Walking with God

Prayer

2007-07-11T22:51:00.000-04:00

Prayer, what is it? Talking to God? Does He answer? Does prayer help us? Does it benefit us? Why pray when God already knows what is on our hearts? How do we pray? When should we pray?

Prayer is how we communicate with God. Our way of connecting with God. It builds our faith in Him. It restores and strengthens us. Prayer is a gift from God. He is always there when we pray and always listens and hears us. Prayer draws us closer to Him and His heart. It helps us fall deeper in love with Him. Prayer is not just asking, but thanking, praising, and listening to Him. Prayer is a two sided conversation, not just our requests and thanks, but we must also listen for His voice leading & guide us. Prayer helps sustain us & keep us going.

How do you pray? How often? God longs to know us and spend time with us. He wants to talk with us. When we pray we need to humble ourselves & let His Spirit speak though us. Let His Will become ours and immerse yourself in His presence. Pour out your heart to Christ. Lay it at His feet. Don't do all the talking either, pause and be silent and listen for Him. [Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”]

Praying helps us in many ways. It lets us give up our burden to Him and calms us. It leads us closer to Him. It builds our faith and trust and dependence on Him. It makes us realize we can do nothing on our own, how much we need Christ. That only through His strength can we do anything. God knew we needed and outlet, a way to let it all out and an ear to hear it. He is always there, listening and reaching out to us wanting to help if we trust Him. Prayer is an essential part of our relationship with Christ and needs to be a part of our lives everyday. You can't have a relationship without communication. Everyday we should pray, in everything we should pray.

Pray when you don't understand.
Pray when your hurt.
Pray when your tempted.
Pray when you feel His Spirit prompting you.
Pray for and with others.
Pray when your afraid.
Pray when you need to make a decision.
Pray when you want to quit.
Pray when you feel down and lonely.
Pray when His Spirit convicts you.
Pray when you don't have the faith or strength.
Pray when your angry.
Pray when your worried.
Pray when you just need talk to someone.
Pray when you need guidance.
Pray when your faith is challenged.
Pray when you don't know what to say.
Pray when your questioned about your faith.
Pray when you talk to others about Christ.
Pray in every situation.
Pray for your enemies and those that persecute you.
Pray for those that don't know Christ.
Pray for everyone.
Pray for fellow Christians.
Pray when you feel hopeless.
Pray when praising God.

Throughout the Bible there are many prayers from God's people. He knew we needed a way to communicate with Him. Prayer is not to benefit Him, but to benefit us, one of the great gifts He has given us.

Prayer is powerful. [Matthew 17:20 “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”] All God asks is that we trust Him. Faith and Prayer with a humble heart can do wonders. Be patient, trust Christ, have faith and watch Him work. Watch Him open doors of opportunities. Watch Him move and work things out perfectly. It may not always happen in our timing, but it Always happens in His Perfect Timing.

Psalm 5
O Lord, hear me as I pray;
pay attention to my groaning.
Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,
for I pray to no one but you.
Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.
Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.
O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness;
you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked.
Therefore, the proud may not stand in your presence,
for you hate all who do evil.
You will destroy those who tell lies.
Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house;
I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe.
Lead me in the right path, O Lord,
or my enemies will conquer me.
Make your way plain for me to follow.
My enemies cannot speak a truthful word.
Their deepest desire is to destroy others.
Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
Their tongues are filled with flattery.
O God, declare them guilty.
Let them be caught in their own traps.
Drive them away because of their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them sing joyful praises forever.
Spread your protection over them,
that all who love your name may be filled with joy.
For you bless the godly, O Lord;
you surround them with your shield of love.

Psalm 17:6-9
I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God.
Bend down and listen as I pray.
Show me your unfailing love in wonderful ways.
By your mighty power you rescue
those who seek refuge from their enemies.
Guard me as you would guard your own eyes.
Hide me in the shadow of your wings.
Protect me from wicked people who attack me,
from murderous enemies who surround me.

