All of us long to connect with someone who can identify with our circumstances and share in our day-to-day life. Prayer is just that - a personal experience and intimate connection with our loving Heavenly Father.
Prayer is the act of addressing God for the purpose of worshiping or petitions (requests). Specific forms of this may include praise, requesting help or guidance, confessing sins, or an expression of one's thoughts and emotions. The words used in prayer may take the form of intercession, a song or words of gratitude and thanksgiving. Praying can be done in public, as a group, or in private. Prayer will take different forms during different times of your life. The Bible commands us to Pray with ceasing (pray without stopping). Pray when you wake up, on your way to school or work, during school or work, in the evening. You can pray out loud, you can pray silently. You can sing a song or read a Psalm. Just don't stop praying. It is key to having a successful and intimate relationship with God. Here's some keys:
Praising God, thanking Him for what He's blessed you with
Requesting help, guidance, wisdom
Allowing God to speak to you
Yielding your life to His Will
Expressing your heart, desires, thoughts and emotions
Receiving God's blessing and instructions for your life
Pray without Stopping! It changes things, but most importantly, it changes you to be more like Jesus!
Be Blessed,
Arlene
Saturday, February 6, 2010
"the GREATEST of all.."
If there was one thing you could have what would it be? Would it be a billion dollars? Would it be the woman or man of your dreams? A mansion? Your dream car? A multi-billion dollar music contract? What would it be? One man said..."even though I speak the language of men and angels, and have not ____?, I am nothing..."if I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not____?, I am nothing..."if I give all that I have to feed the poor, and even though I give my body to be burned, and have not ____?, it doesn't do me any good.
Can you fill in the blank? Millions of dollars? No. Mansions? No. Cars? No. Houses? No. If you don't have LOVE!!! then anything you do is for nothing. Even if you have enough faith to move a mountain. Can you imagine having enough faith to move a mountain? Even if you give all that you have and give to the poor and you don't have LOVE, then it's all for nothing.
Everything you do should be motivated by love. Jesus said..."love God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself".
Love is not what you have been told. It is not just a feeling. Love actually thinks. The bible says..."love thinks no evil..." That means love actually thinks and is not just based out of emotions and feelings.
Some of you have been looking for real love only to be disappointed time and again. Some of you want love from someone else but you don't even love yourself. You don't value yourself so you just go with the flow.
What is love? God is love. God doesn't have love. It is what He is. If you want to know love you have to know God. I encourage you to stop looking for love in different places. I have given you the source of real love. Some of us look to clicks, but it's not there. They say it is, but the same people will stab you in the back. Look no further. For God so loved us that He "sent his only Son into the world, that we might live through Him."
Looking for love. You have found it in Jesus Christ. Now you just have to get to know Him.
Mick
Can you fill in the blank? Millions of dollars? No. Mansions? No. Cars? No. Houses? No. If you don't have LOVE!!! then anything you do is for nothing. Even if you have enough faith to move a mountain. Can you imagine having enough faith to move a mountain? Even if you give all that you have and give to the poor and you don't have LOVE, then it's all for nothing.
Everything you do should be motivated by love. Jesus said..."love God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself".
Love is not what you have been told. It is not just a feeling. Love actually thinks. The bible says..."love thinks no evil..." That means love actually thinks and is not just based out of emotions and feelings.
Some of you have been looking for real love only to be disappointed time and again. Some of you want love from someone else but you don't even love yourself. You don't value yourself so you just go with the flow.
What is love? God is love. God doesn't have love. It is what He is. If you want to know love you have to know God. I encourage you to stop looking for love in different places. I have given you the source of real love. Some of us look to clicks, but it's not there. They say it is, but the same people will stab you in the back. Look no further. For God so loved us that He "sent his only Son into the world, that we might live through Him."
Looking for love. You have found it in Jesus Christ. Now you just have to get to know Him.
Mick
don't hate
Simply put… it holds true that God actually is Love. Like God = Love… Love = God. It would be okay to say I God you… if people didn’t look at you weird. Not everyone would get that. Naturally love is something that’s hard to comprehend – especially for young people. Sure to the world it might mean having really strong feelings towards something, or almost obsessing, can’t live without, need to breathe the same air kind of feelings. That’s how I use to see it, I’m sure others might see it the same way. When you look at Love the same way you look at God, it becomes a lot clearer.
