I hope that this blog reaches both guys and girls, men and women. I think that everything God says can always speak to other people, sometimes in a different way, but still.
In my last post, I kind of gave the Gospel Message, so I hope that this post finds you as a child of God, maybe new, maybe old. Still my fellow believer. :) Totally exciting!!!!
Being a believer in Jesus Christ seems like no big deal..."everyone is doing it". But I don't really care how many people are following the Lord. I'd rather know 3 true followers of Jesus, than to know 50 people who are only "stamped" on the outside, but not one bit changed on the inside.
So...before I get started, I have to ask...are YOU changed? Are you totally, consumed and excited about following the Lord no matter what the cost? Think about it. What parts of your life scream "I AM A CHILD OF GOD" so loud that people sometimes cover their ears?
I want to help you...I want you to be touched by what God speaks to me...but even more, I want you to be as in-love and smitten with the Lord as I am. Otherwise, what I have to say won't matter much.
I pray that you repeat this in you heart night and day...
"May those who fear You rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in Your Word" Psalm 119:74
"Let them know that it is Your hand, that You, O Lord, have done it" Psalm 109:27
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What does it mean to pursue PURITY? To walk towards it? To live for the Lord?
God has given us so much to study, research, and pick up quick. We can apply scripture on the go, we can study it for hours, we can live it and it can live inside us!
To live it...we have to know it. That's a given.
Remember the Ten Commandments?
1-you shall have no other gods before Me
2-you shall not make yourself an idol
3-you shall not take the Lord's name in vein
4-remember the sabbath day and keep it holy
5-Honor your father and your mother
6-you shall not murder
7-you shall not commit adultery
8-you shall not steal
9-you shall not lie
10-you shall not covet your neighbors things
These are very simple things to follow, and everyone knows they exist. Some people even know them and try to follow them, even if their hearts don't belong to God.
In giving your heart and life to the Lord, His Holy Spirit came to dwell in you. It doesn't make you do things, but when you open yourself up to it, it will guide you through anything. In receiving the Holy Spirit, you have the ability to follow the Lord better than before. The law is no longer above you (weighing on you), but it becomes the foundation/ground on which you walk.
So, the walk is obedience. Not to just the law, but to God Himself. "Now that the Spirit has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the Law" Galatians 3:25
Many people have arguments over this subject of Law and Spirit. This could very well be an example of why God did not "entrust Himself to men" (John 2:24). It is a part of our nature to try to be "right" about things and call people out and, honestly, to created divisions! The Law and Spirit work together. God's Law is no longer what we are judged by. Remember Matthew 15:18-20??
We are judged by our motives, our heart and our devotion.
So what does the Law have to do with this??
Think about laws of a country, or state, or even county. You know...the dreadful speed limit, or that new law about cell phones! Yeah...I think everyone breaks those laws! But aren't we supposed to follow them?? Why?? Because we belong to that country, state, county. Well, it is the same with God's Law. We are a part of His body, His family. And just like with Family rules...elbows off the table!!!!...they make things easier for us, and nicer for visitors :)
So rid yourself of the devils scheme (and infectious lies) to create a division with the Spirit and Law and just think about how guilty you feel when you get a speeding ticket...and ask yourself if you feel the same about God's Law?
Jesus took your punishment, He went to jail for you for disobeying the Law. That doesn't mean you shouldn't follow it.
Don't complicate the Word of God.
Try to obey His "speed limit"...don't "text and drive"...don't "drink and drive".
*****************
So what does it mean to walk in PURITY? Obedience. Obedience to His Word, His Spirit and trying to obey His law. I'm sure He'd appreciate the effort. Remember, you might not be able to follow it, but He sees your heart, your motives and your walk.
"Flee the evil desire of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with [people] who call on the Lord out of a pure heart" 2 Timothy 2:22 (check out verse 23 too!)
"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a follower of Christ" Galatians 1:10
"Just as you used to offer parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness" Romans 6:19
"If you love Me, you will obey what I command" John 14:15
Pray with me...
God,
Help me to better know your Word and to obey it.
I'm sorry I have not been making an effort to fully follow You even when it is hard.
Help me make the right decisions from now on.
Remind me of Your Word and how You want me to be.
Please give me more opportunities to read Your Word so that it can walk with me to matter where I am.
