Our church is beginning an 8 week adventure based off the book "Barefoot Church Serving The Least In a Consumer Culture" by author Brandon Hatmaker. I just finished reading chapter 1 and can see that I definitely need to look long and hard at how I perceive the people around me. Not only the people I'm in everyday contact with but neighbors and those less fortunate than myself. How often do I just walk past those that are hungry or suffering? How many times do I not take time to find out what causes people to behave the way they do? This first chapter has really opened my eyes.
In order for me to be effective in this adventure, I must look within my heart at what I already know. Not what I feel comfortable doing, but reaching out of my comfort zone and helping those in need.
"Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is in your midst." Luke 17:20-21 (NIV)
This verse is telling us that the kingdom of God is not a place that we can find on a map, but we need to look at what God is doing within peoples hearts. That is where the kingdom of God is. When we take the time to find out what is going on in people's lives we will be able to minister more to their actual needs.
"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 1Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)
"You can't light another's path without casting light on your own." John Maxwell
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Sunday, September 23, 2012
"Being Reminded"
I find myself being consumed with everything going on in my personal life that I often overlook the need to be fed by the word of God. This is not something that I am proud of, in fact, I often have to remind myself to slow down and make the time. A friend of mine recently reminded me that I have been neglecting this Blog.
Today in church we talked about "the deceiver" and it hit me that Satan has been preoccupying my time. I am in no way trying to make excuses for failing to have my daily time in the word of God, just realized that we all need to be reminded from time to time that we must make the time to reflect in the wisdom and awesome love that God gives us.
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them."John 7:37-38 (NIV)
John 7:37-38 gives us hope that even though the deceiver will try to make our paths cloudy, all who believes in Jesus will be shown the path.
Today in church we talked about "the deceiver" and it hit me that Satan has been preoccupying my time. I am in no way trying to make excuses for failing to have my daily time in the word of God, just realized that we all need to be reminded from time to time that we must make the time to reflect in the wisdom and awesome love that God gives us.
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them."John 7:37-38 (NIV)
John 7:37-38 gives us hope that even though the deceiver will try to make our paths cloudy, all who believes in Jesus will be shown the path.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
"Love"
The word love is used in 442 verses in the King James Version. We often hear people throw the word love around without fully understanding its meaning. One definition is: a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person; a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend. We all know what it feels like to love someone, and know the pain that love can cause in our lives. One thing is for certain and will never change.....The love that God has for us! God has proven to us time and time again how He loves us.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.......And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:4-13
This reflection of love is best suited for relationships. When dealing with relationships, we must nurture the relationships in order to build the love for one another. Love is an emotion that and expressed through various types of relationships. Some of these relationships include: love of a spouse, love between siblings, love of your children or parents, and love of your friends.
"Faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other." Thomas S. Monson
"If you judge people, you have no time to love them." Mother Teresa
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." Martin Luther King Jr.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.......And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:4-13
This reflection of love is best suited for relationships. When dealing with relationships, we must nurture the relationships in order to build the love for one another. Love is an emotion that and expressed through various types of relationships. Some of these relationships include: love of a spouse, love between siblings, love of your children or parents, and love of your friends.
"Faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other." Thomas S. Monson
"If you judge people, you have no time to love them." Mother Teresa
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." Martin Luther King Jr.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
"Can We Teach Discipline?"
In order to determine if we can teach discipline, we must first define discipline. Discipline means training to act in accordance with rules. This clearly states that it takes training in order to be disciplined. Parents take time to train their children to be disciplined while at home or when out in public. Just like our children, we too need to be disciplined. Our heavenly Father does just that. God expects His followers to be disciplined and act according to His words in the Bible.
"Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray." Proverbs 10:17 (NIV).
"For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light and correction and instruction are the way to life" Proverbs 6:23 (NIV).
"Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty." Proverbs 28:19 (NIV).
These verses tell us that God wants us as Christians to follow the rules and be disciplined and obedient to His teachings. We will be faced with the consequences for not following His teachings. Once we are taught the correct way, we should continue to move forward and never turn back to our undisciplined ways.
"Discipline is the training that develops and corrects." Charles Stanley
"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:11 (NIV).
"Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray." Proverbs 10:17 (NIV).
"For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light and correction and instruction are the way to life" Proverbs 6:23 (NIV).
"Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty." Proverbs 28:19 (NIV).
These verses tell us that God wants us as Christians to follow the rules and be disciplined and obedient to His teachings. We will be faced with the consequences for not following His teachings. Once we are taught the correct way, we should continue to move forward and never turn back to our undisciplined ways.