Who is God? The creator. How are most things created? With Love, right? Babies, gifts, all that good stuff. They’re supposed to be, at least. Those with a craft – they love what they do and make a living doing it. It all comes together to make the statement that without Love, nothing is possible true. Fill in the blanks. With God, all things are possible!
We’re to love our neighbors. God commands us to do so to keep the love going around. He loves us with great obsession. Like a father who wants to keep his family together, he needs us all to get along. The laughter that comes from your friends, or family, that keeps you all connected to a degree is love. Sure people use the term love loosely, but that’s where the worlds “obsessed” definition and the godly definition cross. I use to pick up on people using the word loosely all the time, and in the back of my mind think that it was a lie, knowing that in many cases their was no relationship there or the those involved really didn’t know one another enough for love to be there. Once you grasp the true concept of love though, it’s amazing where you can find God in the world and how unaware the lost are to Him.
The opposite of love of course is Hate, which is everything the devil represents. A term that’s more recently been used a lot more frequently and it’s meaning altered by trend. Hate is no longer a strong dislike towards someone or something, but is any kind of negativity toward anything. It’s largely become jealousy, yet still represents everything a Christian should refrain from. I’ve found me catching myself in jealous fits before and either examined the way I felt towards the other person, or had someone bring it to my attention and have come to the realization that, “I’m a hater.” Hate now has its perks too though. It’s become motivation for us who are blessed to continue to do what keeps us blessed. So let your haters be your motivators. And... Don’t hate!
Be Blessed, Stay Blessed
C.j.
Who is God? The creator. How are most things created? With Love, right? Babies, gifts, all that good stuff. They’re supposed to be, at least. Those with a craft – they love what they do and make a living doing it. It all comes together to make the statement that without Love, nothing is possible true. Fill in the blanks. With God, all things are possible!
We’re to love our neighbors. God commands us to do so to keep the love going around. He loves us with great obsession. Like a father who wants to keep his family together, he needs us all to get along. The laughter that comes from your friends, or family, that keeps you all connected to a degree is love. Sure people use the term love loosely, but that’s where the worlds “obsessed” definition and the godly definition cross. I use to pick up on people using the word loosely all the time, and in the back of my mind think that it was a lie, knowing that in many cases their was no relationship there or the those involved really didn’t know one another enough for love to be there. Once you grasp the true concept of love though, it’s amazing where you can find God in the world and how unaware the lost are to Him.
The opposite of love of course is Hate, which is everything the devil represents. A term that’s more recently been used a lot more frequently and it’s meaning altered by trend. Hate is no longer a strong dislike towards someone or something, but is any kind of negativity toward anything. It’s largely become jealousy, yet still represents everything a Christian should refrain from. I’ve found me catching myself in jealous fits before and either examined the way I felt towards the other person, or had someone bring it to my attention and have come to the realization that, “I’m a hater.” Hate now has its perks too though. It’s become motivation for us who are blessed to continue to do what keeps us blessed. So let your haters be your motivators. And... Don’t hate!
Be Blessed, Stay Blessed
C.j.
L-O-V-E
I can't resist using bringing up the verses in 1 Corinthians again... the only way I can describe the profound effect that they have on me everytime that I read them is already described in the Word.....
For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart. (HEBREWS 4:12)
If you haven't already noticed this world (without Jesus) is trying to rewrite all the rules to fit their lifestyles. You are hard pressed to find TRUE LOVE and it only can be found in God himself:
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. (1 JOHN 4:16)
One of the age-old questions that has been asked millions of times and has been answered a million different ways, we have the answer in the Word... not a one line answer. God could have simply given us one line: "God is Love" and let us figured the rest by ourselves. But He gave us the answer because He loves us, wants us to be successful and wants us to spread the Message to others.
Next time you are wondering "is this real love" concerning ANY relationship in your life, whether friend, family or romantice, open up your Word and judge the relationship against the Word.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude.
Love isn't selfish or quick tempered.
It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do.
Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil.
Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.
Love never fails!
