Sunday, July 6, 2014
You Were Born For Such A Time As This
There are times I have often wondered, "What is my purpose?" There may be a time in life where it feels like nothing is happening, where it feels like you aren't making a difference, where you honestly wonder if you should be here in the first place... It's so easy in times of trouble to just give up and not even try anymore. Or, there is one of the most common lies that we believe: "I'm too much of a sinner for God to use me." Wrong! Where is the buzzer when you need it? Let me be the first to tell you that I have recently been feeling like nothing is happening in my life, I have felt like I haven't been making a difference, and depression has made me wonder why I am here in the first place. That is never a good place to be for anyone! I can, however, tell you that you do indeed have a purpose, and your purpose is 100% absolutely vital!
Each one of us are members of the body of Christ... we all together make up the body. Now for example, the human body has ten toes... Did you know that if a person loses their big toe, the ability to balance well goes up by 40%? So naturally, all other toes and several other muscles have to compensate for a missing toe, but even then, a person's body will no longer function at 100%. 1 Corinthians 12:21-25 says this: And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." No, much rather, those member of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those member of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable part have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. Therefore, you, as a member of the body of Christ, have a purpose that no one else can replace! Esther was a wonderful woman of God. She was once known as Hadassah, and she lived with her cousin because she no longer had a mother and father. She, of all the young women taken to the palace, found favor in the eyes of the king. It was Esther, one single young woman of Jewish origins that helped save the Jewish nation. In times when she could have been found out, God protected her. In times when she could have died, God saved her. God's hand was on Esther because she was fulfilling the purpose that God had given her.
God reassures us many times in His word just how valued we are to him. Many of us sometimes need to just understand our value because when we do, we feel we can fulfill our purpose. Ephesians 2:10 says, For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. We are masterpieces! God does not make junk! Even Psalm 139:14 says that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made." God made you to be something special, and before you were even born, he had a purpose for you! No matter how we view ourselves or our purpose, it is all a part of God's plan. Jeremiah 29:11 says this: "For I know the plans I have for you," declared the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." If you trust God with your life, then trust also that he has a purpose for you and that it is blessed!
Now, we all know that if something is not of God, then it must be of Satan. Satan, or Lucifer, was an angel of God, however, he became a fallen angel when pride overtook him. The problem that people have is that they give him more power than what he actually has. People don't see that he is just a created being. God created him beautifully and he knew it... Just before he fell from Heaven, he wanted to be looked at and admired. Well not much as changed. He wanted to be looked at then, and he wants to be looked at now. So, the whole world has given him a spotlight, and he uses it to distract us from our purpose. Some are aware of what he is and some are not. It is easy for him to distract because he can come in any form. 1 Corinthians 11:14 says, "And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." Satan will do anything to distract people from their purpose because he knows that we have one. Jeremiah 1:5 says, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." Well, for Satan, that just won't work. The bible has a good example of distraction. Nehemiah 6:1-4 says this: When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates— Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were scheming to harm me; so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer. God does want to be seen, and he wants people to focus on him and his purpose for them, but he will not force people to focus on him or follow a purpose. Satan however will do just about anything to get you to look his way. So keep your eyes on God, and Satan will no longer have an audience!
Satan is commonly referred to in the bible as the Father of Lies. There is indeed a very good reason! John 8:44 talks much about this. There is no truth in him. That being said, if there is no truth in him, he will feed you any lie necessary so that he can use it to his advantage. It is important to recognize the lies from the Father of lies. When it comes to your purpose, it is very important! Lies are Satan's most important distraction. Here are some common lies of Satan:
1. Satan can distract you from your purpose by simply trying to make you believe you don't have one. We have already learned though that each one of us does have a purpose, so don't fall into that trap!
2. Satan can distract you from your purpose by making you believe that you are beyond forgiveness, and that if you are beyond forgiveness, then God can't use you. If you honestly believe that you are too much of a sinner and beyond forgiveness, take a look at Paul. He was once known as Saul of Tarsus. Now, "Saul' was a persecutor of Christians. He was a violent man, and had any Christians he came across killed. However, God came to "Saul" on the road to Damascus and blinded him, but his vision was later restored by Ananias of Damascus. Upon regaining his vision, he proclaimed Jesus to be the Son of God and shared the word of God wherever he went. In fact, he wrote several books of the Bible which you now read today!
3. Satan can distract you by pointing out your "so-called flaws" so that you focus more about what is supposedly wrong with you than focusing on Jesus and your purpose. This is a difficult one for me, and I struggle with it a lot. This, for many people, could be a number of different things. It could be a struggle with physical appearances, it could be a physical or mental disability, or many other things. For me, right now, Satan is trying to tell me that I am not smart enough to write devotionals, and that what I have written down is stupid. That no one will read these. Wrong! Let's take a look at it this way though: Moses had a stutter and his brother Aaron had to speak for him. Abraham was very old in age... Zacheus was a short little man, David was just a boy but he defeated a giant. The thing about these "so-called flaws" are that they are no more than lies. While we are flawed because of sin, God does not make junk, and He calls anyone that he wants to to do his work despite what the "world" thinks about it. What we need to realize is that lies are just that: lies. Lies are always changing to suit the situation, but Truth is from God and it is absolute! Nothing can change the truth!
If you can recognize the lies, it is easy to not let them distract you or keep you from your purpose. The first thing you should do is ask yourself: "Is that of God?" "Is that how God feels about me?" "Is this really true?" The Holy Spirit will always guide you and give you answers to these question, but if you need reassurance that you can see, go to the Word. If you find that any of the answers are not of God, here what you can do: James 4:7 says, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Martin Luther King Jr., a wise man, once said “If a man is called to be a street sweeper... He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.” Whatever your purpose is, whether it be a street sweeper or a CEO of a major company, do it well and as unto the Lord. Throw yourself so much into your purpose and focus so much on God that, in this, you will resist the devil and he must flee!
Remember brothers and sisters in Christ, you are called according to his purpose, and he does have a purpose for you! If you are unsure of or are confused on what your purpose is, then pray to God and ask! God is not an author of confusion, so he will always bring clarity!
"...Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" -Esther 4:14 (NKJV)
Monday, September 16, 2013
Mini Devotional: Thoughts are Prayers
This has been on my mind a lot lately... I keep asking myself: Can your thoughts be considered prayers? There are times where, in my mind, I subconsciously ask God for certain things and realize later that in my own way I was praying. Then I started thinking: Does God take these random thoughts as prayers? You know, I believe he does! Psalm 139:2 says, "You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar." If God knows your every thought, he knows that sometimes you send out prayers without physically speaking them out. In many scriptures in the bible, (Psalm 44:21, Luke 16:15, Acts 15:8) it talks about God knowing our hearts. Because God knows our hearts, he completely understands the intent behind our thoughts. Someone once told me that to pray to God, you have to physically speak it out, but I don't believe that is so. God does know our every thought and listens to what we have to say whether we speak it out, and just say it in our minds. Just know that God hears your prayers and takes every one of them into account! He does hear you! :) Take comfort and peace in that! :)
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Conflicted about Conflict
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! :)
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! :)
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! :)
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