He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season And it's leaf does not wither; Andin whatever he does, he prospers (Ps. 1:3 NASB)
This verse talks about the person seeking God & following Him. It says he will be like a tree firmly planted by the water. We need to be firmly planted on Gods word. I believe the water is God & His Word. Thats where I want to be planted! His word hasn't changed. We don't need to change it but it should change us! The world needs people to stay firm in their commitment to Christ & not be wishy washy. Also it says we will bear fruit. If we live our witness according to Gods word we can't help but bear fruit. If we're bearing fruit, we won't wither which tells me we will remain strong. I think that means personally & as the church. Plant yourself by the water (God & His Word). Be a strong tree. It says if you will do these things, whatever you will do will prosper. The reason for that is because you will be following Gods will because you are planted by the water. You will be growing, strong, & fruitful.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Where our power comes from
The Spirit of God Who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you (Rom. 8:11 NLT)
Gods amazing resurrection power! This verse says that Gods power lives within us through the Holy Spirit. I think we don't understand that power & what it does in our lives. Once you are Gods child, you have that power inside of you. That doesn't mean you have magical powers & you can make anything happen that you want. But it is there to lead us & guide us. It's there to make us strong. It's there to help us overcome. No longer can we say something is too hard for us. We can truly love & forgive others because of how God has loved & forgiven us. We can resist temptations & our old ways because of the power that lives within us. Christs resurrection gives us victory over sin & death & that same power is working in us everyday. We don't need to walk around defeated, but we need to live in victory! Not because of us but because of the work of the Holy Spirit within us. So don't rely on your power, resources, & strength because they will fail. Rely on the One with limitless power, limitless resources, & limitless strength because God never fails!
Gods amazing resurrection power! This verse says that Gods power lives within us through the Holy Spirit. I think we don't understand that power & what it does in our lives. Once you are Gods child, you have that power inside of you. That doesn't mean you have magical powers & you can make anything happen that you want. But it is there to lead us & guide us. It's there to make us strong. It's there to help us overcome. No longer can we say something is too hard for us. We can truly love & forgive others because of how God has loved & forgiven us. We can resist temptations & our old ways because of the power that lives within us. Christs resurrection gives us victory over sin & death & that same power is working in us everyday. We don't need to walk around defeated, but we need to live in victory! Not because of us but because of the work of the Holy Spirit within us. So don't rely on your power, resources, & strength because they will fail. Rely on the One with limitless power, limitless resources, & limitless strength because God never fails!
Friday, February 15, 2013
More than a condemned building
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1 NLT)
One of my favorite chapters in the Bible, so we are going to spend a few days here. We spend way too much time living condemned. It makes us like a condemned building which is hard to be used. It says here there is no condemnation for the Christian. Satan will try to condemn us, others will try to, & sometimes we do it to ourselves. Unfortunately, authority figures often do this to kids &end up tearing down kids they could be helping. God however, does not see you as a condemned building. You might have made mistakes in the past. You might not be good enough. You might have failed before. But through Christ, none of that matters because Christ has erased all of that. He has made your mistakes go away. He has made you more than good enough & He has turned your failures into victories. Sometimes we like to bring up past mistakes but God says "not here". Don't do it to yourself, allow others to do it to you, or do it to someone else. If God doesn't remember it, why should we?
One of my favorite chapters in the Bible, so we are going to spend a few days here. We spend way too much time living condemned. It makes us like a condemned building which is hard to be used. It says here there is no condemnation for the Christian. Satan will try to condemn us, others will try to, & sometimes we do it to ourselves. Unfortunately, authority figures often do this to kids &end up tearing down kids they could be helping. God however, does not see you as a condemned building. You might have made mistakes in the past. You might not be good enough. You might have failed before. But through Christ, none of that matters because Christ has erased all of that. He has made your mistakes go away. He has made you more than good enough & He has turned your failures into victories. Sometimes we like to bring up past mistakes but God says "not here". Don't do it to yourself, allow others to do it to you, or do it to someone else. If God doesn't remember it, why should we?
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
You can't imagine
God can do anything, you know-far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply & gently within us. Eph. 3:20 Mess.)
Another mind blowing verse. It says we're not even capable of imagining what God is capable of. First of all that signifies to me that everyone who thinks they can explain why God can't be Who He says He is , are thinking too small. They can't even comprehend His ways. Secondly, everyone who thinks something is impossible, don't understand His power. In any event, I think we think & ask too small. Even if we ask as big or bigger than we think possible, it is nothing to God! I think He would like us to enlarge our vision of what He can do in our personal lives, as well as our country & world. As I've said before, have God sized faith & let Him work through us. Find a work that's bigger than you & watch God move! Find a problem too big for you & let God fix it! We can't imagine what God is capable of doing!
Another mind blowing verse. It says we're not even capable of imagining what God is capable of. First of all that signifies to me that everyone who thinks they can explain why God can't be Who He says He is , are thinking too small. They can't even comprehend His ways. Secondly, everyone who thinks something is impossible, don't understand His power. In any event, I think we think & ask too small. Even if we ask as big or bigger than we think possible, it is nothing to God! I think He would like us to enlarge our vision of what He can do in our personal lives, as well as our country & world. As I've said before, have God sized faith & let Him work through us. Find a work that's bigger than you & watch God move! Find a problem too big for you & let God fix it! We can't imagine what God is capable of doing!