Make Your Holy Spirit louder than my thoughts and help listen to it.
Guide me in my life so that others may see You in me by how I live.
And give me courage to tell other about You.
Today, I pray that You would be glorified through every step I take.
Consume me God.
In the name of Jesus Christ, my Savior forever. Amen.
(Part Three I'll share how God has taught me to walk in PURITY. And what my walk with the Lord is like. :)
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
The heart choice of PURITY (Part One)
"But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean'. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean'." Matthew 15:18-20
This verse holds meaning for every aspect and choice in life. But for today I want to apply it to the subject of purity, and take captive the false perception that purity means never having or had sex. I'd also like to talk more on the walk from my earlier posts.
Everything we do is a choice we make in our heart, then our heart tells our brain and our brain tells the rest of our body. Those who make mistakes and really don't know what they were doing is a sign of a weak heart. Those who have brain damage, usually have an amazing heart, but the message gets messed up in transit. Those who have damaged hearts sometimes act like they have no brain. Those who have strong hearts, can control themselves easier than others.
Just as your literal heart pumps your blood to keep you alive, so does your figurative heart pump things through you to make you who you are. This is why those who do not know Jesus, whose hearts do not belong to God yet, are okay with doing stupid things.
What makes a man 'unclean'?
By what Jesus said, it is our hearts, not what we do. But our actions reflect our hearts.
I believe this verse is very important right now because I have met many people who think they can't be "pure" because they have done something in the past.
I would like to take hold of this lie.
No matter how many times you wash your hands, you aren't going to be 'clean' unless your heart is clean. The enemy will try to tell you that you have missed out on your chance to follow God when you made out with that guy, or had sex with that girl, or killed that person (extreme, I know, but it counts too). This is a LIE. Do not believe it. No where in God's Word does He say "I want perfect people, who have never sinned". This would go against and contradict Jesus' WHOLE reason for coming to the world! Without sinners...there is no need for a Savior! "But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" Romans 5:8
You need Jesus in your heart to be able to walk in pursuit of purity. Without your heart wanting to be pure...you never will be. This also means that those who have sinned in the past, have a chance to be pure...just as much as someone who hasn't fooled around.
When we all die and come before God's judgement, we will be judged based on our motives for what we did, not our actions themselves. There is no way around this. If someone thought that they could "get away" with sin because God said He doesn't judge our works...his heart is not in the right place. That is what God will judge first.
So strip away all the confusion that you may have because of religion, or what other people have said, and listen to what God has to say. He has a plan for you. Break away from your mistakes, let God into your heart so that you can pursue what you were always meant to pursue, purity.
It isn't easy...but it is what you were made for. Go back to His Word, give Him your sins, your past, your regrets...and make the decision in your heart to seek Him. It is YOUR choice, you have to be the one to make it.
Here is a sample prayer. Pray from your heart remembering that God has loved you all your life and He knows everything about you. Don't complicate it, just pray.
Dear God,
I know You know what I have done in the past
I know You saw the motives of my heart and there was no where I could hide from You
So today, I am asking Your forgiveness for the things I have done
I'm sorry I forgot You and disobeyed You.
Please, forgive me.
I want to walk in Your ways and not my own.
I tried it on my own and I failed and made things worse.
I want what You have for me.
Teach me to pursue purity.
Search my heart so that it can be fully committed to You
Teach me how to let go of my past
and strengthen me to say "no" to things I shouldn't do.
Put people around me to keep me accountable.
Thank You for always being there, even when I didn't see You.
Thank You for creating me.
Thank You for loving me.
In the name of Jesus Christ my Savior,
Amen
Those with "unclean hands" can glorify God with their now clean heart :)
(Part Two : I'll talk about the lifestyle of a heart that pursues purity and "the walk")
This verse holds meaning for every aspect and choice in life. But for today I want to apply it to the subject of purity, and take captive the false perception that purity means never having or had sex. I'd also like to talk more on the walk from my earlier posts.
Everything we do is a choice we make in our heart, then our heart tells our brain and our brain tells the rest of our body. Those who make mistakes and really don't know what they were doing is a sign of a weak heart. Those who have brain damage, usually have an amazing heart, but the message gets messed up in transit. Those who have damaged hearts sometimes act like they have no brain. Those who have strong hearts, can control themselves easier than others.
