WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL: All Out!!

First of all, I pray is having a blessed and enjoyable Labor Day!!!

There comes points in our lives when we are all out. This may be we're out of words to describe our feelings. Or we may be out of options for escaping certain situations. First, I want to talk about when you are out of ways of getting out of your situation.

When you see there is no way out, God will make a way out. The psalmist David said "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:1-2) First, we gotta understand and remember where our help comes from. Many times we try to handle situations by ourselves. We try to depend on our own strength. In service yesterday, Bishop mentioned that many times we go through situations we don't need to go through. He said that if we would just open up our mouth and cry to God, He would handle the situations. When we get to the point where we are out of no way or in the valley, that is the time to cry out unto God. David said "Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the ends of the earth will I CRY unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is HIGHER than I." (Psalm 61: 1-2)

Hannah is a woman that understood where her help came from. She understood that she had a need and that God was the only one who could fix her need. So she cried out to God and said if you give me a son, he will serve you his life. She knew that there was no other way to have kids but by God. She trusted God and stuck with the word that she gave to God. When she DEPENDED on God and gave Him what she had, He stepped in and took care of the situation. When you are depending on God, you are walking by faith and KNOWING that God will take care of it. There is no doubt in your mind that the situation won't work in your favor. Before she cried out to God and talked to Eli, she was sad and was not eating. After the talked with God and then Eli, she left the temple and was happy and eating food. She walked out of there changed and praising God. We have to give God the praise and depend on Him.

For whatever you're going through, I encourage you to see who is your help. Who is it that you depend on and that you seek for help? If you want something from God or if you have a need, seek God and ask Him. Sometimes you do have to cry out to God. But, if you give your ALL to God, He will come through and provide. 


The second situation of when you're all out is with when you are just out of words.
If you know me, there are times where I just make up words. You'll hear different words or phrases like thingamobobber or what's his/her face. Or I'm infamous for creating words. And I'll get the looks like what did you just say. And I'll just keep going on. Sometimes with our walks with God, we try to force words to come out or we try to create worship by forcing things to happen. In reality, worship is just letting true feelings flow out. True worship is what is done daily and just a lifestyle. In John 4, Jesus talks to the Samaritan woman about God seeking true worshippers and how it doesn't happen at a certain church facility. When worshipping, a lot of times words can't and don't come to mind. During those times, let your heart speak for itself. This song My Heart Sings by William McDowell is an awesome song. I encourage you to listen to the words.

How can I describe a God that's indescribable is the first line. If you think, there is only a finite source of words to describe this infinite God. Even that's not enough words to describe Him. Tye Tribbett said on one of His songs that when describing that God has been good is an inaccurate description. He said good ain't good enough. You gotta say God's been so aaahhhhhhh to me. That's how it feels. When I'm describing God, there are some words but they don't describe the fullness of God.

Next line is How can I explain a love that's unexplainable. Talking or thinking about God's love is never ending. If you think about it, how is it that a man with all power and being all knowing die for people that would reject Him? How is it that He gave His perfect life for a wretched, stubborn sinner as myself? To me, it's mind blowing. I can't fathom or describe this agape love. It brings me to the next line in the song. I'm at a loss for words.

Then you get to the point where your heart just starts to worship God. We were created to worship God so your body knows what's it's supposed to do. So, when you don't have any words, your heart just cries out  Oh!!! There are no words needed. When you get to the point where the worship is true and flowing with sincerity, there doesn't need to be any words attached with it. You just gotta cry unto God. Just like when in your darkest hour or feel there's no way, just cry out unto God.  

Whether you are out of ways to escape your situation or whether you are out of words to describe your feelings, I encourage you to just let your heart speak. Cry out unto God and let the worship flow. God hears and He will respond. Trust Him as He has your back.

Be blessed!!!

Steven Gable

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

Weekly Devotional: God's Power Is In His Word

"God's power is in his word, if you don't believe his word you don't believe his power."

After attending a local conference last night, this quote from the pastor who preached remained in my mind the most.

It was like God was increasing my faith in him. Just like the preacher said before he started his sermon. "Everyone in this room is going to receive a jolt in their faith".

And I definitely did!!! Thank you Jesus!! : )

Romans 1:17
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

The word of God is more than just a book with the title as the Holy Bible.

It's his power.

God's power.

I never really viewed it that way until last night.

When Jesus was walking the earth the bible wasn't available to anyone.

Why?

Because the word was walking around with them, God who came into flesh was already among them.

John 1: 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 1: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Now we have the bible because in it is his word, and his word has power.

Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Jeremiah 23:29 - [Is] not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer [that] breaketh the rock in pieces?

Psalms 119:105 - NUN. Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Romans 10:17 - So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

John 17:17 - Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

There are countless miracles, promises, words of wisdom and other  verses on every page that testify to the power of God.