Psalm 27
The Lord is my light and my salvation—
so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger,
so why should I tremble?
When evil people come to devour me,
when my enemies and foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.
Though a mighty army surrounds me,
my heart will not be afraid.
Even if I am attacked,
I will remain confident.
The one thing I ask of the Lord—
the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
delighting in the Lord’s perfections
and meditating in his Temple.
For he will conceal me there when troubles come;
he will hide me in his sanctuary.
He will place me out of reach on a high rock.
Then I will hold my head high
above my enemies who surround me.
At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy,
singing and praising the Lord with music.
Hear me as I pray, O Lord.
Be merciful and answer me!
My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”
And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.”
Do not turn your back on me.
Do not reject your servant in anger.
You have always been my helper.
Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me,
O God of my salvation!
Even if my father and mother abandon me,
the Lord will hold me close.
Teach me how to live, O Lord.
Lead me along the right path,
for my enemies are waiting for me.
Do not let me fall into their hands.
For they accuse me of things I’ve never done;
with every breath they threaten me with violence.
Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness
while I am here in the land of the living.
Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Psalm 55:17
Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.

Matthew 6:3-8
“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!"

Matthew 21:22-24
Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”

Matthew 26:41
"Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”

1 Timothy 2-6
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.

Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Acts 12:5
But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.

God Bless!

Hope

2007-06-06T23:04:00.000-04:00

No matter what we are going through there is Always Hope in Christ. He is always there for us and feels our hurt and pain. He understands and reaches out to help us and give us hope if we trust Him. Christ promised that in life there would be trials and tribulation even persecution for following Him. In Christ though we have the Victory and an Everlasting Hope, because He has Overcome the world and is in Control of Everything.

John 15:18-21
“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the One who sent me."

John 16:33
"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

Hope when you don't understand
God's ways are always what is best for us. He knows what He is doing. He knows the past and the future and even though we may not understand and in some cases may never understand we must trust Him. Keep following where God leads. Pray and give everything over to God. Lay it at His cross. Trust Him and be still and know He is God and will work everything out. [Romans 8:28 - And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.] Right now you may not understand or see a way out, but with Christ there is Always a way out and Hope. We can only see a part of the picture, but He can see the whole picture. He knows everything and our trials will end when they are supposed to. Rest in His arms. He is always there with His arms open wide calling you to rest in Him. One day you will be able to look back and see that it was for your good and how you grew from it.

Hope when things don't go the way you planned
Life is unpredictable. It doesn't always go the way we would like it to, but if our hope is in Christ we know that there is nothing that can happen that we can't handle with Him. We plan things one way and then plans get changed. Remember that if our life is in Gods Hands He is the one that plans our steps. [Proverbs 16:9 - We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.] He guides us in the right direction and the best way to do things, even if that requires us to go through trials. They are there for us to grow.

Hope when tragedy happen
When bad things happen it is easy to loose hope. You can't see how it could be good in any way. If we give it to God though, He can work a miracle and make something good come from it. [As Joseph said: Genesis 50:20 - You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good...] Sometimes bad things happen in life. We can't control them, but God gives us hope. Hope to get through them and hope to move on. We live in a world full of sin and slowly slipping away from Christ, but if you put your hope and trust in Christ he will help you through.

Hope when you sin
We were born as sinners and therefore apart from God. God is Holy and can't look upon sin. He hates sin, but He also loves us that is why He sent His son to die in our place for our sins. When we sin especially when we sin intentionally we can easily fall into shame and guilt over it. Yes we should be remorseful over our sin, but not to the point that it keeps us from returning to God. The devil likes to make us feel so guilty and shameful over our sin so it keeps us from God. God sent His son to take our place. He took our sin on himself. [As Paul said: 1 Timothy 1:15 - This is a true saying, and everyone should believe it: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--and I was the worst of them all.] [Psalm 103:12 - He has removed our rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west.] So when we sin and His spirit convicts us we need to turn to God and ask for His forgiveness. He will forgive us and help us to resist temptation. He will restore our relationship with Him and continue to guide us. He loves you and won't hesitate to forgive you if you ask. Return to Him and let Him help you. He is good at taking our messes and making beauty out of them. Give Everything over to Him and watch Him work miracles. No matter what He can make beauty out of Anything.

Hope when you just want to give up
When we go through testing times it is easy to feel like giving up. Giving up can seem very appealing at times. It may seem like the easy way out to not fight anymore. If we give up though God can't work through us and help us. Christ is Always there reaching out to you. [Matthew 11:28 - Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."] He came to us and then died for us. He was tortured and mocked for us. He went through the pain of the cross for us and left His spirit here for us to guide us and help us through life. He doesn't and will Never give up on us so we shouldn't give up. Trust Him and hold on to Him. Lay it in His hands and look to the cross. He is there for you. Let Him hold you. He will listen and help you. Just trust Him, simply trust Christ. That is all he asks, is for us to trust Him.