Just as your literal heart pumps your blood to keep you alive, so does your figurative heart pump things through you to make you who you are. This is why those who do not know Jesus, whose hearts do not belong to God yet, are okay with doing stupid things.
What makes a man 'unclean'?
By what Jesus said, it is our hearts, not what we do. But our actions reflect our hearts.
I believe this verse is very important right now because I have met many people who think they can't be "pure" because they have done something in the past.
I would like to take hold of this lie.
No matter how many times you wash your hands, you aren't going to be 'clean' unless your heart is clean. The enemy will try to tell you that you have missed out on your chance to follow God when you made out with that guy, or had sex with that girl, or killed that person (extreme, I know, but it counts too). This is a LIE. Do not believe it. No where in God's Word does He say "I want perfect people, who have never sinned". This would go against and contradict Jesus' WHOLE reason for coming to the world! Without sinners...there is no need for a Savior! "But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" Romans 5:8
You need Jesus in your heart to be able to walk in pursuit of purity. Without your heart wanting to be pure...you never will be. This also means that those who have sinned in the past, have a chance to be pure...just as much as someone who hasn't fooled around.
When we all die and come before God's judgement, we will be judged based on our motives for what we did, not our actions themselves. There is no way around this. If someone thought that they could "get away" with sin because God said He doesn't judge our works...his heart is not in the right place. That is what God will judge first.
So strip away all the confusion that you may have because of religion, or what other people have said, and listen to what God has to say. He has a plan for you. Break away from your mistakes, let God into your heart so that you can pursue what you were always meant to pursue, purity.
It isn't easy...but it is what you were made for. Go back to His Word, give Him your sins, your past, your regrets...and make the decision in your heart to seek Him. It is YOUR choice, you have to be the one to make it.
Here is a sample prayer. Pray from your heart remembering that God has loved you all your life and He knows everything about you. Don't complicate it, just pray.
Dear God,
I know You know what I have done in the past
I know You saw the motives of my heart and there was no where I could hide from You
So today, I am asking Your forgiveness for the things I have done
I'm sorry I forgot You and disobeyed You.
Please, forgive me.
I want to walk in Your ways and not my own.
I tried it on my own and I failed and made things worse.
I want what You have for me.
Teach me to pursue purity.
Search my heart so that it can be fully committed to You
Teach me how to let go of my past
and strengthen me to say "no" to things I shouldn't do.
Put people around me to keep me accountable.
Thank You for always being there, even when I didn't see You.
Thank You for creating me.
Thank You for loving me.
In the name of Jesus Christ my Savior,
Amen
Those with "unclean hands" can glorify God with their now clean heart :)
(Part Two : I'll talk about the lifestyle of a heart that pursues purity and "the walk")
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Focus on the Walk (Part Three)
Each of us has been through different things in life...we all have learned different lessons and we aren't all living the same.
As believers we are held to a high-standard, called The Word of God. Beyond the Word of God, the Holy Spirit leads us in our decision making, if we listen to Him. If your desire is to live the way you want to, and pray for God to keep you safe and bless you while you trot on your own pathway...you don't listen to the Holy Spirit. If you only want God's blessings and not His callings, but won't get anything.
So many people my age (and others) want nothing to do with God. They feel that God has forgotten about them and He wants them to suffer. In reality, they wanted nothing to do with Him, and they chose their own way rather than His. If you keep telling God off, He might actually leave one day.
"The worst thing God can do to you...is to leave you alone"
Is that what you want?
Is your life saying "God I don't want your way, I know what I am doing"?
If this is your attitude...let me remind you of something...
"In the beginning GOD" not you "created the heavens and the earth" including you. (Genesis 1:1)
Without God you wouldn't exist.
He didn't just create you as a science project...He had a purpose the whole time...
