Lent this year could not have come at a better time! I have been struggling these past few months and had found myself numb to what God was speaking to me...that's why this year Lent for me is about dying physically again and soaring spiritually! Everday we all worry with the physical aspects of life, we let them get in the way of our purpose, and of our time with God. I am now changing that. Lent 2009 is about dying physically and living spirtiually 100%. (and yes i repeated myself for a reason). So this year i am giving up basically all food except the neccessities! I want to pray more than i eat, not eat more than i pray. Every time i think about eating something i WANT i'm going to drop and pray. Why because i let physical aspects of this world bog my relationship with Him. And this is not right. I refuse to go before Him in prayer and say God i give you everything but i still want to worry about this, i still care about this and this. Nope not anymore. My physical life is not important to me for now, just my relationship with HIm is what i'll be focusing on. I will share this scripture with all of whom read this.... both verses that inspired my decision for 2009 are in Isaiah <3
"but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." - Isaiah 40:31
" You were wearied by all your ways,
but you would not say, 'It is hopeless.
You found renewal of your strength,
and so you did not faint." - Isaiah 57:10
This is what faith is all about, so go live it out!
love to all! have a blessed Lent season to everyone, may you learn, speak to, or be spoken to!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
A week at a time...
Words cannot describe how i feel right now. This doesn't mean anything bad; actually i'm not sure what this means but i'm going to take a minute and explore anyways. This past week was a typically good week. No major ups and no major downs. I stayed pretty much....melancholy? maybe that's a word for summary. Even with the beloved heart day yesterday, no feelings of the blues, no major excitement, just another week. I must say i am happy about this because it must mean that something is going right! Don't we all appreciate it when things go the way we want? Oh yes! Now i don't say that to seem selfish, i'm just expressing my gratitude to the One who made my week possible, the sincereity i have towards my Amazing Father!
Looking around me right now i see nothing but possibilities and potential traps. Interesting huh? seeing both sides of the coin at the same time. yea it's pretty neat. I have homework piled up to the ceiling. This could cause major anxiety and procrastination or a wonderful learning experience, or both. I see scholarships laying around that remind me of college and everything that brings. Financial worries and possiblities, majors, school choices,new experiences etc. Then i see a book called "The Shack" that i have not started, and i desperately need to. Oh yea and on top of that there's Lent that starts in 10 days and i have not a clue as to what i'll be giving up this year. But that's okay too since i know i'll get my answer eventually- starting another 40 day journey. Yes every new experience, every new lesson i learn, i consider a journey... Well enough of this information download. Here's what i'm getting at incase this is hard to follow. (which it is i'm sure) Life brings us new things all the time. Some are alright, some are hard, sad, joyful, insightful, worriesome, exciting...but they all bring new opportunities all the time. We may not always see those opportunities but they are there. Sometimes we just need to take the time to stop and be on the outside looking in.
Looking around me right now i see nothing but possibilities and potential traps. Interesting huh? seeing both sides of the coin at the same time. yea it's pretty neat. I have homework piled up to the ceiling. This could cause major anxiety and procrastination or a wonderful learning experience, or both. I see scholarships laying around that remind me of college and everything that brings. Financial worries and possiblities, majors, school choices,new experiences etc. Then i see a book called "The Shack" that i have not started, and i desperately need to. Oh yea and on top of that there's Lent that starts in 10 days and i have not a clue as to what i'll be giving up this year. But that's okay too since i know i'll get my answer eventually- starting another 40 day journey. Yes every new experience, every new lesson i learn, i consider a journey... Well enough of this information download. Here's what i'm getting at incase this is hard to follow. (which it is i'm sure) Life brings us new things all the time. Some are alright, some are hard, sad, joyful, insightful, worriesome, exciting...but they all bring new opportunities all the time. We may not always see those opportunities but they are there. Sometimes we just need to take the time to stop and be on the outside looking in.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
The topic of Salvation
What is Salvation? defined by Websters it is a rescue from danger. But the Bible is all about God's activity in rescuing people from sin and restoring them to a right relationship with Him. So this has to mean that Salvation is from God. It's a free gift from God through Jesus Christ that rescues the believer from sin and its consequences.-that's what Salvation truly is....just like Acts 4:12 says "Salvation comes no other way, no other name has been or will be given to us by which we can be saved, only by this One."
Why is Salvation neccessary you might ask? for a couple of reasons. The first is because of Creation- God made this world and all that is in it:Gen.1:1,27. God created human beings to be like him and have unhindered fellowship with Him, and when His work of creation was done, he saw that it was good. (Gen.1:31) The second reason is because of our rebellions. Adam and Eve were the first people made by God they were also the first to rebel against God. They had complete freedom to live in fellowship and trust with Him but they chose to rebel, to doubt His word, and trust in their ability to discern good and evil- which a lot of us have trouble with that. Because God designed that Adam would represent the entire human race, his sin affected us. Our fellowship with God has been broken. Through sin, we all died spiritually. (Romans 5:18) Unbelief, (Romans 14:23) pride, (Hebrews 11:6) and selfishness lead us to think we know better than what God knows and to try and put ourselves in His place. like Romans 13:23 says-"We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God"
So the last question is How has God provided salvation??? - God could have left us humans under His divine judgement, but he set into motion a plan to save us from all of sin. 1 Corinthians 15:3 tells us how by sending His Son as a true man who would bear the penalty for our sin and die in our place. John 3:16 To believe in Jesus includes both a whole-hearted trust in Him for forgiveness of sins and a decision to forsake one's sins or repent them and be restored to a right relationship with God. Believing in Him also requires relating to and putting trust in Jesus as He truly is- not just a man in ancient history but also a living savior today who knows our hearts and hears our prayers. The last thing i want to say is in this verse...
"I am the way, the truth, and the life, No man can come to the Father except by me." -------- He is the way out of your difficulty, He is truth away from evil, and He is the life which is salvation itself.
Why is Salvation neccessary you might ask? for a couple of reasons. The first is because of Creation- God made this world and all that is in it:Gen.1:1,27. God created human beings to be like him and have unhindered fellowship with Him, and when His work of creation was done, he saw that it was good. (Gen.1:31) The second reason is because of our rebellions. Adam and Eve were the first people made by God they were also the first to rebel against God. They had complete freedom to live in fellowship and trust with Him but they chose to rebel, to doubt His word, and trust in their ability to discern good and evil- which a lot of us have trouble with that. Because God designed that Adam would represent the entire human race, his sin affected us. Our fellowship with God has been broken. Through sin, we all died spiritually. (Romans 5:18) Unbelief, (Romans 14:23) pride, (Hebrews 11:6) and selfishness lead us to think we know better than what God knows and to try and put ourselves in His place. like Romans 13:23 says-"We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God"
So the last question is How has God provided salvation??? - God could have left us humans under His divine judgement, but he set into motion a plan to save us from all of sin. 1 Corinthians 15:3 tells us how by sending His Son as a true man who would bear the penalty for our sin and die in our place. John 3:16 To believe in Jesus includes both a whole-hearted trust in Him for forgiveness of sins and a decision to forsake one's sins or repent them and be restored to a right relationship with God. Believing in Him also requires relating to and putting trust in Jesus as He truly is- not just a man in ancient history but also a living savior today who knows our hearts and hears our prayers. The last thing i want to say is in this verse...
"I am the way, the truth, and the life, No man can come to the Father except by me." -------- He is the way out of your difficulty, He is truth away from evil, and He is the life which is salvation itself.
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