Hope when you are afraid
Being afraid is a natural human response to fear. We instantly want to run when we see something that might cause us harm or take us out of our comfort zone. But in Christ we need not fear anything. [Mark 5:36 - But Jesus ignored their comments and said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid. Just trust me."] Christ has overcome this world. He overcame death. He created the world and everything in it. He is the beginning and the end. He is in Control. Nothing is out of His hands. Next time you are afraid, trust Christ, look to Him for Hope and let Him give you the strength and peace to overcome your fear. [John 14:27 - "I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid."]

We can also look to His Word for Hope. Throughout the Bible there are lots of stories of hope. That is why we have it, to give us hope, encouragement, and help us grow in Christ. [Romans 15:4 - Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. They give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises.]

God is always with us and offers us true Hope. We should rejoice when we go through trials and tribulations because He allows us to go through them so we can grow and mature in Him and learn to trust Him more and more. They are part of the process of becoming like Him. It is when we go through trials and testing times that we grow the most. He also uses them to test our faith, obedience, and reliance on Him. Stay true to Christ and let God give you strength and courage. Pray and pour your feelings out to God and praise Him for He is producing growth in you. Stay faithful to God and run the race of life with perseverance, always keeping focused on Christ and following Him to the end. [Hebrews 12:1-4 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.]

Through them He teaches us new things so we can help others. We also learn more about who God is as He reveals Himself more to us through the tough times. Trials also show us how much we need God and to lean on Him. We truly do need Him in Everything. Without Him we can do Nothing. We were made to lean on God and if we trust Him we will find true Peace and Hope. In Him Everything we need is found. Through them we learn to trust Him more. Because He knows all things and knows what is best for us, He knows the best path. It may not be the easiest path, but it is the best. Remember God will never give you or allow you to go through something that is more than you can handle. And God is Always with you even through the trials of life. He will walk with you through them. He will never leave you and will help you through. He walks with us always, even when we don't feel Him with us, He is there. Pray when you go through tough times and Trust Christ. God hears the cries of His children and will rescue you in His Timing. [Ecclesiastes 3:1 - For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.] He hears our prayers and understands our hurt. He will deliver us for through God all things our possible. [Mathew 19:26 - Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”] Look to Him, to His cross. He will raise you up again. He can turn your trials into joy and growth in Him if you trust Him.

Everyday we encounter challenges and we should rely on God to help us overcome them and also thank Him for them. [James 1:2-4 - Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.] [1 Peter 1:6-7 - So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold--and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.] When you find yourself in tough times, pray, rejoice, and trust Christ. Remember we have the Victory in Him.

Psalm 13:
O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever?
How long will you look the other way?
How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
with sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?
Turn and answer me, O LORD my God!
Restore the light to my eyes, or I will die.
Don't let my enemies gloat, saying, "We have defeated him!"
Don't let them rejoice at my downfall.
But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
I will sing to the LORD
because he has been so good to me.

Psalm 121:1-3
I look up to the mountains--
does my help come from there?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made the heavens and the earth!
He will not let you stumble and fall;
the one who watches over you will not sleep.

Philippians 4:13
For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.

Hebrews 6:18-19
So God has given us both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can take new courage, for we can hold on to his promise with confidence. This confidence is like a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain of heaven into God's inner sanctuary.

Hebrews 10:23
Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

1 Peter 1:21
Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And because God raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory, your faith and hope can be placed confidently in God.

James 1:2-4
Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.

There is ALWAYS HOPE in Christ!!

GOD BLESS!

Praise the Lord!!!!

2006-04-01T21:30:00.000-05:00

Have you ever thought of All you are blessed with? Have you ever thought of everything God has given you? We may not feel that we are blessed a lot, but we are and as His children we should thank Him everyday!

He has given us SO Much Freely because of His love for us. First He gave us His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ. God came down to earth to His creation, lived with us, and then died For Us, to pardon us from our sins!!!! He gave us a way to Him. He made a way for Salvation. God Freely offers salvation. We are saved by His Grace Only. Nothing we can do will gain us salvation, it is only through His Mercy and Grace. Isn't that Great!! Shouldn't we PRAISE Him ALWAYS for that?!

He could have stopped there, because that is all we really needed, is to be saved from our sin, but He didn't. He keeps blessing us, because of His Great Love for us!! Everyday He blesses us. He Created each of us and gave us Life!! He gives us Breath each new day and the Energy and Strength for the day. He Provides everything we need. His Mercy and Grace are new everyday. He offers Guidance through everything. He offers Forgiveness when we sin. He is Always there for us. His Faithfulness never ends!! His Love never ends!! He gives us His Holy Spirit freely, if we believe. He left His spirit here to guide us and help us. He is the Best Friend we could Ever have!

Nature is a blessing from Him. Look at the beauty of it and the ways it helps us. He created the Heavens and the Earth and Everything in them. Everything we have, everything that is good is a blessing from God. He blesses us with our Talents, Family, Friends, Kids, Pets, Job, House, Clothes, Money, Love, and More. Even if you don't have all those things, Thank God for what you Do Have. Don't focus on what you don't have, focus on what you do have. God has given those things to you.

When things aren't going good He gives us Hope and Helps us through. He can turn something bad into something Good, into a Blessing, if we let Him. He Understands and Feels our pain. He offers us Peace and Encouragement. He is Always there for us and will Never Forsake us. We should Praise Him even in the storms of life because He is in Control and offers Hope.

Some things in life are just here to make us Smile and Laugh, to Brighten our day. He gives us our Family and Friends to Love and Support us. He also gives us Love, love between friends, family, and spouses so we can Experience His Love for Us! The Body of Christ and Christian Fellowship are also blessings from God.

Why does He bless us?
Not only because of His GREAT LOVE for us, but also to bring Glory and Honor to His Name. So others will see the blessings He has given us and Praise Him. So others through seeing them will come to know Him.

Why should we Praise Him?
Out of Love for Him we should Praise Him! Because of ALL He has done for us and Given us! He Alone deserves our Praise! By Praising Him you are Welcoming His Presence and drawing Closer to Him. When you Praise Him focus your mind on Him and all He has done for you. You will realize how Great He really is. That He is in Control of Everything and everything happens in His Timing. He Created us. He knows Everything about us and even knew us before we were born. He Created Everything. He made the universe and nature and all the plants and animals for us. He gave His Life for us. He Loves Us and hears us when we pray and answers us according to His Will. His Grace and Love never End!!!! We were made to Praise Him. Everything Praises Him in Heaven and on earth for He Created Everything and is in Control, nothing is out of His Hands!!

How can we Praise Him?
There are many ways we can praise the Lord. One of the main ways is by Singing praise and worship songs to Him, but there are many other ways as well. We can Praise Him by praying and thanking Him for everything He has given us. By spending Time with Him whether it is with fellow Christians or by ourselves in the quiet. We can praise Him by the way we live. By Living for Him by doing everything for Him. By Showing others the Love of Christ and telling them about Salvation through Jesus. We can use our blessings for Him, to Praise Him, to Bless others, and Lead others to Him. Living for Him is actually the Best way we can Praise God.

Exodus 15:2
The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has become my victory.
He is my God, and I will praise him;
he is my father's God, and I will exalt him!

1 Chronicles 16:25
Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be revered above all gods.

Psalm 92:1
It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
to sing praises to the Most High.

Psalm 146:2
I will praise the LORD as long as I live.
I will sing praises to my God even with my dying breath.

Psalm 47:6
Sing praise to God, sing praises;
sing praise to our King, sing praises!

Psalm 145
A psalm of praise of David
I will praise you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
I will bless you every day,
and I will praise you forever.
Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise!
His greatness is beyond discovery!
Let each generation tell its children
of your mighty acts.
I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor
and your wonderful miracles.
Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue;
I will proclaim your greatness.
Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness;
they will sing with joy of your righteousness.
The LORD is kind and merciful,
slow to get angry, full of unfailing love.
The LORD is good to everyone.
He showers compassion on all his creation.
All of your works will thank you, LORD,
and your faithful followers will bless you.
They will talk together about the glory of your kingdom;
they will celebrate examples of your power.
They will tell about your mighty deeds
and about the majesty and glory of your reign.
For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
You rule generation after generation.
The LORD is faithful in all he says;
he is gracious in all he does.
The LORD helps the fallen
and lifts up those bent beneath their loads.
All eyes look to you for help;
you give them their food as they need it.
When you open your hand,
you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.
The LORD is righteous in everything he does;
he is filled with kindness.
The LORD is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him sincerely.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cries for help and rescues them.
The LORD protects all those who love him,
but he destroys the wicked.
I will praise the LORD,
and everyone on earth will bless his holy name
forever and forever.

