Blessed in Christ!

I am so thankful for where God has me right now and what He is doing in my life. He has blessed me with some pretty amazing people and I am so thankful for all they do for me. I love the people who care about me and are just wonderful! God has me at a great spot in life and I praise Him for that! God cares about my life so much and I am excited for the best year yet in Him! It just gets better every year! I can already feel God planning a lot for this next year! 

I want to burn with passion over You!

Lord you have saved me from so much. You are 100% good and amazing and there is no flaw in you. I am weak and trembling and in need of You. I can't do this without You. God tells us and tells us what to do and how to follow Him and yet our flesh still yearns for the world and not Him. The choice has to be made. And it has to be made again and again. I will not live for satan and I will not let him take over my life. I will not fall into sin. God I am sorry for what I did. I will not go back into those ways. There are lies that will come into our lives from satan and other people and we have to choose to not follow those lies or let them take over our lives. God is bigger than all of it. He is stronger than the world. The last 24 hours I have been on my knees crying out to God begging for Him to heal my heart and lead me to a life in Him. Cleansing my soul and pouring God into my heart. Not leaving empty space for satan to fill it. God is stronger than our sin and He wants to use our pain and make it glory for Him. It's not how do I hide my sin or my failures it's how can God use this to make me stronger and more on fire for Him. Where can I go praise His name! How much louder can we scream for Him. There is not just one single action in sin but many many in it. We make the choice in our hearts to sin before we actually do. God forgives our sin and the bible says He forgets about it and goes on loving us. I can't continue to think about my sin each day and dwell in it. But instead realize the craziness and deepness and stronghold of sin and hate it soooo much that we never want to go back! I only want God and never want to feel like I let God down in this way. Turn to God and praise Him. Praise His glorious and powerful name! God saves! He will make our mess a microphone for Him. I am very humbled and feel that God wants me to feel this way and not forget how I feel but to instead live a humbled life praising Jesus' name. Doing everything I can to fight sin and not allow myself to take the steps to sin! There is a path towards righteousness and God and a path towards hell. I am on the road to God and I will not get off. I don't choose sin I choose God. I sinned in my heart and life just like Eve did. The serpent may have tempted her but ultimately did not force her to sin. Satan can tempt us in every way possible but God can save us even more! This is the best fight we can fight! And it is all for God!!! I learn from my past sins and move forward in Christ calling on His name every minute of every day never letting go of His hand!! 24 hours a day I am in Christ and He has a great year ahead for me! Every thought I have, every word I say, every step I take will be the one God commanded me to! I am on fire for You God!!!! I only want You!

Women of the bible

I started a study this week on my own of the women of the bible. I have only done Eves study so far and actually written it out and wrote questions about her. I have also done research one sarah and Rachel and Leah. It is very encouraging to read through their lives about the things they went through and who they were. Eve gets a lot of grief because she committed the first sin but Adam also had the choice to sin or not and he did it also. She wasn't the only one to do it. Eve went through so many firsts but she was not the first to be a child. Eve was never a child. God created her and she was just put in the position of a wife. She was the first to be a wife, first mother, first women. Think about all the things eve experienced for us. She did a lot for us. She is the mother of all living. She was the first mother to have a son die. Her sin caused a lot of pain and she had to live with that. She also was the only women to ever live in the garden of Eden and be in companionship with God. 

We can learn a lot from Eves life and we also can from Sarah and the other amazing women God has created! I am really enjoying making my own study of the women of the bible and am learning a lot. God created women for a specific purpose and to be certain people and we have some great role models in the bible for us. They sinned just like us and God restored them. There are some very beautiful people and very passionate people. 

Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. (Genesis 3:20 NIV). 

Joshua fought the battle of Jericho!

Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.” So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.” And he ordered the army, “Advance! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord.” When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord ’s covenant followed them. The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!” So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there. Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days. On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.” When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys. (Joshua 6:1-21 NIV). 

In this story it is amazing to see their belief and trust in God that the city would collapse. They just obeyed what God and Joshua commanded them to do. It's that simple. I asked the kids tonight if they thought walls could fall like that today and they said no but God could do it if He wanted to. Amen! He can do whatever He wants! He saved His people and loved them! We built our own walls with marshmallows and frosting tonight! 

Praise God for breaking the walls in our lives! 

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 NIV). 

Supply and demand

God is not holding anything back from us. I think many times people feel like they aren't on fire for God or He isn't giving them experiences to be excited about Him. But are you asking God for those times? Are you digging into His word trying to find out more about Him? Do you cry at to Him during the night and morning? If we ask for it God will give it to us. He wants us to be as close to Him as possible! He isn't going to think to Himself no I won't reveal myself in this way to them. How passionate we are about seeking God is how passionate He will be about loving us more and drawing us to Him. God is always there waiting for us to knock. 

But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deuteronomy 4:29 NIV). 

I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. (Proverbs 8:17 NIV). 

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” (Jeremiah 29:12-14 NIV). 

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7, 8 NIV). 

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; (Lamentations 3:25 NIV). 

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. (Isaiah 55:6, 7 NIV). 

Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. (1 Chronicles 16:11 NIV). 

The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. (Psalm 34:10 NIV). 

