Keep the Faith. :)

Hebrews 11:1 gives the definition of faith. It says this. "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." There are two words that can describe faith: sure and certain. Those qualities need a secure beginning and an ending point. Our faith is in the God whoe created the entire universe by using his word. God's word has an awesome power. When he speaks, do you listen and respond? Do it with faith. How can you better prepare yourself to respond to God's word? Keep the faith.

God wants your faith to lead to a personal, dynamic relationship. Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." So, believing that God exists is only the beginning. Even the demons believe that. God will not settle for mere acknowledgement of his existance. He wants our faith in him.

But, does faith make sense, really? Do you believe because faith makes sense, or because faith doesn't need to make sense?

God wants our trust and faith, even while we ponder and wonder about so many matters mysterious to us. Faith is reasonable, though reason alone cannot explain the whole of it. So use your mind to think things through. But leave room for the unexplainable works of God.

Think of Hebrews chapter 11 as faith's hall of fame. It is a reminder to me, and maybe to you too, that I need to keep my faith and show that I have it by shining it like a light throughout your life.

Dear God, Please help me to stay strong in my faith and to shine it in my daily life. God, just step in and let me not lose my faith at all when I get into situations. Thanks for everything and for faith.

Jeremiah 29:11 :)

Ever wonder why you have to be on God's schedule and not your own? Well, I have. I have the tendancy of asking that question a lot. I struggle with this a lot. Although, I have come to a conclusion for myself. If something happens, and I don't think it should, I remember that God is the one who wanted it to happen. You may ask why. Well, it's because all things happen for a reason. God has a plan for every single person. If you weren't in God's plan, then you wouldn't be breathing right now. God's awesome, and like I said, he makes everything happen for a reason. I just wish I could realize it.

Dear God, Please help me to realize the plans that you have for me. I know that they are going to happen on your schedule and not mine, so help me to have patience as I wait. Even as I wait though God, I will glorify you and shine your light so that all can see it.

~Jeremiah 29:11 = For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I realize all the time that I always want things to happen in my own time. When I think of that, I have myself read this verse. It brings me back to the reality that things are gonna happen on God's schedule. I pray that I will finally learn to except that.

I love Jesus!! :)

Ya know, I'm tired of hiding this from my non_Christian friends. I love Jesus!! :) I wanna shine his light and let it be known. Jesus loves us all. All to him I owe. I shouldn't hide my love for Him from peopl. I'm done being a chamelleon Christian.

Dear God, help me to not hide our love. I wanna shine your light so all can see. :) I need you God to give the courage I need to share this with all my friends. Even if they're not Christians. Help me to save them.

PHILIPPIANS 4:13. :)

And if our God is for us........

Chris Tomlin wrote a song. He got inspired by Romans 8:31. "And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us?! And, if our God is with us, then what could stand against?!" This hits close to home for me. I finally realized today that God is here for me no matter what.

Christ won't turn around and condemn you because he gave his life for us. He won't withold anything we need to live for him. This is like a letter of confidence and comfort for us, to us. When Satsn accuses us of stuff, Jesus is like the advocate for our defense, He stands at the right hand of God and presents our case to Him. In Christ, we are super-conquerers, and his love wil protect us from any such forces. Our God is for us, NOTHING will stand against us. It's impossible to be separated from the love of Christ.

~Romans 8:31 = If God is for us, who can be against us?

This verse means a lot to me because it reminds me that God's never gonna turn his back to me. I totally and definitely love that. God's for us, so therefore nothing will stand against us. He will defeat the enemy. His light will shine through. No matter what. That passage, Romans 8:31, affects my walk with Christ. It's made it clear that God's always for us and he won't ever turn his back to me. Nothing's ever gonna stand between me & God's love. He will always be here to hold my heart through the midst of all of my storms.

I'm gonna apply all of this to my life. I'm gonna shine God's light through all this darkness. Even when I'm down, he will always have my heart. It belongs to him. The rest of my life, I'm gonna share this amazing news with people. I'm gonna do it even if my "friends" reject me. I'll pray and have God show me that I should kepp trying no matter what. I will pray that he will give me the right words to say. I'm gonna share his love and my faith with people.

Dear God, Please give me the strength I need to live my life for you. I need you God to step in and take control. I pray that you'll give me the courage and the words that I need to share you with my friends and my loved ones. I love you Lord. Show me these things I need and do it in your time.

"Our God is greater. Our God is stronger. God you are higher than any other. Our God is healer. Awesome in power. Our God. Our God." :)

Trials & Temptations

The Bible says, "consider it pure joy my friends when you are faced with trials and temptations." You love Jesus, therefore, Satan is just mad that he lost another person to God. With the power of God on your side, you can crush Satan and let it be known to him that his temptations didn't get the best of you. God won't let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. He is there to help you get back up on your feet again and to form a better relationship with him.

Dear God, the trials and temptations faced in my life make my relationship with you stronger. I stick with you, well, you stick with me anyways, even when things are a little bit rough. It may seem hard but you're always gonna be here to be the light at the end of the dark and cold tunnel. You'll always be by my side.

~1 Corinthians 10:13....No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

God isn't the one who does the tempting. It's Satan. He wants us to give into those temptations, but, God pulls us through so that we do not give in. All you gotta do is stay close to God and stay strong in your faith. Be shining God's light throughout your spiritual walk with Christ. Do these things and God will be sure to help you through your trials and temptations.

When I face trials and temptations of any kind, I always just say a quick prayer. Well, maybe not just a quick prayer. I do pray though. Sometimes, after I pray myself, and I'm still being tempted, I find an accountibility partner to pray with me. Sometimes when two people are praying it is more powerful. I think about it this way. God is right here with us when two or more people gather to pray in his name. God is just awesome like that.

Also, if someone you know is going through trials and temptations, pray for them. There's truly not much else that you CAN do. Just pray. God knows the situation. Just pray about it. The person may ask you for advice, but, praying is the best thing that you can do for them. You might also give them comforting words and advice AFTER you pray and ask God for the right words to say. Just ponder at this. Ya never know who you're helping.

Praise You In This Storm

     Alright. Seriously?! I just wanna finally be happy. Why can't that happen?! Either way, God's gonna make me happy in the end. I'll praise him through this storm. I'm ready for God to take my pain away and allow me to be happy and live in peace. Praising him throughout this storm is the best thing that I could do at a time like this. It's just so hard. God knows that I'm ready to be happy with my life. It's just gonna happen in his time and not mine. I just need to face that. It may be hard at times, but I know I can do it.
    
     Dear God, Please calm this storm. I can't take it anymore. I'm desperate God. All I want is peace and happiness. That's all I want. Please God. I really need you. Take my pain away. Please. It's gonna happen in your time, I know, but, I'm ready to live in peace Lord. All in your time.... 

     "I'll praise you in this storm. And, I will lift my hands. You are who you are. No matter where I stand. Every tear I cry, you hold in your hands. And, though my heart is torn. I will praise you in this storm."

     ~ Jesus calms the storm. (Mark 4:35-41.) :) Check it out. =)

     I love it when God's here by my side through my storms. I would be lost without him.