Rooted in Christ

In youth the other night we had the topic “Rooted in Christ”.

By identifying winds of our christian walk, we could find ways to deal with them.  Winds such as worldly influences, doubts, temptations, peer pressure, seeing others blown over and not getting up, media, consumerism and other discouragements.

These winds can destroy our roots in Christ, namely our faith.  We need to be mindful of our doctrine. (“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.”-Ephesians 4:14)  We are constantly bombarded with information, theories and ideas.  We need to sift through what is true.  (“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” – Colossians 2:6-8 )

What can i do to become more rooted and established in the faith??  I can excersize applying what i believe.  I can know my Bible, grow in knowledge of God’s word.  I can spend time with other christians.  I can be watchful, be careful who teaches me, what i read, and go back to the standard of God’s word.  I can learn from mistakes.  I can read and pray.

But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. -James 1:6

Complaining while serving God?

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does. – Ephesians 6:7-8

This something that i need to be reminded of daily.  Whether it is cleaning up the dishes, or doing school work, it is so easy to complain.  But why complain, when what i do is all for God?  How can i complain to the God who sent his only Son to die so that i could live eternally with Him?

If we realized that absolutely everything we do is for the Lord, would we do it differently?  Would our attitude change?  Even while singing congregational hymns and when working with people we don’t like?

God will reward us.  God can’t reward us for more than we do.  Not only can we do good, but we can do it with all of our hearts only for God.

Thanks for the food.

Whenever i eat something that tastes good, i wonder why i was not only blessed with food, but with food that tastes good.  There are so many people who starve, while i get a different variety of food every day.

I want to thank you God that i have it soo good.  I don’t understand why you would give me the good tasting food.  I want to let you know that i appreciate it.  With each bite, i look to you in thanksgiving.  Lord, you are soo good to me.

Jesus never changes

Sometimes when i look at those who have fallen, and aren’t serving the Lord anymore, i wonder if that ever could happen to me.  Sometimes when i look at others who won the race of life, i wonder if i am going to make it.  Sometimes i doubt.

I was reminded yesterday, that Jesus never changes.  Jesus was there for my forefathers who made it.  And because Jesus never changes, i too can make it.  I can win the race.  It may not be easy, but with His help, i will be able to stand strong no matter what may come.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. –Hebrews 13:8

That Sister of Mine.

“Inspiredbrioooooo??”

“…yeah?”

“I loooooove you!”

“Well, I love you more!!”

“NO. I LOVE YOU THE MOST!!!”

My sister may be exaggerating when she vows her love to me, but one thing i know for sure.  I know that God loves me.  God has always loved me and always will.  No matter how far away i might be separated with Him, He will always give me an opportunity to begin pleasing Him.  We never know how long we have until we will be separated from God’s love through death.  My prayer is that i may never be separated from the love of God.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: 
      “ For Your sake we are killed all day long;
       We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – (Romans 8:35-39)

My Motto – Pleasing God

In a sermon today, I was reminded of what my motto is.  Sometimes distractions are appealing, and the focus starts sliding off of the motive.  If the only life that with fulfillment and true joy is one that pleases God, how do we know what pleases Him?  By reading the Bible.  The more we read, the more we know.

Areas in my life where i need to please God:

• In my personal life.  With my priorities and past times.
• In my family life.  Me and my house will serve the Lord.
• In my school life.  Serve as serving the Lord, not men.
• In my church life.  In all, to please you only.

And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way.  (Colossians 1:10)

We were not worthy of the lamb that was sacrificed for us, but God is worthy enough that we should please Him in everything that we do.

that Saturday-night feeling.

Have you ever had a feeling on a Saturday-night, a feeling of excitment and longing for Sunday?  I can really feel the difference as it gets later and later on a Saturday-night.  I am excited because i get to go to the House of the Lord and worship with all my adopted brothers and sisters.  I long to learn something new that will challenge me to grow closer to my Daddy in Heaven.

I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord! ~Psalm 122:1

The Hands and Feet of Jesus

Adoption is something that God has put very close to my heart.  I saw this song and felt God speak to me that some day, I could be a part of this miracle.  I don’t know how or when, but I leave it in His Hands.  He will guide me and show me what His will is.

Spiritual Beauty

God gave us a desire for beauty.  The world emphasizes on the outward appearance, but the bible puts it on the inner being.  Before we can  put on the clothes of character, we need to take off the old clothes.  As christians, we are to wear tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing and forgiving.  Why do we need to but these on?  Because if we were born with them, we wouldn’t need to put them on.  We need spiritual beauty.  We need to strive to become more beautiful.  We need to find more ways to become prettier spiritually.

When we think back and remember people from years ago, we don’t remember their outfits, but their personality.  Our spiritual clothing is real because it comes from the heart.  Why do we want to clothe ourselves spiritually?  It is out of gratitude for what God did for us.  We need to be as similar to Jesus Christ as possible.

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering;  bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.  But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.  Colossians 3:12-14

Heaven’s Treasures

God saved our house and our belongings.  Why?  He could taught us something through losing everything, but He decided to teach us something through keeping everything.  I don’t know the purpose all our material possessions have.  I just pray that somehow God might use them to the growth of His Kingdom.  At the time of the fire, I felt as though i was ready to give up everything.   I was expecting to lose everything and suddenly these earthly things completely lost their value.

The miracle that God did reminded me that we need to store as many treasures in Heaven as we can.  The earth will perish, but God’s home up above is what lasts.  Lord, help me to fully give all my time and efforts to the growth of your Kingdom.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-21 – “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”