The end of self is where Christ begins

Can we finally deny ourselves and say we choose God and His ways? Saying that God is more important and more wise than us. Choosing what He tells us over what we want. We acknowledge that what we want is worldly and fleshly and that we can get caught up in the world and God sees an eternal vision in which we do not. We may want to go to this party and God convicts us not to but we think well I won't do anything that bad but when we choose our ways over His we are already losing control of choosing God. If we can't make the first choice who says we can make the last? We have to keep ourselves from doing what we want and wanting what God wants. Not just doing what seems right but what God desires and commands. 

As humans we have desires to make choices and be free and go with our instinct. We want to be right. Calling Christ our savior is calling Him the shot caller. Is what we are living for worth His death? We have to deny our own flesh and mind and call upon God for everything. To move on in a life with Christ it is important to know life in Christ won't be perfect or easy but to know no matter what happens we won't be shaken. We won't let the events of each day change how we live for God. But instead let the way we react to issues be a light for Christ. Our feelings don't change the way God feels about us. He loves us consistently and fully. He is perfect and we are not. If we can't say that aloud how are we going to choose Him in the hard situations? God has to be #1 in all situations and thoughts and not just certain ones. There isn't a list of things that God can have in our lives and things God can't. He can have it all or we can't have Him! It all comes in Christ. In Christ alone. Jesus paid the price our we willing to pay a price in this life or pay the price after this life? Do we truly want God and love Him or just don't want to go to hell. Lets call on God and let Him take over our hearts and let our hearts speak in our lives. Be the light in the darkness and keep it shining! God never burns out!

Wrapping up Jeremiah!

Today I finished my study of Jeremiah. I really love going through the Old Testament and reading it each morning. It has really changed my life and love for God. It's so sad the evil and people not changing for God in the Old Testament. God did so much to reach out to them and they turned the other way. Jeremiah was an amazing servant of God and so faithful. He did not waver from Gods commands even when thrown in jail and threatened with death. I am going to go on now to Lamentations and then to Ezekiel. 

Following christians or Christ?

Christianity is about following and surrendering your life to Christ AND trying to be like Him. He is perfect and unattainable but that is exactly who we are trying to be like. He died for our sins when we were still sinners and had not yet been born or accepted Him. Not everyone is called to die for the sin of the world that is only Jesus. But do we love like Jesus? Giving ourselves and our time and love and patience to others? Love others who are hard to love or that hate us? Do we give others hope for a life after this? What does God think of you? We can never please everybody. I think it is literally impossible. Somebody will always find a way to criticize us even if they are christians. Why? Because God made us all uniquely but in His image. It doesn't matter if they are our #1 fan it matters if we care and love them and reflect the image of Christ. I don't think God will ever be angry if we try and we follow His commands and yet people don't like the way we dress, the way we eat, the decorations in our house or anything else! Some people may have issues with how you follow God but that is not about them. Our relationship with God is our own and between Him and you. If you don't pray exactly 24 minutes everyday or fast once a week and God hasn't convicted you of it then that shouldn't bother others. Jesus is our #1 fan even when we fall into sin. 

I think what is so great about Christianity is the freedom and God. But so many other religions are you do this and this and not that. We are slaves before we turn to Christ and are set free in Christ! We are no longer enslaved to anything. God owns us but He deeply cares and loves us. God lets us choose what church to go to, what to eat and how to pray. We are not all going to do it the exact same because it doesn't specify every detail. Some people may be crazy out there for Jesus and others might be a little more chill. As long as you serve Jesus and I mean actually serve and teach others about Him and call Him your savior I think you are doing great. Not better than him or that girl over there but you are doing great! God loves you and wants you to get stronger and stronger! 

It's so important to please The Lord and not man. They will not save you. What does God want you to do? Well that person sleeps with 7 people a week and I only sleep with 2 so at least I am not them. Well does God want you to sleep with any one? We follow Gods commands not well be better than this person or that person. Be the best person God wants you to be. He can make you that person!! He will change you. You just have to desire it. People might think you are weird for loving Jesus and being passionate about Him but God will think you are pretty cool! God calls us to higher things and to be a new person in Christ. Gods way is not simple or always easy but it is the way! He is the way the truth and the life! They are a christian and they drink does that mean I should? I don't have the perfect answer God does. It is different for each person but I want to be as much like God and therefore closer to Him as possible! 

I believe in You!

God saves! He turns evil to our good and provides for us. Sometimes it can be hard to acknowledge how sinful and horrible we are until we can sin right before our eyes. We then realize how much we need God and much He loves us. God would do anything for us. He cares so deeply and just wants to teach us so much! There is always so much more to learn about Him and farther to dig! Gods word always has more for us and there is never a time to stop reading His word! I devote my life and my whole being to God. I know His son Jesus died for me and saved me from hell. God doesn't trick me or trap me He sets me free! I am free in Christ and don't have to pay for my sin! God is working in me and I am letting Him! Praise Him!

Surprises

There are so many surprises that come our way in this world and sometimes they can hurt and other times they are great! God is not surprised by anything, He knows each thing that will happen and when it will happen. One thing that we don't have to be surprised by is that God always every day of every minute loves us! He never fails. Anytime we call on His name and want to talk to Him, He will be ready. It is so encouraging that no matter how inconsistent others are, God is there and loves us deeply!! He can put joy in peace in your heart when all else fails! He will never let us down. He will give us anything we ask for according to His will. He doesn't keep joy from us! He has a master plan that is so perfect that we as humans can't make it better but only damage it and hinder His plans. We have to let God work and let Him surprise us:). God knows we like to have control but He wants us to trust Him and when we do He doesn't let us down. He is faithful. He always keeps His promises! God won't surprise you in a bad way but only in good ways! He is almighty! 

