If you're anything like me, timid, shy, slightly reserved... then I know how you would react to conflict. If you're anything like me, conflict is something you try to avoid because you are a tender spirit and don't want to be hurt, but also because you are just scared of conflict. Unfortunately, life does not hand us easy roads to walk down, and God never intended life to be easy. In fact, he allows us to go through trials so that we can come out stronger and better on the other side.
Most recently, I lost a dear friend of mine due to conflict... My mother and I have been mentors to her for years. She always asked us to hold her accountable if we saw her starting to go down a bad path. Well, my mother saw some questionable things on Facebook from my friend, so she questioned her about it, and used a little bit of tough love. However, you can be the nicest person in the world and say something as nicely as possible, and it still doesn't go over so well. That is why I don't like conflict. There's always that possibility of things going wrong, which makes it hard. That is why I am doing this devotional. I struggle with conflict, and can be a "peace at any cost" kind of person, which won't help others and definitely won't help me. Every time I confront someone, I cry, questioning if I did the right thing. So I prayed to God that he would help me find a balance... to not be too harsh, but not too gentle. Matthew 10:16 says, "...Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." So this devotional is about dealing with fears of conflict and how to go about dealing with conflict in the right way.
Fear of Conflict
Joshua 1:9- "Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” If I haven't said, it before, I'll say it now: no one likes conflict. There are a great many things that can cause conflict, whether purposefully or by accident. However, God never intended for us to be scared of anything. People can be scared of spiders, heights, conflict, etc., but fear is still fear and it can be a crippling emotion to deal with. 2 Timothy 1:7 says: God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. I believe that fear of conflict comes from not realizing the authority that God gave us, and Satan would love nothing more than to make us cower in fear and ultimately, submit to that fear. When we submit to that fear, we give our authority over to Satan. As humans, we give Satan too much authority and glorification, and fail to realize that he is just a created being. As children of God, Satan has no authority over our lives, but he would certainly like us to think so! So just like in Joshua 1:9, know that the Lord is with you, and he will help you face your fear. He will always be with you and help you!
How To Deal With Conflict and Hold Others Accountable In A Christ-like Manner
First off, this is a perfect example of what NOT to do: Jonah 1:1-3 says: The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me." But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. Now, there are many reasons people don't want to deal with conflict. Sometimes, out of our own desires to escape conflict, we don't see that God may have a purpose in it. Just imagine what might have happened if Jonah hadn't gone to Nineveh. Granted he was swallowed by a whale, but beyond that... What do you think would have happened to both the people of Nineveh and Jonah? God, in his infinite love, didn't want the people of Nineveh to perish. He wanted to give them a chance. However, God had a lesson for Jonah as well. It's important for us to trust God and understand that everything happens for a reason. Though we don't always like the situations that God puts us in or allows us to go through, there is a reason for it and it will be beneficial in the end. Granted, you do need to choose your battles wisely and not just come out, ready to strike at any little sign of conflict. Some things can be let go of... for example, don't go trying to speak nice to someone who is threatening to deck you. Pick your battles wisely, and have the wisdom to know when to speak and when to stay silent.
James 1:19- Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
Sometimes, when faced with conflict, we don't know what to say, we say things the wrong way, or we say things that shouldn't be said at all. The art of speech is a very difficult thing to master in everyday situations, but even harder to master when it comes to conflict. Proverbs 15:1 says: A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. What you say in a conflict is of great importance. Matthew 12:37 says, "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." In other words, if your words are good and right, you won't have any problems, but if your words are bad and wrong, you automatically set yourself up for failure! When we speak to people, regardless of their reaction toward us, we should speak with gentleness, and love. Colossians 4:6 says: Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Galatians 6:1-2- Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. God wants us to hold each other accountable for the things we do. We all makes mistakes and sin on a regular basis, so it isn't up to us to point fingers, but without someone to lovingly show us when we mess up, no one would be able to learn or grow from those messes. However, when going into a conversation that involves holding someone accountable, it has to be done carefully. Matthew 18:15-17 says, "If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But
if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every
matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector." Titus was appointed the task of teaching the people of Crete how to teach each other and what must be taught. Titus 2:7-8, 11-15 says: "In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and
soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose
you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us... For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you." When I wrote to my friend, the one I mentioned earlier, about how she was acting, not just in general, but towards my mother, I was sad because I didn't want to have to tell my friend that she wasn't behaving appropriately, but I knew that if I didn't say something, it would let her know that how she treated my mother was okay. Sometimes for the sake of others, we must step forward and say something so that they may learn from these things in the future. Like Titus says, we should set an example in everything we do, understanding that we help to shape each other. Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."
