This year has gone by so fast! I feel like I didn't get to enjoy it much either! This is definitely something I want to change in 2014. It has been quite the year. So many changes have taken place in my life this year. Some were really hard to accept while others seemed like a walk in the park.
It is hard to believe it has been just a little over a year since Josh and Sara announced they were leaving New Life. It really hasn't been the same without them. They are so encouraging and uplifting. I am definitely thankful God placed them in my life and that I still get to speak with them often. Their leaving brought up so many questions on what I actually want to do with my life. Where does God want me? What am I supposed to be doing? Where am I supposed to be serving? Some of these were answered but I still feel there is more to come.
I had a little fun with school at the beginning of this year. It all seems like a blur now. I did learn a lot while I attended but it wasn't something I felt I needed to continue. So I dug into the Word and boy did God reveal some amazing stuff to me this year. I learned so much about His love for me and how to strengthen my faith. There are many blog posts throughout this past year telling all about some of the things I learned.
I am more than thankful for the Ministries of Kenneth Copeland, Bill Winston, Jesse Duplantis, Creflo Dollar, Jerry Savelle, and Joyce Meyer. They have all been so monumental in my walk this year. They are so knowledgeable in the Word of God and have made me more and more hungry for more of Him. I know a lot of people don't like these ministries but they speak Truth. They make you want to know more about God and that is what we are called to do as children of God. The Week of July 4th, Kenneth Copeland and several other pastors gather at the Southwest Believers Convention and strengthen the faith of so many. It is one Faith filled week of great teachings that strengthen the Faith of many. I have listened to every sermon and God has shown me so much through those. I feel as though their ministries are building me up and shaping me into the woman God has called me to be. More than one of them has spoken on words this year and it has forever changed the way I look at words, speak words, and hear words. I know the truth now and I won't ever go back to my old way of speaking.
I lost my sweet boy, Rigsby just a little over a month ago. Gosh it has been so different without him. He was my first puppy that I raised from 8 weeks. He was such a sweet boy who always followed me around. He taught me a lot about life. I have learned that I should cherish every moment with my fur babies and my friends and family. Live life to the fullest!
This year has been a stripping year. I have been stripped of so many things that meant so much to me yet I have found more in Him. It has been hard accepting so many changes. There have been so many changes at Church, Work, and in my personal life. At times I was saying what else can you possibly take from me? What else can I handle? It always works out though. I think the biggest thing I have learned is that we are constantly moving. If we aren't moving forward then we are moving back. Sometime life gets hard and things don't always go the way you planned. The greatest thing is that God is always there. He is constant and never changing! Through the hard times and through the good times He will never, ever leave me!
Looking ahead to the New Year! There are so many things I want to accomplish. I would love to be able to have my own space. I am ready for that special someone and I think this year has been preparing me in many ways to become a wife and one day a mother that has God at the center. I want to be in a position where my job is not something I dread doing but that I enjoy doing and have the freedom to also do other things that I have always wanted to do. I am looking forward to what 2014 holds. The one thing I will make sure I do is be grateful for every day and enjoy every moment! No more letting the year roll by and regretting not doing the things you love the most! My prayer this coming year is that I will follow Him in whatever He says. No more holding back! He wants all of me and I want to follow Him with everything I have!
Happy New Year! Praying your year is filled with Great Joy and Happiness!
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
The Parable of the Sower
So the last two months have been flying by and I have been doing a lot of fun stuff. Trying new things has been at the top of that list. I had a blast in Savannah with the girls and we ate a lot of different places; all of which were delicious. A few weeks ago I went to a young adult group in the area which was a lot of fun. I get really nervous about meeting new people but I really do enjoy meeting new people. I really need to step out of my comfort zone and do it more often. A couple of weekends ago was one of my friends birthday party. I had so much fun playing charades and hanging out with everyone! That is definitely one fun party game.
This past weekend I went to the most beautiful wedding. I think that is the first time I have ever teared up at a wedding. The love that was there was amazing. They love each other so much and they are definitely God's match for each other. God was so much apart of the whole thing and that was easy to see. The preacher did an amazing job and her father said the sweetest thing at the end of the ceremony! The setting was absolutely beautiful and the weather was perfect. I am so very happy for them and wish them the very best God has for them.
So this past week on the KCM Broadcasts Kenneth Copeland and Bishop Keith Butler have been speaking on Faith for Life. I know everyone has heard or read the parable of the sower but I have never gotten this revelation from it. In Mark 4:13-19 it tells of the four different types of people that hear the Word and what they decide to do with it. The one verse that really stuck out to me was verse 19. "Then the cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless." (AMP) This verse tells us the five things that the devil uses to choke the Word out of our lives.
#1 Affliction: It means a state of pain, distress, or grief; misery. A cause of mental or bodily pain, as sickness, calamity, or persecution (in this case pressure from the devil).
#2 Persecution: a program or campaign to exterminate, drive away, or subjugate (enslave) a people because of their religion, race, or beliefs.
To annoy or trouble persistently. Persecution in this case if pressure from people
#3 Cares of the world: distraction of the world. The devil uses distractions to try to keep us out of the Word of God.
#4 Deceitfulness of riches: To be diluted by your riches. Using finances to decide whether or not your are going to obey God. The devil wants you to think you need more money.
#5 Lust of other things: The flesh. Fleshly reactions to situations. Wanting things so much it is all you think about.
This really opened my eyes to what I should be aware of. Not did they tell me what the devil uses but also they also gave the answer to each from the Word of God.
#1 Affliction: The Joy of the Lord. Faith and Patience. Patience is consistency day in and day out. Nehemiah 8:10, Romans 8:25, James 1:3, Luke 8:15 (Those are just a few of many on Faith and Patience)
#2 Persecution: Matthew 5:44 "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who hurt you."
Proverbs 25:21-22 "If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord will reward you."
This verse in some likeness is also found in Romans 12:20
#3 Cares of the world: Psalm 55:22 "Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail). [I Pet. 5:7.]"
Psalm 37:5 "Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass."
#4 Deceitfulness of Riches: "Seek first the kingdom of God and all things will be added unto you." Matthew 6:33
Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God's power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek,"
#5 Lust of other things: Galatians 5:16 "But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God)."
This has really been an awesome study. I have learned so much about what the devil uses against me and all of us. I know how to defend him now. I just need to put on the full armor of God.
Bishop Keith Butler was also talking about self inflicted wounds. The wayside person is the one who hears the Word but brushes it off. Basically satan comes in and immediately steals it away. (Mark 4:15) Then the second self inflicted wound is the seed that falls on stony ground. This person is the one who hears the Word but does nothing with it.(Mark 4:16-17) To me this really reminds me of the people who go to church every Sunday, listen to what the pastor has to say but then goes throughout the week and doesn't look at the Word at all. They go back to acting just like the world. These people will never grow in their faith because they don't study the Word of God. It says " faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." (Romans 10:17) That is why it is so important to read the Word everyday and meditate on it. This increases our faith and gives us the ability to fight the things the devil tries tot throw our way.
This has been such a great revelation to me and I hope you learn a little from it as well. I encourage you to dig into the Word. Whatever situation you may be facing God has an answer for you. Find it and speak it in faith. I love to hear your feedback on what God has been doing in your life. Please let me know if there is anything I can pray for about for you.