Off the hook

The final message in Levi Luskos series sorry not sorry was off the hook:). It was pretty great. This final one was about accepting the apology. How to be the one to receive the apology. Well with all I have learned about apologies I can't expect everyone else to know those things and hold them to those standards when they apologize to me. 

The focus off his message was on Matthew 18:21-35. It's a pretty amazing story and I hope reading it impacts others as well. Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” (Matthew 18:21-35 NIV). 

Peter wants to know how many times he should forgive someone. This is what the Lord says: “For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not relent. They sell the innocent for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. (Amos 2:6 NIV). In the new King James Version Jesus says you should forgive them seventy times seven times. That is a crazy amount! That's what Jesus is trying to get across. He tells a parable to talk about forgiveness. One man owes a master 60 million days of work. The master has pity on the debtor. He tells him he will be patient and wait for the money. He forgives him and waits. Then that man goes and expects someone else to give him the money that is owed. He begs for mercy from this man and the man throws him in jail. He doesn't forgive him. Wait what?? Didn't someone else just forgive him for the exact same thing? Yes! Every time we sin and ask God for forgiveness He forgives us. So then we should forgive others sin! God doesn't forgive us so that we can hold grudges against others He doesn't to love us and allow us to love others! Our sin is so much worse to God than it is to others, so it is that much harder for Him to forgive us. 

There isn't an exact limit of times to forgive someone. Do less math and more love. God doesn't say okay you can sin 12 times and the 13th time you will go to hell. No! Just love people! It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (1 Corinthians 13:5 NIV). The forgiveness we should give others should flow from the cross and us knowing who forgave us. And how much He did for us and from that we feel love and feel forgiven and desire to love and forgive others. Jesus died for people He didn't even know personally or that liked Him. We didn't deserve that forgiveness and they might not either but we got the forgiveness and so should they. If they ask for it. 

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. (Colossians 2:13, 14 NIV). 

It's truly not about how we feel or what they did to us it's about what He did for us and how He feels about us! 

1. You are never more like God than when you forgive. 

Letting people off the hook makes you more like God. He didn't have to forgive but He did. We should be striving to be more like Jesus every day who forgive all that sinned against Him. Doing what God does draws us closer to Him. 

A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense. (Proverbs 19:11 NIV). 

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6 NIV). 

Forgiving others lets Gods glory shine! 

2. Don't hold out for a perfect apology. 

Others don't know how to apologize perfectly or have the right words to say so we have to accept that they at least came to you and are pleading. 

A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; (Isaiah 42:3 NIV). 

3. Don't keep them dangling, if you are going to forgive them forgive them! 

Don't say things like don't worry about it or it's not a big deal, or you didn't need to apologize. Just because you feel awkward doesn't mean you need to sweep it under the rug. It has to he addressed. When you just throw what they said out the window it makes it seem like their feelings don't matter. They felt that it mattered so you need to address it. They felt like they should come to you so make them feel like you appreciate it and care. Say I accept your apology. It doesn't have to terminate the consequences for them it just means you forgive them. You can forgive them and not continue with the relationship. There are always consequences. People have to go to jail. 

4. You don't have to accept apologies if they aren't given. 

Nobody can forgive someone against their will. They didn't ask for it you don't have to give it. The bible says if we confess out sins God will forgive us, it doesn't say He forgives no matter what. 

5. When you let go of grudges it releases grace. 

You can still love them and pray for the repentance and desire to be forgiven. You can pray for them to turn to God. It's easy to love someone who is nice to you it's harder to love someone who hurts you. God can take away the pain!! 

6. If you are stingy with forgiveness it hurts you in the end. 

The man who didn't forgive was tortured in the end. He wouldn't have been if he had forgiven but he didn't. 

Forgive us our debts as we forgive others. 

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 NIV). 

There is newness in life and our life isn't over. God will cover us and cleanse us. He will protect us and guard our hearts. 

Remember the 3 R's

Responsibility 

Regret

Remedy

How do you move forward now? That is up to God to lead:). Takes a lot of patience and guidance. You may feel lost and like nothing is happening but God is working! 

Beauty

Beauty is something God is and that He shares with us. God is perfect and perfectly beautiful. Therefore everything He does is beautiful and perfect. He makes us beautiful and the world around us gorgeous and perfect. God wants to share that beauty with us.

What makes us beautiful?

God made us. He created us with His own breath and hands.

Then the Lord God formed a man from the 

dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” (Genesis 2:7-9, 22, 23 NIV).

Why did God make us beautiful?

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10 NIV)

What beauty matters more our hearts or outside? 

The beauty of the heart matters more. Our outside beauty won't save us. God judges the heart. The heart is a special place for God to work in us.

Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe. (Proverbs 28:26 NIV).

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:14 NIV).

They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:29-32 NIV).

*Our hearts are to remain pure and dedicated to God. We need to worship Him and praise Him for how He has made us. When we read Gods word and sing songs of praises to Him it fills our hearts with Him. When our hearts are full of Him they are beautiful.

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7 NIV).

What is defined as beauty in Gods eyes?

Well God says sin is ugly so anything not sin is beautiful.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. (2 Timothy 2:15, 16 NIV).

Beauty is trying to be like God and striving towards that each day! How can we try to be like God?

