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| Not that I have already obtained all this, or ahve already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14
I like the way the NLT puts verse 12, so I'm going to put that version also...
I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be.
When we are saved God does not expect us to be perfect right away. We are supposed to work each day to get closer to that perfection. We can never reach ultimate perfection b/c only God is perfect, but God wants us to "win" in our Christian faith and that means growing closer to Him and changing our lives to that which Christ would delight in. We are never to see ourselves as perfect, but we should confess and then forget the sins of our past so they do not hinder us and then strive to please Christ. Do not become discouraged when changes in your life don't seem fast enough and you can't understand why it's hard to change. Keep working and keeping in touch with God. In the end, the goal you will reach will be worthy of your best efforts. | | |
| Nothin much here, just a few comments that I think put things in good perspective...
- It's not enough to stay away from the wrong people, you have to be the right people.
- You're not supposed to have the ability. God has the ability, He wants your availability.
- Be cautious in telling others what you can do, but be bold in asserting what God can do.
- Don't pray for a lighter load. Pray for a stronger back.
- You can't stand up to Satan if you don't kneel before God.
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| I've started reading a book that goes along with the devotional "Keeping God in the Small Stuff" called "God is in the Small Stuff and it all Matters." Today the passage was talking about how God speaks to us. It listed the most common way for God to speak to us as speaking through the details in our lives. How true is that? A quote by Oswald Chambers was included, saying, "God speaks in the language you know best - not through your ears but through your circumstances." Everthing we do matters to God, and those little things in life are where we most often find God's will. Convictions come from experience. God speaks to us... lets us know right from wrong. So remember that as your doing things - not only youth group, Bible study, or Church - that God is there, He knows what your doing and He is probably trying to tell you something, whether good or bad, so listen!
This book also includes little phrases at the end of each chapter, so I'm going to put some of the ones I liked for ya'll to check out...
-Don't make plans and then ask for the Lord's approval. Ask God to direct your planning.
-God may be using people who disagree with you.
-Remember that God's will is not so much a function of time and place as it is an attitude of the heart.
-When you feel like settling for less than the best, think about what God wants for you. | | |
| This is real love. Not that we loved God, but that He loved us...
1 John 4:10 - NLT
It isn't too hard to love the one who created the land and the seas, never did any wrong, sacrificed His Son for our lives, put us on earth, and gave us everything we own. Who wouldn't love God??? He's perfect. If People magazine would publish the REAL most successful man on earth, God would be on the front cover every year. But the thing is, God loves US! Us, the worst of sinners... we lie, cheat, and steal to get through life. It's human nature b/c of Adam's defiance of God. And yet, God LOVES us. We're by no means worthy of it, but God would do anything for us. He only wants the best for our lives. This is REAL love. And if God can love us, in his perfectness, we should be able to love our neighbors, or enemies, and our friends. Half the time we even have a problem with that last group. Think how God has humbled Himself and be willing to humble yourself to others... reach out to someone that may not have all the friends in the world (even a simple smile). We all know someone who could use a little love and who knows, by showing our love maybe they will come to know God's love! | | |
| "We, who have been made holy through Jesus, now have the same father as He. That is why He is not ashamed to call us His brothers."
Hebrews 11:2
I think it is so awesome that we are actually the sisters of Christ and that God is our father. How great of a family is that?!?! You all know how much I love my brother and how much he means to me... well, Jesus thinks of us the same way. This verse was shared as the "Good News" on KNWS and I just thought it was perfect. How amazing it is to think that we are in God's family. Oh, and by the way, this means we're all sisters, which is just about the greatest thing ever... being in a family w/ all your best friends... what more could you ask for?
While I'm on the subject of brotherhood I'd also like to share that I had one of the greatest blessings of this year passed on to me today. My brother called my mom to talk and said that this girl whos house he went to for Christmas and he started talking and she was raised as a Baptist and now attends a non-denominational church nearby. Well, my brother has now made it his New Year's resolution to go to church every week!!! I was so excited I started crying. And the thing that really made me cry was that he told my mom to make sure to tell me thank-you for praying for him. He knew that I had been praying for him and now I know that God has used those prayers and that Nick appreciates it. This decision of his has ended a great year on a perfect note for me... but pray that he does keep his word and goes to church... I believe he will, but the more prayers, the better!
God bless-
Becca | | |
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