Embracing Uncertainties

“Faith is embracing the uncertainties of life. It is chasing the lions that cross our paths. It is recognizing a divine appointment when you see one.

“Embrace relational uncertainty. It’s called romance. Embrace spiritual uncertainty. It’s called mystery. Embrace occupational uncertainty. It’s called destiny. Embrace emotional uncertainty. It’s called joy. Embrace intellectual uncertainty. It’s called revelation” (In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, Mark Batterson p. 89).

Oh Wow how that one word can frighten me: Uncertainty…I don’t like it one bit. It gives me no direction and no stability. But in reading this quote we cannot ignore the greater word here: FAITH. If you examine the Bible you will find plenty examples of men and women of faith. People who did not cling to what they knew, but rather stepped out in Faith and lived boldly.  At this point, I Must choose Faith!

Have you ever felt God was pushing you to something seemingly uncertain? A future where not all the details are worked out and you have no idea how you are going to pay over $23,000 back in college loans? A future other than the one you thought you wanted? … Aww, but a future filled with God leading. A future where “we make it hard on God and easy on us, because He can afford it and we cannot” (Winkie Pratney). A future filled with courageous and risky decisions for the will of God. A future trusting the most Trustworthy One we can ever even imagine. Destiny! Dang, that sounds good to me

When we are too worried about life, and plan everything we miss out on God’s plan. – Divine appointments – Romance – Mystery – Destiny – Joy – Revelation. Be courageous and TRUST God. It is a day by day decision. How will you live??

Uncertainty, as much as I dislike this word, with God sounds like Faith to me.

God is Greater!

Yesterday was an amazing day. God was working in hearts and changing lives. I know He even helped to refocus my perspective – I love that God continues to change me, and never leaves me just the same (If you have not changed/grown in any way lately, maybe  its time. We’ve never arrived and we can always improve!) But even though Yesterday morning/afternoon was wonderful I knew the enemy was not happy. When I was leaving a friend I mentioned, now the fight begins. And man was I right…

A very close family friend is dying . I’ve known that this is really the end for a couple of days, but it really began to hit me yesterday. I was trying to focus and do my homework, because Lord knows it’s never-ending, but I could not focus. I just kept being sad. I called my mom, and we talked and she prayed with me, but I was stuck. I was losing motivation to do anything. – Ok, I know that it is ok to mourn someone it has to happen, and I would really love to be with my family right now, but it is not possible. However this was more than that,  I was swiftly beginning to sink into depression, and I noticed everything was changing work ethic, eating/sleeping habits, dedication to school and various activities I am a part of – Man, all within a day  or two - crazy how the enemy works. But praise God…

During the day God reminded me of a couple of things.

1. Today is Not about me.

2. Happiness comes from what happens, joy comes from the Lord.

3. Colossians 4 – Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

TRUTH: In the midst of everything God is faithful!  In every situation we have to let God lead us or we will be stuck in the downward spiral of self-pity and depression. – GOD IS GREATER. He may not change the situation, but He changes me and my perspective in the situation.

Loving Jesus with All that I’ve got!

It is easy to become overwhelmed, exhausted, and stressed out if you are trying to handle life on your own. Why not let God handle it?

Recently I was super stressed from work/finances,  and classes/homework. This semester has been tough, and I have never had one like this. All I did was work, study, and go to class. I was trying to manage everything through my own strength. I began to spend less time in the Bible and prayer daily, and more time with my textbooks. It felt like I never had enough time, and while that workload remains the same God has once again shifted my focus. He has reminded me of who He is, and the purpose for which He has me here at WSU.

I encourage you all to be faithful and spend time with God our Creator everyday. Something that has helped me with the stress of work and college is spending time in the bible for a while before I begin my main study session. The Lord will speak to you if you’re available. Take time out, make it a priority! – think about what you make time for…is anything actually more worthy than spending time with the Father??

Seek after the Lord!

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength Deuteronomy 6:5

Don’t freak out about anything, but pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. – Philippians 4:6

~Loving Jesus with All that I’ve got!~

focus

A friend of mine shared not too long ago, that if you have more than 3 priorities you have none at all.  There have been so many times in life where I want to focus on this, that and the other thing, plus more.  But if my focus is all over the place then it is nowhere near where God desires for it to be.

Have you ever had moments when you’re trying to make something happen that maybe God didn’t have planned?

For example, I would love to do musical theater, but I don’t really see that in the future. I think it would also be cool to hone in some awesome ice skating skills…lol. These things, though not wrong, are not what God is doing in my life. I can’t decide to put all these other activities before Him. And if you notice, all of these things are about ME. Solely Me.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure Jesus is about People.

If life is spent only on me then where is the purpose? Another thing my above friend always says TODAY IS NOT ABOUT ME! Man, how this changes things when we really live this way. We love people way better, and are more available for God to use us. Challenge to you, live this way. Put others above yourself!

So the list has been focused, and the top 3 priorities in life right now are Jesus, People, and Spanish. I’m choosing to focus in on three and commit rather than be spread thin across many things so i can gain a little skill in everything.

JESUS – PEOPLE – SPANISH!

What’s your focus?

sharpening

^Jude1:20-23

²⁰ But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, ²¹ and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love. ²² And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. ²³ Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.

ok, so many things can be taken from this, but one of the things that stuck out to me when I read this not to long ago was about loving people with God’s love. Being willing to step up and speak into other peoples’ lives. Loving people enough to point out sin, and not let them slip into those flames…dang, sometimes that is really hard.  To confront someone with truth, knowing that they may reject you and blow it off…that it may cause a rough patch in your relationship. But here is the thing, if you are willing to stand by and let them compromise then you really don’t love them at all...then we are being selfish and letting our friend slip up.  To be a true friend we should be truth to each other, and even in the times when we don’t want to hear it or give it we must accept it and love those around us.  When people correct you, thank them for correcting you and for loving you enough to point it out. Do not close your heart to them. This is how we are building each other up in holy faith!

