New Year's Resolution; Part 2

Like I promised I am going to update you about the reading through the Bible in a year plan. When we are doing this, it's not just to say that we've read through the Bible in a year, it's for us to study the Bible. We can't forget to focus on what we're reading because that is the most important thing. Now that we have focused on that New Year's Resolution, what other ones do you have? I have a few of them... One of them being to run 365 miles from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011. I can't decide if that's unreasonable or not but I'm going to tr y and do it. Of course the Lord is going to have to help me because this is gonna be hard to get going. So what are your new year's resolutions? I would love to hear them! I am going to put the January reading plan below for your convenience... because I probably won't have time to do a post every day. Hope you have a great week!

January

1. Genesis 1-3
2. Genesis 4-6
3. Genesis 7-9
4. Genesis 10-12
5. Genesis 13-15
6. Genesis 16-18
7. Genesis 19-21
8. Genesis 22-24
9. Genesis 25-27
10. Genesis 28-30
11. Genesis 31-33
12. Genesis 34-36
13. Genesis 37-39
14. Genesis 40-42
15. Genesis 43-45
16. Genesis 46-50
17. Matthew 1-3
18. Matthew 4-6
19. Matthew 7-9
20. Matthew 10-12
21. Matthew 13-15
22. Matthew 16-18
23. Matthew 19-21
24. Matthew 22-24
25. Matthew 25-28
26. Exodus 1-3
27. Exodus 4-6
28. Exodus 7-9
29. Exodus 10-12
30. Exodus 13-15
31. Exodus 16-18

Are You Ready For 2011?

Can you believe that it's almost 2011? I can't. It seems like just yesterday that we were sitting around waiting for 2010. Time definitely flies sometimes! Do you have any New Year's resolutions? I have a few so far. They are:

*Read my Bible every day and read through the whole thing in a year (Breanna and I are doing the same plan this year and I think she is going to post it for y'all).
*Run at least two miles at least three times a week (I'm trying to train for a 5K, so we'll see if that happens)
*Finish the year with all A's (I may have to change that to all A's and B's, but we'll see)

I'm sure that I will think of several more resolutions before the New Year begins. My challenge to y'all, though, is to really try to keep the important ones. I mean, I know that they are all important or you wouldn't have made them. But, for instance, if I don't run 2 miles three days a week, that won't affect me spiritually. But if I don't read my Bible every day, that might. So, I challenge you to at least keep the really important ones, even if those are the only ones you are able to keep. I am sure that there will (unfortunately) be days that I do not read my Bible this year. But I am going to try my best to do it whenever possible, and to make time to do it each day. I hope this post encourages you, and I would love to hear about any resolutions you have made!

New Year's Resolution

What is your new year's resolution? Have you given it any thought? Well, I want to maybe give you an idea for your new year's resolution. My new year's resolution is to try and read through the whole Bible and I want you to do it with me! My plan is to open a new page and try to do a devotion update every day but with school that may not happen but I will do my best. This is a big challenge and may seem a bit overwhelming but we can do this together. I promise! I am really excite! It's gonna be a great study. Now this challenge to read the Bible in a year goes along with reading your Bible everyday. This may seem hard too . I know it will be for me but, if I have to be accountable like this then hopefully I will do better and I'm gonna try my hardest! Now I haven't decided which plan I am going to use yet but I will have that posted hopefully before the end of the week! So I hope you will take this challenge with me and try to complete it. Also, encourage your friends and family to do it with you if they don't have another Bible reading plan. The more we know about God the more we can understand Him though we can never fully understand Him. My next post will tell you more about this devotion plan and what it is about. I hope you all have a great night!

The Christmas Story

Have you ever read the Christmas story? It's a great story! And it really happened it's not just some fairy tale the someone made up. I am going to put the Christmas story account from Luke 2 below. I encourage you to read the whole story. Remember this is the true meaning of Christmas.

Luke 2:

The Birth of Jesus Christ
1In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels
8And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"
15When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 16And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

21And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Jesus Presented at the Temple
22And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord") 24and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." 25Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29"Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
30for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel."
33And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed."

36And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

The Return to Nazareth
39And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
The Boy Jesus in the Temple
41Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress." 49And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?" 50And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
52And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

Is there more?

Well, if you read my last post you remember is was about focusing on Christ during Christmas. But is that the only time we need to focus on Him? No! He should be our main focus all the time but rarely is. Trying to focus on Him is often the last thing we want to especially with all the things the world has to offer. The world often looks more appealing but that's not true. The world often tempts you to do stuff that you know is wrong and yet you do it anyways. I would know because I do it too. I am human and so are you so naturally we don't want to follow Christ. I know Carline just did a challenge but, I'm going to give you another one:D. I want you to start focusing on Him all year round. Now there are going to be some challenges and you're going to be tempted. But I don't want you to not do the right thing because you're scared. We need to stand up and follow Christ it's gonna test your strength but I have a feeling most of you are strong enough if you ask God for you help. I hope you will take this challenge. I am going to try. I hope you have a great day!!!

Christmas: A Challenge

With it being so close to Christmas, I thought I'd do a post about it. I know Breanna just did one, but I thought I would challenge everyone (and myself!!) about the true meaning of Christmas. I tell myself every year that I'm going to do better, but somehow, I never really do. Maybe it is because I'm not asking Christ for help. Maybe I'm depending on myself to fix what I can't. So, this year, I am going to ask Christ to help me focus on Him this Christmas. I am also going to focus more on giving than receiving. I already have so much, and there are so many people with nothing. I hope this challenge motivates you, and I will post back after Christmas and let y'all know how it went!

What is the True Meaning of Christmas?

What is the true meaning of Christmas? Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of Christ. What do we normally act like the true meaning of Christmas is about? Why do we have a countdown to Christmas? Most of the times it's to open presents, give gifts, spend time with family, etc. We most of the time focus on us and not God like we're supposed to. I'm not saying that you shouldn't have a countdown to Christmas or that you shouldn't give or receive gifts at all! The problem is that so many people want to push Christ out Christmas. People do it by simply saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas". This Christmas make sure you keep Christ your main focus. This may be hard but, if you stay true to Christ it will pay off. Now how could you keep Christ is Christmas? I encourage you to think big. I have a small idea though. Every Christmas me and my family get up and before we open presents or anything we open the Bible and we read the Christmas story. You could start by doing that. I hope you remember the keep Christ in Christmas this season!!! Have a great day:D

The Fear of Man Part 2

As promised, here is m my second post on the fear of man. I hope it will encourage you, even though it is kind of hard for me to write since I struggle with this a lot. For more information, read, When People Are Big And God Is Small. It has helped me tremendously and much of the information from this post is taken from it.
I think much of my problem is just simply caring what people think of me and not caring what God thinks. If I am picking out an outfit, I think, "Will the people of school like this outfit?" rather than, "Would God approve of this outfit?". Or, if I'm taking a test, I think "I need to get a good grade so people will like me and look up to me," rather than, "God wants me to think more about serving Him and less about my grades." To solve this problem, we must fear God rather than man. We need to be more focused on what God thinks of our actions than what people do. When we are making a choice, the first thing we should think about is whether our decision is glorifying God. I really struggle with this because I am an extremely prideful person. I want others to like me. It isn't wrong to be liked and accepted by people, but it is more important to glorify God.
Take Job, for example. He was hit by too many trials and tragedies to even count. Rather than listening to his friends, though, he lived uprightly. He feared God and knew that if he listened to his wife's advice to "curse God and die [Job 2:9]," he would be condemned. That really struck me, because I am so fortunate, and yet Job's attitude was so much better than mine, even in the midst of all those troubles. That was another example to me about how far I still have to go, but I am confident that God will help me if I ask Him. I hope that this post is encouraging and helpful!

