2011 is coming quickly to a close....
My plans for New Years Eve?
1. To write down everything hurtful that happened in 2011 and burn it. The past is the past, God forgets our sins as far as the east is from the west. I want to start 2012 with a clean slate.
2. Will be spending time with my brother and his wife and close to 50 others worshiping Christ.
My mom used to tell me when I was little kid that whatever you are doing at midnight on new years eve is what you will be doing the whole year. Worshiping Christ the whole year?
Sounds good to me!!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Seek God
"Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are
never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content." Ecclesiastes 1:8 NLT
Through the Christmas season I have noticed more things. Or actually paid closer attention to the things around me. Peoples behavior toward one another, and their behavior toward possessions. Yes in the Christmas story the wise men did bring gifts to Jesus as a sign of honoring him, he after all is the Savior of the world. I feel that society has really gotten away from the true meaning of this season. Just as the verse above states, we always want more. How many more possessions do we really need? More verses come to mind.
"If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion--how can God's love be in that person?" 1John 3:17 NLT
"He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God." Proverbs 14:31 NIV
There are several more, open your bible and search them out. Embrace them and apply them to your life. Those that love God are purposed to do his will. That means quit seeking more material things, quit spending so much money on things that after awhile will be forgotten. Love people, serve people. Show Gods love to them. Another verse.
"And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'" Matthew 25:40 NLT
When we serve each other in Gods love, we are doing it to God himself. Yes there are a lot of good people in the world, but do they know Jesus? Do they have a personal relationship with him? This is why we need to stop seeking things for our own personal gain. Selfishness never prevails. Yet another verse.
"Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves." Philippians 2:3 NLT
Stop seeking worldly things, and start seeking Godly things. I am a foreigner here, I feel this more and more every day. I am not perfect and struggle with the showing of love to everyone all the time. God isn't finished with me yet, we all have to start somewhere. Let's start here.
Through the Christmas season I have noticed more things. Or actually paid closer attention to the things around me. Peoples behavior toward one another, and their behavior toward possessions. Yes in the Christmas story the wise men did bring gifts to Jesus as a sign of honoring him, he after all is the Savior of the world. I feel that society has really gotten away from the true meaning of this season. Just as the verse above states, we always want more. How many more possessions do we really need? More verses come to mind.
"If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion--how can God's love be in that person?" 1John 3:17 NLT
"He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God." Proverbs 14:31 NIV
There are several more, open your bible and search them out. Embrace them and apply them to your life. Those that love God are purposed to do his will. That means quit seeking more material things, quit spending so much money on things that after awhile will be forgotten. Love people, serve people. Show Gods love to them. Another verse.
"And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'" Matthew 25:40 NLT
When we serve each other in Gods love, we are doing it to God himself. Yes there are a lot of good people in the world, but do they know Jesus? Do they have a personal relationship with him? This is why we need to stop seeking things for our own personal gain. Selfishness never prevails. Yet another verse.
"Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves." Philippians 2:3 NLT
Stop seeking worldly things, and start seeking Godly things. I am a foreigner here, I feel this more and more every day. I am not perfect and struggle with the showing of love to everyone all the time. God isn't finished with me yet, we all have to start somewhere. Let's start here.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Being who God has called me to be.....
"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous - how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!" Psalm 139:13-18
God has called me, even before I was ever a thought to my parents. Why do we as people struggle to be accepted by those around us, when the only thing that matters is God's love? It says it in this passage that God's thoughts about me are precious. By definition precious as an adjective means; of great value, highly esteemed or cherished, excessively refined. We all know that the process of being refined as in gold and silver takes some master skill to get it right and is a lengthy process. Who better to refine us than God our Father? Who, by the way, finds us of great value, and we are highly esteemed by him and cherished. We are excessively refined. A lot of thought and time and love was put into my creation.
I am called by God, to do what he has purposed in my life. The need is urgent to walk away from the world that doesn't have high regard for me, that doesn't find great value in me, doesn't cherish me and definitely is not spending the time to refine me.
