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 Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 2:33 pm
"Remember the spikes....."
Luke 22:33 “When they came to the place called The Skull, there they
crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the
left.” (NASB)
It never fails. It is always something that happens every time that I go
to town. It happened again this morning. I am going to have to learn to
just plan on it. The train came through as I was trying to get to the
store. Humph! As sure as the sun rises in the west, it never fails in
my town, the train comes through every time that I want to get somewhere. Sometimes, I wait only a few minutes while at other times, I have to wait what seems like an eternity. Maybe, you have the same problem in the town where you live.
Sometimes it is an annoyance, but as the train went through this morning,
I began to think about all of the pressure that must be on the tracks
while the train is coming through and what they use to build them. The
massive ties, the weight of the steel, and the length of the spikes.
As I was sitting there this morning, thinking about those things, I began
to think about our Lord on the cross. The weight of the lumber and
especially, the piercing of the spike. If you think about it, in order
for a spike to be able to hold up a man on a tree so that while he
struggled he would not fall off, had to be something you would not hang a
picture on a wall with. Friends, the spikes that held Jesus on the cross
that dreaded day were spikes that were sharp enough to pierce the skin,
big enough to hold Him up on the cross, yet slender enough to fit through
the bones of his feet and hands. What grueling pain that would have to be!
What a cruel death!
But, that was not the end. Jesus chose the spikes for you and for me.
He chose those spikes so that you and I could have remission for our sins.
When we think of all that Jesus did for us this celebration of Easter,
let us not only take to heart what Jesus did, but we ought to have it live
and burn in our souls the rest of the days of our lives. Burn so much that
we want to tell others about it. That is my challenge to you today, seek
the cross and the resurrection, burn them in your hearts, and never forget
them as long as you live. Remember the spikes.
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Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 3:50 pm
Known Destiny
Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there's no use arguing with God about your destiny. (Eccles. 6:10) NLT
When I was 14 God made it clear to me where he wanted me in this world. I was very fortunate to learn, by a string of events, that god wanted me to go into youth ministry. Now, if you are one of those people who doesn't believe that girls should be in ministry, take it up with God. I am not a biblical scholar. I simply know how to recognize the voice of my Shepherd and try to follow it.
So, anyway, God told me what he wanted me to do. Well, I had issues with this. You see, when I became a Christian I promised God that I would do anything for him, except be a minister. When He told me to love His kids, I said OK as long as I didn't have to speak in front of people. Haha. God doesn't listen. I suppose that is because He is the one who calls the shots. He gave me tons of opportunities to speak in public...and then told me to use them.
Then, as I was trying to get out of going into youth ministry God took me to a youth conference. The speaker talked about being called into ministry and gave an altar call. Man, even had I resisted I think I'd been drug up to that altar by the Spirit inside of me. Wow! I've never felt such a strong pull. I had argued for years...and I was finally ready to accept God's will for me. Since that day he has molded and shaped me so much that I'm no longer dreading my future, bu instead longing for it to be truth. I want to minister...and yes, I even want to speak. I am ready to be God's hands in this world.
God is going to call us to do some pretty crazy things. They probably won't be what you had in mind for yourself. But, your future was known long ago. God has known all along what you will be. So, stop arguing and start submitting. He really does know what's best for you! Trust your Dad in heaven today!
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Posted: Sun May 03, 2009 10:48 am
That Special Someone
Temptation, we all face this throughout our lives. Temptation to drink, smoke, and there's also temptation to fall in and out of love. Longing for that special person.
Being the teenagers that we are we tend to long for this kind of love, the holding hands and the long hours on the phone. This person becomes special, yeah he or she might be the perfect Christian but they're still human. And it just might not be the perfect time.
"Above else guard your affections. For they influence everything you do" Prov. 4:20-23.
You get emotionally attached to these people, every single moment, secret, even the nonsense stuff of your life is known to them. You don't need that emotional attachment. Unfortunately if this relationship comes to an end a rather small chunk of your heart is taken. And so on with the rest of the relationships. Leaving scars in your heart. We were created to have a relationship with God, and with each other, but one only!
"And everyone who really believes this will try to stay pure," 1 John 3:3.
