Communication

I believe through the course of life we learn how important communication is in every single aspect. Today our world is very overwhelmed by technology and smartphones always shining in front of our faces. We have certain responsibilities or roles that are unique to us in our life. For certain people you are only a spouse to that one person or you are only a parent to that child. No one else can replace that role or try to fulfill it. So you are in charge of filling it. Don't let your job take over your unique roles when that job can easily be taken over by someone else. Be fully in and 100% in to those unique roles in life. Don't let them go astray when God has given you responsibility for them. Be careful to listen to all they have to say and be giving of yourself. Don't be selfish with your time or love and learn their love language. Your love language isn't everyone else's love language. My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, (James 1:19 NIV). 

In the same way there is only one person that can give you all the joy and the only real joy. The only one that really knows your heart. The only one that can save you from the devil and from prospering. His name is God. Let God fill His responsibility. He wants to and would love to! It is His full joy to love us and fill our lives with love and joy! Let God do His job and do your job with communicating with Him also. We have a responsibility to Him also. He only created one like us. He wants to know us and spend time with us! Gods love language is all 5 and we need to do all 5 to love Him!

You are I am

This is such a wonderful song by MercyMe. It's a great song and just a reminder that we are the ones weighing ourselves down and that God is the one that is constantly there. I have been so reminded lately that no matter what I am feeling it's what I am feeling not what I am or what God is. The things that shake me don't shake God or change who I am in Him. I can feel like my world is upside down when God just wants me to praise Him! God is the one that can conquer giants and do all He sets His mind to. He is unstoppable and with Him on our sides we can do all God wants us to and conquer all things not of God. He brought the spirit into us and brought His son back from the dead. He made us alive again and conquered death. We didn't do it. We can't do it. God can do it! He is so able! 

Making time for God

In all the craziness that can happen in a day and all the list making and prioritizing our number one priority as Christians is God. It is not to go work out, school, watch TV, email this person, or even doing certain things we are supposed to be doing for serving God. It is just God. If we don't spend that one on one time with God praying and asking for His love and guidance as we walk through our paths than have we truly let God into our lives. It is the end of the year so lots to do for school and for freedom for youth and I believe God has called me to do freedom for youth and there is reflections and different things we have to do for each of the kids. But how can be truly blessing others in those things and leading them in the spirit if I don't have the spirit in me? Yes I know the Spirit doesn't just leave you one day if you don't read the bible or pray or worship God, but refreshing our souls every day and letting God run His holy waters through us is part of being a christian. This is what will make our heart for God stronger and less likely to sin. God can transform our lives each day. I LOVE my morning times of waking up and reading His word. It is sometimes the calmest and best part about my day! I love it! Then after I spend time in His word while I am getting ready for school and other things I just listen to my "Jesus music" as my sister calls it and get time to praise Him! It truly prepares you for the day and allows you to get more done in Christ. Because if I say well I have a test tomorrow so if I get done studying or doing my chemistry homework then God can have a little time with me, first of all we should want time with God but also I usually end up feeling pretty cruddy while I am studying and I can't focus. If I take the time for God and give Him my full attention and heart I believe He is just dwelling in me all the more throughout the day and allowing me to be more like the person He wants me to be. 

That's not to say that it is a checklist and you must do this every single day otherwise you will have a terrible day my point is don't let God be your last priority and let your life and the things you have to do become your idol that you praise and put all your time into. We don't have wooden figures or fake gods as much anymore that are a temptation or idols for us. But instead our idols have become things we make and what we value the most and put the most effort into. God is not a one time thing, He is a life changing God that continues to need a relationship just like any other relationship. Often times it can mean giving up some sleep or just going to the extra mile to make time for God. But God is not the last part of our lives. He is first. He is more important than any other person or object or event. God is consistently there and always reigning over our lives. 

Blessing others

No matter how miserable or bitter you can feel at times or how badly things seem to be going, it always feels great when you get to love others and bless them. Doing something special for others especially when you feel worst can make you feel best. Going the one extra stretch to help others and care about them is wonderful. God was miserable, His people turned against Him and hurt Him. And yet He sent His one and only son to save those people who hurt Him! Think about that when you think your life is miserable. The last 2 weeks have not gone at all how I thought, planned or hoped they would. But does that mean I should instead sulk in all my sadness and be negative and horrible towards others. NO! Instead I should feel humbled and blessed and use what I have learned and felt to love others and heal their pain. Gods not dead. He didn't give up. We shouldn't give up other. The little things don't stop us. Satan can't stop us. God can make us do bigger things. Sundays are my favorite days right now because God is consistently there and I am consistently there and happy! Let God teach you in our sad times and lead us to caring about others. 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 13:34 NIV). 

