give Him praise

You know, my God is so good. I am just realizing that as I prepare for India, He really has blessed me beyond belief. I keep asking of Him and others, telling everyone, "pray for me, pray for me." Yet now I just want to praise Him. He is so good. I have such a busy week this week, but I want to make sure that I try harder to keep Him first. First before school, friends and family. That when I get out of classes that I talk to Him first before I call home, or I read in His word before karyn comes over, or I have a devotion before I do my hw.
Anyway, that is all I have to say, just give Him praise today. He is worthy of it.

correction

The other day when i had posted the last entry, Saten was attacking me in the way that he best knows. My weakness and my strength is the people around me. I found myself recently making posts and entries for the sole purpose of other reasons rather than my dedication to Him. I had to take a break from it so that I could re-focus myself and learn how to better battle the war that was inside me. Yet now I need to clear up what I had writtin. I know we all go through immense selfish times where we get to the point where I was the other day. Yet that was all selfishiness. Where all I had cared at that point was who my friends were and how they had hurt me. That isn't the point though, I was so incrediably self-absorbed that I didn't realize how that could affect other people.
So this is kinda like my apologies even though i don't think anybody read what I wrote. Yet nonetheless, I wanted to correct that. I want my sole purpose not to be on people but the work for Christ which is through people but not for them. It is mission empahisis week and we have had one sermon that greatly affected me in ways that I am unable to explain. It was eye-opening for me that i really knew I needed to take the rest of my time in the prayer room or in my own room not to write on this blog but take that time with the Lord to get back to where i was confident in Him. I want to serve Him at the best of my ability that He gives me. I want to completely be wrapped up in what He wants me to do for Him and Him alone. I don't want to be distracted by the things of this world, and that includes people. I know people right now that i look at and admire because they are so incrediablly focused on God to the point where I think they have lost popularity, recognition, and friends. I want to get to that point where anything in my life that would keep me farther from Christ I would eliminate. That if someone doesn't build me up in Him I will not focus on them. Anything that will shift me from the Lord is Saten's doing. I will not let him win, Christ will have full victory.

When nobody cares

I am so alone right now....no one is here for me at all....I have lost people who I thought were my friends and they really could care less. The pain from that kills me...I have not gotton to this point in such a long time. I can't really explain it all. I don't know why God is allowing this to happen, for everyone to not just care....to leave me. I have always been there for others and I am asking this one time for them to be there for me and they just don't care. Why do people do this? Why do they act so selfish? So prideful? I get so fed up with trying, and I have tried and tried and they just don't care. I don't understand this at all, actually....I do, God wants me to get closer to Him and not rely so much on people. Yet it is so hard....when people hate you....or talk bad about you.
Different devotions and sermons are all coming to mind but there are just those times when Saten is attacking you. I prayed the other day that God will have me suffer for Him and I think it is happening. I was afraid to pray that prayer for what it entails. Yet I wanted to get closer to God, I wanted to draw near to Him. Many people wouldn't consider suffering just physical but I think that Saten tries to get to me through people because that is my stregth and weakness at the same time. I hate it when people don't like me or are upset with me. I can't stand it either when they talk behind my back and don't communicate to me what is on there mind. Anyway, my venting is over.....

Are you Exhausted Spiritually?

“Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faithteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of His understanding.” Isaiah 40: 28

Exhaustion means that the vital forces are worn right out. Spiritual exhaustion never comes through sin but only through service, and whether or not you are exhausted will depend upon where you get your supplies. Jesus said to Peter- “feed my sheep,” but He gave him nothing to feed them with. The process of being made broken bread and poured-out wine means that you have to be the nourishment for other souls until they learn to feed on God. They must drain you to the dregs. Be careful that you get your supply, or before long you will be utterly exhausted. Before other souls learn to draw on the life of the Lord Jesus direct, they have to draw on it through you; you have to be literally “sucked,” until they learn to take their nourishment from God. We owe it to God to be our best for His lambs and His sheep as well as for Himself.
Has the way in which you have been serving God betrayed you into exhaustion? If so, then rally your affections. Where did you start the service from? From your own sympathy or from the basis of the Redemption of Jesus Christ? Continually go back to the foundation of your affections and recollect where the source of power is. He saved and sanctified you in order to exhaust you. Be exhausted for God, but remember that your supply comes from Him. “All my fresh springs shall be in Thee.”


This was amazing for me to read because it was something that I and a few of my friends and family have been going through. When it says in Isaiah that “his understanding has no limits” it’s so true. We get so upset sometimes when someone we are really close to doesn’t understand, but God ALWAYS understands how we are feeling at times. He is always there to be the shoulder to cry on as well as to encourage and admonish you. Because of Him we will not become weary. I was thinking about this and I realized why last semester was so hard for me, and it was because I was spiritually exhausted by all the things that weren’t just going on in my life but others lives as well that was draining me. One of the main reasons I got so drained was because I stopped going to the church services and reading consistency in my Bible. I needed to have that nourishment, I needed that kind of food to help me keep strong through all the things and people that were “sucking” me dry. Yet this semester things are so much better because I have more time with the Lord in the morning and twice a week in the prayer room and I try to go to all the services as well. The Lord knows that I am that type of person that needs the constant feeding or else I fall back.
I have to keep reminding myself that I am here to serve Christ and Him alone. He is the One that I serve for, and whatever I give everyone else, is not coming from me but from God. I want to keep remembering that He is the one that I do all for. And He is the One that gives me all my strength, and guidance. I want to be exhausted for Him and have Him replenish my thirsty soul when He is finished working through me.

