Actions speak louder than Words

One of the most frustrating things as a christian is wanting to change people and bring them to Jesus. We just wish we could tell people life would be so much better for you if you have Jesus! You could give all your burdens to Him and guess what He would take them! It can be hard showing someone Jesus. Something he tells us to do is show with our actions over our words. You can talk and say all you want, but people aren't going to have an interest in Jesus if they don't see the physical signs of it affecting your life in a positive way. Do you show how Jesus is transforming you in your daily life? Do you shine his light? I was helping at a vacation bible school and they were teaching the kids to shine Jesus' light. That you are the light of the world. We are the light of the world. The earth is full of darkness, but we as Christians can shine light to all around us. My parents have this light about them. I watch them take Jesus (and his light) with them everywhere: work, store, vacation. When I'm around them instantly my mood changes to joy. I can't be around them without experiencing it because they let Jesus fill every area of their lives. I've seen them bring many people to Christ and I don't think its what their saying but how they live their lives. When we live reflecting Jesus others see that and wonder what the missing piece in their life is! Without Jesus your life is like a puzzle thats missing a huge piece right in the middle and without it, it will never be complete.

1 Peter 3:1-4
Wives,  in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words but by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

This verse is talking about marriage, but I think we can apply it to other relationships. It should be who you are that shows people how Jesus makes us such a better person. This verse isn't saying that hairstyles and jewelry is wrong, but that is not what should make us beautiful. What makes us beautiful is that the Holy Spirit is in us and transforms us into the image of God. Others can be mean and put down others, its not gonna be their appearance that makes them beautiful, but if they transform into a kind hearted spirit.

Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

1 John 3:18
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Not just to talk about Jesus, but to show them His love too! It's one thing to say you love someone, but another thing to SHOW them God's love.  I always look up to the people who show Christ's love wherever they go and that unconditional love helps bring others into a relationship with Jesus. Don't just say it, show it! Words have power, but actions show Jesus power. Let's focus on doing rather then just talking.

prayer:
Jesus you are the ultimate picture of actions for the kingdom. Let us know that actions are more powerful than words and to remember this when we encounter unbelievers. Let us show your love and light in every area of our lives.
Amen.

whats trending?

Whats trending? On social media usually pathetic sad things that are never talked about the next week. We get so consumed about whats BIG at the moment. Why? What's the big deal? Does a lot of that stuff even matter? People look up to celebrities as idols...for what, there good looks or money? Societies focus is on the wrong thing. There "glory" lasts but only a moment of this worlds life span, but God his word is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Ever bought a warranty? I've bought several thinking if it breaks the warranty will cover it. Well to my luck, every time in my case whatever happens to what I bought, I take it back and get told....ma'am read the fine print, it's not covered for this. I just quit wasting my money on them. lol God isn't like that. If you choose Him his word is good and true. There is no fine print saying if you have this part broken you cannot be fixed or saved. He is faithful forever! Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever!!!

1 Peter 1:24-25
For, "All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever." and this is the word that was preached to you.

This scripture shows us that people are like grass. We may be big and green one day, but it eventually withers and dies. God's word is forever! When we accept Jesus and live for him our bodies will wither and fade but our spirit will never die because of what Jesus did for us. God's word is everlasting...He is everlasting!!! Think...you can have a lot of money one day, the next not much at all or zero. One day you could have the number one song on i tunes... how long does that last? Not forever. You can be trending one day, one year, out the next. God is always there, he doesn't change. Our circumstances our always changing around us, but we can depend on and hold on to the fact that God will not!

Lets make Jesus trending in our lives and not only that but world wide!!

#JESUS

prayer:
God your number one all the time, no matter if others see it or not! Unlike anything else you are always true to your word! Help us to realize everything in our lives is temporary except for your love! Let us not forget what you did for us so our spirit would not wither and die. Give us boldness to make your name trending everywhere we go!

Updated Reading List

What books are you reading this summer?  Here is some books I'm working on and yes I'm reading multiple books at one time lol. I don't know why, but it works :) 

1-Spirit Wars by Kris Vallotton

2-Fearless by Max Lucado

3-Crash the Chatterbox by Steven Furtick

Spirit Wars is about the battle that's going on that we don't physically see with our eyes all the time. It talks about how to deal with the enemy's attacks on our lives. Fearless I'm not to far into yet but it's about eliminating as much fear from your like and experiencing that freedom. Crash the Chatterbox is about the voices in our head, sorting them out and living accordingly to God's truth not necisarrily the lies we hear in our head.

Have you read these? What are your thoughts? If you haven't what are you reading?

Tip: check your local library for books or request them at the library so you don't always have to buy them :)

Keep in Step with the Spirit

We can choose how we live. If we let our flesh control us, we are letting our sinful nature become our actions, but it doesn't have to be like that. We can be lead by the Spirit. When we accept Jesus we receive the Holy Spirit, thats part of the deal. But to live by the Spirit is more than just receiving Christ it is work/action. If you struggle with lust, drunkenness, idolatry, anger, control the flesh is ruling you. I'm pretty sure it's safe to say none of us want the flesh to be ruling us. So how do we let the Holy Spirit be our guide? We have to let go of our fleshes desire to control. Allow the Holy Spirit to come over us.

