in need of change. He is constantly pointing me towards Himself and saying "this is the way, walk in it." (Isaiah 30:21) I will do my best to not fear the silence anymore, after all, I don't want to miss a single thing that my God would take the time to whisper in my ear. One of my favorite quotes is from Mother Theresa when she said, "God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer." Praise the Lord!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
The choice is yours
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:2-3).
The greatest strength that we as believers have is to be aware of our absolute dependency on God. Without that, we are lost. For until we are completely dependent on Him, we will spend our time striving towards impossible goals that will forever be out of our reach. We were created to need God. It wasn't an accident, or a fluke, God made us that way. Therefore we can continue to try to build our own kingdoms outside of what He wants for our lives, or we can just admit that we need Him and allow Him to move the mountains in our lives.
I have come across many stumbling blocks in my life in the past few weeks. Satan has really tried to take advantage of me in my weak emotional state. But thankfully, I serve an amazing God is who more powerful than anything the darkness has for me. I am filled with His light and His strength in me. Whenever we are stressed out, or physically ill, the enemy will use that time to try and move in for the kill. The same holds true for when God is trying to do really big things in our lives and we are about to break through to a new level in our walk with Him. It is up to us to forge through these tough moments and persevere. That way we can claim the prize that awaits us both in this life and in heaven. We have the choice to fill our lives with either problems or His Presence. The choice is ours. Let's choose Him today!
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).
The greatest strength that we as believers have is to be aware of our absolute dependency on God. Without that, we are lost. For until we are completely dependent on Him, we will spend our time striving towards impossible goals that will forever be out of our reach. We were created to need God. It wasn't an accident, or a fluke, God made us that way. Therefore we can continue to try to build our own kingdoms outside of what He wants for our lives, or we can just admit that we need Him and allow Him to move the mountains in our lives.
I have come across many stumbling blocks in my life in the past few weeks. Satan has really tried to take advantage of me in my weak emotional state. But thankfully, I serve an amazing God is who more powerful than anything the darkness has for me. I am filled with His light and His strength in me. Whenever we are stressed out, or physically ill, the enemy will use that time to try and move in for the kill. The same holds true for when God is trying to do really big things in our lives and we are about to break through to a new level in our walk with Him. It is up to us to forge through these tough moments and persevere. That way we can claim the prize that awaits us both in this life and in heaven. We have the choice to fill our lives with either problems or His Presence. The choice is ours. Let's choose Him today!
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).
Friday, February 22, 2008
The way I've dreamed for you
How many times have we heard the term "it's like a dream come true"? And most of the time we say this because something we had dreamed about or wanted actually came to pass in our life. Think about how amazingly happy you feel when this happens to you. Think of the indescribable joy you have when you know that your master plan is unfolding in front of your very eyes and when everything is going exactly the way you planned it...
Now, imagine how God feels each and every time we take a step towards fulfilling His plan and His dreams for our lives? Think of the smile He must have on His face every time we further His kingdom and His master plan. Think of what it must be like to hear God say the words, "it's like a dream come true," every time His plans for our lives come to pass. Selah.
God has more love for us than we could ever possibly comprehend and takes such joy in His children when they make decisions that glorify Him. Do you know how precious to the Lord you are? Even when we feel like we have missed the mark and "fallen off the Jesus train" He is always standing there with arms wide open waiting for us to come back to Him. Even when we fill our minds with thoughts of not being good enough, not being strong enough, not being "Christian" enough, that is not how Jesus sees us. He sees us as strong even when we feel weak. We are mighty warriors to Him. Jesus suffered for us, not because He had to, but because He wanted to. God sent His only son so that we wouldn't have to live our lives as slaves to condemnation, or anxiety or fear. God has such enormous dreams for our lives but we have to get past these negative emotions and move into His love in order for those dreams to come true.
So if you're in a situation when you're tempted to take the wrong road, instead of just thinking about the consequences of your decision, I challenge you to think also about the sheer joy you will bring to God by making a decision that will help His dreams for you come true. Picture Him smiling and singing over you. Think of how good you feel when your plans all work out and then give God the chance to share in that same feeling with you. Let God's dreams for you become your own dreams for you. I know from experience how hard it is to resist temptation and how easy it is to give in to it. I'm hoping that maybe I will do the right thing knowing that the right thing brings God joy and helps to fulfill His dreams. My goal is to start living my life according to the way God dreams for me. Next time you are faced with temptation, remember Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.
Now, imagine how God feels each and every time we take a step towards fulfilling His plan and His dreams for our lives? Think of the smile He must have on His face every time we further His kingdom and His master plan. Think of what it must be like to hear God say the words, "it's like a dream come true," every time His plans for our lives come to pass. Selah.
