"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them." - 2 Timothy 3:1-5
This describes our society today. Just watch the news for an hour. All kinds of terrible events taking place everyday. Maybe its just me, but it sure seems like we are facing way more tragic events these days than we did 10 years ago. So much more is aimed at our children. Everyday a new story about another child/ren suffering. Our children have become a huge target.
On a side note, our world is focused on pleasure. Everywhere we look, everything is geared to bring us pleasure. Colors are used to catch our eye and trigger a sense of pleasure in our brains to make us buy it. Our senses are constantly on Sensory Overload. Sex is used everywhere to entice us, to excite us, and lure us into what ever is being sold. We have been trained to love pleasure rather than God as He has made us to do.
But why is it so tempting to love pleasure in place of God?
-We can control our pleasure, God cannot be controlled.
-Pleasure can be obtained easily, Love for God requires personal sacrifice and effort.
-Pleasure has an instant reward, Loving God benefits us in God's time not our time.
-Pleasure often distracts us from the world around us and our problems, God reminds us of who we are suppose to be and of our responsibilities.
-Pleasure goes hand in hand with pride and selfishness. It wants us to look great in others eyes. God wants us to put away our pride and selfishness and to only be pleasing in His eyes.
Our world teaches us that our happiness is our number one priority. "As long as I am happy then it doesn't matter what I do." Our selfishness for our personal happiness has pushed God out of our world. It is time to take back what God created us for. To love Him and worship only Him.
But you do have the choice!
Pleasure or God?
Father, I pray that you will help us to make you our priority and see the areas in our lives where pleasure has pushed you out. Take back what is yours and retrain us to love you as you created us to do instead of what this world has to offer. Show us how to be pleasing in your sight. I pray for your kingdom come and your will be done.
In Jesus name, amen
With God's Love,
Christian
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
To Fulfill the Law
"On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise Him, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He had been conceived. When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord" ), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons." -Luke 2:21-24 NIV
Jewish families went through several ceremonies after a baby was born. 1) After 8 days old, every boy was circumcised and named. Circumcision separated the Jews from the Gentiles and represented their relationship with God. 2) After one month old, the first born son was presented to God so that the parents would acknowledge that the child belonged to God who has the power to give life. Very much in the same way as baby dedications are done today. 3)For 40 days after the birth of a boy and 80 days after the birth of a girl, the mother was considered to be ceremonially unclean and must undergo a purification sacrifice before she could enter the temple again. After her purification time, the parents would take a lamb and a dove or pigeons as a burnt offering to God. The priest would then sacrifice these animals and declare her clean again.
Mary and Joseph performed these same ceremonies after Jesus was born. Jesus was God's son but His family still had to uphold God's law. Jesus was not born above the law, but instead came To Fulfill The Law! (information provided by niv study notes)
I am so grateful that our savior came to earth as our perfect example. He wasn't too good for His own laws, but followed them just as He expected others to do. I am also so very grateful that He came to fulfill the law and to be the very last living sacrifice for All of our sins.
Thank you Father, for loving us so much that you would send your son as one of us, to live as we live, to be the perfect example to us. I pray that we will follow His example and bring glory to your name. In Jesus name, amen.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
With God's Love,
Christian
Jewish families went through several ceremonies after a baby was born. 1) After 8 days old, every boy was circumcised and named. Circumcision separated the Jews from the Gentiles and represented their relationship with God. 2) After one month old, the first born son was presented to God so that the parents would acknowledge that the child belonged to God who has the power to give life. Very much in the same way as baby dedications are done today. 3)For 40 days after the birth of a boy and 80 days after the birth of a girl, the mother was considered to be ceremonially unclean and must undergo a purification sacrifice before she could enter the temple again. After her purification time, the parents would take a lamb and a dove or pigeons as a burnt offering to God. The priest would then sacrifice these animals and declare her clean again.