The Proverbs 31 Woman

I was reading through Proverbs 31 the other day, and although I have read it many times, I realized that I had not taken the time to fully meditate on everything that it says. As I was reading it, I underlined in my Bible all of the characteristics of the Proverbs 31 woman. I then transferred them to a notebook so that I could look back at them and easily see all of them. I was overwhelmed at all of them, but I was also motivated to ask God to help me be like this woman. Here is the list of all the characteristics:

The Proverbs 31 woman...
~has a noble character
~is worth more than rubies
~is fully trusted by her husband
~lacks nothing of value
~brings her husband good ALL the days of her life (emphasis mine)
~works with eager hands and strong arms
~gets up while it is still dark
~sets about her work vigorously
~opens her arms to the poor
~is clothed with strength and dignity
~speaks with wisdom
~has faithful instruction on her tongue
~does not eat the bread of idleness
~know that charm is deceptive and beauty is vain
~fears the LORD

Wow! That is definitely a long list of characteristics. Some of these are abstract. They aren't something that we can physically do, but we can do things to give us this kind of spirit. But, we can't do any of them without God's help. So, I hope that you will be praying along with me and asking God to help you have these characteristics (I don't know if there are any guys out there, but, if there are, y'all obviously aren't going to have all these characteristics. But, some of them can apply to you too!). I hope this post is encouraging and helpful!!

The Fear of Man

The fear of man is a Bible term for what most people today call peer pressure or sometimes codependency. It's basically fearing man more than you fear God. It can (as I learned the hard way) lead to many issues and problems. I am reading a book by Edward T. Welch called When People Are Big and God Is Small. It has been a very convicting and insightful book, and I would highly recommend reading it. I will do several posts on it over the next couple months, and I hope that they will help you as much as they have helped me. I will do a list of points that I have taken from the book. I know that it will take me a really long time to fully put what I have learned into practice (and even then, I will still fail at it sometimes), but I feel that if this concept were fully embraced by everyone, our world would be so much better.
I am about halfway done with the book, and I have already learned so much. In one place, the author was talking about what would happen if everyone feared God and not man. He said, "Just imagine what it would be like to truly hate sin, first our own, then the sins of others (Matt. 7:3-5). What would happen to marital fights? They would be almost impossible. Spouses would be too busy listening and asking forgiveness for their own selfishness. What about the little cliques in the school yard? They would be telling good stories about somebody else. What about when someone sins against us? We would no longer have to murder the person in our own heart. Instead, we could cover the sin in humility and love, or we could confront the other person in the same spirit." [Page 114, When People Are Big And God Is Small]
That passage really affected me, because it showed me what the positive effects of this mindset are. It showed me how I can accurately show God to others, and how I can build others up rather than tearing them down. I have done this whole post with only one quote from the book. I think that shows how big this concept is. That quote came from the middle of the book, but I thought it might be a good place to start. The first several chapters of the book talked about how and why we fear people more than God; then, the book transitioned into how we find freedom from this and fear God instead. I will do a couple more posts on this later on, but I hope this helps you!

Give Thanks; Part 4

Did you come up with at least ten things you are thankful for? If you did I would love to hear them! You can either comment on this post or you can email me! Have a great day!:)

Give Thanks; Part 3

Like I promised, I am going to give at least 10 things I am thankful for. Now I said these would be unique and they will be... here, let me explain. When you ask someone what they're thankful for they say something like, "my house" or "my family" but they don't mention who gave those things to them. The things I am thankful for are going focusing on God, not what he gave me.

Here we go!:)

1. I am thankful for God's love, because if we didn't have it then we would be totally lost in sin.
2. I am thankful for God's divine power and His ability to do all things.
3. I am thankful for God's providence. I looked it up and a dictionary and it says; having or showing foresight; providing carefully for. I think that pretty much sums that up.
4. I am thankful for his power to be everywhere at the same time. Remember, he's always watching!!!
5. I am thankful that God is all-knowing. He knows what you need and He will some how some way give it to you.
6. I am thankful for God sending His son to die on the cross for my sins and saving me from eternal suffering.
7. I am thankful for God's grace. Without who knows what would happen to us!
8. I am thankful for God's patience. Because we all need it!!!
9. I am thankful for God being the greatest Shepard ever. Without His guidance we would completely lost sinners.
10. Finally, I am thankful for God. Yes I am thankful for God, because all he does for us we need to be thankful!

I hope these things remind you to be thankful! Always remember, God deserves all our praise honor and thanks! Have a great day!

Is Your Cup Full Today?

Is your cup full today? Are you completely satisfied? If the answer to those questions is, "Yes," that's great. But if it's not, it can be! In Psalm 23, David talks about a bunch of things God does for him, and he also talks about his cup "running over." Our cups can run over with God's love. God has convicted me lately that I don't need other things to be satisfied. I've done a couple posts on trusting God completely. I think that we also need to trust in Him to satisfy us. God can give us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4), but we must trust in Him and delight in Him. So, while I'm tempted many times to trust in earthly things to satisfy me, God has been reminding me that He is the only One that can completely satisfy me. I hope this post encourages you to delight in and trust in God to satisfy you!!!

Give Thanks; Part 2

Well, Thanksgiving is 3 days away. Are you excited??? Are you going somewhere or staying home? Whatever you do, I'm sure you'll have fun!

Remember what our challenge was? That's right! It was to give thanks in any and all things. Right now I am thankful that I don't have school this week but I do have a lot of homework and I am struggling with being thankful over that. You may be struggling over that or something else, maybe an even harder situation. Since I am focusing in on being thankful, in the next post I will put at least 1o things that I am thankful for but, these will be unique and if you wanna know how then you will just have to wait! :) So the challenge for you today is to think of at least 10 things that you're thankful for. I would love to hear about them! You can email me or comment on this post or the next one I am going to do. I hope you have a great day and remember to be thankful!

Give Thanks; Part 1

Are you thankful? Your probably are sometimes, like me. But what about all those other times... maybe when things aren't going your way or something bad has happened, are you thankful in those times? Probably when something bad is happening you really don't want to be thankful, for anything. That's normal, because we are sinners by birth. Just because it's normal, doesn't give us the right to do it. Just because it's 'normal', doesn't mean it's acceptable. Hopefully, the next 3 post I do this month are going to be about being thankful. I am not pointing fingers or anything because I am a person that struggles with this a lot... I challenge you to give thanks in all things. Now I'm not asking you to be thankful for every single thing but, start out with baby steps and ask God to help you. Have a great day!

Colossians 3:15 (I encourage you to read this verse, it may help you in giving thanks!)

God's Will Part 2

A little while ago, I did a post on God's will. I said that I had been convicted lately that I need to be seeking God's will in my life. But what is God's will? I mean, some things we won't know until later, but what is God's will for right now? A couple weeks ago in youth group, my pastor did a message on just that. He told us some practical things that are God's will for us today and for the rest of our lives.

1) Salvation ~ God desires for each and every one of us to accept His free gift of salvation.
~2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4

2) Submission ~ God wants us to be submissive to those that He has put over us here on earth, and ultimately to Him.
~1 Peter 2:13-25

3) Sanctification ~ God wills for us to be sanctified and made more like Him.
~1 Thessalonians 4:3a

4) Soul-winning ~ God wants us to win souls for Him while we are here on earth. We must know how to answer those who question us about our faith.
~1 Peter 3:15

5) Surrender ~ We must be surrendered to God.
~Romans 12:1-2

6) Speech ~ God wants our speech to build others up and glorify Him.
~Ephesians 4:29

7) Spirit-filled ~ God wants us to be filled with His Spirit so that we can accomplish His will for our lives.
~Ephesians 5

8) Saying Thank-You ~ God wills for us to be thankful for everything that He has blessed us with.
~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Good Morning!

Hi everyone! I know most of our posts aren't normally like this but, I've always been the one to mix things up a bit:). My goal basically for this post is just encourage you. What is your morning routine? Does it include reading your Bible? If you answered no, then you're in the same boat as me... I struggle with reading my Bible everyday. I always come up with an excuse like: I'm have too much school to do, or I'll do it later (but later never comes). Not reading your Bible everyday is dangerous... not spending time in God's Word can draw you closer to sin, even if you think it's not happening... it is. My challenge for you is read your Bible everyday, no matter what kind of time you have... it's very important! Since I have been in that boat, I know that it is easier to do something if you're accountable to someone. So get a friend, a neighbor, a family member, and if you have none of those willing to do it, I would be more than happy to! Hope you have a great Morning!:)

Who Do You Trust In?