He's not talking just about physically pure, but also emotionally, and spiritually pure.
So why not wait, pray so that God will grant you that perfect mate whom you're gonna spend the rest of your life with. He's preparing that person for you only, pray for them.
"Be delighted with the Lord. then he will give you all your hearts desires." Psalm 37:4
So continue praying, feel free to request what you really want in that special someone and it will be granted.
"Never be in a hurry about choosing a pastor; you may overlook his sins and it will look as if you approve of them. Be sure that you yourself stay away from all sins." 1 Tim 5:22.
"May he grant all your heart's desires and fulfill all your plans." Psalm20 :4.
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Posted: Mon May 04, 2009 2:46 pm
Keeping Conviction
I think the biggest problem today among Christian is the fact that we take
sin so lightly. Because of us taking sin so lightly is has caused us to
lose the conviction. Let me prove to you that we have lost the conviction.
Luke 18 10-13 Two men went to the Temple to pray, one was a Pharisee, and
the other was a dishonest tax collector. The proud Pharisee stood by
himself and prayed this prayer: "I thank you, God that I am not a sinner
like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I
never cheat, I don't sin, I don't commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and
I give you a tenth of my income." " But the tax collector stood at a
distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead,
he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, " O God, be merciful to me, for I am a
sinner." New Living translation
The Pharisee did not take is his sins serious, but the tax collector did.
He took his sins so serious that he would not even lift his eyes to the
Heaven. I believe he was on his knees and it says that he was beating on
this chest in sorrow. He was crying out to God. I think it is funny that
every time in the Bible someone sins against God and then comes back to God
for His forgiveness they cry out to God. It brings up a good question, when
was the last time did you cry out to God? I believe if we took sin as
serious as it is, we would cry out to God very often. If you can sin and
not feel bad about it, there is something very wrong. Sin is serious stuff.
First, it separates us from Jesus. I do not want to be separated from
Jesus and second, there are non-Christians depended on us to be right with
God so we can tell them about Jesus. The Bible describes Hell as a place
where worms never die and the fire never goes out. (Mark 9) To think of
some of my non-Christians friends going to a place where worms never die and
the fire never goes out hurts. It's up to you, if you cry out to God, He
will forgive you and if you asked Him, He will give you back that conviction
we need so badly. Then non-Christians better beware because the love of
Jesus is coming for them, but it is up to you.
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Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 4:18 pm
Reap What You Sow
"Do not be deceived: God can not be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will receive eternal life." (Galatians 6:7-8 NIV)
For every action we commit, we plant a seed in the ground around us, a seed that is spiritual in nature. Reaping what we sow means eating the plant that grows out of that seed. If the seed we planted was a good seed, then we will be blessed with the good things that sprout out of that seed. But if the seed we planted was an action in the spirit of our sinful nature, then we will have to eat the destructive thing that grows out of that seed, and that is something we can not avoid.
When Paul says "God can not be mocked", what he is saying is that there is no act without consequence, and God sees every one of our actions. I know for a fact that sowing to please the sinful nature will cause a person to reap the destructive result of his action. There is no way around it. If you are saved, God will forgive you for your sins if you confess them and repent, but there are always consequences to them.
If you are a Christian who is involved in sexual immorality with a non-believer, being unequally yoked on top of sinning against your body, you are sowing out of your sinful nature. The result will be a destruction of your blessings, and a damage to your credibility as a witness to Christ. You can not sin in a vacuum. After you sow these sinful seeds, the person you were involved with will not see you as a credible witness, thus damaging that person's potential to be drawn to Christ through your witness. God can not be mocked. There are consequences to any sexual immorality, including the very real threat of STD's such as HIV - the highest example of reaping what you sow.
If you are a Christian who decides to go to a party and be involved in alcohol or drugs, you are sowing to please your sinful nature. As a result, EVERYBODY who saw you there will no longer be able to view you as a credible witness to Christ. If you ever again saw any of them and tried to preach the gospel to them, they would remember the night you were living the same exact lifestyle as them, and they would see no reason why they should take you seriously. While this is not physical destruction, if your ability to please God in that area is destroyed, what worse punishment can there be? God can not be mocked. Other types of consequences for such sins are drug overdose, fatal alcohol syndrome, arrest, sexual immorality as a result of drug/alcohol influence (which has its own long list of consequences) or just the simple pain of causing worry and disappointment to your parents and family when they find out what you're doing.