Psalm 150
Praise the LORD!
Praise God in his heavenly dwelling;
praise him in his mighty heaven!
Praise him for his mighty works;
praise his unequaled greatness!
Praise him with a blast of the trumpet;
praise him with the lyre and harp!
Praise him with the tambourine and dancing;
praise him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise him with a clash of cymbals;
praise him with loud clanging cymbals.
Let everything that lives sing praises to the LORD!
Praise the LORD!

Isaiah 25:1
O LORD, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them.

Luke 19:36-37
Then the crowds spread out their coats on the road ahead of Jesus. As they reached the place where the road started down from the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.

Acts 16:25
Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.

2 Corinthians 1:3
All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us.

Ephesians 1:3
How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ.

Ephesians 1:6
So we praise God for the wonderful kindness he has poured out on us because we belong to his dearly loved Son.

Hebrews 13:15
With Jesus' help, let us continually offer our sacrifice of praise to God by proclaiming the glory of his name.

He Created Us, Gave His Life for US, Gives us His Spirit and then Still Blesses Us with all these Things!!!!!! Isn’t GOD SOOOO GOOD!!!!!!!! Oh, PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!!!

THANK YOU JESUS!!!!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PRAISE THE LORD!!!
GOD BLESS!

Let Him: Listen, Learn, Obey

2006-03-01T18:58:00.000-05:00

Are you letting God Use you, Move you, Mold you, Change you, Inspire you, Touch you, Teach you, Do His Will in your life, Shine His Light through you, and Draw you Closer to Him Everyday? If not, Why Not?

Deuteronomy 5:1
Moses called all the people of Israel together and said, "Listen carefully to all the laws and regulations I am giving you today. Learn them and be sure to obey them!"

Listen, Learn, and Obey. That is what Moses told the Israelites as they prepared to enter the Promised Land the second time. Moses was telling them how to grow in the Lord and follow God all of their days. As children of God through Christ we need to Listen, Learn, and Obey. They are the keys to a growing relationship with Christ.

Listen
God speaks in many ways and we need to learn to recognize His voice and listen to it. His voice can be quite, loud, or in between. He can speak directly to us or through someone or something else. Through the Bible, His Word, He speaks. He also speaks softly in the quiet stillness. We can miss His voice if we are only listening for Him to speak loudly through something. We should not just listen for the times when He speaks loudly, but also for when He speaks softly. Honestly seek His voice. Sit quietly and listen for God. Set aside time everyday to pray and listen for His guidance. Always be listening for Him. Sometimes He speaks when we least expect it. He always speaks with love and if we listen He will teach us to walk in His ways and guide us in everything.

1 Kings 19:11-13
The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

Proverbs 2:1
The Benefits of Wisdom
My child, listen to me and treasure my instructions.

Hebrews 2:1
Warning to Pay Attention
We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.

Luke 8:18
"So be sure to pay attention to what you hear. To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But to those who are not listening, even what they think they have will be taken away from them."

John 10:27
"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."

Learn
When we listen to God, we will begin to learn and understand the reasons behind His words. In order to grow we need to understand His words. We may not always understand God when He speaks but we need to pray and be open to learning about Him. We also have His Word, the Bible, which is His word to all of us. Through reading it we can begin to learn and understand Him. We need to have humility to learn from God's words, realizing that we need His guidance. Learn humility by learning to fear God. Fearing God means showing Him the highest respect for who He is and all that He has done, realizing you need Him and surrendering to Him Fully. Without Him we will fail. Only then when we are humble we can listen and learn from God. When God speaks learn from it and if you don't understand pray for the wisdom to understand.

Proverbs 2:2-9
The Benefits of Wisdom
Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight and understanding. Search for them as you would for lost money or hidden treasure. Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of good sense to the godly. He is their shield, protecting those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of justice and protects those who are faithful to him.

Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will know how to find the right course of action every time.

Proverbs 1:7
Fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. Only fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Proverbs 2:10
For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy.

Obey
Most important we need to obey, put into action, what we have heard and learned from God. He knows best and therefore we need to obey Him. He loves us and desires to keep us from sin, which there is always a consequence to. That is why He gave us His Word. The Bible is His teachings to all of us to learn His ways and grow in Him. If we obey Him we can keep from sin and it's consequences. If we grow in God by listening and learning we will grow in Love for Him and therefore want to Obey Him. Obedience to Christ comes from love for Him. Even when we don't understand we need to Obey. His wisdom is greater than ours. Pray for the faith and strength to obey Him. The greatest example of obedience is Christ. He humbled Himself, taking on human form, serving others. He was obedient till death, even death on a cross. He did this to save us from our sin. After all that Christ has done for us how can we not obey? His words, His teaching come out of His love for us. They are not to harm us, but to help us. He loves us So Much and wants the Best for us, shouldn't we love and Obey Him? If we obey Him we will find true Joy and Peace.