"Discipline is the training that develops and corrects." Charles Stanley
"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:11 (NIV).
Thursday, January 19, 2012
"Being Content With What We Have"
Contentment means different things to different people. For me, contentment was having an understanding that I should be happy with everything in my life and be thankful.
"But godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV).
This verse tells us that we should honor God and center our desires on Him. Turning our thoughts and desires to God will allow God to teach us how to accept the gifts that God gives to us and be thankful for them. Not everything that happens in our lives are good and we must not dwell on the negative aspects because when we dwell on the negative situations, we are allowing ourselves to disobey God.
"The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace." Psalm 29:11 (NIV)
Each of us need to come to our own understanding of what it means to be content or to have contentment. No matter the troubles that we are facing in our own lives, we must remember that Jesus went through all these pains and sorrows so we could have an eternal life with Him!
"The most powerful life is the most simple life. The most powerful life is the life that knows where it's going, that knows where the source of strength is; it is the life that stays free of clutter and happenstance and hurriedness." Max Lucado
"But godliness with contentment is great gain." 1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV).
This verse tells us that we should honor God and center our desires on Him. Turning our thoughts and desires to God will allow God to teach us how to accept the gifts that God gives to us and be thankful for them. Not everything that happens in our lives are good and we must not dwell on the negative aspects because when we dwell on the negative situations, we are allowing ourselves to disobey God.
"The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace." Psalm 29:11 (NIV)
Each of us need to come to our own understanding of what it means to be content or to have contentment. No matter the troubles that we are facing in our own lives, we must remember that Jesus went through all these pains and sorrows so we could have an eternal life with Him!
"The most powerful life is the most simple life. The most powerful life is the life that knows where it's going, that knows where the source of strength is; it is the life that stays free of clutter and happenstance and hurriedness." Max Lucado
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
New Chapter
I want to first apologize for not writing anything in a very long while. Many people know the situation that I am in and will understand the meaning of this post. "If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic." Luke 6:29 (NIV). "But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." Matthew 5:39 (NIV). I never really thought too much about these passages except that I thought it was referring to a physical altercation. I never realized that it can also refer to closing a chapter in ones life and opening a new chapter. While I still have a heavy heart about the entire situation and will always love the times that we had. I do realize that we will never be able to be together again and have come to the realization that I know God has plans for my life and will walk with me through the rough times.
I guess I should have continued to write my blogs as a way to get through these times, but I wasn't thinking clearly. I am extremely busy with work, school, and spending as much time with my kids as possible that I am finding it difficult to find time to write on this blog page. I will begin making time to write more frequently.
I guess I should have continued to write my blogs as a way to get through these times, but I wasn't thinking clearly. I am extremely busy with work, school, and spending as much time with my kids as possible that I am finding it difficult to find time to write on this blog page. I will begin making time to write more frequently.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
"New Beginnings"
"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9 (NIV).
When we ask Jesus to forgive our sins and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are considered saved. Sometimes saved is referred to by other names such as: Born Again, New Believer, and baby Christians. While each of these phrases have a similar meanings, one really stood out to me. I am currently reading "Free Book" by Brian Tome and on page 37 he calls this "A Fresh New Start".
What is "A Fresh New Start"? How does this relate to "Being Saved"? Well, when we accept Jesus to live in our heart, He takes all the sin away from our past. This is shedding away the old sinful you and beginning a fresh new start. This is our clean slate in life and we should not continue to make the same mistakes or sins from the past.
"Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." John 3:3 (NIV).
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV).
"No man is ever the same after God has laid His hand upon him." A. W. Tozer
Reference: "Free Book" by Brian Tome, page 37, paragraph 3: Thomas Nelson publishing, 2010.
When we ask Jesus to forgive our sins and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are considered saved. Sometimes saved is referred to by other names such as: Born Again, New Believer, and baby Christians. While each of these phrases have a similar meanings, one really stood out to me. I am currently reading "Free Book" by Brian Tome and on page 37 he calls this "A Fresh New Start".
What is "A Fresh New Start"? How does this relate to "Being Saved"? Well, when we accept Jesus to live in our heart, He takes all the sin away from our past. This is shedding away the old sinful you and beginning a fresh new start. This is our clean slate in life and we should not continue to make the same mistakes or sins from the past.
"Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." John 3:3 (NIV).
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV).
"No man is ever the same after God has laid His hand upon him." A. W. Tozer
Reference: "Free Book" by Brian Tome, page 37, paragraph 3: Thomas Nelson publishing, 2010.
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