A Simple Reminder

     Hey guys! I haven't posted any blog posts since August, which I'd like to blame on my crazy busy schedule. I've been working really hard since school started, however I'm going to try to get back into blogging twice a week again! (Emphasis on the word TRY ;)) Anyways, I just wanted to write a quick post to wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! Crazy to think that the holidays are already here. It seems like life just skips from one event to the next.
     Since it's almost Christmas, I have been reading the accounts of Jesus' birth/death throughout the New Testament. I really got to thinking about how many people celebrated Jesus' birth, then how many people celebrated His death. I mean, wise men, shepherd and kings came to welcome the King into this world, however there were people even from the beginning who wanted Him dead. Herod tried to kill every male under the age of two in all of Bethlehem just to assure Jesus' death. (Matthew 2:16)
     Jesus was popular among the masses because He was different. He was performing miracles, He was teaching and preaching, He was even claiming to forgive sins. Everyone wanted to see who this guy was, yet deep in the heart of many, they despised Him. It didn't take much convincing for most of the crowd to cheer for Barabas' freedom. There was no question that Barabas was a criminal, yet most people wanted Jesus killed although He was perfect. (John 18:40)
     Both at His birth and His death, there were two types of people. Those who celebrated His birth mourned His death, while those who hated His birth celebrated His death. It's so easy to say, "I'd definitely be the person mourning at His death, no question about it." But really, it's hard to go against the masses in today's culture, and I can't imagine it would've been much different back then.
     When a bunch of people agree on something, it's not easy to be the one to step out and disagree. When people begged for Barabas to go free, they were really condemning someone to death because of the hate in their hearts. If you were to go against them, you'd probably be condemning yourself to death too. The high up people of the day really encouraged the people to cheer for Barabas. (Mark 15:11)  When the world really wants us to agree with something, they are going to use celebrities and people the masses know and recognize to encourage you to make a decision. It was obvious in the recent election that certain celebrities really encouraged groups of people to vote for their candidate. They went all out promoting who they thought deserved to be president. No celebrity would have voted for Jesus back then.
     It's easy in our world today to just sort of "go with the flow." It's easier to follow the crowd and look cool, then stand up and say that that certain things are wrong. If you were there when Jesus was born, would you have gone to the manger to celebrate? At Jesus' crucifixion, would you be at the cross of Jesus realizing He was dying because of YOUR sin? A pastor from the Bahamas recently spoke in our college chapel and he said, "Even if you were the only person on the entire planet who ever sinned, and you only sinned once, by accident, Jesus would've still had to die to pay for that sin." Every one of us sin and all sin has to be paid for. Thankfully, Jesus has us covered.
     Most of you reading this have probably accepted the free gift of salvation, however the question is, what are you doing with it? Is it enough for you to simply be saved, or are you actively trying to please the Lord in everything you say and do? Is your life sold out for the gospel, or are you content with remaining right where you are? Life is so much more than our social media image, or the money we make, or the friends we have, or the clothes we wear. Our popularity status wont matter in Heaven. The amount of friends we have won't matter in Heaven, nor will the lack of friends matter either. This world will say that those things are important, but what matters is that in Bethlehem all those years ago, Jesus came to this earth for the sole purpose of dying for YOUR sin. Are you daily living in remembrance for what He's done for you? Which person are you choosing to be?

Christmas is a time to celebrate the greatest gift of ALL, so remember this:

Jesus became a son of man so that we can be called Sons of God.

Stay excellent!

How to be Longsuffering

    "When you're tempted to lose patience with someone, remember how much patience God shows you."

     Patience is a word that can often be translated longsuffering. This word is used a lot in the Bible and a lot of times it's referring to God being longsuffering toward us. I realized I didn't really know much about what it meant to be longsuffering. The word means, slow to wrath and it's associated with "great kindness" and "plenteous in mercy." The dictionary defines it as: having or showing patience in spite of troubles, especially those caused by other people. Sorta funny how if you flip the word it's suffering long! The opposite is impatient or intolerant. So after studying the word, I came up with 4 tips on how to be longsuffering towards those around us.

1. Remember God is patient with YOU

But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. Psalm 86:10

We are all sinners. We have all missed the mark and fallen short of the glory of God. Nobody could stand before God and get into Heaven only because they were somehow better than someone else. In reality, we are all equal in our unrighteousness. We must remember how longsuffering God is toward us! I know that's something I take for granted so often. God forgives me despite the fact that I sin daily. Thank goodness His love isn't dependent on my faithfulness, because we all sin and we all make mistakes. When we remember how patient and longsuffering God is with us every day, this will motivate us to show that to others too.

2. Don't strike back with unkind words

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Proverbs 18:21

Basically this verse is saying that there are consequences for the words that we say. Words can be used for love (life) and it can be used for hate (death). That's a pretty black and white statement. Either our words are loving and honoring to God, or they're dishonoring to Him and full of hate. When people do things to us that are irritating, offensive or hurtful, we must reject the temptation to retort or rudely strike back. THIS INCLUDES SARCASM. :) Our response to unfair or annoying situations will make or break our testimonies. Our old nature can be so short fused and short tempered. Thank God that He isn't short tempered with me! To be longsuffering, you must be someone who can hold their tongue. 

