Spoken For

 In this day an age we all can get caught up in celebrities and sometimes we find ourselves wanting to be like some of those people. We get so caught up in what they are wearing and what we are doing and before we know it value them more than anything in our lives. We look to them as idols instead of people which is bad. The thing is no matter how great these celebrities may be when they die how many of them will actually still be living in the flesh with their bodies? The answer is none of them will. They will just be dead like everyone else is dead.

People view some of these politicians as people who can save this country and this world because of all of the great things that they have planned but these people are just people and they too will die. So placing all that we are into them really is pointless because they don't have all the power.

That is why we should be focusing our concentration and all that we are into Jesus. Every other religion has their thing that they claim will save them and keep them going but the fact is that Jesus is the only one of all of those other people like Buddha and Allah who is alive and reigning. Buddha and all those others are dead and buried in the ground yet Jesus rose from the dead conquering death.

In 2 Timothy 1:10 it says this "but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." Jesus is the Savior and Redeemer of this world. It is only through Him that we are saved and that we can know one day that we will live in Heaven with Him for eternity. Nothing in this life is frightening because of the hope that I have for my future in Heaven. My Savior is alive and living and He is the only who is. Their are no if ands or buts about that. Jesus is alive no matter what scientists or any other people in this world that try to diminish this simple truth. They have no way to prove that Jesus wasn't who said He was and that He didn't accomplish what He did in the Bible. Our calendar started after His death.

Jesus is alive and that is something that all believers in Christ can say Amen to!!!

"I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back."
Philippians 3:12-14

Being a believer most of the time is an amazing and wonderful thing. We have a life full of purpose through Christ, our sins have been wiped clean, and when we leave this place we will be spending an eternity forever with Christ. All of those things are great and their are so many other great things that come from being a believer. Yet their are struggles too. We have constant temptations being thrown at us by the enemy and at times I truly believe that my life before I was a believer was easier at times. That is simply because at that time satan could have cared less about me. He had me right where he wanted me to be and I was no threat to him. Now though being a believer he will stop at nothing to keep me from bringing more people to God and drawing them near to Him.

Sure things can be challenging but for me but knowing who I am in Christ can at times make me realize what is that I am running for and why it is that I do the things I do. I do all that I can to keep my eyes on the prize pressing on towards heaven looking above to what lies in front of me. I stumble and fall at times along the way but Jesus is there when that happens to extend His hand out to me to bring me back up.

Their are those who claim to be believers who think that it is okay for them to sin once and a while here and they go all around telling everyone else what they can and can't do but they really are no better. Out in the open they go around talking about how much they love Jesus and then they go home and do nothing to indicate who they are in Christ they go on sinning thinking that no one will know. But God knows God can see everything their is nothing that any of us can hide from Him.

If you ask me the true believer doesn't have to go around telling everyone that they are a Christian and judging everyone they see because what they are doing is wrong. That is the wrong way to do things and those are the people who turn those who are checking God out away. They see the way these people act and they are turned off and who can blame them? If you ask me the true believer in Christ doesn't have to say anything because Christ shines through in their life and their is no need for them to yell at people telling them that they are going to hell. It isn't a problem if we want to share our testimony or go tell others about Christ but we do have to do it in a loving, and non-judgemental way.

 Mirror, Mirror on the wall, Have I got it?
'Cause Mirror you've always told me who I am
I'm finding it's not easy to be perfect
So sorry you won't define me
Sorry you don't own me

Who are you to tell me
That I'm less than what I should be?
Who are you? Who are you?
I don't need to listen
To the list of things I should do
I won't try, I won't try

Mirror I am seeing a new reflection
I'm looking into the eyes of He who made me
And to Him I have beauty beyond compare
I know He defines me

You don't define me, you don't define me

Barlow Girl - Mirror

The lyrics from this song pretty much tie in with what I was talking about the other day about us being formed in God's image. Each of us have the choice to choose what we are going to allow to shape and define our lives. Either you can let the world define you and never be satisfied with the way you look or what you do. Or you can allow yourself to be defined by God and by doing that you will always be satisfied. It is your choice what will you decide to choose?

 19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Galatians 5:19-25

As a believer something we should be asking ourselves everyday is who are living our lives according to? Are we living our lives according to the world meaning we are leaning more towards our sinful nature apart from God and His will? Or are we living according to what God and His Word says following the Spirit?