Conflict and holding others accountable are two things that are never easy to deal with, but it's best that we know what to do when we are faced with it. Understand that God has a reason for everything, including conflict, and know that he won't leave you alone in any situation! Just pray for God to guide you and you will do great! :)
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Your REAL Worth and Why Satan Hates It!
I was watching an interview the other day with Shahrukh Khan and Anushka Sharma from a popular Bollywood movie, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. In the interview, Anushka asked Shahrukh if bits of who Shahrukh is comes through in his characters. This is what he said:
"I am uncomfortable being Shahrukh Khan. I don't like being me. I like being someone else. People who are unhappy with themselves, I think they become actors... Every morning I wake up not wanting to be me. I look at people who are comfortable with themselves and think 'God what a wonderful life they have,' yet I have this desire to be someone else every moment of my life."
When I heard this, it made me really sad. It felt nice to know that I wasn't alone in how I had felt, especially since it was coming from a big name actor, yet it still made me sad. How insecure can one person be when they don't want to be themselves, when they don't like who they are? With me, it's a combination of many things: looks, aspects of my personality, hobbies and likes, etc. There were times that I would sit down in prayer and ask God, "God, help me to see myself through your eyes." I was only seeing through my eyes, and the eyes of the world. I couldn't see too much beauty in myself.
Now this devotional is just as much for me as anyone else, because I have to take this into consideration myself. I quickly figured out why we feel so insecure about ourselves. I read this quote from a fabulous book called Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge, and it said, "The wounds you have received come to you for a purpose from the one who knows all you are meant to be and fears you." Wow! Though I know many people know that their insecurities are just lies from Satan, I don't think it really sinks in. I was listening to Kat Kerr and she was talking about some scripture from Ezekiel 28 which goes perfectly with this. Ezekiel 28:12-14 says, "You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz, emerald, chrysolite, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones." Then in Ezekiel 28:17 it says, "Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor..." If you look at the world now, take a moment to think about what beauty means to the world. Women strive to attain the beauty of models found in magazines. Men strive to attain the muscular stature of men in the movies and on tv. Beauty standards have changed so much over the years, that they have literally become impossible to obtain. People have spent millions of dollars in the quest to obtain beauty and some have died. But even then, it's not all about physical beauty. Satan was also known for his wisdom. People have insecurities about their personality as well as their intelligence. It's easy to see that, based on this scripture, Satan knew all about beauty and it went to his head. So because he was cast out of Heaven for this, he sought revenge on the very creations that God so deeply loved: His children.
My dad always says to be on a regular basis, "If you ain't who you are, you are who you ain't." In other words, if you act like someone you're not, you eventually become that person, and it wasn't God's desire for you to dislike yourself so much that you would change who he created you to be. Genesis 3:10 says, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid." That is how many people act today. They hide behind a façade because they are afraid of being emotionally naked, of being exactly who God created and intended them to be. Have you ever noticed though, that the more you try to hide who you are and become someone else, the worse things become? Sure for awhile, it may help, but it changes who you are emotionally and not for the better. I want you to take Matthew 16:25 and look at it in a different perspective, based on beauty. It says in Matthew 16:25, "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it..." It is very true, in this sense. When you work so hard to be someone else, you lose the very essence of who God intended you to be.
Now, would it help you to know that you are all ready perfect just as you are? Would it help you if you were told the TRUTH instead of a lie? Psalm 8:3-5 has both the question we ask, and the answer that God gives. Psalm 8:3-5 says, When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor." Wow! God loves us so much that he made us so beautifully! Not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. 1 Peter 3:3-4 talks about this! It says: Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight."
Look at the scripture above and you will see the word "worth". Most people believe that worth is based on physical beauty. There are people who are so beautiful on the outside, but their hearts are cold and calloused. Therefore, physical beauty has little to do with our worth, because it says in the bible that we will know a person by their "fruit". God has clearly shown in one scripture how he values us. In Matthew 6:26 it says, "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" It's so easy to fall into the trap of, "I'm not good enough" or "I'm not valuable". However, if you trust God, and let him do work in you, he can restore your wounded heart; the lies that Satan has told you about your beauty and worth. And he can help you to see yourself how you really are! A good scripture for this would be Isaiah 54:11-12. I am changing one word in it though so that you can look at in for your own perspective. Instead of using "afflicted city", use "afflicted heart". Isaiah 54:11-12, "Afflicted heart, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with lapis lazuli. I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones."