"He chose us in Him before the creation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight" (Ephesians 1:4)
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart" (Jeremiah 1:5)
He created you because He wanted YOU. When He was pointing His finger making the galaxy's He thought to Himself in the year 1989 I am going to make Amanda, and she will be beautiful and she will walk in my ways and I will love her forever (ha ha isn't that awesome??). :)
God never makes mistakes, you were not a mistake or something that evolved over time or suddenly appeared, you were created. He loves us...and He made us just the way He wanted (even if sometimes sin masks that over)
"The King in enthralled by your beauty; honor Him for He is your Lord" (Psalm 45:11)
"But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him to formed it, 'why did you make me like this?' Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?" (Romans 9:20-21)
You see, you aren't just a person. To God, you are His perfect love. And He wants you. But He loves you SO much that He doesn't want you to get hurt or to stumble...so He gave you something to follow so that you wouldn't have to go through heartache. He gave you the Word, His Word.
When in the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had direct communication with God, but they stepped off His path when deceived by the devil. God's heart broke that day. Even though He knew it would happen, I'm sure He didn't want it to. Sure He had the plans all set for sending Jesus...but He made the perfect place FOR US and we let ourselves think that He was withholding from us. We left Him, when He offered us everything good, we chose our own path, we chose sin.
I say "we" because we are all born into that same sin since the Garden. God still wants to give us everything good. We can't have the Garden of Eden right now because of how much sin is in this world...but we will have it in the next one.
But for now, will you break the chain? Will you choose God instead of your own way? Instead of sin?
"I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I may present you as a pure virgin to Him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpents cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:2-3)
God didn't leave us to be enslaved to our sins...He provided a way to freedom...a way back to Him...a way back to obedience. Someone sinless had to physically die and take our payment...God decided He would come to earth in the form of a man to go through that...FOR US. We were the ones that messed up in the first place...but He decided to still save us.
Are you beginning to see it, the love of God?
"But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
Is this the God you want nothing to do with?
Is this the God you don't want to follow?
"I know the plans I have for you...they are plans to prosper you not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11)
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him" (Romans 8:28)
Will you come back to Him?
Will you follow His loving Word that He wrote for you?
Will you choose Him instead of sin?
This is an everyday commitment. Believers or not we still have to choose God's ways and not our own.
You are created to be loved by God...will you let Him love you? Come back on the path of things good.
Will you walk in the garden...or walk in deception?
I'm sure Adam and Eve were kicking themselves when they bit that fruit and they realised all they had given up. The crazy thing is...you can have it back! Please don't wait another minute...
All my blog posts are lead by God...I get into His Word and He decides to lead me to write...so don't consider this by me...but written by God...to you.
TRUST and OBEY
p.s please leave comments, feedback or post on my facebook :)
As believers we are held to a high-standard, called The Word of God. Beyond the Word of God, the Holy Spirit leads us in our decision making, if we listen to Him. If your desire is to live the way you want to, and pray for God to keep you safe and bless you while you trot on your own pathway...you don't listen to the Holy Spirit. If you only want God's blessings and not His callings, but won't get anything.
So many people my age (and others) want nothing to do with God. They feel that God has forgotten about them and He wants them to suffer. In reality, they wanted nothing to do with Him, and they chose their own way rather than His. If you keep telling God off, He might actually leave one day.
"The worst thing God can do to you...is to leave you alone"
Is that what you want?
Is your life saying "God I don't want your way, I know what I am doing"?
If this is your attitude...let me remind you of something...
"In the beginning GOD" not you "created the heavens and the earth" including you. (Genesis 1:1)
Without God you wouldn't exist.
He didn't just create you as a science project...He had a purpose the whole time...
"He chose us in Him before the creation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight" (Ephesians 1:4)
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart" (Jeremiah 1:5)
He created you because He wanted YOU. When He was pointing His finger making the galaxy's He thought to Himself in the year 1989 I am going to make Amanda, and she will be beautiful and she will walk in my ways and I will love her forever (ha ha isn't that awesome??). :)
God never makes mistakes, you were not a mistake or something that evolved over time or suddenly appeared, you were created. He loves us...and He made us just the way He wanted (even if sometimes sin masks that over)
"The King in enthralled by your beauty; honor Him for He is your Lord" (Psalm 45:11)
"But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him to formed it, 'why did you make me like this?' Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?" (Romans 9:20-21)
You see, you aren't just a person. To God, you are His perfect love. And He wants you. But He loves you SO much that He doesn't want you to get hurt or to stumble...so He gave you something to follow so that you wouldn't have to go through heartache. He gave you the Word, His Word.