Mary and Joseph performed these same ceremonies after Jesus was born. Jesus was God's son but His family still had to uphold God's law. Jesus was not born above the law, but instead came To Fulfill The Law! (information provided by niv study notes)
I am so grateful that our savior came to earth as our perfect example. He wasn't too good for His own laws, but followed them just as He expected others to do. I am also so very grateful that He came to fulfill the law and to be the very last living sacrifice for All of our sins.
Thank you Father, for loving us so much that you would send your son as one of us, to live as we live, to be the perfect example to us. I pray that we will follow His example and bring glory to your name. In Jesus name, amen.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
With God's Love,
Christian
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Snowy Chrsitmas Eve
Below is a story that I used to teach in my Sunday class this morning, I hope you enjoy!
Snowy Christmas Eve
There was once a man who didn't believe in God, and he didn't hesitate to let others know how he felt about religion and religious holidays like Christmas. His wife, however did believe and she raised their children to also have faith in God and Jesus despite his disparaging comments.
One snowy Christmas Eve, his wife was taking their children to a Christmas Eve service in the farm community in which they lived. She asked him to come, but he refused. "That story is nonsense!" he said. "Why would God lower Himself to come to Earth as a man? That's ridiculous!" So she and the children left and he stayed home. A while later, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blizzard. As the man looked our the window, all he saw was a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening. Then he heard a loud thump. Something had hit the window. Then another thump. He looked out, but couldn't see more than a few feet.
When the snow let up a little, he ventured outside to see what could have been beating on his window. In the field near his house he saw a flock of geese. Apparently they had been flying south for the winter when they got caught in the snowstorm and could not got on. They were lost and stranded on his farm with no food or shelter. They just flapped their wings and flew around the field in low circles blindly and aimlessly. A couple of them had flown into his window, it seemed. The man felt sorry for the geese and wanted to help them. The barn would be a great place for them to stay he thought. It is warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm. So he walked over to the barn and opened the doors wide, then watched and waited, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. But the geese just fluttered around aimlessly and did not seem to notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them.
The man tried to get their attention, but that just seemed to scare them and they moved further away. He went into the house and came back out with some bread, broke it up and made a breadcrumb trail leading to the barn. They still didn't catch on. Now he was getting frustrated. He got behind them and tried to shoo them toward the barn, but they only got more scared and scattered in every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where they would be warm and safe. "Why don't they follow me?!" he exclaimed. "Can't they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm?" He thought for a moment and realized that they just wouldn't follow a human. "If only I were a goose, then I could save them." he said out loud. Then he had an idea. He went into the barn, got one of his own geese and carried it in his arms as he circled around behind the flock of wild geese. He then released it. His goose flew through the flock and straight into the barn. One by on the other geese followed it to safety.
He stood silently for a moment as the words he had spoken a few minutes earlier replayed in his mind:
"If only I were a goose, then I could save them!"
"Why would God want to be like us? That's ridiculous!"
Suddenly it all made sense. That is what God had done.
We were like the geese-- Blind, Lost, Perishing. God had His Son become like us so He could show us the way and save us.
That was the meaning of Christmas he realized. As the winds and blinding snow died down, his soul became quiet and pondered his wonderful thought. Suddenly he understood what Christmas was all about and why Christ had come. Years of doubt and disbelief vanished like the passing storm. He fell to his knees in the snow, and prayed his first prayer.
"Thank you Jesus for coming in human form to show me the way out of the storm!"
-unknown-
with God's Love,
Christian
Snowy Christmas Eve
There was once a man who didn't believe in God, and he didn't hesitate to let others know how he felt about religion and religious holidays like Christmas. His wife, however did believe and she raised their children to also have faith in God and Jesus despite his disparaging comments.
One snowy Christmas Eve, his wife was taking their children to a Christmas Eve service in the farm community in which they lived. She asked him to come, but he refused. "That story is nonsense!" he said. "Why would God lower Himself to come to Earth as a man? That's ridiculous!" So she and the children left and he stayed home. A while later, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blizzard. As the man looked our the window, all he saw was a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening. Then he heard a loud thump. Something had hit the window. Then another thump. He looked out, but couldn't see more than a few feet.
