Today has been one of those that just make me love Jesus so much more. After taking an exam and turning in alot of my projects I had a quiet time and just really felt God so close to me, hasn't been that way recently because I havent allowed Him to be but just listening to music I really felt him near me, I begin to cry, to cry tears of joy, tears of happiness, tears of thankfulness. I didn't have to say anything the Spirit knew what to say for me. It was so great to have that experience. God showed me in James 1 that if we endure through the hardships, to hold tight to our faith and now be tossed like waves in the sea that we will be given a crown of life. He promises us that crown if we Love Him. A scripture that hit me hard was James 1:8 "An indecisive man is unstable in all his ways." This spoke to me in the fact that I need to be more decisive, God tells us to just come to Him in faith and believing and He will provide, He will answer. That really energized me for the day then I listened to a video where people debated "Does Satan Exist?" Through this debate I was made aware of the assurance I have in believing in Jesus. Then after that I listened to a sermon by Mark Driscoll talking about how God loves us and why we were created. He talked alot about how we were created to glorify God, how He created us to be in His image. We are created to be His image-bearers, to reflect HIS glory. We can't reflect His glory without His Son Jesus, without Jesus we are not able to communicate with God, not able to live a life full of purpose and passion. How do we reflect this Glory? 1. Submit to God and His authority. 2. Worshipping God (Mind, Body, Soul) 3. Represent God with Truth and Justice 4. Serving God, expanding the Kingdom, leading people to Jesus 5. Love people of all races. 6. Respect all human life. The way to do this is to have a relationship with God by repenting of Sin consistently, trusting in Jesus, by being connected to people, to not be just for myself but for others. Being apart of a church family growing in faith, showing the glory of God to others so that we can all mirror Jesus together. So my question to everyone and myself is: Are we reflecting the glory of God in everything we do, say, and think? Are we allowing Jesus to reflect out of us? Are we letting the image to become distorted because of our sin?
I thought about that and prayed, God showed His love to me when I was able to talk to a roommate. God really just showed me that He loves us and that He wants us to love people by spending time investing in their lives. God spoke through my friend and just really made me realize that I have been reflecting His glory that I have been making an impact in peoples lives because of the effort to just live by example when I don't always have the words to say. How great of day is that? To be able to hear God speak through people you wouldn't think He would!
I am just so amazed that God loves us so much even though we drift away from Him when we sin, but He is just there waiting for us to kill our sin and come back to His loving arms!! I would like to encourage everyone that no matter how much you feel like you can't be close to God, you can all you have to do is draw near to Him in your heart, your thoughts and your will and He will be there for you. Just ask while believing and you will receive. (Mark 11:24)
God is too good for us to miss out on His overflowing LOVE, HOPE, PEACE, JOY, GOODNESS, RIGHTEOUSNESS, FAITHFULNESS each day. So don't let things in life keep you from experiencing Him and reflecting His glory!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Freedom in Christ
Those that accept Christ as Savior and Lord, believing and having faith in the Death, Burial, and Resurrection as the payment for our sinful nature, we are given freedom. What is in Freedom in Christ? Before Jesus came the Jews were to live by rules and regulations called the Law. The law limited freedom, because at that time there was no sacrifice for sins that was good enough, they used the blood of animals to cover the sins. People were to live under strict rules, but Jesus came as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, He only had to die once, and when He died we were given open access to God through Christ.(Hebrews 10) In Galatians Paul tells us that through Christs death the law lost its bondage to people, the law was no longer the way to God, but Jesus was. Jesus died on the cross to free us from the law of sin and death, He died to free us from religion. He died so that we could live for the glory of God and have forgiveness. He died so that we could be children of the Creator of the Universe. We are able to live for Jesus by faith, not works of our own. Having freedom through faith working through love (Galatians 5:6).
I have noticed at many of times that I have not lived in this freedom in Christ, instead I go back to my religious way of living life, instead of seeking full steam ahead towards Christ. In these times my prayers become redundant, my quiet times become about what I think I should read and not being filled by the word. In these times I feel frustrated and feel like I'm a failure, in these times I feel like if I'm not having an emotional experience then I'm not right with God, or that I'm not worshiping God if I don't have the feelings. In this ignoring the fact that I can have the relationship with God and to be filled by Him. Jesus died so that we can have FREEDOM, He didnt die so that I could fall back in religion, back in frustration, into self-seeking desires. Jesus is telling us to stand firm in the freedom He has given us. He liberates us from the bondage of sin, and desires to be with us daily.