Trust that God has your back in the battle of your worth! :) Just a few days ago, I was feeling really down. I felt a little too weird because of certain aspects of my personality and certain things that I liked. I was beginning to feel like I should start closing these areas of my life off from other people so that I couldn't get picked on or hurt. I got on Facebook the next night. On Facebook there is this neat application called Message From God. It said I had a new message. I opened it and this is what it said: "Today we believe God wants you to know that you are unique and precious. When you try to value yourself for being the best in something, you are bound to fail. Even Olympic champions are the best only for a few years. You are precious to God not because there is no one better than you, but because you are a unique creation of mind, body, and spirit- there is no one else like you,- and that is exactly what makes you so indescribably precious." I was almost in tears. My eyes started to water because I knew at that moment that God was really speaking to me through this app on Facebook. He was letting me know that I am precious and valuable and he was contradicting the lies that were stirring inside my head. I know that if God shared this message with me, surely he wants you to believe it as well. God will fight for you in any battle that you are facing! Jeremiah 30:16-17 says, " 'But all who devour you will be devoured; all your enemies will go into exile. Those who plunder you will be plundered; all who make spoil of you I will despoil. But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the Lord..."
Trust him, believe in him, and he will give you what you need :) Amen!
"I am uncomfortable being Shahrukh Khan. I don't like being me. I like being someone else. People who are unhappy with themselves, I think they become actors... Every morning I wake up not wanting to be me. I look at people who are comfortable with themselves and think 'God what a wonderful life they have,' yet I have this desire to be someone else every moment of my life."
When I heard this, it made me really sad. It felt nice to know that I wasn't alone in how I had felt, especially since it was coming from a big name actor, yet it still made me sad. How insecure can one person be when they don't want to be themselves, when they don't like who they are? With me, it's a combination of many things: looks, aspects of my personality, hobbies and likes, etc. There were times that I would sit down in prayer and ask God, "God, help me to see myself through your eyes." I was only seeing through my eyes, and the eyes of the world. I couldn't see too much beauty in myself.
Now this devotional is just as much for me as anyone else, because I have to take this into consideration myself. I quickly figured out why we feel so insecure about ourselves. I read this quote from a fabulous book called Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge, and it said, "The wounds you have received come to you for a purpose from the one who knows all you are meant to be and fears you." Wow! Though I know many people know that their insecurities are just lies from Satan, I don't think it really sinks in. I was listening to Kat Kerr and she was talking about some scripture from Ezekiel 28 which goes perfectly with this. Ezekiel 28:12-14 says, "You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz, emerald, chrysolite, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones." Then in Ezekiel 28:17 it says, "Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor..." If you look at the world now, take a moment to think about what beauty means to the world. Women strive to attain the beauty of models found in magazines. Men strive to attain the muscular stature of men in the movies and on tv. Beauty standards have changed so much over the years, that they have literally become impossible to obtain. People have spent millions of dollars in the quest to obtain beauty and some have died. But even then, it's not all about physical beauty. Satan was also known for his wisdom. People have insecurities about their personality as well as their intelligence. It's easy to see that, based on this scripture, Satan knew all about beauty and it went to his head. So because he was cast out of Heaven for this, he sought revenge on the very creations that God so deeply loved: His children.
My dad always says to be on a regular basis, "If you ain't who you are, you are who you ain't." In other words, if you act like someone you're not, you eventually become that person, and it wasn't God's desire for you to dislike yourself so much that you would change who he created you to be. Genesis 3:10 says, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid." That is how many people act today. They hide behind a façade because they are afraid of being emotionally naked, of being exactly who God created and intended them to be. Have you ever noticed though, that the more you try to hide who you are and become someone else, the worse things become? Sure for awhile, it may help, but it changes who you are emotionally and not for the better. I want you to take Matthew 16:25 and look at it in a different perspective, based on beauty. It says in Matthew 16:25, "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it..." It is very true, in this sense. When you work so hard to be someone else, you lose the very essence of who God intended you to be.
Now, would it help you to know that you are all ready perfect just as you are? Would it help you if you were told the TRUTH instead of a lie? Psalm 8:3-5 has both the question we ask, and the answer that God gives. Psalm 8:3-5 says, When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor." Wow! God loves us so much that he made us so beautifully! Not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. 1 Peter 3:3-4 talks about this! It says: Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight."