We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. (1 John 4:19-21 NIV). 

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:3-5 NIV). 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 NIV). 

Happy Easter!!

Jesus is alive! He is not dead! He has overcome the grave and has come to save us. God raised our savior from the dead. He keeps His promises and did not let His son down. He wanted to save us and He has. We have to accept this. Each year it becomes more and more real to me that Jesus actually overcame death! He is now with us each and every day. How important it is each day to have the eternal perspective Jesus had when He was nailed to the cross. Jesus looked to God for guidance and cared deeply about us. Everyday when we make up we should set our minds on the death of Jesus and the resurrection and the life to come! 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (1 Peter 1:3 NIV). 

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:8-11 NIV). 

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ ” Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:4-16 NIV). 

Good Friday

But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:61, 62 NIV). 

I think today is a very important day to remain humble and think about the pain Jesus took away from us by dying on the cross. The pain He suffered. The pain we would've suffered if it weren't for Him. Today is not a day of celebration. But it is a day of humility and sovereignty. It's a day to turn to God. I have always loved Good Friday in the church and I am very excited to go to church tonight. God always has worked in mysterious ways in me at the Good Friday service. Today was a day of sadness for Jesus' followers. He was dead and they didn't know what to do. 

Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome. In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there. (Mark 15:40, 41 NIV). These women and many others had to watch Jesus be crucified. This is a very humbling thing to literally see your sin taken away from you but Jesus is still living through that death today taking the sin of the world away. He hasn't stopped working. 

Today is a day of healing, we don't have to feel the pain anymore! I think this should be a tremendous day of giving thanks and praise to God and just actually being on our knees. It's a time to reflect and to strain towards the prize of Christ at the end. It is a day to set our perspective to an eternal perspective and not right now or my flesh. It is a child like faith but living it out like Jesus did. This isn't some random thing a bunch of people made up thousands of years ago. It happened. Jesus died and He did it for us. God has a deep love for us and that can be filled in our hearts. 

who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” (Mark 10:34 NIV). 

because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” (Mark 9:31 NIV). 

He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. (Mark 8:31 NIV). 

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24 NIV). 

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5 NIV). 

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! (Romans 5:6-10 NIV). 

Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). (John 19:17 NIV). Jesus carried His own cross which had the weight of the world on it. 

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. (John 19:30-32 NIV)

Tears rolling down His face

I think of the pain Jesus went through of dying on the cross and being betrayed. Not only did He physically suffer but He also had to feel betrayed by His close friends and all the people He was dying for. Jesus could've easily just got done from the cross especially with people yelling at Him, it would've been so much easier for Him just to prove to the people that He could save Himself. But He needed God to save Him. All the insults and nasty things people were saying to Him would've been horrible. But Jesus knew that He had to do this. It wasn't His will but Gods will. His tears and pain would take away the pain of many more. Many times God calls us to do the harder things and not take the shortcuts. There are always easier options. In Christ it would be easy to just be selfish with your faith and not share it with anyone. But instead God calls us to go out of our comfort zone and possibly risk popularity or what people think of us to go to great bounds to show what we think of God. Jesus could've actually saved Himself and He also could've been upset with the people that were killing Him, but He patiently waited on God and cried out forgiveness for them. 

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:17 NIV). We don't have to suffer anymore. We don't have to sin anymore! We are freed and we are a new creation. We can be complete in Christ! 

For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. (1 Peter 3:17, 18 NIV). 

It is so much better to live for God in this life than to live for our flesh and die in our flesh! 

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2 NIV). 

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; (John 11:25 NIV). 

His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords. (Revelation 19:12-16 NIV). 

Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him. (Mark 15:15-20 NIV). 

This passage really makes me sad and very humbled about what Jesus went through to die for us. All the pain emotionally and physically He took. Why? He trusted His father and loved us. 