Psalm 119:2
Happy are those who obey his decrees and search for him with all their hearts.

Luke 11:28
He replied, "But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice."

1 John 2:3-5
And how can we be sure that we belong to him? By obeying his commandments. If someone says, "I belong to God," but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and does not live in the truth. But those who obey God's word really do love him. That is the way to know whether or not we live in him.

John 14:15-21
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
"If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans--I will come to you. In just a little while the world will not see me again, but you will. For I will live again, and you will, too. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who obey my commandments are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them, and I will love them. And I will reveal myself to each one of them."

Philippians 2:7-8
He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross.

Hebrews 11:8
It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.

Philippians 2:5-13
Christs Humility and Exaltation
Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross. Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Shine Brightly for Christ
Dearest friends, you were always so careful to follow my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away you must be even more careful to put into action God's saving work in your lives, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.

Listen, Learn, and Obey Him. Let Him Mold you so you become more like Him. Let Him Use your life to build up the Kingdom of God, to reach out to this lost and dieing world. If you are in Christ, but not growing in Him, something is wrong. Are you truly committed to God? That is what God wants, people completely devoted to Him. Honestly seek Him in Everything. He loves us so much, that He gave His Only son for us, to pardon our sins, so that we could know Him personally. He knows Everything about us. He knows our thoughts, our deepest ones, our heart, and everything in it. If we are Truly in Him, we should Live for Him because of All He has done for us. God wants us to grow in Him, not just stay at one point. He wants to mold, use, teach, inspire, and change you. Listen for God, Learn from Him, and Obey what He has taught you. If we listen, learn, and obey God we will find true Joy, Hope, and Peace.

GOD BLESS!

Important??...It's a matter of the Heart

2006-02-01T17:58:00.000-05:00

Where is your focus? Is it on God or the World? When you make decisions do you make them for God or for yourself? Are you focused on heavenly or worldly things? Are you storing up treasures in Heaven or here on earth? What are your values? What is important to you? Are you doing things to glorify God or not? Do you say and do things for God? What are your motives? Is God, first, last, or somewhere in between?

When God sees us, when He looks at you, He sees your Heart, your motives. No one can fool God. He sees Everything and knows Everything. When Jesus talked to the Pharisees and other people in the New Testament, He didn't say things to suit or please the people. He talked straight to the motives of the people. He saw right through them and sees right through us. He told the Truth and He still does today. If we listen we can still heed His words and let Him change our Hearts.

God longs to be in the center of our lives. For everything we do and say to be for Him, for His Glory. It is easy to loose focus in life, to put other things first, to try to do things on our own, to make decisions on our own, but anything done without God, is Not for Him. As Christians we should not be self-centered, but God-Centered. Only through Him can we find true Peace, Joy, and Hope. We must make Him our foundation. God Created each of us. He is our Father. He knows what is Best for us. We need to let Him guide us, not just in some things or in some areas of our life, but in EVERYTHING. When you put Him in the center of your life, when you make Him first in everything you do things will change. He will begin showing you and teaching you the truth in All things. You will begin to make decisions for Him and see things through His eyes. He will guide you in everything and provide everything you need. You will find that the things that were so important to you before have become less important. They will become dim in the light of God. Live for Him each day and realize what is really important. Let Him be your Focus, your Center, and your Foundation. Put Him First, and make a difference for His Kingdom each day. Because it is Not about us, but About God. We never know when we will leave this world. We are never guaranteed tomorrow, but while we are here God wants to use us to make a Lasting Difference!!

Matthew 6:33
"and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern."

Colossians 3:1-2
Living the New Life
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth.

Matthew 6:19-20
Teaching about Money and Possessions
"Don't store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by moths and get rusty, and where thieves break in and steal. 20Store your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth-eaten or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves."

GOD BLESS!

Christian?

