Francis Chan quotes in his book Forgotten God, "I want to live so that I am truly submitted to the spirits leading on a daily basis. I dont want to keep crawling when I have the chance to fly." I feel like we put too much trust in people and then when something goes wrong you end up getting hurt. Many people will let you down and disappoint you but your Savior never will. So shouldnt that encourage us to fall in love with God? The thought of heaven seems so far away so we let ourselves live the lifes we want and we'll worry about God later. The kingdom is here; it is now. Why dont we live like it? If your best freind was being talked about behind their back and you had the oppurtunity to protect their name wouldnt you? Why isnt it like that with the name of Christ? We go and watch movies, listen to music and do things that arent lifting up the name of Jesus. We do the very things that put Him on the cross. I feel like when you are completly in love with God it would become so natural to you that you would want to do everything to protect and hold up the name of Jesus. So hear is my question: Why would you crawl when you have the chance to fly?
"Oh Great God, be glorified. Our lives laid down yours magnified. Oh great God, be lifted high. There is none like You. Jesus, Savior, God's own Son. Risen, Reigning, Lord. Sustainer of the universe. By the power of Your Word. And when we see Your matchless face, in speechless awe we'll stand. And there we'll bow with ...grateful hearts. Unto the great I Am."
Friday, July 23, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Holy Spirit Come
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth." -John 14:17-18
Whenever weget baptized we are baptized in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I feel like too often me miss or dont even recongnize the Holy Spirit within us. As Francis Chan says in his book Forgotten God, "I believe this missing something is actually a missing someone namely the Holy Spirit. Without Him people operate in their own strength and only accomplish human size results." Knowing that the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in me; Shouldnt that change or affect the way I live? I would hope that you could tell my life apart from a non-believers. Whenever I die I dont want people questioning if I was a follower of Christ, I want it to be evident in my life. I think Francis Chan's words this thought just beautifully. "I dont want my life to be explainable with the Holy Spirit. I want people to look at my life and know that I couldn't be doing this by my own power. I want to live in such a way that I am desperate for him to come through. That if he doesnt come through; Im screwed.". "When I am living in a way that requires me to depend on the Holy Spirit people respond by praising my Father in Heaven." Last night I could feel the Power of the Holy Spirit. We went to different stations and had quiet time with God. In one of the stations it was suggested to send a text to someone to encourage them. Usually, I would have choosen one of my best friends and wouldn't have really thought about anyone else. I told God, I wanted it to be your time, speak through me. God moved me to send a text to someone who would have probably been at the end of list. But I knew I needed to do it. Then we were told to write a letter to someone. The name of the person who God wanted me to write to immediately popped onto my head. I got my paper, not completley sure if what to say. But God was making my pen move to words I could have never thought of. they were completley HIS. He knew what this person needed to hear. In this moment I have never felt the Holy spirit so present in my life. This summer God has taught and showed me a lot about His love and at that moment an overwhelming feeling of his love for me and for his children came over me. I just wanted to just cry at how beautiful His love for us is. Just wow. His love is alive and is so beautiful. "No matter where you live and what your days look like; you have the choice each day to depend on yourself to live safely, to try to control your life or you can live as you were created to live as a temple of the Holy Spirit of God, as a person dependent on Him;desperate for God to show up and make a difference. When you begin living a life characterized by walking with the spirit, that is when people will begin to not look to you but to our Father in heaven and give Him praise." -Francis Chan. Abba God, I pray that I am always aware of the Holy Spirit and what He is doing around and in me. Give me the strength oh God, to be everything that I'm called to be. I pray that my life would me different because the Holy Spirit is within me. I'm all yours God, lead me to what our want me to do. Never stop pulling me to you. Draw me deeper Lord...
