Just Average

Today, I wanted to reasearch what the Bible says about being average. Ironically I plugged the word "average" into some bible software online and the term "No Results" kicked back. I love that in God's message there is no "average" like we have in life. God customized each of us to operate with different talents and abilities.

Society says some of us are average and others are privilaged, but in actuality we are all chosen for different "positions".

Included is some scripture that I found while researching this topic...

Matthew 25:15 (New International Version)

15To one he gave five talents[a] of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.

Footnotes:
Matthew 25:15 A talent was worth more than a thousand dollars.

Romans 5

Peace and Joy

 1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a]have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we[c] also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
 6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 9Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Footnotes:
Romans 5:1 Or let us
Romans 5:2 Or let us
Romans 5:3 Or let us

             "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12b-13 

One Thing You Can Count On...

   One Thing I can count on is that God is in Control of everything! 

1 Chron. 26:11(LB) states, Everything in the heavens and earth is yours, oh Lord...We adore You as being in control of everything. Thank goodness I can rest in that everything doesn't ride on my sholders, yet it's humbling because as a wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend and whatever other hats I wear throughout the day it can be hard to relinquish control in certain situations, but it is so freeing to do so! 

Because God is in control my plans will have a limit. Pr.16:9(GN) says, "We should make plans - counting on God to direct us" For anyone, planning without prayer is presumtionous, and the way to remedy this is found in Pr.16:1(GN)
"We may make our plans, but God has the last word." therefore I need to pray for god to give me wisdom. Wisdom in raising my kids, wisdom in my financial decisions, wisdom for the next year to come.

Because God is in Control (any of) my problems will have a pourpose.     
1 Peter 1:6-7(Ph) "...At present you may be temporarily harassed by all kinds of trials. This is no accident- it happens to prove your faith, which is infinitely more valuable than gold."

Because God is in Control my prayers will have an impact. 1John 5:14 (NIV) "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask everything according to His will, He hears us".

For full notes on the message that inspired this posting please see www.lakestevenschurch.com . The title of the message is: The One Thing You Can Count On in 2010 - A New Year's Message by Pastor Virgil Brown 

Change for Christmas

Tis the Season...for inspiration! I wanted to share with you an inspiring message during a holiday season that is more than a note to warn you of crowded shopping malls or that eBay sold the last whatchamacallit yesterday. I have added some of my own content, but the complete set of notes on this message can be found at www.lakestevenschurch.com labeled The Change of Celebration "Coming Home This Christmas" By Pastor Virgil Brown

For starters, Take out a penny from your pocket, piggy bank, junk drawer, collect all basket - whereever you can find some loose change. Look at this penny for a second. Now I want you to hold onto this penny. I want you to remember that this penny represents the past. Through Christ, "Your past is forgiven"!
Mark 2:17 Romans 4:7-8

Now go back to that piggy bank and take out a nickel. The nickel represents Now! I want you to keep this nickel in a special place to remind you that God's spirit is in you NOW!
Romans 8:11(MSG)

Do you have a dime laying around? The dime is for your Determined Destiny. "You have a place in Heaven".
John 5:24 Romans 5:21

One more....
Dig out a quarter for your collection. The quarter is there so you remember your Spiritual Growth. "You can continue to grow!
Matthew 13:4-8(MSG) Exodus 34:22(NLT)

I hope this message of change is as much of an inspiration to you as it was to me! Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas!

With Love,
Heather

Personal Growth

I just Googled the definition to Personal Growth on an online dictonary. I got the definition of Individual gradual increase. But, even better... Personal growth equals change in action. Life is about Change and the only thing one can count on in life is change. I have been in a season of change and a season of discovery which has lead me to read more. Two books that I've been reading are The Emotionally Healthy Church and Emotionaly Healthy Spirituality both written by Peter Scazzero. They are the kind of books I need around as reference to go back and read from time to time and books that offer an opportunity for group study which I am intrested in starting.

Anyway, part of my discovery was to gather the tools in becoming an Emotionally Healthy adult in Christ which is a life long process. We never stop learning! But I needed a next level! I was desprately hungry to grow and was hitting a wall which lead me to pull away and doubt. I had expectations that were not being met. Did I communicate these expectations clearly to those I heald accountable? That is a question I have to ask myself. There are several things that can happen that cause us to look at something differently, or cause us to change the course that we are on. My despration for a direction of personal growth was high and I beleieve God was calling for me to "walk through" in order to get to the other side of understanding. Beth Moore has bible study materials I am using were I am learning how to communicate with God. When we are not upfront and honest with Him it makes us vunerable. I try to let Him know 1. How very Thankful I am for all He has gotten me through! My memory is short, so many times when I am up against difficult circumstances I need to remind myself of all He has done for me, which puts things into perspective. I realize that He will not leave me or forsake me and He is bigger than my circumstances! 2. What I need! No matter what. No matter how big or small it may be, my communication with him needs to be honest, because he desires a close relationship. and 3. What he wants me to know. For this I have to find a quiet place. Read my Bible and let Him guide me. This is a disapline that takes time.