We must Love each other enough to sharpen each other.

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. – Proverbs 27:17

Consistent, Active and In Love

Consistence: steadfast adherence to the same principles, course, form, etc.

Matthew 33:37-39 -³⁷Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

I have been hearing these  verses very often lately….Love God with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, ALL your mind…all together…not in parts or at different times. God is teaching me much about consistency within all of this. Consistency in my love for Him, in my relationship with Him, and in my relationships with others…because there goes the second greatest commandment, love your neighbor as yourself.  How are you relationships with people going? are they consistent?…God has opened my eyes to how I have been kind of dropping the ball on many of my relationships. I have got to be consistent in my love for people.  That comes through my consistent love for God…I am fascinated with His ability to tie everything together.   There must be consistency, which comes from God and from activity in my life.  If I am passive then, I am not active.

Active: being in a state of existence, progress, or motion…The opposite of Passive.

Be actively moving toward more of Jesus. More salvations!  More obedience, and more of God’s Love!

I am actively and consistently lying down my life, I cannot do this without Chirst!…God please, continue to humble me. I want Your Will.

Allow God to Change You

Change: sometimes it is hard, but it is always worth it!

God has been changing me so much lately. His Word has been coming more and more real to me.  God is amazing! I love that He is choosing to change me! He chooses to love me! He chooses to save me! Lately God has been pointing out sin in my life.  Sometimes it is stuff I did not recognize, and sometimes it is stuff I did not want to recognize.  We have to allow Him to examine our hearts, come to Him with repentance, and follow Him.

Last night I was reading John 8, the story of the adulteress woman who was forgiven.

After Jesus corrected the men who intended on stoning her for adultery, there was no one left to cast stones.  He told her 8:11…”Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin any more.” He has saved us by His grace.  He does not condemn us, but chooses to love us. To give value to our lives, and He gives us LIFE! Such an important thing I got was that He told her to sin no more…Pursue living without sin. Pursue refusing to step Back into sin…is there something in your life that you used to do, and you know distinctly that God has convicted you about, or that is not honoring Him? Don’t bring it back.  When we step back into an old sin, it is so much harder to resist again. Cling to Jesus in these moment of temptation or even contemplation…if you are even thinking about that old sin, take it to God. If we choose to fall into the trap, we grieve God…Man, think about that…you are grieving God each time you disobey. each time you fall…HE LOVES YOU SO MUCH! Know that He can help you to overcome Everything!

Trust God!

^8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”

Talent from God

What are talents and gifts that God has blessed you with?

Can you make people laugh? Are you an amazing artist? Can you speak boldly about Christ? Are you a poet? Are you really good with medicine?Do you have time? Do you have a car? Are you a good chemist or mathematician?…

All of these things are examples of talents and blessings God has given to us. I recently had the opportunity to study the parable of the talent (Matthew 25). In this story a talent is literally a bag of silver, but it can be applied in this way as well.  The man in charge gave 5 talents to one servant, 2 to another, and 1 to the last. While he went away on his journey the servant with 5 talents doubled his value  and now had 10 talents. The servant with 2 talents, doubled his so now he had four. And the servant with 1 talent, went a buried it, making no profit for his master.  When their master returned he was pleased with both of the servants who brought more before him, and awarded them for their faithfulness and good work. As for the servant who made no profit, he was stripped of the 1 talent he was given and cast out.  The master called him evil and lazy, because he did nothing with what he had been given.

God has given gifts to each one of us.  Specifically! (talk about a personal Creator!) He desires for us to invest them wisely.  Invest them in others, and in opportunities to serve and love. If we do nothing with what he has given us then we are good for nothing, worthless; we’re selfish and lazy. We should seek to honor God with what He has given us. He is the source of all that is in our lives, everything we have.  He is the One who gave you a job, the One who gave you the ability to learn music, the One who gives you courage to talk to people, the One who has provided again and again.  REFUSE to be worthless and lazy. Pour yourself into honoring God. Growing your relationship with Him, and pour yourself into others. Pray for direction on how you can identify and bless others with the talents God has given you!

The personal love of Christ

Thoughts prompted by Jesus feeding the 4000. Mark  8…

So we have all heard this story over and over, but last night God really pointed out something to me.  Jesus obviously loved these people on a personal level or He would not have fed them. He could have easily sent them away but, He wanted to take care of them….That is how He is with each of us…dang, take a moment and think about that…He has given so much for You!  Thank You Jesus for loving me!  For dying on the cross for Me! Thank You Jesus for Your compassion in my life…Take time to thank Him for what He has done in your life!

I have to do more for God. After all He has done for me, I have to do more.  My life must completely reflect the grace and love of Christ.  I’ve got to get over myself, and continue in pursuit of His plans. His opportunities.

• So practical ways I can do this: deliberately seeking opportunities to pray with people, especially people from work! Directly telling people about Jesus!! Spending time Listening for God’s direction! Reminding people of God’s love! Looking for opportunities to serve people. Memorizing scripture.

I am currently praying for the miracles God is doing here in Detroit. For lives He is changing, and discipleship that is happening. Also for family friends who just lost their father/grandfather…It is so good to know Bill is celebrating with Jesus right now!!