Look at the scripture above and you will see the word "worth". Most people believe that worth is based on physical beauty. There are people who are so beautiful on the outside, but their hearts are cold and calloused. Therefore, physical beauty has little to do with our worth, because it says in the bible that we will know a person by their "fruit". God has clearly shown in one scripture how he values us. In Matthew 6:26 it says, "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" It's so easy to fall into the trap of, "I'm not good enough" or "I'm not valuable". However, if you trust God, and let him do work in you, he can restore your wounded heart; the lies that Satan has told you about your beauty and worth. And he can help you to see yourself how you really are! A good scripture for this would be Isaiah 54:11-12. I am changing one word in it though so that you can look at in for your own perspective. Instead of using "afflicted city", use "afflicted heart". Isaiah 54:11-12, "Afflicted heart, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with lapis lazuli. I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones."
Trust that God has your back in the battle of your worth! :) Just a few days ago, I was feeling really down. I felt a little too weird because of certain aspects of my personality and certain things that I liked. I was beginning to feel like I should start closing these areas of my life off from other people so that I couldn't get picked on or hurt. I got on Facebook the next night. On Facebook there is this neat application called Message From God. It said I had a new message. I opened it and this is what it said: "Today we believe God wants you to know that you are unique and precious. When you try to value yourself for being the best in something, you are bound to fail. Even Olympic champions are the best only for a few years. You are precious to God not because there is no one better than you, but because you are a unique creation of mind, body, and spirit- there is no one else like you,- and that is exactly what makes you so indescribably precious." I was almost in tears. My eyes started to water because I knew at that moment that God was really speaking to me through this app on Facebook. He was letting me know that I am precious and valuable and he was contradicting the lies that were stirring inside my head. I know that if God shared this message with me, surely he wants you to believe it as well. God will fight for you in any battle that you are facing! Jeremiah 30:16-17 says, " 'But all who devour you will be devoured; all your enemies will go into exile. Those who plunder you will be plundered; all who make spoil of you I will despoil. But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the Lord..."
Trust him, believe in him, and he will give you what you need :) Amen!
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Devotional: Not Judge Nor Jury
Have you ever heard the expression, "All that glitters is not gold"? When it comes to our reflection, that is very much true. No, I'm not talking about the reflection we see in the mirror every morning. I'm talking about the reflection of our actions. Who we are and what we believe may be completely misconstrued by our actions. However, our actions do not always reflect our relationship with the Lord.
This is a very common occurrence and has been since the beginning of time... we reach out in love to those who don't know the Lord or who have just come to know the Lord. They stumble, but we are still there to encourage them and support them. Then, when someone we know that has been in a relationship with the Lord for years stumbles, we look at them and say, "How could they do that? I thought they were a Christian!" What's worse is our reasoning behind our assessment: They should have known better. It is easier, unfortunately having done it myself, to say this because those who follow God are, in the eyes of society, held to a higher standard. So when someone makes a mistake or does something that others question, our integrity and our relationship with God is scrutinized. For example, and this seems to be a popular one that many Christians and football fans talk about: Tim Tebow and Camilla Belle. I can honestly say that I don't know where Camilla Belle stands as far as a relationship with God goes, and some of her movies raise red flags. So based on these things, and having no real knowledge of the true Camilla Belle, it is understandable that people would question a romantic relationship between Tim and Camilla. Yet, when people talk about their relationship, they don't point a finger of judgement at Camilla. They point it at Tim. That is where our fault lies. We look at people and make judgements and assumptions based on another's actions. Here is a way of looking at it though: the bible is full of people who, during their time, were questionable. Rahab was a prostitute, yet she believed in God and helped the two spies that came to her house. David is another good example. David lusted after Bathsheba. He wanted her so bad that he sent her husband off to the frontlines of battle so he would be killed. David then claimed her as his own. You will still find though that in later scriptures (Acts 13:22) that God refers to David as "A man after my own heart." Though David messed up, he still served the Lord with every ounce of his being. Peter, the apostle, denied Jesus three times before Jesus was crucified, yet even after his denial, he served the Lord and taught His ways until his death.
