"If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." James 1:26-27
Where to start? Since I can remember I have always had a passion to be with kids. I was never sure exactly how- maybe I wanted to be a housewife and have 5 kids, maybe I wanted to be a teacher, or work in the hospital with sick kids. It wasn't until this past year that I knew exactly why God had laid this feeling and desires in my heart. I have a calling to go help children overseas. I know this for a fact. God has spoken to me over and over and shown me what He wants me to do. But now it's all up to me to complete God's works He has for me. Easier said than done....
God tells us over and over to drop what we have that's so meaningless and to care for others and love them the way He loves us. Whether that has to do with giving away more money, spending more time with the homeless and poor, or spreading the gospel in places that forbid it all. It's all about obedience. Why can't God be enough for some of us? Why do we feel more comfortable in our American bubble with all our money and homes and warm beds than go out and love on these poor innocent people who have not even half of the things we are blessed with here in America. God has given us the life we have, we should be so thankful, but we should also be willing to give it ALL right back. We don't deserve ANY of this. But because God is so faithful, so loving, so caring, so amazing, so perfect in every way possible that we are able to receive His undeserving grace and mercy.
We weren't placed on this earth to enjoy all the worldly materials possible or have the most romantic relationships between one another you could ever imagine......those are just bonuses God will bless us with IF we follow His word and IF we live according to His will. No that doesn't mean showing up the church every Sunday morning or Wednesday night that the doors are opened- it means developing a TRUE, DEEP, and MEANINGFUL relationship with our Lord, Jesus Christ.
So in saying all of this, it is through my relationship with Christ that He has opened my eyes to letting me see exactly what it is He wants me to do with the gifts He has blessed me with (for now at least!) Isn't that something else amazing? God could completely change our path that He is leading us on to something totally drastic and different. And maybe those transitions are hard and we don't understand, but He is building our character and teaching us things through those moments that we would have never realized otherwise.
For now, all I'm asking for are deep, sincere prayers. Pray that God continues to break my heart for what breaks His, pray for God's touch, pray that I allow God to take complete and total control over my future and these situations coming up, and most importantly- pray for others. God has promised us that He will take care of us and I have complete faith in that. God is constantly creating us into something new. He never fails.....He is always right....
"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." Luke 21:33
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
You've been warned
This morning I was reading in James 3 about wisdom from above. I was going to only read that certain chapter in James but the more I kept reading and investing my heart into God, the more my interest was being drawn into more and more of James. I read in James 4 about warning against worldliness and this is what God brought to my attention...
I remember always thinking it is okay to watch certain movies and listen to certain music; that God really doesn't think it's that bad, but the truth is it IS bad. I am conforming myself to this world and not to God's kingdom. I am becoming a friend of the world and making myself an enemy of God. I know I am by no means perfect, but I should constantly be striving to become more like Jesus every single day. In James 4 it repeats itself over and over by saying such things as DRAW NEAR TO GOD AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU- SUBMIT YOURSELF TO GOD, RESIST THE DEVIL, AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU- CLEANSE YOUR HANDS, PURIFY YOUR HEARTS, HUMBLE YOURSELF BEFORE THE LORD, AND HE WILL EXALT YOU.
Why aren't these promises enough for us? We can sit here all day long and say amen to all of those things, but we DO NOT live by any of this. We are lukewarm Christians and God tells us that he hates lukewarm Christians- that He will spit those out of His mouth.
What if God was a lukewarm God? What if God only halfheartedly loved us?
Next time we turn on the radio and hear people singing about sex and drugs and alcohol, lets think a little bit about how God feels about our hearts being exposed to that mess.
God loves us for who we are, but that doesn't mean that we can continue to be that way.
Here is something to think about:
I remember always thinking it is okay to watch certain movies and listen to certain music; that God really doesn't think it's that bad, but the truth is it IS bad. I am conforming myself to this world and not to God's kingdom. I am becoming a friend of the world and making myself an enemy of God. I know I am by no means perfect, but I should constantly be striving to become more like Jesus every single day. In James 4 it repeats itself over and over by saying such things as DRAW NEAR TO GOD AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU- SUBMIT YOURSELF TO GOD, RESIST THE DEVIL, AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU- CLEANSE YOUR HANDS, PURIFY YOUR HEARTS, HUMBLE YOURSELF BEFORE THE LORD, AND HE WILL EXALT YOU.
