Sunday, June 22, 2014

Faith

Being a believer is a responsibility. Christianity is not a therapy to make things go better. Christianity is not there when you need it, or there for you when things are going bad. Daily, we need to give thanks. Daily we need to love God. Daily we need to be in prayer with Him. God speaks to us daily. God has given us His son. He sent His Son to die on the cross for us! I am not a parent. I do not know the love of my own child. I do however have a beautiful niece and 2 amazing nephews, and I could not imagine God asking me to give my Child for the rest of the Earth. I could not fathom knowing that one of them were going to die for the ENTIRE world. Here's the kicker. He didn't just die for the believers, he did not die for the "Christians". He died so that ALL may come to the Father through Him. But, you must have faith and believe that is the ONLY way to heaven. It is difficult to think through the process of what Mary must of been thinking. Mary, His mother, watch her child, a blameless man, be put on trial for nothing, then he was beaten, almost to death, then that wasn't enough. Then they crucified Him. Killed Him. That was God's plan, but what was Mary thinking? She didn't know the whole plan. She didn't know what His death truly meant.  What could Mary of done? How could she, as a mother watch this happen to her Child? 

Sometimes in life, we have to make decisions to be okay with the results. I know that every decision has a consequence, but, I want to believe that all things work together for the greater good. I have this  faith that all will work out. I know my God loves me, I know he has a plan, I just need to be patient. I think often of Mary, and how she endured the most excruciating thing, I think, a person can go through, losing a loved one, and yet her faith stayed strong. If Mary and keep the faith, so can I. If you are still reading, I ask for prayer through my difficult days. They are few and far between, but I am human and they still happen. Please pray for strength in my decisions and my future.

Love to all!

Sunday, June 8, 2014

Toxic Words

      Words. They are spoken, written, texted, emailed, sang, whispered, thought, interpreted, misunderstood, explained, defined, and so on and so on. Words can cut to the depth of a person, and they can also uplift and cause true joy to a person. What is astonishing to me is that GOD has given us the CHOICE to use our words the way we want to use them. When you sit down and think about it, words give us the capability to converse, to communicate. Even now, I am creating sentences with words for you to read. Words are the most powerful thing on the planet. So, if words are the most powerful thing on the planet, and GOD has given us the volition to use them how we feel we should, we must truly think before we speak.    
       I was sitting in church today, and I had one of those AHA moments. One of those, I know that this is what I am supposed to be doing. I know this, but I have fallen short. James eloquently wrote about our words. 
      James 3:2-8
For we all stumble in many ways, If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths so that they may obey us, we direct their entire body as well. Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder, wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of all great things. Behold, how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles, and creatures of the sea is tamed, and has been tamed by the human race. But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. 

     WOW! There is a lot of information there. My interpretation of this verse is many fold. But I want to start where it says our tongue is poison. GOD is not saying our tongue is actual poison. He is saying our words that we speak towards each other, or our words we speak behind the backs of others is poison. I know, that as a Christian, I have a responsibility not just to "talk the talk" but "walk the walk" as well. I am falling short here. I want very much so to live/love as CHRIST lives/loves. One small thing can change the course of someone's future. Our words can be life or death. I need to work on being an ambassador for Christ. I want for nothing but to please HIM in all I do, and I fall short here. I know in Romans 3:23 it says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of GOD." I know I sin. I sin everyday, but I know, by GRACE I have been saved. (EPH 2:8-9) But I fall short here. My AHA moment was this morning in church realizing that I have/and still do speak poison. This is my new goal. To not speak ill of people. I will try to only say things that are uplifting and that can cause people to grow. I do not want to be a stumbling block with my words. 
       There is another side to this. We are not to be stumbling blocks for our friends, our family , or anyone we may come into contact with. But, our thoughts become our actions and our actions become our habits, and our habits become who we are. How can I not be a stumbling block for someone, if I am a stumbling block for myself? The smallest thought, could turn into words and then actions, then habits, then my life. I need to start with uplifting myself in the righteousness of GOD. I am a child of a KING. And I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH HIM WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH!