For some reason we think that we can make God fit into a box. The reason for me writing this today is because of a conversation I have had recently. See this person and I got into a deep conversation about religion. And the pictures this person had and everything was nice but was it the truth. The truth as we know it is not in our brains, it is in our hearts. Does God live in your heart today?
This person I talked to said that they did not believe in Hell and so it was not real, there was no way they could go there because they didn't believe it existed. How many of us are like that with other things? Do we think that just because we do not believe that it makes it better? If we believe in what the word of God says, how can we pick it apart and only apply what is good for us?
This person I talked to like the way that Catholicism worked, they liked how you can repent, but do it again. What does repent mean? It means turning from thy sin and not doing it again. I am not saying I have it all right, but what I am saying is that we can't take parts out of the bible and say that we don't like this and that or this does not apply to me and this does, so I will build my own religion that works for my life style. Do you see what is wrong with that statement? What is God about? What does God call us to? He calls us to a life of absolute surrender to Him. If we make a religion that suits us, how are we surrendering ourselves to Him?
It is when we say Lord I believe in you, despite something not making sense, Lord I want to be near you. It is written draw near to me and I will draw nearer to you. Isn't it time that we put away what we want and replace it with what God wants.
Dear Lord, Today I thank you for these people you have brought into my life and I thank you that they do not change my views, but only sink the truths deeper into me. I thank you that you are with me, that you are my rock and steadfast love, that you have made a way were there was no other way. That you have given me hope and even in the storms that you continue to teach me. I thank you for who You are and I thank You for what You do in me. I know the deeper walk has to happen in me, before You can minister through me. I thank you for this time. I thank you for giving me a way. Thank you for your love and I love you Lord today. Lord thank you for showing me the lies that try and make there way into my life, thank you from the freedom from them and I pray for the ones that spout them, thank you for showing them the truth. Thank you for the blessing that you continue to bestow on the ones that torment me and I thank you for showing the love to my dear friends and family. Thank you for the blessings you have for them today.
Amen
Have a happy Saturday and don't forget that it isn't about my way, but about God's way. My way just gets in the way, but God's way is the only way.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Friday, February 7, 2014
Bad Things
Bad things happen to good and bad people, but it is not to pull us down, but to teach us how to be better, to grow, not just upward, but downwards. They are there to remind us who we put our trust in. We can be angry about those bad times and lose focus on what is most important to us, or we can sink our roots into the word of God. When storms come and they will which direction are you going to grow? Will you huddle in a corner holding onto nothing, or will you reach out to God and Say Lord help me through this time, give me peace and wisdom, help me to grow, help me to learn and help me to thank you for even the storms.
I believe I have put this song in here before, but I wanted to put it again, because the times will get harder, the storms will come and they will be more severe each time. And when I say storm, I don't mean the terrible blowing snow, the driving cold, cold wind. Even though it is bad, the storms of life can be even worse. They can knock us down, and then when we think it is over, it comes again even harder, even more severe. Learn and grow, don't run from them for the storm can teach you how to stand and to withstand the test of time.
And if you do not know me, I speak from experience, because my life has been a storm, some of which I have caused and others in which have just happened. It is in God I trust.
"Praise You In This Storm"
I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
[Chorus:]
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You
But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
[Chorus]
I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth
I believe I have put this song in here before, but I wanted to put it again, because the times will get harder, the storms will come and they will be more severe each time. And when I say storm, I don't mean the terrible blowing snow, the driving cold, cold wind. Even though it is bad, the storms of life can be even worse. They can knock us down, and then when we think it is over, it comes again even harder, even more severe. Learn and grow, don't run from them for the storm can teach you how to stand and to withstand the test of time.
And if you do not know me, I speak from experience, because my life has been a storm, some of which I have caused and others in which have just happened. It is in God I trust.
"Praise You In This Storm"
I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
[Chorus:]
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You
But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
[Chorus]
I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth
Thank you for reading my blog. May you have a happy Friday and stay warm. :)
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Thoughts
Our mind is a vast waste land of images, thoughts, feelings, hurts and so much more. There was a time that my mind would jump from one point to the next, I would see something and my mind would be their in a second, the thoughts would range from bad, good or maybe even worse.
With thoughts the more you feed them the bigger they get, the more crazy they become. Do you find that? I can't believe it is just me, but how do you control your thoughts? I have been asked how does one control them and what do you do with them. I am not sure this can be done without God. He is the way, the truth and the life, He is the hope to bring every thought captive to Him. It is possible, I speak from experience and speak to you about it here. It comes down to a choice and practicing.