When the snow let up a little, he ventured outside to see what could have been beating on his window. In the field near his house he saw a flock of geese. Apparently they had been flying south for the winter when they got caught in the snowstorm and could not got on. They were lost and stranded on his farm with no food or shelter. They just flapped their wings and flew around the field in low circles blindly and aimlessly. A couple of them had flown into his window, it seemed. The man felt sorry for the geese and wanted to help them. The barn would be a great place for them to stay he thought. It is warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm. So he walked over to the barn and opened the doors wide, then watched and waited, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. But the geese just fluttered around aimlessly and did not seem to notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them.
The man tried to get their attention, but that just seemed to scare them and they moved further away. He went into the house and came back out with some bread, broke it up and made a breadcrumb trail leading to the barn. They still didn't catch on. Now he was getting frustrated. He got behind them and tried to shoo them toward the barn, but they only got more scared and scattered in every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where they would be warm and safe. "Why don't they follow me?!" he exclaimed. "Can't they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm?" He thought for a moment and realized that they just wouldn't follow a human. "If only I were a goose, then I could save them." he said out loud. Then he had an idea. He went into the barn, got one of his own geese and carried it in his arms as he circled around behind the flock of wild geese. He then released it. His goose flew through the flock and straight into the barn. One by on the other geese followed it to safety.
He stood silently for a moment as the words he had spoken a few minutes earlier replayed in his mind:
"If only I were a goose, then I could save them!"
"Why would God want to be like us? That's ridiculous!"
Suddenly it all made sense. That is what God had done.
We were like the geese-- Blind, Lost, Perishing. God had His Son become like us so He could show us the way and save us.
That was the meaning of Christmas he realized. As the winds and blinding snow died down, his soul became quiet and pondered his wonderful thought. Suddenly he understood what Christmas was all about and why Christ had come. Years of doubt and disbelief vanished like the passing storm. He fell to his knees in the snow, and prayed his first prayer.
"Thank you Jesus for coming in human form to show me the way out of the storm!"
-unknown-
with God's Love,
Christian
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Plans to Prosper us!
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. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart".
-Jeremiah 29:11-13
For so many years I have felt like God had no plans for me. When I quit working to be a stay at home mom, those feelings became stronger yet. I then told myself that God's plan for me must be for me to raise my boys. Of course that was and still is part of His plans. However, I still felt incomplete and useless in so many ways. Myself got lost some how, I didn't realize that my identity was fading away until I couldn't remember who I was anymore. To many times I felt like all I was good for was babysitting. It wasn't until two years ago when we started going to church every week. I started helping out with the children's classes just so I felt useful. After some time I became a regular helper as a supervisor for the class room. I started helping in the church office on Fridays. So I had Sunday and Friday each week that I was giving back to God. My feelings of uselessness slowly started to fade, yet for the first time in 11 years as a stay at home mom, I felt very restless. I felt like if I had to stay home by myself for another school year, I was going to loose my mind. So I applied for a job at the school. I thought for sure that is where God wanted me. It was the perfect job for a stay at home mom. I was gonna get the job! God had other plans for me.
Literally, within a week from being told that I did not get the job, God threw and I mean threw a food bank into my lap. I opened the bread crumb food bank on Sept 10th 2012 with 10-20 customers. Within three months it grew from just me to a board of directors with four of the five seats filled and serving 100 plus customers each week, With so much more growth to come. I have never felt so needed and loved in my life. Its funny how helping others really makes a person feel complete! Any how my point in all of this is, that when we think that God can't use us or won't use us for whatever reason, He will and does!
We have to remember that not only does He have to prepare our lives and hearts, but also the lives and hearts of everyone else that will be involved. See three years ago I wasn't ready to help in the church or anyone else. I knew absolutely nothing about being a leader and was scared to death to stand up and talk in front of others. (still working on that) Two years ago I would have told God no, I don't want to help people. I was pretty lazy and selfish. One year ago I would have given up before I really got started as it is a hard job.
God does have plans for each of us. "Plans to prosper us." Plans to improve us and make us better. Plans to enhance His kingdom and not ours.