3. Don't be easily angry

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to heart, slow to speak, slow to wrath. For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. James 1:19-20

People who are easily angered show a certain kind of weakness, and Proverbs 16:32 reminds us that we are strong when we can rule our spirit. When we are easily angry at our brothers and sisters in Christ, we are doing harm to the gospel of Christ. Instead of promoting the cause of Christ, we are turning people away. God doesn't get easily angry with us when we do things that are wrong - as we saw before, He is longsuffering and plenteous in mercy. Mercy is not giving someone what they do deserve. Maybe someone really wronged you or irritated you, maybe you have a justified reason to be angry with someone. We should be following God's example by not being easily angered. We need to know how to govern and refrain our temper and resist the temptation to show our irritation or frustration. I know this can be SO HARD, especially when someone has wronged us in some huge way. Our fleshly nature has a temper that can so easily get out of control, but it's our job to be slow to wrath.

4. Be kind to others despite what they've done to you

Now I exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, BE PATIENT TOWARD ALL MEN. 1 Thessalonians 5:14

As patient as God is with you is how patient you should be with other people. We need to be loving and kind to people despite the ways they may have wronged us. If God held grudges towards my sin...I'm pretty sure He wouldn't have an ounce of love for me left. But He doesn't do that - He is patient. He forgives quickly and He forgets the things we've done wrong. Maybe there's someone out there who has made you really irritated, or rubs you the wrong way. Maybe there's a person you think poorly of or judge every time you see them. Maybe there's a person who has done something they don't even know offended you, or there might be a person who blatantly hurt you and knows it! It doesn't really matter what other people do to us, because no matter what, we've done worse to God. I think it's something to notice that God doesn't dislike or not love certain people. Sure, He was fed up with the hypocritical Pharisees in the New Testament and had no problem telling them that they were wrong, yet He still loved them and died for Him. Nobody could irritate God enough to make Him stop loving them or cease from showing compassion. In that same way, we need to be kind and patient toward other people, even the people we don't like.  Longsuffering is one of the special marks of Christian grace. When we're longsuffering to our brothers and sisters in Christ, we display a testimony of love and grace. We are able to show others by our actions that we understand that we're forgiven and loved, and therefore we want to show that same love toward others. 

     Honestly, we have no excuse for not being longsuffering. It's an important attribute of God and we need to be trying to conform to His image daily. I feel like in some ways it's become acceptable in the Christian culture to be easily frustrated, irritated or judgmental of our brothers and sisters in Christ, and this simply cannot continue. To reach the lost we must show them that we are people who try to love like God loves, and to do that we have to be longsuffering. This is something I know I will probably be working on till the day I die! Patience, kindness and compassion will get you much further in the Christian life than anger, criticism and condemnation ever will.

Stay excellent!

6 Characteristics of a Strong Woman of God

   
     Strength is defined as being able to withstand great force or pressure. This culture we live in today throws so many challenges at us! Society tells us how it thinks women should dress, think, act, speak, and live. But as Christians, it's our job to choose to be strong against the pressures of this world stand up for Christ. Being strong in the face of the challenges we face takes a very strong person! Here are some characteristics that a strong woman of God should have.

1. A strong woman of God will be confident in Christ

But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are more value than many sparrows. Luke 12:7

Can you believe that?! Every hair on our head is numbered. That's how intimately God knows us. To have a mindset of rest, we must realize how much God loves us and cherishes us.

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. Psalm 139:17-18

This verse gets me every time. He thinks more precious thoughts of me than there are GRAINS OF SAND. I can't imagine counting every grain of sand on one beach, let alone every grain in the entire world. We are loved by our Creator, and we need to be confident in that. A strong woman of God needs to be someone who doesn't talk badly about her looks, bash herself, call herself names, or talk down upon the way that God made her. A strong woman is someone who doesn't need to doubt that she is loved and she is cherished.

2. A strong woman of God will encourage others

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32

Because we are loved by God, we will show this love to other people. Kind people are gentle, slow to wrath, not easily crabby or sour. Kind people go out of their way to make others happy. Being tenderhearted requires a person to be soft. A tenderhearted person will be sensitive to the thoughts, needs, struggles and pains of others. Forgiveness can be so hard when someone has wronged us, yet we must remember that no matter how much people wrong us, it will never compare to the amount of times we wrong God. A strong woman of God is someone who will encourage others, who will find ways to be kind, tenderhearted and forgiving with everyone at all times.

3. A strong woman of God will serve

And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be the servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Mark 10:44-45 

Strong women of God will look for ways to minister and serve others. She will work lowly jobs that may go unnoticed. She is willing to do work that nobody else wants to do. Our strength should be used to help others around us. A strong woman of God realizes that everything we do either serves ones self, or God, and she will choose to serve Him.

4. A strong woman of God will support other women

A new commandment that I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have loved one another. John 13:34-35

This is the only time in the Bible where it says that if you do this, you WILL have a testimony. We are supposed to be people who love and support our brothers and sisters. Something that is so common among Christian circles is women bashing other women. We are judgmental, we are mean, we gossip, we whisper behind people's backs, we make fun, we even go so far as to hate. This is something that must stop in our culture. There is more unity in women of the world than there is in the church! What kind of example are we showing? Strong women of God will support and build up their sisters in Christ instead of forming cliques and being mean.

5. A strong woman of God will speak with truth and grace

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. Ephesians 4:15

Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. Colossians 4:6

The things we say need to be edifying and loving. Every word that we say should be words that could come out of the mouth of Jesus himself. What if every word you said in a day was flashed across a billboard for the entire world to see? How careful would you be? A strong woman of God who speaks with both truth and grace will build up and be able to bring many people together for the glory of God.