If it seems like I know these consequences from experience, it is because I DO! I am ashamed to say that I have sown the seed of my sinful nature enough times to be able to identify the places where I reaped the harvest of destruction from it. God has not been mocked in any of the cases of my disobedience, and I am still feeling the after-shock of my sins to this day. I am forgiven because I have repented and confessed my sins, but the consequences of them have not disappeared, and some I will be feeling for the rest of my life. I am 24 years old, and while I am ashamed of my sins, I feel obliged to point them out and the consequences of them to you younger Christians so that you won't be tempted and fall into the same traps.
The other side of this coin is that we can sow to please the Spirit, and reap the harvest of the good things that grow out of that seed. The harvest you reap when you sow to please the Spirit includes: Love; Joy; Peace; Patience; Kindness; Goodness; Faithfulness; Gentleness and self-control. I encourage you to practice all these things, and to always keep God in your mind when you make your daily decisions. Behave in a way that would please the Lord, so you can reap eternal life and blessings, and make the light God has put in you shine on everyone around you.
Be blessed!
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Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 12:09 pm
Go To Sleep
And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. Acts 12:6
Peter was put in prison. Before he was put in prison King Herod stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. He killed James the brother of John with a sword and he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also Acts 12:1-3. Peter did nothing wrong. While he was in prison in verse 5 it say but the prayers was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. Can you imagine what is going through the mind of Peter? They are planning to kill him. What does Peter do? Peter goes to sleep. Peter how can you go to sleep at a time like this. They have you bound. They have you trap. Let me ask you a question, say you were schedule to die tomorrow, would you go to sleep? Most of you would say no. Peter went to sleep. I believe Peter had enough faith to believe that God will get him out of this. Peter didn't worry. Peter went to sleep. He didn't allow King Herod people to have the best of him. God say to us today, stop worrying about certain situations or circumstances in your life. Stop losing sleep over that thing that is troubling your mind. Go to sleep. Peter got out of the prison. As you read on in chapter 12, The angel of the lord came and got Peter out. I believe it was also the prayer of the church that got him out. Someone is praying for you. Someone is praying for your situation. Go to sleep. Rest. Trust God and have faith that he will get you out. Go to sleep your problems will be taken care of.
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Posted: Thu May 07, 2009 7:46 pm
Battling Faith
Let Him have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you. (1 Peter 5:7) TLB
It's Friday night, and once again, she sits home alone. "Does anyone care about me anymore," she asks herself. Across the street a young man sits in a dentist chair as a mask is placed over his face and the drill begins the spin in the back of his mouth. "Will the pain ever stop," he wonders as his eyes close shut? On a hill near the outskirts of town our Savior is nailed to a tree. "Do you think they will open their hearts up to me Father," He asks His Dad seated in Heaven. What do you think?
Every day we face trials and struggles. Some can be as devastating as a death in the family, or as tragic as a divorce between your Mom and Dad. Others may include the fact that you can't make friends, or you have nobody to turn to when you need a shoulder to cry on. Is it your just not satisfied with your life, and where you are at, and where you might be headed? Do you even know the plans God has for you? Do you even know the calling placed on your life?
No matter where you are at right now, or how hard it may seem, there is someone who has been there done that. There is a Savior by the name of Jesus, who hung on the cross to take these worries away from you. Do you know how your going to pay your next bill? Do you know if when you go out tomorrow if it may be your last? Has life started to deal you a bad hand?
Friends, in all we do, we just have to remember the reason Jesus died on the cross. He died for our salvation, so that we wouldn't have to worry any more. He died for our sins, so we wouldn't have to deal with defeat. He died for our lives, so we wouldn't have to be afraid or deal with heartaches. In Matthew 6:26 it reads, "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" You better believe we are. Amen! May peace be with you.