Father, Thank you so very much for loving us like you do. For caring so much for us that you take time to make plans for our lives. I pray that whoever reads this will see that they are not just walking around this world aimlessly, but that you have a plan for them. That they are right where you want them to be, through the good and the bad. Help them to see that no matter what situation they are in, you are using it to make them better for it. They will come out stronger in the end. Father, continue to mold them and shape them in to the person that you made them to be. Into the person that you need them to be to use them for your kingdom. In Jesus name amen.
with God's Love,
Christian
-Jeremiah 29:11-13
For so many years I have felt like God had no plans for me. When I quit working to be a stay at home mom, those feelings became stronger yet. I then told myself that God's plan for me must be for me to raise my boys. Of course that was and still is part of His plans. However, I still felt incomplete and useless in so many ways. Myself got lost some how, I didn't realize that my identity was fading away until I couldn't remember who I was anymore. To many times I felt like all I was good for was babysitting. It wasn't until two years ago when we started going to church every week. I started helping out with the children's classes just so I felt useful. After some time I became a regular helper as a supervisor for the class room. I started helping in the church office on Fridays. So I had Sunday and Friday each week that I was giving back to God. My feelings of uselessness slowly started to fade, yet for the first time in 11 years as a stay at home mom, I felt very restless. I felt like if I had to stay home by myself for another school year, I was going to loose my mind. So I applied for a job at the school. I thought for sure that is where God wanted me. It was the perfect job for a stay at home mom. I was gonna get the job! God had other plans for me.
Literally, within a week from being told that I did not get the job, God threw and I mean threw a food bank into my lap. I opened the bread crumb food bank on Sept 10th 2012 with 10-20 customers. Within three months it grew from just me to a board of directors with four of the five seats filled and serving 100 plus customers each week, With so much more growth to come. I have never felt so needed and loved in my life. Its funny how helping others really makes a person feel complete! Any how my point in all of this is, that when we think that God can't use us or won't use us for whatever reason, He will and does!
We have to remember that not only does He have to prepare our lives and hearts, but also the lives and hearts of everyone else that will be involved. See three years ago I wasn't ready to help in the church or anyone else. I knew absolutely nothing about being a leader and was scared to death to stand up and talk in front of others. (still working on that) Two years ago I would have told God no, I don't want to help people. I was pretty lazy and selfish. One year ago I would have given up before I really got started as it is a hard job.
God does have plans for each of us. "Plans to prosper us." Plans to improve us and make us better. Plans to enhance His kingdom and not ours.
Father, Thank you so very much for loving us like you do. For caring so much for us that you take time to make plans for our lives. I pray that whoever reads this will see that they are not just walking around this world aimlessly, but that you have a plan for them. That they are right where you want them to be, through the good and the bad. Help them to see that no matter what situation they are in, you are using it to make them better for it. They will come out stronger in the end. Father, continue to mold them and shape them in to the person that you made them to be. Into the person that you need them to be to use them for your kingdom. In Jesus name amen.
with God's Love,
Christian
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
"I do what I do not want to do"
"For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me." -Romans 7:19-21
I have often wondered why I continue to do things that I do not want to do. Why I have judging thoughts toward others? Etc.... I have wondered if I am the only Christian who struggle with sin and not realizing that I am committing it until I have already done it?
When I read this scripture, it was like a light bulb was just flicked on in my head. And at the same time a huge sigh of relief came over me to know that I am by no means the only person who struggles with this. Some times we can so easily get caught up in our issues that we always think that we are the only ones who have ever had to deal with this.
Paul had the same issues that we have today. I am so glad to know that I am not the only one who struggles with sin when I am not wanting to sin. Praise God!
With God's Love,
Christian
I have often wondered why I continue to do things that I do not want to do. Why I have judging thoughts toward others? Etc.... I have wondered if I am the only Christian who struggle with sin and not realizing that I am committing it until I have already done it?
When I read this scripture, it was like a light bulb was just flicked on in my head. And at the same time a huge sigh of relief came over me to know that I am by no means the only person who struggles with this. Some times we can so easily get caught up in our issues that we always think that we are the only ones who have ever had to deal with this.