6. A strong woman of God will be able to change the world

Ye are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world, a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth life to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven. Matthew 5:13-16

The world is not impressed with a woman who claims to be a Christian yet acts like the world. The world needs strong women who can defend the clear gospel of grace and stand up for Biblical standards. The world needs to seee women who love others, love God, and are dedicated to His service. That's how we are going to reach the lost. A strong woman of God will be a light in a lost and dying world, she will defend the clear gospel no matter what, and she will always choose the Lord's side before anything the world has to offer.


     These types of women are few and rare, yet there are still so many amazing women who are out there right now serving the King to their fullest potential. May it be our challenge to be women who will stand up for what's right, who will be able withstand all pressure that the world has to offer, and who will be bold witnesses for Christ. There's nothing more powerful than a woman who is secure in her Creator, who never forgets that she was bought with a price, and chooses to live like it every day.

Stay excellent!

Derived from Lauren Demoss' post against feminism and for godly women at http://www.thefulltimegirl.com/2015/05/20/7-characteristics-strong-women-god/ 

Shallow Faith

And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.    Luke 5:1-8

     
     I love where Simon here basically says to Jesus, we have been fishing all night and have caught nothing, but I will go out further because you told me to. Simon doesn't question Jesus' authority - he recognizes that when God speaks it's our job to listen. To do anything else is foolishness. Simon relies on God's word. He knew that because God said it, he should obey it. He didn't doubt Jesus' words to him. God lets us know what He wants us to do through His word, through godly preaching, and through spiritually-minded authority figures. We need to be sensitive to the words of Jesus and we need to immediately obey His calling. 

     Fishing was the livelihoods of these men - they fished so they could eat and provide for their families. When Jesus asked them to go deeper, they were probably pretty discouraged. Simon tells Jesus that they have been toiling (defined as working extremely hard or with difficulty), and saw no return. Nevertheless, they were ready to obey immediately at His command. Simon didn't wait for assurance that everything was going to work out. He didn't wait for Jesus to promise him an abundance of fish or affirm that everything would be okay. He didn't wait for assurance before He launched out into the deep - he went head first with faith that God had everything under control.

     When we refuse to go out deeper, we are showing that we have shallow faith. We don't trust that God will take care of our needs and provide for us. We might think that the work we're doing now is pointless, so why push even more? Why keep reaching out to that person who shoots us down? Why keep being kind to ungrateful people? Why keep witnessing when it seems to never yield any fruit? Why continue serving when I never get recognized? Simon had been fishing all night and caught absolutely nothing, but that's because God needed him to be willing to have a deep faith, not one that lingered in the shallow waters.

     We cannot quit working where God has us just because we don't see results. We promise in ourselves certain successes and we think that if we don't achieve them, then all hope is lost. God has plans for us far different from the plans we've made for ourselves. We don't get to choose what ministries to give up on or what work to stop doing just because we're not getting what we think we deserve. We obey where we are called and leave the results up to God.

     There's no blueprint for life. Simon couldn't see what the end result of his obedience was going to be - he was asked to obey in the moment, and he chose to obey. This should be the desire of each one of us - to follow God moment by moment, day by day, no matter what. God knows our doubts and uncertainties, He recognizes the work we put in, even when it all feels hopeless. He can use our lives for good even when it seems like we will never catch any fish. 

Dare to trust God with everything you have. Dare to leave the safety of the shallow water. Dare to dive in to the deep waters. Dare to have a faith that goes beyond the shallow concerns of this world. God has never failed, and the good news is, He's not about to start now. 

     
Stay excellent!

At the Heart of Thankfulness

     Someone recently told me that "unthankfulness cultivates an attitude of entitlement." That has really been sticking with me lately. There are so many things that I don't think to thank God for in a day. I can see, I can hear, I can walk, I can smell and taste, I live in a free country, I have godly family and friends, I can afford luxaries, and most importantly, I have been saved by Jesus' blood on the cross by no merit of my own. These things are so easy to take for granted because most people have never been without them, but they're blessings from God that we need to be taking time to thank Him for. When we don't take the time to thank God, we are telling Him that we deserve everything we've been given.

Pray without ceasing. In EVERYTHING give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thess. 5:17-18

Thankfulness should be the Christian's native emotion. If we have learned to pray without ceasing, then thankfulness should come naturally to us. Some people don't really understand how to "pray without ceasing," but it's really quite simple. In everything that you say and do, have a sub conscience reference to God. Whether it's sorrow or gladness, sickness or health, prosperity or adversity - in everything we are to give thanks, whether we like the circumstances or not.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Col. 3:15

A deep and true heart of thankfulness comes when one has the peace of God in their heart. We should have a sense of unity with God and with our fellow man. Matthew Henry says, "Thankfullness to God helps to make us agreeable to all men." How can we remain unified as one body in the Lord? By being thankful.

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Col 3:17

Every one of our actions should be followed by thanksgiving. We are to do every duty not only for God and for His glory, but with a heart of thankfulness. We should be thankful that we get to work and serve a God so abundantly full of mercy. It doesn't matter what we are doing, it should be accompianted by an attitude of fervent gratefulness.

"Gratitude is our ability to see the grace of God, morning by morning, no matter what greets us in the course of the day." - Craig Barnes

   

     Do we take time to thank God for saving us, for dying on the cross to pay for all of our sins?  Do we take the time to thank God for the material blessings, as well as all of the spiritual blessings? Do we have an attitude of thanksgiving that our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ can see? Are we thankful for the work that we get to do in service to God? If we aren't taking time to be grateful, we are displaying an attitude of entitlement. We don't have a right to any of the things God gives, and it's our duty as Christians to take the time to thank God daily for all of the blessings He has given to us. Let's give thanks, for He has truly given us so much!