Recently, I have been hearing God speak to me about how I have not realized that there is freedom, and I'm beginning to see that now after seeing how much I beat myself up. Knowing that in Romans 8:1-2 "Therefore no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus, because the Spirit's law of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death." The Lord has been telling me not to condemn myself, because Christ took on that condemnation at the cross. Condemning ourselves shows lack of faith in God that is working in our lives, and that is not where we should be, but realizing that we can enjoy our relationship with Christ.
Do you recognize the freedom you have in Christ? Are you living frustrated, and not knowing what God is doing in your life? Wondering what your purpose is? If you know Christ, you have freedom to will and act for God's good purpose, and to not feel condemned of your sin. You can have assurance that you are following Christ and not living under the law, or religion, by asking God to show you, to teach you, to help you to realize that He does love us and wants us to live free from the bondage of sin.
I have noticed at many of times that I have not lived in this freedom in Christ, instead I go back to my religious way of living life, instead of seeking full steam ahead towards Christ. In these times my prayers become redundant, my quiet times become about what I think I should read and not being filled by the word. In these times I feel frustrated and feel like I'm a failure, in these times I feel like if I'm not having an emotional experience then I'm not right with God, or that I'm not worshiping God if I don't have the feelings. In this ignoring the fact that I can have the relationship with God and to be filled by Him. Jesus died so that we can have FREEDOM, He didnt die so that I could fall back in religion, back in frustration, into self-seeking desires. Jesus is telling us to stand firm in the freedom He has given us. He liberates us from the bondage of sin, and desires to be with us daily.
Recently, I have been hearing God speak to me about how I have not realized that there is freedom, and I'm beginning to see that now after seeing how much I beat myself up. Knowing that in Romans 8:1-2 "Therefore no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus, because the Spirit's law of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death." The Lord has been telling me not to condemn myself, because Christ took on that condemnation at the cross. Condemning ourselves shows lack of faith in God that is working in our lives, and that is not where we should be, but realizing that we can enjoy our relationship with Christ.
Do you recognize the freedom you have in Christ? Are you living frustrated, and not knowing what God is doing in your life? Wondering what your purpose is? If you know Christ, you have freedom to will and act for God's good purpose, and to not feel condemned of your sin. You can have assurance that you are following Christ and not living under the law, or religion, by asking God to show you, to teach you, to help you to realize that He does love us and wants us to live free from the bondage of sin.
Friday, April 3, 2009
FAITH and LOVE
So its been awhile since I wrote a blog, and recently thought I should write one.
This semester has been a long, tough, and very rewarding semester. God has taught me so much through this time. I am finally understanding what it means to lean onto to God for strength, to find nurishment in His Word, to find joy in serving Him no matter how I feel. The Lord is constant, His love is constant, He is faithful, He is a great provider, He will never leave us or forsake us. These are some of the things that I have been learning this semester. I have experienced so much and words can't express how truly grateful I am to know that I have a SAVIOR that Loves me! A God that LOVES me and that Holds me in His hand!! How Great is that?? I have experienced some times where I have been really discouraged, on the verge of being burnt out because I can't see the impact I want to make in peoples lives, then I get encouraged that its not about me and what I do, but its about what the Lord is doing. I am beginning to see the impact I have made and the impact people have made in my life this year. I am so thankful that I can have so many great friends, and family to pick me up when I'm down.
The 2 biggest things the Lord has been teaching me recently is that everything relies on FAITH and most importantly LOVE. If we didn't have love then we would have no hope because Christ would have never came to die for our sins without Love for us. The love that Christ gives us can never be taken away, we can never be separated from His Love. (Romans 8:31-39). God showed us His love when Christ came and Christ told us that we are to love. Jesus said "I give you a new commandment: love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35 We are to love one another and that is what God has given me a heart for, to love people no matter if they love me. Having this heart has helped me understand why Christ came to die, that it wasn't just for me but it was for all mankind, so that we can have hope. If we are not loving others then how can we say we love God, and love Jesus? Loving people goes beyond just saying it, its an action-its telling people about the Gospel, to be edifying to one another, to not gossip, to not be prideful in our love, to not boast in our love, because our love is no where near the love it took to Redeem us!