2006-01-01T20:15:00.000-05:00

When you think of the word Christian, what comes to mind? How do you define it? Someone who goes to church, knows a lot about God, Jesus, Christianity, has a Bible, listens to Christian music, goes to church events, has pictures of Jesus or crosses around their house, on their key chain, on their car, wears Christian shirts, bracelets etc.?? While all of them are good there is still something missing. It is what makes a Christian, a Christian. It is what's in the Heart, your heart. That is what God wants. He wants your heart. It is good to have and do all those things and more, but if your heart is not in the right place what is the use of doing or having all those things? Going to church, doing all the Christian things, being a good person, etc. is useless if your motives are not right. When God looks at you he sees your heart, your motives, if they are self-centered or centered on Him. Are you doing the things for God or for yourself? God wants to be the Center of your life. He loves us Too Much to just be another part of our life. He died for you and wants to know you Personally.

Matthew 7:21 - 23
True Disciples
"Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as 'Lord,' but they still won't enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven. On judgment day many will tell me, 'Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Go away; the things you did were unauthorized.'"

^ Not everyone who says they believe in Jesus or acts like a Christian belongs to God. There are a lot of fakes out there. They have no personal relationship with Him. Many people think that if they are a good person or do all the right things, they will receive eternal life. That is Not true. Only a personal relationship with Jesus, Faith in Him, and Obedience to Him matters. In the end God will judge them and see straight through their hearts to their motives, which are self-centered. Center your motives on Him, live for Him, obey Him, and you will find true joy, hope, and peace.

Matthew 7:24 - 27
Building on a Solid Foundation
"Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse, because it is built on rock. But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will fall with a mighty crash."

^ If we are truly in Him, we need to heed His words and put them to use. Our "foundation" needs to be Jesus, our solid unshakeable rock. He needs to be the center of everything we do. Our "house" is our relationship with Him. If we put our faith in Him, let him be our "foundation", "build our House" on Him and put His words into practice when the rain and storms of life come we need not fear for our "foundation" is solid and our "house" will stand.

Mark 3:11
And whenever those possessed by evil spirits caught sight of him, they would fall down in front of him shrieking, "You are the Son of God!"

^The evil spirits knew about God, they knew who He was, but they did not listen to him and turn from their evil ways. Knowing about God is different than obeying His word. We need to listen to Him, not just know about Him.

John 3:10-11
Jesus replied, "You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don't understand these things? I assure you, I am telling you what we know and have seen, and yet you won't believe us."

Matthew 15:9
'These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far away.
Their worship is a farce,
for they replace God's commands with their own man-made teachings.'

^ Do you truly believe in God and Jesus, that He died for you and rose again 3 days later or do you just know about it? There is a difference between Knowing and Believing. Just knowing about God and Jesus, knowing His Word, memorizing scripture etc. is not enough. Just Knowing is not what matters, it is what you Believe in your heart and if you put it into Action. Are you listening and responding to God? The Jewish teachers that Jesus was talking to knew the Old Testament completely, but they didn't truly understand it. We can read and know all about the Bible, but if we don't truly believe and understand who God is, the salvation that He offers, and have faith in Him, obeying His word, we know Nothing.

Christianity is Not a Religion it is a Relationship, a Personal Relationship with God, with Jesus Christ. He wants to know you Personally. If you have asked Him into your life and accepted His Spirit into your heart before, did you mean it? Have you acted on it? If you haven't you need to recommit your life to Him. He wants to mold us and use us for his perfect plan, to further his kingdom. He knows what is Best for us. He could do it all Himself, but He chooses to use us, His creation, for His purposes. Isn't that a GREAT Privilege!!! And He gives us Great joy, hope, and peace that goes beyond our understanding, to help us throughout life. He longs to have a personal relationship with you and is reaching out to you now. Will you accept His Free Gift?

To learn how to accept Christ into your life, to know him personally click here.

GOD BLESS!

Meaning for Season

2005-12-01T20:30:00.000-05:00

Ah, it's that time of year again, Christmas. What comes to mind when you think of Christmas? The holidays, presents, family, decorations, Christmas trees, sales, joy, red and green, Santa, memories, etc.? Or do you think of Christ, Advent, the Star, the Manger, the Wisemen, Joseph and Mary, Angels etc.? Not that the first things I listed are bad, they are good, as long as we don't forget the True meaning of Christmas. Christ's birth, the day he came to earth in human form just like you and me. He became his Creation. God became Man. He did this to understand us, to show us His Great Love for us by dying on the cross and rising three days later, conquering death, to redeem us. He is our Redeemer, our Savior. REJOICE!!! CELEBRATE!!! Our Savior has come!! "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

Here is the Christmas story from the books of Matthew and Luke:

Matthew 1:18-25
The Birth of Jesus the Messiah
Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiance, being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly, so as not to disgrace her publicly.