God has more love for us than we could ever possibly comprehend and takes such joy in His children when they make decisions that glorify Him. Do you know how precious to the Lord you are? Even when we feel like we have missed the mark and "fallen off the Jesus train" He is always standing there with arms wide open waiting for us to come back to Him. Even when we fill our minds with thoughts of not being good enough, not being strong enough, not being "Christian" enough, that is not how Jesus sees us. He sees us as strong even when we feel weak. We are mighty warriors to Him. Jesus suffered for us, not because He had to, but because He wanted to. God sent His only son so that we wouldn't have to live our lives as slaves to condemnation, or anxiety or fear. God has such enormous dreams for our lives but we have to get past these negative emotions and move into His love in order for those dreams to come true.
So if you're in a situation when you're tempted to take the wrong road, instead of just thinking about the consequences of your decision, I challenge you to think also about the sheer joy you will bring to God by making a decision that will help His dreams for you come true. Picture Him smiling and singing over you. Think of how good you feel when your plans all work out and then give God the chance to share in that same feeling with you. Let God's dreams for you become your own dreams for you. I know from experience how hard it is to resist temptation and how easy it is to give in to it. I'm hoping that maybe I will do the right thing knowing that the right thing brings God joy and helps to fulfill His dreams. My goal is to start living my life according to the way God dreams for me. Next time you are faced with temptation, remember Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
We Can't Escape Him
Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you be destroyed in your way (Psalm 2:10-12).
No matter what we do or how we act in our lives, we can't escape the mighty hand of God. He is ever present and always watching. Even when we don't feel like He is, He is right there watching over our every thought and action. This can either inspire us to clean up our acts and serve Him with a fear of the Lord, or it can cause us to try and run the other direction. The truth is, regardless of what you or I believe, we can't out run the mighty hand of God. He has promised to lift up the righteous and to love those who follow his commands, but he has also promised His rod to those who reject His ways. We have to remember to take this in context and know that 1) there is no condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1), and 2)If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). When God talks about His wrath for those who will not listen, He is not talking to the believer who finds himself ensnared in sin and is trying to break free, He is talking about those who reject His son, or those who say they accept His Son but then bear no fruit to back up their confession. He is talking about those who bear no fruit.
As believers, we have a decision to make everyday, and that is to either live for Christ or to die to sin. It is not something that you decide once, by accepting Jesus as your Savior, and then just go on living in the world as though nothing has changed. Our actions show our obedience. If our actions our not lining up with our words then we have a serious problem. I'm talking about a consistant pattern here, not an isolated circumstance where someone keeps falling into the same stronghold over and over and knows it is sin and is trying to overcome it. I am talking about those who confess that they love Jesus but then do nothing to make that known to the world, or when asked about it, deny Him completely. God knows our hearts, and it is very dangerous ground to take your relationship with Jesus lightly. As Jesus says in Matthew 7:21-23: "Not everyone who says to me , 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will say to them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!'
As Christians we are commanded to share our love for Jesus with the world, we are told to go out and preach the good news to all. If we deny Jesus to the world, then Jesus promises to deny us to His Father.
Again, there is NO CONDEMNATION IN CHRIST. This blog is meant to wake us up to the reality of the Gospel, not to condemn us for the mistakes we have made. We need to be pursuing the kingdom of God, not trying to build our own kingdoms in His name. If we build our own kingdoms THEY WILL FAIL! I'll leave you with a song that Jason Upton wrote about Psalm 2:12 which is very near to my heart and I listen to it often as a reminder that God will not compromise His kingdom in any way for my own; to remind me of my fear of the Lord:
Ladies and Gentlemen
People of the darkness
You've been running for a very long time
Hear the call from the city on the hilltop
the wave is coming can you feel the riptide
We can't run from the mighty hand of God
Either kiss His Son or receive His rod
Some say I'm the man of the evening
Others say I'm the lady of the night
God says I'm your creator
Nobody's faster than the speed of light, I'm coming!
We can't run from the mighty hand of God
Either kiss His Son or receive His rod
Forgive us Lord for holding hands with darkness
Forgive us Lord for idolatry
Forgive us Lord for playing games in Your presence
We yearn for Your intimacy
My prayer is that each and everyone of us, no matter where we are in our walk with God, would seek a deeper, more personal relationship with our Creator. That we will embrace the love He has for us by sharing it with others. I break off the spirit of rebellion, the spirit of condemnation, the spirit of depression, the feeling of not being good enough, the spirit of pride, the spirit of rejection, in the Name of Jesus. We are free to live in Christ, free of all bondage to sin, in the Name of Jesus. I break off the spirit of fear and hopelessness that tries to loom over our lives, in the Mighty Name of Jesus. And I speak the love of God over each every one of our lives, may He bless us and keep each and everyone of us in His righteous right hand. I speak blessings over our lives and I thank You, Lord for your unfailing love. With all thankfulness, I give You honor and praise. Amen!
