Saturday Sacrifice: Don't Lament

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

 

Jesus knows our ups and downs.

He knows our happy days and our sad days.

He knows our wins and our losses.

And you know what??

He cares about each and every moment in our lives.

Not only does he celebrate the greatest moments in our lives with us, but, he also feels our pain and what’s to alleviate that pain when we go through moments of sorrow.

This is his love for us.

In the dictionary, compassion means a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.

According to the verse stated about God’s love for us is sooooooooo BIG, he keeps us, and helps us through our bad times.( “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.”)

Every day his compassion for us is renewed (“They are new every morning”), meaning it’s not a onetime thing. He is always in touch with how we feel.

When we go through the bad times, he cares, and he wants us to come to him so he can fix it because HE CAN FIX IT.( …great is your faithfulness.)

Think about it?

All the things you been through…you are still here.

You made it, God has kept you, and his hand is on your life.

“I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

In the dictionary, one of the definitions for portion is belonging to a person.

The synonyms for portion are inheritance, fortune, and destiny.

We belong to God.

It is evident in the blessings and grace and mercies he gives us every day. (This is our inheritance and fortune)

It is also evident in the destiny that he has for our lives.

 

Stay in God’s peace, not in pieces=)

Saturday Sacrifice: Hannah

 

 

Friday Fellowship: Sin is Pleasurable

Psalms 145:16 +19

¹⁶ Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

¹⁹ He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

            

      One dream I had, I was holding onto this continuous sparkling silk line that stretched out across the sky, allowing me to fly! I passed by waters, mountains and aesthetically pleasing lands. As I was enjoying myself with just a feeling of euphoria it all changed in a moment. I no longer had control of the line and it began to slowly descend toward the ground. As I was confused, suddenly like a roller coaster, it accelerated. Falling rapidly, I was unusually calm, as my eyes became fixated on this image far below. Finally drawing near, I could see inside the ground as it was transparent and inside the ground I saw a biblically described sin. As soon as I saw the sin, I heard a voice speak to me a bible verse “For the wages of sin is death”.Hysterically panicking now I tried to stop the falling, but I couldn’t and I crashed into this transparent patch of ground. I immediately awoke from the dream in fear.

      

    Sin is like this sparkling silk line that caused me to fly, it was exciting and fun. Yet it seemed within moments, swiftly, suddenly I began to dread, feel a disdain, remorse and a hatred for holding onto this line leading to my death.

         

     Sin is a pleasure fixated on the moment and your desire being fulfilled as you seek it. God’s blessings and benefits supersede sins momentary pleasures. God leads his people to situations, people, places and things that fill them with joy. The pleasures God grants are without any negative after effects. Also, God restrains pleasures and desires from his because the temporary high will lead to long lasting disappointment. Once you become God’s and live in his benefits and pleasures, you seek to stay in his hand.

     Brittney mentioned weeks ago a benefit of living a Godly lifestyle. She was in position to receive a job that fit all her desires, but unforeseen circumstances caused it not to happen. Several months later, she learned of the instability of the company. Had she been hired, she’d be eventually unemployed. This is God’s provision in her life, not luck. We expect God to do things like this and he does! This is just one benefit. One of our greatest benefits is having peace of mind in any situation, because we know God hears and answers the righteous!  

Psalms 34:8

⁸ O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

 Proverbs 10:22

²² The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

Psalms 145:19

¹⁹ He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

GUEST BLOGGER FOR NOVEMBER: Psalms 144:1-2

Psalms 144: 1-2

Blessed be the Lord my strength which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight. My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.

God greatly does all of our fighting for us. He also does a good job of it, but he also encourages us to fight for what we believe in and what’s right. He trains our hands for war and our fingers for battle. Anything we come up against he equips with a strong mind and body. He made us not to be weak but to be strong and be ready for battle. All the praise goes to him for being our rock and preparing us to get ready for battle against any situation and circumstance. Jesus has done this so that we may win the battle and war against the Devil himself.

In verse 2 of chapter 144 of Psalms he is also a high tower and our deliverer. God is there two save us from our enemies. He saves us from diseases. Plus he is a high tower in time of storm. So that should make us want to trust him even more. He has the power to say to mountains be though removed and he will remove them from our lives, only if we trust him. He will even have the people that want to harm us, be cast away and moved from your life. In doing so, and basically we give him the glory and praise back to him.

Most of you guys know that I have a strong desire to go into the United States Navy. I failed my Asvab (Navy test) three times this year and in March of 2014 I can retake it. The first three times I failed, it made me want to give up and give in to this temporary storm, thinking that I shouldn’t take it again and try something else but this is what I really want to do. Through all of this, what Jesus is doing now is just simply training my hands and my fingers for battle. This is just preparation.