Why aren't these promises enough for us? We can sit here all day long and say amen to all of those things, but we DO NOT live by any of this. We are lukewarm Christians and God tells us that he hates lukewarm Christians- that He will spit those out of His mouth.
What if God was a lukewarm God? What if God only halfheartedly loved us?
Next time we turn on the radio and hear people singing about sex and drugs and alcohol, lets think a little bit about how God feels about our hearts being exposed to that mess.
God loves us for who we are, but that doesn't mean that we can continue to be that way.
Here is something to think about:
“I hear religious minded people say all the time with good intentions. ‘God will never place a burden on you so heavy that you cannot possibly carry it.’
Really? My experience is that God will place a burden on you so heavy that you cannot possibly carry it alone. He will break your back and your will. He will buckle your legs until you fall flat beneath the crushing weight of your load. All the while He will walk beside you waiting for you to come to the point where you must depend on Him.
‘My power is made perfect in your weakness,’ He says, as we strain under our burden.
Whatever the burden, it might indeed get worse, but know this-God is faithful. And while we change and get old, He does not. When we get weaker, He remains strong. And in our weakness and humility, He offers us true, lasting, transforming, and undeserved grace.”
-Greg Lucas
Monday, November 1, 2010
Sacrifice of Praise
How can we serve God with our worship?
How often do we think about this question? How often do we try to glorify God through everything we do? God wants us all, and trust me, He is most definitley worth it all.
Through God we should conitnually make sacrifices pleasing to Him to show our love and need for Him. We should not neglect to show others how great our God is through our worship- it pleases God. (Hebrews 13:15-16)
We should constantly be in tune with God- worshiping Him in the good AND bad times in our life. As children of God, we need to shoot for the heart of God and trust in Him knowing that He knows exactly what He is doing.
I fail, over and over again, but through God's grace I am forgiven and am given the chance to become more like Jesus every single day. It's so hard to stay focused with what all is going around us in the world, but God promises us that if we just stay faithful to Him that He will pull us out from all this mess and give us eternity in a perfect place- How amazing is that? I don't know about you but that feeling of eternity with my Father is what keeps me going every single day. God's mercy gives me fuel because I know that NOTHING can seperate us from the love of Christ.
God wants us to have an intense focus in our worship. It's hard, and honestly exhausting, but so worth it. God is worth every bit that we have because in all truth, we belong to Him. He made us, He created us, He loved us before we were made, He gave us this life, He gave us mercy and grace, He gave us His son to die for us, and He will never ever, ever fail us.
Look at your heart, what do you see? How do people see you and your love for Christ? We must constantly worship in spirit and in truth. God wants our FULL attention- give it to Him.
"When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of our deeds from before your eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause."
Isaiah 11:15-17
How often do we think about this question? How often do we try to glorify God through everything we do? God wants us all, and trust me, He is most definitley worth it all.
Through God we should conitnually make sacrifices pleasing to Him to show our love and need for Him. We should not neglect to show others how great our God is through our worship- it pleases God. (Hebrews 13:15-16)
We should constantly be in tune with God- worshiping Him in the good AND bad times in our life. As children of God, we need to shoot for the heart of God and trust in Him knowing that He knows exactly what He is doing.
I fail, over and over again, but through God's grace I am forgiven and am given the chance to become more like Jesus every single day. It's so hard to stay focused with what all is going around us in the world, but God promises us that if we just stay faithful to Him that He will pull us out from all this mess and give us eternity in a perfect place- How amazing is that? I don't know about you but that feeling of eternity with my Father is what keeps me going every single day. God's mercy gives me fuel because I know that NOTHING can seperate us from the love of Christ.
God wants us to have an intense focus in our worship. It's hard, and honestly exhausting, but so worth it. God is worth every bit that we have because in all truth, we belong to Him. He made us, He created us, He loved us before we were made, He gave us this life, He gave us mercy and grace, He gave us His son to die for us, and He will never ever, ever fail us.
Look at your heart, what do you see? How do people see you and your love for Christ? We must constantly worship in spirit and in truth. God wants our FULL attention- give it to Him.
"When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of our deeds from before your eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause."
Isaiah 11:15-17
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