No matter what we do or how we act in our lives, we can't escape the mighty hand of God. He is ever present and always watching. Even when we don't feel like He is, He is right there watching over our every thought and action. This can either inspire us to clean up our acts and serve Him with a fear of the Lord, or it can cause us to try and run the other direction. The truth is, regardless of what you or I believe, we can't out run the mighty hand of God. He has promised to lift up the righteous and to love those who follow his commands, but he has also promised His rod to those who reject His ways. We have to remember to take this in context and know that 1) there is no condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1), and 2)If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). When God talks about His wrath for those who will not listen, He is not talking to the believer who finds himself ensnared in sin and is trying to break free, He is talking about those who reject His son, or those who say they accept His Son but then bear no fruit to back up their confession. He is talking about those who bear no fruit.
As believers, we have a decision to make everyday, and that is to either live for Christ or to die to sin. It is not something that you decide once, by accepting Jesus as your Savior, and then just go on living in the world as though nothing has changed. Our actions show our obedience. If our actions our not lining up with our words then we have a serious problem. I'm talking about a consistant pattern here, not an isolated circumstance where someone keeps falling into the same stronghold over and over and knows it is sin and is trying to overcome it. I am talking about those who confess that they love Jesus but then do nothing to make that known to the world, or when asked about it, deny Him completely. God knows our hearts, and it is very dangerous ground to take your relationship with Jesus lightly. As Jesus says in Matthew 7:21-23: "Not everyone who says to me , 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will say to them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!'
As Christians we are commanded to share our love for Jesus with the world, we are told to go out and preach the good news to all. If we deny Jesus to the world, then Jesus promises to deny us to His Father.
Again, there is NO CONDEMNATION IN CHRIST. This blog is meant to wake us up to the reality of the Gospel, not to condemn us for the mistakes we have made. We need to be pursuing the kingdom of God, not trying to build our own kingdoms in His name. If we build our own kingdoms THEY WILL FAIL! I'll leave you with a song that Jason Upton wrote about Psalm 2:12 which is very near to my heart and I listen to it often as a reminder that God will not compromise His kingdom in any way for my own; to remind me of my fear of the Lord:
Ladies and Gentlemen
People of the darkness
You've been running for a very long time
Hear the call from the city on the hilltop
the wave is coming can you feel the riptide
We can't run from the mighty hand of God
Either kiss His Son or receive His rod
Some say I'm the man of the evening
Others say I'm the lady of the night
God says I'm your creator
Nobody's faster than the speed of light, I'm coming!
We can't run from the mighty hand of God
Either kiss His Son or receive His rod
Forgive us Lord for holding hands with darkness
Forgive us Lord for idolatry
Forgive us Lord for playing games in Your presence
We yearn for Your intimacy
My prayer is that each and everyone of us, no matter where we are in our walk with God, would seek a deeper, more personal relationship with our Creator. That we will embrace the love He has for us by sharing it with others. I break off the spirit of rebellion, the spirit of condemnation, the spirit of depression, the feeling of not being good enough, the spirit of pride, the spirit of rejection, in the Name of Jesus. We are free to live in Christ, free of all bondage to sin, in the Name of Jesus. I break off the spirit of fear and hopelessness that tries to loom over our lives, in the Mighty Name of Jesus. And I speak the love of God over each every one of our lives, may He bless us and keep each and everyone of us in His righteous right hand. I speak blessings over our lives and I thank You, Lord for your unfailing love. With all thankfulness, I give You honor and praise. Amen!
Monday, February 18, 2008
Praise God for amazing friends!
I can't get over how gracious God truly is. The fact that He is not only concerned about the major events in our lives, but He also pays close attention to the daily details as well. Take our friends for example. He makes sure that all of us have a support system around us to help carry us through the hard times. He also gives some friends that are there to make us laugh or smile. I will say that I have been so incredibly blessed with the friends in my life. They have taught me how to have fun, how to relax, and how to just be crazy for Jesus (I'm not so sure about Nick on this one!) They build me up, encourage and inspire me to be the person God has created me to be.
