Busy

Oct. 4th

Hello everyone. Man I have fallen off on these blogs. I haven't forgotten about them. I have just been really busy. Working over 50 hours a week, busy at church and other activities. I have recently been reading a book recently and it has really spoken to me. Life is good. About to celebrate one year of marriage. It has gone fast. We continue to serve and grow in our relationship with Christ and each other. I'm not sure anyone else could put up with all my antics. Had a really good day today getting some relaxation. Sometimes you just got to take time for yourself. Also, got to catch up with a good friend and we are excited to see him step out in faith and follow his passion and the will God has laid out for his life. It is funny cause the book I'm reading talks about really following and not just following when we want.

Life is good. We really can't complain about anything. We are surrounded by great friends and family. At times we wish we were in other occupations, but God is taking care of us. We currently or working on our debt, and I'm still trying to drop some weight. Both are good things not just for ourselves but hopefully we can honor God with our finances and health.

Hopefully I can get back on track with these blogs. I will try and share more about what God is doing in our lives. God Bless!!

Wait

Sept.
Psalm 27:14

Waiting....we all have had times in our life where we might get angry or upset with waiting.  Waiting in rush hour traffic can be one of the most frustrating things we face.  Waiting in the doctors hospital.  Maybe even waiting in the grocery line.

Another aspect in our lives might be waiting on our Lord.  We live in a gotta have it now generation.  People line up for hours for the next iphone.  When we were younger we would wait hours to ride a roller coaster or other thrill ride.  Some people even wait for food.

It can be difficult at times to wait on the Lord.  Often times we grow impatient or weary at waiting.  Sometimes we give up even though we see He answers our prayers or reveals His power, mercy, grace, and love another way.  We often overlook the prayers He has answered or the blessings we have already received.

I encourage you to wait for His will.  Continue to pray.  Continue to preserve.  Continue to praise.  Continue to do Hus work and be light to those around you.  Don't lose focus and give up.  Fix your eyes upon His glory and live today and let Him control all aspects of your life.  He is sovereign and unchanging.  He is constant in our every changing lives.  Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord.

Near

Sept. 22nd
Phil. 4:4

Yesterday we discussed how sometimes are actions are different when we are around other people.  I asked the question do you act differently when God is around?  After a little discussion they said that God is always around,  but our focus isn't always on Him.

We also discussed finding joy even in the difficult times.  It was a encouraging discussion with many different youth being open and honest. 

Paul here encourages us first to live in harmony.  He challenges us to live a spiritual disciplined life.  One where we recognize God is near.  God is near and can guide us through the trials of life.  Gid is also near when we are not living out the light inside us.  God sees all things.

This is a close relationship.   Not only are we to live in harmony with others,  but we must live in harmony with Christ as well.  Our character should be the same as if He is near at all times.

Lord,  I need your strength to live out and walk in this kind of harmony.  Help me feel and recognize you are near.  Help me hold you close to my heart even in those difficult times.  Help me overcome distraction and burden my heart not just for you, but for others as well.

Greater

Sept. 19th

We can look throughout the Bible and even in our own lives and see how He was greater then our storm, our struggle, our pain, and even our sin.

Whatever you are facing today I encourage you to give it to Him who is Greater. Give a listen to the Mercy Me song.  Sing it out and with confidence that our afflictions are small and monetary compared to the glory of Christ.

Trustworthy

Sept. 15th
Philippians 2:19-30

Looking at this passage really made me think about the relationships in my life and how blessed I 'am to have each one of them.  We can look at this passage and the relationship between Paul and Timothy.  On Sunday we discussed this relationship and I asked who could we trust in our life, and who would trust us?

Being trustworthy plays a vital role in relationships.  It would seem being a Christian that we automatically would be trustworthy.  However, how many times do we find something later, or too late.  Not only is it important for us to have people we can depend on, but we must strive to earn trust from others.  Early in life we give people the benefit of the doubt and trust them right away.  However, our trust for these people gets broken and blurry.  People let us down, hurt us, or maybe even fail us.

We can look in the Bible at many different relationships that were dependent on trust.  We see where Jesus trusted 12 disciples to follow him.  How can we be more trustworthy?  We must try and model the examples scripture gives us.  What better example do we have?  We can see how trust and love were in the forefront.  In this life we all need someone to walk with us.  A spouse, family member, friend, mentor, etc.  We also must seek that relationship with Christ first.  He is always trustworthy, and if we follow God's will and let that will guide us we will be lead to relationships that will grow us, guide us, mold us, and transform us.  Maybe you know someone that needs someone trustworthy in their life right now.  We need people who don't always seek their own interests, but look out for others intentions and well being.

Self-denial

Sept. 12th
Romans 15:1

The world tries to tell us to only worry about yourself.  Sometimes it tells us we have to hurt others to gain higher positions or power.  It tells us only the strongest survive. 

As followers of Christ we can't just look at our selfish desires.  While it is important to take care of ourselves, and our families we must do so without hurting others.

We have been called out by Christ to help those who are weak.  Jesus ministry was about helping those who were weak.  This weakness doesn't necessarily have to be a physical ailment.  We are to step up and help those who suffer, struggle, sin or many other things that make us weak.  Those who are strong in Christ are to deny themselves and help those who are weak become strong in Christ.

There will be times when we become weak.  Wouldn't we want someone strong in Christ to help us back up.  Someone to encourage us, pray for us, and love us.

We tend to turn our backs sometimes when someone is going through a time of weakness.  We hold certain types of sins higher than others.  We are all sinners.  We can still help those who have made bad decisions.  We all go through a time of weakness.  We must keep our eyes on Christ our only source of strength and direct those are weak toward His light and loving grace.

Devoted

Devotion
Col. 4:2

We just started a series at church on prayer.  As you have seen many of these blogs have mentioned prayer.  Prayer takes devotion. A basic description of devotion is to love someone. One quote I read said prayer is the Christian's breath. We can't live without air and we can't walk with Christ without prayer.

Prayer has been labeled as a negative action in the last few decades. Prayer in school is banned.  Prayer at sporting events or other functions have been banned.  It seems others get offended at prayer or argue that prayer to God is against their religion. 

We must stay devoted.  No matter the obstacles or trials that may come our way.  Prayer doesn't have to be out loud or outside.  Prayer can take place anywhere and anytime.

I really enjoy Max Lucado books and I can't wait to read his newest one titled Before Amen.

I encourage you to be devoted to prayer.  If we love our father above then we should devote our time in prayer.