When we read it do we merely look at it as verses or do we hide it in our heart for it to take root , grow and flourish in our life.

What is the benefit of God's power in our life, God's word in our life?

It sets us free, it changes and transforms our minds, our way of being, testifies to who God is, it comforts, it tells us what God thinks about us, it has life, and God also uses his word to speak to us.

I can go on and on about the word of God. It's just so powerful because it's His word!

In my mind this is how I see it: when you open up the word of God, it's like God is sitting right next to you conversing with you. Speaking life into you and whatever situation you're going through.

So, I encourage you don't look at the bible as just a book filled with verses written by dead apostles and disciples of Jesus Christ. It's more than that it's His word and His word has power.

Stay in God's Peace, not in pieces : )

Hannah

GUEST BLOGGER FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST: The Power of Choice

My sister asked me to write this post and initially I told her no because I didn't know what to write about. When I told her no she was shocked and she got a little offended, so after some convincing I finally said yes. I know God and I love him and all of that great stuff but like everybody I feel like there is always room for improvement and growth in my relationship with him. One thing I need to work on is reading the bible more and becoming familiar with his scriptures. 

Growing up my mother always made it a point for us to go to church and participate. I used to be in the choir, I was in sunday school, and I naturally enjoyed being at church. As I got older I felt like I strayed away from church. I was no longer being forced by my mom to go because she always made it clear that me and my sisters had to have a relationship with Christ for ourselves and that she couldn't establish that relationship with us. My distance from God grew even further when I realized that I have been in church my whole life. I started to become curious about how my friends who weren't Christian were living and I really felt like I was missing out on something. Church life was all I knew and I felt like I wanted to venture out, but most of all I wanted to feel like I fit in with the crowd. As life continues and we experience new things we realize that we aren't missing out on anything. The best part about my journey was that through it all I still kept my Christian mindset. 

I am at a point in my life where I feel closer to God than I have ever been. I think that experiencing life "on the other side" made me realize how much I need God and it makes me more aware of my choices. Now I go to church on my own, I go to bible study on my own, and prayer on my own not because I have to but because I genuinely want to go. I am finally understanding what the bible means when it talks about the power of choice. From the beginning of creation, God gave Adam and Eve a choice of whether or not to eat the apple, he gave Samson the choice to submit to Delilah or not, and he gave Abraham the choice to sacrifice his son or not. Just like he gave people in the bible choices, he gives all of the choice of whether or not to live for him or not: "But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. 'Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.'" Joshua 24:15

Another thing I struggle with is the inconsistencies in my faith and belief in God. I know you're not supposed to question God but there are things that have happened in my life that I honestly believe are not supposed to happen. Even in times when I'm doing what I'm supposed to do for God, I have a hard time accepting that other people are getting blessed who do far less than me. I know we all go through those moments, but for me I just feel alone when it happens. For example, I struggle with my motivation for going back to school, because I don't want to settle and just get by. I have a desire to do good in school! I used to want to be in the classroom and sit in the middle of the class. I didn't want to get called on, I didn't want to sit in the front, but I didn't want to sit in the back either. I guess you can say that I wanted to fit in or be overlooked by the teacher where I wouldn't be noticed or put on the spot. The irony is that I want to be a teacher, and I think that it's what God called me to be. When I told my sister this, she told me that it meant that I had the heart of a servant. I immediately was offended by this because I just don't like the term servant, but when she broke it down I understood completely. My purpose and my gift of being a teacher extends far beyond the classroom, because I know it will carryover to my church life and my home life. I serve people everyday while at work and at home. I constantly assist people, I have a smile on my face while doing it, and I feel that people are naturally attracted to my spirit. I truly believe that God is placing me in situations to prepare me for my purpose. I can no longer hide from him or just do enough to get by. God has chosen me to stand out and to walk in the purpose that he has set aside for me. The bible says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5

Today I choose to live for God, because God chose me. I may not know the most scriptures. I may not scream at the top of my lungs when I'm praying. I may not openly lead prayer. I may not openly give my testimony. I do however, pray to God daily, I make it my responsibility to go to prayer, go to bible study, and when I'm off on Sundays I'm at church. God has done so much for me and I know that as long as he's my first choice I'll remain his first choice. Just remember that once you choose God, when he says yes that nobody can say no.

Michelle Williams - Say Yes

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:6

GUEST BLOGGER: ALEARA

Weekly Devotional: Can You Hear Him?? Shhhh

Continuing on last Monday’s blog, I want to speak on Listening to God.

I had a dream where I was amongst a population of people. It was completely silent. I was standing amongst these people intently listening and waiting for God to speak. After, what seemed like a moment, I began to panic screaming “I am deaf!!” I could not hear anything or anyone around me. And it seemed despite being amongst a population, I was all by myself. I awoke from this dream confused, and it wasn’t until I attended a bible study months later that I understood it.

