Saturday, November 26, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Desert
Proverbs 17:22"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit zaps a persons strength."
The second we fall away from God, the second we let our emotions take control of our mind, our spirit zaps. We fall into a dark whole of emotions. Emotions that are indescribable. That feeling of nothing but pure hopelessness. a broken spirit is nothing but a tired, and weary spirit.
Letting go the spirit of joy in our heart, letting go the joy of the Lord is one of the hardest places to be in. I was just in that place. I felt alone, I felt battered, I felt useless in this world. Everything I did, everywhere I turned was just another empty and lost whole. The day I rededicated myself to the Lord, the moment the heaviness in my heart disappeared. Being close to the Lord again, let me tell you has been a journey. Yes there are times that I still fight with loneliness, there are times when I feel weak and beaten down. But the difference is now I have somewhere to run. I feel like I can run into the arms of the Lord. I can cry out to him, and let everything out. He is listening.
"A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in a time of need." Proverbs 17:17
When we feel sad and alone, not only do we have God, but we have also been given people to lean on. We can find those who will encourage us, who will also bring us closer to God. I thankfully have a large group of people who I can go to. I have people who I can count on to lead and direct me to the Lord. I have people who have changed me for the better. I may feel alone.
I may fee alone, even feel alone right now. But I just need to hold onto God and run to him and his word to help me and give me the strength I need.
"I love you Lord
and I lift my voice
to worship you
oh my soul
rejoice
take joy my King
in what you hear
may it be a sweet, sweet sound
in your ear."
"Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the Lord tests the heart." Proverbs 17:3
The second we fall away from God, the second we let our emotions take control of our mind, our spirit zaps. We fall into a dark whole of emotions. Emotions that are indescribable. That feeling of nothing but pure hopelessness. a broken spirit is nothing but a tired, and weary spirit.
Letting go the spirit of joy in our heart, letting go the joy of the Lord is one of the hardest places to be in. I was just in that place. I felt alone, I felt battered, I felt useless in this world. Everything I did, everywhere I turned was just another empty and lost whole. The day I rededicated myself to the Lord, the moment the heaviness in my heart disappeared. Being close to the Lord again, let me tell you has been a journey. Yes there are times that I still fight with loneliness, there are times when I feel weak and beaten down. But the difference is now I have somewhere to run. I feel like I can run into the arms of the Lord. I can cry out to him, and let everything out. He is listening.
"A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in a time of need." Proverbs 17:17
When we feel sad and alone, not only do we have God, but we have also been given people to lean on. We can find those who will encourage us, who will also bring us closer to God. I thankfully have a large group of people who I can go to. I have people who I can count on to lead and direct me to the Lord. I have people who have changed me for the better. I may feel alone.
I may fee alone, even feel alone right now. But I just need to hold onto God and run to him and his word to help me and give me the strength I need.
"I love you Lord
and I lift my voice
to worship you
oh my soul
rejoice
take joy my King
in what you hear
may it be a sweet, sweet sound
in your ear."
"Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the Lord tests the heart." Proverbs 17:3
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Beach Baby
so many things to be thankful about.
I love you Lord so very much. and I give you so much thanks.
You light up my life.
You give me the air that I need to breathe.
You paint the world with beautiful colors.
It is in your refuge I can find true joy.
so many things to be thankful about.
you give me a family to love.
you place me around those who give nothing but praise to your name.
you place me around those to change.
I give you all the thanks Lord.
You give me a night sky to look up at
You give me water to drink
food to eat
you give me everything.
I am nothing without you.
You are my shelter
you are my strength.
The little I know without you.
you fill my brain with knowledge
knowledge of your creation, knowledge of words you inspired men to write.
you fill me with everything.
I am nothing without you.
you are everything to me.
and I love you so.
God Father in Heaven I give all my thanks to you on this fall night.
I love you Lord so very much. and I give you so much thanks.
You light up my life.
You give me the air that I need to breathe.
You paint the world with beautiful colors.
It is in your refuge I can find true joy.
so many things to be thankful about.
you give me a family to love.
you place me around those who give nothing but praise to your name.
you place me around those to change.
I give you all the thanks Lord.
You give me a night sky to look up at
You give me water to drink
food to eat
you give me everything.
I am nothing without you.
You are my shelter
you are my strength.
The little I know without you.
you fill my brain with knowledge
knowledge of your creation, knowledge of words you inspired men to write.
you fill me with everything.
I am nothing without you.
you are everything to me.
and I love you so.
God Father in Heaven I give all my thanks to you on this fall night.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Fall
I love the Fall weather. This morning I am sitting by my window and watching the rain fall down hard.
It is daylight savings, so we fell back an hour. It is a wonderful morning waking up at seven and having the entire morning to yourself and to be alone with God.
I have a thankful heart for many reasons, one being that I have a family that loves me, I have a job, I have a car, I have a bed to sleep in, and I am able to have a relationship with Christ.
I today am taking a break in Proverbs and I just want to focus on having a thankful heart. There are so many reason's as to why a human should be thankful for everything in their life, but a follower of Christ, has a lot to be thankful for. We have been chosen to be his children. I am not one hundred percent sure if I believe in predestination or not, but one thing I know, I am his chosen child. I should not live this life overwhelmed and saddened by the events and emotions of things. I should always, no matter what situation that I am in have a thankful heart.
Why do I have a thankful heart no matter the circumstance?
this is why:
"The Lord is my shepherd;
I have everything that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
He leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along the right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk
through the dark valley of death,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies
You welcome me as a guest,
anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord FOREVER."
Psalm 23
this recited verse is so powerful to me. Because it gives me perspective. The days when all I want to do is cry, and think how sad my life is, I just look at this verse, and it changes my mindset. I know that probably many of these little posts that I make, might say the same things...but right now in my life, I need to be focusing on this. The Bible keeps bringing me to this place..keeps leading me to verses where I see that nothing but the Lord is all I need in my life. I may be in a dark spot, I may be in a lonely time in my life. But I just need to focus on the fact that right now the Lord has his plan for me laid out, he is not going to leave me astray. I may have times when I am alone..such as now, but what do I need to do during this time? I need to thank the Lord that he has given me this time to myself. That I am able to really study deep into the Lord's word. I am able to learn about him on my own. I do not have my mommy standing by me telling me what the read, I do not have anyone forcing me to do anything. It is just me and me reading the Bible myself. I am discovering the truth on my own. And that is something to be giving thanks about.
All of his goodness and unfailing love will follow me all the days of my life. That does not mean God is only going to be around when I am sad, or when times are good. He is going to be there with me and giving me unfailing love...ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE.
Just reading that comforts me. It gives me strength to know, that I am in fact, not alone.
I am not alone.
I have God
I have his spirit in me.
it is what gives me daily strength
it is what gives me joy,
gives me hope
Even when I walk the valley of Death, I have nothing to be afraid of. Because you are there with me. You are going to be there for me from the beginning to the end.
knowing this gives me such strength,
gives my soul such a renewed feeling.
I think you Lord so much for giving me life. I thank you for being here with me. I thank you for giving my the strength.
I thank you for your path that you have given me.
I love you Lord
I trust you Lord
I will live for you Lord.
Amen.
It is daylight savings, so we fell back an hour. It is a wonderful morning waking up at seven and having the entire morning to yourself and to be alone with God.
I have a thankful heart for many reasons, one being that I have a family that loves me, I have a job, I have a car, I have a bed to sleep in, and I am able to have a relationship with Christ.
I today am taking a break in Proverbs and I just want to focus on having a thankful heart. There are so many reason's as to why a human should be thankful for everything in their life, but a follower of Christ, has a lot to be thankful for. We have been chosen to be his children. I am not one hundred percent sure if I believe in predestination or not, but one thing I know, I am his chosen child. I should not live this life overwhelmed and saddened by the events and emotions of things. I should always, no matter what situation that I am in have a thankful heart.