In preparation until I go in and when I am in the Navy (and after I pass my Asvab aka Navy test) Jesus will lead me, guide me, and direct my footsteps. I know that any battle that I will face Jesus himself will keep me “Jesus strong” (Just like the hoodie lol). All the training and preparing will pay off in boot camp and have me on way to my destiny. Working towards this destiny in the Navy, Jesus will keep me mentally and physically strong for whatever comes my way. He will be my high tower in time of storm, my deliverer from diseases including pain and sickness, and my shield from weapons and disaster that may try to bring me down. If I only trust him, then everything will work out for my good.

GUEST BLOGGER FOR NOVEMBER: DEVIN (DEVIN THE KID)

Warrior Wednesdays: Live Life!

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

When Christ died our sins died with him. Our sins were nailed to the cross with Jesus and died as he died. Similarly, we must die a spiritual death. We die to our sins, to our desires, to our ideas. We die through repentance. When we repent we are turning away from our sins and that which is not of God. Repentance should happen on a daily basis. Many of us sin daily consciously and sometimes unconsciously therefore it is imperative to repent each day.  The paradox in dying daily to our sins is the ability to actually begin to live! Sin is binding and causes death. Although, sin is fun the end result of sin is death. This is sometimes seen in the physical sense possibly living a life of fornication has led to HIV and a person has died. Often people may live their entire lives with seemingly no consequence of sin however, when judgment day comes everyone will have to answer for their sins. If your sins were not covered by Christ’s death the end result is hell. The great news is once we die to our sins through repentance and turning away from our sins we can begin to live! Being dead to sin brings freedom; freedom from death and hell.

Paul states, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

Through Christ death we have the victory over sin, and death. This freedom allows us to live the life that God has intended for us to live “I come that you might have life and life more abundantly.” God has great plans in store for us which are attainable if we are willing to be crucified with Christ which gives us the power to live not the way we use to live, but as Jesus would live. Living a life by faith!

During my college years I lived a involving sin which was not pleasing to God. This was the darkest time in my life. I remember partying and having great fun, but I also remember being extremely, hurt, confused, frustrated, and disconnected for Christ. I was having the time of my life, but yet I was miserable. I was miserable because of the sin in my life. Sin gives the façade of greatness and is fun, however after sometime the effects of sin set in. Thankfully, I reconnected with Christ and died to sin and now I am able to experience the freedom that life provides.  Although, there are struggles and I feel frustrated and confused at times. My soul is filled with JOY because I know that God has greatness in store for me! Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me…

Stay Blessed and Continue Warring for Christ!

Warrior Wednesday: Brittney

TRANSFORMING TUESDAY: Lord I'm Desperate For You

Have you ever been desperate??? Desperate not for negative attention but desperate to have a touch from God? Yesterday Jael spoke about praying to God with power and force instead of coming to God with worries. It spoke to me because lately I've been finding myself praying to God with so much force and power. These prayers consists of prayers for answers, prayers full of questions, prayers full of worry, prayers of anger, prayers of uncertainty, and of course the prayers where I just find myself unable to find the words to say but where my heart says it all. 


So, have you ever been desperate?? So desperate that you would be willing to do anything for a specific outcome? Desperate because you feel like there is nothing more to look forward to? Desperate because you need your hope restored?? I'm sure we've all been there. Lately I have found myself being desperate with God. I have this yearning desire to be close to him. I want to feel him!!! I want to be near him. I'm not sure if I'm feeling disconnected, or if I'm feeling stagnant but whatever the feeling is, it has me feeling desperate for God. I'm sure it has a lot to do with the loss of my father and so I know this emptiness that I'm feeling can only be filled by God. Sunday my mother and I were praying and she told me that if she could take my pain away that she would do it in a heartbeat. Then she proceeded to pray and asked God to fill the void in my heart and ease the pain away because only he can. It was something that hit me: Jamera, only God can make you whole. He blesses us with people who leave their imprints on our hearts but he also needs those same precious people that he has given us back one day. Our job is to love them while we can and when it is time to let go we have to hang on to the good times. That's how I feel when I think of the miracles and blessings that God has given me. I always have a reminder of what he did the month before when I didn't see how I would get through it. He always has an escape route. 