When I was young, I used to read the Berenstain Bears books all the time.In one of the books that I read, Sister Bear was helping Mama Bear peal apples. In one of the baskets, Sister Bear found a really bumpy, deformed apple and wanted to throw it away because she thought it was bad. When Mama Bear cut open the apple, there was nothing wrong with it. It just looked bad. Then Sister Bear found a regular apple, and when Mama Bear cut it open, it was filled with worms. Matthew 7:16 & 20 says, By their fruit you will recognize them... Thus, by their fruit, you will recognize them. Not every piece of fruit is going to be the perfect color, shape or size, but it can still be good fruit. The same goes for people. Not every person that follows the Lord is going to be perfect, but we must understand that even though we can't achieve perfection, it doesn't mean that our heart is not for and with the Lord. Matthew 7:3-6 says: "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and oay no attention the the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." So next time, when we see something questionable or wrong, let's not judge but extend grace. Romans3:22-24... This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
This is a very common occurrence and has been since the beginning of time... we reach out in love to those who don't know the Lord or who have just come to know the Lord. They stumble, but we are still there to encourage them and support them. Then, when someone we know that has been in a relationship with the Lord for years stumbles, we look at them and say, "How could they do that? I thought they were a Christian!" What's worse is our reasoning behind our assessment: They should have known better. It is easier, unfortunately having done it myself, to say this because those who follow God are, in the eyes of society, held to a higher standard. So when someone makes a mistake or does something that others question, our integrity and our relationship with God is scrutinized. For example, and this seems to be a popular one that many Christians and football fans talk about: Tim Tebow and Camilla Belle. I can honestly say that I don't know where Camilla Belle stands as far as a relationship with God goes, and some of her movies raise red flags. So based on these things, and having no real knowledge of the true Camilla Belle, it is understandable that people would question a romantic relationship between Tim and Camilla. Yet, when people talk about their relationship, they don't point a finger of judgement at Camilla. They point it at Tim. That is where our fault lies. We look at people and make judgements and assumptions based on another's actions. Here is a way of looking at it though: the bible is full of people who, during their time, were questionable. Rahab was a prostitute, yet she believed in God and helped the two spies that came to her house. David is another good example. David lusted after Bathsheba. He wanted her so bad that he sent her husband off to the frontlines of battle so he would be killed. David then claimed her as his own. You will still find though that in later scriptures (Acts 13:22) that God refers to David as "A man after my own heart." Though David messed up, he still served the Lord with every ounce of his being. Peter, the apostle, denied Jesus three times before Jesus was crucified, yet even after his denial, he served the Lord and taught His ways until his death.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Most Sought After God
When you watch a movie nowadays, even the sci-fi and action movies have romantic elements in them. You will always find a good portion of women gushing over a romantic chick flick. And in most of these movies, the man pursues the woman as if his life depends on it. For example, what woman wouldn't want a man to walk through her front door and say "You complete me" just like Tom Cruise in Jerry McGuire? It was this simple but beautiful statement that held so much meaning! It says "please love me, my heart can't survive if you leave" or "please don't throw away everything we have together!" This is exactly how God sees us! We may not see it or know it, but God NEEDS us!
When you read the story of Adam and Eve in the bible, it talks about them walking in the garden with God. What not many people realize is that God didn't create us to so he could watch us destroy ourselves. God created us because he wanted someone to love and someone who would love him in return. This brings to mind the quote from a movie: "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." When God created Adam and Eve, he had that special relationship that he longed for that was perfect and unblemished. That is also why God created Eve for Adam. Because in the same way that God was lonely, he knew it would benefit Adam to have that special someone in his life.
Now, this part of every relationship is inevitable. We messed up! We fought God. This is where the need for God to be pursued came into play. God instructed Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil. When you think about it and read between the lines, this is what God was saying: "Please, for the sake of our relationship, don't take of something that will part me from you! I want you too much!" When you read the bible, there are many scriptures that refer to God's need for us to love him. Matthew 22:37-38 says, Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment." In Jeremiah 29:13 it says: You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Just as so many of us desire relationships that are strong and true, God desires the same with us! I recently read in a really good book that a woman's strong desire for meaningful relationships are a testament to the desire and love that God has for us since we are created in the image of God. We always see God as a ruler and King and Father. It isn't common for people to see God as vulnerable, desperate, or in need. In this fallen world where every day brings hardship, we are a selfish people who understand that we need God. However, do we ever stop to think that God needs us just as much as we need him? Another of the commandments says that we shall have no other gods before Him (Exodus 20:3). I know that part of this is because he is the one true God. It's not just that though. God is jealous of anyone or anything that comes between Him and us! Any and every human knows what jealousy is! When you were young, it was jealousy over someone having a better toy than you. When you reached teenage years, it was jealousy over who was more popular that you. But I am a firm believer that there is no stronger jealousy than that of someone who is jealous of love. In 1 Corinthians 13:13 it talks about faith, hope, and love. But it makes it clear that the greatest is love. So when God sees that something or someone else is capturing our full attention, he gets jealous because he wants us to love him above all else. In 1 John 4:19 it says, We love because he first loved us. God is our first love. Imagine...if we hadn't fallen into sin, our only purpose would be loving God. We would still live in perfect harmony with God. God would have no reason to be jealous of us because we never would have known what idols were, or what it even meant to be jealous because God's love is perfect.