It is hard to hear God amongst the noise. What is noise? Noise are sounds that cause disturbance and can cause you to lose focus. As in the dream, I began focusing on hearing God and then I became disturbed. I was disturbed because I could not hear the environment. I could not hear people, cars and other noises. God's voice in the beginning of this dream was the priority, but then shifted. But what we have to understand is when you are listening for God, we have to silence the noises. Noises can be worries and as the last Monday blogger stated “God can speak through people, situations or you directly”. There have been times, God has spoken to me, but the noises of doubt, situations and people drowned out God's guidance. Other times I could not recognize God's guidance because I spent no time familiarizing myself with him. As Sunday's guest speaker put it, my priority was lost, as God was not number one focus.

Sometimes to better hear God, we must fast, which is simply a process of silencing the noise. Fasting makes God a priority as the sacrifice of a fast helps place God more at a premium. Listening to God is done by reading his word and mediating on it. When a scripture touches you, put it to memory, think on how to apply it. 

Deuteronomy 4:29

But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.

GUEST BLOGGER FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST: Running

                I've always been known as “The Runner”. Everybody in school, church, and my family always asked the same expected question “how’s track?” or phrases like “can’t wait to see you in the Olympics” “we’re so proud of you“ or “Wanna race?”.  Almost as if this was all people knew about me. Most conversation revolved around this, but ultimately what I was running from was much bigger than these cliché track questions in my life as well. I was running away from the true champion of all…GOD

Lately, my life has been a whirlwind of confusion, questioning, and doubt—confusion, in my relationships, questioning about my future, and doubting my walk with God overall. And ultimately I was teetering on the idea of whether living a godly lifestyle was really for me, or completely running away from it all. I've always been “The Runner” physically but in this case I suppose I was mentally running away from God and all he had to offer…

One might question why a girl that’s grew up and spent her whole life in church from birth to 20 years old would ever doubt the power of God and would want to leave. But that’s exactly why. It seemed to me that from the moment I was placed on this Earth I never really knew what freedom was. I never experienced my own understanding of Gods power, and I never got to decide for myself if I really wanted God in my life. In my view, it seemed that because I was made to go to church every week, bible study every Wednesday, prayer every Friday and any event in between it was almost as if I was forced into believing in God, rather than seeking him for myself. I didn’t quite understand or love God for myself. I knew he existed because I’d seen him work in my family’s life and people in the church as well, and I felt his presence every so often. But I wasn’t exactly sure about him, that he was all there is to offer in my life. I needed to figure it out.

 And that whole hypothesis would be tested shortly after in Fall of 2012. I started college in August 2012 on a full scholarship to Towson University running Track. Unknowing what lied ahead of me, or what was in store I jumped right into the college life and all that it entails. Classes, practice, studying, partying, hanging with friends, and ultimately trying to find my place in this whirlwind of a home we call college. Notice, I never included church. When I got to Towson I began to test my boundaries of freedom, I didn’t go to church, and never really prayed-except over my food (some habits are just never broken). But I was enjoying it. It was my way of sticking it to my parents and saying “see I’m doing just fine without you,” and without God as well. I was having fun and experiencing things that I never got to experience at home. I was on cloud nine, only going to church when I came home on breaks. But not even really soaking in the word…and this went on for 2 years.

But as time went on it seemed that everything began to fall apart. The more I sprinted away from God the more my problems began to catch me. My grades were depleting (probably due to more partying and less studying). I was getting in involved with guys that broke my heart one after the next, and losing friendships that I had back home. And I was in a place in my life where I felt that nothing was going right, and I was utterly confused. It wasn’t until this current summer that I went back home that it seemed like everything was going downhill in my life that I decided I needed a change.  I decided maybe leaving God wasn’t the right way to go.

But the problem arose…I didn’t know exactly where to start. After two years of not really praying, I utterly forgot how to approach God. And also I felt like I’d sinned so much in the past couple years that God couldn’t forgive my wrongdoings. But, overtime I suddenly I began to talk to him as if he was my friend, trying hard to pray more and put my heart into productive things rather than distractions. Instead of giving my heart to meaningless boys that didn’t deserve me, I gave my heart to God, and instead of giving my time to parties, I gave my time God.  

Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Yes some sins may have been colossal, but regardless God never judges. 1 John 1:19 states “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Maybe that’s where I needed to start; I took the first step and repented for my sins. I talked to God as if he was a friend rather than some fictional being. I confessed everything and tears flooded.

But ultimately I began to come back to him. I guess I had to go through hardships, pain, doubt, instability, and loneliness to form my own relationship with him and see growth. In track you learn to run your own race, and stay in your lane. Going through difficulties I learned that yes, we all have our own race and battles to face in our walk with God. But I ceased to realize that God was always in the race right beside me. Ultimately, I had to stop running away from God’s plan for me and run toward him. I know many of you readers stray away and lose sight of God. But getting back to him is in fact possible, though it may be sometimes difficult, and it may take time and a lot of energy. A relationship with God will never be easy, but better believe it will be worth it. Because of my testimony, I’m sure of this: Run to him full-fledged and he will greet you with open arms.