Until next time!
This past weekend I went to the most beautiful wedding. I think that is the first time I have ever teared up at a wedding. The love that was there was amazing. They love each other so much and they are definitely God's match for each other. God was so much apart of the whole thing and that was easy to see. The preacher did an amazing job and her father said the sweetest thing at the end of the ceremony! The setting was absolutely beautiful and the weather was perfect. I am so very happy for them and wish them the very best God has for them.
So this past week on the KCM Broadcasts Kenneth Copeland and Bishop Keith Butler have been speaking on Faith for Life. I know everyone has heard or read the parable of the sower but I have never gotten this revelation from it. In Mark 4:13-19 it tells of the four different types of people that hear the Word and what they decide to do with it. The one verse that really stuck out to me was verse 19. "Then the cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless." (AMP) This verse tells us the five things that the devil uses to choke the Word out of our lives.
#1 Affliction: It means a state of pain, distress, or grief; misery. A cause of mental or bodily pain, as sickness, calamity, or persecution (in this case pressure from the devil).
#2 Persecution: a program or campaign to exterminate, drive away, or subjugate (enslave) a people because of their religion, race, or beliefs.
To annoy or trouble persistently. Persecution in this case if pressure from people
#3 Cares of the world: distraction of the world. The devil uses distractions to try to keep us out of the Word of God.
#4 Deceitfulness of riches: To be diluted by your riches. Using finances to decide whether or not your are going to obey God. The devil wants you to think you need more money.
#5 Lust of other things: The flesh. Fleshly reactions to situations. Wanting things so much it is all you think about.
This really opened my eyes to what I should be aware of. Not did they tell me what the devil uses but also they also gave the answer to each from the Word of God.
#1 Affliction: The Joy of the Lord. Faith and Patience. Patience is consistency day in and day out. Nehemiah 8:10, Romans 8:25, James 1:3, Luke 8:15 (Those are just a few of many on Faith and Patience)
#2 Persecution: Matthew 5:44 "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who hurt you."
Proverbs 25:21-22 "If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord will reward you."
This verse in some likeness is also found in Romans 12:20
#3 Cares of the world: Psalm 55:22 "Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail). [I Pet. 5:7.]"
Psalm 37:5 "Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass."
#4 Deceitfulness of Riches: "Seek first the kingdom of God and all things will be added unto you." Matthew 6:33
Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God's power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek,"
#5 Lust of other things: Galatians 5:16 "But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God)."
This has really been an awesome study. I have learned so much about what the devil uses against me and all of us. I know how to defend him now. I just need to put on the full armor of God.
Bishop Keith Butler was also talking about self inflicted wounds. The wayside person is the one who hears the Word but brushes it off. Basically satan comes in and immediately steals it away. (Mark 4:15) Then the second self inflicted wound is the seed that falls on stony ground. This person is the one who hears the Word but does nothing with it.(Mark 4:16-17) To me this really reminds me of the people who go to church every Sunday, listen to what the pastor has to say but then goes throughout the week and doesn't look at the Word at all. They go back to acting just like the world. These people will never grow in their faith because they don't study the Word of God. It says " faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." (Romans 10:17) That is why it is so important to read the Word everyday and meditate on it. This increases our faith and gives us the ability to fight the things the devil tries tot throw our way.
This has been such a great revelation to me and I hope you learn a little from it as well. I encourage you to dig into the Word. Whatever situation you may be facing God has an answer for you. Find it and speak it in faith. I love to hear your feedback on what God has been doing in your life. Please let me know if there is anything I can pray for about for you.
Until next time!
Trip to Savannah
So it has been a really long time since I have posted. I wrote this awhile back about our trip to Savannah so I will add this in. Labor Day weekend two of my friends and I went to Savannah. We had so much fun seeing all of the sites and eating all the yummy food. We even got a chance to go out to Tybee Island and step foot on the beach. I would have to say my favorite food was from Paula Deen's restaurant. Good ole southern cooking is always the best! It is really hard to pick a favorite site but I would say River Street was really neat with all of the shops! Here are some great pictures from the trip! The Harper Fowlkes House was really neat as well. I love looking through old homes and learning all of the history. Our tour guide was fabulous! You could tell she loved the house and was very informative.
The three above pictures are from Fort Powlowski
These three above are from Bonaventure Cemetery. I absolutely love the trees in this Cemetery!
The Cathedral of St John the Baptist
The Marshland on the way out to Tybee. The Beach! I personally wasn't impressed with this beach!
One of the Building all lit up on River Street! Night Time on the River!
So I will make a new post on the other things I have to say. This one is probably long enough. :)
 |
| Harper Fowlkes House |
 |
| The Only one left in Savannah |
The View from the top of the Lighthouse
 |
| The Tybee Island Lighthouse |
 |
| This is the old stove in the Lighthouse Keepers house |
The three above pictures are from Fort Powlowski
These three above are from Bonaventure Cemetery. I absolutely love the trees in this Cemetery!
These two were from the Colonial Park.
These Trees are just beautiful! I can't get enough!
Lady and Sons! Best food in Savannah!
So I will make a new post on the other things I have to say. This one is probably long enough. :)
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Generosity
The past few weeks Pastor has been teaching about Generosity. We have been learning what it means to make an invisible God visible and our Church Vision is LOVE-LIVE-GIVE. So this has been a 10 week series with a few sermons on each part of the vision. I really enjoyed today's sermon. It was all about generosity. Luke 16:13 says, "No servant is able to serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (riches, or anything in which you trust and on which you rely).(AMP)"
This verse pretty much sums up the sermon from today. We can not trust in the things of this world and trust in God at the same time. Like it says we will end up despising God. I know this is something we all struggle with. Can we trust God with every part of our lives. Usually it is the financial part of our lives that we struggle the most with. God wants to bless us financially but we just can't seem to turn it over to Him. I have been working on this lately and I have seen the blessings. I can't see not tithing anymore. I live more blessed off the 90% than I do off of 100%. I have been there and it seemed like I could never get ahead. This week He blessed me with a raise and I am so happy I learned about the different types of giving just a few weeks ago. I was so excited to give my first fruits I could hardly wait to get my paycheck so I could write the check. I now truly know what it is to be a cheerful giver.
This morning while Pastor was teaching about generosity and tithing I have this intense burning in my soul to share with our congregation the truths I know about the different types of giving. If they knew the reason behind each type of giving and what tithing actually accomplishes then what could our church do for the community? Just imagine what an entire congregation of tithers and givers could do!! It excites me! God can use each one of us in a mighty way. When we tithe the devil can't touch us! If the whole church knew this then we would be an unstoppable force against the devil. That should be enough to get anyone excited! If the Lord wants me to teach this then He will provide a way. I just want Christians to know that life doesn't stop at just being saved. We can have heaven on earth. God wants us to live long, healthy lives; blessed in our finances; blessed in our job; and He wants our families blessed. If every Christian got this truth this world would be a wonderful place!