The other day, I got an email from my dad. It had a link to a website with a bunch of pictures from a recently-erupted volcano in Indonesia. Some of the pictures of the volcano were really cool, but the pictures of all the injured people and destroyed homes were so sad. Today in science, we watched a video and heard about tsunamis that had killed tens of thousands of people. One of the pictures on the website had a picture of a woman praying. And I thought, "I wonder who she is praying to? Is it to one of her country's false gods? Does she have any hope at all that the person or god she is praying to will answer her?" This made me even sadder, but it also made me glad that I have a God that I can trust in. I have confidence that He will answer my prayers. I thought of the verses Proverbs 3:5-6. This says: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall directs your paths." This verse is always very encouraging to me, even though I've heard it many times. It never gets old to be reminded that I have a God that I can trust in! I hope this post encourages you, and please pray for all of those people that were affected by the volcano!!!

Good Deeds: A Challenge

The other day I started thinking. I was thinking about how when we, as Christians struggle with a particular sin, and we know that we do, we will try to fix it. Which is a good thing, as long as we know that we can't apart from God's strength. But then I thought, "I think while we're so focused on all of the negative things, we miss out on the positive ones." I'm NOT saying that we should just let our sin go, but simply that we should be just as focused on that, while also trying to do good deeds. Christ did so many good deeds while He was on earth. Some of them, like doing miracles, we can't do. But, others, like being hospitable, etc. we can do. So, it is my challenge to you, and me, to try and do some good deeds this week. I think you'd be surprised at the results!!! I will comment in a week or two and let you know about my experience!!

*You may not struggle with this at all, but I recognized it as something I struggle with, so I thought I'd do a post about it. If you don't struggle with this, then keep doing the good deeds that you're doing now!!*

God's Will

The other night in church we sang "I Am Thine, O Lord" by Fanny Crosby. Like a lot of other songs have, this song convicted me. We got to the third stanza which reads:

Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow'r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.

The fourth line really got me. The Lord has been convicting me lately about His will. Not really anything specific that He has for my life yet, but just that I need to be fully trusting in and following Him. I decided to look up verses about God's will and see what they had to say. I found one that I really like: Proverbs 1:33. It says: "But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil." I really like the promise that that verse gives. It tells us that if we listen to God, we won't need to fear evil.


I then started thinking about what keeps us from God's will. I guess that we, as humans, just like to be in control. Most of the time, I LOVE being in control. Whenever I have a group project that I have to do, I want to be the leader. This isn't a bad thing, necessarily, but it is if I want my will over God's. This song and verse just inspired me to be so caught up in God's will for my life that I don't even think about mine. I hope it inspires you too! Later this month I'll talk about what God's will is for our lives...

Goodbye...

Have you ever had to tell someone goodbye? It's hard isn't it? Recently, I have had to say goodbye to people a lot and it's not easy. My Dad's work called him and told him he had to leave. He was gone for 11 days. That's the longest I had ever been away from my Dad. During that time I was reminded that, though my earthly father may have to leave, my Heavenly Father was and always is there for me. Telling someone goodbye is hard but. as long as you're saved, we never have to say goodbye to Christ. Just remember, whenever you are telling someone goodbye, God is there to comfort you; no matter what, He's always there!

Proverbs 25:11 ~ Apples of Gold

Proverbs 25:11~A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

I came across this verse as I was reading my Bible the other day. It really made me think. Do my words usually hurt others or build them up? Sadly, lots of times, the answer is the former. While I don't usually say unkind things about others to their face, I am very bad at gossiping. I found this quote in a devotional in one of my Bibles: "If I can enjoy a joke at the expense of another; if I can in any slight another in conversation, or even in thought, then I know nothing of Calvary's love." (Amy Carmichael) That quote really hit me. Not only should I not talk unkindly about others, I shouldn't think any unkind thoughts about them either!

I really liked this verse because it told me something helpful about kind words. They are like apples of gold. But, these words must be fitly spoken. They must help others and build them up. This really made me want to have the words that I say called "apples of gold." I will be praying that God will help me to speak "apples of gold." I hope that this post encourages you to do the same!

Compassion

Like many of my posts... these were taken from a service on Sunday night:)

Jonah 3&4 ~ Compassion

• God is in complete control
• God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and relenting from disaster.
• God is working in Jonah
• We need to be willing to serve God no matter what
• Are we quick to extend God's grace to everyone?
• Even when Jonah was angry, God showed him compassion
• Jonah wanted the city wiped out completely
• God gave Jonah an object lesson; vs. 4:5-11
• Jonah developed a compassionate heart towards the plant
• We need compassion towards everyone just as Christ does
• We are here to glorify God

The Purpose For Our Life

Do you know the purpose for your life? Well, maybe these points will help you. (Psalm 90:1-12)

• The purpose for our life is to glorify God.
• God is our refuge. We worship an almighty, unchangeable God.
• We should have a God - focused life. Life is short and unpredictable so we should be prepared to die by putting your trust in God.
• Life is like a flood, a breath, a story and they end just like that.
• Life is sinful but, by the grace of God we can be saved from wrath. The wages of sin is death. Sin demands God's judgment. The Word of God overflows with grace.
• God is full of grace and mercy.

Are You Ready?

Death. Not a very fun topic to talk about is it??? Of course not! Especially if you're like me. But I hope to change your mind by the time you are done reading this:) Last Monday, two women were shot and killed at a Tennessee post office. When they went to work that morning they had no idea that they wouldn't be coming home that evening and that they would be in eternity. No one knew. Now that probably doesn't incite you to keep reading does it??? Well, maybe it will get better;). So, after that tragic incident it left a lot of people wondering; why? who? We don't know the answer. No one does, but God does. He has a purpose for everything and we need to trust his judgment. Now just exactly where am I going with this??? Well, if you asked that, you are about to find out!:) Last week, I was somehow involved with 4 incidents that involved death (it wasn't a good week). What I saw last week pointed to one thing, are you ready? Well, if you asked me that question then I could tell you yes confidently!!! But the question remains, are you ready??? I hope your answer is yes. Last week those peoples ages ranged from 18 to 50+ years. So, it can happen any time. Make sure you're ready and don't wait another minute! Are you ready?

My Peter Story

This post is kind of hard to write, but here goes...
The other night at church, we had a message preached on the life of Peter. The speaker talked about how even though Peter had a great faith in Christ and loved Him a great deal, when opposition came his faith often failed him. He gave examples like the time when Christ walked on water, and while Peter had faith in Christ, he was able to also. But, when he began to doubt, he fell. Another example is the time when Peter was told by Christ that he would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed. It happened.
Even though we can sometimes look at this story and think that we're better than Peter, it's not true. I have the tendency to think so too. After the message, I began to think about how I needed to try and be a better example to other people and live more like Christ. I prayed and asked Christ for the strength to do so. But, not five minutes after the service I was complaining and gossiping. How could this be? We had JUST had a message about that and I was resolved to live for Christ. The answer is that we are just like Peter. None of us are perfect. Christ can and will give us the strength to live for Him, but we must first realize that it is only through His strength that we can do so. I think this is where I messed up. I believed that I could do it myself without any help. And, I didn't succeed. But, I believe that if I humbly come before Christ and ask for His strength, He will help me be successful.
I hope this post encourages and helps you!!

Judging Others

I was cleaning out one of my notebooks a couple days ago and found something I thought I would share with you. These next few points are about judging others. I hope this encourages you!:) Have a great day!!!

Matthew 7:1-3

• vs. 1 ~ "Judge not"- don't judge people by anything. "That you be not judged" - No one wants people to judge them, do don't want to be judged.