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 2:58 pm
When Worlds Collide
I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
(Luke 15:7)
A flash of lightning can light up the sky with it's power and might. A rainbow can cast it's amazing colors across the horizon with it's beauty and wonder. And a single soul that excepts Christ can bring the angels into an uproar with dancing and shouting.
Sit with me and let your imagination wonder to a distance place, this realm we call Heaven. A normal day is taking place on earth. But, something is different this time. The wind is gently whistling through the tree's, the cars are driving through the suburbs and children can be seen playing in the streets. A school bus pulls through and the afternoon begins.
But this afternoon has all of heaven taking notice. It's this afternoon that a young teenager is accepting Christ for the first time. A few kids from school has taken the time to talk about Jesus. Taken a moment to share their love and faith.
The angels stop what their doing, Jesus leans in his thrown closer to the scene just waiting for the chance to enter in. Then it happens. "I believe in you Jesus, forgive me of my sins and enter my life." A smile crosses the Father's face, a celebration begins. Jesus meets the teenager for the first time face to face.
Anyone can impact someone with the love of Christ. Whether your a teenager, a kid, or a grown adult. All it takes is someone who is willing to take a few minutes and let someone know they care. Let someone know the reason you wake up every morning, the reason you can smile when everyone around us is frowning. All of heaven rejoices at the thought of one soul being saved. I encourage you this week, throw a party, not here on earth, but in heaven. The angels are ready, the atmosphere set, the balloons and confetti are in their positions, now all it takes is you.
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Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 9:31 am
Sometimes It Hurts
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1) NKJV
Just like a slingshot, there are times when you are pulled back one way, and thrown another. When a word is said that pierces your ears with a dagger to your heart. An action that swipes your breath away and leaves you gasping for air. Events do happen in each of our lives, sometimes even by the ones we know and love, that leave us hurt and often devastated. Let's take a look at one of those now.
Life took an unexpected turn last week that sent Joel flying to the other side of reality. His close friend and coworker turned on him. Supposedly someone said something to someone else and when push came to shove, everything got twisted around. Instead of confronting Joel about the problem, his friend took it upon himself to start pointing fingers.
Friends stick up for each other; they are there for you when nobody else is. Unfortunately, in this situation it is not the case. Joel took his friend aside and finally got to the bottom of everything. But, by this time it was to late. The words had been said, the accusations made, and a friendship was ended.
To many times we leap to conclusion in life only to regret it later. We open our mouths without thinking, we commit to actions without worrying about the consequences, and we end up hurting someone in the process. As a Christian we should uplift others when they are down. We should confront them if they might be struggling, and pray for them if they need it. The last thing we need to do is make a problem worse by jumping the gun. Gossip is wrong, and talking behind people's back never solved anything. Be an example to those around you, and remember to be a friend. The greatest witness we can give is through our actions to others. God Bless and Keep the Faith.
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Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 12:35 pm
Families - Separation and Divorce?
* Are you going through a Divorce in your family? *
When I was 18 I heard the news from my father, my parents were splitting up. I was shocked. My mother felt that she wanted more out of life, lalalalala. I was so angry at her and took on the attitude, "OK, we don't need her anyway." She left our home with my youngest brother who was 11 at the time. She left my dad, as well as my brother who was 17 and me. She felt we were old enough to stay with my dad, that we really didn't need a mother like my youngest brother. I remember the feeling like it was yesterday but God and time have a way of making everything all right.
I can sit here and write 100 different reasons telling you why they divorced but really none of that matters now. The facts are that children get caught in the middle when parent's divorce.
* Can God put the family back together? *
It is possible, but it doesn't always happen that way. You may have to live the rest of your life with all the realities a divorce brings: possibly a new school, new home, new financial situation (problems that arise from less money), and maybe even a new family. Do not let the discouragement get you down. God can put YOU back together. Right now you probably feel like the divorce broke your life into a million pieces. Even at 18 I felt my life was totaled. I made some terrible choices at the time because I simply didn't care because my life as I knew it was no longer. I felt that everything that I held dear to me as a child in a family was a lie and it shattered me.