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
God loves you
And may you have the power to understand, as all Gods people should, how wide, how long, how high, & how deep His love is (Eph. 3:18 NLT)
I think this is hard to fathom. I'm not sure I can comprehend or come up with words to express how much God loves us. He sent His only Son to die on the cross for my sins & then Christ was resurrected so that we can have eternal life with Him. There is not anything we have done or could do that could make Him stop loving us. We think it's really something to see or meet a celebrity but the Creator of the universe loves us. He knows our names & every detail of our lives. He knows our worries & our fears & He is there with us every step. Even when were not living as He has asked us , He still loves us. He is working all things for our good. I've known a few "celebrities" & none of them have wanted a personal relationship with me. But Jesus gave His life so that we could have one with Him.
I think this is hard to fathom. I'm not sure I can comprehend or come up with words to express how much God loves us. He sent His only Son to die on the cross for my sins & then Christ was resurrected so that we can have eternal life with Him. There is not anything we have done or could do that could make Him stop loving us. We think it's really something to see or meet a celebrity but the Creator of the universe loves us. He knows our names & every detail of our lives. He knows our worries & our fears & He is there with us every step. Even when were not living as He has asked us , He still loves us. He is working all things for our good. I've known a few "celebrities" & none of them have wanted a personal relationship with me. But Jesus gave His life so that we could have one with Him.
Monday, February 11, 2013
No ifs
Jesus said,"There are no 'ifs' among believers. Anything can happen." (Mark 9:23 Mess.)
Now I'm not a health, wealth, & prosperity person. God has a will& a plan & we can't just expect Him to be a candy dispenser. Trials & struggles do happen. Having said that I absolutely believe we underestimate God. He is still the almighty God! But I think we let "ifs"enter into our thinking far too often. Christ says here that there are no "ifs" . He is capable of anything. The person Jesus was talking too admitted he needed help with his faith. I need help with my faith sometimes which I think we all do. We need to pray & tell God that we want to have God sized faith. I want to see what can happen if we remove the "ifs" &have the faith that Hecan do ALL things. He didn't just do great things in the Bible, He still does today. We realize our limitations but He has none. There is no problem that he can't overcome. I believe that is how the things we are dealing with in our personal lives as well as the things we are dealing with our country & world are going to be turned around. Enlarge your faith, remove the "ifs" , & allow God to move! Believe anything can happen through God! Start living in victory instead of defeat! Jesus just wants us to take out the "ifs".
Now I'm not a health, wealth, & prosperity person. God has a will& a plan & we can't just expect Him to be a candy dispenser. Trials & struggles do happen. Having said that I absolutely believe we underestimate God. He is still the almighty God! But I think we let "ifs"enter into our thinking far too often. Christ says here that there are no "ifs" . He is capable of anything. The person Jesus was talking too admitted he needed help with his faith. I need help with my faith sometimes which I think we all do. We need to pray & tell God that we want to have God sized faith. I want to see what can happen if we remove the "ifs" &have the faith that Hecan do ALL things. He didn't just do great things in the Bible, He still does today. We realize our limitations but He has none. There is no problem that he can't overcome. I believe that is how the things we are dealing with in our personal lives as well as the things we are dealing with our country & world are going to be turned around. Enlarge your faith, remove the "ifs" , & allow God to move! Believe anything can happen through God! Start living in victory instead of defeat! Jesus just wants us to take out the "ifs".
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Go deeper
When He finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Now go out where it is deeper, & let down your nets to catch some fish" (Luke 5:4 NLT)
So they had worked hard all night, they had seen no results, they were tired, & Jesus says go out deeper & let down the nets one more time. What do you do, tell the Savior of the world "No I tired". I do think sometimes we do that & we miss out on the reward. Peter would have if he hadn't listened. We think,"I've tried that & it didn't work so we give up one time too soon. Maybe it was on a dream, maybe it was witnessing to someone, or o a ministry God has called you to do. Sometimes we just need to do it one more time. Other times He wants us to go out deeper. Deeper can be scary but it can be very rewarding. When God takes us out deeper, he does so to prepare us for a great work. That's where our faith grows & we learn to depend on Him. So I want to encourage you if you're tired or feeling like giving up. Don't be afraid to go out deeper, God is there too. Don't quit one time too soon, God will give you the strength you need. Go deeper, cast out your nets one more time, & pull in the reward God has for you!
So they had worked hard all night, they had seen no results, they were tired, & Jesus says go out deeper & let down the nets one more time. What do you do, tell the Savior of the world "No I tired". I do think sometimes we do that & we miss out on the reward. Peter would have if he hadn't listened. We think,"I've tried that & it didn't work so we give up one time too soon. Maybe it was on a dream, maybe it was witnessing to someone, or o a ministry God has called you to do. Sometimes we just need to do it one more time. Other times He wants us to go out deeper. Deeper can be scary but it can be very rewarding. When God takes us out deeper, he does so to prepare us for a great work. That's where our faith grows & we learn to depend on Him. So I want to encourage you if you're tired or feeling like giving up. Don't be afraid to go out deeper, God is there too. Don't quit one time too soon, God will give you the strength you need. Go deeper, cast out your nets one more time, & pull in the reward God has for you!
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