• vs. 2 ~ "For with the judgement you pronounced you will be judged" - by judging someone you are basically saying 'Judge me'...don't judge others.


• vs. 3 ~ "Why do you see the speck that is in you brothers eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" - don't point out other people's problems when you have the same problems, you're not perfect.

Fruit

The passages I'm using for this post are 2 Peter 1:5-7, Colossians 3:12, and Galatians 5:22-23. I will not write them out since it would be very time consuming, but you can look them up if you'd like.
I have really learned a lot from these verses about what kind of fruit I should be seeing in my walk with God. I like these verses because they offer practical advice on things we can ask God to help us with. I have made out a list of all the different Christ-like characteristics from these 3 verses. They are: virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, love, tender mercies, humility, meekness, longsuffering, joy, peace, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness. Whew!!! That's quite a list. I know I won't be able to come anywhere close to achieving all of those things. At least this side of Heaven! But, I can ask God to help me! Obviously, no one is perfect, but, with God's help, we can mature in our faith! Some of these are easier than others. But, we struggle with all of them at one time or another. I will definitely be praying and asking God to help me achieve these things!
We definitely SHOULD NOT try to achieve all of these at once. A good idea, though, would be to pick one or two and ask God to help you with them this week. You'd be surprised how much you can accomplish with God's help!!! I hope this post is encouraging to you!!!

Psalm 119:9-11

Psalm 119:11~ How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against thee.

I really like these verses because they tell me how I can live a pure life. Verse 11 is the title of this blog for a reason. It tells us that we must hide God's Word in our heart. We need to memorize it and meditate on it. Let it govern every area of our lives. This is sometimes hard to do. Most of the time, when I need to make a decision, I don't think, "What does God's Word say about this?" I think, "What choice would most benefit me and my life?" These verses have really convicted me to make biblical decisions and live according to God's Word. I hope these verses help you too!!!

Trust and Obey

The other night in church as I was singing Trust and Obey by John H. Sammis, the third stanza really impacted me. It says, "But we never can prove the delights of His love until all on the alter we lay; for the favor He shows, for the love He bestows, are for them who will trust and obey."
That just really hit me and reminded me that I must always trust in God for everything. I did a post a little while back on worry. Like I said, I worry a lot! This song was just another one of God's reminders that He wants me to trust in Him fully. I know this post is a little short, but I hope that it is an encouragement to you!!!

3-Month Recap!

I was thinking, since I have been posting on this blog for 3 months, that I would do a recap of all the things God has taught me through the posts I have written.


1~Our tongue is one of the most powerful weapons we have and we must be very careful how we use it! When used well it can be very effective and helpful, but when misused, it can cause a lot of harm!

2~God's Word is our most powerful weapon to defeat Satan.

3~God can supply all our needs and give us the desires of our heart!

4~God gave of prayer as a way of constantly communicating with Him. He desires for us to pray to Him because it glorifies Him!

5~God gave us several weapons to defeat our Enemy: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the boots of the Gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.

6~We must lead our hearts, rather than following them, because they can be deceived. We lead our hearts by speaking right, keeping our focus straight, walking carefully, and obeying God!

7~The most effective way to reach others is to "walk the walk," not "talk the talk." God commands us to not only say the right things, but to live them in our lives!!

8~God is in control over EVERYTHING!

9~We are commanded to only think about things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy.

10~We need to follow Christ fully, all the time, wherever we are, and whatever circumstance we're in.

11~Our prayers should include confessing our sins, asking requests, and thanking God for everything He's given us!

12~Real peace comes through knowing God and obey His law.

13~God wants us to have a heart that is on fire for Him!

14~Others should be our first thought, not ourselves.

15~God wants everything that comes out of our mouths to be edifying to others.

16~God gives us soooooo much to be thankful for!

17~Our God is a God of unfailing love!

18~We need to fully trust in God and cast all our cares on Him.

19~God is our shield, He hears us when we call our to Him, and He is our Rock, Fortress, and Deliverer.

20~Just because we're young doesn't mean that we can't serve God. He has called us to do many great things!

21~The Gospel affects our view ourselves, others, the world, and our lives.

22~What we do now WILL affect our future!

Note~Each number in this post is a thought from one of the blog post I have already written. They are in order, so, for more information, look at the original posts!

Faith

Have you ever had to put faith in something? Of course you have! Especially if you're a Christian because we have to put our faith in Christ to believe that He created the earth and that He will save us from hell. Recently someone in our family was diagnosed with a fast growing tumor in his nasal cavity. He was told that if it was not removed quickly, it would kill him. If that wasn't scary enough.... he also didn't really have any way to pay for it. We had no choice but to put our faith in God to work everything out; His way.

When it looked like there wasn't any hope, he got a phone call. The phone was about his insurance; He got it!!!! Blessing number 1!!!!!!! Then, last week he got a call that MUSC was going to look at him and talk about doing surgery. Blessing number 2!!!! They went down there last Sunday and his appt. was on Monday. Monday, they found out very early that he would have surgery on Tuesday - something they were not expecting at all. After the surgery we were told that the surgery was very successful and they removed it with no problems!!! Blessing number 3!!!! He is still continuing to heal but, through prayer and faith in God, he is on the mend and should be out of the hospital by the beginning of next week.

God played out this entire trial right before our eyes. It made it very clear that there is no other way to do things except through Christ!!! I want to leave you with one thought.... If you haven't put your faith in Christ, please do so today. It will change your life for the better. And don't forget, keep trusting Him!!! Have a great day!!!

Decisions, Decisions....

I was thinking this week about all the decisions we have to make in our lives, big and small. I was thinking about how many times that we feel like the things we do today won't affect our future. We think that we can do whatever we want right now, then when we get older we can fix our problems or start over. We think that right now is the time to have fun, to be happy. But unfortunately, right now turns into next month, which turns into next year, etc. Galatians 6: 7-8 remind us: "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." This verse shows us that our actions today do matter. We cannot sow seeds for this life. We need to be laying up treasure in heaven for the only life that counts: eternal life. I was really convicted by this, because I know that a lot of times I do try to sow seeds for this life. I want my life here on earth to be perfect. I want to have a good job, a family, etc. These things are OK and God put these gifts here for us to enjoy, but many times we think about and strive for them too much. I hope that this post encourages you to live for God and sow seeds for the future, for eternal life!

Ephesians 3

I know I have done alot of posts on Ephesians, and I hope you haven't grown tired of them yet but I do have one more (that I know of) to do.

• We are nothing without God.
• We must admit that we don't have the ability to do something or say something without God.
• God has created all things and we thank God for giving us all things.
• We are dependent on Christ and we need Him always.
• We need the Lord to help us thru our trials.
• God's purpose for creation is that it will bring Him glory.
• Glorify God even in trials because God will help you thru that trial.
• Goal: Glorify God thru your trials and He will bless you!!!!!
• We should not be afraid to wittiness to people because spreading God's Word is a good thing.
• God will give you alot of opportunities!
• Trust in God because He is Truth.
• Pray and God will answer.
• God has always been and always will be and will always be there for you.

Do You Know Who God is?

Just like the post before I was looking through and old church notebook and found a page I would like to share. This post was taken from a service at my grandparents church.

Mark 8; John 6:65

Make sure you know who God really is and what He is. Don't get tricked into forgetting or running from God.

Do not deny God. Honor God, respect His authority over you. Submit yourself to God and live the way God wants you to.

God is the main point, don't run from God because he will find you and you should confess. God is the one who took our place on Calvary. He covered Himself with our sins so we could be covered in His righteousness.

God is 3 in 1 no matter what way you look at it! You must believe it or you aren't a real Christian. Respect all your authorities. Don't be afraid to speak up!!! Tell everyone you can about Jesus Christ everywhere!!!

Ephesians 1:14-23

I was looking through and old church notebook and found another page on Ephesians. I thought I'd share them with you today.

