Ezekiel 11:19-20
19And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh: 20That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
When we give our hearts to God, He will do this in us. There will be such a change in our lives that people will see something different about you. As I have read the Bible, and talked to God over the past few weeks, my love for Him has been growing so much. I praise Him for working a miracle in me and pray that He will do the same for you.
31 March, 2011
30 March, 2011
The Fruit of the Spirit
When you think of the Fruit of the Spirit, do you think of them as separate fruits? or do you think of them as one Fruit? Yesterday I bought a book written by D.L. Moody called "The Secret of Success in the Christian Life." Towards the end of the first chapter it was talking about love, the first of the Fruit of the Spirit. (I had never heard or thought of this before, but it is good to know.) The paragraph said, "The fruit of the Spirit, as you find it in Galatians, begins with love. There are nine graces spoken of in Galatians 5, and of the nine, Paul puts love at the head of the list; love is the first thing in that precious cluster of fruit. Someone has put it in this way: that all the other eight can be put in the word love. Joy is love exulting; peace is love in repose; longsuffering is love on trial; gentleness is love in society; goodness is love in action; faith is love on the battlefield; meekness is love at school; and temperance is love in training. So it is love all the way love at the top, love at the bottom, and all the way along down these graces."
Astounding isn't it? That if we only have love, it will be all we need. But this kind of love is not a love that people have on their own. It is agape love, God's kind of love. Which means that without Him, we cannot have this kind of love. So in order to have a perfect love, we must be Christ's, and we must turn everything over to Him. We cannot have this love with anything contrary to God's working.
"Cleanse me Lord, of all things contrary to your being, so that I can know that perfect love of your Holy Spirit."
Astounding isn't it? That if we only have love, it will be all we need. But this kind of love is not a love that people have on their own. It is agape love, God's kind of love. Which means that without Him, we cannot have this kind of love. So in order to have a perfect love, we must be Christ's, and we must turn everything over to Him. We cannot have this love with anything contrary to God's working.
"Cleanse me Lord, of all things contrary to your being, so that I can know that perfect love of your Holy Spirit."
29 March, 2011
"With God All Things Are Possible"
Over the past couple of weeks, my Father has been showing me that I can do nothing on my own. I try to fix something and it goes wrong. I try to write something and it doesn't sound right. I, I, I, me, me, me. No matter what I try to do on my own, it always goes down. So God shows me that with His help, and through His power, I can do anything. In the past I've tried to reform my life, and be a different and better person. What do you think happens? I fail. I fail miserably. God tells me in His Word, that "....With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." So I turn to my Father and he tells me that if I give Him total and complete control of my life, He will reform it. He will make me a different and better person. Not so that I will look good to my peers, parents, or anybody else. But instead, He tells me that He will do it so that He will get glory and honor and praise out of it.
"Lord God, take my life, my will, my thoughts, and purify them. Give me a desire to please you with everything I do and say and think. And use me to glorify your name, honor your being, and praise you for being my God, and for doing a miracle in me."
"Lord God, take my life, my will, my thoughts, and purify them. Give me a desire to please you with everything I do and say and think. And use me to glorify your name, honor your being, and praise you for being my God, and for doing a miracle in me."
28 March, 2011
God Has A Plan For Every Day
Just the other day, after talking to God and thinking about the things He's been doing in my life, I went to read the Bible. Well, I wasn't sure exactly what to read, so I just opened it to a random place, and what do you think was the passage? It was Romans 5. So I began to read and found that it wasn't random after all. It was exactly the place that God had picked out for my day. I read chapters 5-8 and that was exactly what I needed for that day. It's amazing how things that seem to be random or by accident are really exactly what God has planned; even the little things. My God cares for every aspect of my life and that is such an encouragement to me. He has my entire life planned out, but only reveals it to me day by day.
Proverbs 16:3 Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts(purpose/plans) shall be established.
Matthew 6:25-34 25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, What ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Proverbs 16:3 Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts(purpose/plans) shall be established.
Matthew 6:25-34 25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, What ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
23 March, 2011
God Sustains His Children Even When In Dark Places
Psalm 3
1LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. 2Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. 3But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. 4I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. 5I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me. 6I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. 7Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.
1LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. 2Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. 3But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. 4I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. 5I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me. 6I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. 7Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.
21 March, 2011
A Merciful God
Psalm69:13-18
13But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation. 14Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. 15Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. 16Hear me, O Lord; for thy loving-kindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. 17And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily. 18Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.
When I am in distress and don't know where to turn or who to speak to, this is where I will go. The Lord will deliver me out of the hands of my enemies and will not allow me to drown in despair. Sometimes the enemies here aren't only speaking of people. In my case it is things that I have or have not done that will begin to pull me down and start telling me that I'm not worth saving. But I know that God is merciful to all who seek His face. He is my strength and my strong tower, and he will not abandon me, even when I feel alone. He will lift me up if I seek Him.
13But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation. 14Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. 15Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. 16Hear me, O Lord; for thy loving-kindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. 17And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily. 18Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.
When I am in distress and don't know where to turn or who to speak to, this is where I will go. The Lord will deliver me out of the hands of my enemies and will not allow me to drown in despair. Sometimes the enemies here aren't only speaking of people. In my case it is things that I have or have not done that will begin to pull me down and start telling me that I'm not worth saving. But I know that God is merciful to all who seek His face. He is my strength and my strong tower, and he will not abandon me, even when I feel alone. He will lift me up if I seek Him.
19 March, 2011
Wisdom from My Savior
Mark 8:34-38
34And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me. 35For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. 36For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 38Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
34And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me. 35For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. 36For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 38Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Everlasting Salvation To Those Who Beleive
Ephesians 1:13-14
13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
When I read this verse, I am reminded that I am still a child of God, though my mind says to me that a just God could not allow a sinner such as I to enter into heaven. God is just, but he is also merciful and loving. And through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, I am justified. I have been "sealed with that holy Spirit of promise" and nothing can take that away from me.
Now that doesn't mean that I can sin without consequences:
Hebrews 12:6
"For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth."
If your father loves you, he is going to rebuke and then punish you for rebelling and sinning, because he wants you to do right and ultimately succeed in life. Likewise, the Lord will chastise and punish His children when they rebel against Him, because he wants us to succeed in the course He has laid before us. Ultimately bringing honor and glory to Him.
13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
When I read this verse, I am reminded that I am still a child of God, though my mind says to me that a just God could not allow a sinner such as I to enter into heaven. God is just, but he is also merciful and loving. And through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, I am justified. I have been "sealed with that holy Spirit of promise" and nothing can take that away from me.
Now that doesn't mean that I can sin without consequences:
Hebrews 12:6
"For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth."
If your father loves you, he is going to rebuke and then punish you for rebelling and sinning, because he wants you to do right and ultimately succeed in life. Likewise, the Lord will chastise and punish His children when they rebel against Him, because he wants us to succeed in the course He has laid before us. Ultimately bringing honor and glory to Him.
18 March, 2011
Friday Poem from my Father
Psalm 130
1Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD. 2Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. 3If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O LORD, who shall stand? 4But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. 5I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. 6My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. 7Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. 8And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
1Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD. 2Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. 3If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O LORD, who shall stand? 4But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. 5I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. 6My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. 7Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. 8And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
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