Whenever weget baptized we are baptized in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I feel like too often me miss or dont even recongnize the Holy Spirit within us. As Francis Chan says in his book Forgotten God, "I believe this missing something is actually a missing someone namely the Holy Spirit. Without Him people operate in their own strength and only accomplish human size results." Knowing that the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in me; Shouldnt that change or affect the way I live? I would hope that you could tell my life apart from a non-believers. Whenever I die I dont want people questioning if I was a follower of Christ, I want it to be evident in my life. I think Francis Chan's words this thought just beautifully. "I dont want my life to be explainable with the Holy Spirit. I want people to look at my life and know that I couldn't be doing this by my own power. I want to live in such a way that I am desperate for him to come through. That if he doesnt come through; Im screwed.". "When I am living in a way that requires me to depend on the Holy Spirit people respond by praising my Father in Heaven." Last night I could feel the Power of the Holy Spirit. We went to different stations and had quiet time with God. In one of the stations it was suggested to send a text to someone to encourage them. Usually, I would have choosen one of my best friends and wouldn't have really thought about anyone else. I told God, I wanted it to be your time, speak through me. God moved me to send a text to someone who would have probably been at the end of list. But I knew I needed to do it. Then we were told to write a letter to someone. The name of the person who God wanted me to write to immediately popped onto my head. I got my paper, not completley sure if what to say. But God was making my pen move to words I could have never thought of. they were completley HIS. He knew what this person needed to hear. In this moment I have never felt the Holy spirit so present in my life. This summer God has taught and showed me a lot about His love and at that moment an overwhelming feeling of his love for me and for his children came over me. I just wanted to just cry at how beautiful His love for us is. Just wow. His love is alive and is so beautiful. "No matter where you live and what your days look like; you have the choice each day to depend on yourself to live safely, to try to control your life or you can live as you were created to live as a temple of the Holy Spirit of God, as a person dependent on Him;desperate for God to show up and make a difference. When you begin living a life characterized by walking with the spirit, that is when people will begin to not look to you but to our Father in heaven and give Him praise." -Francis Chan. Abba God, I pray that I am always aware of the Holy Spirit and what He is doing around and in me. Give me the strength oh God, to be everything that I'm called to be. I pray that my life would me different because the Holy Spirit is within me. I'm all yours God, lead me to what our want me to do. Never stop pulling me to you. Draw me deeper Lord...
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Silent
This week my goal has been to try to be silent before God and just sit at His throne and let Him speak to me. I seem to always have a lot to say to God but I hardly ever let Him do the talking. Let me tell you, God has a LOT to say and I encourage you to listen. He was countless promsises and words that He wants to tell His children."Speak God. I'm your servant. Im ready to listen." -1 Samuel 3:9b
"Sometimes the best words we can speak is no words at all. Standing in the silence letting God speak to you, He wants your heart. So if you have no words to speak, Then sit in HIS silence and let HIM speak. It's in the quietness of our hearts when we just stand before HIM amazed. Thats when we can hear Him speak to us." -Jason Upton
God has used everything that I have come in contact with this week as a way to speak to me. Such as the t.v. I randomly recorded Joel Osteen and watched it and His lesson was exactly what I needed to hear. Through conversations with friends God is preparing my heart for Mexico. God has been showing me some awesome things from His word.
"May the Lord lead your heart into a full unerstanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ." -2 Thessalonians 3:5
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." -Psalm 139:23-24
This is my prayer:
Abba God, I pray that I leave myself here on Friday. I want it to be all of you. Move me out of the way and hide me behind the cross. God Im going to be honest im slighty nervous and scared since we havent done much to plan and we are just going down there and going where you lead us. But if you are with me God then Whom then shall I fear? Knowing that you are the same yesterday, today, and forever lets me know that I can trust you fully. If there is anything that is in my heart that isnt of you God, I pray that you get rid of it. May every word that comes from my mouth bring honor to your name. I'm all yours God. Use me, and lead me to where you want me to go. Instead of Praying God be with me, I pray that I am with you God and that I walk hand and hand with you forever.
"Sometimes the best words we can speak is no words at all. Standing in the silence letting God speak to you, He wants your heart. So if you have no words to speak, Then sit in HIS silence and let HIM speak. It's in the quietness of our hearts when we just stand before HIM amazed. Thats when we can hear Him speak to us." -Jason Upton
God has used everything that I have come in contact with this week as a way to speak to me. Such as the t.v. I randomly recorded Joel Osteen and watched it and His lesson was exactly what I needed to hear. Through conversations with friends God is preparing my heart for Mexico. God has been showing me some awesome things from His word.
"May the Lord lead your heart into a full unerstanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ." -2 Thessalonians 3:5
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." -Psalm 139:23-24
This is my prayer:
Abba God, I pray that I leave myself here on Friday. I want it to be all of you. Move me out of the way and hide me behind the cross. God Im going to be honest im slighty nervous and scared since we havent done much to plan and we are just going down there and going where you lead us. But if you are with me God then Whom then shall I fear? Knowing that you are the same yesterday, today, and forever lets me know that I can trust you fully. If there is anything that is in my heart that isnt of you God, I pray that you get rid of it. May every word that comes from my mouth bring honor to your name. I'm all yours God. Use me, and lead me to where you want me to go. Instead of Praying God be with me, I pray that I am with you God and that I walk hand and hand with you forever.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
1 John 4- God's Love and Ours
Thoughts having been flowing through my head constantly after reading through 1 John 4. Its hard to translate all of my thoughts onto paper or in this case the computer. I'm sitting here with all 3 of my bibles opened (NIV, NLT, and MSG) to try to see what God is really trying to say. I have decided that I like the New Living Translation the best so thats what I will be quoting.