Have you ever met someone who's been radically transformed by Jesus?....I hope your answer is YES! What happens is the Spirit comes more and more over them taking dominance of their lives and their bodies  desires are now submitting to God's authority. When the Spirit is abundant in your life it produces fruit in the form of love, joy, peace, patience kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Look at your life do you see more fruits of the spirit or flesh?

Galatians 5:16-26

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

If there was a gauge where would you be? E being flesh F being Spirit. We want to get as full of the Spirit and Jesus as we can!!!!! If your feeling broke and empty I'm guessing the flesh is winning.

When we live out the lies told to us we are living according to the flesh. So how do we let the flesh diminish in our lives so Jesus shines bright?

1- Accept Jesus 

     we need to accept that Jesus is the Messiah, when we receive Jesus we receive his spirit

2- Get filled with Holy Spirit

    once we receive the spirit thats great, but we can the spirit to come over us and lead us.  ways we         can do this is by prayer, worship, ect.

3- Submit to God's plan and purpose in our life

     when we let God reign it will allow us to be full of his fruit

I mean just think about what you experience when your worshiping. Love, joy, overwhelmed by God,....this is the Holy Spirit rising up in you.

                            Flesh                                                          Spirit

                          -lust                                                            -love

                          -addiction                                                   -joy

                          -idolatry                                                     -peace

                          -rage                                                           -patience

Here are just a few examples. We may not feel we are completely one side or another. I would say its mostly that way. It's a war between our sinful nature and the righteousness God declares us once were saved. It's semi-good news that there is a war, because that means our body is fighting against our sinful nature and fighting for Jesus to be head of our lives. But the main point isn't war it's victory in the Spirit. Amen?! When you walk by the spirit you don't let those temptations lead to sin or deception.

When we try to heal ourselves of brokenness without relying on Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we are constantly trying to fill our own emptiness rather than sharing our fullness. 

Jesus doesn't promise there won't be a war, but He promises the spirit will win.

Goal -------> conquer flesh and live by the Spirit

Spirit conquers that emptiness and lies that drive the flesh. (what drives the flesh--->lies, it's built on lies from the enemy, and we all hear them, even Jesus did, but it's what do we do with them that matters)

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

We need to daily put our trust in God and cast our cares on him. By doing this it frees us from our flesh. We need to stop trying to fill our emptiness with worldly desires or things and start putting faith in God and walk by the Spirit!

 

prayer: 

Lord you know my struggles, let your Spirit come over me and lead my everyday life. Let the sinful nature be dead and in the past. Let me be the righteousness of Jesus to others and pouring your spirit out because i'm so full of you...instead of trying to fill the emptiness. Your the only person who can heal me, no amount of money or earthly desires can help my sinful nature dissipate. Let me trust in you draw me closer and fill me up.

Amen

your important to Him

Do you ever wonder if your in the right place? Sometimes we feel that were not doing enough or not good enough. Even times we feel like because others are in more of a leader position that we don't amount to much in God's eyes. I've been reading about Korah and learning that God has a purpose and position for all of us and they are all different. Korah was a Levite and he worked daily at the tabernacle, but he wanted to rule. Many people thought that was quite the job, but he wanted more power. He got a group of people together and they confronted Moses and Aaron (who were at the time the leaders). They were complaining saying that Moses and Aaron weren't better than anyone and all the Israelites were chosen by God. Both of these statements were true, but they were twisting and manipulating God's words to go away from God's intentions. Moses didn't think he was better than them, but he knew God called him into the role leader. Have you ever been in the position leader and had someone manipulate you in making you question the authority that God gave YOU? I feel like majority would say yes.  Sad thing is the demons know the bible better than a lot of Christians. The enemy can use people to twist the words of God and make you believe it or attempt to. But we need to be steadfast like Moses. Holding on to the truth and promises of God. When God gives you leadership or authority people can get jealous.

There is a fine line between goals and greed.

To have a goal to achieve is awesome, but being jealous and manipulative to get into a higher position is wrong....Well maybe your not a leader. That is good too. Not everyone is called to lead, but everyone has a purpose for the kingdom of God. Sometimes were busy looking around us that we fail to see the position God placed us in. No matter what position were in we need to know the ultimate authority is God and we are ultimately answering to HIM!

Numbers 16:8-10
Moses also said to Korah, "Now listen, you Levites! Isn't it enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near himself to do the work at the Lord's tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them? He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too. It is against the Lord that you and all you followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble against him?

Whether your a leader or submitting to one, we need to obey the authority God gives, but in the end God is the ultimate authority we answer too. And whatever position your in, God has a plan for you. You are important to HIM :)