-Kaitlyn 

Weekly Devotional: Speak Less, Listen More, Fight Through...

"He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding has a cool spirit." Proverbs 17:27"

While reading the bible i would come across stories in which The Lord spoke to this person or that person, giving direction, comfort or reassurance etc. As i continue my journey as believer i come across fellow believers who have explained or discussed what God has laid on their heart. Whether it was a word specifically for them or for someone else and i would wonder why is it that God hasn't spoken to me? Why is it that he hasn't told me where to go, or what to do or how to do it? It was not until recently i realized that God has been speaking to me. He has been laying things on my heart, i just wasn't always listening. I didn't always know or realize it was God. It is still something i struggle with and continue to pray about.

God speaks to us in different ways all in which we must pay attention to. Part of what helped me begin to hear his voice was really getting an understanding of who God is and how he operates. As with any topic we can learn more about God by reading up on God. The more we can read and actually attempt to grasp what is going on in the bible the better we can understand God.

After we gain an understanding of God, we will have a better idea of what to expect, what to listen for. Listen is defined as giving attention with the intention of hearing; wait attentively for a sound. It is pretty hard to give our attention to God if we are distracted by all that's going on around us. And you can't really be attentively waiting for a sound if you're busy talking. So when trying to hear from God it is a good idea to be somewhere quiet where you wont be distracted by other things and be silent. I recently read something by Joyce Meyers where she explained that her daughter had prayed to God asking if there was anything that he wanted to say to her before she began her day and just waited in silence. As she waited she felt in her heart that God said "Go, i am with you". Comforting words that would prove to be necessary in the next few days as unexpected bad news had arisen.

God also speaks to us through others and or circumstances. Just the other day I had someone come up to me and tell me the Lord had showed them something. We sat and spoke for a bit (well he spoke i listened) and i will be taking action on what was discussed. ^"22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves" James 1:22. It may not always be a word that God uses. Sometimes the only way God can teach us something is to allow circumstances in our life to lead us to and THROUGH the very thing we need to discover.  Joyce Meyer had said "There's no such thing as a drive-through break-through."

When we recieve a word from God whether it be from him directly, someone else, or circumstance, obtaining the word is not the end. With the knowledge we must now act on it and go forth. The road ahead may not always be easy, it may not always seem doable but God WILL see you through it. As our Bishop preached on Sunday in service, continue to fight the good fight. There may be stumbling blocks, and road blocks and speed bumps along the way but do not quit and do not give up. 

Hebrew 12:1-13 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. ⁴ In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. ⁵ And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, 

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
    and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
⁶ because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
    and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”^[a]

⁷ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸ If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! ¹⁰ They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. ¹² Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. ¹³ “Make level paths for your feet,”^[b] so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed."

Weekly Devotional: Forgive Quickly

The word forgive appears in various forms i.e. forgiveness, forgiving, forgiven in the bible over 150 times, and yet this is a concept that many people struggle with.

Webster defines forgive as:

1

a :  to give up resentment of or claim to requital for <forgive an insult>

b :  to grant relief from payment of <forgive a debt>

2

:  to cease to feel resentment against (an offender) :  pardon <forgive one's enemies>

 

Forgiving is a topic that is difficult for many people, myself included and takes time to learn. Thankfully, Jesus showed the perfect example of how we should forgive others.

 

Forgiveness was a concept that I struggled with for many years. I would hold grudges and completely cut people out of my life if they wronged me. Forgiveness was a word not a part of my vocabulary except, of course, when I needed God to forgive me. Thankfully, God revealed to me that just as I had made mistakes which hurt him, others had made mistakes which hurt me. I wanted God to forgive me so who was I not to forgive others even when they did not ask for it. By reminding myself that people make mistakes which sometimes hurt me allowed me to forgive.  I thought I had finally figured out the key to forgiveness until I was tested again.

 

This test came in the form of the person who I always had issues forgiving… my father. The relationship between my father and I has always been extremely fragile. My father was not a part of my life growing up and as a result there had been many years of hurt, disappointments, anger and resentment. However, I had forgiven him and in recent years we had been delicately working to build a relationship. After I had gotten engaged I told my father who was extremely happy for me. I told him that I wanted him to attend the wedding and he said he would. A few weeks prior to the wedding I called him to confirm he would be attending since I had not heard from him. Unfortunately, he told me that due to a potential job position he would not be able to attend. For me this was devastating. I could not imagine how a father would not want to see his only daughter get married.   It was a horrible blow to our relationship one that I did not know if we would be able to recover from.  I wrestled with the idea of forgiving him for days before I honestly believe I was able to forgive him.