When in the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had direct communication with God, but they stepped off His path when deceived by the devil. God's heart broke that day. Even though He knew it would happen, I'm sure He didn't want it to. Sure He had the plans all set for sending Jesus...but He made the perfect place FOR US and we let ourselves think that He was withholding from us. We left Him, when He offered us everything good, we chose our own path, we chose sin.
I say "we" because we are all born into that same sin since the Garden. God still wants to give us everything good. We can't have the Garden of Eden right now because of how much sin is in this world...but we will have it in the next one.
But for now, will you break the chain? Will you choose God instead of your own way? Instead of sin?
"I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I may present you as a pure virgin to Him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpents cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:2-3)
God didn't leave us to be enslaved to our sins...He provided a way to freedom...a way back to Him...a way back to obedience. Someone sinless had to physically die and take our payment...God decided He would come to earth in the form of a man to go through that...FOR US. We were the ones that messed up in the first place...but He decided to still save us.
Are you beginning to see it, the love of God?
"But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
Is this the God you want nothing to do with?
Is this the God you don't want to follow?
"I know the plans I have for you...they are plans to prosper you not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11)
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him" (Romans 8:28)
Will you come back to Him?
Will you follow His loving Word that He wrote for you?
Will you choose Him instead of sin?
This is an everyday commitment. Believers or not we still have to choose God's ways and not our own.
You are created to be loved by God...will you let Him love you? Come back on the path of things good.
Will you walk in the garden...or walk in deception?
I'm sure Adam and Eve were kicking themselves when they bit that fruit and they realised all they had given up. The crazy thing is...you can have it back! Please don't wait another minute...
All my blog posts are lead by God...I get into His Word and He decides to lead me to write...so don't consider this by me...but written by God...to you.
TRUST and OBEY
p.s please leave comments, feedback or post on my facebook :)
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Focus on the walk (Part Two)
What is "the walk"?
This could be different for some Christians, in that we all have different gifts.
I'd like to focus more on the walk that God calls all His children to.
A walk of faith.
Once you realise that you aren't perfect and you open up your heart to share your struggles and ask for prayer, you also open up your heart to God's plan for you and for Him to be able to work. We have all come to a place where we realised we were dying spiritually, and that we needed a Savior. We all said the prayer in some way, Admitting we were sinners and repented...Believed in Jesus as our Lord and Savior...then Told everyone about it :)
So what now?
How has your life really changed since that moment?
Are you still as excited and humbled as you were when you first met Him?
Do the decisions you make now, and what takes up your time, reflect that commitment you made years ago?
The Bible says that those who don't have the Holy Spirit won't be able to fully understand it. But I wonder how many Christians read it as much as they preach it. When we become Believers we still need Jesus everyday. He isn't like a defibrillator, where we would only need Him when we are dying and then never need Him again. He is more like a vitamin, we have to take Him everyday to keep ourselves healthy. Sure if you don't take Him, you won't die...but you would be able to live a whole lot better if you took Him everyday. :)
God isn't a glamorous God. He doesn't require yelling, and He doesn't always want "live-changing experiences". He's an intimate God. He wants your heart, because from your heart everything flows. I could scream in worship, sing a beautiful song, even give an amazing talk or pray the "perfect prayer" (no such thing)...but if my heart doesn't say the same thing...it means nothing to God. He doesn't require us to do big things, or go where no man has gone before...He only requires that we follow Him...and walk as He sets the path for us. He called some people to go to Hungry to witness, and called some people to go to South Dakota...but He is also calling people to reach their neighbors...to work in the church nursery. It isn't about the glamour. If you want all the attention, and the glamorous trips...I'm sorry...that was your old life...when you were gratifying your desires for more. Being a follower in Jesus Christ is not about that...it is about serving God, even when you get none of the credit. When being in ministry wears you out and He gives you just enough strength for the day.
God doesn't call everyone to the hard stuff, He doesn't call everyone to the easy things.
But when you accepted Christ, wasn't it about Him? Where He wanted you? What He wanted to do through you? Do you love Him, or your riches and glory?
How many people have sung the song "I will follow"...."where You go, I'll go, where You stay, I'll stay..."? Yet, when some people turn 18, they follow their anger to leave their parents house, and wouldn't even try to go through the hard stuff to stay. Or, someone who doesn't want to loose their boyfriend or girlfriend, so instead of leaving to go home, they stay and sleep over.