• God's master plan is to bring glory to Himself and His method His redemption.
• God fills all in all. Christ is the fullness of all things.
• God's goal is for Him to be glorified.
• We are the body of the church, not the building.
• What happens to the church happens to Christ also.
• Always do 'God honoring' things.
• Christ's glory is accomplished through the church (His body).
• Christ is the head; We are the body
• Do not cease to give thanks to God.
• Love is not just a feeling! It's a passion.
• Be kind. Even if you don't like them.
• Strive and work for love.
• Grow to be more like Christ.
• Our mission is to glorify God by exalting God.

The Gospel

This is an outline from a message I heard preached at my church a while ago.

2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that once we become a Christian, we are a new person, but how does the Gospel affect us after we are saved?
1) The Gospel first affects our view of ourselves. We realize that we are helpless, hopeless, hell-deserving sinners. Ouch! But the great thing is, that we're saved by grace, God's grace. With that truth, we realize that He has saved us and we are on our way to heaven! (Ephesians 2:1-10)
2) The Gospel also affects our view of others. Everyone is created in God's image (Genesis 1:27). We are not special. The only difference is that we've accepted God's free gift of salvation.
3) The Gospel thirdly affects our view of the world (1 John 2:15-17). We should have no more attraction to the world's system of thought and practice. It will pass away, but the Gospel endures forever.
4) Lastly, the Gospel affects our view of life (Titus 2:11-14). We should renounce all ungodliness, take our faith seriously, and live for the glory of Jesus Christ.
The Gospel doesn't only affect us when we get saved, but for the rest of our lives!! I hope these truths help and encourage you this week!!!!

1 Timothy 4:12

1 Timothy 4:12~ Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
This verse has impacted my life a lot. It is sometimes really hard to recognize that I have a responsibility to be an example to others. This world's culture just tells us teenagers that we don't really have to do anything, that we are expected to be lazy and mess up. But God's Word tells us differently. We need to be an example to others. Just because we're young doesn't mean that we can't exercise good judgement and show others what being a Christian is all about. I really recommend reading Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris. It has really changed my life and the way I think about things. The Lord has showed me that I can and should be an example to others. I hope this encourages you as much as it does me!!!

God Is...

Lately I have been going through Psalms in my devotions. I noticed that Psalms has a lot to say about God and who He is. So, as I read each night, I wrote down one of God's attributes. Here are just a few of God's many attributes:
*God is a shield around us (Psalm 3:3)
*God hears us when we call to Him (Psalm 4:3)
*God demonstrates unfailing love (Psalm 13:5)
*God councils us (Psalm 16:7)
*God is our Rock, Fortress, and Deliverer (Psalm 18:2)
*God is our Shepherd (Psalm 23:1)
*God shows us love, faithfulness, righteousness, and justice (Psalm 36:5-6)
*God is our Stronghold (Psalm 43:2)

James

James

• "We should be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
• Perfect=Mature
• We need to be mature. Act your age.
• Age and knowledge are not good indicators of who is mature and who is not.

Mature

• Self-control (1:2)
• Positive (Joy)(1:14)
• Accepting others (2:8)
• Consistent (2:17)
• Watch what you say (3:2)
• Wise (3:17)
• Humility (4:10)
• Connected (5:16)
• Hear (1:19)
• Doer (1:22)
• Bridle you tongue (1:26)
• Caring for others (1:27)
• Stay clean (1:17)

Romans 5:1-9

A couple months ago I did a short little Bible study with one of my friends from church. We went thru Romans 5:1-9. Here are the things we came up with. I thought I would share them with ya'll! Have a great day!!:)

• vs. 1 - We've been saved thru faith and we are at peace with God. (not at war)
• vs. 2 - We gained access into Heaven thru His grace and faith, we rejoice in that hope and glory of God.
• vs. 3 - Connected to vs.4 and vs. 5 we should rejoice in our suffering, it produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope doesn't put us to shame. (The Holy Spirit gives us hope)
• vs. 6 - God cared enough about us to die on the cross for us even before we got saved. (We were weak sinners)
• vs. 7 - Being willing to die for people who are unsaved. (and saved)
• vs. 8 - (connected to vs. 6) God cared about us even when we were still sinners.
• vs. 9 - We are justified by His blood and saved from the wrath of God. (hell)

Philippians 4:6&7

Philippians 4:6& 7~ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

These verses are really hard for me to obey. I worry A LOT!!!! I always want everything to go perfect. I always worry that something will go wrong: I'll get a bad grade, have a problem with a friend, I worry about pretty much everything. But this verse says that I shouldn't! It says that I should tell God my requests and I will have His peace in my heart. Lately, I have tried not to worry, and it is really amazing what a difference it makes. I just trust that Christ will take care of me, and He does. I don't need to worry about what happens to me, because Christ is sovereign and whatever happens is His will. I hope these verses help you as much as they help me!!!!

Our War Against Satan

Ephesians 6

• We are involved in a war against Satan.


• Being a Christian isn't easy.


• Pray always. We can fight spiritual warfare by always praying.


• We don't have enough strength alone to fight against Satin but with God we can overcome Satan.


• We always need God's help....He is our strength.


• We need to have constant communication with God.


• vs. 18~ "Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints."


• We need to draw our hearts to Christ.


• If we are focused completely on Christ everything else will fall into place.


• Pray specifically.


• We need wisdom.


• We need to pray for people, specifically if possible.

Withdrawing From A Disorderly Brother

Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't posted in a while.... I've been kinda busy;). These next few points I got from a sermon a couple weeks ago. I hope these are helpful in some way to you...and if they are, I would love to hear about it! Have a great day!!:)

2 Thessalonians 3:6-18

• We should pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
• We should have peace with 1. God; 2. Church; 3. Fellow Believers'.
• We should be a peacemaker by having peace within ourselves.
• We should withdraw from a disorderly brothers and sisters. They could draw you away from God.
• If a brother/sister who has a problem with sin then those who are spiritual can confront them..... lovingly
• We should be reconciled by God and the church.
• Matthew 18
• We should 'note' them and withdraw from them.
• No one should be proud of living in sin.
• We shouldn't gossip!
• vs. 11 - "For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies."
• We should glorify God with our body.
• 1 Corinthians 5
• We should make ourselves an example.
• Paul was a role model for following Christ.
• We should try to be like Paul and be a role model in following Jesus Christ.
• We should be willing to do whatever is necessary to serve God fully!

God's Unfailing Love

As I was reading my Bible last night, I came across Psalm 13. I'll type out the Psalm here so you can see what it says.

"How long, O LORD will you forget me forever? How long must you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemy will say, 'I have overcome him,' and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me."
While David was writing this Psalm, he was obviously going through a hard time. He asks God why He is forgetting him. Sometimes it can seem like our enemies are getting the best of us. But, at the end of his Psalm, David tells God that he trusts in His unfailing love. This Psalm taught me that no matter what happens to me, God loves me. There are so many verses in the Bible about God's unfailing love. He loves us, and no matter what we've done, He'll forgive us. This Psalm really encouraged me and I hope it encourages you too!!

Thankfulness

I was reading in one of my devotional books today and there was a lesson on thankfulness. It really made me stop and think because so many times I take what I have for granted. Most importantly, I have salvation, but God has also blessed we with great family and friends, a house, food, clothes, a good education, and so much more. God has given me so much, and yet so many times I take it for granted and am taken over by the desire for more. I don't know about you but I love getting new stuff! I love getting a new outfit, new song on iTunes, or really anything new. But material things do not satisfy. I think that the more we get, the more we want. One of the ideas in the book I'm reading was to write on a piece of paper everything that we are thankful for. Then, put it inside our Bible so that whenever we start feeling jealous or ungrateful, we can get it out and see all the things that we have to be thankful for. I thought this was a great idea, so I did it and put it in my Bible in Psalm 136, which is all about things that the author was thankful for. I hope this post encourages you!

