In Hard Times

Don't you wish everything in life could be wonderful and perfect all the time? Life would be so much easier that way. Unfortunately, living on earth isn't like it. You can have something so great happen to you and in the very same day get the worst news ever. Today, I had a family member pass away. She was a second grandmother to me. Having a conversation with her would make you feel like you were in the presence of God. I know she is in a better place but things like these are always hard to accept. Yesterday I was reading in Classic Christianity this quote. This brings me encouragement. Hopefully, if you have lost a loved one or are going through a hard time it will also lift you up.

Classic Christianity Page 179
"I don't know for sure what God's will is in regard to your situation, "I answer, "but I do know this: It's God's will that you give thanks in this situation."
Why would God tell us to give thanks in all circumstances, even in bad ones? Because giving thanks is a concrete expression of our faith in God-that our lives are in His hands, and that we are trusting Him to fulfill His promise in Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." The result of trusting God with our lives and expressing that faith through giving thanks is a freedom and peace that is supernatural:

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 (Philippians 4:6,7)

Spiritual Gifts vs. Natural Talents

I took a class at Saddleback Church to understand more about myself. It's great to sit down and discover things about yourself that you never realized or maybe never thought about. Here are the points that I am reflecting on this week.

Gifts are not to be confused with natural talents.

Natural talents are given at birth.
*Received from biological parents
*Present from natural birth
*Benefit people in the earthly realm
*Advance "Man's plan"
*Results are (usually) temporal
*Glorify self

Spiritual Gifts
*Given by God through the Holy Spirit
*Present the moment someone gives their life to Christ
*Benefit people in the spiritual realm
*Advance God's plans
*Results are always eternal
*Glorify God

A Spiritual Gift is a special ability, given by the Holy Spirit to every believer at their conversion, to be used to minister to others and therefore build up the body of Christ.

Here is a list of the spiritual gifts. Which ones do you recognize in your own life?
*Administration
*Apostle
*Discernment
*Encouragement
*Evangelism
*Faith
*Giving
*Healing
*Hospitality
*Knowledge
*Leadership
*Mercy
*Miracles
*Pastoring
*Preaching
*Service
*Teaching
*Praying with my Spirit
*Wisdom

I am in the process of writing out and studying both my spiritual and natural gifts. You can look up these versus to learn more if you would like to do the same in your life!

1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4 and Romans 12

Perseverance

The other day I was praying for the Lord to give me a sign on what he is calling me to do with my life. When I came across 1 Timothy 4:11-16 I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest. About a year ago, I was visiting a church and this elderly lady prophesied over me. She was basically saying how I used to sing for the Lord but now had stopped singing. She went on to say that the Lord was telling her it was the time for me to start it up again. Well, this past year I haven't done anything with it because I truly haven't felt the desire to start working on music again. Then after seeking the Lord these past few months I have these below verses on my heart. I feel sometimes we have to persevere through something when we know the Lord is telling us to do something. Sometimes it doesn't feel good but I am believing if we listen then the reward with be fulfilling. What is something that you feel the Lord is telling you to do that you keep putting off? Hopefully these scripture will encourage you!

1 Timothy 4:11-16 (New International Version)
¹¹Command and teach these things. ¹²Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. ¹³Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.¹⁴Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.¹⁵Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. ¹⁶Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Transparency

I have been reflecting a lot on the idea of being transparent.

Transparent means -easy to see through, understand, or recognize; obvious

I am discovering that we are meant to live a life of transparency. Basically saying, allow my life to be an open book to others. For myself and I'm sure for others this concept is really difficult and uncomfortable. I have a tendency to not want to talk about the things in my life that were difficult to deal with. I would rather lock them in a closet deep in my heart and never have to deal with them. Or, if I have delt with the hurt of those issues then I don't want to have to relive them by sharing them with others. But the truth is discovering our destiny will eventually lead to a risky self identification. Have you ever wondered why God says he brings all things together for good? Well, it is because when we have experienced healing from a situation in our lives then we are more willing to help other people going through the same thing.

Don't you love it when a friend shares something with you that you are also dealing with? It is so freeing knowing that someone can relate with you.

Identify is to Testify. What are some area's in your own life that you feel like God can use you to help others who might be going through that same situation right now? Maybe by sharing our story, we can bring healing and freedom to others.

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."

Busyness

The thing I struggle with the most in life is busyness. I get an idea and I want to run with it...well more like 5 ideas and I try to run with all of them at the same time. Then, I usually get burned out and wonder how it happened. Can you relate? It's so frustrating! Well right now, I feel like I am in a season of being tested in that area. I feel like the Lord is telling me to slow down, to refocus on him and to reprioritize my life. This is a quote from the ACTS International blog.

Whatever the cause, if the over-active person sits still for long, his or her inner pain of not feeling okay begins to rise to consciousness. He or she then feels empty, bored, lonely, tired, depressed, or restless. To quieten this pain, he or she just keeps busy, busy, busy.