Stay excellent!

What God Has to Say About Listening

     "There is a difference between truly listening, and waiting for your turn to talk."

     So often, I find myself in this situation. I'm hearing the words that are coming out of somebody's mouth, yet I couldn't tell you what they said five minutes later, because I was too focused on what I wanted to say.  Listen and silent contain the same words - maybe that is telling us something! Let's look at what the Bible has to say about listening.

God is listening to us

But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. Psalm 66:19-20 

God hears what we have to say. Do we deserve that? Nope. We definitely don't. Yet His ears are inclined to us, no matter what time of day or night. Nobody has ears that hear better than the Lord. I think it's so cool that we don't even have to speak for God to hear us. He knows the cries of our hearts! 

We should be listening to God

...Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. Luke 11:28

God speaks to us by using His word. That's His way of communicating to us. We need to have ears tender enough to hear even the softest whisper of the Holy Spirit. We can hear what God has to say to us through reading the Bible in devotions, by listening to godly men and women around us, and by going to Church to hear the Bible preached through men of God. We know based of James 1:22 that we aren't supposed to just hear the word, but we should be doers of it also. Listen to what God has to say, and act upon what's right.

We should be listening to others

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.    James 1:19

We need to be quick to listen to others, and slow to have a reply. This applies ESPECIALLY in situations where you want to get angry. It's so easy to spout off a sarcastic remark when we're annoyed! I know I'm definitely guilty. But God wants us to be people that are quick to hear and slow to speak. If God can take the time to listen to us, we should be taking the time to listen to others!

The Bible talks a LOT in the book of Proverbs about the importance of holding our tongues. We would be doing ourselves a lot of good if we just learned to listen a little more and talk a little less. I know this is something that I am definitely working on! One of the most sincere ways to show respect is to listen to what another person has to say. Let us be people who are quick to listen and slow to speak. 

Stay excellent!

When You Don't Know What To Do

     There are times in our lives when we have to make decisions and we aren't sure what's the best choice to make. I feel like most of us have been in that situation, and if you haven't, you probably will be at some point soon. Making godly choices can be so hard, especially when more than one way seems right. Here are some things to remember when we don't know what to do.

1. Is it expedient? (Will it build you up?)

1 Corinthians 10:23 says, "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not."

In this chapter, the Apostle Paul is talking about eating the meats sacrificed to idols. Obviously, idols are not real and are merely pointless statues. Nothing apart from God is holy, therefore there's nothing significant or important about a statue. However, some people were saying that for them to eat the meats offered to idols was wrong and ungodly. Paul is saying that all things are lawful, yes, people can eat the meat offered to idols, but all things are not expedient - all things might not help you in your Christian life. Expedient means beneficial. The things we do need to spiritually benefit us - they need to build us up.

2. Will it enslave you? (Will you become addicted?)

If we head over to 1 Corinthians 6:12, we see that this verse is very similar to the one used in the point above, and it says, "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."

Once again, expedient here could also be translated beneficial. But we want to focus more on the last portion of this verse - I will not be brought under the power of any. Power here means dominated, enslaved or addicted. Paul is writing to the Corinthians here about going to law with one another over small matters, he is warning them to avoid the sins that they used to be addicted to, and he is advising them to avoid fornication. The Corinthians were abusing their liberty - they were saved and on their way to Heaven, but they were not using their freedom in godly ways. We must use our liberty given by God to make wise choices, otherwise we can become addicted or subdued by temptations. When making choices, we have to ask ourselves if we will become enslaved.

3. Will you be setting a good example? (Does it offend your brother?)

We can look at 1 Corinthians 12:24, which says, "Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth." 

We know the context of this verse by looking at the first point. Wealth here could mean, good, moral welfare, or advantage. Let no man seek his own, but every man another's good. When people were eating the meat offered to idols, their brothers in Christ were offended and hurt by the action. Although it was lawful for them to eat the meat, it didn't edify their brothers in Christ. If what we want to do is going to make us a bad example to our brothers and sisters, we can see from this verse that we probably shouldn't do it. It should be our goal to have a benevolent spirit and to look for ways to help others. The choices we make should set us up as good, godly examples.

4. Does it help you evangelize? (Will it damage your testimony?)

Staying in 1 Corinthians 10, verse 33 says, "Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit but the profit of many, that they may be saved."

Paul's main goal was getting people saved. The choices we make need to show others that we love the Lord. We need to have a consistent, godly testimony. If we do things that make us seem hypocritical or two faced, we are damaging our testimony to unsaved people. We should not be seeking our own profit by the things that we do, but we should attempt to profit or benefit others, that through our testimony others should be saved. 

5. Who does it exalt? (Does it glorify God or yourself?)

1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "Whatsoever therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

No matter what we do in our lives, we need to always be giving God the glory. This verse is pretty simple - in whatever you do, DO ALL to the glory of God. We are so busy in our day to day lives - we have work, school, church, random errands, ect. Every day is full of "stuff" we have to get done. Whatever we do throughout our day, everything needs to honor God. If it's not honoring God, it's something we should not be doing. So the final way to make a godly choice is to ask yourself, does this bring glory to God?

I hope these 5 points will help you as much as they've helped me. There have been times when I've looked back at this list, which I have written in the back of my Bible, and asked myself these questions:

Will it build me up? 

Will I become addicted?

Will it offend my brothers and sisters in Christ? 