Be Blessed,
Arlene
For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart. (HEBREWS 4:12)
If you haven't already noticed this world (without Jesus) is trying to rewrite all the rules to fit their lifestyles. You are hard pressed to find TRUE LOVE and it only can be found in God himself:
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. (1 JOHN 4:16)
One of the age-old questions that has been asked millions of times and has been answered a million different ways, we have the answer in the Word... not a one line answer. God could have simply given us one line: "God is Love" and let us figured the rest by ourselves. But He gave us the answer because He loves us, wants us to be successful and wants us to spread the Message to others.
Next time you are wondering "is this real love" concerning ANY relationship in your life, whether friend, family or romantice, open up your Word and judge the relationship against the Word.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude.
Love isn't selfish or quick tempered.
It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do.
Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil.
Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.
Love never fails!
Be Blessed,
Arlene
am I missing something?
Hey,
"The Joy of the Lord is my strength!" What does that mean? It means that what brings joy to the Lord is what brings you strength. Have you ever felt weak? Like you were helpless? Find out what brings Joy to God and you will get strength like you have never had before.
It is times when I did things that would bring joy to Jesus that brought the greatest strength to me. These are things that I did not want to do at first... like helping other people when I didn't feel like it. Like visiting people in their toughest time just to help out.
I have been to juvenile centers bringing food to people,with a church friend on Saturdays, when I wanted to sleep in. But because I did it ,even though I did not feel like it, I had a joy and strength that is hard to explain. There is no greater joy than to know that you have done what God wants you to do. But you will never know it until you do it. Its hard to explain. There is no greater high. I have been on ecstasy pills and cocaine and weed but doing what brings joy to God is even better. I know to some that might be hard to believe but it is true.
Joy should be a part of you. It should not be something that comes and goes. It should be something that is always there. Just like you breathe, and eat, and sleep you should be filled with joy. Joy doesn't come by having things that you will not be able to take with you when you die. A house will not do it, a car will not do it, drugs will not do it, and money will not do it. You can't take those things with you when you pass into eternity.
Joy is a part of God. And if you don't get to know God you will never experience joy. Joy is a part of the God life. The bible says..." the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and JOY..." We make life out to be what we want. But the bible makes it plain.
There were people who were thrown in jail, beaten, and made fun of but still had joy. They were filled with joy because they were part of something that was bigger than them. They were a part of what God was doing and even though they were beaten up and thrown in jail it didn't matter because what they were doing brought joy to God and therefore brought them more strength than they could ever imagine. "The joy of the Lord is our strength" Don't miss out on it.
Mick
"The Joy of the Lord is my strength!" What does that mean? It means that what brings joy to the Lord is what brings you strength. Have you ever felt weak? Like you were helpless? Find out what brings Joy to God and you will get strength like you have never had before.
It is times when I did things that would bring joy to Jesus that brought the greatest strength to me. These are things that I did not want to do at first... like helping other people when I didn't feel like it. Like visiting people in their toughest time just to help out.
I have been to juvenile centers bringing food to people,with a church friend on Saturdays, when I wanted to sleep in. But because I did it ,even though I did not feel like it, I had a joy and strength that is hard to explain. There is no greater joy than to know that you have done what God wants you to do. But you will never know it until you do it. Its hard to explain. There is no greater high. I have been on ecstasy pills and cocaine and weed but doing what brings joy to God is even better. I know to some that might be hard to believe but it is true.
Joy should be a part of you. It should not be something that comes and goes. It should be something that is always there. Just like you breathe, and eat, and sleep you should be filled with joy. Joy doesn't come by having things that you will not be able to take with you when you die. A house will not do it, a car will not do it, drugs will not do it, and money will not do it. You can't take those things with you when you pass into eternity.
Joy is a part of God. And if you don't get to know God you will never experience joy. Joy is a part of the God life. The bible says..." the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and JOY..." We make life out to be what we want. But the bible makes it plain.
There were people who were thrown in jail, beaten, and made fun of but still had joy. They were filled with joy because they were part of something that was bigger than them. They were a part of what God was doing and even though they were beaten up and thrown in jail it didn't matter because what they were doing brought joy to God and therefore brought them more strength than they could ever imagine. "The joy of the Lord is our strength" Don't miss out on it.