This past weekend I was able to celebrate another year at life: MY BIRTHDAY!!! Originally I was not in the mood to celebrate because it was just a bittersweet feeling knowing that this birthday would be the first birthday (for the rest of my life) that my father would not be there. I was actually dreading the day and if you know me then you know how much I loveeeee birthdays. With all that was going on, I just wasn't in the mood to celebrate. Fortunately for me, my friends and family were in the mood. Although I miss my father I was able to celebrate life -- more importantly blessings!!! Through every birthday I am able to realize the amount of love that I have around me specifically the family and friends that God has placed in my life. I am blessed knowing the amount of positive energy that I have around me. Just when I thought that I was alone God placed people in my life to remind me that I am NEVER alone. Not only do I have friends and family but I have an amazing God who is just always on time.

So to those who are feeling alone just know that God never leaves us hanging. Once you look at everything as a blessing in disguise you will understand God's greater purpose. So when you're feeling alone and stagnant, that is the time you need to recognize that you need to become desperate for a touch from God. The first step is going before him and pouring your heart out to him. Turn that desperation into a desire to get to know God. He never leaves nor forsakes us. And where we lack that's where he picks up our slack. You're not alone. You have me, Jael, Brittney, Ron, Christian, Hannah, Steven, and most importantly you have God. We're all in this together. Be encouraged.

PRAYER:

Dear God we humbly come before you with hearts of desperation. Hearts of pain, anger, hurt, unforgiveness, and uncertainty. We ask that you hear us when we say that we want to be made whole. We ask that you fill every void, wipe every tear, and touch every mind so that we will remain desperate for you and not fall victim to the world. It is you Lord who knows what it is best for us. It is you Lord who knows the big plan. It is you oh Lord who understands the beginning to the end. We ask that in the midst of that desperation that you will give us a heart to trust you; a heart to allow you to lead; a heart that allows us to follow you even in the midst of uncertainty. Lord we also pray that you will have your way in our lives. Lord we want to know YOU. Lord we want to touch YOU. Lord we want to feel YOU. Lord we desire to be near YOU. Lord we ask that our cries will soon turn into joy because of your grace and mercy. Lord we also ask that you make us vulnerable and transparent in our walks with you. Heavenly Father we ask that even in the midst of our desperation that you use us for your glory and your glory alone. We trust you because all we have is you. Thank you for being our refuge. In your precious name we pray. Amen.

Also here is another link: 

Pastor Frank Hechavarria - Desperate For God

Yes, with new levels comes new devils. However, my God is still the same today as he was yesterday so I'm not worried about anything.

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO TRANSFORM YOUR TUESDAYS :)

TRANSFORMING TUESDAY: JAMERA

Merciful Monday: Call for Help

Every year it seems like once October hits my life becomes a whirl wind of birthdays, holidays, work events, church events, dinners, errands, family time, friend time, etc. The thing is, for the most part these are all things that I sincerely want to partake in, yet I still kind of dread this time of year. This week, I have been feeling especially busy and tired. The little time that I have spent in my apartment has been sleep time for the most part. I’m so tired writing this blog post right now that I want to face palm on my Bible just like this:

But thank God I am making it through because I have been encouraged by his word!

Today’s reading in Psalms 141 really struck me. I wasn’t struck so much by the subject matter of the Psalmist’s prayer, but rather the manner in which he prays, with fervor and with power, but most of all with sincerity and with faith. He repeatedly calls for HELP, saying, “O Lord, I am calling to you. Please hurry! Listen when I cry to you for help! I look to you for help, O Sovereign Lord. You are my refuge” (Psalms 141:1).

It instantly hit me after reading those verses that all week I did not once stop and pray for God to for help. I didn’t call on Him to strengthen me and restore life and energy to my body and mind. Instead I just kept thinking over and over in my head, “I’m tired. I need to get to my bed. I’m tired.” I didn’t take the time to offer up even a quick prayer to the one that is able, explaining that I sincerely need his help in this situation, and believing by faith that he would make it happen. Instead I tried to “power thru” on my own.

Sadly, I sometimes, I think that I can handle my problems on my own, so it doesn’t even cross my mind to bring them to God. When I was younger my mom would lose her keys and then pray to God for help finding them. And when she did find them (she always would!) she would say of prayer of thanks. Call me crazy, but as a kid I honestly used to always think it was just a little stupid. I thought that she should find her keys on her own because God had better things to worry about, like world peace or the war in the Middle East, or helping end homelessness. But I now know better.

Philippians 4:6 says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” and one of my favorite verses Mark 11:24 says, “ I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. While Colossians 1:17 says, “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” We can pray for help in any situation because God is everything and he holds everything together. When you seek him he can help hold your mind together despite the forces that try to drive it towards insanity. He can help hold your marriage together despite the generational curses that try to break it apart. And he can help hold your broken heart together despite the people that try their best to break into tiny little insignificant pieces.