If God lead you to something you didn't want to do...something that was hard and didn't look like you would get any firework display for doing it...would you do it?
The Christian walk is not about being without sin. It is about follow Jesus Christ, into deep waters, into dark canyons or even out of a relationship. It may hurt, you may be scared. But will you still follow?
We made a choice to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior. We gave our lives to Him. Are you still making that choice? Are you choosing God with every decision? Are you choosing God's way rather than sleeping with your boyfriend or girlfriend? Are you choosing God's way rather than your anger? Are you choosing God's way rather than what would bring you more money? Are you choosing God's way rather than what is easy?
We live in a sinful world, most of the time choosing God's way will be hard. Not because He wants it to be hard, but just the fact of what we are surrounded by. Sin is in the world...and because God is righteous...He isn't going to do all the work for us. Many people ask why God lets certain things happen. Well, He doesn't...it is a result of man's choice. Man's choice not to choose God. And it gets passed down generation to generation.
But even through all the chaos, He will still work. He may not make things go away...but He will lead you through it.
The glass has always been half full...you were just focusing on what was missing and not on what you had. Sin isn't the focus...Jesus is.
God has a plan for you...choose it.
Scripture: Psalm 32:8-11, Psalm 139, Proverbs 3:3-10, Proverbs 4:11-13,25-27, Jeremiah 17:7-8, Galatians 1:10, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; 11:2-3, James 1:2-18, 1 Peter 3:15-16, John 14:15,23, John 4:13-14, Matthew 15:18-19, Matthew 7:13-14
This could be different for some Christians, in that we all have different gifts.
I'd like to focus more on the walk that God calls all His children to.
A walk of faith.
Once you realise that you aren't perfect and you open up your heart to share your struggles and ask for prayer, you also open up your heart to God's plan for you and for Him to be able to work. We have all come to a place where we realised we were dying spiritually, and that we needed a Savior. We all said the prayer in some way, Admitting we were sinners and repented...Believed in Jesus as our Lord and Savior...then Told everyone about it :)
So what now?
How has your life really changed since that moment?
Are you still as excited and humbled as you were when you first met Him?
Do the decisions you make now, and what takes up your time, reflect that commitment you made years ago?
The Bible says that those who don't have the Holy Spirit won't be able to fully understand it. But I wonder how many Christians read it as much as they preach it. When we become Believers we still need Jesus everyday. He isn't like a defibrillator, where we would only need Him when we are dying and then never need Him again. He is more like a vitamin, we have to take Him everyday to keep ourselves healthy. Sure if you don't take Him, you won't die...but you would be able to live a whole lot better if you took Him everyday. :)
God isn't a glamorous God. He doesn't require yelling, and He doesn't always want "live-changing experiences". He's an intimate God. He wants your heart, because from your heart everything flows. I could scream in worship, sing a beautiful song, even give an amazing talk or pray the "perfect prayer" (no such thing)...but if my heart doesn't say the same thing...it means nothing to God. He doesn't require us to do big things, or go where no man has gone before...He only requires that we follow Him...and walk as He sets the path for us. He called some people to go to Hungry to witness, and called some people to go to South Dakota...but He is also calling people to reach their neighbors...to work in the church nursery. It isn't about the glamour. If you want all the attention, and the glamorous trips...I'm sorry...that was your old life...when you were gratifying your desires for more. Being a follower in Jesus Christ is not about that...it is about serving God, even when you get none of the credit. When being in ministry wears you out and He gives you just enough strength for the day.
God doesn't call everyone to the hard stuff, He doesn't call everyone to the easy things.
But when you accepted Christ, wasn't it about Him? Where He wanted you? What He wanted to do through you? Do you love Him, or your riches and glory?
How many people have sung the song "I will follow"...."where You go, I'll go, where You stay, I'll stay..."? Yet, when some people turn 18, they follow their anger to leave their parents house, and wouldn't even try to go through the hard stuff to stay. Or, someone who doesn't want to loose their boyfriend or girlfriend, so instead of leaving to go home, they stay and sleep over.
If God lead you to something you didn't want to do...something that was hard and didn't look like you would get any firework display for doing it...would you do it?
