God still...

1 Timothy 1-4

1 Timothy 4:12-14 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. ¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

Paul discipled young men that wanted more out of life than what the world wanted. When Paul was a young man he studied and followed the law in his own way. Than when God captured him, and Paul started seeing things differently he realized there was a different way of living and not all young men were like him. Paul knew that being young was tough and that teens make a lot of mistakes, but he wanted them to know that they didn't have to live that way. That there was a way of living that when they grow up they wouldn't have a life of regrets.

Young people have it tough. They are trying to learn whats really the truth. What really works for them in life. They experiment with drugs, sexuality, emotions, etc. And when they become an adult and find their self confidence they look back and wished they didn't do all that they did.

God wants to give teens a gift. The gift of a better future and a better adulthood. God believes in our teens. God believed in me. I knew this scripture as a teen and it stuck with me. I didn't always follow it, but no matter what i was going through or how i felt, i remembered that God believed that i could do anything i put my heart to. God didn't see me as a teenager but as a believer and as His follower. God saw me not as a immature girl but as the mature wise woman i could be. God didn't reject me like everyone else when i said or did something stupid. He held me and corrected me with His mercy.

And even though I'm not a teenager anymore, God still holds me. God still sees me. God still loves me.

Father,
Thank you for your love even at times when i don't deserve it. Thank you that because of your cross I am free from being bound in sin. You are Christ that loves me and forgives me. Lord, please forgive me for my selfish ways and thoughts. I do things that don't please you but Lord search my heart and you will see how much I love you. You are my everything and all i need is you. Hold me and guide me on your path that I may find you.
I forever love you always
Amen

Spotlight

Romans 13-16

Romans 14:13 ¹³ Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.

Paul had worked with many churches by the time he wrote this letter to the Romans. He knew that even people in the church are easily swayed by human emotions and weaknesses. One of the greatest human weaknesses is judgment. Thinking we are the judger, thinking we are better than the person next to us.

When someone judges another it doesn't mean one is better than the other, it actually is saying that the person who is judging has the bigger problem. When someone points to finger at another especially pointing out their faults the finger pointer usually has bigger sins to hide, therefore they want to put the spotlight on someone else.

God said that He would judge the world. He is the judger of people, because He is perfect. Jesus told us not to judge others because there will be a day of judgement, where people will get theirs. I sometimes find myself judging others because I feel they are being hypocrites, yet when i think that way I am a hypocrite. It is not my duty to point the finger at someone else and be okay with me only looking at their sins. Even if I know someone is sinning and they are being judgemental, I have to just give it to God. Give God my feelings about the situation, give God my thoughts (good or bad), give God all that I have so that He (the true judge) can take it and do His will.

Father.
Thank you for being the true judge. Thank you for taking my bad thoughts and hypocritical feelings and doing your will. I know that i will still have those feelings and may say things I shouldn't in time but Lord during those times (whether i know what i am doing or not) take whats inside of me and throw it out. I don't want to even use the word hypocrite because your grace and mercy has saved us ALL.
I forever love you always
Amen

Blinded

Psalm 125; Matthew 26-27

Matthew 27:42-44 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. ⁴³ He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” ⁴⁴ In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

The Pharisees and Jews spit on Jesus, yelled at Him, cursed Him, laughed at Him, hit Him, mocked Him, etc. They took a man that they thought was weak and took advantage of the fact that he was bound with shackles. They saw that He wouldn't fight back or even say anything in His defense. They thought they were stronger than Him by what they saw with their eyes.

People are so blind by what they see that they are sheltered from the truth. A persons mind forgets the important things and only remembers the things that get them ahead in life. I'm sure that those people that mocked Jesus thought they were doing the right thing by following everyone else, because it was what other people thought that mattered. And its still the same thousand years later, people today are still blinded by their own selfishness.
People are beat in front of them and they "can't get involved".
People are hurt by others opinions so they feel they have to "take control" and shut people up.
The devil is sitting right in front of them and they shake hands with him instead of kicking his butt.

Its time to open our eyes to what God is saying and doing. He wants us to see the truth for what it is and live by it. Jesus is calling us to stick up for Him now instead of being quiet. No one fought for Him and His rights to live. No one tried to stop the crucifixion. He died. And others laughed.
But now its time. Its time to stick up for Christ. Stick up for His cause and not remain quiet. Its time to love on Jesus and proclaim that Yes He is the Messiah. He is Lord, He is Savior, He is King.

Father,
Thank you for your power and authority over my life. You are my Savior yesterday, today and forever. You are King and Majesty over all the earth. You are Lord or Lords and I praise you because you are worthy and Holy.
I forever love you always
Amen

No Eye Balls

Matthew 17-19 ^a]">
Matthew 18:7-9
⁷ Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! ⁸ If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. ⁹ And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

Jesus came to this earth to know how it felt to be human. God is spirit, divine, perfect and didn't know why humans acted like humans. Jesus came and felt all that we feel. He came and was tempted like we are tempted. He had thoughts like we do, felt what we feel, heard what we hear. So when it was time for Jesus to be tempted, instead of falling His thoughts and heart were with God. His priority was the kingdom of heaven and not what someone else will think of me. He knew the true meaning of following Gods will, no matter how much it hurt.