Our Speech: A Challenge

Hi Everyone!! Breanna and I would like to put a challenge out there for all of y'all (and us). We have heard a lot about gossip lately and know just how hurtful it can be. We were thinking that we should have a challenge not to gossip for a week (we really should work up to not gossiping at all, but nobody's perfect and I'm not even sure if I can go a whole week). This is something that we need to ask God to help us with; we can't do anything on our own. I will be praying this week that God will help me to not gossip. If you slip up, that's OK! As I said before, nobody's perfect. Just keep asking God to help you not to, and eventually, it will become a habit.
A lot of the time, the reason we gossip is because of peer pressure. Even if we were resolved not to in the beginning, our friends will start and then we get pulled into it. They say something about someone, and we can't resist sharing that juicy tidbit of information we know about that person. A good way to test whether you're gossiping or not is to ask yourself if you'd say what you're saying about that person, to them. If you would, you're fine! If you wouldn't, you need to not say it. A verse that has really impacted my life is Ephesians 4:29: Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. This verse was a great revelation for me, because even though I knew not to gossip, this kind of explained why. What we say should edify, or build up the people we are talking to and about.
I found that this post was very easy for me to write, because this is something that I have really struggled with, and therefore heard a lot about. I feel like this is a very important issue, because we could be spending our time doing and saying much better things than gossiping. I hope this post really encourages you and helps you! Breanna and I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject and how you did with the challenge!! We'll post in a week to share our experiences with you!!

Philippians 2:3-4

Philippians 2:3-4~Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
This is a verse that has really impacted my life and thinking. It shows that we need to follow Christ's example and respond to others in humility. Even though Christ is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, He was a very humble Person. He even washed His disciples' feet.
Pride is one of the biggest issues I struggle with. I don't like getting outside my comfort zone, or telling others something that will make them think less of me. That's why this blog has been such a great thing for me. I've been able to kind of open up about the things I struggle with and be honest with people. I've been able to recognize that everyone struggles with something. It will be better for me if I open up about my problems so that others can help me and pray for me, as I do likewise for them. It does no good to hold up things inside of you that will eventually come out. We need to tell others so that they will no who we really are and they can help us.
Jesus set a great example for us. He had a right to be proud. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and He died to save the entire human race. But, instead of being proud, He responded in humility. How much more humble should we be, being the sinners that we are? God has really helped me to have less pride, but I still have a longggggggg way to go! I have been praying that God will help me to be humble like Him and be a good testimony to others!!

Ephesians 6 (vs. 5-9)

Ephesians 6:5-9

• A church must have unity for the purpose of bringing God glory.
• Children obey your parents in the Lord.
• Have respect for those around you.
• Be obedient to those who are in authority over you. (elders)
• We should be kind and generous to those under you.
• Christ is our ultimate authority.
• We need to have respect to all authority.
• Fear of God keeps everything in check.
• Be true to your authorities. NO lies!!!!
• Our submission to earthly authority reflects what our relationship and submissions to Christ.
• In obeying our authority we're obeying Christ.
• We should serve always not just when 'someone' is looking.
• "We should obey authority!"
• Be obedient to your earthly masters.
• We are all equally condemned but all believers are equally saved.
• We are all under authority!
• Obey!!!
• Masters: Be kind and do the same as the servants do. (All of the above)
• We (Christians) are Christs' completely!!

A Heart That is On Fire

As I was singing May the Lord Find Us Faithful this evening at church, something convicted me. The third line of the third verse talks about us having a heart that is on fire. I really strive to have a heart that is on fire for God, but sometimes I just feel like my fire is going out or dying away. I think this is probably something we all struggle with. I just get wrapped up in school and just life in general and forget that I'm supposed to be serving God. Then I realize that, as a Christian, God is my life. All those other things that are taking up my time aren't really important. I should be finding a way to serve God in everything that I do. And not only that, but serving Him with my whole heart. That doesn't mean that I can't enjoy those other things, because God did put things here on earth for us to enjoy, they should just come after God. And, I should be serving God while I'm doing them. I hope these thoughts help you!

Acts 2

Acts 2

• Why does God want us to Him?
• Pray without ceasing.
• Prayer - to ask.
• Philippians 4:6
• Let your request be made known unto God.
• God knows EVERYTHING.
• Prayer is a privilege.
• We are told to pray.
• John 16:24
• We can always talk to God.
• Prayer is important because.... 1: There is a devil; 2. Appointed to obtain things
• Ephesians 6
• Satan is not all knowing.
• Prayer is important.
• Satan wants to destroy you.
• Satan wants to destroy everyone.
• Don't let your guard down!
• Matthew 7:7

Ephesians 6

Ephesians 6

• God should be in all relationships.
• Chapter 6: Parent - Child relationship - vs.1-4
• We bring glory to God by submitting to one another.
• We need to be Christ-like in our relationships.
• Glorify God by demonstrating Christ likeness in our relationships.
• Obey your parents.
• Honor your father and mother.
• Have a good attitude about obeying and honoring your parents
• vs. 1- Chapter 6
• A child's attitude towards their parents reflects their relationship with God
• Hosea 14
• The way God designed it is for us to obey our parents.
• vs. 3 The promise to vs. 2
• Obeying your parents promises spiritual blessings.
• Honoring your parents promises honor from God.
• We should submit to our parents.
• The way you respond to your parents reflects your relationship with God.
• vs. 4; Parents do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admiration of the Lord (NKJV)
• Children generally model after their parents.
• Parents need to be a good, Christian roll model for their children with their focus on Christ.
• Your focus should be on Christ and on following His standards as closely as you can.
• We should be showing what Christ is doing in our lives.

Ephesians 3

Here are some more points I found in an old notebook. Enjoy!

Ephesians 3

• We need to live a life thru the Holy Spirit.
• Scope of Paul's Prayer - vs.19 - He wants people to know about the love of Christ.
• Be filled with the Holy Spirit.
• The presence on the Holy Spirit is evidence you are a Christian.
• The Holy Spirit is God
• The Spirit of God has a will.
• The Holy Spirit is God.
• Thru the Holy Spirit we can understand the Word of God

Ephesians 5

I was looking through my old church notes and found a few little notes on Ephesians 5.

Ephesians 5

• We are dead in our sins but we are alive in Christ.


• When we are believers in Christ we look like Christ and are in unity with one another.


• We need to submit to one another in the fear of God (v.21) ( in reverence to Christ).


• We should respect one another.


• We should have a relationship with God.

Peace

When I go to my grandparents' house I like to drink my coffee out a certain mug. It has a quote on it that I really like. It says "Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart. [author unknown]" This quote is so true but I was wondering how we can be calm in our hearts. With all that's going on around us, it's so easy to get worried or anxious and forget how to be still in the Lord. I found this verse that I think answers my question: Psalm 119:165~ Great peace have those who love Your law; nothing can make them stumble. This verse says that we can have peace by loving and obeying God's law. If we are looking to His law to guide our lives, not even the most trying of circumstances can make us stumble. It was comforting to see that if I follow God's law, He will help me to be strong in the Lord and not stumble. I hope this is encouraging!!

Prayer Part 2

I did a post a while back on why we pray. This post will explain more about how we pray. In James 5, we are told lots of reasons to pray for people. If they're in trouble, if they're sick, if they've sinned, we should pray for them. Lots of times we forget to pray for others, to confess our sins to God, and to thank Him for all that He has given us. So, next time you pray, remember the word CAT: Confessing, Asking, Thanksgiving. We should confess to God the sins that we have committed against Him. We should ask God to help us and others with problems we are having and trials we are facing. We should also ask Him to heal those who are sick and intercede for those who are in trouble. And, we should thank God for all of the good things that He has given us. This is something I struggle with because lots of times I get so wrapped up in my issues that I forget to thank Christ and pray for others. I hope my post on prayer were helpful to you!

1 John ~ Part 1

I have started going thru 1 John. I want to go thru every verse and break it down so we can fully understand it. I hope this helps you and makes sense!



The Incarnate Word (vs.1-4)

• We know that ever since the beginning the Bible was legitimate.


• We should proclaim The Words of Life so that others may rejoice in the fellowship of Jesus Christ.


• We should do all those things so our joy may be complete.