Who are we?

Children of a king! The Lord sits on a throne and has all the most beautiful things in the world. He shares and blesses us with those things. He makes us more beautiful each day.

How does the bible say we are to be beautiful?

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. (1 Peter 3:3-6 NIV).

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. (Proverbs 31:30 NIV).

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:16 NIV).

Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:5, 15-18 NIV).

Beauty-having or possessing qualities that give pleasure to someone. Our beauty should give pleasure to God!

God is real!

So many people can doubt their faith and the power of it. They doubt the power of God and His strength. God has rubbed mud on a blind man and cured his blindness. He has changed the lives of so many. He parted a sea and then put it back down. He gives faithful promises continually. He doesn't let us down! Some people can feel their faith is boring or not much is happening. Well you might not be having those same exciting and wonderful experiences you once had when first meeting God. But really you are at a really cool spot with God. You are becoming more mature in Him and can be closer to Him. We can learn to love Him more! We can find ourselves on our knees singing out to God and crying for His love and forgiveness! 

There are so many crazy theories out there about how the world was created, how we were created, what will happen when we die and many more things. Some people say only 144,000 people will get to be in heaven. Is that true? I kind of doubt it. The bible says anyone who calls on the name of Jesus and repent will be saved and go to heaven. Well does God kick out the old then? Probably not. Also many believe they will go to heaven when they really don't know God and His heart. Having faith there shouldn't be doubt there should be assurance. *75% of Americans believe they are going to heaven. 80% of women believe they are going to heaven and 70% of men think they will. God is living. He isn't someone that you can trick or that is dead and you just have to sign your name on a sheet when you die and choose heaven. He is living and can see each and every action you do. I liked the way C.S. Lewis put it that God has a timeline or a vision in front of Him that He can scroll forward and backward watching our lives. His time is eternal. Ours is right now. 

So many people passively say that God is real or that they grew up in the church so they believe in God. Or I had a cool experience at church camp. What did you do with those learnings and experiences? Did you go cry out to God and serve Him? Show His glory to the world? Or did you go back to doubting Him and thinking of yourself as more? It can be so hard to believe in someone we can't see or directly talk to! Or is it easier? He is always there ready to listen to put things on ours, He doesn't waver depending on His mood or our mood. He gave His word to study. He gave us forgiveness and is the only one who can actually fill our needs that no one else can! 

This is a cool paper. 

http://www.everystudent.com/features/isthere.html

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20 NIV). 

yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. (1 Corinthians 8:6 NIV). 

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” (Revelation 4:11 NIV). 

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). 

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:15-17 NIV). 

God is in control of this world and no one can stop Him! 

Great day with my cousin!

I have an awesome cousin who has her own family now! My first day of spring break on Friday I got to spend with her and it was so awesome! Her and her husband really love The Lord and it is so cool to see them be a family. They are also part of a pretty cool church called mosaic in Lincoln Nebraska. I have always looked up to her so much and from a young age I named my doll after her. She is so wonderful! In the picture below she is holding her newest baby behind me and my sister and it's so funny because we dress so much alike! Both have leggings and white tank tops with plain colored shirts:). 

She is so great and I praise God for her everyday! Looking forward to spending time with her this summer in Lincoln! 

Guess who?

So much fun to get to play guess who today with the kiddos! It turned into a really funny conversation about asking each other the silly yes and no questions you ask in the game! Then we were playing guess who about who God is! So fun to see their curiosity about God at a young age! God can do so much from so young! It then turned into a conversation about can you drive? Not yet, then they are like but I see you driving all the time! Well that's just to school and school events. Then they got excited and said well when you can drive we can go to movies and to get ice cream and dollar tree:). God is going to do so much in my next two and a half years of my time in waukee! I can't wait to live for Him and be where He has me to! I love the people He has given me! I am so blessed! 

Great friends!

It's so wonderful to see a teacher care about her students so much and want the best for them! Erica is so sweet and it was so wonderful to get to see her after and give her a hug! God has made her great! Praise Him! 

Modesty

As summer is approaching I felt the need to write about modesty. As it was 60 degrees Monday and there was already scandalous clothing. I am not judging them...they do not know God and therefore don't care about pleasing Him or saving their body. Many people when it comes to summertime just wear whatever is comfortable and don't actually care what it shows. Even if someone personally doesn't find it uncomfortable to be flaunting their body it can be a stumbling block for other believers. This can even be a problem in churches. If a man works all week and is exhausted and has to possibly fight lusting the whole week and then the go to church they should be excited to get to hear a message and be surrounded by believers. But often times they have to fight it just as much at church as anywhere else. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV). For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. (1 Thessalonians 4:7 NIV). Some are fine with showing off their bodies but I don't think they realize they can be causing others to sin. If you care and love God then you should care about other people and not want them to sin. You should do everything to lead them not to sin. It would be horrible to think that you are causing someone to sin. I am in NO way saying women have to wear long ugly huge weird dresses and skirts. It is still possible to dress modern and be modest. It's not one or the other. I know one thing I think about a lot is yoga pants. They can be very revealing for some who wear them super tight and move in certain ways to attract others. If you are heart is good with yoga pants and you aren't wearing them to try to get people to stare at your butt then it's fine! But at the same time if your parents or spouse don't approve of it then you should respect their wishes. It's all about being clean and doing it with the right motives. There are some shirts that cover up fine when sitting normal and then when you bend over it reveals more. Well either don't bend over or cover it with your hand. 

