Reading the Bible for myself

        Reading the Bible for ourselves is one of the most important things we can do. God's word changes us! Many Christians today depend on a pastor to share the Bible and never actually read it for themselves. You can often tell who these people are by the things they say and do. The fruit of a Christian who does not read the Bible is quite obvious. They usually quote cute sayings, out of context verses and hold non Biblical ideas about spiritual things. When questioned their favorite thing to say is, "Don't judge me." Is this you?
        If reading the Bible seems overwhelming focus on the New Testament. As a Christ follower, we are New Testament Christians and shouldn't live our life on the wrong side of the cross. Jesus changed everything. More separates the old and new testament than a sheet of paper in our Bibles. Our covenant with God changed. In the New Testament you will learn about Christian living 101, how to love others and how to worship God with your life. It's packed full of powerful life changing information.
        I had a friend come over a few weeks ago and she told me her concerns about finding a new church and listening to teachers on TV. She said, "There's so much out there. I don't know who to follow." Do you share her concern? I told her what I'm sharing now. Read your Bible for yourself, then find a church that lines up with what you've read. Many times we follow leaders and then conform our beliefs with theirs without knowing how accurate their message is. So, read then pick.
         When it comes to who to follow, remember, we are followers of Jesus. He is the one we should be following. Scripture is often twisted, taken out of context and then accepted by those who never actually read their own Bibles. Don't put your trust in man, but the Word of God. When the Bible is the center of your life you will know God's voice and just like a sheep you will know the voice of your Shepherd and a voice of a stranger you will not follow. But if you don't know the Word, you may be easily carried away with universalism and new age Bible teachings.
           The most powerful thing we can do is know the Word for ourselves! :-)

Being Grateful

           Being grateful can be one of the hardest things to do, especially nowadays when we are able to see the details of everyone's life through social networking sites like facebook, google +  and more. It's easy to compare, but comparing causes ungratefulness, it also causes us to steer our lives onto roads never created for us in effort to make our life line up with someone else. 

           One of the keys to remaining grateful is embracing our unique purpose. God has a plan for each of us. The steps He directs for one are not the same for another. Proverbs 16:9 NLT says, " We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." God's determined steps for each of us are vastly different.   

           The Apostle Paul could have thought it unfair that he had to spend so much time in prison while other Christians at the time enjoyed life with their church families. Jesus could have been upset that he had to give his life while others did not. And I'm amazed Stephen didn't complain about being stoned to death - He prayed and asked for mercy on his enemies. You see, God has purposed us for different reasons and seasons. Comparing ourselves is easy, but pointless.

             When we are grateful we realize that we are placed where we are needed. The Bible says, " From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live." - Acts 17:26 NIV  God has determined our time and place. One may live in a mansion, another a trailer, but God has a reason behind it all. God places us where our ministry is. Yes, you have a ministry! Location, location, location! 

                If God provides for you to travel then keep your eyes open because He has some people He wants you to meet. If God has you placed firmly in a certain apartment complex then keep your eyes open because He has people for you to reach there too. For instance, my husband had a very vivid dream about moving into the apartments he moved into before we were married. He was also told that he'd live in this specific floor plan for three years before upgrading. God has a plan! My husband could easily say, "But God I'm married, we want a house of our own." but instead he chooses to follow the Holy Spirit and be obedient. He rather follow God's plan, not man's plan. Being grateful allows us to enter into God's adventures. Ungratefulness causes us to chase other people's accomplishments even if they aren't God's plans for us. 

           "Bloom where you're planted" is sound advice. Gratefulness allows us to bloom, and when we bloom we can see the purpose behind the situation we are in. Our main purpose for being alive is to make God famous and bless the people we encounter. Our jobs, homes, vehicles and everything dictate who, what, when and where we have influence. So embrace your life with gratefulness and see the great things He has in store for you without getting wrapped up in comparing. We will find our greatest joy smack dab in the center of God's will for us.

      

Come to Me

I'll meet you half way

         Meeting half way is man's way of thinking. Meeting in the middle is not how I believe God works. God's love goes ALL THE WAY!! He meets us where WE ARE! His love is extravagant! When we see God the same way we see and relate to man we miss out on some of His best characteristics.
          God is like us because we are like Him - made in His image. But many of the things we believe to be healthy and fair in relationships are self-centered and not like God at all. It's a relief to know that God goes all the way for us. His love went the distance through His son, Jesus, and now nothing stops Him from chasing us down with His kindness.
           Many  people avoid God because they think in order to come to Him they have to meet half way, "Do your part and God will do His" type of thinking. Since they can't seem to get their half  in order they stay away from God most of their life. Even Christians can have this "meet you half way" mindset and it hinders us from meeting with God everyday. If we are having a bad day or wake up on the wrong side of the bed we feel we can't be close to God because we haven't taken care of our half.
           The truth is we don't have strength to meet God in the middle every day, if we maintain this "half way" mindset we will miss out on those days. So remember God did the work already. He wants to meet us where we are everyday even if that is on the wrong side or 20 steps farther than we were yesterday. Wherever we are He wants to meet us there!!
          

Gifted Response

There's nothing

My husband posted a quote from a Jonathon David Helser song on Facebook yesterday, "There's nothing you can do that would make God love you more, also nothing you can do that would make Him love you less. He loves you b/c He loves you. His love is unchanging, He loves you 100%. He wont love you any better when you become better. He loves you 100% RIGHT NOW."

You Know Me

Prophecy never suffocates

“Prophecy never suffocates, but lets you breathe.” - Kim Clement