God wants us to give everything to him and he wants us to ask for help. Don’t hold back your blessing by keeping your worries (no matter how big or small) to yourself. Instead, PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING!

So now I’m going to take a minute to pray for help for myself and for all of those like me that are feeling weary and worrying about all of their impending responsibilities…

MY PRAYER: Dear God, thank you for using your word to remind me that I can come to you with any problem. Right now, I come before you asking that you give me energy to fulfill all of my obligations. Keep my mind and my health so that I can continue to do the work that I need to do. I pray for all of those that are feeling overwhelmed right now with work, school (midterms!), family gatherings, and so on. I ask that you pour out a blessing of your joy upon us, so much that we cannot contain it all, because we know that the JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH. We love you and we praise you for helping us right now and providing spiritual, emotional, physical, and psychological renewal. Help us to remember that it is us that it is you that holds all things together and that we cannot and should not try to do it alone, but call on you when in need. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Merciful Mondays: Jael

^“For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the solemn covenant he made with your ancestors.” Deuteronomy 4:31

Salvation Sundays: The Deliverer

Psalm 140 starts off by saying "Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;" (Psalm 140:1). David's prayer was for God to deliver him. He wanted to be delivered from all attacks of his enemies. David wanted to be free from every enemy. As he is going through life, he realizes that God is his strength and is all that he needs. He knew that God answers his prayers and that God is there for him.  

In 2 Peter, we see that different occasions where people were led astray. It starts off by saying how there were false prophets and how people were deceived by these false prophets. This is why is important that we trust God and obey Him. Once we continue to trust and obey God, He can save us. If you're going through, trust God. Obey God because He will deliver you. He will deliver you out whatever you're going through. 

Another way to be delivered is by praising God through it all. Praise God through it all and see what He does for you. Praise God through and see how He delivers you. No matter what you are going through God is still worthy of the praise. Every praise goes to God. He is your Savior. He is your Healer and He is your DELIVERER!!!! God will deliver you if you are praising Him and showing Him you trust Him. I encourage you to praise the Deliverer and see how He saves and delivers you. 

In Psalm 3, David talks about how there are many that rise up against him. He talks about he cries out unto God and trusts Him and that he won't be afraid as He has God on His side. He has the deliverer to keep Him. Through it all, David can still say "But thou O Lord art a shield for me: my glory and the lifter of mine head." God is your shield. God is your deliverer!!!! 

Stay blessed!!!!

Salvation Sundays: Steven Gable

 2 Chronicles 6:41 "Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness."

GUEST BLOGGER FOR NOVEMBER: Prayer for Protection

GUEST BLOGGER FOR NOVEMBER: LORI

Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man; Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah. Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings. The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah. I said unto the Lord, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord. O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle. Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah. As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them. Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again. Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him. I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence. (Psalms 140:1-13 KJV)

Psalm 140 is about Gods power and His promise to protect us from any evil. David cries out to the Lord to deliver him from his enemies. It seems that David always had enemies because he was doing work for the Lord. Satan has every intention to sidetrack us to stop us from completing the mission of God. The more Satan appears, the more we should be in prayer with God. We should pray that in our everyday walk that we not slip and fall into those traps the enemies have laid down for us. If God be with us, who can be against us? Stand upon the word of God and be not moved!

Three months ago, I started a new job and everyday I am thankful for it. I knew being that this place is so big, that soon there will be gossip. A couple of weeks ago, I came to work one day only to find that I was topic of discussion. It was personal things that I told a supposed "friend" so it immediately hurt my feelings. I went to the restroom and I cried but later got myself together. It is sad that some people wake up with the mindset of ruining someone's day. I think the hardest pill to swallow as Christians is to love people who have wronged us and do kind to the ones who have spitefully used us. It's not an easy task and it's impossible for us to do it on our own. With the help of God is the only way we can achieve it. Only through Him can we overcome any evil.

Saturday Sacrifice: You Are Not Forgotten

I just wanted to start this post out saying that GOD IS TOO GOOD lol =)

No, but in all seriousness he truly is.

Ever feel like you were forgotten??

Ever feel like you didn’t matter or that no one cared or that your needs and wants were insignificant to others?

My answers to all of these questions would be a resounding YES!!

I can remember often times growing up, being a middle child (well one of them, I’m three out of four) I felt like…how do I put this… I just felt forgotten. I knew my parents loved me, and they cared about what happened to me and what I enjoyed doing as a kid. However, I still felt forgotten at times. I don’t know if it was because I wished all their attention and focus was on me lol I don’t know.

Do I feel like that today??

No, absolutely not!