 

At our small group meeting someone said “Forgive as quickly as you expect God to forgive you” This phrase has stuck with me since that day. I believe that God will forgive me as soon as I ask him to, however I struggle with extending that same courtesy to others. If I am to walk in forgiveness not only do I have to follow the commandment to forgive, but I must also forgive as Christ forgave. He demonstrated forgiveness up until the time of death when he prayed “father forgive them for they know not what they do” Jesus forgave the very people who were putting him to death and causing him extreme agony.  The best part about God is that he forgives and remembers our sins no more. People often use the phrase “I will forgive you, but I will never forget.” This goes against what God does for us.  We should strive to forgive quickly, forget, and to love just as Jesus did.  This week I encourage you to forgive those who have hurt you.

 

Brittney

WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL: Dear Lost Me...

First, let me start off by saying that this past weekend I have had the pleasure of attending one of the best Christian Conferences of my life entitled, Pinky Promise 2014 which is vision that God gave Heather Lindsey. This conference spoke volumes to the direction that my life was headed, the direction that my flesh wanted my life to go, and the direction that God desires me to go. To all of you who struggle with growing closer to God, I encourage you all to at least experience a conference not just because they are great and fulfilling, but because when a multitude of people come together for a uniform purpose of serving and giving glory to God, there are endless possibilities for what God can do. For all of the males, don't fret there was a men's conference occurring at the same exact time as the women's portion of the conference. Information for the men's conference can be found here: The Men's Conference 2014. I hope to see some of you there!

Prior to attending the conference I was struggling with my dedication to God. I was spiritually struggling not with the existence of God, but with the location of God. Where was God exactly? I was praying and crying out to him but I felt like he was nowhere in sight. Essentially I felt lost. Have you ever gone to the grocery store with your parent and got lost, although you thought you knew their location, however you still couldn't find them? That's how I felt! I was in a familiar store with my father (God) and I thought I kept my eyes fixed on him but before I knew it, God was gone! So in panic I went back to the place where I had last seen him, but after searching he still wasn't there. Consequently, because I was the epitome of hopeless, I started to acquire about his location from other people. But when I did this no one knew exactly where he was and I was still left there stuck just as I had been...all alone. This is EXACTLY how I've been feeling for the past 2 months or so. That panic was real, that loneliness was destructive, that peace was distant.

Webster's dictionary defines "lost" as (adj.) unable to find one's way; not knowing one's whereabouts; denoting something that has been taken away or cannot be recovered. I was unable to find my way, I did not know God's whereabouts, my circumstances indicated that God had been taken away from me and he could not be recovered. I was stranded in my lack of faith, in my uncertainty, in my worry, and in my weakness. Have you ever seen a lost person? They are easy to identify because they are so uncomfortable due to the fact that they do not recognize anything familiar to them. And because that person is lost, their situation leaves them vulnerable and exposed to anything. They jump at the first site of help and because they are desperate they rarely look at intentions. Consequently, that same lost person takes direction on how to find his/her way from anyone willing to provide direction. And in cases where that same lost person does become hesitant of the intentions of others who provide directions, they often will seek their own personal advice which causes them to either  travel in circles or go further away from a help site because they do not know where they are going. I was all of these of these things! After this weekend I have gained a fresh perspective and realized that I was never lost because God was where I had left him...in the back of my heart and in the back of my mind.


Dear Lost Me, .... Why Do I Feel So Lost?
Loneliness is a feeling so it's determinative on the ways in which we perceive our situations. Some of the richest people with some of the nicest things that money can buy can feel lonely. Additionally, some of the most blessed individuals that we know, can in all actuality be some of the most lost individuals. I know because I once felt lost. Now, what I'm learning is that you're not always lost when you don't know where you're going, because you can simply be lost because you don't know whether to make a right or left. For example, you can know how to get to Main Street from where you are, but maybe you do not know how to  get to Park Avenue? Do you make that left or that right? 

O Lord why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I am in trouble. Psalms 10:1. 

I was lost because just like in the grocery store, I took my eyes off God. I too busy being entertained by the countless distractions that I got so caught up in what didn't matter that the things that did matter fell by the wayside. When I finally did look up to see God, he was nowhere in sight. It was as if he left me stranded. During these past 2 months what I couldn't understand was that if God loved me the way he said he did, then why would he leave me? Why would he not comfort me? Why would he walk away while I was looking for him? I think the problem with me was that I was so focused on what I thought God was doing towards me that I never once acknowledged what I was doing to God. Yes, God is a merciful God and yes, God loves us but when God blesses us it is his choice to do so. So, when God allows us to go through trials and tribulations it is because God chooses to test our character and it is up to us to decide whether we'll trust him or trust the abilities of ourselves. When I was dealing with my feelings of loneliness, when I was feeling lost, and when I felt like I was stuck at the fork in the road where I didn't know whether to turn left or right, I chose not to trust God and that was a decision that I made. However, when I finally did turn to what was familiar to me and cry out to God I was reminded of God's promises that he once gave me. The Bible states, Moses accepted the invitation, and he settled there with him. In time, Reuel gave Moses his daughter Zipporah to be his wife. Later she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, for he explained, "I have been a foreigner in a foreign land." Years passed, and the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites continued to grow under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act. Exodus 2:21-24. As soon as we cry out to God sincerely, God realizes that it is time to act on our behalf and he does! 