Mick
joy comes in the morning light
Joy is the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying, according to dictionary.com. This reminds me of how all happiness comes from a source. More recently than ever, I’ve been struck with such an amazing joy and love for God. I’ve been excited about life before, but when I begin to really think about God and the mercy, grace and favor he continually sends my way, I get excited and anxious like nothing I can describe. We serve such an amazing God. Getting to a point where you can actually pay attention to your current mood and track a source truly helps you find your joy. Before long you’ll find that the happiness leads back to Christ. Just like when we discussed love, it all went back to God, happiness is the same.
Joy is a very useful weapon we Christians have. It’s like a protective covering of spikes, like porcupines have. We don’t have to put any strength behind it to have it effectively work against our enemy. The only defense satan has against it is to take it from us when we let our guard down. Joy is what the devil loves to steal first. You’d be amazed how fast he can steal your life from you by taking your joy over and over. We as Christians must remember that joy comes in the morning light. More recently, I’ve been able to look at some of the distress and sorrow in my life and pray God into those situations to help me find and reclaim my joy. He refuses to let me down! There isn’t anyone I can rely on more. Mainly because it’s Him that helps those I call on, and He works through them.
The devil works through sorrow, the complete opposite of joy. It’s a poison. We can dwell on the negative much longer than we can stay happy. That’s because it’s up to us to seek and find the joy available to us while the devil works toward keeping us down and in distress. We have our work cut out for us, but so does the devil. Do you know someone who loves drama? Suppose that person approached you and attempted to start an argument with you. You – knowing that person’s motive – are more likely not give in to the argument because you know that’s what they’re after. The same is true with the devil and how he steals joy and replaces it with sorrow. Just like you wouldn’t allow the associate to drag you into an argument, don’t let the devil steal your joy.
On a final note, I just want to express that God would never want us to loose our joy. Though he puts us through tests and trying situations, we are to stay strong and never grow weary in being cheerful. So while it’s helpful to read the devil’s motives toward securing our joy, it’s also helpful to realize that it could be a test and not fail by loosing our joy.
That’s all for now brothers and sisters. Keep your reign over the devil strong and do your best to know when you’re being tested. Yes it’s hard to tell, but if you take everything as a test, you’re most likely to be more prepared.
Be blessed, Stay Blessed!
C.j.
Joy is a very useful weapon we Christians have. It’s like a protective covering of spikes, like porcupines have. We don’t have to put any strength behind it to have it effectively work against our enemy. The only defense satan has against it is to take it from us when we let our guard down. Joy is what the devil loves to steal first. You’d be amazed how fast he can steal your life from you by taking your joy over and over. We as Christians must remember that joy comes in the morning light. More recently, I’ve been able to look at some of the distress and sorrow in my life and pray God into those situations to help me find and reclaim my joy. He refuses to let me down! There isn’t anyone I can rely on more. Mainly because it’s Him that helps those I call on, and He works through them.
The devil works through sorrow, the complete opposite of joy. It’s a poison. We can dwell on the negative much longer than we can stay happy. That’s because it’s up to us to seek and find the joy available to us while the devil works toward keeping us down and in distress. We have our work cut out for us, but so does the devil. Do you know someone who loves drama? Suppose that person approached you and attempted to start an argument with you. You – knowing that person’s motive – are more likely not give in to the argument because you know that’s what they’re after. The same is true with the devil and how he steals joy and replaces it with sorrow. Just like you wouldn’t allow the associate to drag you into an argument, don’t let the devil steal your joy.
On a final note, I just want to express that God would never want us to loose our joy. Though he puts us through tests and trying situations, we are to stay strong and never grow weary in being cheerful. So while it’s helpful to read the devil’s motives toward securing our joy, it’s also helpful to realize that it could be a test and not fail by loosing our joy.
That’s all for now brothers and sisters. Keep your reign over the devil strong and do your best to know when you’re being tested. Yes it’s hard to tell, but if you take everything as a test, you’re most likely to be more prepared.
Be blessed, Stay Blessed!
C.j.
Peace
If there is anything you ever need in life it is PEACE! If you can ever get peace it does not matter what happens around you it will not phase you. All hell could be braking loose all around you but it doesn't matter because you have peace. Your parents could be going through a divorce, your boyfriend or girlfriend broke up with you, or a family member just passed away but peace will carry you. Sure these things hurt, but peace will keep you strong.