I was still pondering school the last few weeks but I have decided that I don't need to learn more from books I need to learn from the Word of God! He will provide what I need and will help me say what needs to be said. I get so excited to learn new things from the Word. He has taught me so much over the past seven months and He is continuing to show me more. It has not always been easy and I have struggled with loving others and having patience. I have grown a lot though and I can not be more grateful to Him for helping me through and of course some great friends who are encouraging!
This verse pretty much sums up the sermon from today. We can not trust in the things of this world and trust in God at the same time. Like it says we will end up despising God. I know this is something we all struggle with. Can we trust God with every part of our lives. Usually it is the financial part of our lives that we struggle the most with. God wants to bless us financially but we just can't seem to turn it over to Him. I have been working on this lately and I have seen the blessings. I can't see not tithing anymore. I live more blessed off the 90% than I do off of 100%. I have been there and it seemed like I could never get ahead. This week He blessed me with a raise and I am so happy I learned about the different types of giving just a few weeks ago. I was so excited to give my first fruits I could hardly wait to get my paycheck so I could write the check. I now truly know what it is to be a cheerful giver.
This morning while Pastor was teaching about generosity and tithing I have this intense burning in my soul to share with our congregation the truths I know about the different types of giving. If they knew the reason behind each type of giving and what tithing actually accomplishes then what could our church do for the community? Just imagine what an entire congregation of tithers and givers could do!! It excites me! God can use each one of us in a mighty way. When we tithe the devil can't touch us! If the whole church knew this then we would be an unstoppable force against the devil. That should be enough to get anyone excited! If the Lord wants me to teach this then He will provide a way. I just want Christians to know that life doesn't stop at just being saved. We can have heaven on earth. God wants us to live long, healthy lives; blessed in our finances; blessed in our job; and He wants our families blessed. If every Christian got this truth this world would be a wonderful place!
I was still pondering school the last few weeks but I have decided that I don't need to learn more from books I need to learn from the Word of God! He will provide what I need and will help me say what needs to be said. I get so excited to learn new things from the Word. He has taught me so much over the past seven months and He is continuing to show me more. It has not always been easy and I have struggled with loving others and having patience. I have grown a lot though and I can not be more grateful to Him for helping me through and of course some great friends who are encouraging!
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Dreams
The next couple of weeks up to a few months are going to be difficult. My little boy dog is not doing well and it is breaking my heart. He has had kidney disease for the past two years but it is just now catching up to him. He is my first puppy that I have raised since he was 8 weeks old. Making this decision is going to be the hardest thing I have ever done. I have already shed lots of tears and there will be many more. This is the most difficult part about owning a dog. I wouldn't trade it though. Dogs have brought so much joy to my life. I am so thankful God created these little companions for us. I will miss my little buddy! One day in the future I will have another pup that brings me new challenges and more joy!
So onto another thing that I have been pondering over the last week. Sometimes I feel like I am fearful from moving onto other things. I am afraid to step out and follow my dreams. Obviously I love animals, dogs especially. I have grown up around them. I really enjoy taking pictures of dogs. I think I should start building my portfolio for this. I really enjoy doing this and I have a lot of dogs that I could take pictures of. Between my puppies and all of the awesome dogs at the Canine Ranch I have plenty. It is so much fun to capture the different personalities of the each dog. They are just so much fun! I am grateful for the picture I have of my dogs. I can pick up a picture and remember how funny they were and what they acted like. So stepping out and actually doing this is one of my goals. If it is my dream then why shouldn't I do it. I want to enjoy what I do and not feel trapped and feeling like I actually have to do a certain job. If it is a God given dream then He will bless my efforts. I also enjoy training dogs. The bond between a person and their dog can be amazing with an obedient dog. ;). So if you need any training or pictures let me know!
I will leave you with some pictures of my puppies!
So onto another thing that I have been pondering over the last week. Sometimes I feel like I am fearful from moving onto other things. I am afraid to step out and follow my dreams. Obviously I love animals, dogs especially. I have grown up around them. I really enjoy taking pictures of dogs. I think I should start building my portfolio for this. I really enjoy doing this and I have a lot of dogs that I could take pictures of. Between my puppies and all of the awesome dogs at the Canine Ranch I have plenty. It is so much fun to capture the different personalities of the each dog. They are just so much fun! I am grateful for the picture I have of my dogs. I can pick up a picture and remember how funny they were and what they acted like. So stepping out and actually doing this is one of my goals. If it is my dream then why shouldn't I do it. I want to enjoy what I do and not feel trapped and feeling like I actually have to do a certain job. If it is a God given dream then He will bless my efforts. I also enjoy training dogs. The bond between a person and their dog can be amazing with an obedient dog. ;). So if you need any training or pictures let me know!
I will leave you with some pictures of my puppies!
 |
| Mercy |
 |
| My Boy: Rigsby |
 |
| Journey at 18 Weeks |
 |
| Zoe |
 |
| Jazz |
 |
| Jazz |
 |
| Abby |
 |
| Rigsby |
 |
| Rigsby Jumping |
 |
| Jazz running |
 |
| Abby jumping |
 |
| Zoe is silly! |
 |
| Mercy is so sweet |
 |
| My sweet Jazz |
Thursday, July 18, 2013
The Month of July- Where has this year gone?
So I have been reading the book Change Your Words, Change Your Life by Joyce Meyer over the last couple of months. I have been taking it slow and really soaking in each chapter. I have learned so much from this book. One thing I really took to heart was to Speak God's word over my life. She has a whole list of things we should be speaking over our lives. I made note cards from the list and added a few to it. These will help me keep the word in front of me . The verses on my note cards give me hope because I know they are God's promises to me.
There was one whole chapter in the book devoted to complaining. This really hit home for me. I was always complaining. As soon as I read that chapter I made a commitment to stop complaining. Philippians 2:14 says, "Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves]." She said we think we are just complaining but we are in essence complaining against God. That was a huge eye opener for me. I was basically saying I don't trust Him by complaining. This is when I knew I had to stop! Now it seems I notice it more. I try to catch myself because I don't want to be that way.
So the last few weeks have been crazy at work. We have had people out and more than enough work. MY patience has worn thin on many days but I have remained strong. God has definitely gotten me through it. I have grown so much closer to Him. It is like nothing I've ever experienced before. I feel like He is growing me for something in the near future. I have never been more hungry for the Word, I can't get enough. In all of my free time I have been listening to Cd's, reading the word, and praying. It has been quite amazing what He has been showing me. (This was from July 8)
This past week (July 4th week) was the Southwest Believers Convention. I really wanted to go to this but since I couldn't I listened online every chance I got. I was so blessed by it. I can't wait to get all of the media from it in a few weeks so I can listen to the whole thing. Since it was raining here on the 4th of July I spent my entire day listening and all day Saturday. All of the pastors are so knowledgeable in the Word of God. I will post more about what I learned and what I will learn when I get all of the media from the convention.
So the Sunday following the 4th I listened to a message from Jesse Duplantis entitled Why Isn't My Giving Working? He goes into the different forms of giving. These include Tithe, First fruits, Alms, and Seed or Offering. I wasn't aware of all of the different types of giving nor their individual purposes. This was a revelation to me that I must share with you! The following paragraphs are what I got out of this message.