God also lets us know when there are people in our lives that we have to let go of, at least for a time. Friends that are not encouraging us or building us up. I have found this to be an extremely difficult process that has broken my heart many times over. However, as difficult as it is, it is also sometimes very necessary. There are some friends we have that as much as we love them, there is just too much hurt in the relationship for it to survive in its current state. I am at a place in my life where I am finding that I have to let go of some of my friendships because they are not based on God or the good things that He wants in my life. It is these kinds of relationships that we have to just let go and let God. If He wants that person in our lives, He will restore the relationship.
I thank God that we are not alone in this process. He is ALWAYS with us, guiding us step by step. He is there to hold us by our right hand and to see that even if we stumble, WE WILL NOT FALL. For God always leads the righteous. Not only is He with us through this process but He also places people in our lives to help us through it. I thank God everyday for my entourage. Those friends who see the best in me and encourage me to let my light shine on others. Those friends who love me unconditionally, even through all my mistakes and weaknesses. Those friends who appreciate me for who I am not necessarily what I do. To all my friends, (you know who you are), thank you and I love you!
I pray that we surround ourselves with Godly friendships and that we are praying for our friends daily. If there is an unhealthy relationship in your life, give it to God. He can do all things, including restoring it to the way it was, or He may just replace it with something even better. He promises to be with us through our pain and to both deliver and redeem us. That reminds me of a verse from one of my favorite songs: "I know that my Redeemer lives, and I will stand on what He did, my Savior lives!"
God has a mighty plan for each and every one of us. Although we sometimes experience having to let go of the ones we love, He has a mighty plan to fill our lives with amazing glory and grace and to restore us to a life that is overflowing with goodness. "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11) Praise be to God!
God also lets us know when there are people in our lives that we have to let go of, at least for a time. Friends that are not encouraging us or building us up. I have found this to be an extremely difficult process that has broken my heart many times over. However, as difficult as it is, it is also sometimes very necessary. There are some friends we have that as much as we love them, there is just too much hurt in the relationship for it to survive in its current state. I am at a place in my life where I am finding that I have to let go of some of my friendships because they are not based on God or the good things that He wants in my life. It is these kinds of relationships that we have to just let go and let God. If He wants that person in our lives, He will restore the relationship.
I thank God that we are not alone in this process. He is ALWAYS with us, guiding us step by step. He is there to hold us by our right hand and to see that even if we stumble, WE WILL NOT FALL. For God always leads the righteous. Not only is He with us through this process but He also places people in our lives to help us through it. I thank God everyday for my entourage. Those friends who see the best in me and encourage me to let my light shine on others. Those friends who love me unconditionally, even through all my mistakes and weaknesses. Those friends who appreciate me for who I am not necessarily what I do. To all my friends, (you know who you are), thank you and I love you!
I pray that we surround ourselves with Godly friendships and that we are praying for our friends daily. If there is an unhealthy relationship in your life, give it to God. He can do all things, including restoring it to the way it was, or He may just replace it with something even better. He promises to be with us through our pain and to both deliver and redeem us. That reminds me of a verse from one of my favorite songs: "I know that my Redeemer lives, and I will stand on what He did, my Savior lives!"
God has a mighty plan for each and every one of us. Although we sometimes experience having to let go of the ones we love, He has a mighty plan to fill our lives with amazing glory and grace and to restore us to a life that is overflowing with goodness. "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11) Praise be to God!
Friday, February 15, 2008
I stand amazed
I stand amazed by ALL You do, Lord! Even in my darkest hour, You are there. When I feel like all hope is lost, You are there. When I fall into a pit and can't find my way out, You are there. You know my every thought, my every feeling, You see my every tear. You are my light in the darkness, my compass when I am lost. You guide me through still waters and hold me up by Your righteous hand. You rejoice over me in song. Just when I feel that I cannot possibly love You any more than I already do, You find a way to expand my heart even more. Thank You Lord for Your wonderful love. I stand amazed by You!
I recently stumbled upon this Jason Upton song called, "Learning to love." It has given me a new perspective on how I am living my life. No matter how much hurt I have suffered, it is still my job to learn to love as Jesus loves. This song brought great peace to my life, so I would like to share it with you. I pray that we will all learn to love as Jesus did and as he continues to do.