Peace is like the eye in a hurricane. A hurricane has really strong winds. Winds strong enough to blow around cars and tear down trees that destroy homes and anything in it's way. But if you get in the middle of the hurricane it is complete calm. You would never know it by looking on the outside of the hurricane because of all it's destruction but in the middle of the storm is the most peace you will ever experience.
The bible says that ..."the kingdom of God is righteousness, PEACE, and joy in the holy ghost". The kingdom of God is the God life, His way of doing things. And part of the God life, which is the life we should want, is peace.
Many times we spend most of our days looking for a fake peace. We want to get away from all the craziness of life. Some of us turn to tv to escape. Some of us look to our friends. Some of us look to drugs. Some of us think that chasing money will bring peace. You will not find true peace there.
One day the man Jesus was talking to those who followed him and he was telling them about how he was going to have to leave them. Think about it! They had given up everything to follow Him. They left their jobs, some left their families, and they gave up their plans to follow this man Jesus and now He is telling them that He has to leave. He gave them one thing that He knew would help them the most. What do you think it was? Peace. He said..."Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you". Did you hear what He said? "Not as the world gives..." The world will trick you into chasing things that will give you peace but they really don't. The only way you can have peace is by letting Jesus give you His peace. Can you imagine the kind of peace He has? Talk to Him everyday of your life. Get connected with Him and see the kind of peace He can give you. I'm telling you. It is worth it.
Mick
Peace is like the eye in a hurricane. A hurricane has really strong winds. Winds strong enough to blow around cars and tear down trees that destroy homes and anything in it's way. But if you get in the middle of the hurricane it is complete calm. You would never know it by looking on the outside of the hurricane because of all it's destruction but in the middle of the storm is the most peace you will ever experience.
The bible says that ..."the kingdom of God is righteousness, PEACE, and joy in the holy ghost". The kingdom of God is the God life, His way of doing things. And part of the God life, which is the life we should want, is peace.
Many times we spend most of our days looking for a fake peace. We want to get away from all the craziness of life. Some of us turn to tv to escape. Some of us look to our friends. Some of us look to drugs. Some of us think that chasing money will bring peace. You will not find true peace there.
One day the man Jesus was talking to those who followed him and he was telling them about how he was going to have to leave them. Think about it! They had given up everything to follow Him. They left their jobs, some left their families, and they gave up their plans to follow this man Jesus and now He is telling them that He has to leave. He gave them one thing that He knew would help them the most. What do you think it was? Peace. He said..."Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you". Did you hear what He said? "Not as the world gives..." The world will trick you into chasing things that will give you peace but they really don't. The only way you can have peace is by letting Jesus give you His peace. Can you imagine the kind of peace He has? Talk to Him everyday of your life. Get connected with Him and see the kind of peace He can give you. I'm telling you. It is worth it.
Mick
Peace, Be Still
When I think of peace my mind goes to the extremes of all the stresses and things that bother me, then I focus on the feeling of knowing all of that is in God’s hands. It’s truly been a long while since I’ve stressed and been overwhelmed but that might just be because finals week isn’t for a while for me. But to paint a picture of peace, I relate it best to Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4, when on the boat with his disciples who were afraid.
Stress can come at us and stay over us like a storm. So far, the only thing I know that could stop a storm was Christ. With all the other things we can’t do on our own, finding true peace is impossible without God. Face it – if we turn to our friends, in actuality we’re putting our burdens on them, possibly robbing them of their peace with the spread of negativity, only for temporary relief for ourselves. Sure it helps if they’re the cause of the stress, but if we inform them in a negative manner, this could still make them feel pretty bad. As you can see, the only way to gain peace without affecting those around you is to turn to God.
Through prayer we can clear our minds by letting out what’s bothering us without the hassle of being understood or not. God understands us the first time through though. Yeah, if He knows what we’re going through, why does he let these things happen to us? It goes back to our discussion about trials and tests. We also have to realize that more than half the things that happen to us are a result of things we bring on ourselves, and it all happens for a reason! Whether it makes us stronger, smarter, or more experienced in certain areas we can still turn to God to help guide us through it and choose the right paths along the way. He may not solve things completely for us all the time, but as I’ve said before all we have to do is ask! You get nowhere waiting for things to happen or waiting on someone to do it for you. Start by asking! And trust God to handle the rest.