Paul had the same issues that we have today. I am so glad to know that I am not the only one who struggles with sin when I am not wanting to sin. Praise God!
With God's Love,
Christian
Monday, February 27, 2012
"Like a yellow rubber duck on a swelling sea."
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything"
-James 1:1-4
It is so very hard for anyone to consider the hard times in our lives as joy. Especially when those hard times seem to drag on and on with no end in sight. We forget that the hard times always end with good results. The hard times in our lives build us up. Make us stronger. Teaches us valuable lessons needed for our future. Lessons that we may not have learned if not for those hard times.
James tells us that the hard times test our faith and develops perseverance. Beth Moore explains it as "Perseverance means "nerving oneself" like a person determined to stay on his feet, holding tight to Jesus, while storm winds try to toss him like a yellow rubber duck on a swelling sea." That is such a clear picture. Totally the way that life seems to be at times.
When we persevere and make it through those tough moments in life, God blesses us with the wisdom and knowledge that we need for future storms. The awesome part is that after we make it through we see the good that comes from it. Eventually we forget and move on. Until the next storm hits and we are now more prepared than ever to persevere once more.
With God's Love,
Christian
-James 1:1-4
It is so very hard for anyone to consider the hard times in our lives as joy. Especially when those hard times seem to drag on and on with no end in sight. We forget that the hard times always end with good results. The hard times in our lives build us up. Make us stronger. Teaches us valuable lessons needed for our future. Lessons that we may not have learned if not for those hard times.
James tells us that the hard times test our faith and develops perseverance. Beth Moore explains it as "Perseverance means "nerving oneself" like a person determined to stay on his feet, holding tight to Jesus, while storm winds try to toss him like a yellow rubber duck on a swelling sea." That is such a clear picture. Totally the way that life seems to be at times.
When we persevere and make it through those tough moments in life, God blesses us with the wisdom and knowledge that we need for future storms. The awesome part is that after we make it through we see the good that comes from it. Eventually we forget and move on. Until the next storm hits and we are now more prepared than ever to persevere once more.
With God's Love,
Christian
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
The sower sows the word
"Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold." -Mark 4:13-20
I have often wondered why some people tend to have the Christian walk down to a "science". They make it look easy. Yet others like myself have to fight day in and day out to include God in my life. I know that we all have to fight our flesh daily. We have to pick up our cross daily and follow Him. But why is it so hard for some and easier for others?
As I read Mark 4 the answer comes to mind. God's word is not planted in the right spot. The soil that His word is sown has to be good soil. Our faith has to be strong. We have to put our selves into the position that no matter what happens in our lives, we will completely whole heartedly trust Him. Not wavering or loosing sight of Him. Not trying to take over and find the answer on our own. We have to be still and know that He is God!
What kind of soil is His word sown into in your life?
With God's Love,
Christian
I have often wondered why some people tend to have the Christian walk down to a "science". They make it look easy. Yet others like myself have to fight day in and day out to include God in my life. I know that we all have to fight our flesh daily. We have to pick up our cross daily and follow Him. But why is it so hard for some and easier for others?
As I read Mark 4 the answer comes to mind. God's word is not planted in the right spot. The soil that His word is sown has to be good soil. Our faith has to be strong. We have to put our selves into the position that no matter what happens in our lives, we will completely whole heartedly trust Him. Not wavering or loosing sight of Him. Not trying to take over and find the answer on our own. We have to be still and know that He is God!
What kind of soil is His word sown into in your life?
With God's Love,
Christian
Monday, February 6, 2012
Be careful what you wish for!
"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."
I find it marvolous how when I sit down to my journal and pour my heart out to God, He always has a clear responce. Today, I was wrighting. Pouring my heartaches out to Him. Longing for a healthy, stronger, relationship, not only between my children and their grandparents but also between me and my parents. Something that I have longed for, wished for, and even prayed for, for many years now. I was in mid sentence when I feel God not in so many words but basicly saying, "Be careful what you wish for!"