"But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world." vs. 4
The enemy can slap you and persecute you but God has already won the ultimate victory. HE has overcome the world and HE never stops fighting for us.
"But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." vs. 8-10
"We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.We love each other because he loved us first." vs. 16-18
Loving God includes loving people. You got to love both. If I love God but not HIS children then im only fooling myself. No, my love will never be perfect but HIS love is. HE is the complete expression of love. HIS love is the greatest type of Love. Here is something I wrote this past fall on how other people view God's love.
HIS Love
HIS Love is inseparable
HIS Love is unconditional
HIS Love is forgiving
HIS Love is perfect in every way
HIS Love is the kind of thing that makes the worst days have the best endings
HIS Love is powerful
HIS Love is all forgiving
HIS Love is unfailing
HIS Love is infinite
HIS Love is hope
HIS Love is selfless
HIS Love is the indescribable feeling of the holy spirit inside you
HIS Love is greater than any love
HIS Love is underestimated
HIS Love is what come around when I am away and brings me back
HIS Love is merciful
HIS Love is in us
HIS Love is full of grace
HIS Love is light in darkness
HIS Love is unending
HIS Love is unwavering
HIS Love is wonderful
HIS Love is unconditional care
HIS Love is devotion
HIS Love is amazing
HIS Love is Lavished on us
HIS Love is timeless
HIS Love is poured out into us
HIS Love completes me
HIS Love gives me peace
HIS Love was shown for us when he had HIS son die on the cross for our sins
HIS Love endures forever
HIS Love reassures me that HE has big and mighty plans
HIS Love drives out fear
HIS Love is what connect us all
I want to love God to the point that I eventually forget about myself. I want to loose myself in loving my God. May people fall in love with God through me.
"I cannot help thinking that the best way of knowing God is to love many things. Love this friend, this person, this tihng, whatever you like, and you will be on the right road to understanding HIM better." _Vincent Van Gogh
"Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that." -Ephesians 5:2 (MSG)
"But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world." vs. 4
The enemy can slap you and persecute you but God has already won the ultimate victory. HE has overcome the world and HE never stops fighting for us.
"But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." vs. 8-10
"We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.We love each other because he loved us first." vs. 16-18
Loving God includes loving people. You got to love both. If I love God but not HIS children then im only fooling myself. No, my love will never be perfect but HIS love is. HE is the complete expression of love. HIS love is the greatest type of Love. Here is something I wrote this past fall on how other people view God's love.
HIS Love
HIS Love is inseparable
HIS Love is unconditional
HIS Love is forgiving
HIS Love is perfect in every way
HIS Love is the kind of thing that makes the worst days have the best endings
HIS Love is powerful
HIS Love is all forgiving
HIS Love is unfailing
HIS Love is infinite
HIS Love is hope
HIS Love is selfless
HIS Love is the indescribable feeling of the holy spirit inside you
HIS Love is greater than any love
HIS Love is underestimated
HIS Love is what come around when I am away and brings me back
HIS Love is merciful
HIS Love is in us
HIS Love is full of grace
HIS Love is light in darkness
HIS Love is unending
HIS Love is unwavering
HIS Love is wonderful
HIS Love is unconditional care
HIS Love is devotion
HIS Love is amazing
HIS Love is Lavished on us
HIS Love is timeless
HIS Love is poured out into us
HIS Love completes me
HIS Love gives me peace
HIS Love was shown for us when he had HIS son die on the cross for our sins
HIS Love endures forever
HIS Love reassures me that HE has big and mighty plans
HIS Love drives out fear
HIS Love is what connect us all
I want to love God to the point that I eventually forget about myself. I want to loose myself in loving my God. May people fall in love with God through me.
"I cannot help thinking that the best way of knowing God is to love many things. Love this friend, this person, this tihng, whatever you like, and you will be on the right road to understanding HIM better." _Vincent Van Gogh
"Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that." -Ephesians 5:2 (MSG)
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