So if man is made in God's image and God stated that it is not good for man to be alone, what else is there to conclude that God doesn't want to be alone either. A perfect example to use in this case is Martha and Mary. God told Martha that Mary had the right idea. Mary was spending time with God. While I'm sure Martha's intentions were honorable, God was not concerned with place settings at the dining table or what type of meal he was going to eat. he simply wanted to spend time with them.
So here's your mission: The next you go to your "prayer closet" and are just spending time with God, take some time to just "listen." Ask him if there is anything that he might like to share with you. Understand that love is not a one-sided thing. God needs us to love him just as much as we need him to love us.
When you read the story of Adam and Eve in the bible, it talks about them walking in the garden with God. What not many people realize is that God didn't create us to so he could watch us destroy ourselves. God created us because he wanted someone to love and someone who would love him in return. This brings to mind the quote from a movie: "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." When God created Adam and Eve, he had that special relationship that he longed for that was perfect and unblemished. That is also why God created Eve for Adam. Because in the same way that God was lonely, he knew it would benefit Adam to have that special someone in his life.
Now, this part of every relationship is inevitable. We messed up! We fought God. This is where the need for God to be pursued came into play. God instructed Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil. When you think about it and read between the lines, this is what God was saying: "Please, for the sake of our relationship, don't take of something that will part me from you! I want you too much!" When you read the bible, there are many scriptures that refer to God's need for us to love him. Matthew 22:37-38 says, Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment." In Jeremiah 29:13 it says: You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Just as so many of us desire relationships that are strong and true, God desires the same with us! I recently read in a really good book that a woman's strong desire for meaningful relationships are a testament to the desire and love that God has for us since we are created in the image of God. We always see God as a ruler and King and Father. It isn't common for people to see God as vulnerable, desperate, or in need. In this fallen world where every day brings hardship, we are a selfish people who understand that we need God. However, do we ever stop to think that God needs us just as much as we need him? Another of the commandments says that we shall have no other gods before Him (Exodus 20:3). I know that part of this is because he is the one true God. It's not just that though. God is jealous of anyone or anything that comes between Him and us! Any and every human knows what jealousy is! When you were young, it was jealousy over someone having a better toy than you. When you reached teenage years, it was jealousy over who was more popular that you. But I am a firm believer that there is no stronger jealousy than that of someone who is jealous of love. In 1 Corinthians 13:13 it talks about faith, hope, and love. But it makes it clear that the greatest is love. So when God sees that something or someone else is capturing our full attention, he gets jealous because he wants us to love him above all else. In 1 John 4:19 it says, We love because he first loved us. God is our first love. Imagine...if we hadn't fallen into sin, our only purpose would be loving God. We would still live in perfect harmony with God. God would have no reason to be jealous of us because we never would have known what idols were, or what it even meant to be jealous because God's love is perfect.
So if man is made in God's image and God stated that it is not good for man to be alone, what else is there to conclude that God doesn't want to be alone either. A perfect example to use in this case is Martha and Mary. God told Martha that Mary had the right idea. Mary was spending time with God. While I'm sure Martha's intentions were honorable, God was not concerned with place settings at the dining table or what type of meal he was going to eat. he simply wanted to spend time with them.
So here's your mission: The next you go to your "prayer closet" and are just spending time with God, take some time to just "listen." Ask him if there is anything that he might like to share with you. Understand that love is not a one-sided thing. God needs us to love him just as much as we need him to love us.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Revelation/Teaching: You're Part of Me
I was listening to a song by Barlow Girl called Never Alone. I was listening to it one day because I was sort of feeling alone and was confused about a few things. This particular song always brings comfort to me when I feel that way. As I was listening to the song, one line really stuck out to me. It said: " We cannot separate. You're part of me." That day when I heard that line, God gave me an amazing revelation and another perspective on Him always being with us.
I watched an amazing video on YouTube by Kat Kerr called Revealing Heaven. In one segment of the video, Kat explains what the scripture, Psalm 138:13, is actually talking about. It says, For you created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother's womb. Kat stated that when God knit us together in our mother's womb, what was actually taking place was God attaching a piece of his spirit to us so we could live. The very first account of something like this happening is with Adam. Genesis 2:7 says: The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. The only difference in this case is that he was created as a man rather than starting off as a baby.
Now let's take this a step further and dig deeper. In the very first account of man being made, God said, "Let us make man in our image..." So He did. Genesis 1:27 says, So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him. If you think about what is actually being said there, you understand that God isn't necessarily talking about physical image. There are so many names and descriptions of God in the Bible, but one scripture sums it up. In 1 John 4:16 it says that God is love. So if we were made in God's image, he gave us the capacity to be as much like him as "humanly" possible. Since God is love and we are created in the image of God, then we are created in the image of love.