Will it damage my testimony?

Does it glorify God? 

Stay excellent!

(Derived from a sermon preached by my dad in November 2015)

Why Worry is Absolutely Unreasonable

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; or, Wherewithall shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew 6:30-34

     I love how Jesus points out here, that from His standpoint, worry is absolutely unreasonable. He is saying that the greatest concern of our lives should be our relationship with God. Worrying about things we cannot change is useless. It amplifies problems out of proportion. We were not born as worriers, it's something that we get better at when we practice it. Thankfully, it can be unlearned. We have this mindset that if we aren't stressed, anxious or worried about the circumstances of our lives, then nothing will get taken care of or get any better. We doubt God's ability to fix things. Worry NEVER solves the problem. We cannot change the past or predict the future, so when we live lives filled with worry, we are only making ourselves miserable in the present moment. God PROMISES to take care of the details of our lives, we are only asked to trust Him. This passage says that God knows what we need before we even ask, He knows the circumstances of our lives and He wants to be intimately involved with every detail of our day. The final verse in this chapter says that we need to take each day at a time. Don't be anxious about tomorrow, because we aren't even promised another day. 

     There is a difference between concern and worry. There's a healthy degree of concern - parents don't allow their children to play in the street and we need to be concerned about our health if we know we are sick. Concern is doing what you need to do to avoid or help a situation, while worry is when you can't do anything about it but you refuse to leave it up to God. One can spiritualize it anyway they want, but worry is sin, simple as that. And most of us, myself included, are guilty. 

     Worry is a demonstration of faithlessness. I work in a preschool, and if the kids in my class worried whether or not I was going to feed them lunch that day, I would feel pretty bad about the way they see me as a teacher. They trust that I'm going to feed them lunch, and take care of them. They know that's my responsibility, and I will come through. If we are worrying whether or not God is going to take care of us, imagine how that makes Him feel. He created us, He knows what things we need, and He promises to provide for us. When we worry, we are telling God that we don't trust Him enough to pull through. 

As verse 35 of Matthew 6 says, our main priority should be seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. Our worry about things in our day to day lives is taking the place of our focus on the things of God. If we are anxious about anything, it should be the affairs of Heaven. God is more than capable of taking care of everything on Earth.

    Don't let things you can't control, control you.

Stay excellent!

The Daily Battleground

I have realized lately that the Bible talks A LOT about the mind. A LOT. We have to live inside our minds each and every day, and we have full control over what we choose to think about. Satan will try to get in there any way he can, and you probably won't see him coming unless you are prepared. Our minds are the ultimate battleground - we choose either to think on things that are true and lovely, or think envious, bitter, resentful thoughts. The Bible says that Satan is subtle, he sneaks up behind us and uses our fleshly weaknesses to capture us. However, if we can learn and apply what the Bible says about controlling our minds, we will be better prepared to guard our minds against Satan.

1. Renew your mind.

And be ye not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2
I just used this verse in a post a few weeks ago, but it's so important that we take it and apply it. I read Romans 12:2 a lot and each time I'm convicted to change a certain area of my life. We must re-establish our faith in our minds if we want to successfully follow the will of God. Conforming to the world begins in our minds - if you think worldly thoughts, soon you'll start doing worldly actions. Daily renew your mind by reading the word of God and praying, keeping that faith established.

2. Bring your thoughts into captivity.

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5

For something to be captive, it means it must be imprisoned or confined. We must take all of our thoughts (even the ones we think when we're tired, angry, upset, and stressed....) and confine them into obedience. Every single thing that we think should be captivated and enclosed, leaving no cracks or spaces for any stray thoughts to get us in to trouble.

3. Gird up the loins of your mind.

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:13 

One writer wrote this about this verse, "'Therefore, having girded up the loins of your mind" - it's an image of a person wearing flowing garments tucking the garments into his belt so that he can run and move about freely and quickly without tripping over his clothes. The part of you that is to be freed by this girding is your mind - the loins of your mind."

So basically what this is saying is that we need to tuck all of our thoughts in, put them away, and focus on the grace of God. When people would gird up their loins, they would need all the excess garments out of the way so they could perform their duties properly. In the same way, we have to tuck in all of our extra thoughts so that we can be what God wants us to be.

4. Think on these things.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8

This verse is pretty universally well known, but it doesn't make it any less important. We must filter each of our thoughts through this verse. If what we are thinking isn't true, honest, just, pure, lovely, or of good report, than those are thoughts that God doesn't want us to be having. It's a good reminder of what a godly mind should look like, what we all should aspire our minds to be. 

Our minds are a battleground that Satan is going to actively pursue us. We have to be prepared by renewing our minds, bringing our thoughts into captivity, girding up the loins of our mind and putting each thought through a godly filter. If we aren't careful and we let the devil captivate our minds, there are many verses in Proverbs that say we are fools. It will absolutely destroy us. Don't be complacent and comfortable in assuming what's going on in our minds doesn't matter - think about what you're thinking about.

Stay excellent!

Forgive the Inexcusable

   
     So a few years ago I had a different blog on a different domain, and I was rereading some of my old posts when I came across one I completely forgot I ever wrote. I did a really deep study on Acts that year and wrote many blog posts about it, but this one convicted me all over again as I read it. Today instead of writing something brand new, I'm going to re post it. I hope it will be a blessing to you!