The Motivation for tithing is obedience. God told us to give the first 10% of His money back to Him so that He can bless us. Tithe is the divine connector to the Blessing. Genesis 1:28 shows us what God had originally planned for us. "And God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it [using all its vast resources in the service of God and man]; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and over every living creature that moves upon the earth." One of the things that I got out of the message was that tithing holds God to His promise to rebuke the devourer. Malachi 3:8-12 shows us what God says about tithing. When we tithe we are forming a wall between ourselves and the devil. The devil can't touch us because God is protecting us. This was such a revelation to me. I have read Malachi 3:11 many times but this was the first time this stood out.
"Will a man rob or defraud God? Yet you rob and defraud Me. But you say, In what way do we rob or defraud You? [You have withheld your] tithes and offerings. You are cursed with the curse, for you are robbing Me, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer [insects and plagues] for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruit before the time in the field, says the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call you happy and blessed, for you shall be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts." (Malachi 3:8-12, AMP)
The Motivation of First fruits is generosity. First Fruits shows God your not in love with money. Basically first fruits is like when you get a raise at work and you give Him the first extra that comes in. So if I got a raise of $10.00 a week then I would give the first $10 to God. It shows Him that you are thankful for the extra blessing. Jesse said there are 31 references to the first fruits between both the Old and New Testaments. Here are just two examples.
"Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency [from righteous labors] and with the first fruits of all your income; So shall your storage places be filled with plenty, and your vats shall be overflowing with new wine." (Proverbs 3:9-10)
"Now if the first handful of dough offered as the first fruits [Abraham and the patriarchs] is consecrated (holy), so is the whole mass [the nation of Israel]; and if the root [Abraham] is consecrated (holy), so are the branches." (Romans 11:16)
The motivation for Alms giving is compassion and sympathy. This is the only kind of giving that is given to man instead of God. Alms giving would be like giving to the poor. This is the type of giving that we do the most of. Alms giving is to be done in secrecy. Matthew 6:1 says, "TAKE CARE not to do your good deeds publicly or before men, in order to be seen by them; otherwise you will have no reward [reserved for and awaiting you] with and from your Father Who is in heaven." When we give to the poor God will bless us with the exact same amount that we gave. Remember though this is not to be the reason we give. Our motivation is compassion and sympathy not for what we can get.
The motivation for Seed or Offering is faith and reward. This is the giving where we go above and beyond what our tithe is. This is where the 30, 60, 100, or 1,000 fold is received. This type of giving is the quickest way to stop poverty and get out of debt. God never intended for us to be in poverty or debt. He wants us blessed so that we can bless others. We must sow our seeds into in fertile ground so that it can accomplish the impossible in life. Mark 4:8 talks about sowing the seed in fertile ground. "And other seed [of the same kind] fell into good (well-adapted) soil and brought fourth good grain, growing up and increasing, and yielded up to thirty times as much, and sixty times as much, and even a hundred times as much as had been sown." (Mark 4:8, AMP) If you read on to Mark 4:20 He talks about a hundred fold return. This type of giving to me is putting complete trust in God with our finances. I can trust Him with my finances and He will grow them and bless me so I can continue to bless others. It is really exciting!
One thing Jesse said, and I am so guilty of this, is you cannot take the tithe, first fruits, or the seed and make it alms giving. You change the purpose of the giving. Plus you open yourself up to the devourer. 2 Corinthians 9 talks about giving. It tells us how we should give and the attitude we should have. Giving is one of my favorite things to do not because I expect anything in return, but because it fills me with Joy. It is just so fun!
Lately I have been pondering all of these different things. I really want a house, I want my car paid for, I would like a new job where I actually enjoy what I am doing, and a Godly husband. So many things at one time. I just have to stay focused on God and what His plan is for my life. I will eventually have all of these things and more. I know as long as I seek Him and obey then I will eventually have the desires of my heart. Just learning how to speak and have faith is helping. I am understanding so much more and I know my future is bright.
Well this post was probably all over the place but it has been a work in progress for the last few weeks. On another note I can't believe it is almost August. I haven't even had a vacation yet but I am working on that. Thanks for reading!
There was one whole chapter in the book devoted to complaining. This really hit home for me. I was always complaining. As soon as I read that chapter I made a commitment to stop complaining. Philippians 2:14 says, "Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves]." She said we think we are just complaining but we are in essence complaining against God. That was a huge eye opener for me. I was basically saying I don't trust Him by complaining. This is when I knew I had to stop! Now it seems I notice it more. I try to catch myself because I don't want to be that way.
So the last few weeks have been crazy at work. We have had people out and more than enough work. MY patience has worn thin on many days but I have remained strong. God has definitely gotten me through it. I have grown so much closer to Him. It is like nothing I've ever experienced before. I feel like He is growing me for something in the near future. I have never been more hungry for the Word, I can't get enough. In all of my free time I have been listening to Cd's, reading the word, and praying. It has been quite amazing what He has been showing me. (This was from July 8)
This past week (July 4th week) was the Southwest Believers Convention. I really wanted to go to this but since I couldn't I listened online every chance I got. I was so blessed by it. I can't wait to get all of the media from it in a few weeks so I can listen to the whole thing. Since it was raining here on the 4th of July I spent my entire day listening and all day Saturday. All of the pastors are so knowledgeable in the Word of God. I will post more about what I learned and what I will learn when I get all of the media from the convention.
So the Sunday following the 4th I listened to a message from Jesse Duplantis entitled Why Isn't My Giving Working? He goes into the different forms of giving. These include Tithe, First fruits, Alms, and Seed or Offering. I wasn't aware of all of the different types of giving nor their individual purposes. This was a revelation to me that I must share with you! The following paragraphs are what I got out of this message.
The Motivation for tithing is obedience. God told us to give the first 10% of His money back to Him so that He can bless us. Tithe is the divine connector to the Blessing. Genesis 1:28 shows us what God had originally planned for us. "And God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it [using all its vast resources in the service of God and man]; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and over every living creature that moves upon the earth." One of the things that I got out of the message was that tithing holds God to His promise to rebuke the devourer. Malachi 3:8-12 shows us what God says about tithing. When we tithe we are forming a wall between ourselves and the devil. The devil can't touch us because God is protecting us. This was such a revelation to me. I have read Malachi 3:11 many times but this was the first time this stood out.
"Will a man rob or defraud God? Yet you rob and defraud Me. But you say, In what way do we rob or defraud You? [You have withheld your] tithes and offerings. You are cursed with the curse, for you are robbing Me, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer [insects and plagues] for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruit before the time in the field, says the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call you happy and blessed, for you shall be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts." (Malachi 3:8-12, AMP)
The Motivation of First fruits is generosity. First Fruits shows God your not in love with money. Basically first fruits is like when you get a raise at work and you give Him the first extra that comes in. So if I got a raise of $10.00 a week then I would give the first $10 to God. It shows Him that you are thankful for the extra blessing. Jesse said there are 31 references to the first fruits between both the Old and New Testaments. Here are just two examples.
"Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency [from righteous labors] and with the first fruits of all your income; So shall your storage places be filled with plenty, and your vats shall be overflowing with new wine." (Proverbs 3:9-10)
"Now if the first handful of dough offered as the first fruits [Abraham and the patriarchs] is consecrated (holy), so is the whole mass [the nation of Israel]; and if the root [Abraham] is consecrated (holy), so are the branches." (Romans 11:16)
The motivation for Alms giving is compassion and sympathy. This is the only kind of giving that is given to man instead of God. Alms giving would be like giving to the poor. This is the type of giving that we do the most of. Alms giving is to be done in secrecy. Matthew 6:1 says, "TAKE CARE not to do your good deeds publicly or before men, in order to be seen by them; otherwise you will have no reward [reserved for and awaiting you] with and from your Father Who is in heaven." When we give to the poor God will bless us with the exact same amount that we gave. Remember though this is not to be the reason we give. Our motivation is compassion and sympathy not for what we can get.
The motivation for Seed or Offering is faith and reward. This is the giving where we go above and beyond what our tithe is. This is where the 30, 60, 100, or 1,000 fold is received. This type of giving is the quickest way to stop poverty and get out of debt. God never intended for us to be in poverty or debt. He wants us blessed so that we can bless others. We must sow our seeds into in fertile ground so that it can accomplish the impossible in life. Mark 4:8 talks about sowing the seed in fertile ground. "And other seed [of the same kind] fell into good (well-adapted) soil and brought fourth good grain, growing up and increasing, and yielded up to thirty times as much, and sixty times as much, and even a hundred times as much as had been sown." (Mark 4:8, AMP) If you read on to Mark 4:20 He talks about a hundred fold return. This type of giving to me is putting complete trust in God with our finances. I can trust Him with my finances and He will grow them and bless me so I can continue to bless others. It is really exciting!
One thing Jesse said, and I am so guilty of this, is you cannot take the tithe, first fruits, or the seed and make it alms giving. You change the purpose of the giving. Plus you open yourself up to the devourer. 2 Corinthians 9 talks about giving. It tells us how we should give and the attitude we should have. Giving is one of my favorite things to do not because I expect anything in return, but because it fills me with Joy. It is just so fun!
Lately I have been pondering all of these different things. I really want a house, I want my car paid for, I would like a new job where I actually enjoy what I am doing, and a Godly husband. So many things at one time. I just have to stay focused on God and what His plan is for my life. I will eventually have all of these things and more. I know as long as I seek Him and obey then I will eventually have the desires of my heart. Just learning how to speak and have faith is helping. I am understanding so much more and I know my future is bright.
Well this post was probably all over the place but it has been a work in progress for the last few weeks. On another note I can't believe it is almost August. I haven't even had a vacation yet but I am working on that. Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Filled to the Full and Overflowing
So I have been listening to the Kenneth Copeland Broadcasts the past week and of course today. George Pearson and Gloria Copeland have been speaking about debt free living. I have been enjoying it so much! I received the 10 message CD set this weekend on debt free living that Kenneth and George put together. I have only listened to one message but it was excellent!
Kenneth Copeland said something that really struck me. "Borrowing is a replacement Covenant. It is going to someone else when you should have gone to God!" WOW! That is a powerful statement! On Fridays broadcast they were talking about making a quality decision. When we make a quality decision it is from the heart. It is something that we don't go back on. This can be applied to many decisions we make in our lives. Our decision to follow God is not just a decision we take lightly, it is a quality decision! I have made a quality decision to stay out of debt for the rest of my life. No more credit cards, no more car payments, and there will never be a mortgage payment. I made the decision on Friday, May 24, 2013. It has already been a little hard. The enemy doesn't want me to be out of debt. The enemy has already said things like "credit cards aren't bad" and "how will you ever have a house." I have news for him, I am living debt free and in abundance and there is nothing he can do about it!! God is my Source, not this world. Nothing is Impossible through God!
I know the world will think I am crazy but I believe God can do anything! His Word says in Philippians 4:19 that "My God will liberally supply (fill to the full) my every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus(The anointed and His anointing)." It also says in John 10:10 that "I came that you may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)." His Words are truth! They never change! If He says He will supply all my needs then He will! Praise Jesus! Why should I doubt this? I must strengthen my faith in Him. He is my everything. The most wonderful thing about being debt free is I will be free from this worlds financial system! I will be able to freely give anything He wants me to because I won't owe one penny. True Freedom!
I would encourage you to go to www.kcm.org and listen to the broadcasts from the last week and listen to this weeks as well. Also under the video if you put your name and e-mail you can download the notes. One of them is 21 ways God supplies with over 190 verses about tithing, seed time and harvest, among many others. There are also notes on the broadcasts for the whole two weeks. It is something like 28 pages worth of notes. These notes will help you go deeper into this subject about money and will Bless you! The one verse that changed the way I thought about money is Romans 13:8, "Keep out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another."
I am thankful and truly Blessed that He loves me enough to show me His Word. I can live Blessed right here on earth! Praise be to Jesus!!
Dallas
Kenneth Copeland said something that really struck me. "Borrowing is a replacement Covenant. It is going to someone else when you should have gone to God!" WOW! That is a powerful statement! On Fridays broadcast they were talking about making a quality decision. When we make a quality decision it is from the heart. It is something that we don't go back on. This can be applied to many decisions we make in our lives. Our decision to follow God is not just a decision we take lightly, it is a quality decision! I have made a quality decision to stay out of debt for the rest of my life. No more credit cards, no more car payments, and there will never be a mortgage payment. I made the decision on Friday, May 24, 2013. It has already been a little hard. The enemy doesn't want me to be out of debt. The enemy has already said things like "credit cards aren't bad" and "how will you ever have a house." I have news for him, I am living debt free and in abundance and there is nothing he can do about it!! God is my Source, not this world. Nothing is Impossible through God!
I know the world will think I am crazy but I believe God can do anything! His Word says in Philippians 4:19 that "My God will liberally supply (fill to the full) my every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus(The anointed and His anointing)." It also says in John 10:10 that "I came that you may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)." His Words are truth! They never change! If He says He will supply all my needs then He will! Praise Jesus! Why should I doubt this? I must strengthen my faith in Him. He is my everything. The most wonderful thing about being debt free is I will be free from this worlds financial system! I will be able to freely give anything He wants me to because I won't owe one penny. True Freedom!
I would encourage you to go to www.kcm.org and listen to the broadcasts from the last week and listen to this weeks as well. Also under the video if you put your name and e-mail you can download the notes. One of them is 21 ways God supplies with over 190 verses about tithing, seed time and harvest, among many others. There are also notes on the broadcasts for the whole two weeks. It is something like 28 pages worth of notes. These notes will help you go deeper into this subject about money and will Bless you! The one verse that changed the way I thought about money is Romans 13:8, "Keep out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another."
I am thankful and truly Blessed that He loves me enough to show me His Word. I can live Blessed right here on earth! Praise be to Jesus!!
Dallas
Monday, May 20, 2013
A Crossroads
My Life feels like it is at a crossroads right now. I am ready to move forward and get where God wants me to be. It's like I just want to go somewhere. It is a weird feeling that I can't really describe. I am ready to step out in faith and really trust Him. I am not sure what that looks like yet but I will continue to seek Him to find out what that means.