One escapes his or her pain by becoming an alcoholic. Another, a workaholic. In God's sight there's no difference.

One of the most important lessons in life for every individual to learn and teach his or her children is this: One's worth as a person is never dependent on his or her performance—good or bad. Every person is worthwhile because he or she has been created by God in his image, and loved fully and unconditionally by him.

You can read this great article at http://www.actsweb.org/articles/article.php?i=124&d=1&c=6&p=2

Habits

Have you ever wondered why you do the things you do? How aware are you of your thoughts & actions? Do you believe that your thoughts are powerful to your daily outcome? Well I am in the process of studying Discovering My Spiritual Growth workbook from Saddleback Church (Pastor Rick Warren).

What is a Habit? -A continual, often unconscious inclination to do a certain activity, acquired through frequent repetition.

Sow a thought, reap an act.
Sow an act, reap a habit.
Sow a habit, reap a character.
Sow a character, reap a destiny.

Romans 12:1-2 "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will find acceptable. This is the true way to worship him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

Again, if we want to know what God's will is for our lives then we just need to make sure we are doing what this verse says.

My goal this year is to learn as much about God's character as I can. What is your goal?

Doubt

I was reading my devotional today and the topic is Doubt. I didn't realize the opposite of wisdom is doubt. This could not have come at a better time. I have my moments of doubt while I am waiting on the Lord to reveal his next steps for my life. However, this scripture brings peace and clarity to know that if we have wisdom then we cannot doubt.

James 1:6 "But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind."

What are you believing God for today? Have you looked into the scripture to see what he says about it? Once he gives you that promise then rest assure that in his timing it will come to pass!

Law vs. Grace

I am in the middle of reading the book Classic Christianity by Bob George. The book has a way to bring Christianity back to the basis. Right now, I am in the chapter dealing with Condemnation. I believe it would be amazing if we were able to truly realize God's Grace. This page is to good for me to summarize, so I am going to quote it from page 124:

Law and grace is the issue of God's acceptance. In other word, on what basis is a man made acceptable to God? There are only three possible answers. Man is made (or tries to make himself) acceptable to God by law, by grace, or by a third, hybrid means called Galatianism.

1) Law. Man is responsible to make himself acceptable to God by his work. You are accepted by God according to what you do or don't do. You can easily identify law by the presence of a small two-letter word: "if" "If you do this then God will accept you." Obviously, the opposite must also be true: "If you don't, He won't."

2) Grace. God gives to man a standing of total acceptance as a gift through Jesus Christ. Man's work in no way contributes to God's acceptance of him. Once Jesus was asked, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent" (John 6:28,29) By faith and faith alone a man receives the gift of righteousness in Christ.

Ephesians 2:8,9 is as direct a statement as you can find in the Bible: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast."

3) Galatianism. The attempt to mingle law and grace, Galatianism takes many forms, but sooner or later it always ends up in a meaningless contradiction: "God's grace has made it possible for man to work for His acceptance and forgiveness" or "God loves us unconditionally if we keep all the rules." Law is the realm of what you earn by your performance. Grace is the realm of receiving a free gift. How could you ever mingle the two?

This is like a friend saying that they were going to give you a free car for only $1,000. Wait a minute, I thought you said it was free? A true gift is free.

Bob George goes on to say.." People are attracted to Christ by the message of His total love and acceptance and of salvation by grace; then, once they're in the family of God, they are leveled by demands for performance and conformity. But the Bible says that we can't have it both ways. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. Romans 11:6"

Isn't it great that we can rest in the fact that we don't have to stay down on ourselves about not being all that we think we should be. The Lord loves us just the way we are. We don't have to do anything but receive and believe it!

Destiny

Beth Moore’s Bible Study of Esther

I have been in this study for the last 2 months and every week becomes more exciting! I want to share with you some of the things I have learned so far from this study. Trust me, their will be more to come though!

Have you ever wondered what is so interesting and intriguing about Esther? I have always heard stories about how so many women want to be like her, but why? Because she was a Queen? Yeah being a queen would be nice but I have been asking the question what is it about her that truly is so special? Here are my thoughts that the Lord is unveiling to me daily. I hope this is able to inspire you to also look down deep inside to see what your Destiny is!

So, what is so special about a beautiful woman becoming a queen ? How would this have anything to do with my life? Ever have those thoughts? I would encourage you too read the book and then go back and include these amazing facts afterwards.

Beth Moore has helped me break it down and look at the history behind this book. What an amazing discovery! Here are a few points that have opened my eyes to the meaning of this book.

-Esther was a orphaned Jew. This means in Persian law it is almost impossible for her to become a queen. Orphaned children were looked down on in this time in history. Also, her being a Jew. If you notice in the scripture Esther 2:10 Mordecai instructed her to keep her family history a secret. Why do you think he did this? We will find out later….