They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!” In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him. (Mark 15:22, 25, 26, 29-32 NIV). 

Jesus didn't have to prove anything to these people except that He served a greater God. He can save others through His death. He died for us! That has never meant more to me until this year! 

When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!” But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.” The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” (John 19:5-7 NIV). Jesus your death means everything to us! You gave me life and you gave me breath and you brought me to Your Father! 

From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.” (John 19:12 NIV). 

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30 NIV). 

And then it was finished. It is finished in us today. 

It's been paid

Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:3-10, 23 NIV). 

Jesus knew it was His last week. He knew He would be betrayed. He also knew He had a God and Father that was greater than this world and more powerful than sin. He had overcome sin. Now all He had left to do was die for His people. Most of which treated Him horribly and were not loving to Him like He was to them. And yet that week leading up to His death He was triumphantly welcomed into the city with palm branches to later be betrayed. During the course of the week Jesus didn't sit around and mope nor was He discouraged. He took the course God had given Him and He lived it out to the fullest. I'm sure it wasn't always easy but Jesus overcame sin. So yes God does know what it is like to battle sin and He can help us battle! Easter is not only about rejoicing in Jesus' victory but the victory we can have in Him! We are no longer slaves to sin. We don't have to fall anymore, we don't have to have pain anymore. No! We can rejoice in Jesus Christ our savior who paid it all. Now it is our turn to pay the price. Be stronger than sin. God is able. He will never fail. 

The parable of the unforgiving debtor

I wrote about this parable a month or 2 ago but this weekend I got a new perspective on it. Not only just about the non forgiveness but about how we can do this each and every day. Not only are we required to forgive others because others have forgiven us but because God has forgiven us. And there is such an enormous debt we owe to God! The man owed the king so much! Some people have said it would've taken him 150,000 years to pay back this debt. This shows the enormity of our sin and how much we owe to God! And how we can never pay this back to God. The king is God and God chose to forgive us, He didn't have to but He did! And then if we were to go back and not forgive others it would be so hypocritical. No matter what others do to us the debt can never be as large as what God paid for us. God knows how hard forgiveness is it cost Him a son. 

That being said we must not only forgive others but we should beg God for our own forgiveness. We should be crying out to Him on our knees. Thinking of His horrible death on the cross for us after He lived a perfect life. But Jesus has received His glory He is at the right hand of God! The deep love we have for Jesus right now and what we know about Him it would be horrible to watch Him be nailed to a cross and die. But He died for us. He paid for our huge debt. This week should be a humble week serving God with faithfulness. Preparing for Jesus to rise from the dead. Think about how much of the relationship God took into His own hands to be able to love us and be close with Him. Loving everyone God brings into our path and tell them about Jesus! 

30 days to live

If you only have 30 days to live what would you be doing?? Finishing the season of your favorite tv show? Buying more clothes? Getting the newest iPhone? What did Jesus do in His last 30 days? He faithfully served God, washing others feet, having dinner with His disciples, healing people, praying for people to be forgiven! Jesus didn't stop. He used His last days to bring more to God! 

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21 NIV). 

What is the treasure in your heart? Is it Christ? Or is it your house? Are you fulfilled in Christ! Spreading the word of God to others will store up joy in your heart and be pleasing to God! The things God does in your heart no one can steal from you. God is permanently inside of you. People can still your things and products. If your heart is in those materialistic things your heart will be up and down and not satisfied with those items. 

“ lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.”  (Psalms 39:4, 5 NLT). 

Our days on life have only one purpose and that is just to serve God. It's not to meet the love of our lives, be the most fashionable, or the most popular. Just remember how fleeting our life is and the only thing on earth that we have is breath. As soon as that stops we go to God our father! Be generous, love endlessly, and serve faithfully!! God is all and all and He is able! Make your life the best picture to God. Don't waste it. Don't satisfy your flesh satisfy your heart being complete in God! Prepare for Easter this week and think about all Jesus did for us. 

Sarah's dedication

As a woman I can't imagine not being able to have children like Sarah. And then to have God say your descendants will be as many as the stars to your husband and then that you will bear a children in your old age. 

Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. (Genesis 18:18 NIV). 