Dear Lost Me, .... God Never Left You .... God Was Where You Left Him

The Lord remembers us and will bless us. He will bless the people of Israel and bless the priests, the descendants of Aaron. Psalm 115:12. What I had to realize through my struggles of navigating God's location in my life, was that God was exactly where I had left him. When things were going great I was quick to thank God for his blessings, but when things seemed uncertain I questioned whether God really loved and was there for me. He never left me, he was just waiting on me to sincerely need him and to believe in him. I remember when I was a little girl I got lost in Walmart. Prior to even walking into the store my mother told me to either get in the cart or stay near the cart. If I wasn't going to get in the cart that meant that I had to stay close to the cart and could not stray. Well just like I had done most times before, I decided to stray away from the cart (what I was told) and took a different direction. 

As soon as I went too far away from where I was supposed to be, it was too late because I was already lost and could not find my mother. Everything happened so fast! I was panicking and calling her name but she didn't answer me and so I cried. I cried and I remember that I got into a rack of clothes because although I did defy her orders about staying close to the cart, I feared that I would get taken just like all of the other kids plastered on the Walmart entrance doors. As I cried and prayed quietly to myself, I looked up and my mother was there! It was as if she was watching me the entire time. She watched me walk away, she watched me panic, she watched me cry, she heard me cry out her name, she saw me hide because I was ashamed, and just when I felt hopeless and searched for some guidance she was there! God acts in the same way! In my state of feeling lost, he watched me stray in my beliefs/faith, he watched me become overwhelmed in my sorrows, he heard me cry out to him when I felt hopeless, and just when I was about to give up I looked up and he was there! Just as my mom did, God never left he had to watch me suffer the consequences of my lack of my obedience to him. Why didn't I just listen? Why didn't I just keep my eyes on God? Why didn't I just trust God? Why didn't I just remember that God is always there? God never once left me even when I left him! He never once conditioned his love for me even when I conditioned my faith on my circumstances. The Bible states, I will be your God throughout your lifetime--until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you and I will save you. Isaiah 46:4. Circumstances doesn't change God's faithfulness to us.


Dear Lost Me, .... Let God's Will Be Done In Your Life 

When we go through those seasons of loneliness and those seasons where God seems distant we need to realize what things we're entertaining. If you truly believe in God then you truly believe in his power over your life. You don't question things that seem dim. You believe that he will meet all of your needs just as he always has. And once you recognize this, you also recognize what truly matters. Things that interfere with your faith should be deleted because they only serve as distractions. As a kid in the store I saw distractions of candy and toys that would lure me away from the safety of the cart to a world that exposed me to so much danger, both seen and unseen. And even when I did disobey God he still protected me and allowed me to remain unharmed. Those toys that I searched for in the store were nothing compared to the peace that I found in my mother's arms after being found. As Christians when we doubt God we need to take accountability for our faith and examine what we're entertaining in our lives. We shouldn't search for God through other people. No, we have to set the foundation for our our own personal relationship with Christ. Although I want so many great things to happen in my life, I am truly at peace with missing out on anything that is not in the will of God. If it doesn't have God at the center then I don't want it! I am no longer lost in my situations, no longer lost in my selfishness, no longer lost in my desires, no longer lost in my doubt. Dear lost me, I am found because God never left....But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless--like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile. Ecclesiastes 2:11.

New Breed Oh, How He Loves Us

But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears. (Psalms 18:6).

Stay Blessed and Let God Find You: Jamera 

Weekly Devotional: Walking Away from Selfishness

What is Selfishness?

Selfishness is an inherent work of the flesh, meaning it is something that humans do, oftentimes without even realizing it. Selfishness is most closely linked to your ego. We all have egos. I know the word “ego” sounds like a psycho-babble term, but it basically gives a name to your will which seeks to fulfill its own desires—desires that often are not in line with God’s will for us. Clearly, selfishness is not of God.

Selfishness can manifest itself in many ways. From the way we react to people when they confront us with issues (unreasonably offended), to the way we pursue our own goals (fiercely above all else, EVEN GOD), to the way speak of ourselves (with undue praise to be reserved only for God).