I realized that my parents are human and that they too make mistakes.  Just like I do. They’re not perfect, but I STILL LOVE THEM, FOREVER AND ALWAYS =).

However, I have my JESUS, my GOD, who is PERFECT IN EVERY WAY.

Before I read the verses for today, I was reflecting on my childhood, and those feelings of being forgotten by my parents started to come up. Then all of a sudden I started to feel depressed and self pity (this is what happens when you focus on yourself). So, I prayed because I hate feeling that way and I know as a child of God I shouldn't be feeling this way.

God reminded me in his word that I am not forgotten. Even as a little kid, when I felt like I was, I was on HIS MIND.

In Psalms 139 it says,

You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.
¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts,^[a] God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
    they would outnumber the grains of sand—
    when I awake, I am still with you.

 Basically these verses are saying God knows everything about you even before he formed you in your mother’s womb, he knew you.

That’s amazing!!=)

He even knew what you would do everyday of your life before you were formed.

That’s mind blowing lol. My favorite part is this :

You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

He knows me better than I know myself. He knows you better than you know yourself.

 He knows my thoughts before I create them in my mind. He knows that words that will come out of my mouth before I say them, he knows when I’m going and when I’m coming.

And most importantly his hand is on me. In other words, he is always with me=).

Therefore, I am not forgotten and neither are you.

 

Stay in God’s Peace, not in pieces=)

Saturday Sacrifice: Hannah

Friday Fellowship:Becoming a Better You

1 Peter 5:10

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you

      This verse talks about the process of God, making you a better you. In that process God shows you, yourself. 
Sounds funny, because one would say I know me, but God shows you what's not like him. Our example we strive for is Jesus and as we draw closer to God, he transforms us into the stature of Jesus. 
      The process I went through last year, God exposed in me pride, fear, jealousy, lack of faith and this list can continue. It was all a shock to me, as I was self righteous believing I was a good Christian. However, that process exposed me, and it was undeniable every flaw he showed me.

God didn't show me to condemn me, but to help me understand I have to strive to be like him.

      One process I went through was designed to stretch my level of forgiveness. I had a boss that treated me horribly and unfairly seemingly every day. God showed me how to walk in forgiveness, as I attempted to treat every day like a new day giving her the opportunity to change. I struggled through this process. Thankfully God knows us and how much we can bear. I told God, my effort to forgive was only for him. The best gesture of forgiveness was to just say “hello”. As small of a gesture as that seems, God saw that was all I can do. God blessed me for my effort and my capacity to forgive certainly grew. 

       Jael Monday blogger last week used a similar example in reference to a leader she had an issue with. Clearly she strives to be more Christ like as God led her to scriptures changing her mentality. She mentioned it will be tough communicating to this leader, but with prayer she'd be able. God honors every effort to obey his word and I'm sure Jael will see blessings upon walking in that knowledge. Becoming a better you, is becoming more like Jesus.

Ephesians 4:13

Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God's Son, growing into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ's fullness

Thirsty Thursday: Living For God

Before going through the readings for the day and writing about it I always pray. I usually ask for clarity, knowledge, wisdom and understanding on what I am about to read. In addition I ask to not just learn but actually apply what I’ve learned and gained to my life. Some days ideas on what to write about come easily while other days take a little more thought. For today’s reading I literally just wanted to rewrite what was already written in the bible. I felt as if 1 Peter 4 spoke so clearly and in a nutshell explained how we as believers should live our lives. Here are a few examples.

“1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.” It is a constant battle between our flesh and our spirit. Our flesh wants to satisfy the evil human desires. It is full of debauchery,selfish in nature, quick to anger, irritable etc. The spirit is full of love, peace, kindness, joy, faithfulness, self control etc. When you don’t give in to the desires of your flesh but walk in the spirit you overcome sin and do the will of God. Although the temptations will continually arise, each time you overcome them you grow stronger in the Lord.

“8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” Love covers over a multitude of sins; love doesn’t hate, it isn’t jealous, it isn’t quick to anger, it isn’t boastful, it is patient, it is kind, it does not boast and is not proud. We have all been blessed with different talents, there is a saying that goes “Your talent is God’s gift to you and what you do with it is your gift back”. Our blessings and talents were not given to use to store away, hide or use to only benefit ourselves. We should use our talents to not only benefit our lives but the lives of others. Be a blessing to others, help further the kingdom, allow people to see the God in you through your generous actions.

“12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” Don’t be shocked, there will be trials and tribulations along the way. Through it all continue to give God the glory and believe in faith he will deliver you. There may be people who attempt to get you to slip up, or out right persecute you for your beliefs. Stand firm on the word of God. 

Stay Thirsty My Friends

Thirsty Thursdays