Here we go:
A thought comes into our mind, currently we try to avoid the thought. We think of something else, but that thought still plagues us, it controls us by us trying to avoid thinking of it. Do you find that? Well, in your mind you have to make a prison, bars that can't be broken, there is no back door, there is non of that, but you have to do this whether mentally, draw it, construct it. Now once a thought comes in, you have to put that thought into this prison, but you can't feed it once in there you have to say Lord I give this thought to you. I give this worry, this doubt to you and you have to make a choice once you have done that, that you continue to give it to Him every time that thought comes to you. By giving it to God you are making a choice not to think of it anymore. Put the thought in this prison, do not feed it, do not look at it. At first it will grow, it will hunger for more, it will try and get you to focus on it, but the more you don't give it what it wants it will shrink, but you have to be patient, you have to not give up for when you give up the thoughts will come back 10 fold and it will be harder to get rid of next time around. Trust me I have done it, I know, but they do not have to control you any longer.
The thoughts will try to grow, but in time they will shrink and what you are left with is time to think, time to reflect and time to heal. Give it time, getting our thoughts under control is a battle, but it is a battle worth the fight for what is next is even more incredible. Take time and give the thoughts to God, doesn't matter how bad they are, doesn't matter how much you don't want others to see them, you have to take the time and give them to God. It is a process, but it doesn't have to continue to be. One step at a time.
Step 1: Pray and ask God for Grace
Step 2: Build the cell, hang it in your mind far away.
Step 3: A thought comes, put it in the cell
Step 4: Pray and give God the thought and say it is in the cell, please help me keep it there.
Step 5: When the thought comes back, put it in there again, when it changes, put that in there. Don't give up
Step 6: Make the choice daily, moment by moment to do this.
Step 7: Give it time, don't expect change to happen overnight, it took me over 3 maybe 6 months, but the freedom is immense.
One day at a time, moment by moment. Ask for change, don't expect it and make the choice to allow change to work in your heart, in your mind and in your soul. The flesh is weak, but God is greater then all.
With thoughts the more you feed them the bigger they get, the more crazy they become. Do you find that? I can't believe it is just me, but how do you control your thoughts? I have been asked how does one control them and what do you do with them. I am not sure this can be done without God. He is the way, the truth and the life, He is the hope to bring every thought captive to Him. It is possible, I speak from experience and speak to you about it here. It comes down to a choice and practicing.
Here we go:
A thought comes into our mind, currently we try to avoid the thought. We think of something else, but that thought still plagues us, it controls us by us trying to avoid thinking of it. Do you find that? Well, in your mind you have to make a prison, bars that can't be broken, there is no back door, there is non of that, but you have to do this whether mentally, draw it, construct it. Now once a thought comes in, you have to put that thought into this prison, but you can't feed it once in there you have to say Lord I give this thought to you. I give this worry, this doubt to you and you have to make a choice once you have done that, that you continue to give it to Him every time that thought comes to you. By giving it to God you are making a choice not to think of it anymore. Put the thought in this prison, do not feed it, do not look at it. At first it will grow, it will hunger for more, it will try and get you to focus on it, but the more you don't give it what it wants it will shrink, but you have to be patient, you have to not give up for when you give up the thoughts will come back 10 fold and it will be harder to get rid of next time around. Trust me I have done it, I know, but they do not have to control you any longer.
The thoughts will try to grow, but in time they will shrink and what you are left with is time to think, time to reflect and time to heal. Give it time, getting our thoughts under control is a battle, but it is a battle worth the fight for what is next is even more incredible. Take time and give the thoughts to God, doesn't matter how bad they are, doesn't matter how much you don't want others to see them, you have to take the time and give them to God. It is a process, but it doesn't have to continue to be. One step at a time.
Step 1: Pray and ask God for Grace
Step 2: Build the cell, hang it in your mind far away.
Step 3: A thought comes, put it in the cell
Step 4: Pray and give God the thought and say it is in the cell, please help me keep it there.
Step 5: When the thought comes back, put it in there again, when it changes, put that in there. Don't give up
Step 6: Make the choice daily, moment by moment to do this.
Step 7: Give it time, don't expect change to happen overnight, it took me over 3 maybe 6 months, but the freedom is immense.
One day at a time, moment by moment. Ask for change, don't expect it and make the choice to allow change to work in your heart, in your mind and in your soul. The flesh is weak, but God is greater then all.
True Love
True love is a fight, but it does exist. When one gives up the want for themselves and puts the one they are with first, just like it is when you have a child. The wants, the needs of ourselves go away and the need of the other becomes the most important thing. With a child we do not ask when they will pay us back, we do not ask when they will give us love, because maybe someday it will happen, but until that day we do not hold back, we do not change how we are, we give and give. Just like it is with the one you are with. Stop asking for when they will give to you and start giving to them. Stop looking for return and when it happens it will be amazing.
The choice we make directly affect who we are and who we are with. Isn't it time to stop putting ourselves first and start putting the other first. If the world was perfect this would work, but it is not perfect and so we try this. I have not been able to prove this in a relationship and I believe one day I will be able to. When each gives without looking for a return, then each has the idea of what it is to truly love. Just like we love our children.
Take a moment today and consider how you love your children, do you think you can start to love your spouse just one step at a time. Our hearts lie, lead your heart today to love the one you are with. Stop looking for the easy and start seeing there is hope in the hard ways. If life was easy we would not learn. What have you learned from the struggles? The arm of flesh (man/woman) will fail, but God will always be the same yesterday, today and forever. Seek Him for He knows the truth, He knows your pains and hurts, He sees your heart and where it is lying, take a stand and take the step of faith today to love without return, give without expecting back.
Isn't it time to stand? Isn't it time to be different? Isn't it time to fight for the love you had before? It is possible and one day you will see. Time for change and change starts with me. It starts with you. Do you want to change?
The choice we make directly affect who we are and who we are with. Isn't it time to stop putting ourselves first and start putting the other first. If the world was perfect this would work, but it is not perfect and so we try this. I have not been able to prove this in a relationship and I believe one day I will be able to. When each gives without looking for a return, then each has the idea of what it is to truly love. Just like we love our children.
Take a moment today and consider how you love your children, do you think you can start to love your spouse just one step at a time. Our hearts lie, lead your heart today to love the one you are with. Stop looking for the easy and start seeing there is hope in the hard ways. If life was easy we would not learn. What have you learned from the struggles? The arm of flesh (man/woman) will fail, but God will always be the same yesterday, today and forever. Seek Him for He knows the truth, He knows your pains and hurts, He sees your heart and where it is lying, take a stand and take the step of faith today to love without return, give without expecting back.
Isn't it time to stand? Isn't it time to be different? Isn't it time to fight for the love you had before? It is possible and one day you will see. Time for change and change starts with me. It starts with you. Do you want to change?
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Tuesday
It is a new day and in this new day are choices to make. It is about trusting in God despite the hard times, despite the things that we want to blame on Him. He is the way and the only way to true freedom, but we have to be willing to take the hard steps. It is easier to fall then it is to take the stand, to do what is right. Isn't it time to take the stand? It may be hard, but what the out come will be no one knows, but take a stand with me today to do the right thing. Start living today not for what you want, but what God wants in us.
This morning I heard a song on the way into work and I think it is so true.
The Motions by Matthew West
This might hurt, it's not safe
But I know that I've gotta make a change
I don't care if I break
At least I'll be feeling something
‘Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life
I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything
Instead of going through the motions?
No regrets, not this time
I'm gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let Your love make me whole
I think I'm finally feeling something
‘Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of this life
‘Cause I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
Without your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything
Instead of going through the motions?
Take me all the way
(Take me all the way)
Take me all the way
(‘Cause I don't wanna go through the motions)
Take me all the way
(Lord, I'm finally feeling something real)
Take me all the way
I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything
Instead of going through the motions?
I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything
Instead of going through the motions?
Take me all the way
(Take me all the way)
Take me all the way
(I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go)
Take me all the way
(Through the motions)
Take me all the way
I don't wanna go through the motions
This morning I heard a song on the way into work and I think it is so true.
The Motions by Matthew West
This might hurt, it's not safe
But I know that I've gotta make a change
I don't care if I break
At least I'll be feeling something
‘Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life
I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything
Instead of going through the motions?
No regrets, not this time
I'm gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let Your love make me whole
I think I'm finally feeling something
‘Cause just okay is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of this life
‘Cause I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
Without your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything
Instead of going through the motions?
Take me all the way
(Take me all the way)
Take me all the way
(‘Cause I don't wanna go through the motions)
Take me all the way
(Lord, I'm finally feeling something real)
Take me all the way
I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything
Instead of going through the motions?
I don't wanna go through the motions
I don't wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don't wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything
Instead of going through the motions?
Take me all the way
(Take me all the way)
Take me all the way
(I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go)
Take me all the way
(Through the motions)
Take me all the way
I don't wanna go through the motions
Is it time for us to live our lives for the truth, instead of living for the lies that we have built up for so long? Isn't it time to be free from the evil and welcome God into our lives all the way. Not just half way, but all the way.
Self help books can help, but I have found that I can read them until I am blue in the face. If I do not take a choice to make the change they are for not. Just as the bible can be read. If you do not make the choice to change it is for nothing.
Time for change and it starts today.
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