Just maybe the vary relationship that I have dreamed of could cause me to stumble. Or worse yet my children. You see the relationship that I seek is one that does not agree on who God is. Both parties are Christians but the other has very different views of God. Maybe that relationship is not something that God sees as a way to prosper me or my children. Don't get me wrong, I love my parents with all of my heart. I know that they love me and my children the same. But the relationship is weak. I only seek to make it stronger. Maybe it is fine the way it is. Maybe God has it right where HE wants it to be. I truly believe Jeremiah 29:11. God has a plan for us! He has a plan to make us better. To form us into the person that He made us to be. A plan not to harm us but prosper us.
With my history in relationships, (haha) I know that I tend to place people in my heart where they do not belong. In the place where only God should be. This said, this relationship might prohibbit me from growing spiritualy. Not because of anything that my parents would do but because of my own self.
On a side note, The times that I have tried to grow a stronger realtionship with my parents, I have always ended up fighting with them, feeling angry, and or pressured. I don't think it of any reason or fault of either of us, but both parties. Our life styles are very different. I love to have my space. I like to have my life seperate in so many ways. And our lack of relationship is probably due to our own selfish attitudes. One that will require a huge change on both parts.
So, in a nut shell. My lack of relationship could be what God has planned. Or could be because of our attitudes. Either way I realize that I must be careful what I wish for! I want nothing more than for God's will in my life to prevail, and IF that does mean a lack of relationship with my parents, then so be it.
I will always love and cherrish my parents. It breaks my heart that my children don't know them as I do. But I will always make sure that my boys know just how special and loving my parents truly are. I pray that some day, God willing, that they will experence it for them selves.
Father, I pray your will over this situation in my life. I pray that you will open my eyes and heart to see Your plan for us. I pray for peace and contentment in Your will. Help me to love as You love.
Amen.
with God's Love,
Christian
Monday, January 23, 2012
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
"To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 18:9-14No matter how much we think of our selves, No matter how proud we are, God always has a way of bringing us to our knees before Him and humbling us.
Father, I pray that our pride will be broken. That we will see the importance of being humble. That we will be willing to bow before you with an open humbled heart. Father, change us to be who You created us to be.
In Jesus name I pray Your will, Amen
With God's Love,
Christian
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
He makes Life worth living!
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin." Hebrews 4:12
How comforting it is to know that Jesus understands, sympathizes, and has compassion for His people. A love that is stronger than our minds will ever beable to understand. He makes life wonderful and special. He makes Life worth living.
Father, I am in complete awe of Your love for us. I praise You and worship You for only You are worthy to be praised. Thank You from the bottom of my heart for changing me and loving me. You give me a reason to get up everyday, A reason to smile, A reason to love others. You are my life and I am so very greatful to call You my God!
With God's Love,
Christian
How comforting it is to know that Jesus understands, sympathizes, and has compassion for His people. A love that is stronger than our minds will ever beable to understand. He makes life wonderful and special. He makes Life worth living.
Father, I am in complete awe of Your love for us. I praise You and worship You for only You are worthy to be praised. Thank You from the bottom of my heart for changing me and loving me. You give me a reason to get up everyday, A reason to smile, A reason to love others. You are my life and I am so very greatful to call You my God!
With God's Love,
Christian
Thursday, January 5, 2012
More "second chances" than we deserve!
"Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?" - Ezekiel 33:11
This verse says to me how loving and wonderful God truly is. A God that doesn't want anyone to perish. A God that doesn't want to bestow His wrath on anyone. A God that was willing to sacrifice His only son to prevent our death. A God that is willing to give us all chance after chance, more "second chances" than we deserve. A God full of mercy and grace. A God who is humble enough to beg and plead us to turn from our evil ways.
Why are we so full of ourselves that we are willing to die? We are willing to be who we want to be, no matter the cost. No matter the consequences. We have even convinced ourselves that there is no cost or consequence to what we do. How foolish we are to push God's wrath aside like left over dinner scraps. How foolish we are not to be scared of God's wrath. As Christian's we don't have to be scared of God's wrath.We will not have to see any of it. We have nothing to fear if we know Christ as our savior. BUT as unbelievers we better be scared. We will see it all! No one will live who rejects Christ, No One!