I know I at times fail in living according to what God's desire for my life is and we all do. I know that God has called me to live according to what Paul called the fruit of the spirit in his letter to the Galatians. We are called to love, be joyful, have peace and all of the others listed above in those verses but I don't always do that and isn't something I am proud of. When I get rude with people at times I know that I am not all living according to the way God wants me to. After acting in that way I get ashamed of myself and know that I am disappointing God. I am where I am and I am supposed to be a light in the darkness allowing the radiance of Jesus to shine off me. Well when I act apart from the fruit of the Spirit then I am disappointing God and possibly making people wonder why God is so great.

That is why if you are claiming to be a believer but are still drinking and getting drunk every night and going to parties and doing whatever you want to because you believe that you are okay then you seriously need a reality check. Just because you said a prayer it doesn't mean that everything is done and you are set for Heaven. If your life has not changed and been transformed then you just learned something about yourself and you best not ignore it.

I completely know and understand that we do all slip up and make mistakes because we do. But when we become believers it is supposed to make a difference in our lives and transform us from the inside out. I know it did for me. My life isn't what it used to be and I am so thankful for that. That is the question that you need to be asking though. Has your life changed??? Because if it hasn't then maybe you were never saved to begin with.

Being a girl sometimes I can get so caught up in the way that I look. I wonder if my hair and clothes look okay and at times that can consume and just take me over. I can get so wrapped up with what those people in Hollywood look like wishing at times that I could look like that. It is crazy and I will never look like one of those Hollywood people but I have something that those people don't have and that is ten times more important then how I look or what I am wearing and all that. What I have is a relationship with Jesus Christ and an eternity set in Heaven. All the beauty in the world isn't going to get you into heaven. God isn't going to pass by you in judgment and just let you into heaven because you look good because He doesn't care about what you look like on the outside. God is concerned with the condition of your heart. Does the beauty you potray on the outside reflect to how your heart look?. Or are you so consumed with how you look that you are rotting from the inside out? Not a pretty picture.

In all that this verse from Genesis 1:27 reminds me of who I am in Christ and the way He created me to be.

"So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them. "

God has created every single person living on this earth in His image. No one person who is born into this world isn't seen as beautiful in the eyes of God. He looks upon His creation and smiles at it and is happy with it. That is the way we need to view ourselves. We really need to begin seeing ourselves as Christ sees us. We need to stop looking at the ways the world perseves beauty and take a look at what the Bible says about it. To me true beauty comes from the inside. If you are completely and totally sold out and in love with Christ I believe that beauty radiates off of you and that alone will make people turn around and wonder what you have. That is what I am striving for. That is my longing. I don't care what the world thinks of me because I look to Christ.

That is where we all need to be. We are beautiful in the image of God.

[What will people think
When they hear that I'm a Jesus Freak?
What will people do
When they find that's it's true?]

Separated, I cut myself clean
From a past that comes back in my darkest of dreams
Been apprehended by a spiritual force
And a grace that replaced all the me I've divorced

I saw a man with tat on his big fat belly
It wiggled around like marmalade jelly
It took me a while to catch what it said
Cause I had to match the rhythm
Of his belly with my head
'Jesus Saves' is what it raved in a typical tattoo green
He stood on a box in the middle of the city
And claimed he had a dream

(chorus)
What will people think
When they hear that I'm a Jesus freak
What will people do when they find that it's true
I don't really care if they label me a Jesus freak
There ain't no disguising the truth

Kamikaze, my death is gain
I've been marked by my Maker
A peculiar display
The high and lofty, they see me as weak
Cause I won't live and die for the power they seek

There was a man from the desert with naps in his head
The sand that he walked was also his bed
The words that he spoke made the people assume
There wasn't too much left in the upper room
With skins on his back and hair on his face
They thought he was strange by the locusts he ate
The Pharisees tripped when they heard him speak
Until the king took the head of this Jesus freak

(repeat chorus 2x)

People say I'm strange, does it make me a stranger
That my best friend was born in a manger
People say I'm strange, does it make me a stranger
That my best friend was born in a manger

(repeat chorus 2x)

What will people think
[What will people think]
What will people do
[What will people do]
I don't really care
[What else can I say]
There ain't no disguising the truth
[Jesus is the way]

DC Talk - Jesus Freak

I absolutely love this song. I think for all believers that this is something that we should be thrilled to be. I know I am. I don't acre what people think about me being a Jesus Freak either. I would rather be labelled that then something else. So yeah I am here to say that I am a Jesus Freak and I totally proud of it!!!