I found this last night and thought it was good but not always 100% necessary. And I don't mean that if it's a day you want to show more its fine I mean if you look respectable in it and won't be moving in ways to reveal yourself it's okay. 

Just do the appropriate thing. It's obvious what is okay and what's not. I recently had an interesting conversation with a classmate because some other girl was practically wearing a strapless shirt that was very loose. I was like it makes me uncomfortable to wear shirts like that or reveal that much. And he was like oh I don't think it's that bad. He was like why do you care so much? And I said I don't think the whole world needs to see me like even if I bend over I usually cover my chest with my hand. He was very confused and said I've heard of people waiting till marriage but never like covering themselves up like that. He kind of made it seem like a stupid idea. I do not believe it is. I think it is a wonderful plan and vital! Dressing modestly doesn't mean adapt to what the world is today. It means adapt to how God created us to cover ourselves. Just as He created sex for marriage He also made our bodies for marriage. Dressing modestly isn't only important just for yourself but also for others! 

Now I am going to talk about swimsuits. And this can be a sore subject and I don't have the right answer but I have my opinion. I personally think that the whole swimming thing is awkward and there is too many ifs ands and buts. But nevertheless it's still an important topic. I think it is so funny because girls can be so awkward about people walking in on them change when they are in their bras and underwear when the majority of the time their swimsuits cover less. Swimsuits keep becoming less and less. If you don't want other people to see you in your bra and underwear that probably means your swimsuit doesn't cut it. There are some one pieces and tankinis out there that I think are okay for people to wear though! I think this is a great website for swimsuits. http://www.reyswimwear.com/

There are even many moms out there who think they should show off their body and I don't understand why. Moms set an example for their daughters and for who their sons should marry. They are being watched more than they think. If a mom wears a bikini why would it stop their daughter from wearing one? They can say oh well I am married but exactly! You are married, your body is for your husband not the world.  They have a husband nobody else needs to see them. All women are doing is tempting other men or possibly making others self conscious. It should be the normal to want to save yourself and not show yourself. We don't have to conform to the world. You can go swimming if you want and wear tshirts and shorts or a bikini. It's whatever God convicts you of and makes you feel right about. It's important to think of others also. Our bodies aren't meant for the whole world to see. I want people to feel strong about saving themselves and covering their bodies! It is it not had to cover yourself up! God desires it. 

Another topic I don't think people realize is, is that it can be hard for women at pools too. There are new studies that show women are more attracted to mens chests than previously thought. In our society it has evoke the normal for men to not wear shirts and women can actually be very attracted to that! Now I know at pools there aren't as many choices for men, but men taking off their shirts and causing women to stumble is just as bad as women wearing low cut shirts. I think it is interesting that it has became the rule that women can't take their shirts off but men can. I think men should save themselves just as much as women. Just because they get hot doesn't mean they can take their shirts off. Women aren't aloud to take them off. It is so important for everyone to not only wait to have sex but also to have modesty! Modesty never stops. Modesty is not conforming to the worlds definition of fashion. 

I enjoyed this article! 

http://www.neednotfret.com/content/view/59/63/

Another great website is purefreedom.org

I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, (1 Timothy 2:9 NIV). 

Stress!

Yesterday I suddenly got really stressed and almost to the point of crying. Then I was mad at myself for getting stressed and couldn't focus. I got so occupied with studying for finals and idolizing my grades and not realizing that the biggest stress I should be worried about is I go to heaven or hell and Jesus already paid that price!! Time and time again I have realized that God HAS to come before school. I can't let school stress me at or change who I am. I am a child of God and He has made me exactly how He has for His perfect plans! One test won't change where I end up! My heart will change how I end up! I got so occupied with studying I almost skipped freedom for youth and babysitting for some dear friends. But God convicted my heart of selfishness and that He has called me to go love His children and teach them about Him! And He will tell me what I need to know! As always He was right and put so much joy in my heart! I love God and I love His children! 

He took a selfie:). 

Too late to apologize?

6th message in Levi Luskos series sorry not sorry. This is also a really funny song by one republic saying how its too late to apologize and they can't move forward. Well in real life or with God is it ever too late to apologize? 

In his message he focused on Luke 15 with the prodigal son. Most people know the story of the prodigal son and that he wanted his fathers money and went and spent all of it leaving himself to starve in the famine. He was probably doing lots of sinning. He had so much money and just wanted to spend it and blow the money however his flesh pleased. 

The reason he told the parable of the prodigal son and the lost sheep was because, the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” (Luke 15:1, 2 NIV). The people didn't get why Jesus was eating and hanging out with sinners. Well if Jesus were to not eat with any sinners he would be at a table for 1 all the time. He would be all by Himself. He wants to make it clear that everyone is sinners and that no matter how far lost you are God has a deep deep love for you. He will do anything to save you and welcome you back! He wants you back! Jesus is like a doctor. He doesn't treat normal healthy patients who are perfect. Doctors treat people who need help and that's exactly what Jesus did. 

Sin is bad. The son got surrounded by sin. Sin will take you farther than you want to go and keep you longer than you want to stay. The devil promises things that he has no intention of doing just that. He may tell you to go have sex and then make you addicted to it. Satan will tell you to click on a website and then tell you to keep going a step farther and farther. Everything in this world has a price. I had never realized how much this means till now. Jesus paid the price. He paid the price for heaven. Many people have to pay the price themselves in this world and then get thirsty and need something else again. 