God Is Light (vs. 5-10)

• God is the light and in Him there is no darkness.
• We shouldn't act like we're perfect and still live in sin...we should really be living for Christ all the time.
• We should walk in the light and be cleansed with the blood of Jesus Christ.
• Don't say, " I have no sin". You are only deceiving yourselves and we have no truth.
• vs. 9 - If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
• We should always have the Word of God with us.

Following Christ 100%

I read this quote from a book by Beth Moore called Praying God's Word: "The giant step in the walk of faith is the one we take when we decide God no longer is a part of our lives. He is our life." I love this quote because it shows what a true believers' life should be like. We shouldn't just read God's Word and pray to Him when we're having a good day or when we get exactly what we ask for. We shouldn't be one person at church and a different one online or with a different group of friends (This is really easy to do and something I struggle with a lot). We should be trying to follow Christ and obey Him 100%, 100% of the time. Christ wants us to have a close relationship with Him, but we can't have that if we aren't striving to follow Him all of the time. It's so easy to try to get around living a radical Christian life and just acting like we're a Christian when we're at church. But God wants us to be good witnesses for Him all the time. We should want to show others what being a Christian is all about. If they know that we profess to be a Christian, yet we act just like them, they will have no reason to want to change and become a Christian. They will see no difference in our life and theirs, and therefore no reason to change what they believe. As I said before, this is something that I really struggle with and know that I should do better on.
The first commandment says that we should only have one God: the One True God. But that doesn't just mean that we shouldn't bow down to a wooden carved statue of a "little g" god. Anything, including ourselves that we put above God is an idol. God deserves every second of our time. More time than we spend chatting with friends, updating our statuses, and putting on make-up. We should meditate on Him day and night. Like I've said at least twice already, I really struggle with this so there isn't a whole lot I can say. I'd kind of like to hear any thoughts y'all have on this subject, so maybe we can help each other. I hope that this post is encouraging and insightful!

Philippians 4:8

Philippians 4:8~ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things.

This is one of my favorite verses(notice it's in the address for our blog. Breanna's favorite verse is Matthew 19:26). I think it tells a lot about what we as Christians should focus on. If something doesn't fall under one of these 8 categories, we shouldn't be thinking about it. That's a big challenge. But how do we focus on these things and keep the wrong things out of our minds? I think part of the answer is in Psalm 119:9-11:How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your Word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commands. I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You. In order to think about the right things, we must meditate on them. And since we know that God's word is true, noble, etc.(in fact, it's the ultimate Truth), it's a good thing to meditate on. We need to be in God's Word constantly. I think it's so important to read and meditate on God's Word daily. The more you read His Holy Word, the more you will find yourself thinking about it and living your life in light of it. Let's all try to spend more time in God's Word this summer rather than watching TV, playing video games, listening to iPods, etc. (I've really struggled with this over summer break!!).
Note: I'll be on vacation at the beach next week and I'm not sure whether I have Internet access, so if I don't post anything, that's why.

What Does God Control?

I know that sometimes it can be tempting to think that God isn't in control. We think that we can control our lives or that God doesn't care about what happens to us. But take a look at these verses:
Psalm 147:18~ "He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes and the waters flow." In this passage, God controls wind and water.
Matthew 5:45~ "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." God controls the sun and rain.
Jonah 1:7~"Then the sailors said to each other 'Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.' They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah." In this passage, God was in control, because the lot fell on the person who really was to blame: Jonah.
Job 12:23~"He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations and disperses them." God is in control of all nations and decides whether they are powerful or weak, big or small.
Daniel 4:25~ "You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes." God controls kingdoms of men and who rules them.
Luke 12:20~"But God said to him,'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'" God controls when people die.
Psalm 115:3~"Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him." God does whatever he pleases and therefore controls everything.
Romans 8:28~"And we know that all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose." God controls all things and makes them work together for good.
So, remember that God is in control of everything that happens to you. He will make the events in your life work together for good.

P.S. Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been on vacation for the 4th and didn't have Internet connection!

A Quick Note.....

Fear. I know all of us we afraid at some time in our life.... am I right?! I know I am because it's normal. Now what is something that helps you get through times when your scared???? I think of 2 things; Alllllllll those verses in the Bible that tells us not to fear , and as long as we're believer's in Christ then we truly do have nothing to fear. The 2nd one I got off of a movie call Facing the Giants. If you haven't seen that movie you need to watch it!!!! Anyway my favorite line in that movie is: " The Lord said in the Bible 365 times do not fear, if He said it that many times then you know it's gotta be true!" I love that part and every time I'm scared I think of that and how much God cares about me and I have no need to be scared because He is watching over me!!!!! Take comfort in that next time your scared. Have a great day! ( I may not be right on how many times but the bottom line is He says it alot!!!!!!)

James 4:11-17

In my Sunday school class we have been going through James. I never really studied this book before but the more we go into it the more I like about it. On Sunday, Mr. F started talking about being critical of other people and not judging. This lesson really never gets old to me, I mean I have heard this lesson taught several times but sadly most people only put it into practice some of the time...including me:( These next points are about judging, criticising, and how to 'judge' in a good way.

Verse 11

• Don't talk down to people.
• Don't be critical.
• Don't judge people

Make sure people behave in church (and if you feel the need to do something about it, be nice and not like a "know- it -all").

Don't judge others by

• Their testimony
• Things they and don't do
• By their appearance
• Who they hang out with

We need to judge with a good spirit.

We should be kind in all we do and say.

I hope these points helped you in some way. The challenge is to not criticise people and and judge them! If you have any more points that you think I should add feel free to say so!!!! I hope you have a great day!!!!!!

Lessons from Nehemiah

I was reading through Nehemiah in my devotions and I was wondering what lessons we could learn from him. Nehemiah was a cup-bearer in Persia for King Artaxerxes. When he found out that his city, Jerusalem, had been destroyed, he asked the king for permission to return to his city to rebuild it. I think the biggest lesson we can learn from Nehemiah is his perseverance. There were several attempts to stop Nehemiah from rebuilding the wall, but he knew that it was God's plan for him and that God would give him the strength to do it. And not only that, he finished it in only 52 days! Nehemiah knew what he was supposed to do and he did it. That's what God wants all of us to do. He gives us our instructions and the strength to carry them out. So the next time your tempted to quit, ask God to give you the strength to keep going!

Actions and Words

Note: My thoughts are WAY jumbled up in this post so I hope you can understand it and that it helps you!
As I was riding in the car a few days ago, I saw a church sign that said "Preach the gospel always; and when necessary, use words." Then a couple days later, I saw another sign that said "Show your faith by your actions as well as your words." These signs reminded me of a song I used to sing in children's choir when I was little. It's called Hippocritter. It goes: Your walk talks and your talk talks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks. You cannot hide what's inside, it's sure to come out, your words may whisper but your actions SHOUT!" All these things just reminded me that even if we say the right things, our actions are truly the greatest testimony of our faith. We must proclaim to others our faith in Christ, by acting in a way that pleases Him. If we say that we are Christians, our actions must match up with that. We must show others what our faith is all about. We must show them that we are different. Christ has saved and changed us and we will now live for Him.
This post has taken me a while to write (like 3 days), because this is something that I struggle with a lot. It's so easy to just say what we know people want to hear, but not follow it up with the actions that we know are right. We say one thing, but then turn around and do the exact opposite. We need to pray and ask the Lord to help us do the right things. He is the only One who can change us. Being a Christian isn't just about us accepting Christ's free gift of salvation. We must continue to live for Him every day. Every day is a new beginning and we can live for Christ no matter how badly we messed up the day before. If we ask Him to help and change us, He can. He will help us to witness to others through our words AND actions. What we say, how we act, what we wear, all of these things decide what a person's impression of us is. I've heard that when a person sees you for the first time, they form their opinion of you within the first 30 seconds of meeting you. I don't think that you can say much more than "Hello" in that much time, so the main deciding factors are your actions and attitude. I will definitely be praying this week and asking God to help me be a good example to others through my actions and words!
Note: Today (June 23rd) I saw another sign that said, "Preach the gospel always; open your mouth when necessary. I think maybe the Lord's trying to teach me something!! Three signs in completely different towns that say almost the exact same thing:)

James 3:13-18 ~ Wisdom

These next points are negative wisdom and positive wisdom. The negative points show things that are not Christ-like in any way and the positive points show how we can please God and in using our wisdom. I hope these help you. Have a great day! ( these next points were taken from my Sunday school class)

Negative

• earthly, sensual
• devilish (unspiritual people)
• world's wisdom, world view
• envy, selfish, bitter, boasting, lying

Positive

• Heaven (God)
• peace-loving
• gentle
• submissive
• merciful
• good fruits
• impartial
• sincere

James 2:12-13

Proverbs 8:1:36

I looked up James 3:13-18 on Biblegateway.com and found these verses. I will put them up here for your convenience.