Learning to Love (By Jason Upton):
I am learning to be a father
But I really don't know how
To be willing to care for others
More than I love myself
It aint easy, it aint easy
It aint easy, learning to love like You
It aint easy, it aint easy
It aint easy, learning to love like You
And I am learning to love my neighbor
And to live by the Golden Rule
But it's so hard when I've been lied to
You feel like a fool, a forgiving fool
Cause it aint easy, it aint easy
It aint easy, learning to love like You
It aint easy, it aint easy
It aint easy, learning to love like You
An I am learning to be faithful
With the little bit I have
To do like Jesus and turn the tables
Give it all to get nothing back
Cause it aint easy, it aint easy
It aint easy, learning to love like You
It aint easy, it aint easy
It aint easy, learning to love like You
To see the video go to: http://youtube.com/watch?v=NQRClW6_CTg
I recently stumbled upon this Jason Upton song called, "Learning to love." It has given me a new perspective on how I am living my life. No matter how much hurt I have suffered, it is still my job to learn to love as Jesus loves. This song brought great peace to my life, so I would like to share it with you. I pray that we will all learn to love as Jesus did and as he continues to do.
Learning to Love (By Jason Upton):
I am learning to be a father
But I really don't know how
To be willing to care for others
More than I love myself
It aint easy, it aint easy
It aint easy, learning to love like You
It aint easy, it aint easy
It aint easy, learning to love like You
And I am learning to love my neighbor
And to live by the Golden Rule
But it's so hard when I've been lied to
You feel like a fool, a forgiving fool
Cause it aint easy, it aint easy
It aint easy, learning to love like You
It aint easy, it aint easy
It aint easy, learning to love like You
An I am learning to be faithful
With the little bit I have
To do like Jesus and turn the tables
Give it all to get nothing back
Cause it aint easy, it aint easy
It aint easy, learning to love like You
It aint easy, it aint easy
It aint easy, learning to love like You
To see the video go to: http://youtube.com/watch?v=NQRClW6_CTg
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Trust in Me
I received a new devotional tonight (Thank you Janice!) and was taken back by how the reading for today was right on target with what I had been thinking about. Today's reading was all about trusting God. This sounds like such an easy task to accomplish and the bible is full of scripture advising us to put all of our trust in Him. And as many times as I have read some of my favorite scriptures on trusting in the Lord, (Psalm 37:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, 1 Corinthians 10:13, John 14:1, Nahum 1:7), the simplicity of today's devotional just made a light bulb go off in my head. It's funny how God will use people and things to get our attention and to bring us revelation. The following passage did just that for me, it is taken from Sarah Young's devotional titled, "Jesus Calling":
"Do not give in to fear, or worry, those robbers of abundant living. Trust Me enough to face problems as they come, rather than trying to anticipate them. Fix your eyes on Me, the Author and Perfecter of your faith, and many difficulties on the road ahead will vanish before you reach them. Whenever you start to feel afraid, remember that I am holding your right hand. Nothing can separate you from My presence."
I have always tried my best to trust God for the things that are currently happening in my life, but for some reason I had never thought about trusting Him enough that I do not need to anticipate future needs. I realize that by doing this I am in fact worrying about my future and where there is worry, there is a lack of trust. I am challenging myself to consciously be aware of this and to try to give God not just my current and past situations, but also my future ones as well. They are not for me to worry about. For if I trust my God then I know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
I pray that we all learn to not only trust in Him but to also trust Him. No matter what life brings us, or how dark our current circumstance may be, He is a magnificent God who is faithful to His Word. If His Word says we can trust Him then we can take it to the bank. It's a sure thing! I pray that all of us learn to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and to lean not on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).
None of us knows what tomorrow will bring, however, we do know that God promises to instruct us and teach us in the way we should go, He promises to counsel us and watch over us (Psalm 32:8) We all need to listen to the words Jesus spoke in John 14:1, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me." Praise the Lord!!!
"Do not give in to fear, or worry, those robbers of abundant living. Trust Me enough to face problems as they come, rather than trying to anticipate them. Fix your eyes on Me, the Author and Perfecter of your faith, and many difficulties on the road ahead will vanish before you reach them. Whenever you start to feel afraid, remember that I am holding your right hand. Nothing can separate you from My presence."
I have always tried my best to trust God for the things that are currently happening in my life, but for some reason I had never thought about trusting Him enough that I do not need to anticipate future needs. I realize that by doing this I am in fact worrying about my future and where there is worry, there is a lack of trust. I am challenging myself to consciously be aware of this and to try to give God not just my current and past situations, but also my future ones as well. They are not for me to worry about. For if I trust my God then I know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
I pray that we all learn to not only trust in Him but to also trust Him. No matter what life brings us, or how dark our current circumstance may be, He is a magnificent God who is faithful to His Word. If His Word says we can trust Him then we can take it to the bank. It's a sure thing! I pray that all of us learn to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and to lean not on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).
None of us knows what tomorrow will bring, however, we do know that God promises to instruct us and teach us in the way we should go, He promises to counsel us and watch over us (Psalm 32:8) We all need to listen to the words Jesus spoke in John 14:1, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me." Praise the Lord!!!
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