2 Timothy 3:1-2 & 5 speaks specifically to selfishness and the way that it will pervade our culture in the “last days” (the time right before the return of Christ and the end of the world, which many Christians, including myself, believe we are currently living in). It says “in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money… They will be unloving and unforgiving…They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly.” From this passage I derive my definition of selfishness as—love of SELF and all things that will benefit SELF (like money).

Why is selfishness “bad”?

I mean on the surface this seems like a pointless question right??? I’m sure you can remember being told as a kid not to be selfish and to share your toys with your siblings and/or friends. I’m sure that if you don’t remember anything from the Bible, you remember God’s commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself” (essentially a mandate against selfishness). I’m sure you can recall your grandmother (ßor insert other older family member here lol) gossiping about how selfish so-and-so is because she leaves church functions early without helping with clean up, quietly vowing to yourself that you don’t want to be like her. But to truly understand the problem with selfishness, we have to examine it biblically not just socially.

Philippians 3 gives directions about the type of attitude we should have as Christians. Verses 2-4 explicitly state: “Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. ³ Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”

STOP AND THINK…..

Do you ask others about how THEY are doing rather than always talking about yourself? Do you think of people as better than you (not in a self-deprecating way, but in humility)? Do you work well with others? Do you love others wholeheartedly and without pretense (without thinking about what they can do for you)? Are you always trying to impress others and fulfill your own need to be liked, wanted, loved, etc. or is your goal to please God?

I really believe that God has just recently shown me ways in which I have been (and sometimes still am, unfortunately) selfish. When I pre-teen/teenager, I was extremely selfish! Exhibit A: I remember getting mad EVERY SINGLE TIME my mom told me to wash dishes. I now know that I was told to do dishes because I had to contribute to the household in some way since I wasn’t paying bills, not because my mother didn’t care about my needs (I always had those taken care of). Exhibit B: If someone said something that upset me I would pout (visibly frowning) for as long as possible, aiming to let go of my fixed frown only after a prolonged length of time.

I selfishly wanted to manipulate their emotions to gain their attention, and I wanted to show them that not only was I a serious adult but that I was the one with the power in the situation. I’ve since come to find that all I was showing was their power over my mood, my childishness, and my utter stupidity. Even as an adult in relationships with males, I noticed myself doing similar things, manipulating to get reactions, affection or even gifts that I selfishly desired, and acting based on my ego rather than loving and working together with one mind and one purpose. I’m sure that my selifhsness was a large part of the reason that those relationships did not succeed, besides that fact that they were not godly and I am sure that they were not meant to be to begin with lol. Thank God I finally realized that he is the only one that should have power over every situation and every relationship. He is the head, not me! That’s a lesson that I’m glad I learned, and in some ways am still learning, because I know that it is helping my current relationships and will help me in future ones!

So you might be thinking—what is the point of any relationship if I am not supposed to ever do what I want to do? Does this mean that I shouldn’t go after what I want, that I shouldn’t even think of myself at all and just do whatever people ask of me without protest? The answer is NO, not at all, that’s slavery! God made us in his likeness, but each with our own different characteristics and wants. We each have our own mind, personality, and will for a reason—to use it. We use it for creativity and problem solving and God uses it in molding us for our life’s purpose. The issue arises when that is ALL we use, when we are totally motivated by how we feel who we like, and what we want. The point is balance and wisdom--knowing that of course it is impossible to ask God before we make any and every decision (otherwise it might take me 2 days to walk a block up the street) but that we have to consult him in decision-making in order to ensure that we are not being selfish. Furthermore we have to know ourselves and know His ways so that we can identify selfish tendencies and our minds can be renewed and freed from them. At the end of the day, we should be seeking for God’s power to govern every aspect of our lives and for His Holy Spirit to lead and guide us.

Like 2 Timothy says, a lot of times we act religious, but reject the power of God. For example I’ve noticed that some (definitely not all or even most!) Christians like to use the phrases “God said,” “I heard from God,” etc. and then proceed to give directions tainted by SELF. While I do not question the individuals to whom God speaks, the manner in which he does so, or the word that he gives (or does not give) them to deliver, I do know that the purpose of prophecy is to strengthens the entire church (see Corinthians 14:4) not the esteem yourself above others. Furthermore, Romans 8:1 says that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. So we should be lifting each other up! Reproaching or correcting others should be done out of love and out of a genuine desire to help rather than a selfish desire to fill a void within you.

I know this one woman always has something (usually something unkind) to say about women who she believes are dressing inappropriately. At first I used to get upset and wonder why she was so focused on what other women were wearing when that’s between them, God and their husbands, if they have one. Then I realized that she isn’t intentionally being malicious. She just is subconsciously putting her ego first, exerting her influence and belittling others because of something she does not like about herself. And honestly, my heart breaks for her because I know what that feels like, and I now know that is not an attitude or characteristic that I want to have. By faith, “selfish me” is someone that I am steadily walking away from. I’m not looking back as she gets smaller and further behind me. I will not embrace selfishness or invite it into the Lord’s temple (my heart).