The son finally decided to go home. Not only did he decide to go home but he went home. He took the road home. The road to hell is full of good intentions and then never actually doing them. The son got home and his father ran out to him. The father was so excited to see him! The son was dirty and filthy but the father kissed him and loved him. He was so full of joy. The son thought he would have to plead with his father for a job but the father said no I don't want to give you a job but I want a relationship with you. He gave him a tuxedo and nice and elegant food for him. He threw a party for his son even though his son had sinned. Here is the sons apology. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ (Luke 15:21 NIV). I think it's pretty powerful! He knows his sin and how unworthy he is. 

1. It's never too late to do the right thing. 

The sons actions were bad and sinful and outrageously bad. But he decided to stop sinning. 

Everyone can be forgiven. God can bring beauty of the ashes and darkness. Even if they don't forgive you and bring you the robe and a ring God will still love and honor you for doing the right thing. 

2. Value the relationship being right ahead of being right. 

Put the relationship ahead of your need to be right. 

3. It's hip to be square but don't stop there. 

Remedy must involve restitution. If you damaged someone's jacket try to fix it if you can't buy them a new one. Anything that has been damaged must be replaced. 

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” (Luke 19:8 NIV). 

Be committed to your word. Make it up to them. Do it out of a heart of love though. 

4. Make sure your apology gets to the right place. 

Separate sinning against God and doing evil against someone else. 

Don't over apologize. Some people aren't victims until you make them victims with an apology. Go on in love. 

5. There might not be a tomorrow. 

The son thought he should go home. And then he did go home. It's never too late to do the right thing as long as it's today. The bible always says go and do it. Don't want until tomorrow to do it. 

I love this! Sin the longer it sits the harder it gets. This is so true! You have to get away from the sin!! Don't give room to the devil he will fill whatever space you let him so don't give him that space give the space to God!! Get out of sin! Go on in love! Rejoice in God!!

Make Jesus famous!

This is a really cool foundation I found the other day! Just the idea of it to make Jesus famous is awesome. Spreading the word so everyone knows Jesus. It says in a world where over 200,000 babies are born every day it is vital for everyone to know Jesus. And everyone needs to tell their powerful story of Jesus! They have cool shirts you can buy and that is helpful for the cause of their business. One of their main places to help is Haiti. That is very near to my heart as I have friends that go there often and there is such a deep need for Jesus! They have been through a lot there and they need to come to Jesus! 

We all need to be on a mission to make Jesus famous and spread His name everywhere! Jesus should be more famous than everyone else. Everyone should know Jesus and look up to Jesus and want to be like Him. We shouldn't want to be like Lindsay Lohan but instead be like Jesus! Who is your favorite person? Jesus! One day every knee will bow at His name! He is there for us and is so great! Take a look at their website!  

Big head, high horse, tight pants

This was the 5th message in Levi Luskos series sorry not sorry. Once again it was great! He stated a very important thing...the presence of pride is poison to an apology. Pride will kill an apology and if anything it can make it worse! But humility is an apologies best friend. If someone says I am sorry to you not changed or not really thinking they did anything wrong, it doesn't make you feel better it makes you feel worse! The phrase for the week was ego. 

He focused on the parable in Luke 18 in this message. In Luke 18:9 it describes a Pharisee that goes and prays in the best spot in the temple. He goes where everyone can see him. His apology is this

The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ (Luke 18:11, 12 NIV). This just makes me sick. He never says sorry to God. He says I thank you that I am not like this person or that person or eww that person. I am especially glad not to be that tax collector. My life is pretty good I fast twice a week when you only require once a week. And I always give a tenth of all I get. Even though probably a tenth of what he got could be more than some people make total. He was still living in plenty of luxury. He didn't even say I sin but not as bad as those people he just said I thank you I am not those people. I don't take money from people, I don't have sex with others, I don't commit evil. He just thinks he is great and has it all together. This is how our world gets very caught up thinking. We don't fear God. We just say well God at least I am not like that person, because that would really suck to be them. Wow they are horrible people but I am pretty great. Btw this person was not real, this was just a parable. 

But the Pharisees name means to be separated. Also to obey God. So they came up with all these crazy religious rules to follow. I feel like you know when the faith is not God and becomes a practice of religion when you start judging others based on rules humans made up. The Pharisees trusted in themselves. They decided their good deeds were good enough to get them to heaven. They were like a private club that only they could get in to, and anybody else was not following God correctly. They were kind of thought to be Gods favorite but in the end the extremes of the rules they took it to brought them down and away from God. 

The tax collector on the other hand wasn't even aloud to go in to pray. He had to wait outside because he wasn't good enough. It says he wouldn't even look up to heaven and I believe this is because he feared God so much and knew His great power, and he knew his own sin. He was truly broken and just asked for forgiveness for he knew he was a sinner. This man left justified Jesus said. He was humbled. He knew his own sin. 

Here were Levi's main points for the week. 

1. Half apologies only make things worse. 

It's like doing something with your left hand that undoes something your right hand did. 

It goes back to the not really thinking you did anything wrong and trying to blame it on them. I'm sorry that you got hurt. I'm sorry your feelings are hurt. I'm sorry that you feel that way. Usually the person has a right to be upset. 