The Christian walk is not about being without sin. It is about follow Jesus Christ, into deep waters, into dark canyons or even out of a relationship. It may hurt, you may be scared. But will you still follow?
We made a choice to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior. We gave our lives to Him. Are you still making that choice? Are you choosing God with every decision? Are you choosing God's way rather than sleeping with your boyfriend or girlfriend? Are you choosing God's way rather than your anger? Are you choosing God's way rather than what would bring you more money? Are you choosing God's way rather than what is easy?
We live in a sinful world, most of the time choosing God's way will be hard. Not because He wants it to be hard, but just the fact of what we are surrounded by. Sin is in the world...and because God is righteous...He isn't going to do all the work for us. Many people ask why God lets certain things happen. Well, He doesn't...it is a result of man's choice. Man's choice not to choose God. And it gets passed down generation to generation.
But even through all the chaos, He will still work. He may not make things go away...but He will lead you through it.
The glass has always been half full...you were just focusing on what was missing and not on what you had. Sin isn't the focus...Jesus is.
God has a plan for you...choose it.
Scripture: Psalm 32:8-11, Psalm 139, Proverbs 3:3-10, Proverbs 4:11-13,25-27, Jeremiah 17:7-8, Galatians 1:10, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; 11:2-3, James 1:2-18, 1 Peter 3:15-16, John 14:15,23, John 4:13-14, Matthew 15:18-19, Matthew 7:13-14
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Focus on the walk (Part One)
We all have things we deal with. Things that are hard. Sin we are trying to weed out.
We aren't perfect. Through Jesus we have the strength to become more like Him, to seek perfection.
I have said in my other posts how I feel people need to be honest with each other about their struggles. There seems to be this lie going around in the Christian community that Christians are "perfect" that they don't struggle and if you have sin, you can't be a Christian. This is a lie and I would like to expose it today.
If Christians are perfect and have no sin...I am not a Christian and no one I know is either. Being a Christian is not about being perfect, it isn't even about getting rid of sin. It is about walking with the Lord. Seeking Christ day in and day out. Reading His Word, letting Him change and move you even beyond your own plans or agenda.
As I was brushing my teeth last night God spoke to me. He said "when you focus on your sin, your guard is down and it allows for more to come in. You need to stop focusing on you sin, and focus on your walk". Here I am weeding out the trash at a complete stop telling God that I need to get this right before I can move forward. He convicted me that standing still was going to take a lot longer and that it would hurt more to get rid of it. See, if we all stopped to weed through the trash, no one would be moving. We focus so much on being "perfect" and not having problems that we never move. Christians are followers of Christ, meaning they are moving, walking in His light...even with their sin and struggles. We think we can achieve this perfect picture of a Christian...but that "perfect Christian" doesn't exist. It is a lie. And the enemy uses your desire to please God, to KEEP YOU FROM MOVING.
The devil wants you to stop, and analyze the trash, to stay focused on your sin...because you aren't a threat to him if you are at a stand still. And his goal is to kill us, and the longer we stay at a stand still the further we get from the Lord (who is always moving).
Jesus came for sinners. Not for perfect Christians. So I think that the more honest we are about our sin 1) the devil can't use it against us because it is out in the open 2)God has an opportunity to grow you as you walk 3)more people will feel comfortable trusting God because they won't feel alone in their struggle.
Sin MUST be confessed, it must be brought into the light...but once it is...you can't just put everything else on hold while you "fix your problem" because what happens if in a month a new problem comes...will you stop for that too?
Being a Christian means we walk by faith...trusting in God's Word that He would never leave us and that when we repent...that HE FORGIVES us. Sure when the sin is forgiven the scars or consequences might still be there...but you can't let them hold you down, you can't let them stop you from seeking the Lord and following Him.
I know there are people who maybe have had to put things on hold or stop being in Church ministry because of sin...but God doesn't require us to sit at home doing nothing until it is all done with...we still have to move with the Lord and seek Him. If you are waiting for forgiveness...when you say "God, forgive me for..." you are forgiven. God doesn't want us wallowing in self pity or staying as slaves to sin after we are forgiven...that isn't what Jesus came for.
Jesus broke your chains...now, will you get up and walk?