Other than prayer, I’ve come to find more recently that peace can be found through praise. We’ve talked about this topic previously as well but it relates here. When my day isn’t going as planned, I have songs that I can quickly turn on and remind me where my peace comes from. Again, I also continue to express the importance of going to church. Being able to tap into the spirit in such an amplified atmosphere of praise breaks strongholds and weekly stresses like nothing. The Word of God expressed in the same atmosphere has the power to bring you peace as well as long as you tap in and receive it. So get yours!
Be blessed, Stay Blessed
C.j.
Stress can come at us and stay over us like a storm. So far, the only thing I know that could stop a storm was Christ. With all the other things we can’t do on our own, finding true peace is impossible without God. Face it – if we turn to our friends, in actuality we’re putting our burdens on them, possibly robbing them of their peace with the spread of negativity, only for temporary relief for ourselves. Sure it helps if they’re the cause of the stress, but if we inform them in a negative manner, this could still make them feel pretty bad. As you can see, the only way to gain peace without affecting those around you is to turn to God.
Through prayer we can clear our minds by letting out what’s bothering us without the hassle of being understood or not. God understands us the first time through though. Yeah, if He knows what we’re going through, why does he let these things happen to us? It goes back to our discussion about trials and tests. We also have to realize that more than half the things that happen to us are a result of things we bring on ourselves, and it all happens for a reason! Whether it makes us stronger, smarter, or more experienced in certain areas we can still turn to God to help guide us through it and choose the right paths along the way. He may not solve things completely for us all the time, but as I’ve said before all we have to do is ask! You get nowhere waiting for things to happen or waiting on someone to do it for you. Start by asking! And trust God to handle the rest.
Other than prayer, I’ve come to find more recently that peace can be found through praise. We’ve talked about this topic previously as well but it relates here. When my day isn’t going as planned, I have songs that I can quickly turn on and remind me where my peace comes from. Again, I also continue to express the importance of going to church. Being able to tap into the spirit in such an amplified atmosphere of praise breaks strongholds and weekly stresses like nothing. The Word of God expressed in the same atmosphere has the power to bring you peace as well as long as you tap in and receive it. So get yours!
Be blessed, Stay Blessed
C.j.
Are you right?
Are you right? What I mean by this question is..are in good standing with those who mean the most? If you are in good standing with your parents it probably means you are doing all your chores and obeying the rules. If you are in good standing with your teachers it might mean that you do all your homework, all your assignments, and are doing well on your quizzes and tests. If you are in good standing with your friends it more than likely means you always have their back and never turn your back on them when times get hard. If you do these things your parents probably trust you more and let you go out and stay out later (not so sometimes), your teachers will pass you on to the next level, and your friends will have your back when you need them the most. So basically, if you are in good standing with them you will experience the good part of those relationships at all time.
How can you be in right standing with God? Do you need to do a whole bunch of chores? Do you need to get good grades? Well...do you know the answer? The answer is...no! Jesus has done all that needs to be done and He got an A+ grade so that you wouldn't have to.
So what do you have to do? You just have to accept Jesus' report card and God will see you as being right with Him.
What's the benefit? You get to spend eternity with God instead of away from God.
Are you right with God? Accept Jesus. It's free for you!
How can you be in right standing with God? Do you need to do a whole bunch of chores? Do you need to get good grades? Well...do you know the answer? The answer is...no! Jesus has done all that needs to be done and He got an A+ grade so that you wouldn't have to.
So what do you have to do? You just have to accept Jesus' report card and God will see you as being right with Him.
What's the benefit? You get to spend eternity with God instead of away from God.
Are you right with God? Accept Jesus. It's free for you!
show your right
Instead of making resolutions, what we really need to pick up on is discipline, and work toward that. This will help us accomplish a lot of things and ultimately end the need for resolutions. While discipline isn’t this month’s topic, it is a large part of it.
