One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” (Acts 18:9-10 NIV)
It just breaks my heart to see the things that breaks His. Once upon a time, not too long ago, I didn't even understand the meaning of "break my heart for what breaks His", but today I do. It means the things in this world that breaks Gods heart should too break yours. Whether this is poverty, heartache, sin in general, it doesn't matter what it is because if God puts it on your heart to care, you should. God loved you enough to send His son Jesus to the earth to die for you regardless of whether or not you ever die to your sins for Him. As a follower, however, we must submit ourselves to Him daily. We must take up our cross and follow Him. He is the great "I am"!! He is THE one whom I live my life for. I'm far from perfect, but I do recognize that God is the father. Today my heart was broken for someone who was telling me it's okay to sin of something if you're not doing it a lot. That may be true of some things like, if you only eat a little sugar it's okay, it's bad when you eat it straight!! In this case this person wouldn't have it and when I suggested to pray I was rejected. There's much more to this story, but point being It's in these moments that we must stand with God and not give in. When people want us to change our Godly ways to fit theirs we must know who we stand with or we will crumble under this pressure. The world tells us many things are okay and acceptable that God says isn't. People will flow in and out of your life, and some will try to knock you down. It's in these times when the world is trying to swallow you up that you must remember how Jesus said to be "in the world but not of the world!" Were all sinners and no one more than another, but when someone who doesn't know God tries to change your heart to be more worldly we must pray for them because they may not know or understand what they're doing, if they do maybe you can help steer them if you can't, pray for them. God can change hearts and minds. I for one, never thought I would be submitting to God and growing with Him and towards Him, but I am. I promise life with Him is much better than I'd been without Him. It's my job as a Christian to listen and act as He instructs. This will sometimes mean telling people what they don't want to hear but what they need to know, sometimes it means a lifestyle change, sometimes this means to see that someone wants you to be more worldly, so you must stand firm with God. Whatever the case know who He is, and all else will be well. It will be well with your soul. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding " A couple weeks ago I went to a college church camp. It was my second time going and just as impacting as the first but it a different way. When you go to things like this it's impossible to not experience Gods presence, unless you go with the attitude of "it won't happen". When you gather in large groups like this, God shows up, and He begins working in you whether you want Him to or not. He put a couple things on my heart and one was to register for a huge mission conference this winter. When I went to register you had to choose a track to join in on. This would be what your focus is while being there. I choose poverty because it seemed more fitting than the other choices even though it itself wasn't overly exciting to me. I just didn't feel called to that mission, but I choose it and went on. Well also at this camp I purchased a book on everyday missions. Since I recently graduated college, I know I'm at the perfect stepping stone to a God planned life, I just don't know where He wants me to go or what He wants me to do. So I buy this book and I've been reading it on and off since I've been home and tonight it started making since to me. I read a very long chapter called Safety. It started making me think about decisions I make, or don't make based on safety alone. We're told our whole lives don't do this or that because it's unsafe and when it comes to missions it's only normal to think don't go to this location because it's unsafe. I'm guilty of it myself! Well towards the end of this chapter it gives testimony of a boys year with Mission Year. (If you're unfamiliar with this check out their website!!) He was speaking of giving up safety to understand poverty. This is where I feel God connecting the dots. It really spoke to me in the sense of how many treat or ignore homeless people everyday. Whether you truly see them or not I don't know, but many times you see one and run. Some people are very vocal and rude to these people and treat them as small and unimportant. I'm bluntly saying- God thinks they're just as special and important as you! We mustn't ignore poverty and homelessness any longer. As Christians were called to love those whom God loves. Our hearts should also break for those things that break His, including this. Join me in sharing gods love for and to these people. I'm not sure what God has up ahead for me but I feel Him stirring up my heart. I'll keep you all posted as I continue connecting the dots. I can't wait to see what God will do in me this summer. If you feel God is stirring in your heart please leave a comment below! I'd love to hear about it! God gives us food, shelter, beauty, and yet we worship the creation rather than the Creator and provider of those blessings. It is idolatry when we worship creation, for we are settling for less than God’s great plan for us. We need to direct our affection and adoration to the Creator who redeemed us for himself for all eternity. As we strive to do this, God gives us grace and strength for this difficult task! Such an amazing thing to think about because all too often we take the things we have for granted. We assume the sun will come up tomorrow. We assume our home will still be standing. We assume we will wake up tomorrow. We don't know. God is in charge of it all and we must be thanking Him daily for all life's blessings. Honor God in all you do. He's already done so much for YOU! You really never know who god is going to bring into your life. Keep your heart open to god and allow the holy spirit to work in you and through you. He will take you places you've never imagined.
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you." (John 14:15-20 NIV) Holy Spirit We follow him, he doesn't follow us He's not subtle He isn't offended by you or the world He doesn't quench as easily as we may think he would quench This is the the reality of God We have this helper in us And he is always with us We are to have a real relationship with him Know him and follow him daily. We are meant to know the Holy Spirit just like we know the father and the son. The Holy Spirit helps us to believe. He makes us believe. We can not be a Christian without the Holy Spirit. He gives us the ability to believe. We were once dead in sin, but now we believe. We did not decide that we received Jesus, that was the work of God! You can not come to Christ without the power of the Holy Spirit. You must be born again! You must be born in spirit. How do you know you've been born again? If you can see the holy spirit in your life, if you can feel his presence. The Holy Spirit brought this to you! He was a part of every phase of your redemption. He will dwell with you and be in you forever!!! Holy Spirit is the means of grace! He allows us to go through hard times and come out better after. Holy Spirit means worship! As we worship the spirit comes and fills our hearts and minds. Be filled with the Holy Spirit! People want to worship God when the Holy Spirit comes! The Holy Spirit is active in the church today! Where many gather, God will be present. The church will never fail... Why? Because of the Holy Spirit. He is the part of the trinity that is fully present to us everyday. The Holy Spirit is active in the world today! He will get you to where he wants you to go and he will use you in the way that he wants to. It's not up to you, it's up to HIM! The holy spirit helps us to pray. He prays through us. Even when we don't know what to say, he is there to intervene. He cleanses us from sin. He brings forth fruit in US. Even your self control is the work of the spirit in you. The Holy Spirit gives us spiritual gifts. He makes his presence known and felt! The Holy Spirit helps us to see the work of God, to see beyond the natural and to see in gods perspective. Don't forget about this important part of the trinity! He loves you and wants to be near you. Welcome the Holy Spirit into your life or pray that he will make himself known to you again! |
EmilyA walk through life as a young Christian woman. Archives
November 2016
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