There is a Chinese proverb that says if you are going to bow, bow low. If you are going to go to the work of doing it, do it all the way. Give your full heart. If you don't do it all the way it's clearly not your heart so why do it all? It's like with kids if you tell them to clean their room and they just shove it in a closet. Why did they even do it? They obviously didn't respect you enough to obey or have a true heart to do it. 

If it is worth doing at all it is worth doing all the way. 

those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth; (Proverbs 30:12 NIV). 

2. The only way to be fixed is to be broken. 

I love the word broken. I probably over use it. But in a relationship with God it is vital. We just have to realize our imperfectness. We have to acknowledge that He is greater. It's not a one day deal either. Brokenness needs to continue. 

You must acknowledge and understand you are asking for something you don't deserve. 

3. Body language matters. It's not just what you say it's how you say it. 

You must say sorry with your whole body and make it clear that it's important to you. It's not just oh yeah I am sorry whatever you are really the jerk here not me. 

There is a study that shows up to 65% of communication is nonverbal. That is pretty important! 

You have to be beating off your chest, like the tax collector, that you have humility. 

4. Don't make your apology all about you. 

The Pharisee used the word "I" 5 times in his apology. 

The apologies heart should be for the one who has been wronged. Not well this hasn't been easy for me too. 

Or trying to have sincerity and be on their level and say well someone did this to me too and I know how it feels. If you know how it feels don't do it!! Don't draw the attention to you! Your pain is not the focus here. It's about their pain and what you did to them. When we ask God for forgiveness He will cleanse our pain too! 

5. Focusing on yourself leads to despair. 

A prideful man led to nothing good. The one who focused on God went home justified. 

Peter and Judas both failed. Peter was even in the inner circle with Jesus and still denied knowing Him. 

Judas went and hung himself because of what he did and couldnt actually face the punishments. 

But Jesus reappeared to Peter. 

Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus ), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” (John 21:1-22 NIV). 

God offers forgiveness, we can offer ourselves to Him pleading for help and mercy. God save me. I don't deserve it I have sinned in many ways but God I need you!!

Catching fire!

So excited that today catching fire came out! Such a good movie, can't wait to cuddle up on the couch and watch it with my sisters!

Preparing for Easter

Easter is coming up on Sunday April 20th. This time right now is to be thinking about Jesus being in the desert tempted by satan got 40 days. A lot of Catholics during this time give up something. The point is not to give up something easy or that you don't even like. I would say you should give up something you prioritize or feel like you need. Something that you put ahead of God every day. Something that you might actually need to lean on Gods strength to last the whole time. It needs to be so something that you use frequently and really enjoy but realize that God is more important than that. Jesus died for us! I think we can give up something for 40 days. It's interesting to realize how much you came to need something and want it everyday. If we are without the bible for a day would we feel that way also. My prayer is that in the 40 days of having less or more of something we would yearn more for God. I decided to give up pop for this time and continue reading a chapter of Jeremiah a day. It doesn't necessarily have to be something you give up. It could be doing more of something also. Singing a song of worship a day or reading a chapter of the bible a day. 

Already it has been hard not to have pop and even though it's not a sin I want to say God you are better than this and I want to focus on You and needing You and not worldly things. For some people it might be to give up coffee or even use that money normally used to purchase coffee to donate to charity or the dollar a day things for kids. If there is someone that it is really hard for you to love you could try and pray for them each day or do something for them everyday. It's not impossible with God. Maybe it's giving up secular music. When you are craving that music you instead turn to God in prayer or take yourself out of that situation. 

Preparing for Easter it is important to remember what the cross means and I think important to think about how you have been saved. Why would God save us? Reading through Jeremiah, God is continually saddened by their evilness and idols. God had to destroy them before He could bring them back. He said He would exile them and in 70 years being them back. He also says that He will be making a new covenant with the people and their sins will be forgiven and forgotten. God had to put them through the fire before the light could lead them. I think that so often people have to have something horrible happen before they can really acknowledge how horrible and evil we are and how mighty God is and that He can make us stronger! I just want to remember all the temptation Christ went through and finally a death for us. It is really saddening how sinful we are and I have had time to realize that lately. But also how great and compassionate God IS!! He truly is amazing and loves us and knows everything about us. Jesus knows what it is like to be tempted and He will help us and heal us. He is there for us! 

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25, 26 NIV). 

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. (Philippians 3:10-12 NIV). 

God is a consuming fire

I like to say this a lot and I think it can be kind of confusing and the real meaning not actually clear. Well obviously if you accept Jesus and live for Him fully you will go to heaven. If you don't and live in your own selfish and fleshly ways you will go to hell. Hell is made of fire. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8 NIV). It is much better to die to this life than to die to in hell and suffer forever. 

“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matthew 25:46 NIV). 

They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might (2 Thessalonians 1:9 NIV). 

This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:49, 50 NIV). 

If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. (Mark 9:43 NIV). 

In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. (Jude 1:7 NIV). 

Hell is scary. People should fear it. God is greater than them and has the final judgement. God created all the good in the world and He also created the place for the sinners and evil hearted. If He can create a glorious and awesome heaven, it is my guess that He can make a pretty horrible and terrifying hell. When this life is over we can't suddenly choose God after all of our lives saying no I want to drink this, go here, sleep with them, or buy everything I want. God loves righteousness. He loves and is proud of those that change their ways and repent and turn to Him. 