We have been called to "Love Well" and it is my hope that I can do just that!

In Closing let me offer a prayer that Peter uses in his book. Emotionally Healthy Spriituality.

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me. I am aware, Lord, of how often I treat people as its, as objects, instead of looking at them with eyes and a heart of Christ. Lord, I have unhealthy ways of relating that are deeply inbedded in me. Please change me. Make me a vessel to spread mature, steady reliable love so that people with whom I come in contact sense your tenderness and kindness. Deliver me from false peace making that is driven by fear. Lord Jesus, help me love well like you, Grow me, I pray, into an emotionally mature adult through the Holy Spirit's power. In Jesus' name, amen".

Inspired

I am feeling inspired to share more of my Journey lately. I plan on coming back to the Blog and journaling. Please stay tuned!

Vote/Donate

Hello Everyone!

I am trying to help a family friend through this car donation site. Please vote for me, so together we can be a blessing to a family in need! Thanks so much!

http://www.freecharitycars.org/hkm3676/

Good Books...

Currently I am reading the book The Case For Christ by Lee Strobel. Regarless of how much experience you've had in Church this book is a great read! I would recomend it to anyone!

Blessings!

Heather :)

Are you being tested?

I have asked myself if I am being tested many times. Yesterday was one of those days and when those days surface it's important to know what The Bible says about it.

Deuteronomy 13:1-3 says: “Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles, ² and the predicted signs or miracles occur. If they then say, ‘Come, let us worship other gods’—gods you have not known before—³ do not listen to them. The Lord your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul". (NLT)

I think it's safe to say that we are tested in all areas regarding the condition of our heart. There are several questions I ask myself when I feel I am being tested. I ask myself " Is this is something I would be happy to share with others, or God about". If not, I know that is an indication that I am being tested and that I need to lean on Him for direction. Another question I ask myself is, "what am I learning in this situation" and "can I apply it to helping others"?

I like to remember that God isn't testing me to see what I might do because he already knows all things. He is testing me to strengthen me, so I become more aware of what is in my own heart.

I pray that if you are feeling like you are being Tested today, or if you are struggling in your walk with God that you are able to hear that "still small voice". God is trying to communicate with you! If you have never had a relationship with God. I am including a prayer that you can pray to allow God to work in your life.

"Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen."

I find it helpful to journal frequently. It helps me clarify my prayers to God. I also try and read scriptures daily. There are some good resources out there. I have a Bible verse sent to me everyday. You can sign up at www.EverydayBible.com

Be Blessed!

"IT IS I: BE NOT AFRAID"

Dear Reader,

I often do not get time to blog, but I want you to know that I do want to encourage anyone reading and I hope the little insights I do write about help you as much as they help me. I am not a Pastor, but I hope that the times I reach out that someone is encouraged. If you have any questions feel free to email me. Thanks!

You'll Get Through This Storm


It's when we feel most separated from God, that He's teaching us the most. We are reminded of this when we read Mark 6:47-51 (NKJV).

⁴⁷ Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. ⁴⁸ Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. ⁴⁹ And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; ⁵⁰ for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” ⁵¹ Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.

The lesson here for all of us is that the wilderness is part of our walk with God and just as important as being on the mountaintop. On the mountaintop we are overwhelmed by God's presence. In the wilderness we are overwhelmed by His absence. Both places should bring us to our knees; the one, in utter awe; the other, in utter dependence." God doesn't show up early. Usually He comes at the worst part of the storm ( or in my experience what seems like the last minute) when you feel you can't take any more - but He will always be on time. God takes us through different storms, revealing more of Himself to us in each one. Otherwise there are aspects of His character, and divine strategies we'd never understand. God's presence alone should be enough for us in any storm. The moment He shows up and says , "It is I," Should calm our every fear.

This devotional has been quoted with permission from the The Word For You Today by Cedar Park Assembly of God. You may visit their website by going to www.cedarpark.org

Letter to God

Dear God (Father in Heaven),

Thank you for everything! You have loved me even when I am unlovable, you have provided for me when I have nothing, you have saved me!

I want to grow closer to you. I want to know that I am on the right path. I choose to trust you Lord and to seek your ways. Please hear my prayer.

I am turning to you for clarity. For the last year, I have felt that maybe we are being called to serve in something that we are not currently in, or somewhere we are not currently at. We are seeking your path for our lives and need that direction to become clear.

Help us to heal any unforgivness that may be lingering in our heart. Sometimes I am not even aware of offenses I have held onto. Please help me in this area.

I also seek for you to help me, my husband and my children lead well. Help us lead well in our lives. So much stuff is out there and our lives can take numerous turns, I just want to stop and seek you first. Help my husband and I lead our children well. Help our children lead others well. We want to have a positive impact on others lives through you Lord.

Thank You for loving me and taking time for me. I appreciate all you do, and have done!

Sincerely,
your daughter
Heather

Calling? Called!

Next week the church my family attends is opening up a new location in the town where we live and I wanted to make sure this is where God wants us to be, so I started praying about it.
Have you ever wondered what it is your here on earth to do, or what your calling in life is? Me too! If you asked me, I would say I am just an average gal trying to do my best. Try to make time, try to eat right and exercise more, among other stuff. But did you know that God calls us to a higher place? Isaiah 55:9 says "For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts". So, I did a search online and found a website that outlined how to pray and seek God's will. This gave me a blueprint - then I got out my bible - prayed and read. After I finished the first part of this process - I came to this conclusion...
I have been called to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and to serve others. It is through my service, that I will find my purpose. These are my thoughts and notes for the night to help me find my place. I don't' know all the answers that I am seeking to find, but at least I know my first step.

Be blessed!

Delicious Rest

I was reading Psalm 5 in my NIV Devotional Bible and ran across this. This is part of the devotional and below the actual scripture. It really spoke to me tonight, so I thought I would share it.

Have you felt the delicious sense of rest upon going to bed at night? How delightful was the sensation of relaxing every muscle and letting you body go in a perfect abandonment of ease and comfort. The strain of the day had ceased, for a few hours at least. You no longer had to hold up an aching head or a weary back. You trusted yourself to the bed in an absolute confidence and it held you up without effort or strain. You rested!

But suppose you had doubted the strength or the stability of your bed, and had dreaded each moment to find it giving way beneath you. Could you have rested then? Would not every muscle have been strained in a fruitless effort to hold yourself up, and would not the weariness have been greater than if you had not gone to bed at all?

Let this analogy teach you what it means to rest in the Lord. Let you souls lie down upon the couch of his will. Relax every strain, and lay off every burden. Let yourself go in a perfect abandonment of ease and comfort, sure that, since he holds you up, you are perfectly safe. Your part is simply to rest. His part is to sustain you; and he cannot fail.

Suggested reading- Psalm 62:1-2
Isaiah 62: 3-4
Psalm 91:1

The last few weeks I have been busy living life. Blogging takes time for sure, but I am glad I am able to share my experiences with others! God has been moving in my life in a BIG way and I am so grateful!

If you haven't had a chance to check out the website www.thewayofthemaster.com please do! The information on this site really clarifies what God has in store for all of our lives and gives us tools to acomplish them. And the best thing is that it works with the teachings of the Christian church and allows you to grow as a Christ follower. I appreciate that!

Aside from that, I had a "light bulb" moment today, I guess you could say. I was on my way home from my Electrolysis appointment ( Yes, I am not afraid to admit I need a electrolysis...:) ). Anyway, it can be painful to have these little hairs removed from your face, and I realized what a blessing it was! I was actually given a gift certificate from my mom to go to this one elctrolysis and although, this process is painful it is a blessing at the same time. Normally I associate blessing with happiness, joy, peace, or something like that, but to actually realize that God gives us good gifts that do cause some pain, or discomfort seems like an oxy-moron doesn't it? Well, I am thankful - although my chin is still a little sore. ..:)

My Daily Reading 1/9/09

My New Years Resolution was to read the bible daily. I have a study bible that breaks up the word into daily readings. It is great because all I have to do is look up the day and read the message for that day. It also gives me guidelines on how to meditate on each daily message. For today 1/9/09 it's:

Matthew 5 :1-16
Romans 3:21-31
* I am reading out of the New Living Translation (if you prefer New King James or any other version you can look them up here... www.biblegateway.com ).

Matthew 5:1-16
1 One day as the crowds were gathering Jesus went up the mountainside with his disciples and sat down to teach them. 2 This is what he taught them. 3 God blesses those who realize their need for him. for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them. 4 God blesses those who mourn. for they will be comforted. 5 God blesses those who are gentle and lowly; for the whole earth will belong to them. 6 God blesses those who are hungry and thirsty for justice, for they will recieve it in full. 7 God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. 9 God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. 10 God blesses those who are persecuted because they live for God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 11 God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers. 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted, too. 13 You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. 14 You are the light of the world - like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. 15 Don't hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Romans 3:21-31

21 But now God has shown us a different way of being right in his sight- not by obeying the law but by the way promised in the scriptures long ago. 22 We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done.
23 For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard. 24 Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus. Who has freed us by taking away our sins. 25 For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God's anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us. God was being entirely fair and just when he did not punish those who sinned in former times. 26 And he is entirely fair and just in this present time when he declares sinners to be right in his sight because they believe in Jesus.
27 Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds. It is based on our faith . 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.
29 After all, God is not the God of the Jews only, is he? Isn't he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. 30 There is only on God, and the is only one way of being accepted by him. He makes people right with himself only by faith. Whether they are Jews or Gentiles. 31 Well then, if we emphasize faith , does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.

Meditation of the Scriptures: Ask yourself these questions, jot down your answers in a notebook if you wish. This is an exerpt from the New Believer's Bible.


* What is the main subject of the passage?

* To Whom is this passage addressed?

* Who is speaking?

* About what or whom is the preson speaking?

* What is the key verse?

* What does this passage teach me about God?

"Then, in order to see how the word applies to you personally, ask yourself these questions":

*Is there any sin mentioned in the passage that I need to confess or forsake?

*Is there a command given that I should obey?

*Is there a promise made that I can apply to my current circumstances?

*Is there a prayer given that I could pray?

I hope these tools help you as they do me. Have a blessed day!

The Ten Commandments...

Are you a good person? Have you followed the 10 commandments? find out by clicking on the link to the right labeled "The way of the Master" to find out.

Grace

I wanted to spend time commenting about the aspects of faith that interest me the most.

Grace is an important aspect of the Christian faith. We receive Grace as a Free gift from God. "Similar to a pardon by a Governor of state. He can give a prisoner who is facing execution a pardon, or his Grace, if he wants/wills".

Why would God will for us to have Grace? Because God desires to know each of us. He loves us and wishes to have fellowship with us.

If you find yourself wanting to learn more please contact me. In the meantime ask God to help clarify his message so you may better understand it. The paradigm is that there is a lot to learn, but it's really very simple.

Matthew 7:7-8

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened

.

Questions

I often get asked a lot of questions regarding my faith and Church. For those that do not know me I am Christian and go to The Rock Church (which is a non-denominational Charismatic church) in a city nearby my house. I want to make clear I am learning everyday and that I have not been ordained as a pastor. I hold no employment at TRC, but I have a desire to know God, and to know the Truth. Because I have studied many different religions my family in-particular like to discuss my experiences and conclusions. Because of that curiosity I thought I would share what I found helpful on my journey of getting to know our Father in Heaven, his son Jesus Christ, the power of His Spirit and the message of Hope. These are clearly my thoughts on this matter and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts of my Church or it's staff; although I will try my best to be as bibically correct as possible.

Tonight was a good night for discussion and the topic at hand was how does My faith in Christ compair to the New Age philosophy of a higher power. Because early in my own journey I struggled with this concept I thought it might serve a purpose to post some thoughts and try to help others understand how they differ and why. If I am not clear please ask me and I will do my best to clarify. Obviously for space reasons I will not be able to use a lot of my material, so I welcome questions. For reference I am using information I found online at www.vatican.va .

To Start, the statement below sums up the two sides fairly well. It is my hope that even if you disagree with my viewpoint you will be able to at least follow along and possibly find some "food for thought" in the process.

"For Christians, the spiritual life is a relationship with God which gradually though his grace becomes deeper and in the process also sheds light on our relationship with our fellow men and women, and with the universe.

"Spirituality, in New Age terms means experiencing states of consciousness dominated by a sense of harmony and fusion with the Whole. ..not to meeting the transcendent God in the fullness of love, but a sense of letting one's individuality sink into the great ocean of Being".

Jesus is the difference here. There are many great philosophers, and traditions. There are many good sayings and ancient ways. Jesus is what distinguishes. Jesus was not just a man, or great philosopher. Jesus was divine and he saves us from the mess we can make out of life. Some people find it hard to see ourselves as sinners. I know I struggled with this too. God's spirit will help you understand this. We have all fallen short and understanding this is a process. We are born into a fallen world. Asking God for clarity and forgiveness isn't just you talking to yourself. This allows god to work in your life and make this message relivant.

The Bible is inspired by God.

People say the Bible was written by man. True, it was written by man, but it is inspired by God. What do I mean? I mean that no one would write the bible to just feel good about their journey. The bible contains Good News to those who follow Christ, but it is not easy or comfortable to follow all the time. The bible is God's plan and God's way of communicating with us how to live life. It is full of truth and will convict even the nicest and hard working person. I can find many things I would personally like to leave out if I had written it - just like anyone I don't like to read what I need to work on, but that's the point - it isn't inspired by people or great idea's and that is what makes it realivant yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

A Great quote...

Grace is different that Justice and Mercy:
Justice is getting what we deserve.
Mercy is not getting what we deserve.
Grace is getting what we do not deserve.

Happy New Year/ Happy 2009!!!