 

I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned
I only know at His right hand
Stands one who is my Savior

I take Him at His word and deed
Christ died to save me; this I read
And in my heart I find a need
Of Him to be my savior

That He would leave His place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my Savior

Chorus (2x's)
My Savior loves, My Savior lives
My Savior's always there for me
My God: He was, my God; He is
My God is always gonna be

Yes, living, dying, let me bring
My strength, my solace from this spring;
That He who lives to be my King
Once died to be my Savior

That He would leave His place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my Savior

Chorus (2x's)

(Instrumental)

Chorus: (2x's)

My Savior loves, My Savior lives
My Savior loves, My Savior lives

Aaron Shust - My Savior My God

Love this song above it just completely all that God is to each and everyone. How we don't really understand or know what He is doing but what we do know and what is important is that He saved each one of us. That is the most important thing ever. Nothing could be better.

It is when we can walk with Jesus when we find out what true riches are.

I pulled out that sentence from the devotional book that I am currently into. I really liked it because I pretty much think it sums up what a life with Jesus truly is. A life walking with Jesus is so meaningful and gives you a life full of purpose and meaning. The day I completely gave my life to Christ was the day my life was changed and it is indescribable. I have never known more love than the love that is found in Christ Jesus. His love is boundless and completely amazing! Without Him I am nothing! That is why it is up to me to completely give my life over to Him building up my treasures in Heaven not here on earth.

Like said in Matthew 6:21 "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Meaning whatever we spend most of our time and energy doing is what we think will satisfy us the most. But understand this nothing in this world will ever satisfy you the way that Jesus does. Nothing will fill your soul more than spending time in God's Word and praying and talking to God. All the expensive clothes and cars and all that other materialistic stuff will never complete you in the way that Jesus can if you completely surrender to Him.

I am going to type in this last bit from my devotional because I think that this is good too. Christ brings us life, and He brings it more abundantly. He is the real treasure, and as long as our hearts remain with Him, our lives will be truly rich.

Put all that you are into Christ and give Him your heart and build up treasure for your eternity.

 I am not going to post this whole thing because their is so much to it. But I highly recommend reading through Psalm 42 and 43 when you can. Both of these chapters in Psalms are great and they are the two chapters that we focused on at Vintage last night. It was pointed out how in both of these Psalms that the psalmist is down and going through some pretty heavy trials. Something we can all relate to. This one verse from Psalm 42 I am going to pull out and focus on. It is verse 11 in Psalm 42.

"Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God."

From that verse I want to pull out of that Put Your Hope In God something that a lot of us believers fail to a good portion of the time when we are depressed and suffering and going through trials. Instead of putting our hope in God we put it into a lot of other things that will never do anything for us. We have this tendency to believe that we if we talk to other people about it or get involved in other stuff that maybe that will help us get through whatever is bringing us down. That is not the case. I say this from experience too because I am just as guilty as every other believer for doing things like this. Years ago when a relationship I was in was going under instead of going to God and seeking His council I turned to a friend and they told me what I wanted to hear and instead of ending this relationship I continued in it because that is what my friend said I should do. Well not only did that bring on more heartache but it also really pulled me farther away from God. But thank God for His love and mercy and His forgiveness. God did get me out of that situation but if I had gone to God and seeked Him out first that would have saved me from a lot more pain that was totally unnecessary.

Now during this past year when I was going through a pretty down and depressed time instead of turning to people I turned all of my focus and attention on God and went to Him for help. I began to praise Him and glorify Him and the end result was that it brought me closer to Him and placed my focus on Heavenly things.

So when going through tests and trails run to God and put your hope in Him. He will get you through whatever it is that is attacking you. Remember God is bigger than any thing that you are going through. God is always bigger than your situation. He is God He made the universe and He can certainly be all that you need Him to be.

I just finished this book the other day and I found it to be absolutely amazing. This is the final book in the Left Behind series which is basically fictional books based off of factual things that will take place one day based off of the Book of Revelation in the Bible. This last book Kingdom Come takes place during the millenial reign of Jesus Christ. Satan is trapped and will be let out after the 1000 years are up to try and conquer one last time. Of course he doesn't because God is all powerful and it says in the Bible that satan will lose and be thrown into hell for all eternity.