Abram was very faithful to The Lord as well. He was 86 years old when God said

He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:5, 6 NIV). Abram trusted that God would give him a son and that he would be the father of many nations. Sarah originally was named Sarai and she gave her maid Hagar to Abram so that maybe she could have a family through her. It would be very hard on her heart to have another women bear the child of her husband and then Hagar ran away. She came back and bear a child to Abram. Sarah still had no children. 

Genesis 17 is really awesome to me just in the way God makes a covenant with Abram and tells him He will be his God and the God of his offspring. 

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.” Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. (Genesis 17:1-11 NIV). How wonderful is it that Abraham was faithful to God and made a way for the future people. We can do the same thing today and change the generations to come. We can make God known and live faithful lives. 

As Sarah was a faithful wife to Abraham God also made a promise with her. Sarah was promised a child. God can do all things no matter how crazy it may sound. God cares deeply and will press on with us and do the hard things. 

God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!” Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.” When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him. (Genesis 17:15-22 NIV). 

Nothing is to hard for God. Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” (Genesis 18:14 NIV). 

Later on Sarah and Abraham were traveling and and they arrived in Negev and Abraham told people that Sarah was his sister because she was so beautiful and people would find favor with him then. And when God had me wander from my father’s household, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ’ ” (Genesis 20:13 NIV). 

God was indeed faithful to Sarah. His promises never go unfulfilled. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.” (Genesis 21:2-7 NIV). 

Sarah was a wonderful woman of God serving Him and her husband! I will continue to study her and the many more wonderful women God created! We are all Gods creation beautifully and wonderfully made!

Forsaking God-Ezekiel 9

The people of Jerusalem and Israel have been through so much not because God doesn't love them but because they love sin. They haven't fought the fight they are supposed to. God has given them many many chances to repent and change their ways and sent many people to them to guide them to God. But yet they still choose sin over eternal joy. They can't see the eternity in it or even a week into their sin. They look at right now and what they want. Yes in the moment sin can be extremely tempting but in a second God can give you more pleasure and joy than sin can ever fill you with. Satan can make sin appealing to us but he can't make it actually fill us with what we need. So instead of continuing to sin we must say God I need you to fill me and cover me with your love! But the people of Jerusalem still don't choose God even after He has destroyed them and broken them and put famine and plague on them. Instead they take Gods temple that is supposed to be filled with the one and only God and be a powerful place of God working and they literally turn away from the altar of God and bow down to the sun. What is the sun going to do? Oh yeah it can heat the world and bring light but who puts the light in the sun? God! God gives light to all things good. Without Him this would be a world of darkness and emptiness. He gave us an undeserving people His son to take away our sin. He wanted to save His people so He gave us Jesus. Everyday we should be praising God for Jesus and for saving us! It is not something that is to be forgotten ever. How great thou art. Then sings my soul me savior God to thee. Sing to God let Him know your heart and your love for Him! We don't have to hide our love for God we have to keep our love for God growing and on fire. There shouldn't be a single day in life in Christ that we don't "feel" like we love God. It should be everyday that we are praising Him for His greatness and power and saving us. He has deep compassion on us and is working on such greater things in our lives. I love all He is currently doing in mine and I pray that He would press on more and more! I continue to pray for a soft and humbled heart and to keep exploring God! God is constant. There may be pain but in Christ there is joy that overpowers that and allows you to forget the pain and be a new creation in Christ! That's what life in Christ is.  

Flu shot

Every fall people can get flu shots. People get the flu shots to prevent themselves from getting the flu because they believe the flu is bad. When you get a flu shot you are actually being injected with the flu virus but in a small amount and your body learns to fight it and acknowledges it as bad. You are getting the flu in a small dosage. Some people do the same thing with Jesus. They take Jesus in in small doses. They don't ever have too much Jesus. They only take Him in at church or in front of their parents or at certain times. Now like the flu shot taking Jesus in a small amount and not letting Him take over and have your full heart is making you immune to Jesus. You feel Him less and less. And when He is there you can't feel Him because you have made yourself immune and not actually feeling anything when He is there. You have trained your soul to not react or get excited about Jesus and you compartmentalize Him. You become an actor and not a follower of Jesus. Jesus is today not tomorrow, not when I get this raise, not when that relationship is perfect, not when you get good grades. And also not when you need Him to get better grades and then leaving Him when your grades are good. Jesus is saying I am content today the way my life is and this is where you have me. Where you go I will go, where you stay I will stay, when you move I will move. It's all about God! It's not about us! We don't know if we will be here tomorrow or in another country or face to face with our almighty God. 