               

Now that you understand that selfishness is not just hoarding toys from a friend or quarters from that homeless person on the street, and understand how pervasive selfishness is in our society and probably in your own life, LET GO! Let go of the selfish thoughts, desires, and things that are binding you more tightly to your own ego and to sin, separating you from God. Talk to God about it and ask him to show you yourself. He can put things into perspective by showing you who he has called you to be. Ask him to change your attitude and for help in making your motives pure. Remember that just because it is your first instinct to look out for yourself, that doesn’t mean that’s what you should do. Keep walking away from selfishness J

XOXO

Jael

WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL: Bought With a Price

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
1 Corinthians 6:20 (KJV)

I love this verse and what this verse means. Think about this. Throughout life, many influences have said to youth and generations that we are worthless or that we have no value. And think about this, the devil goes through so much trouble to steal, kill and destroy. The devil tries to steal our joy and steal our value. If we allow him to steal our joy, then it will happen. However, the devil cannot steal our value because we have been BOUGHT with a PRICE!!!!! The price for our lives was paid by Jesus. What an awesome thing to realize what Jesus did!!! He went to the cross for our victory and freedom. 


If we look at Romans 6:23, the wages of sin is DEATH!!!!! Therefore, being sinners, we should be receiving the penalty of death. However, Jesus paid the price!!! We are free from this penalty. Jesus freed us by dying for us. Therefore, everything that has been assigned to us by our past can be removed. When we come to Christ, He can remove anything from the past by the blood. Jesus paid it all!!! He experienced every pain that we experience. Jesus was whipped and beaten for our transgressions. 
Isaiah 53:5 says "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
The beatings and stripes that Jesus received was for our mistakes and to cover the price of our faults. THANK YOU JESUS because You paid it all!!!! 

This song is an awesome song!!! If you just listen to the words, THANK YOU JESUS is all that can come forth. Think about it. Jesus went to the cross with SELFLESS reasons. He died for people that did not exist at the time!!! Jesus having ALL POWER at His hand, He stayed on that cross and took those ridicules so that I can have life. What type of love is this??

This brings me to the last part of 1 Corinthians 6:20. Because you were bought with a price and your sins are taken care of, now is the time to glorify God. Give God the praise. Many times we forget about the cross and what Jesus really went through. Or some times we forget that God is the one that brought us through our situations. ALL the glory belongs to God!!! 

This next song is another awesome song!!! This song for me is my jam!!! This is the truth!!! Jesus, I will worship You forever. Because when things go wrong, you stayed on that cross. Whatever I have suffered in my life, you suffered more through your life. You did not have to go to the cross or have your own people ridicule you. You did not have endure the beatings, the spitting, the cross, or the trials that your own people put you through. But because You PAID the price for me, I will worship you FOREVER!!! 

While you listen to this song, I encourage you to listen to the lyrics. They are powerful. 

With nails in His hands
Nails in His feet
A crown of thorns on His head
Not a mumbling word and You stayed there
I won't forget what You gave up for me

And forever You're my Savior
Forever My Redeemer
Forever I'll remember the price that You paid
Forever You are Holy
Forever You are Worthy
Forever I'll sing Glory to Your Name!!

LOVE THIS SONG!!! I encourage you to NEVER stop thanking and giving God the glory for what He did on the cross!!! He is worthy of it all!!!!

Stay blessed and remember that YOU are BOUGHT with a PRICE!!! You are valuable!!!

Steven Gable

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

WEEKLY DEVOTION: Fire of Affliction

Behold , I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? And I oill not give my glory unto another.

Isaiah 48:10-11

The furnace of affliction sounds like a terrible thing.

When I think of furnace these words come to my mind: fire, burn, death, fear, destruction, trial, tribulation, test

When I think of affliction these words come to my mind: disability, incomplete, infirmity, incapable, impossible, obstacle

Terrible right?

Not so!

This week in bible study I learned the furnace of affliction that God is talking about in this verse is the process in which God takes us through to bring us to our promise.

I remember I use to question the process and God so many times WHY? WHY?

However, God revealed to me this week that I shouldn't be questioning the process but I should be thanking God for it as well as keeping a good attitude while going through it.

WHY do you ask?

Because in the end God will bring us to our promise or destiny in life that God intended for us.

Oil refineries use furnaces to refine oil into useful products such as petroleum, gasoline,
 Kerosene, petrolum gas, asphalt base, and diesel fuel.

Like oil God refines us in the spiritual furnace of affliction. He takes us through certain things in life that he knows will help mold, shape, as well as prepare us for the purpose that God had for our lives.

Don't lose hope, God is with you. I encourage you to keep pursuing God, and the purpose for your life will be revealed for you even when you think your life isn't going anywhere.

Stay in God's Peace not in pieces,  love ya guys!! : )

HANNAH