This is what it's all about....walking away, and following the one who loves me without condition. No matter what I've done, or how many times I've done it, his love is still there, he is still interested in me. The real me, because he created that person and doesn't want to change it, he only wants to refine it.
"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27
God has called me, even before I was ever a thought to my parents. Why do we as people struggle to be accepted by those around us, when the only thing that matters is God's love? It says it in this passage that God's thoughts about me are precious. By definition precious as an adjective means; of great value, highly esteemed or cherished, excessively refined. We all know that the process of being refined as in gold and silver takes some master skill to get it right and is a lengthy process. Who better to refine us than God our Father? Who, by the way, finds us of great value, and we are highly esteemed by him and cherished. We are excessively refined. A lot of thought and time and love was put into my creation.
I am called by God, to do what he has purposed in my life. The need is urgent to walk away from the world that doesn't have high regard for me, that doesn't find great value in me, doesn't cherish me and definitely is not spending the time to refine me.
This is what it's all about....walking away, and following the one who loves me without condition. No matter what I've done, or how many times I've done it, his love is still there, he is still interested in me. The real me, because he created that person and doesn't want to change it, he only wants to refine it.
"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Decisions....
As an adult, I don't like to make decisions, especially when it involves others. Some decisions need to be made.
First of all, the decision to trust in Jesus to provide my every need is the most important. He knows how unhappy I am with certain situations and yet I am to trust him for the best outcome. Well if the best outcome is to not have an outcome at all, I am still unhappy. Frustration has set in if you can't already tell.
Second, I believe that we have been given the ability to use our brains and make intelligent informed decisions in our lives. This is the part I have most trouble with, making decisions on my own sometimes.
Again, still unhappy.
Praying that the outcome is acceptable and the unhappiness subsides. I'm hoping with all hope that it will.
Our decisions effect everyone around us. More praying that my decisions aren't disappointing to those I love and care about. Least of all disappointing to Jesus.
First of all, the decision to trust in Jesus to provide my every need is the most important. He knows how unhappy I am with certain situations and yet I am to trust him for the best outcome. Well if the best outcome is to not have an outcome at all, I am still unhappy. Frustration has set in if you can't already tell.
Second, I believe that we have been given the ability to use our brains and make intelligent informed decisions in our lives. This is the part I have most trouble with, making decisions on my own sometimes.
Again, still unhappy.
Praying that the outcome is acceptable and the unhappiness subsides. I'm hoping with all hope that it will.
Our decisions effect everyone around us. More praying that my decisions aren't disappointing to those I love and care about. Least of all disappointing to Jesus.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
The deepest parts of my heart......
God knows every detail about us.....our desires, our needs. He grants us our wishes when we least expect it. Sometimes though, he doesn't say yes. What about those times when we are told no? Even when what we desire in the deepest parts of our hearts, something we ache for so much. The answer is still no.
Why would God not grant us those deepest desires? Are we not ready for them? Are they not in his plan for our lives? Do we need to learn to get on without them for a season then the answer will be yes?
Only God knows the answer to all of these questions. I know I'm not the only asking them.
I will take comfort in his love and hope that what is in the deepest parts of my heart will be given to me one day.
Why would God not grant us those deepest desires? Are we not ready for them? Are they not in his plan for our lives? Do we need to learn to get on without them for a season then the answer will be yes?
Only God knows the answer to all of these questions. I know I'm not the only asking them.
I will take comfort in his love and hope that what is in the deepest parts of my heart will be given to me one day.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Blessings.....
Blessings are disguised sometimes....but are oh so wonderful!
Lord your unfailing love gets me everytime, I hope that never changes.
You provide, period. You love, period. You comfort, period.
You are God, period.
Lord your unfailing love gets me everytime, I hope that never changes.
You provide, period. You love, period. You comfort, period.
You are God, period.
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