Faith-believing in something we can't see or touch physically--without faith then we can't truly love God, we can't truly love people. We have to have strong belief that what God said in His Word is the TRUTH! and nothing else is truer then His Word because He reveals Himself through His Word. Don't believe me, I suggust that you read it, read the Gospels and you will know the Word is true, because Christ is the Word! Faith is more than just believing that Christ died for you, but Faith that He wants to transform us, to walk with us daily as we seek Him in His word. Romans 10:17 says "Faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ." If we have faith in Gods Word then He will show Himself daily, and we will learn to trust Him daily and really know what He wants us to do! I was reading in Joshua today, where the Lord encouraged Joshua to live by faith, to be strong, to be courageous because the Lord is with Him. God used Joshua to lead the Israelites into the promise land and it took faith through the tough times before they reached the promise land to help Joshua to become the leader that the Israelites needed. That has been something that's been on my mind all semester. When we have faith in that God will use us and that He will build us up into the men and women of God we need to be, He will do that. He is true to His Word, He never fails. So don't think your not a strong Christian if you don't have the feelings, just know that it is all about FAITH in His Word and that He is there for you!
Anyone can know Christ, and can be used by God to big things, to do the small things as well, but two things have to be in place: You have to LOVE and You have to have FAITH!
This semester has been a long, tough, and very rewarding semester. God has taught me so much through this time. I am finally understanding what it means to lean onto to God for strength, to find nurishment in His Word, to find joy in serving Him no matter how I feel. The Lord is constant, His love is constant, He is faithful, He is a great provider, He will never leave us or forsake us. These are some of the things that I have been learning this semester. I have experienced so much and words can't express how truly grateful I am to know that I have a SAVIOR that Loves me! A God that LOVES me and that Holds me in His hand!! How Great is that?? I have experienced some times where I have been really discouraged, on the verge of being burnt out because I can't see the impact I want to make in peoples lives, then I get encouraged that its not about me and what I do, but its about what the Lord is doing. I am beginning to see the impact I have made and the impact people have made in my life this year. I am so thankful that I can have so many great friends, and family to pick me up when I'm down.
The 2 biggest things the Lord has been teaching me recently is that everything relies on FAITH and most importantly LOVE. If we didn't have love then we would have no hope because Christ would have never came to die for our sins without Love for us. The love that Christ gives us can never be taken away, we can never be separated from His Love. (Romans 8:31-39). God showed us His love when Christ came and Christ told us that we are to love. Jesus said "I give you a new commandment: love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35 We are to love one another and that is what God has given me a heart for, to love people no matter if they love me. Having this heart has helped me understand why Christ came to die, that it wasn't just for me but it was for all mankind, so that we can have hope. If we are not loving others then how can we say we love God, and love Jesus? Loving people goes beyond just saying it, its an action-its telling people about the Gospel, to be edifying to one another, to not gossip, to not be prideful in our love, to not boast in our love, because our love is no where near the love it took to Redeem us!
Faith-believing in something we can't see or touch physically--without faith then we can't truly love God, we can't truly love people. We have to have strong belief that what God said in His Word is the TRUTH! and nothing else is truer then His Word because He reveals Himself through His Word. Don't believe me, I suggust that you read it, read the Gospels and you will know the Word is true, because Christ is the Word! Faith is more than just believing that Christ died for you, but Faith that He wants to transform us, to walk with us daily as we seek Him in His word. Romans 10:17 says "Faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ." If we have faith in Gods Word then He will show Himself daily, and we will learn to trust Him daily and really know what He wants us to do! I was reading in Joshua today, where the Lord encouraged Joshua to live by faith, to be strong, to be courageous because the Lord is with Him. God used Joshua to lead the Israelites into the promise land and it took faith through the tough times before they reached the promise land to help Joshua to become the leader that the Israelites needed. That has been something that's been on my mind all semester. When we have faith in that God will use us and that He will build us up into the men and women of God we need to be, He will do that. He is true to His Word, He never fails. So don't think your not a strong Christian if you don't have the feelings, just know that it is all about FAITH in His Word and that He is there for you!
Anyone can know Christ, and can be used by God to big things, to do the small things as well, but two things have to be in place: You have to LOVE and You have to have FAITH!
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