This month we tackle Righteousness. When I think of righteousness, like Mick put it, I think of how right I am with God. Just this past Sunday – even more confirmation that this word is fitting for the season – we discussed Obedience in Church. We were taught that God only responds to us up to our last point of disobedience. We learned from 1 Samuel about how God told Saul to do something, and how Saul disobeyed and did what he wanted to do. Saul paid the ultimate price for his disobedience, as well as his son, who wasn’t even at fault! Thanks to Christ, we no longer suffer such severe consequences. Saul not only lost his Life, but he lost his authority, as well as his covenant (connection) with God. We lose all these things when we disobey God as well. Sure we don’t die, but if we aren’t right with God and we do die, we already know what comes next. Then we lose both our life and eternal life.
As imperfects striving to be more like the perfection that was Christ, we will fall short many times before we face judgment. We have to ensure that all we’ve done doesn’t go in vain for one mistake. Sure sin is knowing something is wrong, and doing it anyway, but I always feel safe repenting whenever I pray. Remember the algorithm, Praise – Repent – Ask – Yield. I’ve probably said it before, but there have been times when I would pray and feel like I wasn’t getting heard. It goes back to what I said earlier about God responding up until your last point of disobedience. If you can’t remember when or what that was, repenting anyway is a good safety net.
Repentance is the fastest and easiest way to ensure you’re right with God. Next to that is discipline. Once you’re right, the best way to keep favor with God is to continue living right. God appreciates you turning from your sin and coming back to him. But I just think it gets old after a while, falling in and out of sin, going up for prayer every Sunday, the whole nine. Then I stop feeling sorry for myself and find some discipline. What I’ve found that’s help me most recently is something I think learned Sunday as well. The pastor mentioned the idea of killing your flesh. Now I’ve heard the concept of dying to your flesh, but killing it did something different for me. A while back my friends and I use to joke around, and when we would do something silly or embarrassing, we’d say “Kill yourself.” I know it’s a bit harsh thinking back on it, but now that I look into the phrase and apply it to the flesh, it’s really help me deny my flesh satisfaction. When it becomes tempted, in my head I tell it to kill itself, and remember it’s not my will that is to be done, but God’s. Stay right family and the Lord will surely bless you.
Be blessed and Stay blessed!
C.j.
This month we tackle Righteousness. When I think of righteousness, like Mick put it, I think of how right I am with God. Just this past Sunday – even more confirmation that this word is fitting for the season – we discussed Obedience in Church. We were taught that God only responds to us up to our last point of disobedience. We learned from 1 Samuel about how God told Saul to do something, and how Saul disobeyed and did what he wanted to do. Saul paid the ultimate price for his disobedience, as well as his son, who wasn’t even at fault! Thanks to Christ, we no longer suffer such severe consequences. Saul not only lost his Life, but he lost his authority, as well as his covenant (connection) with God. We lose all these things when we disobey God as well. Sure we don’t die, but if we aren’t right with God and we do die, we already know what comes next. Then we lose both our life and eternal life.
As imperfects striving to be more like the perfection that was Christ, we will fall short many times before we face judgment. We have to ensure that all we’ve done doesn’t go in vain for one mistake. Sure sin is knowing something is wrong, and doing it anyway, but I always feel safe repenting whenever I pray. Remember the algorithm, Praise – Repent – Ask – Yield. I’ve probably said it before, but there have been times when I would pray and feel like I wasn’t getting heard. It goes back to what I said earlier about God responding up until your last point of disobedience. If you can’t remember when or what that was, repenting anyway is a good safety net.
Repentance is the fastest and easiest way to ensure you’re right with God. Next to that is discipline. Once you’re right, the best way to keep favor with God is to continue living right. God appreciates you turning from your sin and coming back to him. But I just think it gets old after a while, falling in and out of sin, going up for prayer every Sunday, the whole nine. Then I stop feeling sorry for myself and find some discipline. What I’ve found that’s help me most recently is something I think learned Sunday as well. The pastor mentioned the idea of killing your flesh. Now I’ve heard the concept of dying to your flesh, but killing it did something different for me. A while back my friends and I use to joke around, and when we would do something silly or embarrassing, we’d say “Kill yourself.” I know it’s a bit harsh thinking back on it, but now that I look into the phrase and apply it to the flesh, it’s really help me deny my flesh satisfaction. When it becomes tempted, in my head I tell it to kill itself, and remember it’s not my will that is to be done, but God’s. Stay right family and the Lord will surely bless you.