God can put you back together again even better than you were before. For God to do that you must respond the way He wants you to. Some of the wrong ways to deal with a divorce include:
Withdraw
I am so embarrassed, my family is a failure and I'll be better off if I just keep my mouth shut and stay out of all of it
Fight
How dare they do this to me, no one cares about me. So I'm going to look out for myself and no one had better get in my way
Clown
I will act happy and jolly like I don't care, and no one will know I am hurting
Denial
I will just tell people my dad (or mom) is away on business, I will say this is just temporary. I will say their marriage is just great but they need some time alone.
Conform
I will just go along with what everyone else says and does, no one will know the difference
Compensate
I have been hurt, but won't go down. I'll be the very best I can be and everyone will be so proud of me that they won't notice I am hurting
In God's strength and power, respond positively by learning from the experience and move on with life. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God."
God wants to use every situation in your life to conform you into the image of His Son Jesus Christ. Don't run from you pain, run to God. Allow Him to use your pain to make you into the person He wants you to become. In the end you will be a much stronger person because of what you've been through.
I didn't run to God with my pain when I was young. I did most of the things listed above and made a terrible mess of my life for some time. Not until I totally gave it all to God many years later did I really find that God used those times in me to strengthen me and guide me, as He is the potter I was the clay.
If you are going through a separation or divorce in your family, give it all to God. Know that your life isn't ruined, you are not to blame in the least bit. You are special to your parents and even if they choose not to live together doesn't change their love and dedication to you, even if it seems like you are either in left field here or right in the middle of a tug-of-war. You are Special. You are Valuable. You are Important. Give your life and pain over to God in prayer, seek Christian friends to help you through all of this. Find loving and trusting people to open up and share your feelings with. No matter how hurt or angry you feel do not turn your back on God, you truly need Him right now more than ever to hold you in His great loving arms. I pray for all of you that have to go through this, it is not easy to weather this storm, it cuts deep, but with God's help you will get through it. I promise!
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Posted: Mon May 11, 2009 4:02 pm
A Pepperoni Pizza
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.” Psalm 81:10
I love pizza! I’ve tried to imagine a kind of pizza that I would not like, but I haven’t been able to. I love it so much that a few years ago, my cousin and I bought a small pizza place. My favorite part, of course, is the free pizza. But an unexpected joy is having employees. Not that I like bossing people around. In fact, I’m never there so I don’t get to boss anyone. But that’s not the fun part anyway. You know what the greatest part of it is? Giving gifts! That’s right, gifts!
I love the people that work at our store. Almost all of them are high school or college students and they do an unbelievable job. So much so, that my cousin and I sat around a few weeks ago trying to think up something great to do for them. Just to say thank you for all the great things they do and to show our appreciation. We decided on a contest. If the employees could break this one store record, we would do this great and amazing thing for them. But here’s the funny part. My cousin and I have been working like crazy to make sure they win. That’s right! I am absolutely determined that they win and that they get to enjoy the great prize.
God is even more determined that you win. Too many times we think of God as a big Boss in the sky telling us what to do. Instead He is a Father, a Protector, and a Gift-giver. His greatest desire is not to punish us, but to reward us. In the verse above one of the most important words is the word, “your.” I am the Lord YOUR God! He belongs to us as we belong to Him. And He has so much to give you (read v.13-16). But He is Holy and requires our obedience. Our obedience is such a small price to pay for the overwhelming goodness that we receive from God. “Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” Psalm 107:8-9
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Posted: Tue May 12, 2009 5:03 pm
Are You A Skeptic?
“From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see His invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.” Romans 1:20 (NLT)
Have you ever had that moment when you look up into the sky and are just in awe of the beautiful sunset or the thunder cloud glowing with lightening? Maybe you’ve been amazed at how a caterpillar transforms into a beautiful butterfly. Perhaps you have been dumbfounded when you look into the eyes of someone you care about and see the true meaning of God’s existence.
It’s always difficult to talk to a skeptic about God. They always have some excuse or another to not believe that God really does exist. After witnessing to them, by sharing my testimonials, blessings, and miracles that Jesus has given me, they refuse to just have faith and believe. There is always an excuse, “Why believe the Bible that was written by men, of which have the ability to sin?”