I have been listening to teaching tapes from Kenneth Copeland, Jerry Savelle, and Jesse Duplantis on faith, words, and The Blessing. I have learned that all three of these go hand in hand. It is amazing what God has been showing me. I have noticed words being said that are not speaking life. This even happens at my church. The thing is that so many Christians don't understand the power of their words. God mentions it so many times in the word. I have been going through and finding these verses which I will have a blog post on later. I am thankful God has been showing me things about words. I am able to catch myself before I say something or if I slip up and say something I shouldn't I can ask for forgiveness quickly. This new truth will be a part of my life from now on and will help shape my life.
I have been taking a finance class at church the past four weeks and I have learned a lot. There is one thing that keep being said that perturbs me though. "It is ok to be in debt" and "God never said we couldn't have debt , He said there would be consequences though." In Romans 13:8 it clearly states that we should not have debt. "Keep out of debt and owe no man anything." Now I don't know about you but this clearly states we should not have debt. Deuteronomy 28:12-13 say the same thing. "And you shall lend to many nations, but you SHALL NOT borrow. And the Lord shall make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall be above only and not be beneath." After listening to this truth the past few weeks I am more than grateful that the Lord allowed me to hear the Truth before I heard this. I would encourage you to go read Deuteronomy 28:1-14. It is the promise of The Blessing. You can't just read it and go about your life. You must speak the what the Words says. It is yours to have. The Lord became the curse and died on the cross so that we may have the Blessing. John 10:10 says "He came that we may have life and that we may have it more abundantly." These words are words of Life. It is the ultimate plan and will of God for our lives.
So back to the crossroads that I feel that I am in. I feel that it is time to move on from the job I am in but I don't know where I would go or what I would be doing. I want to tell everyone the Truth I have learned. In my mind it seems like something I can't do. Little quiet me. You know what is spectacular about that though. God can use me to do anything! Praise Jesus! I can preach if He wants me to because all things are possible in Christ (The Anointed One and His Anointing) WHICH strengthens me! It says in Deuteronomy that He will bless me in all that I undertake. Now that is a Promise!!
One other thing that has been on my mind is should I continue with school or not. Part of me feels like more knowledge might distract from the Word. Can I not learn what I need to by studying the Word daily? Part of me thinks it would be good to learn more. Right now the only way I could see continuing is if I could do more than two classes at a time. I am going to continue to pray and seek His will in this area. I am ready and willing to go and do whatever He wants.
I really enjoy having your feedback on this subject of words and debt. I would love to hear your stories about what God is doing in your life. It encourages me to hear what God is doing in other peoples lives. Thanks for reading,
Dallas
I have been listening to teaching tapes from Kenneth Copeland, Jerry Savelle, and Jesse Duplantis on faith, words, and The Blessing. I have learned that all three of these go hand in hand. It is amazing what God has been showing me. I have noticed words being said that are not speaking life. This even happens at my church. The thing is that so many Christians don't understand the power of their words. God mentions it so many times in the word. I have been going through and finding these verses which I will have a blog post on later. I am thankful God has been showing me things about words. I am able to catch myself before I say something or if I slip up and say something I shouldn't I can ask for forgiveness quickly. This new truth will be a part of my life from now on and will help shape my life.
I have been taking a finance class at church the past four weeks and I have learned a lot. There is one thing that keep being said that perturbs me though. "It is ok to be in debt" and "God never said we couldn't have debt , He said there would be consequences though." In Romans 13:8 it clearly states that we should not have debt. "Keep out of debt and owe no man anything." Now I don't know about you but this clearly states we should not have debt. Deuteronomy 28:12-13 say the same thing. "And you shall lend to many nations, but you SHALL NOT borrow. And the Lord shall make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall be above only and not be beneath." After listening to this truth the past few weeks I am more than grateful that the Lord allowed me to hear the Truth before I heard this. I would encourage you to go read Deuteronomy 28:1-14. It is the promise of The Blessing. You can't just read it and go about your life. You must speak the what the Words says. It is yours to have. The Lord became the curse and died on the cross so that we may have the Blessing. John 10:10 says "He came that we may have life and that we may have it more abundantly." These words are words of Life. It is the ultimate plan and will of God for our lives.
So back to the crossroads that I feel that I am in. I feel that it is time to move on from the job I am in but I don't know where I would go or what I would be doing. I want to tell everyone the Truth I have learned. In my mind it seems like something I can't do. Little quiet me. You know what is spectacular about that though. God can use me to do anything! Praise Jesus! I can preach if He wants me to because all things are possible in Christ (The Anointed One and His Anointing) WHICH strengthens me! It says in Deuteronomy that He will bless me in all that I undertake. Now that is a Promise!!
One other thing that has been on my mind is should I continue with school or not. Part of me feels like more knowledge might distract from the Word. Can I not learn what I need to by studying the Word daily? Part of me thinks it would be good to learn more. Right now the only way I could see continuing is if I could do more than two classes at a time. I am going to continue to pray and seek His will in this area. I am ready and willing to go and do whatever He wants.
I really enjoy having your feedback on this subject of words and debt. I would love to hear your stories about what God is doing in your life. It encourages me to hear what God is doing in other peoples lives. Thanks for reading,
Dallas
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Words and The Blessing of God
God has been teaching me so, so very much over the last two weeks. I'm telling you it has excited my spirit!! Kenneth Copeland and Jerry Savelle were on the past two weeks talking about how each day God blesses us. You know I never thought about God blessing me every day but when I actually stop and look at it I can see even the little things that we tend to take for granted. He feeds me every day, He has given me a wonderful warm home, He has given me a job, and He has given me a nice car. I am so thankful that He daily loads me with blessings. This verse stuck out to me and boy it gets me excited. Psalm 68:19 says " Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation. Selah." I also learned that "Selah" means stop and think on this. So before we move on to the next verse we should stop and meditate on what this verse means. This got me excited. To know my Awesome God loves me so much that He would want to bless me even when I don't deserve it. He is so amazing! He is so worthy of all of my praise!
So as I began to study this more and listen to more of their teachings I have learned that to receive this blessing you must not only believe He will bless you but we must be speaking words of Life. Now God has been showing me this over the last month or longer and He continues to show me this. I am taking it all in and know that that this is part of Him growing me. I can't stress this enough, Words are so, so, so very important! When we says things like I could just die or I am so sick. We are giving the enemy a chance to take over in our life. Our words matter!
Take this story from Kenneth Copeland for example. He was asked by a lady why her husband died in a terrible car accident and her and her children weren't. Now this family was hit by a drunk driver and the car was hit so hard the car was in half. She said as she was laying out there on the ground she began to speak words of life over her kids and herself. Thanking God for her health, thanking Him for her children's health, Thanking Him for keeping them alive. She said her husband wasn't hurt at all. He was walking around checking on everyone. She told Kenneth Copeland that she knew why he died after she got through listening to his message on words. Her husband came and stood over her and said I'm going to die. Three days later he was dead. This really spoke to me. Every word that comes out of our mouths either speak life or death.
We have the power of God in us. He is the Anointed One and we have that power in us. He has given us the authority over the earth by His words spoken through us. When we speak His word into our circumstances they have to obey. God is the almighty! I'm telling you this got me fired up! I don't want to go another day speaking anything but life!