God also doesn't leave us to figure things out on our own. If you ask Him for it, He will give it. If you don't know what to pray, ask Him to teach you how to pray. If you don't think you have the strength to get up and go to work, pray for it. If you can't fall asleep at night, pray for Him to give you peace and to give you the rest you need in how ever many hours your eyes are closed.
Remember WHO God is. Remeber WHY Jesus came. And remember WHAT it means to be a Christian.
Don't focus on your sin, focus on your walk, and the sin won't be able to stay.
Active Christians threaten satan, not sinful people. Everyone is a sinner...but sin doesn't define everyone. Without sin, we wouldn't need a Savior. Let Him help you flee from it.
Scriptures: 1 John 1:8-10, James 5:13-16, 1 Peter 4: 8, 1 Peter 5:8-9, Romans 3:23, 2 Timothy 2:22
(Next part will be on the walk)
We aren't perfect. Through Jesus we have the strength to become more like Him, to seek perfection.
I have said in my other posts how I feel people need to be honest with each other about their struggles. There seems to be this lie going around in the Christian community that Christians are "perfect" that they don't struggle and if you have sin, you can't be a Christian. This is a lie and I would like to expose it today.
If Christians are perfect and have no sin...I am not a Christian and no one I know is either. Being a Christian is not about being perfect, it isn't even about getting rid of sin. It is about walking with the Lord. Seeking Christ day in and day out. Reading His Word, letting Him change and move you even beyond your own plans or agenda.
As I was brushing my teeth last night God spoke to me. He said "when you focus on your sin, your guard is down and it allows for more to come in. You need to stop focusing on you sin, and focus on your walk". Here I am weeding out the trash at a complete stop telling God that I need to get this right before I can move forward. He convicted me that standing still was going to take a lot longer and that it would hurt more to get rid of it. See, if we all stopped to weed through the trash, no one would be moving. We focus so much on being "perfect" and not having problems that we never move. Christians are followers of Christ, meaning they are moving, walking in His light...even with their sin and struggles. We think we can achieve this perfect picture of a Christian...but that "perfect Christian" doesn't exist. It is a lie. And the enemy uses your desire to please God, to KEEP YOU FROM MOVING.
The devil wants you to stop, and analyze the trash, to stay focused on your sin...because you aren't a threat to him if you are at a stand still. And his goal is to kill us, and the longer we stay at a stand still the further we get from the Lord (who is always moving).
Jesus came for sinners. Not for perfect Christians. So I think that the more honest we are about our sin 1) the devil can't use it against us because it is out in the open 2)God has an opportunity to grow you as you walk 3)more people will feel comfortable trusting God because they won't feel alone in their struggle.
Sin MUST be confessed, it must be brought into the light...but once it is...you can't just put everything else on hold while you "fix your problem" because what happens if in a month a new problem comes...will you stop for that too?
Being a Christian means we walk by faith...trusting in God's Word that He would never leave us and that when we repent...that HE FORGIVES us. Sure when the sin is forgiven the scars or consequences might still be there...but you can't let them hold you down, you can't let them stop you from seeking the Lord and following Him.
I know there are people who maybe have had to put things on hold or stop being in Church ministry because of sin...but God doesn't require us to sit at home doing nothing until it is all done with...we still have to move with the Lord and seek Him. If you are waiting for forgiveness...when you say "God, forgive me for..." you are forgiven. God doesn't want us wallowing in self pity or staying as slaves to sin after we are forgiven...that isn't what Jesus came for.
Jesus broke your chains...now, will you get up and walk?
God also doesn't leave us to figure things out on our own. If you ask Him for it, He will give it. If you don't know what to pray, ask Him to teach you how to pray. If you don't think you have the strength to get up and go to work, pray for it. If you can't fall asleep at night, pray for Him to give you peace and to give you the rest you need in how ever many hours your eyes are closed.
Remember WHO God is. Remeber WHY Jesus came. And remember WHAT it means to be a Christian.
Don't focus on your sin, focus on your walk, and the sin won't be able to stay.
Active Christians threaten satan, not sinful people. Everyone is a sinner...but sin doesn't define everyone. Without sin, we wouldn't need a Savior. Let Him help you flee from it.
Scriptures: 1 John 1:8-10, James 5:13-16, 1 Peter 4: 8, 1 Peter 5:8-9, Romans 3:23, 2 Timothy 2:22
(Next part will be on the walk)
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