A. James 3:13 : James 2:18

B. James 3:13 : James 1:21

C. James 3:14 : James 3:16; Acts 5:17; Rom 2:8; 2 Cor 12:20; Gal 5:20; Phil 1:17; Phil 2:3; Rom 13:13;

D. James 3:15 : James1:17

E. James 3:15 : 1 Kgs 22:22; 2 Thess 2:9-10; 1 Tim 1:4; Rev 2:24

F. James 3:17 : 1 Cor 2:6-7

G. James 3:17 : Heb 12:11

H. James 3:17 : Luke 6:36

I. James 3:17 : James 2:4 (GK)

J. James 3:17 : Rom 12:9

K. James 3:18 : Prov 11:18; Isa 32:17; Hos 10:12; Amos 6:12; Phil 1:11

L. James 3:18 : Matt 5:9; Gal 6:7-8

How to Lead Your Heart

One of my favorite quotes from the movie Fireproof is "Don't just follow your heart because your heart can be deceived; you've got to lead your heart." Proverbs 4:23 tells us "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life." So, how do we lead our hearts? Here's how.

1) Speak right (For more information on this, you can see my post on the tongue.)
2) Keep your focus straight
~Keep your goal and focus on Christ
3) Walk Carefully
~Think about your daily choices
~Think about your life in light of God's Word.
4)Obey God
~Remove your foot from evil.
~We must receive God's grace through humility
~Draw near to God and he will lift you up.


*The outline from this post was taken from a message I heard at BJU Summer Camp 2009*

The Armor of God

I know Breanna did a post on spiritual warfare a couple days ago but I wanted to go in depth about the weapons we have to fight Satan.

As Christians, we are told that we will definitely face trials. These aren't the result of Christ turning His back on us, they are actually helping us grow in our faith(James 1:3). But these trials are still hard. Thankfully, in Ephesians 6, Christ gives us spiritual tools to help us fight.
Christ starts out in verse 10 by telling us to be strong in the power of the Lord. In verse 12, He tells us that we aren't fighting against physical enemies, but against Satan: our spiritual enemy. Fortunately, our Heavenly Father gives us six weapons to fight with. They are: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the boots of the gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit.

Belt of truth- Just like a belt holds together loose clothing, truth should hold together all of our spiritual loose ends.
Breastplate of righeousness- Righteousness should be our protection for our heart, just like a breastplate covers our physical heart.
Boots of the gospel- These should protect our feet while we travel to spread the good news- the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Shield of faith- Faith is our protector for our whole body from Satan's temptations and deceptions.
Helmet of salvation- The knowledge of our salvation protects our minds from Satan's doubts.
Sword of the Spirit- This is God's Word, our weapon against even Satan's most powerful devices.

I hope these thoughts are helpful to you as you prepare for battle!

Prayer

This is an outline from a message I heard preached on prayer.

1)Why should we pray?
a)God commands it.
b)Prayer glorifies God.

2)How does prayer glorify God?
a)We acknowledge that we don't have the power to grant the request that we have presented before God.
b)When God answers our request, we in turn give Him the glory and honor.

3)What happens when we commit to the Lord?
a)We desire what He wants for us.
b)He gives us what we need to do His will.

4)How does prayer affect us and our relationship with God?
a)Prayer is a part of God's plan for what He wants for us.
b) Prayer helps us to accomplish God's will, make us like Him, and glorify Him.

I hope these thoughts are helpful as you spend time in prayer this week!

Spiritual Warfare

This morning in church Pastor Dan was talking about spiritual warfare. I have some points from his sermon I would like to share with you. I hope this encourages you.

Ephesians 6:10-20 : Spiritual Warfare

• We can overcome our Spiritual War with Christ's help.
  
• Verse 14: the truth of God's Word - an attitude of truth --become a person of faithfulness and commitment.


• We need to keep ourselves faithful to the cause of Christ.


• If we live in a Christ-like way, it should show in our actions and our attitude.


• We should not say we are Christians and then turn around and act like the world.


• Believer's should not have conflict with God, we should be at peace with Him.


• We should have confidence in who God is


• God is always in control.


• We should have total trust in Jesus Christ.


• Faith is our shield against temptations.


• Our struggle with Satan will not last forever and we will have victory with Christ.

Psalm 73:25

Psalm 73:25- Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth I desire besides You.
I came across this verse today and it was just a reminder that even when we feel like we need earthly pleasures to be happy, our only true happiness comes from God. He can supply all our needs and give us the desires of our heart!!

Defeating Satan

Here is an outline from a message I heard preached by Ron DeGarde at the WILDS camp during summer 2008.

Satan is aimed for us!!
Luke 22:31
1 Peter 5:8
Matthew 26:41

I) Warning Signs of our Enemy
A)After a spiritual victory
Joshua 7:1 (The Israelites had just had a great victory, but then sinned.)
B)When you're all alone
Numbers 32:23 (What you do when you're all alone will eventually be found out.)
C)When you're physically weak
Matthew 4:2 (Satan tempted Jesus when he was weak.)

II)Weapons of our Enemy (2 Corinthians 2:11)
A) Lust of the flesh
B) Pride of Life
C) Lust of the eyes (Ephesians 5:11)

III)The Weakness of our Enemy (This is the important part! It tells us how to overcome Satan!)
A) Scripture/God's Word
Meditate and Memorize God's Truth to defeat Satan!

So, in order to defeat Satan we need to follow the principle of Psalm 119:11 and "hide God's Word in our hearts, so as not to sin against Him."

His Way Is Perfect

I was playing piano this morning and found a song called 'His Way Is Perfect'. As I was playing this song I read the words, they were very encouraging. I hope you find them encouraging too! This song is from the WILDS book and is by Betsy Kistler.

" When my way seems dark and drear and the future I don't know, My heart feels so empty as the tears unending flow. When my heart breaks with sorrow and a tempest fills my soul, This one thing I know for sure: my God is in control.

His way is perfect, His way is perfect. Though I don't understand His wise and loving plan, His way is perfect. His way is perfect. Take my life and make a vessel purified. Go makes no mistakes: His way is best.

When the toils of life are come and my heart is worn with care I faint 'neath the burden of a cross I cannot bear. When the joy has departed from my sorrow- stricken soul, This one thing I know for sure: my God is in control."

Have a great day!

The Power of the Tongue

Did you know that the tongue is one of the most powerful weapons we have? Proverbs 18:21 tells us that "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits." Wow!! The tongue has the power to destroy a relationship, cause hurt feelings, and even decide between life and death. It is our job to follow Ephesians 4:29 and "only say things that are good for necessary edification." We are only to speak when it is necessary and edifying. Our words must build others up. not tear them down. But how can we do this? Matthew 12:33-34 tells us that we can't speak good things because we are all sinners and therefore naturally evil. But God's Word also tells us in Proverbs 16:1 that God can help us control our tongues. So, we need to pray that God will "Set a guard over our mouths and keep watch over the door of our lips"(Psalm 141:3). Our speech is something that we need to be constantly aware of. Next time you are tempted to say something hurtful, remember that Proverbs 15:1 tells us "a soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." A few words can make a BIG difference. Let's all try to speak kindly this week!!