The crazy thing I found in this book is the fact that their were still those people who chose to not put their faith in Christ. It is crazy because for one Jesus was reigning on earth in all of His glory and splendor for two satan wasn't around to influence these people so they were acting on free will. It crazy to me that people seriously believe that satan will conquer one day. He has failed at every other attempt. He couldn't stop the cross where Jesus died and conquered sin and death when He rose from the dead. Yet during the time when this happens for real one day the same will happen here.

Jesus is Lord and King forever and right now it is up to you to make the choice to follow Jesus and accept His gift of salvation. The Bible talks about what will happen in the days when all believers are raptured out leaving behind those who never accepted Christ as their Savior. Believe me it is a time that you do not want to be a part of. You will face things that you can't even comprehend where God pours out His wrath. This may seem as though God is doing this because He doesn't love you but it is actually the exact opposite. During this time period this will be God's last ditch effort to get those who don't believe to believe and if during all of this they choose to still turn away from Christ then their eternity is set in the lake of fire. Not pretty.

Choose to turn your life over to Christ. It is well worth it.

 I don't know if anyone has gotten into this Twilight Book Series by Stephanie Meyer but if you haven't you should. These are by far the best books that I have read since the Harry Potter series and the Left Behind series. Very good. I have a hard time putting them down. I am currently on the third Eclipse and then the fourth and final book Breaking Dawn comes out in August. And you bet that I will be in line at midnight buying my copy.

Not giving too much away but the general synopsis is this girl Bella moves to the town of Forks and ends up falling in love with a vampire Edward. The writing in this book surrounding these two characters is just amazing. I mean seriously after you read this it is going to make you wish if you are a girl that a guy like Edward exists. So wonderful. I definately recommend this series to everyone. It is great!!!

The movie for the first one is being released December 12th of this year and it looks alright. The guy they have playing Edward actor Robert Pattinson though is perfect for that role. If you haven't heard of Robert he played Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I am looking forward to the movie as well. That is all.

 "For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave."
Psalm 86:13

Nothing in this world could ever compare to the amazing love that we receive from God. His love for us cannot be compared to any He has done so much for us. This verse above is a reminder of how amazing that love is.

God died on the cross and bore our sins and wiped us clean. When Jesus resurrected from the dead though He conquered satan and death. That is why once we become a believer no matter what trials we face we can always believe and know that nothing will ever change our eternal destiny in Heaven. Dying isn't frightening anymore because we aren't going to die and the grave has no power over us because Jesus defeated that more than 2000 years ago.

When we are in Christ everything He accomplished holds true for every believer because Christ is living in us. Therefore we too have conquered death and the grave because Christ has. See their is nothing to fear. All is well!!!!

 Anything in The Bible, The Word of God is wise and I live by that every single day. One of my favorite verses and one that I focus on all the time is Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." Very good.

 Yeah I know this is a weird title for a blog but just keep reading.

So yeah I have a new man in my life. His name is Declan and weighs about 8lbs and is the cutest and most aborable thing in the world. I am talking about my nephew of course. The new bundle of joy. Declan came into this beautiful world on May 30th at 9:13 pm. He is so precious and I just love him.

I am so happy for my sister and her husband also. They are going to make wonderful parents and I look forward to watching their little one grow.

What I am about to write below are some of the things that I learned about through Vintage last Tuesday about self concept and the ways that we perceive ourselves. Very good stuff.

Ephesians 2:10

- You will almost always live out of your self-concept/identity
- You will almost never live beyond your self-concept/identity

Option #1: The World's System - meaning you get who you are from personal apperance, positions, possessions, and performance.

Option #2: God's System - meaning you get who you are from God

Option #1: leads to behavior rooted in error - you will accept others assestments of you and make choices based on wrong information.

Option #2: leads to behavior rooted in truth, a solid source of truth.

John 14:6, John 17:17

We are not born with our self concept it is developed over the course of our lives.

Remember that God planned for everyone us and He prepared for us in advance. We are a valuable cause because God says so. We are here on earth to create God's vision for our lives.

1 Corinthians 5:17 - new creature in Christ
Thinking on that above will change how you perceive things.

We need to believe God's authority Word above all else. We cannot do more or less for God's love. God does what He does for us because of His love for us not out of spite.

1 John 5:3
We do things for God because of our love for God not because we think we have to.

Last but not least keep this in mind a true relationship with Jesus is meant to rip through our lives and transform us. Not keep where we always have been. It is going to change you whether you want it to or not.

"Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart."
Psalm 37:4

Delighting in the Lord. Not always something that is easy to do especially when we are being attacked by the enemy or we are just struggling through things. But in all honesty delighting ourselves in the Lord is the thing that will I believe pull us through any and all of our hardships.