Be blessed and Stay blessed!
C.j.
peace is yours
peace: freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, an obsession, etc.; tranquillity; serenity.
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:26-28 (in Context) John 14 (Whole Chapter)
John 16:33
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
**************************************************
I came across this excerpt by Joel Osteen and thought it so appropiate and relevant I wanted to share it:
**************************************************
We all face the temptation to be anxious about circumstances, loved ones and the future. But the Bible teaches that we can walk in God’s supernatural peace because we are in Christ Jesus. Jesus Himself is our Peace. We can resist the temptation to give in to worry. We can choose, instead, to abide in God’s wonderful peace.
Peter the apostle wrote, "[Cast] the whole of your care–all you anxieties, all your worries, all you concerns, once and for all-on Him; for He cares for you affectionately, and cares about you watchfully." There are three truths we can glean out of this one verse:
God never intended for you to carry your own burdens.
He wants to carry them for you.
You have to do something when it comes to worry.
You have to cast worry off of yourself and trust God with your problems. It takes humility to say, God, I give this problem to You because You can take care of it much better that I can.
God You need to understand the Father’s loving care for you as His child.
Only then will you fully release the weight of each problem to Him. Worry, like other negative thoughts, is actually a thief-stealing our peace, energy, time and joy.
Many years ago, after a tragic situation, I was bombarded by negative thoughts almost 24 hours a day. But then I came to my senses and realized that I needed to take control of those thoughts. It seemed like such an impossibility at first, but I decided to do it one thought at a time.
Each time I had a negative thought, I pulled it down through prayer. I said, I pull that thought down, make it obedient to Jesus and refuse to dwell on it. I will believe what the Word of God says about me instead. I will come out of this situation in victory!
When I first started this, there was a storm in my mind constantly, but after a while, my mind became calmer. Every day it got better, until one day I realized that I was completely free in my thought life concerning that situation.
The same can be true for you. Determine today that you are not going to allow worry to control your life, but that you will believe God for His victory so that you can walk in His supernatural peace.
God Bless You!
Arlene
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:26-28 (in Context) John 14 (Whole Chapter)
John 16:33
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
**************************************************
I came across this excerpt by Joel Osteen and thought it so appropiate and relevant I wanted to share it:
**************************************************
We all face the temptation to be anxious about circumstances, loved ones and the future. But the Bible teaches that we can walk in God’s supernatural peace because we are in Christ Jesus. Jesus Himself is our Peace. We can resist the temptation to give in to worry. We can choose, instead, to abide in God’s wonderful peace.
Peter the apostle wrote, "[Cast] the whole of your care–all you anxieties, all your worries, all you concerns, once and for all-on Him; for He cares for you affectionately, and cares about you watchfully." There are three truths we can glean out of this one verse:
God never intended for you to carry your own burdens.
He wants to carry them for you.
You have to do something when it comes to worry.
You have to cast worry off of yourself and trust God with your problems. It takes humility to say, God, I give this problem to You because You can take care of it much better that I can.
God You need to understand the Father’s loving care for you as His child.
Only then will you fully release the weight of each problem to Him. Worry, like other negative thoughts, is actually a thief-stealing our peace, energy, time and joy.
Many years ago, after a tragic situation, I was bombarded by negative thoughts almost 24 hours a day. But then I came to my senses and realized that I needed to take control of those thoughts. It seemed like such an impossibility at first, but I decided to do it one thought at a time.
Each time I had a negative thought, I pulled it down through prayer. I said, I pull that thought down, make it obedient to Jesus and refuse to dwell on it. I will believe what the Word of God says about me instead. I will come out of this situation in victory!
When I first started this, there was a storm in my mind constantly, but after a while, my mind became calmer. Every day it got better, until one day I realized that I was completely free in my thought life concerning that situation.
The same can be true for you. Determine today that you are not going to allow worry to control your life, but that you will believe God for His victory so that you can walk in His supernatural peace.
God Bless You!
Arlene
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