As he considered this, he fell asleep, and an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All of this happened to fulfill the Lord's message through his prophet.

"Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and he will be called Immanuel
(meaning, God is with us)."

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded. He brought Mary home to be his wife, but she remained a virgin until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Matthew 2:1-12
The Visit of the Wise Men
Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have seen his star as it arose, and we have come to worship him."

Herod was deeply disturbed by their question, as was all of Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law. "Where did the prophets say the Messiah would be born?" he asked them.

"In Bethlehem," they said, "for this is what the prophet wrote:

`O Bethlehem of Judah,
you are not just a lowly village in Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.'"

Then Herod sent a private message to the wise men, asking them to come see him. At this meeting he learned the exact time when they first saw the star. 8Then he told them, "Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!"

After this interview the wise men went their way. Once again the star appeared to them, guiding them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house where the child and his mother, Mary, were, and they fell down before him and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But when it was time to leave, they went home another way, because God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

Luke 1:26-38
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!"

Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. "Don't be frightened, Mary," the angel told her, "for God has decided to bless you! You will become pregnant and have a son, and you are to name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!"

Mary asked the angel, "But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin."

The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What's more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she's already in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."

Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true." And then the angel left.

Luke 2:1-20
The Birth of Jesus
At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancé, who was obviously pregnant by this time.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.

The Shepherds and Angels
That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior--yes, the Messiah, the Lord--has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!"

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others--the armies of heaven--praising God:

"Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to all whom God favors."

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.

With all that goes on around the holidays, it is easy to forget the true meaning of Christmas. So as we celebrate with family and friends this Christmas remember what it is all about, the birth of Christ our savior.

HAVE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR!! :)

I'm Listening

2005-11-01T19:59:00.000-05:00

Have you ever felt lost? You don't understand what God is telling you? Where He wants you to go next? Or you just feel so far away from Him. You cry out to Him but He doesn't seem to hear you or answer you. I've felt that way many times before and believe me He is there! He's Always there! One time when I was feeling lost and far from Him, laying in bed praying and seeming to get no answer and feeling like He wasn't there, He said something that I will never forget. He said, "I'm Listening". Another time, back when I was in High School, I was sitting on the bus and praying to Him, feeling far from Him, and again He said something that I'll Never Forget. He said, "I'm Always with you". Those two things are so True!!

Deuteronomy 31:6
"Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid of them! The LORD your God will go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you."

Matthew 28:20
"Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Psalm 17:6
"I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God.
Bend down and listen as I pray."

Psalm 10:17
"LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless.
Surely you will listen to their cries and comfort them."

Next time your feeling far away from Him, you don't understand, and it seems like he doesn't hear your cries, Know that He does and is Always right there next to you, reaching out to you. He's Listening.

GOD BLESS!

Heavy Load?

2005-10-01T16:30:00.000-04:00

I am an Artist and artists have tons of supplies and tools. So when I started college I got a big Art Kit. Right away I started trying to get rid of some of the things so I wouldn't have that entire load. I went from a very large heavy book bag (the size of 3 or 4 normal backpacks), to a giant plastic folder with a handle, to a big vinyl zipper bag, and finally to a Garbage Bag!? Actually I only used the garbage bag to carry really big things or 3D objects that wouldn't fit in my other zipper bag. But in all seriousness, are you trying to unload your burdens? Are you trying to lighten your load? Are you trying to get rid of the busness of life, the stress of life? Have you tried everything to lighten your load? Do you think that nothing will? Well there is something that will! It's God! Give everything to Him! Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28. Here are a few other good verses to remember:

1 Peter 5:7
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you.

Philippians 4:6-7
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 6:25-34
"So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life--whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn't life consist of more than food and clothing? Look at the birds. They don't need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not.

And why worry about your clothes? Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won't he more surely care for you? You have so little faith!

So don't worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.

So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today."

He is there and reaching out to you right now. He wants to help you. He wants to carry your load for you. He loves you and wants to give you peace, joy, and love. Remember this statement: Good morning...THIS IS GOD...I will be handling all your problems today. I will not need your help...so, have a Good day. To download the above picture of this statement click here.Ctrl/Right click and save as. Print it out and hang it up. Look at it everyday when you get up and pray for strength and guidence for the day.

GOD BLESS!