Why do I have a thankful heart no matter the circumstance?
this is why:
"The Lord is my shepherd;
I have everything that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
He leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along the right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk
through the dark valley of death,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies
You welcome me as a guest,
anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord FOREVER."
Psalm 23
this recited verse is so powerful to me. Because it gives me perspective. The days when all I want to do is cry, and think how sad my life is, I just look at this verse, and it changes my mindset. I know that probably many of these little posts that I make, might say the same things...but right now in my life, I need to be focusing on this. The Bible keeps bringing me to this place..keeps leading me to verses where I see that nothing but the Lord is all I need in my life. I may be in a dark spot, I may be in a lonely time in my life. But I just need to focus on the fact that right now the Lord has his plan for me laid out, he is not going to leave me astray. I may have times when I am alone..such as now, but what do I need to do during this time? I need to thank the Lord that he has given me this time to myself. That I am able to really study deep into the Lord's word. I am able to learn about him on my own. I do not have my mommy standing by me telling me what the read, I do not have anyone forcing me to do anything. It is just me and me reading the Bible myself. I am discovering the truth on my own. And that is something to be giving thanks about.
All of his goodness and unfailing love will follow me all the days of my life. That does not mean God is only going to be around when I am sad, or when times are good. He is going to be there with me and giving me unfailing love...ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE.
Just reading that comforts me. It gives me strength to know, that I am in fact, not alone.
I am not alone.
I have God
I have his spirit in me.
it is what gives me daily strength
it is what gives me joy,
gives me hope
Even when I walk the valley of Death, I have nothing to be afraid of. Because you are there with me. You are going to be there for me from the beginning to the end.
knowing this gives me such strength,
gives my soul such a renewed feeling.
I think you Lord so much for giving me life. I thank you for being here with me. I thank you for giving my the strength.
I thank you for your path that you have given me.
I love you Lord
I trust you Lord
I will live for you Lord.
Amen.
Friday, November 4, 2011
In Your Eyes.
Today has been a almost blue kind of day.
You know what is so funny, I was mentioning yesterday about how I feel the the Lord is preparing my heart for the person he has for me. Well today is one of those days I need to remind myself that.
Today is a cloudy and rainy day in LA. People are going to be driving like idiots, and the store at work is going to be a slow one.
The only thing I kind of desire at this moment is some sappy love story. I want to be that sappy love story. I am tired of being single, I am sick and tired of carrying on by myself. I want to know what it is like to have someone you depend on.
So today is going to be a little bit different. I am going to take a break from being in Proverbs, and dedicate it to another book in the Old Testament today.
I am going to be in the book in Habakkuk. and I am actually only going to be looking mainly at a few verses, but today...they just really hit the spot.
in Habakkuk 2:3 it says:
"But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. it will not be delayed."
this simple verse to me. Is one of those verses that gives me all the strength in the world.
It is a verse the lets me know that I need to still be patient. I need to stop complaining, I need to stop wanting to make something happen, when in reality...it is just not the right timing. I know that the person who God has for me is right around the corner, I know that he is near, but I just still need to be patient, and wait on the Lord and allow his timing to be the one in control.
Because like I have already mentioned. I know so little of the big picture, and he knows my life, he has everything laid out for me...it is my job to allow his plan to play out. I need to stop allowing my emotions and the silly things that pull me away from God to get in my way.
I continue need to focus my mind on the things above, and trust that this is his plan and not mine.
I know that there will be someone for me, and I know that he will come. I just need to give it time. To allow our paths to meet up...whenever that may be.
one day I will look back at this post and laugh and think how silly I was to be complaining about this. Because I know that he is out there. I know he is close.
You know what is so funny, I was mentioning yesterday about how I feel the the Lord is preparing my heart for the person he has for me. Well today is one of those days I need to remind myself that.
Today is a cloudy and rainy day in LA. People are going to be driving like idiots, and the store at work is going to be a slow one.
The only thing I kind of desire at this moment is some sappy love story. I want to be that sappy love story. I am tired of being single, I am sick and tired of carrying on by myself. I want to know what it is like to have someone you depend on.
So today is going to be a little bit different. I am going to take a break from being in Proverbs, and dedicate it to another book in the Old Testament today.
I am going to be in the book in Habakkuk. and I am actually only going to be looking mainly at a few verses, but today...they just really hit the spot.
in Habakkuk 2:3 it says:
"But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. it will not be delayed."
this simple verse to me. Is one of those verses that gives me all the strength in the world.
It is a verse the lets me know that I need to still be patient. I need to stop complaining, I need to stop wanting to make something happen, when in reality...it is just not the right timing. I know that the person who God has for me is right around the corner, I know that he is near, but I just still need to be patient, and wait on the Lord and allow his timing to be the one in control.
Because like I have already mentioned. I know so little of the big picture, and he knows my life, he has everything laid out for me...it is my job to allow his plan to play out. I need to stop allowing my emotions and the silly things that pull me away from God to get in my way.
I continue need to focus my mind on the things above, and trust that this is his plan and not mine.
I know that there will be someone for me, and I know that he will come. I just need to give it time. To allow our paths to meet up...whenever that may be.
one day I will look back at this post and laugh and think how silly I was to be complaining about this. Because I know that he is out there. I know he is close.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Learning to Breathe
Proverbs 16 is a wonderful chapter. There of course all the chapters in the Bible have powerful meaning, and one can get something important out of every verse, but Proverbs I have to tell you is a wonderful book filled with many things that we can apply in our lives, and really challenge ourselves.
One thing that I particularly really need to always work on is the fact that God is total control of our lives. Throughout college, when I was a kid, and even to this day I strive so hard to be total control of my life. To me it can be very scary not trying to be in control of everything.
I like to know what is always ahead of me, and what is to come. Being a follower of Christ, this can be very difficult because as well all know, we really have little to no control over our lives. God is in 100 percent control and we follow his path that he has laid out for us. Yes we can fall into the world and walk away from the path that God has for us, and I feel that we can get ourselves into situations that are not what God wants for us, but through many of those situations we hit rock bottom and find Christ again.
The first sentence of chapter 16 says
"We can gather our thoughts, but the Lord gives the right answer."
a little further on down the chapter it says
"We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps."
And the end of the chapter states
"It is better to be patient than powerful; it is better to have self-control than to conquer a city. We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall."
everything about this chapter speaks deep to me. I am currently going through a few things where I want to be in control.
The first area is I want to be in control with is my career. It is an area that can be frustrating and unknown. If I could be control I would have my dream job, I would be doing what I ultimately want to be doing. But I have to realize something. GOD IS IN TOTAL CONTROL. He is the one who has me in my current state. I do not know why, but for some reason he has me here and it is important that I keep blessing him for where he has me.
If you would have asked me a year back what I would be doing currently, working at a cupcake store would not be on the top of my list. But again, I am growing stronger in my relationship with the Lord because of where I am. I am facing issues that I have never really wanted to face before. I am in this place in my life all because the Lord had this all mapped out for me. Again verse 9 says
"We can make the plans, but the Lord determines our steps."
we can apply here and apply there and strive for something, but in the end, the Lord determines our steps, he determines where we go to get what HE has planned for us.
Because in the end, I know so little, and he knows all. He knows everything. And it is my job to allow God to have the control over my life. Because when I try to play God and take control of my life, I become overwhelmed and depressed.
I wrote this simple poem during one of my dark times recently,
He walks with me forever
No matter where I am
I feel love around
covering my life
Although I am weak
and I fall so many times
He is still always there for me
My God, Jesus Christ
I love you, oh yes, I love you.
We can go through dark times and we can be lead down places we never desired to be, but in the end when we are in these dark situations, it is important to be almost thankful during that time.
The Bible says that we should rejoice because God has put us through trials because we are his children. He punished those who are his true children, so that we will change our ways.
my current life verse that I tend to go to often now,
is found in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
"for our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at our troubles we can see now, rather, we fix our gaze on the things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever."
Another thing that I battle. Is the fact that I am still single. I get so discouraged every time I see a young couple, or people talking about their boyfriend. Petty issue, I know. But it is something that I always think about. But something I do know, is that God has placed the desire for me to be married in my heart. I KNOW that there is someone out there, I do not know who they are, and most likely I have never even met them yet, but I know that they are still out there. So it has been my prayer everyday instead of pushing for it to happen today, to have a boyfriend, husband as soon as possible, I have really been working on practicing being patient, and asking the Lord to prepare me and my heart for that person he has for me.
Until that person has been brought into my life, I will be patient and continuing strengthening my relationship with Christ. Everything is God's timing. I have no control over the plans that he has for me.
and I am forever thankful for that.
One thing that I particularly really need to always work on is the fact that God is total control of our lives. Throughout college, when I was a kid, and even to this day I strive so hard to be total control of my life. To me it can be very scary not trying to be in control of everything.
I like to know what is always ahead of me, and what is to come. Being a follower of Christ, this can be very difficult because as well all know, we really have little to no control over our lives. God is in 100 percent control and we follow his path that he has laid out for us. Yes we can fall into the world and walk away from the path that God has for us, and I feel that we can get ourselves into situations that are not what God wants for us, but through many of those situations we hit rock bottom and find Christ again.
The first sentence of chapter 16 says
"We can gather our thoughts, but the Lord gives the right answer."
a little further on down the chapter it says
"We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps."
And the end of the chapter states
"It is better to be patient than powerful; it is better to have self-control than to conquer a city. We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall."
everything about this chapter speaks deep to me. I am currently going through a few things where I want to be in control.
The first area is I want to be in control with is my career. It is an area that can be frustrating and unknown. If I could be control I would have my dream job, I would be doing what I ultimately want to be doing. But I have to realize something. GOD IS IN TOTAL CONTROL. He is the one who has me in my current state. I do not know why, but for some reason he has me here and it is important that I keep blessing him for where he has me.
If you would have asked me a year back what I would be doing currently, working at a cupcake store would not be on the top of my list. But again, I am growing stronger in my relationship with the Lord because of where I am. I am facing issues that I have never really wanted to face before. I am in this place in my life all because the Lord had this all mapped out for me. Again verse 9 says
"We can make the plans, but the Lord determines our steps."
we can apply here and apply there and strive for something, but in the end, the Lord determines our steps, he determines where we go to get what HE has planned for us.
Because in the end, I know so little, and he knows all. He knows everything. And it is my job to allow God to have the control over my life. Because when I try to play God and take control of my life, I become overwhelmed and depressed.
I wrote this simple poem during one of my dark times recently,
He walks with me forever
No matter where I am
I feel love around
covering my life
Although I am weak
and I fall so many times
He is still always there for me
My God, Jesus Christ
I love you, oh yes, I love you.
We can go through dark times and we can be lead down places we never desired to be, but in the end when we are in these dark situations, it is important to be almost thankful during that time.
The Bible says that we should rejoice because God has put us through trials because we are his children. He punished those who are his true children, so that we will change our ways.
my current life verse that I tend to go to often now,
is found in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
"for our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at our troubles we can see now, rather, we fix our gaze on the things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever."
Another thing that I battle. Is the fact that I am still single. I get so discouraged every time I see a young couple, or people talking about their boyfriend. Petty issue, I know. But it is something that I always think about. But something I do know, is that God has placed the desire for me to be married in my heart. I KNOW that there is someone out there, I do not know who they are, and most likely I have never even met them yet, but I know that they are still out there. So it has been my prayer everyday instead of pushing for it to happen today, to have a boyfriend, husband as soon as possible, I have really been working on practicing being patient, and asking the Lord to prepare me and my heart for that person he has for me.
Until that person has been brought into my life, I will be patient and continuing strengthening my relationship with Christ. Everything is God's timing. I have no control over the plans that he has for me.
and I am forever thankful for that.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
What the Water Gave Us.
Proverbs 13 and 14.
There are a few themes that flow throughout these two verses, but one area that really spoke out to me and is really prevalent is the talk about homelessness. The Bible addresses this a lot throughout the Bible, and one thing that God wants us to do about the homeless, is to HELP them. I do not know about any of you, but there are times when I am walking by, driving by and I feel the spirit pushing me to give them something. A voice almost takes over your whole body saying, help them, ask them what you can do for them.
Working in LA, I see homeless people everywhere. Many of them have made it a full time job and become lazy human beings just living off the money that people give them.
Proverbs 13:4 says
"Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper and be satisfied."
I am not pointing out only the homeless people, but there are also many people who are in general just do not try in life. They live lazy lives and do not have a drive to work hard. But to my point, there are many people who are homeless because they refuse to work. And they are able to find enough money begging on the street. So many times when I personally pass by homeless people, there are many who I am not pushed to help.
But for the ones that I am pushed to help, I help. I do what I can..whether it means to ask them, or not. And for some of them, they may be lazy human beings and they just live a beggars life because it is easier. But when I help people I make sure to be praying for them the whole time I am there with them. I pray that they use the money, or the food that I buy them in honor of your name. And that they would feel His love, and become a follower of Christ.
I am not writing this to boast in the fact that I help the homeless, it is more because the Bible constantly reminds us to help the poor.
"It is a sin to despise one's neighbors; blessed are those who help the poor."
God tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves. I am over and over blessed enough to have food. I am able to come home to a warm house, I have a car, I have job. There are those who do not have anything that I have, it is important that we share God's love to those who do not have what we have, and help them out. We are all God's people, it is a fact that in heaven we are going to be all worshiping together. People from all over the world, people who were rich, poor, homeless, and people who have a home.
Proverbs 14:31
"Those who oppress the poor insult their makes, but those who help the poor honor him."
if you see a homeless person and you feel the need to help them, HELP THEM. We can all make excuses like I do not have any money, I do not have anything to give them. But they may need someone to talk to, they may need something. The Lord works in crazy ways and we know so little, if you feel the push of the spirit, follow it, do what it says, you never know what could happen.
There have been times when I feel the spirit pushing me, and I do nothing. I regret all those times I do that. Because what happens if you ignore the spirit, you are slowly extinguishing its power in your life. If you feel the urge, act on it, if you like me hear a voice telling you what to do, act on it.
We can live this life for ourselves. But we can also live our life for a greater purpose. We can live it for the Lord.
Another thing that I see living in LA, is empty people. They have all the money that they need, they have the nice car, they wear the expensive jewelry, and buy expensive clothing. They have many friends and people all around them, many live a life in fame. Everything that this world stands for, they have. But they are empty. They are lost beings always looking for something new to fulfill them.
Proverbs 14: 13 says
Laughter can conceal a heavy heart; when the laughter ends, the grief remains."
We can experience highs and lows, yet when the highs end...we are left with our thinking and if you are empty and alone, it will eat one apart.
I very much experienced this feeling recently. Everything I did I would never be alone. I would go to friends houses to get away from facing my thoughts of loneliness. When the laughter ended, the grief remained. But when you abandon your thought on this world, when you stop focusing on the things of this world, and focus on things set above. The love that the Lord has for us, we do not need to be sad, we do not need to feel empty.
We have the Lord standing there with open arms, wanting to love us. We just need to run to him, and he will take away the pain, he will take away the hurt, he will heal us.
I am being healed to this day.
Thank you Lord for loving me, and never leaving me. The times when I turned away from you, the times when I felt strong enough to not need you, you were still there for me. I have abused you and turned away...yet much like the story in the prodigal son, you are there waiting for us to come back to you, you have never stopped loving us.
I love you Lord with all of my heart, and soul.
You are the way to everything good.
You are the way to eternal life.
You are the way to true happiness.
There are a few themes that flow throughout these two verses, but one area that really spoke out to me and is really prevalent is the talk about homelessness. The Bible addresses this a lot throughout the Bible, and one thing that God wants us to do about the homeless, is to HELP them. I do not know about any of you, but there are times when I am walking by, driving by and I feel the spirit pushing me to give them something. A voice almost takes over your whole body saying, help them, ask them what you can do for them.
Working in LA, I see homeless people everywhere. Many of them have made it a full time job and become lazy human beings just living off the money that people give them.
Proverbs 13:4 says
"Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper and be satisfied."
I am not pointing out only the homeless people, but there are also many people who are in general just do not try in life. They live lazy lives and do not have a drive to work hard. But to my point, there are many people who are homeless because they refuse to work. And they are able to find enough money begging on the street. So many times when I personally pass by homeless people, there are many who I am not pushed to help.
But for the ones that I am pushed to help, I help. I do what I can..whether it means to ask them, or not. And for some of them, they may be lazy human beings and they just live a beggars life because it is easier. But when I help people I make sure to be praying for them the whole time I am there with them. I pray that they use the money, or the food that I buy them in honor of your name. And that they would feel His love, and become a follower of Christ.
I am not writing this to boast in the fact that I help the homeless, it is more because the Bible constantly reminds us to help the poor.
"It is a sin to despise one's neighbors; blessed are those who help the poor."
God tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves. I am over and over blessed enough to have food. I am able to come home to a warm house, I have a car, I have job. There are those who do not have anything that I have, it is important that we share God's love to those who do not have what we have, and help them out. We are all God's people, it is a fact that in heaven we are going to be all worshiping together. People from all over the world, people who were rich, poor, homeless, and people who have a home.
Proverbs 14:31
"Those who oppress the poor insult their makes, but those who help the poor honor him."
if you see a homeless person and you feel the need to help them, HELP THEM. We can all make excuses like I do not have any money, I do not have anything to give them. But they may need someone to talk to, they may need something. The Lord works in crazy ways and we know so little, if you feel the push of the spirit, follow it, do what it says, you never know what could happen.
There have been times when I feel the spirit pushing me, and I do nothing. I regret all those times I do that. Because what happens if you ignore the spirit, you are slowly extinguishing its power in your life. If you feel the urge, act on it, if you like me hear a voice telling you what to do, act on it.
We can live this life for ourselves. But we can also live our life for a greater purpose. We can live it for the Lord.
Another thing that I see living in LA, is empty people. They have all the money that they need, they have the nice car, they wear the expensive jewelry, and buy expensive clothing. They have many friends and people all around them, many live a life in fame. Everything that this world stands for, they have. But they are empty. They are lost beings always looking for something new to fulfill them.
Proverbs 14: 13 says
Laughter can conceal a heavy heart; when the laughter ends, the grief remains."
We can experience highs and lows, yet when the highs end...we are left with our thinking and if you are empty and alone, it will eat one apart.
I very much experienced this feeling recently. Everything I did I would never be alone. I would go to friends houses to get away from facing my thoughts of loneliness. When the laughter ended, the grief remained. But when you abandon your thought on this world, when you stop focusing on the things of this world, and focus on things set above. The love that the Lord has for us, we do not need to be sad, we do not need to feel empty.
We have the Lord standing there with open arms, wanting to love us. We just need to run to him, and he will take away the pain, he will take away the hurt, he will heal us.
I am being healed to this day.
Thank you Lord for loving me, and never leaving me. The times when I turned away from you, the times when I felt strong enough to not need you, you were still there for me. I have abused you and turned away...yet much like the story in the prodigal son, you are there waiting for us to come back to you, you have never stopped loving us.
I love you Lord with all of my heart, and soul.
You are the way to everything good.
You are the way to eternal life.
You are the way to true happiness.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
This may be too much for some to read, but I can very much relate to this. I feel like I need to post this.
TW: Eating Disorders // Why you feel fatter when you've lost weight.
Imagine this - you’re still consumed by your eating disorder and you’re in your bathroom, whether that be starving, binging, purging, what have you. You exhale and step on the scale, waiting for its result. You’ve lost weight. A small tinge of excitement runs through your body, yet it still feels like it’s not enough. Over the course of the day (or week, month, and all that follows), you start to feel fatter. You look in the mirror at your body and are repulsed. Everyone tells you that you are too thin, too weak, too consumed with your eating disorder, but all you can see is room for improvement. You feel fatter than you did when you first began.
This is a typical scenario. Most eating disordered individuals do feel fatter than they did when they first took the tumble into their eating disorder, and thus they feel the need to lose more weight. And more. And more, and more, and so on and so forth. There’s a few reasons why this occurs, and it’s not because you’re fatter. Rather, it’s the opposite.
- You’re not getting enough nutrients. When your body is deprived of calories, or is constantly getting rid of them, your brain cannot function properly. Your decisions will be irrational and your thought process will be skewed. You will be constantly in a state of disarray because your body does not have the nutrients to go through the process of rational thought.
- Fat is an adjective. At least to eating disordered individuals. When an eating disordered individual says that they are fat, there is always underlying meaning. It can mean that they are feeling stressed, upset, guilty or angry. An eating disorder is a mask for other problems, and to them, saying that they feel fat is an underlying cover for other problems, as it encompasses all the negative thoughts they feel.
- You’re anxious. This ties in with the second point of ‘fat is an adjective’. Contrary to belief some have, your eating disorder will not make you less anxious or make your problems go away. It really only increases them. As your eating disorder worsens, your family and friends will become worried, and tensions will surely flare. They may get angry because they don’t understand why you’re doing this to yourself, your grades or work will suffer, you will not be able to perform and do things that you used to do. You may feel guilty about putting them through stress, eating the food in the house, et cetera. Coupled with the fact that you cannot think rationally, your body is in a state of ridiculous stress and thus makes you more susceptible to heavier anxiety than you’ve ever felt before. This can bring on the feeling of fat.
forgive me if I sneeze during this post.
The past few days have been interesting ones.
And right now I find myself in bed with intense body aches, cramps, nasal congestion, and body chills. It is that time of the year when people begin to find their immune systems take a nose dive. So forgive me if I misspell something, or if my words make no sense.
this morning I was reading two chapter in Proverbs, and I came across as always something that kind of spoke to me. Something very interesting is that if you look at your Bible, the set up structure takes a turn. The first nine chapters of the book are set up much like we see the rest of the Bible. However, the next chapters the structure looks different. Almost as if they are set up like as a poem, or as a song. Chapter 11 and 12 are short sentences that again almost look like a poem. The language as well turns more into a poem form as well. Chapters 11 and 12 really touched me because they again, display what life with wisdom in your heart look like.
"Good people are guided by their honesty; treacherous people are destroyed by their dishonesty.
Riches won't help on the day of judgement, but right living is a safeguard against death."
There are many people who claim they are followers of Christ, because they are good people. They give their money away, they help others, they try not to lie and stay away from trouble. Many people live my that their whole life and claim that because they are good people they have a relationship with the Lord.
However, if you read further on in Proverbs, you will soon discover that being a "good person" is not good enough.
"the godliness of good people rescues them, the ambition of the treacherous people traps them.
When the wicked die, their hopes their hopes all perish, for they rely on their own feeble strength.
God rescues the the godly from danger, but he lets the wicked fall into trouble."
something that I have learned is that people who like to say they are Christians because they are good people, they are keeping the focus on themselves. They are only focused on what they do, and how they act to people and what they say. Everything is about the self. When a true follower of Christ lives a life that is not about the self. They live a life that is for Christ and to be his disciple.
And what does it mean to be a disciple? Well I am reading a book that goes in depth about being a true follower of Christ, but what I have learned throughout the book is really just how living on this world is not for ourselves. Nothing has to do with us, it all has to do with the Lord and living a true live dedicated to HIM.
we do not let the things of the world control us, we repent our sins, we follow his word and study his word.
it is a simple thing to say, but following this is very difficult. We are surrounded by a world of lust, greed, hatred. Our physical body is a follower of the world, however our spirit is in a battle with going up and being with the Lord, when our bodies are going down to the ground.
We all have our sins, and it is important for us to fight against it, to take a stand as difficult as it may be. We need to be firm and fight against the things that are not of God.
There is so much more than being a good person, we need to be right with God, we need to have our mind set on things above.
Proverbs is a good chapter that addresses this to me.
Today is Sunday, and it is the Lords day. Take some time to not focus on yourself. We are nothing without HIM, we are pathetic creatures who deserve nothing but to be in the pits of hell. We are saved because of HIM. Everything is about HIM.
And right now I find myself in bed with intense body aches, cramps, nasal congestion, and body chills. It is that time of the year when people begin to find their immune systems take a nose dive. So forgive me if I misspell something, or if my words make no sense.
this morning I was reading two chapter in Proverbs, and I came across as always something that kind of spoke to me. Something very interesting is that if you look at your Bible, the set up structure takes a turn. The first nine chapters of the book are set up much like we see the rest of the Bible. However, the next chapters the structure looks different. Almost as if they are set up like as a poem, or as a song. Chapter 11 and 12 are short sentences that again almost look like a poem. The language as well turns more into a poem form as well. Chapters 11 and 12 really touched me because they again, display what life with wisdom in your heart look like.
"Good people are guided by their honesty; treacherous people are destroyed by their dishonesty.
Riches won't help on the day of judgement, but right living is a safeguard against death."
There are many people who claim they are followers of Christ, because they are good people. They give their money away, they help others, they try not to lie and stay away from trouble. Many people live my that their whole life and claim that because they are good people they have a relationship with the Lord.
However, if you read further on in Proverbs, you will soon discover that being a "good person" is not good enough.
"the godliness of good people rescues them, the ambition of the treacherous people traps them.
When the wicked die, their hopes their hopes all perish, for they rely on their own feeble strength.
God rescues the the godly from danger, but he lets the wicked fall into trouble."
something that I have learned is that people who like to say they are Christians because they are good people, they are keeping the focus on themselves. They are only focused on what they do, and how they act to people and what they say. Everything is about the self. When a true follower of Christ lives a life that is not about the self. They live a life that is for Christ and to be his disciple.
And what does it mean to be a disciple? Well I am reading a book that goes in depth about being a true follower of Christ, but what I have learned throughout the book is really just how living on this world is not for ourselves. Nothing has to do with us, it all has to do with the Lord and living a true live dedicated to HIM.
we do not let the things of the world control us, we repent our sins, we follow his word and study his word.
it is a simple thing to say, but following this is very difficult. We are surrounded by a world of lust, greed, hatred. Our physical body is a follower of the world, however our spirit is in a battle with going up and being with the Lord, when our bodies are going down to the ground.
We all have our sins, and it is important for us to fight against it, to take a stand as difficult as it may be. We need to be firm and fight against the things that are not of God.
There is so much more than being a good person, we need to be right with God, we need to have our mind set on things above.
Proverbs is a good chapter that addresses this to me.
Today is Sunday, and it is the Lords day. Take some time to not focus on yourself. We are nothing without HIM, we are pathetic creatures who deserve nothing but to be in the pits of hell. We are saved because of HIM. Everything is about HIM.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Proverbs Chapter 9
If you ever wonder what a life living in wisdom looks like? Then you came to the right chapters. Proverbs in the beginning chapters address this whole idea of living a life with wisdom, and now Chapter 9 and 10 show you a life that is full of wisdom, and what it looks like.
Chapter 9 starts out by saying
"Wisdom has built her spacious house with seven pillars. She has prepared a great banquet, mixed the wines ans set the table. She has sent her servants to invite everyone to come. She calls out from the heights overlooking the city. Come home with me, she urges the simple. To those without good judgement, she says come and eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your foolish ways behind, and begin to live; learn how to be wise."
this is such a wonderful opening of the chapter. There are many about this opening that are great, but one thing that I so much appreciate is the fact that wisdom is calling those who have no wisdom to them. It is a lesson that we all can learn from. Instead of turning away from those who are living lost in the sin of the world, "wisdom" continues to call people to her. She will always be loving to those who really do not deserve it. This to me is such a good depiction of God and Jesus. Jesus again is almost like a reflection of wisdom. When he walked on this earth, he was addressing those who were lost and did not know God, he opened his arms up to the sick, to the people looked at lowly, he opened his arms up and showed them nothing but love. Wisdom is doing the same thing. She is calling the lost to her, she is not turning her back on them.
7-12
"Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get a smart retort. Anyone who rebukes the wicked will get hurt. So don't bother rebuking mockers; they will only hate you. But the wise, when rebuked, they will love you all the more. Teach the wise and they be wiser. Teach the righteousness and they will learn more.
Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge of the holy One results in understanding. Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life. If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer."
This is something so powerful to me. One person who I really look up to is my mom. She is a warrior for Christ and she is one who is a true disciple. She has dealt with many people who are not followers of Christ. Many of them should not be attacking her with harsh words, because they are the people who should love her, but that is not the case. Something that is amazing to me is how she deals with their nasty and hurtful comments to her. She does not display the same thing that they do, she continues to show them love and respect. She prays for them daily, and she shows them nothing but love. There are so many times when I want to do nothing but yell at them and just let them hear what they deserve...but I look at her actions and the way she behaves, and it shows me what true wisdom is. She does not rebuke them, she does not snap back at them, she shows nothing but love and true wisdom. Id she was to go to their level what would that do to her? They would show nothing but hatred again and it would be an never-ending cycle. Yet, she does what she can to continue to show love, and show concern over their relationship with Christ.
It is something that I very much look up to, and I so much desire to be like that. Out of the many things that she has taught me and advice she has given me, it is her actions that really have shown me how to be a disciple.
This is very jumbled, and I apologize for this, but this chapter really just opened my eyes and really just was a good and challenging passage to live by.
Chapter 9 starts out by saying
"Wisdom has built her spacious house with seven pillars. She has prepared a great banquet, mixed the wines ans set the table. She has sent her servants to invite everyone to come. She calls out from the heights overlooking the city. Come home with me, she urges the simple. To those without good judgement, she says come and eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your foolish ways behind, and begin to live; learn how to be wise."
this is such a wonderful opening of the chapter. There are many about this opening that are great, but one thing that I so much appreciate is the fact that wisdom is calling those who have no wisdom to them. It is a lesson that we all can learn from. Instead of turning away from those who are living lost in the sin of the world, "wisdom" continues to call people to her. She will always be loving to those who really do not deserve it. This to me is such a good depiction of God and Jesus. Jesus again is almost like a reflection of wisdom. When he walked on this earth, he was addressing those who were lost and did not know God, he opened his arms up to the sick, to the people looked at lowly, he opened his arms up and showed them nothing but love. Wisdom is doing the same thing. She is calling the lost to her, she is not turning her back on them.
7-12
"Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get a smart retort. Anyone who rebukes the wicked will get hurt. So don't bother rebuking mockers; they will only hate you. But the wise, when rebuked, they will love you all the more. Teach the wise and they be wiser. Teach the righteousness and they will learn more.
Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge of the holy One results in understanding. Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life. If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer."
This is something so powerful to me. One person who I really look up to is my mom. She is a warrior for Christ and she is one who is a true disciple. She has dealt with many people who are not followers of Christ. Many of them should not be attacking her with harsh words, because they are the people who should love her, but that is not the case. Something that is amazing to me is how she deals with their nasty and hurtful comments to her. She does not display the same thing that they do, she continues to show them love and respect. She prays for them daily, and she shows them nothing but love. There are so many times when I want to do nothing but yell at them and just let them hear what they deserve...but I look at her actions and the way she behaves, and it shows me what true wisdom is. She does not rebuke them, she does not snap back at them, she shows nothing but love and true wisdom. Id she was to go to their level what would that do to her? They would show nothing but hatred again and it would be an never-ending cycle. Yet, she does what she can to continue to show love, and show concern over their relationship with Christ.
It is something that I very much look up to, and I so much desire to be like that. Out of the many things that she has taught me and advice she has given me, it is her actions that really have shown me how to be a disciple.
This is very jumbled, and I apologize for this, but this chapter really just opened my eyes and really just was a good and challenging passage to live by.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
God Calling
This morning was dedicated to Proverbs 8! What a wonderful, and very interesting chapter. There were many things that were very encouraging to me and spoke to me, (I pretty much have the whole chapter highlighted..so it really hit me!)
Again it shifts from talking about immoral women to wisdom. Something so interesting about the whole book of Proverbs they intertwine wisdom, and the immoral woman. You have almost this weave of how to achieve wisdom and what is right with God, and then the polar opposite. Affairs and committing sexual sin one has little to no knowledge, because as we know sin is not from God.
One thing that Chapter eight really focuses on is that fact that putting our wisdom into money, will get us nowhere.
verses 10 and 11 really paint a good picture saying
"Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge over pure gold. For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can be compared with it."
This can be a tough one to follow. I know so many times, this very much includes myself, we are changed to the economy, we are changed to money. It is what makes our world go round. Without money you are nothing but a beggar on the side of the road looking for money. We need money to eat, we need money to travel, we need money to get gas so that we can go to work. Everything about this world is controlled by money. So these simple verses that we can easily skim pass, is one that is very important. There are so many times I look at my situation and I see that I am blessed with clothes, a bed, a computer, a car, I have so many things that many people do not. I have been so blessed, and we can so easily look passed what we have and become greedy for more money and more material object. When we let those things control our lives we are nothing but an empty person who probably overspends on temporary things that are someday going to be nothing but a pile of rubble.
Fact is that we take nothing but our spiritual bodies with us to heaven or to hell. These things on earth mean nothing. So the question is why do we value them so much? We do that because like this verse says when we have no true wisdom, when we do not put our mind on the things above, the distractions down here on earth become our motivation to live. Everything becomes about the money.
The passage continues on saying:
12"I, wisdom live together with good judgement. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment. All who fear the Lord, will hate evil. That is why I hate pride, arrogance, corruption, and perverted speech. Good advice and success belong to me. Insight and strength are mine. Because of me, kings reign, and rulers make just laws. Rulers lead with my help, and nobles make righteous judgements."
It is important to cry out God if we do battle with pride, arrogance, and corruption, we pray that he will change our heart, that our actions and mind will only be filled with the spirit.
One of my favorite verses of this chapter would have to be the last part of this chapter. It is quite a long one. So here it is!
22-36
"The Lord formed me from the beginning, before he created anything else. I was appointed in ages past, at the very first, before the world began. I was born before the oceans were created, before the springs bubbled forth their waters. Before the mountains and the hills were formed, I was born- before he had made the earth and fields and the first handfuls of soil.
I was there when he established the heavens, when he drew the horizon on the oceans. I was there when he set the clouds above, when he established the deep fountains of the earth. I was there when he set the limits of the seas, so they would not spread beyond their boundaries. And when he marked off the earth's foundations. I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence. And how happy I was with what he created-his wide world and all the human family!
And so my Children, listen to me, for happy are all who follow my ways. Listen to my counsel and be wise.
Don't ignore it.
Happy are all those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home! For whoever finds me finds life and wins approval form the Lord. But those who miss me have injured themselves. All who hate me, love death."
Such a large chunk of verses right here. But it is so interesting these verses. Because it is implied that wisdom and knowledge is speaking, but I could not stop thinking that this was Jesus talking. And I could make the connection that wisdom does reflect Jesus. We find our wisdom and knowledge in the book of life, we find all that we desire here. I could not stop but think this was Jesus talking here.
I am not sure, and I will be asking about this. But one thing that I love here is the vivid pictures that is created. I love reading the images of God creating the earth and "Jesus" right by his side. I just love the talk about the oceans, and the earth. It just creates such a magical scene of God creating the world.
Proverbs 8..it is a good one.
Again it shifts from talking about immoral women to wisdom. Something so interesting about the whole book of Proverbs they intertwine wisdom, and the immoral woman. You have almost this weave of how to achieve wisdom and what is right with God, and then the polar opposite. Affairs and committing sexual sin one has little to no knowledge, because as we know sin is not from God.
One thing that Chapter eight really focuses on is that fact that putting our wisdom into money, will get us nowhere.
verses 10 and 11 really paint a good picture saying
"Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge over pure gold. For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can be compared with it."
This can be a tough one to follow. I know so many times, this very much includes myself, we are changed to the economy, we are changed to money. It is what makes our world go round. Without money you are nothing but a beggar on the side of the road looking for money. We need money to eat, we need money to travel, we need money to get gas so that we can go to work. Everything about this world is controlled by money. So these simple verses that we can easily skim pass, is one that is very important. There are so many times I look at my situation and I see that I am blessed with clothes, a bed, a computer, a car, I have so many things that many people do not. I have been so blessed, and we can so easily look passed what we have and become greedy for more money and more material object. When we let those things control our lives we are nothing but an empty person who probably overspends on temporary things that are someday going to be nothing but a pile of rubble.
Fact is that we take nothing but our spiritual bodies with us to heaven or to hell. These things on earth mean nothing. So the question is why do we value them so much? We do that because like this verse says when we have no true wisdom, when we do not put our mind on the things above, the distractions down here on earth become our motivation to live. Everything becomes about the money.
The passage continues on saying:
12"I, wisdom live together with good judgement. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment. All who fear the Lord, will hate evil. That is why I hate pride, arrogance, corruption, and perverted speech. Good advice and success belong to me. Insight and strength are mine. Because of me, kings reign, and rulers make just laws. Rulers lead with my help, and nobles make righteous judgements."
It is important to cry out God if we do battle with pride, arrogance, and corruption, we pray that he will change our heart, that our actions and mind will only be filled with the spirit.
One of my favorite verses of this chapter would have to be the last part of this chapter. It is quite a long one. So here it is!
22-36
"The Lord formed me from the beginning, before he created anything else. I was appointed in ages past, at the very first, before the world began. I was born before the oceans were created, before the springs bubbled forth their waters. Before the mountains and the hills were formed, I was born- before he had made the earth and fields and the first handfuls of soil.
I was there when he established the heavens, when he drew the horizon on the oceans. I was there when he set the clouds above, when he established the deep fountains of the earth. I was there when he set the limits of the seas, so they would not spread beyond their boundaries. And when he marked off the earth's foundations. I was the architect at his side. I was his constant delight, rejoicing always in his presence. And how happy I was with what he created-his wide world and all the human family!
And so my Children, listen to me, for happy are all who follow my ways. Listen to my counsel and be wise.
Don't ignore it.
Happy are all those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home! For whoever finds me finds life and wins approval form the Lord. But those who miss me have injured themselves. All who hate me, love death."
Such a large chunk of verses right here. But it is so interesting these verses. Because it is implied that wisdom and knowledge is speaking, but I could not stop thinking that this was Jesus talking. And I could make the connection that wisdom does reflect Jesus. We find our wisdom and knowledge in the book of life, we find all that we desire here. I could not stop but think this was Jesus talking here.
I am not sure, and I will be asking about this. But one thing that I love here is the vivid pictures that is created. I love reading the images of God creating the earth and "Jesus" right by his side. I just love the talk about the oceans, and the earth. It just creates such a magical scene of God creating the world.
Proverbs 8..it is a good one.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
The Immoral Woman
I have continued reading on in Proverbs. One thing that sticks out me like a sore thumb, mostly because this topic is mentioned in almost ever chapter in Proverbs, is the immoral woman.
I am in chapter 5 and six today. Something that is so interesting is that currently I distantly do know a man who has been cheating on his wife. I have obviously known that having an affair with another woman is wrong, but these few chapters really show the wrath that God has against this vile act.
We all know that sin is a sin, if you kill someone, if you lie, or if you lust after someone, it is all an equal sin. There is not one that is higher than the other. Today is society we do that. Killing someone is considered a bigger crime then stealing from a supermarket. However in God's eye, if we come to him for repentance and ask for forgiveness, he is going to give a thief the same forgiveness as someone who is a child molester. It is hoping that they are reaching true forgiveness and turning away from the sin that has pulled them away from God.
But what is interesting in this case, and what I am sure many people do is ask for forgiveness and not really mean it in their heart. They know it is wrong, especially being a Christian, and they do ask for forgiveness..but it is not sincere. They want to turn, but the sin has them so deep that they just continue to fall and fall back into the act.
Proverbs 6:32-35 says:
"But the man who commits adultery is an utter fool, for he destroys his own soul. Wounds and constant disgrace are his lot. His shame will never be erased. For the woman's husband will be furious in his jealousy, and he will have no mercy in his day of vengeance. There is no compensation or bribe that will satisfy him."
Growing up around the world of church, I have seen many men sadly fall into having affairs, women having affairs...it is sad to see the family get torn apart, and to see the hurt. But this verse in particular really gives a good idea as to what the person who committing the act of adultery is going through. "His shame will NEVER be erased." Although I do not wish for anyone to feel this, but for a man who has broken apart his family, a man who is not willing to change his ways, for a man who refuses to ask for repentance and for a man who is not turning away from the sin, their shame will forever be following them. "There is no compensation or bribe that will satisfy them." They will forever be wondering, feeling the shame, never able to find something that will fulfill them...until they turn to Jesus, until they repent everything, until they turn away from the sin that is tearing them down.
I know that this has nothing to do with affairs, but you can really connect this with any sin, with anything that turns you away from God. I do not know who is reading this blog, some may be some people who know me personally, some may not know me..but I feel that as I discover the Bible, and write about it, it is important to repent and be open with the things that tear us apart from Christ. I carry a sin with me, I battle a sin everyday, and that is an eating disorder. it is an act that I easily fall into, it is a selfish sin that brings nothing but a tossing and turning in my heart. It is a little monster that takes control of my mind. It is our battle to get rid of those things that tear us down, those selfish sins that are nothing but moments of satisfaction for this earth. I really have gotten to the point where I am know looking at my actions that I do here on earth and asking, does it really bring glory to God? If I partake in this act, if I drink this alcohol to get drunk to escape from my situation, what does that bring me? Nothing....if I go to the bathroom and force myself to throw up in the bathroom to get thinner, what does this do for the Lord? What if I am so lonely the only cure would be to find a man to fool around with...what does this show the Lord? this shows I am not going to wait on his timing, I am going to take control and not be patient for the right man to come into my life, I am going to fall into my desire.
For men and women who fall into affairs, for the man and woman who fall into any other sin, before you fall into the sin...ask yourself...what does this do for the kingdom of God?
-if it is nothing...stay away from it.
It is the sin that is trying to get in your way from having a pure and precious relationship with the Lord.
Be in Prayer!
If you find yourself falling cry out to him, pray to the Lord and grip onto him. Because he is the only one who can change your heart, he is the only one who can rid the sin in your heart. We are all sinners, we all have our things that we fall into. It is important to resist, it is important to fall onto the Lord during those times when all you want to do is turn away from the Lord.
Keep your heart pure.
Psalm 30:1-12
I will praise you Lord, for you have rescued me.
You have refused to let my enemies triumph over me.
O Lord my God, I cried out to you for help,
and you restored my health.
You brought me up from the grave, O Lord.
You kept me from falling into the pit of death.
Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones!
Praise his holy name.
His anger lasts for a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may go all night,
but joy comes in the morning.
When I was prosperous I said,
"Nothing can stop me now!"
Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain.
Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.
I cried out to you, O Lord.
I begged the Lord for mercy, saying,
"What will you gain if I die,
if I sink down into the grave?
Can my dust praise you from the grave?
Can it tell me the world of your faithfulness?
Hear me Lord, and have mercy on me O Lord."
You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing
You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothes me with joy,
that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!"
A good prayer for everyone who battles with sin..(wake up call is everyone!)
I am in chapter 5 and six today. Something that is so interesting is that currently I distantly do know a man who has been cheating on his wife. I have obviously known that having an affair with another woman is wrong, but these few chapters really show the wrath that God has against this vile act.
We all know that sin is a sin, if you kill someone, if you lie, or if you lust after someone, it is all an equal sin. There is not one that is higher than the other. Today is society we do that. Killing someone is considered a bigger crime then stealing from a supermarket. However in God's eye, if we come to him for repentance and ask for forgiveness, he is going to give a thief the same forgiveness as someone who is a child molester. It is hoping that they are reaching true forgiveness and turning away from the sin that has pulled them away from God.
But what is interesting in this case, and what I am sure many people do is ask for forgiveness and not really mean it in their heart. They know it is wrong, especially being a Christian, and they do ask for forgiveness..but it is not sincere. They want to turn, but the sin has them so deep that they just continue to fall and fall back into the act.
Proverbs 6:32-35 says:
"But the man who commits adultery is an utter fool, for he destroys his own soul. Wounds and constant disgrace are his lot. His shame will never be erased. For the woman's husband will be furious in his jealousy, and he will have no mercy in his day of vengeance. There is no compensation or bribe that will satisfy him."
Growing up around the world of church, I have seen many men sadly fall into having affairs, women having affairs...it is sad to see the family get torn apart, and to see the hurt. But this verse in particular really gives a good idea as to what the person who committing the act of adultery is going through. "His shame will NEVER be erased." Although I do not wish for anyone to feel this, but for a man who has broken apart his family, a man who is not willing to change his ways, for a man who refuses to ask for repentance and for a man who is not turning away from the sin, their shame will forever be following them. "There is no compensation or bribe that will satisfy them." They will forever be wondering, feeling the shame, never able to find something that will fulfill them...until they turn to Jesus, until they repent everything, until they turn away from the sin that is tearing them down.
I know that this has nothing to do with affairs, but you can really connect this with any sin, with anything that turns you away from God. I do not know who is reading this blog, some may be some people who know me personally, some may not know me..but I feel that as I discover the Bible, and write about it, it is important to repent and be open with the things that tear us apart from Christ. I carry a sin with me, I battle a sin everyday, and that is an eating disorder. it is an act that I easily fall into, it is a selfish sin that brings nothing but a tossing and turning in my heart. It is a little monster that takes control of my mind. It is our battle to get rid of those things that tear us down, those selfish sins that are nothing but moments of satisfaction for this earth. I really have gotten to the point where I am know looking at my actions that I do here on earth and asking, does it really bring glory to God? If I partake in this act, if I drink this alcohol to get drunk to escape from my situation, what does that bring me? Nothing....if I go to the bathroom and force myself to throw up in the bathroom to get thinner, what does this do for the Lord? What if I am so lonely the only cure would be to find a man to fool around with...what does this show the Lord? this shows I am not going to wait on his timing, I am going to take control and not be patient for the right man to come into my life, I am going to fall into my desire.
For men and women who fall into affairs, for the man and woman who fall into any other sin, before you fall into the sin...ask yourself...what does this do for the kingdom of God?
-if it is nothing...stay away from it.
It is the sin that is trying to get in your way from having a pure and precious relationship with the Lord.
Be in Prayer!
If you find yourself falling cry out to him, pray to the Lord and grip onto him. Because he is the only one who can change your heart, he is the only one who can rid the sin in your heart. We are all sinners, we all have our things that we fall into. It is important to resist, it is important to fall onto the Lord during those times when all you want to do is turn away from the Lord.
Keep your heart pure.
Psalm 30:1-12
I will praise you Lord, for you have rescued me.
You have refused to let my enemies triumph over me.
O Lord my God, I cried out to you for help,
and you restored my health.
You brought me up from the grave, O Lord.
You kept me from falling into the pit of death.
Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones!
Praise his holy name.
His anger lasts for a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may go all night,
but joy comes in the morning.
When I was prosperous I said,
"Nothing can stop me now!"
Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain.
Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.
I cried out to you, O Lord.
I begged the Lord for mercy, saying,
"What will you gain if I die,
if I sink down into the grave?
Can my dust praise you from the grave?
Can it tell me the world of your faithfulness?
Hear me Lord, and have mercy on me O Lord."
You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing
You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothes me with joy,
that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!"
A good prayer for everyone who battles with sin..(wake up call is everyone!)
Monday, October 24, 2011
New Life
I will praise you Lord, for you have rescued me.
You refused to let my enemies triumph over me.
O Lord my God, I cried out the you for help,
and you restored my health.
You brought me up from the grave, O Lord.
You kept me from falling into the pit of death.
Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones!
Praise his holy name.
His anger lasts for a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may go on all night,
But joy comes with the morning.
When I was prosperous I said,
"Nothing can stop me now!"
Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain.
Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.
I cried out to you, O Lord.
I begged the Lord for mercy, saying,
"what will you gain if I die,
if I sink down into the grave?
Can it tell the world of your faithfulness?
Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me.
Help me, O Lord."
You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing
You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothes me with joy,
the I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!
-Pslam 30:1-12
I was reading this verse today and it really hit hard for me. For many reasons I was so blessed with reading it because the Lord is amazing. He is one who forgives all..if you come to repent to him, he will forgive everything.
This concept for me is so hard to understand...but when it comes to matter of fact, it is not about us and the Lord is above all.
I have been recently changing my lifestyle of allowing the world to control me. I am done with allowing my emotions to tell me how I am going to feel. It is going to be a very hard battle for me, but the more I dedicate my life to the Lord, the more I am in the Bible, the more I make my life all about the Lord Jesus Christ, the more my life is going to transfer from a life that was only for me, to a life that is going to bring honor and glory to the kingdom of Christ.
I have no direction and no idea where my life is going, but I know that the Lord is preparing me. The journey I have been through has been a hard difficult one, with many ups and downs. A very rocky path following Christ, but I KNOW that my life is going to change. The Holy Spirit is strong in my soul, and I have never been more in love with Christ. I am in a lost city, that desperately needs the love of Christ, and I am going to do just that.
Lord take control of my life and show me where you want me to be. Lord I give everything to you. I am not going to worry about tomorrow and my life tomorrow...because all I have is today, all I have is this second and the next second. So it is my duty to show that to others.
Lord I love you so very much,
satan has no longer a grasp onto me. I am free from the loneliness and emptiness that is this world. I am a follower of you, I am a disciple for the greater cause of the world. Thank you for choosing me to be one of your children. I am saved from a lifetime in the pit of hell, and I will be taken to a land full of milk and honey. I land where everything is Christ, and there will be no hurting, there will be no pain, there will be no evil. Everything will be Christ.
You refused to let my enemies triumph over me.
O Lord my God, I cried out the you for help,
and you restored my health.
You brought me up from the grave, O Lord.
You kept me from falling into the pit of death.
Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones!
Praise his holy name.
His anger lasts for a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may go on all night,
But joy comes with the morning.
When I was prosperous I said,
"Nothing can stop me now!"
Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain.
Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.
I cried out to you, O Lord.
I begged the Lord for mercy, saying,
"what will you gain if I die,
if I sink down into the grave?
Can it tell the world of your faithfulness?
Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me.
Help me, O Lord."
You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing
You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothes me with joy,
the I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!
-Pslam 30:1-12
I was reading this verse today and it really hit hard for me. For many reasons I was so blessed with reading it because the Lord is amazing. He is one who forgives all..if you come to repent to him, he will forgive everything.
This concept for me is so hard to understand...but when it comes to matter of fact, it is not about us and the Lord is above all.
I have been recently changing my lifestyle of allowing the world to control me. I am done with allowing my emotions to tell me how I am going to feel. It is going to be a very hard battle for me, but the more I dedicate my life to the Lord, the more I am in the Bible, the more I make my life all about the Lord Jesus Christ, the more my life is going to transfer from a life that was only for me, to a life that is going to bring honor and glory to the kingdom of Christ.
I have no direction and no idea where my life is going, but I know that the Lord is preparing me. The journey I have been through has been a hard difficult one, with many ups and downs. A very rocky path following Christ, but I KNOW that my life is going to change. The Holy Spirit is strong in my soul, and I have never been more in love with Christ. I am in a lost city, that desperately needs the love of Christ, and I am going to do just that.
Lord take control of my life and show me where you want me to be. Lord I give everything to you. I am not going to worry about tomorrow and my life tomorrow...because all I have is today, all I have is this second and the next second. So it is my duty to show that to others.
Lord I love you so very much,
satan has no longer a grasp onto me. I am free from the loneliness and emptiness that is this world. I am a follower of you, I am a disciple for the greater cause of the world. Thank you for choosing me to be one of your children. I am saved from a lifetime in the pit of hell, and I will be taken to a land full of milk and honey. I land where everything is Christ, and there will be no hurting, there will be no pain, there will be no evil. Everything will be Christ.
Seeking true Wisdom
I have read it many times before, but reading through it this morning, it has really just hit my heart. I so far have just read into the first four chapters, the majority of the chapters touch on the fact how important wisdom is and to capture that wisdom.
When people think of gaining wisdom, they think about studying, going to school, reading educational books. This is all true and this is how you gain wisdom, this is still somewhat similar, but it is addressing gaining wisdom through the Bible. It is the book of wisdom, after all it is the book of life.
Having wisdom in God and in his word seems like it is really the only key way to find true happiness.
Proverbs Chapter 4:6-9
"Don't turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And whatever else you do, get good judgement. if you prize wisdom, she will exalt you. Embrace her and she will honor you. She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown."
One thing I like about this verse is that they refer wisdom as she. No I am not a feminist, but I just think when you use "she" to refer as wisdom, it is more of a comforter. Women usually in general are the ones who are soft, they are the ones who children run to when they are sick, when they are sad, when they are hurt. Referring wisdom to as she, really puts that type of connotation to it.
Now I know that I am no pastor, nor am I a scholar, but when reading over these verses the only key to truly gain wisdom is by reading the Word of God. We gain a source on knowledge by reading the actions of Jesus, by studying his book, by living a life truly dedicated to Christ. We need to abandon the things of this world, they things that draw us away from God, because when we fall away, all that will lead us down to is the things of this world, and what does the world glorify? Satan. Nothing in this world will bring wisdom, only God can bring wisdom to us, and we get that by glorifying him and learning about him and following his commandments.
How do we know wisdom is from God? Is we jump back up to
Proverbs 2:12-22
Wisdom will save you from evil people, from those whose speech is corrupt. These people turn from right ways to walk down dark and evil paths. They rejoice in doing wrong, and they enjoy evil as it turns things upside down. What they do is crooked, and their ways are wrong.
Wisdom will save you form the immoral woman, from the flattery of the adulterous woman. She has abandoned her husband, and ignores the covenant she made before God. Entering her house leads to death; it is the road to hell. The man who visits her is doomed. He will never reach the paths of life.
Follow the steps of good men instead, and stay on the paths of righteousness. For only the upright will live in the land, and those who have integrity will remain in it. But the wicked will be removed from the land, and the treacherous will be destroyed."
All of those things that are not with Christ are dark and the glorified ways of the world. It is important to turn your eyes, mind, and actions away from those things that will not bring wisdom. It is a battle that I am sure all of us have to battle daily. I do not want to leave this on somewhat of a dark note, so I am going to end it with
Proverbs 2: 8-11
"He guards the paths of justice and protects those who are faithful to him.
Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will know how to find the right course of action every time. For wisdom will enter your heart, ans knowledge will fill you with joy. Wise planning will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe."
we can be sure that following Christ and achieving wisdom, we will be safe with him and our lives and that is where we can find the joy that so many people spend their whole lives looking for. We can rejoice that right here we have the answer and key to eternal life, right here in the Word of God.
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