I don't want people to go through life thinking that they can't have the blessing of the Lord. Shouldn't we as Christians be prosperous? We are supposed to be giving to others and helping them in their time of need. How can we do this without the blessings from God?
So I am going to wrap this up. I believe God has given me a ear for words of life and death. I hear other people talk around me and I think, you have no idea what you are saying. He has opened my ears to hear so that I may learn to walk in The Blessing. I am so blessed and so thankful that He has shown me this! It so overwhelming when I think about just how much He loves me! Oh, He loves me so much! I want nothing more then for every human being to experience this love from their Heavenly Father.
If you would like to dive deeper into this subject I would encourage you to go here to www.kcm.org and click on the past broadcasts. Listen to Every day a Blessing day and expect daily benefits from God. They will Bless you. I also have listen to Faith How it Works and Watch Your Words, Guard Your Heart, Get Results. All of these were awesome teachings. Jerry Savelle also has the Every Day a Blessing Day cd set that you can get off the website above.
Be Blessed,
Dallas
So as I began to study this more and listen to more of their teachings I have learned that to receive this blessing you must not only believe He will bless you but we must be speaking words of Life. Now God has been showing me this over the last month or longer and He continues to show me this. I am taking it all in and know that that this is part of Him growing me. I can't stress this enough, Words are so, so, so very important! When we says things like I could just die or I am so sick. We are giving the enemy a chance to take over in our life. Our words matter!
Take this story from Kenneth Copeland for example. He was asked by a lady why her husband died in a terrible car accident and her and her children weren't. Now this family was hit by a drunk driver and the car was hit so hard the car was in half. She said as she was laying out there on the ground she began to speak words of life over her kids and herself. Thanking God for her health, thanking Him for her children's health, Thanking Him for keeping them alive. She said her husband wasn't hurt at all. He was walking around checking on everyone. She told Kenneth Copeland that she knew why he died after she got through listening to his message on words. Her husband came and stood over her and said I'm going to die. Three days later he was dead. This really spoke to me. Every word that comes out of our mouths either speak life or death.
We have the power of God in us. He is the Anointed One and we have that power in us. He has given us the authority over the earth by His words spoken through us. When we speak His word into our circumstances they have to obey. God is the almighty! I'm telling you this got me fired up! I don't want to go another day speaking anything but life!
I don't want people to go through life thinking that they can't have the blessing of the Lord. Shouldn't we as Christians be prosperous? We are supposed to be giving to others and helping them in their time of need. How can we do this without the blessings from God?
So I am going to wrap this up. I believe God has given me a ear for words of life and death. I hear other people talk around me and I think, you have no idea what you are saying. He has opened my ears to hear so that I may learn to walk in The Blessing. I am so blessed and so thankful that He has shown me this! It so overwhelming when I think about just how much He loves me! Oh, He loves me so much! I want nothing more then for every human being to experience this love from their Heavenly Father.
If you would like to dive deeper into this subject I would encourage you to go here to www.kcm.org and click on the past broadcasts. Listen to Every day a Blessing day and expect daily benefits from God. They will Bless you. I also have listen to Faith How it Works and Watch Your Words, Guard Your Heart, Get Results. All of these were awesome teachings. Jerry Savelle also has the Every Day a Blessing Day cd set that you can get off the website above.
Be Blessed,
Dallas
Monday, April 15, 2013
Your Words either Speak Life or Death! Which Will You Choose?
Lately I have been noticing that I seem to be hearing what other people say better. Now when I say this I mean I hear their words and God immediately says "That is not how you should speak." I have realized in the past few weeks that I am noticing my own words as well. I think of the verse in Proverbs 18:21 that says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]." This verse shows us how powerful our tongue really is.
One of the guys at work said something the other day along the lines of "I have an old car and I know something is going to happen anytime to it." That very evening his car broke down. Now you tell me how powerful your words are? That was really the first day that I started really listening to my words and the words of others. It is like God has given me a heightened sense of hearing. It is really awesome! I have been noticing what other people say and what I say ever since that day. God is teaching me how to speak.! I love it!
So do you say things that go against God's Word?? When you say something that contradicts the word of God then you are allowing the devil into your life to do as he pleases. If you say "By His Stripes I am Healed!" Then by God you are healed! When I declare I am debt free and I will owe no man anything. I believe it with all my heart! I say Amen, which means "So Be It," and believe it is done. There will be no more words out of my mouth that contradict the word of God. The Word of God is powerful and when we speak it out of our mouth we have the same power Jesus had when He spoke! So chose life today! Choose to speak His Word! Get into alignment with His Words. Your life will be much better when you learn this truth!
One of the guys at work said something the other day along the lines of "I have an old car and I know something is going to happen anytime to it." That very evening his car broke down. Now you tell me how powerful your words are? That was really the first day that I started really listening to my words and the words of others. It is like God has given me a heightened sense of hearing. It is really awesome! I have been noticing what other people say and what I say ever since that day. God is teaching me how to speak.! I love it!
So do you say things that go against God's Word?? When you say something that contradicts the word of God then you are allowing the devil into your life to do as he pleases. If you say "By His Stripes I am Healed!" Then by God you are healed! When I declare I am debt free and I will owe no man anything. I believe it with all my heart! I say Amen, which means "So Be It," and believe it is done. There will be no more words out of my mouth that contradict the word of God. The Word of God is powerful and when we speak it out of our mouth we have the same power Jesus had when He spoke! So chose life today! Choose to speak His Word! Get into alignment with His Words. Your life will be much better when you learn this truth!
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
God's steadfast love
So today was a very interesting day at work. God definitely gave me patience today! I am ever so thankful that He takes care of me and loves me the way He does. I had to read Hosea and Amos for a discussion for school and I found that God showed mercy so much throughout both books. He never wants to hurt us! He loves us so very much that He gave his only son for us.
"Seek (inquire for and require) good and not evil that you may live, and so the Lord, the God of Hosts, will be with you, as you have said." Amos 5:14
"For thus says the Lord to the House of Israel (which would also be us): Seek me [inquire for and of me and require me as you require food] and you shall live!" Amos 5:4
"Then you will seek me, inquire for, and require me [as a vital necessity] and fine me when you search for me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13
If you are familiar with Jeremiah 29:11-12 then this verse should make you excited! When I go after God, He will be there! He wants us to live eternally with Him forever. When you really stop and think about how much God really loves you it is like a peace comes over you! His love is so deep and so wide we cannot even fathom it but His presence is so amazing it is like He wraps His love around us! I can't even describe how much He loves me because my mind can't even fathom His love! If you can think about how a parent must love their child and then times that my eternity that is how much God loves us! He hurts when we hurt. He cries when we cry. FYI: Did you know he saves each tear you ever cried! That is how much he loves you!
I am sorry for rambling but I am just so excited!! He always knows what I need when I need it and He has blessed me so much! His love is never failing! It never gives up! He will always love me no matter what I do! He will never, ever forsake me!
I will leave you with this verse
"Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]."