Are you willing to have the life you want? Are you willing to give anything to have the life style you want? Are you willing to Die just so you can be "in control" of your life?
Are you willing to DIE?
OR
Are you willing to LIVE?
Are you willing to give up your life style and control of your life so that you will live?
Are you willing to give your life to Christ?
Father, I pray for the many people who are on the fence. For those who feel You calling but are afraid to answer you. I pray Lord that they will make a decision for You today. I pray that they will see the urgent importance of salvation. Give them a healthy fear of Your wrath. Let them see how merciful and patient You are with them. Show them that You want nothing more than to save them from death. Speak to their hearts Lord and show them how much You truly love them. In Jesus name I pray. -Amen
With God's Love,
Christian
This verse says to me how loving and wonderful God truly is. A God that doesn't want anyone to perish. A God that doesn't want to bestow His wrath on anyone. A God that was willing to sacrifice His only son to prevent our death. A God that is willing to give us all chance after chance, more "second chances" than we deserve. A God full of mercy and grace. A God who is humble enough to beg and plead us to turn from our evil ways.
Why are we so full of ourselves that we are willing to die? We are willing to be who we want to be, no matter the cost. No matter the consequences. We have even convinced ourselves that there is no cost or consequence to what we do. How foolish we are to push God's wrath aside like left over dinner scraps. How foolish we are not to be scared of God's wrath. As Christian's we don't have to be scared of God's wrath.We will not have to see any of it. We have nothing to fear if we know Christ as our savior. BUT as unbelievers we better be scared. We will see it all! No one will live who rejects Christ, No One!
Are you willing to have the life you want? Are you willing to give anything to have the life style you want? Are you willing to Die just so you can be "in control" of your life?
Are you willing to DIE?
OR
Are you willing to LIVE?
Are you willing to give up your life style and control of your life so that you will live?
Are you willing to give your life to Christ?
Father, I pray for the many people who are on the fence. For those who feel You calling but are afraid to answer you. I pray Lord that they will make a decision for You today. I pray that they will see the urgent importance of salvation. Give them a healthy fear of Your wrath. Let them see how merciful and patient You are with them. Show them that You want nothing more than to save them from death. Speak to their hearts Lord and show them how much You truly love them. In Jesus name I pray. -Amen
With God's Love,
Christian
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
"Me, Myself, & I"
"Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You Lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures" James 4:1-3
I have learned over the last year something that I am sure we all know, but don't either want to admit or stop to see the truth. The good majority of the arguments, fights and struggles are caused by our own selfishness. All because something didn't go the way we think it should, or we didn't get what we wanted out of a situation.
When we put God first in our lives we also put others first. The "Me, Myself, & I" attitude doesn't' seem to matter as much. Sure, it is a daily & lifelong struggle. But we must continue to fight our flesh. Stand firm in God's word and continue to grow. Selfishness is one sin that we will always have to battle.
A few weeks ago God showed me something. He pointed out to me that Life is not about what others can do for me, Its about what I can do for others. -cdw
Can you imagine a world where everyone lived with that in place of selfishness? WOW!
With God's Love,
Christian
I have learned over the last year something that I am sure we all know, but don't either want to admit or stop to see the truth. The good majority of the arguments, fights and struggles are caused by our own selfishness. All because something didn't go the way we think it should, or we didn't get what we wanted out of a situation.
When we put God first in our lives we also put others first. The "Me, Myself, & I" attitude doesn't' seem to matter as much. Sure, it is a daily & lifelong struggle. But we must continue to fight our flesh. Stand firm in God's word and continue to grow. Selfishness is one sin that we will always have to battle.
A few weeks ago God showed me something. He pointed out to me that Life is not about what others can do for me, Its about what I can do for others. -cdw
Can you imagine a world where everyone lived with that in place of selfishness? WOW!
With God's Love,
Christian
Sunday, January 1, 2012
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