When I stumble, I bring it to God. I allow God to do His will in my life through the mistakes that I make. I know that Jesus doesn't want me to gouge out my eye physically (maybe back in the day) but to destroy anything and everything that is making me stumble and sin. He wants me to get rid of every little thing that makes me fall. Its better to get rid of what makes you sin than to go to the fiery pits of hell.

There are times when I do sin that I go to others and pray for me. Jesus doesn't want us to do things alone. He wants us to find others and pray for one another so our voices will connect with our spirits and God can hear us pleading for Him.

¹⁹ “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Father,
Thank you that you made this world unique. Each and every person is different in their own way and we all struggle with different things. You are Creator and Maker of all and I praise you for forgiveness, Grace, Mercy, Hope, and Love. You Lord are the Creator of a better tomorrow. You are the Maker of a brighter future. Your forgiveness is what keeps me going. Your Grace is what makes my heart beat. Your Mercy is what gets me closer to You. Your Hope is what wakes me up in the morning. Your Love is what makes me breathe.
I forever love you always
Amen

Perfect in weakness

Psalm 124; 2 Corinthians 11-13

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul was a strong man. His faith and hope were totally and completely engulfed in God. Anything that he went through he first went to God and put his trust in Him. Even though he was strong he also knew he was weak which made him more reachable to the people who needed Christ the most.

People in authority sometimes make themselves seem more like God than human. They sometimes forget that they are still tempted and still sin everyday. We all have weaknesses. I have plenty weaknesses. I've had more in the past when i didn't know how to be strong but now that I am stronger I am more in control. I can tell people my weaknesses without being embarrassed and allow others to come into my life and be accountable for me. I believe that is why Paul boasted about his weaknesses, so people would take into account those things and if he was ever in a compromising situation than those people would help him make the right decisions.

Father,
Thank you for loving me so much that your love has made me stronger than before. I know I still fall in my weaknesses but through your power I can rise up and meet you where you are.
I forever love you always
Amen

Live as a Believer

Job 35-36; 1 Corinthians 7-8

1 Corinthians 7:17 ¹⁷ Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.

Paul wrote what he lived. He wrote by example, through his own life, his own temptations, his own weaknesses and strengths. He knew what it was like to live with and in the world and how to live with and in the Spirit. He saw the problems of a marriage from the outside view which means it was worse from the inside. And he lived as a single man wholly devoted to God.

As a believer and a leader, the situations i go through seem to explode 100 x's more. My life and path that i choose is reflected on by others especially for others to see the end result. My sins feel 100 x's worse too. Paul tells me that whatever situation I am in, I need to live as a believer. When i make a mistake...pick myself back up and live as a believer. When someone doesn't like me, don't hate on them back...I am to live as a believer. When I think i have done the worst thing i could do and feel confused, frustrated, numb...I am not to fall back into old ways...I am to live as a believer.

Lord,
You have assigned me this life. You have given me this time to be with you and follow you and love you. And sometimes I fall back, I sin, I do stupid things and let my flesh take over, but i want to live as Your believer. As someone who believes in You. As someone who worships You. As someone who loves You. Father, forgive my sins that yes i do forget about the sin and only think selfishly. Guide me to your true and forever righteousness,
I forever love you always
Amen

Pilate the Coward

Job 26-27; Mark 15-16

^{Mark 15:12-15
12} “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.

¹³ “Crucify him!” they shouted.

¹⁴ “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

¹⁵ Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

Pilate was in a pickle. He was the leader, he held Jesus' life in his hand and saw found nothing wrong with him. Pilate had a decision to make, do what the people say or listen to his gut. He listened to the people.

Living in a society where other people have a great influence, its easy to point the finger and Pilate and call him a coward. But looking at daily life, we make this decision everyday. "Its either them or me". And we would probably do what Pilate did: put ourselves first before anyone else, no matter how innocent they are. We unfortunately live in a selfish world with selfish people, but God came to become the light at the end of the tunnel. And with that light, we can be different.

Its easy in my area of work to have a bad attitude to people. I can snarl at them back and shake my head back and forth to them if i wanted to. Last night a lady asked me a question and i gave her an answer with a smile, but she decided to give me straight attitude! I could've done it right back if i wanted to but i answered her again...with a smile. And I'm glad i did because a lady was watching me the whole time and was surprised that i kept my composure. She even told me that she used to be the one who would have the attitude all the time with everyone, but now shes asked God to help change her heart. Telling her I'm a Pastor didn't surprise her because of how i kept myself in the situation. And however someone treats me, i have to remember that someone is always watching.

Father,

Thank you for the patience that you have instilled in my life. You have planted a seed inside of me that i can take to others and they can see who You are in me. Lord, keep using me for your good and guide me to your path everyday. I will not give up on you, your word, your promises, and your presence in my life. You are my everything

I forever love you always, Amen