1 Corinthians 13:7-8a
"Seek (inquire for and require) good and not evil that you may live, and so the Lord, the God of Hosts, will be with you, as you have said." Amos 5:14
"For thus says the Lord to the House of Israel (which would also be us): Seek me [inquire for and of me and require me as you require food] and you shall live!" Amos 5:4
"Then you will seek me, inquire for, and require me [as a vital necessity] and fine me when you search for me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13
If you are familiar with Jeremiah 29:11-12 then this verse should make you excited! When I go after God, He will be there! He wants us to live eternally with Him forever. When you really stop and think about how much God really loves you it is like a peace comes over you! His love is so deep and so wide we cannot even fathom it but His presence is so amazing it is like He wraps His love around us! I can't even describe how much He loves me because my mind can't even fathom His love! If you can think about how a parent must love their child and then times that my eternity that is how much God loves us! He hurts when we hurt. He cries when we cry. FYI: Did you know he saves each tear you ever cried! That is how much he loves you!
I am sorry for rambling but I am just so excited!! He always knows what I need when I need it and He has blessed me so much! His love is never failing! It never gives up! He will always love me no matter what I do! He will never, ever forsake me!
I will leave you with this verse
"Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]."
1 Corinthians 13:7-8a
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Life
So some really cool stuff has happened over the last few weeks! I am now off on Saturdays!! I am so super excited about that! This will be the first time in like 8 years that I will actually have Saturdays off without having to ask for them. I actually have never not worked Saturdays since I started working. I really didn't mind working Saturdays but now I am free to travel, which is something I love, love, love to do!! You will see more pictures and fun things in the future!
On another note I have been trying to write a research paper on Isaiah and finish this semester out strong. I however have absolutely no motivation! None! A few weeks ago during my Holy Spirit class (This is a class my church has been doing to help us learn how to live life to the fullest) the teacher (who happens to be the pastor) was talking about how we have to be the ones willing to listen for God's voice. He also said something along the lines of how will we chose to spend our lives? Will it be doing other things or will we seek God? Will we sit in front of the television or whatever our "idol" may be instead of choosing to spend time with God? This really woke me up and made me realize that I don't need to be doing this school thing right now. I had been feeling like it consumes my life and I am not able to spend time with Him. After that class I really prayed about it and I felt like I should not be doing school at this time. I may go back in the future but not anytime soon. I really want to focus on reading His Word. I also have several books by Christian authors I have been wanting to read but I haven't had anytime to do that because I am busy reading a textbook. I have learned a lot during my very short time and I don't regret it but now is not the time for this.
I am so thankful I got to take the Holy Spirit class and I have learned so, so very much. I am sad it is over actually. I am really going to focus on developing my listening skills over the next few months so I can learn how to hear clearly from the Lord. My biggest thing is actually sitting down and just being still so I can actually hear. I would encourage you to check out some of the messages from Gateway Church on the Holy Spirit. They are so good and he puts it in a way that is very easy to understand. Hear is the link to one of the sermons by Robert Morris. This is actually the one we listened to last night. So good!! You can scroll on the right and listen to more sermons by him. http://gatewaypeople.com/sermons/144877
On another note I have been trying to write a research paper on Isaiah and finish this semester out strong. I however have absolutely no motivation! None! A few weeks ago during my Holy Spirit class (This is a class my church has been doing to help us learn how to live life to the fullest) the teacher (who happens to be the pastor) was talking about how we have to be the ones willing to listen for God's voice. He also said something along the lines of how will we chose to spend our lives? Will it be doing other things or will we seek God? Will we sit in front of the television or whatever our "idol" may be instead of choosing to spend time with God? This really woke me up and made me realize that I don't need to be doing this school thing right now. I had been feeling like it consumes my life and I am not able to spend time with Him. After that class I really prayed about it and I felt like I should not be doing school at this time. I may go back in the future but not anytime soon. I really want to focus on reading His Word. I also have several books by Christian authors I have been wanting to read but I haven't had anytime to do that because I am busy reading a textbook. I have learned a lot during my very short time and I don't regret it but now is not the time for this.
I am so thankful I got to take the Holy Spirit class and I have learned so, so very much. I am sad it is over actually. I am really going to focus on developing my listening skills over the next few months so I can learn how to hear clearly from the Lord. My biggest thing is actually sitting down and just being still so I can actually hear. I would encourage you to check out some of the messages from Gateway Church on the Holy Spirit. They are so good and he puts it in a way that is very easy to understand. Hear is the link to one of the sermons by Robert Morris. This is actually the one we listened to last night. So good!! You can scroll on the right and listen to more sermons by him. http://gatewaypeople.com/sermons/144877
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Learning Moments
Work has not really changed over the last few weeks. It is still really stressful! I feel like I am doing damage control constantly. I have been so scatter brained too. I have to wake up in the morning and make a decision to focus on Jesus every single day. If I don't the day will not go well and I don't want to say or do something that doesn't represent Him.
I know God knew that this would be happening in my life at this exact moment. So everyday I will chose Him! He holds my future in His hands and I will chose to trust Him. Why would I not trust Him with my entire life? I am so grateful I can walk through life knowing He is by my side walking ahead of me, walking beside me, and sometimes carrying me through. On nights like tonight I like to worship and praise Him. Just rest in His presence. I am so thankful that I am given that opportunity!
I am praying that something changes! I don't think it will change quickly but I don't know for sure. I know one thing is for sure, I will be changed! For that I am grateful! You can't have to many learning moments! :)
I know God knew that this would be happening in my life at this exact moment. So everyday I will chose Him! He holds my future in His hands and I will chose to trust Him. Why would I not trust Him with my entire life? I am so grateful I can walk through life knowing He is by my side walking ahead of me, walking beside me, and sometimes carrying me through. On nights like tonight I like to worship and praise Him. Just rest in His presence. I am so thankful that I am given that opportunity!
I am praying that something changes! I don't think it will change quickly but I don't know for sure. I know one thing is for sure, I will be changed! For that I am grateful! You can't have to many learning moments! :)
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Take and Eat
We were given an assignment in my Old Testament survey class where we had to compare "she took...and she ate" and "Take and eat". This was really eye opening to me! I love what this represents! The following is what I wrote for the class.
I found the connection between "she took...and she
ate" and "Take and eat" very interesting. I have never made the
connection between the fall of man and salvation from these simple words. In Matthew 26:26, Jesus is saying to us to
"take and eat" of Him. The bread represents the Word and the bread is
His body. Just as we must eat every day we must "take and eat" of His
word every single day.
The devil lied to Adam and Eve telling them that if they ate
of the tree they could be like God. In reality they were in God's presence all
along and by eating the fruit they separated themselves from God. It is so
amazing to me how these two words "take and eat" can be used to
separate us from God and yet redeem us at the same time. It is no coincidence
that these two words are used in the Bible in these two places. We "take
and eat" what the devil has for us sometimes and it leads us to brokenness.
Jesus redeems us by showing us His Word and leading us to a place of freedom in
Him. If we "Take and eat" of Him, He is all we need.
That Presence that Adam and Eve had in the garden we are now
freely given once again. Jesus gave us His body for to be able to freely be in
His presence again. When we read His Word, Worship Him, and speak to Him; He
breathes His life into us. When we Believe that He died on the cross for us He
gives us salvation. We can now experience Him all the time, wherever we are! He
took the lies of the devil and turned them into the most beautiful outpouring
of love and grace. He gave His life all for us to be saved from death so that
we may experience life as He intended it to be from the very beginning.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)