What happened back when there were no books? Did people still believe in God? Yes! God reveals Himself to us in all kinds of obvious ways. Just like the verse in Romans says, “They can clearly see His invisible qualities...they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.” You cannot tell me that you can honestly look into the stars or admire a butterfly without thinking about a deeper, spiritual meaning of life and existence of Divinity.
My message for you today is to think about what it says in Romans 1:20. Take time out to look at those beautiful, awe-inspiring displays of nature and life that attest to God’s existence and praise Him! Be sure of your faith and encourage those whom you may be witnessing to honestly look into the skies and really seek what is behind it. God Bless You!
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Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 4:31 pm
Just Say No
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it,” (1 Cor. 10:13 NKJV).
If I gave you a million dollars, would you accept it? What if I told you that I would hire a maid to clean up your messy room? Would you accept it? How about it I told you that you can go down to any car dealership and pick out the car of your choice and I would pay for it? Would you accept it? Most, if not all of you would answer, “Yes!” to these questions. I realize that many of us do not have a problem saying “yes,” but sometimes we do have a problem saying “No.”
In the verse above, Paul is providing the Corinthians with some words of comfort, which serve as words of comfort for us today. Have you been tempted lately? Maybe you have found yourself in a situation where you have been tempted to lie, cheat, or steal. No matter what temptation you have experienced, there have been others that have experienced the same temptation.
Maybe, you have been tempted to participate in sex before marriage, or date an unbeliever. Maybe, you have been tempted to watch pornography on television or the Internet. Maybe, you have been tempted to smoke, drink, or do other drugs with your friends and acquaintances. Maybe, you have been tempted to cheat on tests in school or lie on a job application. Maybe, you have been tempted to steal or murder.
Just remember that God is faithful! The moment that you are tempted, God provides a way out. He will not let you experience anything that He has not prepared you to experience. We all have the yes covered, now let's work on the no.
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Posted: Sat May 16, 2009 9:55 am
Just Wait
"...who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him [God.]"
Isaiah 64: 4b (NIV)
"You [God] open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing."
Psalm 145:16 (NIV)
One of the deceptions of being a teenager is that every guy or girl you're attracted to is the perfect one. You meet someone, begin dating, and think this must be love! Two months later you've broken up and are wondering what could have gone wrong.
Last summer my sister Joy and I visited my big brother and his family in New York. Since our plane came in at Buffalo, we planned to go and see that magnificent display of God's creation...Niagra Falls. Getting out of the car Joy and I could hardly wait to cross the border. Even though I had lived in Pennsylvania for nine years, I had never seen this magnificent sight.
While we were in the parking lot getting coats on and preparing to make our trek across the bridge into Canada, Joy and I were waiting with our seven-year old nephew, Matthew. Joy leaned down and said, "Matthew, we're at Niagara Falls!" Matthew looked around at the asphalt and cars and taking a deep breath replied, "Beautiful!" Joy and I tried not to laugh as she explained that we still had to cross the border to reach the falls.
Not many of us would compare Niagara Falls to a parking lot, but because he was so young, Matthew didn't know the difference. How many times in our lives have we looked at a boyfriend or girlfriend and thought "Beautiful! This must be the one!" when God is watching over our shoulder and trying not to laugh at our ignorance. And if we're listening, we can hear him when He leans down and whispers, "Wait." Because just across the bridge God has your perfect match. And I am sure that, like Matthew, once you see the real thing, whether it be Niagara Falls or your future husband or wife, you will see the vast difference between what you thought was beautiful, and what truly is. I encourage you today to wait, and not miss out on one of the most wonderful blessings you will ever receive!
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Posted: Mon May 18, 2009 12:28 pm
Getting Through Hardships
Yes, that's right, we all have had those days when it seems all that can go wrong happens. Your car breaks down, you run out of gas, you're late for work, and so on. I have to say those days aren't very fun.
I was working the other day and I caught myself complaining saying, "Oh it was too hot outside." But, then I thought how hard it would have been too die on a cross, after that I quickly became silent. Sometimes we as Christians forget how much Jesus loves us and the hardships He faced. We need to always remember the sacrifice Jesus made so we could have eternal life. Also the hardships in your life are there to make you become stronger in your walk with God, so take your hardships as a challenge and bring glory to God.
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