In 1st kings 18 there is a very interesting story about Elijah and the prophets of Baal. Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.” So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing. Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord ’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.” Then all the people said, “What you say is good.” Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made. At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention. Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.” “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again. “Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench. At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “ Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord —he is God! The Lord —he is God!” (1 Kings 18:19-39 NIV). God always proves faithful. He never fails. I like all of the careful steps Elijah took here. He clearly submitted His life to God and trusted His word. And God consumed the earth with fire. Showing that God can bring destruction and fire. 

But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. (Malachi 3:2 NIV). The fire of God is a source to purify and make holier. When God brought the fire to Elijah's pile of wet wood it brought many to trust in Him and turn from other gods. Gods consuming fire is not necessarily to just bring destruction and horror. I believe there is an element that it is meant to bring Gods glory and refine people just a fire refines metal today. I believe that Gods consuming sure is meant to wash out the old and evil and bring purity and cleanness. Sometimes things do have to get worse before better. You have to go through the fire of sin to see the glory of God.

By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. (Exodus 13:21 NIV). Here God is leading them out of the storm with fire. The fire is meant to awaken the people and bring them out of destruction here. It is a light for the people. God lights the way to new light for them with fire. Our old self has to die and be burned by Gods consuming fire. It must die and nothing remain. 

Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:2-5 NIV). Isaiah sees the true glory of God and falls and realizes how sinful we are. I believe one day we will just truly fall and barely be able to stand at Gods glory! As it says above the temple also filled with smoke. A new light was shed on Isaiah and God filled the temple with smoke. He took away the old and didn't leave space for it to return. I love these scriptures and I pray that the fire is shed on my life now and not later after I die. There is fire we must go through now so that we do not for eternity. The fire God brings us makes us stronger in our faith! He is almighty and He is a consuming fire!

Hebrews 11

I am almost done going through my study of Hebrews. The other day I was in chapter 11 and I have read it before but this time I read and was just like wow! It's crazy to think how much faith do I actually have? Is the faith I have the center of my life? Do I long for more faith and more of God? God is the most amazing and beautiful person ever and He is the best God EVER! 

I love how in Hebrews 11 it literally just goes through and says all these people that lived by faith? If this book was written now would God be proud to say we have lived and died great lives of faith? 

The definition of faith is confidence in what we have believed in and hoped for and assurance about what we do not see. Do we 100% believe that God created this universe and us and knows every detail about our hearts and lives? That He created us to serve higher purposes than our own flesh and desires. Do we realize the pain that Jesus Christ our Lord suffered to die for us and give us forgiveness and to see greater things done in this world. God loves us more than we even know. He has a deep love a compassion for our hearts that will never change no matter what our sin is, He hates sin more than we know also. God would do anything to bless us and make our lives point to Him. He has a direction for our lives that we can't see but our faith helps us to trust God and surrender our desires. 

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). There are many who just want God to help them but only actually turn to Him in that time. They don't actually believe that God has given them everything and made them and can change their lives. I like that is says earnestly seek Him. It is not checklist thing or go to church once a week. It's with a strong passion and desire seek out God and find Him. Call upon His name and acknowledge His greatness. Surrender yourself to His cause. Learn Him, love Him, and trust Him! 

I love how it describes all of these great people and the acts of faith they preformed. They didn't just decide oh I guess this would be okay or just go wherever the wind blows them. They said Yes You are God and You are telling me to go to a foreign land and give up all I know here. And although it's hard and scary I will do it because you made me and you know what You are doing. Abraham even though old follower God to scary places and trusted that God would make him father of all nations. 

It is so important to see that they did not get the things promised to them while on this earth but they receives their reward in heaven with God. They just followed God and did as He said. They knew He knew what He was doing. 

Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:16 NIV). 

They weren't annoyed God made them leave their land. They just moved on into the future and kept going. They didn't turn back. They knew that even this new home wasn't their permanent one. Our permanent home is where we end up when we die. That is where true life takes place. 

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:39, 40 NIV). Sticking to our faith is not in any way easy. Some people were persecuted and treated like criminals for following God. They knew that God was true though. They decided to put Him first and about any punishment here. They didn't let this world change their views. No matter how much the world attacks us, if we truly have faith than the can not change our lives and views. Other people can't choose where we end up. Our faith decides that. This chapter is really amazing and touched my heart in a special way to think about the ways people have lived by faith. 

A great song I have been listening to lately is "Give me faith". I love the chorus. Give me faith to trust what You say. That You're good and Your love is great. I'm broken inside I give You my life. I LOVE this!! We have to ask God for more trust to believe in Him and understand His greatness. He has to give us this! And it goes back to being broken. To truly feel God we need to realize His superiorness and our weakness. The bridge is "I may be weak but your spirits strong in me. My flesh may fail but my God you never will! This is something that is so fun to worship to God. And just say it with a true passion and a loving and lasting heart to God! God you are my all and I need you to soften my heart and give it all to you! Just imagine Him holding your heart in His hands and being saddened by sin taking pieces from it. Sin takes pieces from your heart and makes it smaller and faith adds more to it and makes your faith stronger. All we are is because of Him. The good in us is all Him. 

Our faith never will stop growing. There is always more to know about God that will make us fall more in love with Him. There is always more sin that we have to repent from and make us trust God more! Lastly faith doesn't change depending on what our mood is. It stays the same. Our faith is based on facts and reasons not how we feel at a moment or falling into a bad situation and suddenly not trusting Gods fullness. Faith has to be fed. Faith will keep growing.