Taking this even another step further... I want you to look at the scientific birthing process and apply a spiritual sense to it. When a baby is being formed in the womb, it is being formed from the DNA of the father and the mother. It is, however, the DNA of the father that determines the gender of the child. Since the fall of man, we are born into sin. So look at the father as God and the mother as sin. We are created in God's image so we take on his "DNA" which is love and the spiritual gifts he gives us. However, since we are born into sin and can't be perfect, we take on the "DNA" of sin. In science though, the male determines the child's gender. In this case, God determined that we would be set free of sin.
One last step... Regardless of whether a person walks with God or not, people are still made in God's image, so they still take on his "DNA." For example: a person's conscience. Even if a person doesn't walk with God, they are still capable of making good decisions. Let's say a person is caught in a situation of doing something wrong and they feel bad about it, so they decide to make things right. That's a sign of God in that person because God wants all people to do what's right. The same goes if a person wants to lend a helping hand by donating time to a charitable organization or buying a meal for a homeless person. God sent his son Jesus into the world to help the people in need.
Overall, God is always going to be with us and a part of us. So the next time you feel alone or you have questions for God about your position in life, just remember this line: "We cannot separate. You're part of me." In this case, literally! :)
I watched an amazing video on YouTube by Kat Kerr called Revealing Heaven. In one segment of the video, Kat explains what the scripture, Psalm 138:13, is actually talking about. It says, For you created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother's womb. Kat stated that when God knit us together in our mother's womb, what was actually taking place was God attaching a piece of his spirit to us so we could live. The very first account of something like this happening is with Adam. Genesis 2:7 says: The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. The only difference in this case is that he was created as a man rather than starting off as a baby.
Now let's take this a step further and dig deeper. In the very first account of man being made, God said, "Let us make man in our image..." So He did. Genesis 1:27 says, So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him. If you think about what is actually being said there, you understand that God isn't necessarily talking about physical image. There are so many names and descriptions of God in the Bible, but one scripture sums it up. In 1 John 4:16 it says that God is love. So if we were made in God's image, he gave us the capacity to be as much like him as "humanly" possible. Since God is love and we are created in the image of God, then we are created in the image of love.
Taking this even another step further... I want you to look at the scientific birthing process and apply a spiritual sense to it. When a baby is being formed in the womb, it is being formed from the DNA of the father and the mother. It is, however, the DNA of the father that determines the gender of the child. Since the fall of man, we are born into sin. So look at the father as God and the mother as sin. We are created in God's image so we take on his "DNA" which is love and the spiritual gifts he gives us. However, since we are born into sin and can't be perfect, we take on the "DNA" of sin. In science though, the male determines the child's gender. In this case, God determined that we would be set free of sin.
One last step... Regardless of whether a person walks with God or not, people are still made in God's image, so they still take on his "DNA." For example: a person's conscience. Even if a person doesn't walk with God, they are still capable of making good decisions. Let's say a person is caught in a situation of doing something wrong and they feel bad about it, so they decide to make things right. That's a sign of God in that person because God wants all people to do what's right. The same goes if a person wants to lend a helping hand by donating time to a charitable organization or buying a meal for a homeless person. God sent his son Jesus into the world to help the people in need.
Overall, God is always going to be with us and a part of us. So the next time you feel alone or you have questions for God about your position in life, just remember this line: "We cannot separate. You're part of me." In this case, literally! :)
Monday, July 23, 2012
Devotional: There Can Be Miracles- Part 2 of 2 of the "Miracles" Devotionals
Think back to the time before Jesus dies on the cross... Moses was able to perform signs and wonders with his staff because of God, Samson was given superhuman strength, Elijah was able to part the Jordan with his cloak, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego all walked right out of a fiery furnace without being burned... Now think back to the time after Jesus ascended to heaven... Peter healed a cripple at the gate called Beautiful, Paul raised a young man named Eutychus from the dead...
I recently watched a movie called Joshua, and in the movie, Joshua healed a blind woman. When priest, Father Tordone, heard of this, he called Joshua a false prophet. What amazes me is that people nowadays believe that if a miracle is performed, it's wrong, or that it's not of God. Some people believe that miracles, signs and wonders, and gifts don't exist anymore. The question is: If God gave men and women the ability to perform miracles or give them gifts before and after the time of Jesus being here, why would people think it no longer applies to the current generations? The truth is that it does still apply! Mark 16:15-18 says, He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” To each it may be different, but God gave no statute of limitations on how long these abilities would last. 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 says, Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. See, when man was created, he was given dominion over the earth, and God being a gentleman would not take back a gift despite our fall into sin. Matthew 16:19 says, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Because man was given dominion over the earth, we are still able to bind and loose what is all ready bound and loosed in heaven. For example, there is no death in heaven, therefore we can speak life over people. There is no sickness in heaven therefore we can speak healing over people. There is no worry or sadness in heaven therefore we can speak peace over people which God promises to give his people... Psalm 85:8 says, I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people...