We are supposed to consume Jesus to the fullest and embrace Him and never ever let go but squeezing for more and more. Because there is always more of God for us to find. God is out consuming fire! Don't shut Jesus out but open the door and show the door to everyone! 

Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”— when you already have it with you. (Proverbs 3:28 NIV). 

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. (James 4:13-17 NIV). 

“Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. (Psalm 39:4, 5 NIV). 

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23 NIV). 

As Easter approaches it is very important to take up our cross each and every single day!! Never letting go of Jesus and His amazing power!! Praise You Lord!

The Holy Spirit

It is so amazing that not only did God come walk on this earth but He also made Himself alive in us! He makes every step there is to draw us closer to Him. It is so important to actually feel Him alive in us and burning in us. What awakens Gods spirit in you? Can you feel Him when you read His word and find a wonderful verse about Gods heart? What about when you are singing praises to Him? At camp 2 years ago I had some of the best worship time of my life and I actually felt like I was going to faint because God was running through my blood making me yearn for Him. His spirit can do really amazing and special things! He is inside of us to truly feel our hearts and see what we do each day and be right there with us the whole time. He is soooo amazing! I had an experience again last weekend where God was just actually breaking any sin or pride or hurt or anybody I haven't forgiven. He just actually took over my life and I am not going to take that away from Him! 

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:45-49 NIV). 

Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:6-8 NIV). 

because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:2-8 NIV). 

But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin. (Micah 3:8 NIV). 

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (John 14:26 NIV). 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22, 23 NIV). 

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38 NIV). 

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. (Romans 8:26, 27 NIV)

Let God work His way through our lives and body and search us thick and thin! Let Him know our life!

Ezekiel 3

After reading through Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Lamentations I am now on Ezekiel. I have actually really enjoyed reading the Old Testament more than ever before. There are some really amazing things from Gods heart that speak to mine. And I can see the deep need for Jesus to come and save them. We were in such a need for a savior!! The Israelites continued to be hard towards God and not change from their sin. I feel like I can relate to that and not listening to God and repenting. It is very sad to think about but God is so compassionate and does not give up. His love never ends and never fails. If we do sin though He will break us to use us for His glory! Sadly the Israelites did not repent no matter how God was sending to them so they were put into exile. 

In Lamentations we see how sad Jeremiah is and how the sin has hurt their country and the people. They finally are in desperation and many are dying. Jeremiah cries out to God to not forget them. He doesn't forget us, He just does things according to His will that will help us grow the most. Life with God is everything compared to not having Him on our side. He heals, He saves, He loves forever! Cry out to God to come and find us and heal us. 

Ezekiel is a prophet called upon by God living with the exiles. God wants Him to not fear the people or what they can do to him but to only fear God. This verse really stood out to me in my morning devotions today. And He said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.” (Ezekiel 3:1 NIV). God commands Ezekiel to literally eat Gods words. To let them live inside of him. I think this is such a good picture of what our lives should be today! Consuming Gods words inside of us and letting Him speak inside of us and be dwelling in us and breathing Him out. God is 100% good and if He isn't 100% inside of us then satan is in there somewhere. Did Ezekiel think it was horrible to eat? Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth. (Ezekiel 3:3 NIV). No! He loved it! He claims how good it is, God can literally satisfy all of our senses! 

Ezekiel is going to a people not where he has to overcome language barriers or things like that but hard hearts and pride. And those are sometimes the hardest things to overcome. Then Ezekiel gets filled with Gods spirit and sees the world from Gods way. He is lifted up and overcomes any fear he had before. 

Finally, So I got up and went out to the plain. And the glory of the Lord was standing there, like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown. Then the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet. He spoke to me and said: “Go, shut yourself inside your house. (Ezekiel 3:23, 24 NIV). Ezekiel got to see Gods glory and feel it again! He again fell face down. We never will get sick of God or feel His glory to be less! Again and again we must fall at His presence and praise Him! We must ask Him to lead us and guide us!!! It's time to obey Gods commands and be the people of God we are supposed to be. Overcoming the hardships and not holding back! Keep pushing forward in Christ and let His spirit do ALL the work!