At times I believe that we all can place God in a box and believe that He can only do so much but the thing is that God does things above and beyond all understanding. On our end we need to stop questioning God and what He can do and we need to place all of our faith and trust in Him. Because God does great things and when the enemy is attacking us at any moment remember that satan was defeated more than 2000 years ago when Jesus conquered death and the grave through the resurrection. When we remember that it doesn't stop satan from coming at us but it is a great tool to use when he is. Remember satan is a nerd and he will do what he can to keep us from the joy and goodness we are meant to have in Christ. Fight fire with fire. When satan comes at you placing doubt in your mind fight back with the Word of God and all that God has promised you. Choose to delight yourself in the Lord!

I was reading this today and liked it. If we will just learn to accept a God Who is greater and more powerful than the limits of our minds can grasp, we will begin to experience God more fully. Faith is not without reason, but is always beyond reason. That is some good stuff right and so true. God is amazing and the question is never if God can do something because He can He is the God of the whole universe and He created this place so God can do anything. The question that we really need to be asking ourselves is if we believe that God can do it. Believing God comes from having faith and trusting Him. Keep that in mind and delight in the Lord because when you do that during your hardships that makes satan cringe and I know that I love it when I am making him cringe!

I just want to take this moment to thank all of those people in this country who are involved in the armed forces!!! Thanks to those who are presently fighting in the war and those who have served in any war!!! Thanks for putting your lives on the line for this country so we can have our freedom!!! I am forever grateful for all that you do and you are in my prayers!!!! Last but not least thank you to those who have lost their lives for the freedom of this country. You will forever be remembered!!!

 I am doing this again because this was really good again. It talks all about how if we turn away from the things of God how we are hardening our hearts. Not too cool and not something I want to happen. Read this below and take the time to read Zechariah 7:8-14.

Scripture Reference: Do not harden your hearts. —Psalm 95:8

Pharmaceutical companies make billions of dollars selling drugs that prevent hardening of the arteries, a condition that can lead to heart attacks, which kill thousands of people every year.

A more serious condition than hardening of the arteries, however, is hardening of the heart, and it cannot be prevented by any wonder drug. The prophet Zechariah warned the Israelites about it. They had hardened their hearts and refused to listen to the words of the Lord. Symptoms of this deadly condition were their refusal to execute true justice and their failure to show mercy and compassion (Zech. 7:9). As a result, the Lord became angry and stopped listening to them (v.13).

While it’s important to keep plaque from forming in our arteries, it’s even more important to keep our hearts from becoming callous to people who are important to God: widows, orphans, aliens, and the poor (v.10).

It’s crucial to follow our doctor’s orders to keep our arteries from hardening. But it’s even more crucial to obey God to keep our hearts from becoming hardened to the needs of others.

Ask God to bring to mind a person who needs the help of someone with a soft heart.

— Julie Ackerman Link

If I can right a human wrong,
If I can help to make one strong,
If I can cheer with smile or song,
Lord, show me how. —Kleiser


To love Christ is to have a heart for others.

David Cook! Yes David Cook is our new American Idol and is single is already number 1 on ITUNES. Pretty awesome! It was a pretty tight competition. Both David Cook and David Archuleta were wonderful on Tuesday! I have to say I was on Team Archuleta and voted for him but I also love David Cook and am happy he won! Should be interesting to see how it pans out for both of these guys I for once actually like both of them and will be supporting both of them. So yeah! That is all from me today.

 "Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD."
Psalm 27:14

Patience it is a virtue that we all struggle with and have a hard time grasping at times. At least that is the way I think. It can be so hard to wait for something that we want so badly. Maybe you are waiting for that right job or you are waiting for that person who you plan to marry some day to come along. It seems as though it will never happen. That is however where patience needs to set in. We need to realize that their is a time and place for everything and God knows when that perfect time will be. God knows what He is doing and He knows when and where He needs to do things in our lives.

In a day and age where we are all about getting what we want when we want it, waiting and be patient is one of the hardest things but that is exactly what God asks us to do. To wait for the Lord and trust Him also. When we completely trust in God it makes the whole waiting thing a tad bit easier. It makes us realize that we can believe and know that God will do what He said He will do in our life because He will. God will never go back on what He has promised He wants to give it to us but it has to be in the right time so His glory can be seen through in our lives.

So be patient and take heart and know that God is there and He is doing all that He can in our lives and the very best is yet to come.