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!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
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
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
Monday, January 26, 2009
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. ..:)
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. ..:)
Friday, January 9, 2009
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!
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!
Friday, January 2, 2009
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.
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