 There's a quote by C.S. Lewis that goes, "To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you." One of the best examples of this is found in Acts chapter 7, the last two verses, which read,

 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

     How often do we get so upset about the most insignificant things? It isn't Christlike nor is it representing God in the way He deserves. We should have mouths that are slow to speak and hearts slow to wrath. Here Stephen is at the end of his life, being stoned for professing Jesus, and he is forgiving them while they're in the midst of their sin. Even at the end of his life he was still living for Christ the way we should strive to live every day.

     Here Stephen is being stoned, and what does he do? He asks God not to count this sin against them. He is asking God to forgive them WHILE HE IS BEING STONED. Stephen died in the name of Christ, he died as a martyr. He did nothing to deserve this punishment, he did nothing to deserve the way he was treated, yet he forgave them. I think too often we get comfortable in our every day lives and we let trivial things get to us. We allow bitterness to sink in where bitterness has no place. We have this mindset that we are entitled to things in this life, and people need to treat us a certain way. If they wrong us, we feel we have the right to be mad, frustrated, or annoyed. When we're professing Jesus in our lives, we don't have room for the frivolous drama of our daily lives. We don't ever have an excuse not to forgive other people for the ways they may harm us. (Usually we do things just as wrong to others and we don't even notice!)

     If anyone had a right to be mad, it was Stephen. I think he shows us an excellent example of a life that glorified God, even when it came to an end. If you're someone who gets mad or annoyed about the superficial things of life, I encourage you to take a look at Stephen.Forgive the inexcusable in others, because God forgave the inexcusable in you.

Stay excellent!

The Romanticism of Sin

     I realized lately how much our society romantisizes sin and makes it seem really attractive. Hebrews 11:24-25 say, "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;" It says right there that sin seems pleasurable, but only for a season. The world does a really great job of promoting sin, of making it seem fun, cool, modern. The more sin rules your life, the more relevant and cool you are, the more you're making the most of your time on earth.
     Let's be honest, the term YOLO is way overused and absolutely annoying. It's sequined on the legs of teenage girl's sweatpants, it's the key word of a bunch of songs, it's what people shout as they do something else spontaneous and probably stupid. As much as people like to throw the phrase around, many people live as if they only live once. But we do have a life after this, we are accountable for the things we do on earth. We get the freedom to choose how we will spend our time here on earth, whether we have 70 years left, or 70 seconds. Why would we follow the world's plea to "live it up" when we have the option to obey and honor God, and be blessed eternally for it?
     The Bible says that our lives are a vapor. We are here for a moment, but then we are gone. Sin seems fun, it seems pleasurable. But afterwards, we are left miserable, wondering why our hearts feel so empty and our lives seem so unfulfilled. A life not lived for Christ isn't a live that I want to live. If we know the world will make sin seem cool, we have to be prepared. Billboards, magazines, social media sites, commercials, even t.v. shows and movies, scream that living in sin is okay! Really people, just live the way you want! Life is short and then we all die! Just because sin is promoted as good, doesn't mean it is. Instead of desiring to participate in the world's definition of fun, remember the promises God has given to us if we resist satan and the pressures of this world.

     Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2

     If there's no difference between you and an unsaved person of the world, then there's a problem. I write a lot of posts about our thought lives, but that's because it's really important that we have thoughts different from those of the world. We can't be patterned to the ways of the world, we can't promote what the world promotes, we can't think what the world thinks, and we can't desire what the world desires. The next time the world romanticizes sin, remember that we are in the world but not of it.

Stay excellent!

You Are What You Think

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he... Proverbs 23:7a

     I don't know about you, but a lot of times, I think things that I wouldn't want anyone else to know. I would be mortified if a week's worth of thoughts were published and broadcasted for other people to see. When I read this verse the other day, I was hit with a wave of conviction. I realized that God right here says that I am what I think. If I think bad thoughts about other people, I am a bad person. If I think rude or cruel things, I am rude or cruel. If I think rebelliously, I am rebellious. The world will say that humans are so beautiful, we have unique and precious hearts. God made us after His image and He thinks we are made wonderfully. However our natural hearts are disgusting.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9

     We are only beautiful people when our hearts are beautiful. God can mold and change our hearts and desires as we yield to Him and get to know Him more. The less we care about the things God cares about, the uglier our hearts are. The less we conform to God's image, the more we conform to the world. The world has nothing lovely to offer, only through Christ can anything be made beautiful. The question here is, what do you choose to think? Who do you choose to yield to? I don't want to be an ugly person, so I can't think ugly thoughts. I don't want to be an unkind person, so I can't think unkind thoughts. To be generous, you must think generously. To be honest, you must think honestly. To be pure, you must think pure. You are what you think, so think carefully.

Stay excellent!

Whose Business Is It Anyways?

     I heard a quote recently that said, "It's not your business to worry about your business. It's your business to worry about God's business, and His to worry about yours." So the word business is repeated like 100 times, but the point is really good. We need to be focusing on what God says to focus on, and give our own business to Him. So often we're obsessed with things that really don't matter. Someone looked at you the wrong way, you're not sure if you should wear that because people might look at you weird, your significant other is definitely NOT taking the hint, ect. I'm definitely a person who spends 80% of my day worrying about business that is 100% insignificant.
     So what exactly is "God's business?" What are the things we should be spending our time focusing on?