Miracles are still part of our lives today and will continue to be even in the last days. Acts 2:17-18 says, “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. Sometimes all it takes is prayer and a little faith! Matthew 17:20... He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
I recently watched a movie called Joshua, and in the movie, Joshua healed a blind woman. When priest, Father Tordone, heard of this, he called Joshua a false prophet. What amazes me is that people nowadays believe that if a miracle is performed, it's wrong, or that it's not of God. Some people believe that miracles, signs and wonders, and gifts don't exist anymore. The question is: If God gave men and women the ability to perform miracles or give them gifts before and after the time of Jesus being here, why would people think it no longer applies to the current generations? The truth is that it does still apply! Mark 16:15-18 says, He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” To each it may be different, but God gave no statute of limitations on how long these abilities would last. 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 says, Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. See, when man was created, he was given dominion over the earth, and God being a gentleman would not take back a gift despite our fall into sin. Matthew 16:19 says, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Because man was given dominion over the earth, we are still able to bind and loose what is all ready bound and loosed in heaven. For example, there is no death in heaven, therefore we can speak life over people. There is no sickness in heaven therefore we can speak healing over people. There is no worry or sadness in heaven therefore we can speak peace over people which God promises to give his people... Psalm 85:8 says, I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people...
Miracles are still part of our lives today and will continue to be even in the last days. Acts 2:17-18 says, “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. Sometimes all it takes is prayer and a little faith! Matthew 17:20... He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Monday, July 16, 2012
Devotional: Walking Resurrection/Part 1 of 2 of Miracle Devotionals
Without God's awesome download, never would I have understood this! This is so awesome!
Every morning we wake up. We do whatever needs to be done throughout the day. We lie down, go to sleep, and wake up the next morning doing it all over again. During our days and nights, we hear people talk of miracles, and they wish there were more of them. What we don't realize is that we are walking miracles! Everyday is a miracle and I will tell you why!
Nowadays, many Christians believe that miracles are a thing of the past, that once the apostles passed away the gifts that God gave left with them. For those who don't believe in miracles, may I say that you are a walking contradiction! :) 1 Corinthians 15:12-17 says, But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he has been raised from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins... So, if what this scripture says is true, they by all accounts I am a dead woman! 1 Corinthians 15:32 says, ...If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." In Romans 6:23 it states that "the wages of sin is death..." So every time I sin, I sentence myself to death. Now for the amazing part! When Jesus died on the cross, he died to resurrect us! He gave his life to save ours! When we sin, without hesitation or second thought, our lives are given back to us and we are resurrected! We live again! Romans 8:11 says, And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. What else is there to conclude but that we walk in resurrection power? Miracles still exist, which each one of us are evidence of. If we are resurrected from the dead every time we sin, imagine what other miracles can STILL happen through God today? 1 Corinthians 15:55... "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
Part 2 of the "Miracles" devotional will be posted tomorrow! God bless!
Every morning we wake up. We do whatever needs to be done throughout the day. We lie down, go to sleep, and wake up the next morning doing it all over again. During our days and nights, we hear people talk of miracles, and they wish there were more of them. What we don't realize is that we are walking miracles! Everyday is a miracle and I will tell you why!
Nowadays, many Christians believe that miracles are a thing of the past, that once the apostles passed away the gifts that God gave left with them. For those who don't believe in miracles, may I say that you are a walking contradiction! :) 1 Corinthians 15:12-17 says, But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he has been raised from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins... So, if what this scripture says is true, they by all accounts I am a dead woman! 1 Corinthians 15:32 says, ...If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." In Romans 6:23 it states that "the wages of sin is death..." So every time I sin, I sentence myself to death. Now for the amazing part! When Jesus died on the cross, he died to resurrect us! He gave his life to save ours! When we sin, without hesitation or second thought, our lives are given back to us and we are resurrected! We live again! Romans 8:11 says, And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. What else is there to conclude but that we walk in resurrection power? Miracles still exist, which each one of us are evidence of. If we are resurrected from the dead every time we sin, imagine what other miracles can STILL happen through God today? 1 Corinthians 15:55... "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
Part 2 of the "Miracles" devotional will be posted tomorrow! God bless!
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