Set your affections on things above, not on things on earth. Colossians 3:1

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

So that thou incline thine ear to wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding. Proverbs 2:2

     We need to have an eternal perspective on life. Our business is for the most part very fleshly and carnal, a giant waste of time. It's God's business that deserves our time and attention. We can't let our earthly affections rule what we say and do. We need to be seeking the wisdom of the Lord in everything we do. We aren't guaranteed forever, so we have to use each day wisely.
     Obviously this isn't easy because if it was, I wouldn't even write this. Focusing on God's business is something that requires diligence, it requires effort. It requires me waking up in the morning saying, "Okay God. My business is your business, now make Your business mine." It takes a commitment to give God the thoughts, feelings and intents of your heart and allowing Him to change them into what He wants them to be.
      So remember, it's not your business to worry about your business. You focus on God's business, and let Him handle yours.

Stay excellent!

My Critical Heart

     It's very easy for us to see faults in others while being blind to our own. I have recognized in my life lately that at times, I can be a very critical person. I read a quote by Dale Carnegie that says, "Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain - and most fools do. But it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving." I mean, isn't that what we should be doing as Christians? Being understanding and forgiving? I am definitely guilty of being condescending, especially when a person says or does something I find wildly annoying. But really, most of the times I get annoyed, it's for a totally pathetic reason. People are going to be critical, it's just part of being human. I'm sure someone is going to read this and have loads of negative criticism. But I know as a person who is seeking after the Lord, that's definitely something I need to be avoiding. So here are some things that have been helping me to get rid of my critical heart!

1. Remember Jesus died for them too.

Seriously, I get that hearing her talk 24/7 can get really old. I'm usually the person talking all the time, and most of the time I don't realize it. People can really get on our nerves, it's kind of human nature. But Satan wants to use that to make us really critical. He HATES unity among believers, so any way he can get you irritated with your brothers or sisters in Christ, he's going to try. The next time that person really annoys you, remember Jesus died for them too. We don't really get the right to be annoyed or critical, because really we don't even deserve to be living. God says that we are ALL sinners, we are all destitute without Him and His blood. So if we're honest, we don't really have anything on anyone else. The only person who gets to be critical is God, yet He chooses to see the good in us. Therefore it's only fair that we see good in other people too.

2. Imagine the times you were in their position.

As stated before, usually I'm the person who doesn't stop talking. I don't do it on purpose, I just have so much to say so much of the time. A lot of times, when people are irritating us, they don't even know it. I know I've gotten on people's nerves before, and chances are you probably have too. Next time you're super critical of someone for something they're doing/saying/wearing, imagine all the times you've probably been in their position. It's really awful to be on the other end of people's criticisms and I know that it requires a lot of self control to keep the condescending thoughts away. But we can do it as long as we remember who we are compared to who God is.

3. Would Jesus appreciate your thoughts?

We all know Philippians 4:8, and that should be our filter for everything we think, say and feel. Are your critical thoughts true, honest, just, pure, lovely, or of good report? Chances are, probably not. Every time you want to feel or think or even say critical or rude things about another person, try praying instead. Ask God to help you see that person through His eyes instead of your own. It's a slap of humility that can really change your thinking.

     I wish I could say that I've mastered the art of having a totally understanding and forgiving heart, but it's something I have to work on every day. I pray that these things that helped me will help you too. As always, thanks for reading!

Stay excellent!

The Sacredness of Heartbreak

     Chances are, if you're a human and have had any sort of contact with any other human being, you've experienced heartbreak. When we experience moments of heartbreak, it's easy to feel alone. Stuck on an island of solitide, feeling as though the pain is unbearable. Studies done by multiple scientists show that emotional pain, hearbreak, can cause an actual physical pain. It is actually proven that a person can die of a broken heart, given the pain of the emotional stress is so heavy on the heart that it literally cannot continue beating. Seeing as though I've only been alive for 20 years and a few months on this earth, I haven't experienced anything too truamatic. However, like most people, I know what it feels like to feel alone, scared, stuck as though you were quarenteed from the rest of the world. In times like these, we must remember one thing - we are not alone. Jesus was betrayed, abandoned and rejected. Therefore, we get to know God and understand Him more when we are experiencing times of hurt deeper than human words could express.

 Having our hearts broken gives us a glimpse of the character of God. 

     How often we humans break God's heart, we leave our first love, we have idols in our hearts, and we forget His goodness and His blessings in our life. There is no person on this earth who will be able to understand what you're feeling 100% of the time, but God can. If anyone knows heartbreak best, it's Jesus Christ. He loved the people of Israel as much as a husband loves his wife. (Jeremiah 31:32) Being forgotten and replaced time and time again by these people He loved so much must have given him incomprehensible heartbreak. He sacrificed for them, He gave them so many chances, yet they still chose to take advantage of His blessings and despise Him when things weren't going their way. We must be careful not to do that in our lives.
     It's sacred to share the pain of heartbreak with Jesus. When He hung on the cross, He experienced true hell on earth because He felt what it's like to be without God the Father. How much His heart must of broke when He slowly died on that tree for us, knowing He did nothing to deserve it. We could never endure a pain more painful than what He must have felt. That is an extremely humbling yet encouraging thought. We can never doubt God's love for us, He loved us enough to sacrifice His perfect Son. As Stephanie Rische writes,

 "When you feel like your heart is broken beyond repair, remember that nothing about this place is ordinary. You are uniquely poised, at this very moment, to share an intimate part of God's character. It's the place of the broken heart, and it's a sacred ground."

Stay excellent!

(Derived from http://www.todayschristianwoman.com/articles/2009/march/sacredness-of-broken-heart.html?start=3)

Patience, Posture & Power

(This blog post comes from the notes that I took from an incredible message preached by Pastor Percy Edmunds)

Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

     Psalm 27:14 is such an encouraging verse for so many people. It's one of those verses that are vital to write down on a post-it and put it in a convenient location to read 100 times a day. This verse seems short, sweet and simple, but there are three points within it that really encouraged me and I hope that they will do the same for you.

1.Plea for Patience

     Part of serving is waiting. So often we think we have to work, work, work all the time and never take a break. We think ministry is being busy 100% of the time. Serving and working for the Lord are important and commanded in scripture, but we are told twice in this verse to wait. Wait on the Lord. Wait is defined as staying where one is or delaying action until a particular time or until something happens. God wants us to stay right where we are, delay action, and wait on the Lord. Wait for His timing and for Him to work.

2. Positive Posture

     We must wait on the Lord with a good attitude. "Be of good courage" means that we need to be strong in the time of trials or temptations. Waiting isn't always going to be easy. In fact, it could quite possibly be one of the hardest things we go through. Despite this, God is not impressed with us waiting angrily or with a lousy attitude. Our outlook must be courageous, it must be good, and that's what will give us the strength to wait on the Lord.

3. Promise of Power

     "He shall strengthen your heart." We are promised that if we will wait on the Lord, and do it with a good attitude, He will strengthen our hearts. God is incapable of breaking His promises to us because it's against His nature, so we have that ultimate promise of His power working in our lives. However, this promise is conditional - to experience God's power in our hearts, we must have positive posture while being patient.

     When I heard these three points within this verse, it instantly became even more precious to me. We are promised so much in Christ Jesus, but it's very easy to let the cares and worries of this world consume us. We must remember to have positive posture as we patiently wait on Jesus, and when we do this, we will get to experience the power of the strength He gives. I don't know about you, but that's power that I definitely want to have!

                                                       

                                                                                                                                         Stay excellent!

Goals for 2016

    Ah, it's that time of year. Everyone is posting what their New Year's resolutions are, really determined to actually see them through until January 2017. People everywhere are resolved to finally shed off that extra ten pounds this year, and really crack down on that healthy eating. All of it lasts for a solid month or two before we're all back to our old ways of life, deciding that maybe we can lose the extra weight next year. I decided to make some goals for this next year and really pray that I can make them permanent changes to my life. Growing closer to God is obviously the aim in everything I do, and it's something I should resolve to do each day of my life. Here are some specific things I would like to make a point to work on through this next year.

1. Be nicer to people.

I can be super rude sometimes, I'm ashamed to admit. Sometimes my first judgements of people can be harsh and cruel. I examine things from my own perspective and often forget to "walk in another person's shoes." I definitely want to work on being kinder to people, both the way I think of them and the way I talk to or about them. The Bible has a lot to say about kindness and I know it's a big step in showing God's love to other people.

2. Go out of my way to help others.

Sometimes it's so easy to walk away when someone could use my help. If there's some trash on the floor clear on the other side of the hallway, it's my tendency to just keep walking. Someone down the hall has an armload and I sometimes I reluctantly hold the door open when I should be happy to do it. I want to work on going out of my way to do little things that make a difference eternally. I want to be LOOKING for ways to help. People don't have to notice every little thing we do, but we should be going out of our way to do good for other people. God notices it all. Look at things through the scope of eternity. God blesses busy hands, whether that's emptying a full trash can at work or helping an elderly lady put away her groceries. I pray that God will give me the heart and desire to look for more ways to lend a helping hand.

3. Avoid the "bad mood" mindset.

I don't know about the rest of you, but at the end of a long work day, sometimes I get hit with a really bad mood. When that happens, I am super negative and I extend very little grace to people. Quite obviously, this is not a godly attitude nor is it one that encourages others. I pray that I can be more cognizant of how my moods are affecting my testimony. When we're in a bad mood, we could say one small thing to someone that could altar the way they think of us from then on. Honestly, we really don't have any excuse for a bad mood. Nowhere in the Bible does it excuse sin when we've had a rough day. Those are times when we can really show the light of Jesus by getting through it with kindness and smile. I know that's something that I definitely want to work on in this next year.

4. Be a better listener.

I like to talk. Anyone who knows me knows that. I could probably talk faster than an auctioneer on double speed. To my shame, there are times when I get so caught up with my talking that I forget to listen. I know that being a good listener is a vital part of being a godly friend. A person must have ears sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and it's hard to hear that soft whisper when my own voice goes right over it. To be teachable one must have ears to hear. One of my favourite verses is 1 Thess. 4:11-12, and it talks about "studying to be quiet." Listening has never been a skill I've been talented in, but it's something I know I most definitely want to work on.

5. Don't take any moment for granted.

None of us know when our last breath will be. There was someone from my church who died last year in his early 30's of a heart attack. Nobody saw it coming and we were all completely shocked. We are not immortal nor are we untouchable. Each day, each hour, each minute we have is a gift from God that needs to be used to the fullest for His honor and glory. Our lives belong to God, we can't just allow Him to have His way when we're in a convenient location. It doesn't matter if we're at church, work, Walmart or on family vacation in Florida, we need to cherish every moment and do as much for God as we can. We are given life to further the gospel, not to further our own fame, fashion or success. It's easy to get caught up in the love and luster of life, but it's all about the cross and what Jesus did to make us free. I want to make every moment I have count for eternal value because I am not guaranteed my next breath.

     I pray that throughout this year I will be able to really work on these things and grow closer to the Lord. I'm so excited to see all that He's going to do in my life and in the lives of those around me as we learn and grow more and more. I hope all of you reading this have a very happy new year!

Stay excellent!