When people discourage you

Philippians 2:1-30

“Fulfill ye may my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each other esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 2:1-5


I first started reading this verse and I think it is appropriate to put first in this entry. “For I have no man like-minded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.” I got so discouraged reading this because it’s so true with everyone. We always seek our own. And when He says “all” he means all. That includes me and everyone around me. That when I think I’m finally doing something right, I’m not. And only God working in me can keep me from being selfish.
The first thought that came to my mind is how horrible our world is now, Christians and non-Christians. Where non- Christians are shooting each other, taking drugs and dispersing them, drinking and sleeping around with others. Then you get the actual Christians who talk about each other behind each others backs, trying their best to make themselves look better. They treat each other with a hostility that is totally opposite from what God has intended. In many cases we as Christians are no better off than the un-Christian realm.
This was my first thought when I read that verse, and now as I am writing I find my thoughts going deeper. In vs. 30 it says “because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.” This made me start thinking that it is me who is being selfish and me who regards my own life, it’s me who lacks service to the Lord. I look to others so often and say “they aren’t serving, they aren’t giving” and so fourth. And when someone treats me bad I find myself distancing myself from that person physically when really I need to draw them to myself and surround them with the Christ-like love that I am supposed to serve with. That my service to the Lord is not to look at people and point out their sins that God already knows, but to love them with a love that no human being can accomplish without the Lord.
Another thing I just wanted to add is that when people are talking behind your back or treating you in a negative way, it may ruin your reputation, it may make you look bad and that specific person look cool or whatever. Yet what they have done to you, and your response to that person is what is recorded by Christ. Here on earth and what is cool or popular doesn’t matter but in heaven consequences will be there. Many Christians will be without crowns, don’t be one of them….

2:15
Another good verse is this one “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” We are dealing with a crooked and perverse people, and many times we are crooked and perverse people as well. Yet we are to be set apart from them, standing alone, even when others are not with us…..

2:7-8
We are to humble ourselves and say that they are better than us…


2:1-5

This is the hardest thing to do. To be able to have joy after someone blows you off because they don’t agree with you or they don’t think your cool enough. It is so hard to have to love those yet who gossip behind your back. Its hard to see another persons point of view when you think they’re wrong. Yet his is what God calls us to do, and to do it humbly. To look at a person you are a victim to and be able to look at them and think “you are better than me, I look at you and think higher of you, than I do myself” That is exactly what Jesus is telling us to do, yet it is the most difficult thing to do.
I honestly can’t tell you if I am able to do that, in fact, I know it is something that I cannot do. Yet through God I am able, with His power I qualified, with His love and grace I am equipped. Now is the time to get this right with God, I am but will you? You are in my prayers.


Note: Read My Utmost for His Highest on Feb. 9th, it really encouraged me and hopefully you. Also read Isaiah 40:28-31

Me, you, and your enemy

Me, you, and your enemy

Philippians 1:25 “And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with all for your furtherance and joy of faith.”


“Having this confidence” – Having the assurance of Christ’s love for all. His love for me, you, and your enemy. That though all have persecuted Him, we can have that assurance. Me, you, and your enemy have persecuted Jesus Christ. And each time we directly disobey God, its persecution towards Jesus Christ. Its saying by Jesus dying on the cross and paying His life for our sins isn’t good enough. We need to have the assurance and confidence that Jesus Christ died not only for our sins, but for mine, yours, and your enemy’s.

“Shall abide and continue with you.” Stop and think for a moment about what the word abide means. It means closer than close, more intimate than intimate. Inseparable…unbreakable…that whatever comes to mind, whatever persecution, whatever trial comes to play, you will be there and He will be there. Think now of the worst thing that someone ever said to you or the worst thing that someone ever did to you. Do you have that picture in your head? Are all the nasty words and evil looks coming into your mind? Are all the actions being remembered?

Now think about this…
Christ’s love. There is a period after that two-word sentence for a reason. A period means stop, discontinue, no more. There should be no more words after that. Christ’s love…
Christ’s love…

His undying, unwavering, and consistent love for us is so amazing. That no matter what we do or say to Him He is so consistent with us. He wraps His loving arms around us for every ill word spoken to us. He draws us close to His chest when someone blows us off or rolls their eyes at you. He comforts us in our time of need and loves us with a love that we can never express back to Him.
Now what I was attempting to do was to change your thinking. To go from anger, resentment, bitterness, and contempt to peace, assurance, comfort, love, and joy. When we can have that confidence of Christ’s love for us we are able to abide in Him. That though there will be distractions, there will be conflicts and trials; we can rest in the assurance of His love for us. That we will “continue with Him.”

“furthermore and joy of faith” – We have seen so far to have the assurance of Christ’s love, how we are to abide and now this all leads to the “furthermore and joy of faith.” That whatever you are doing that is good unto God’s eyes is a way to further the love of Christ. You are showing yourself, me and your enemy’s that you will not let them tear you down. That you will have Christ-like love, joy and faith, and I don’t mean to show them as if you are trying to get them back but because of your love for Christ you will show love. “A kind word turns away wrath and seeps burning goals on the enemy’s head” (paraphrased) We may not see someone feeling guilty or ashamed for what they did, but God sees. Think about that for a moment.
God sees….
God sees …. What else matters? It doesn’t matter who notices what and who thinks whatever. God sees all that is going on and He will give just punishment to those who deserve it. And that doesn’t mean just what people are doing to you, but what are you doing and saying about other people in response? So think now about whatever situation you are in and ask yourself this question. What is the best way for me to further my love and joy of Christ?


Here are some more verses that I read as well this morning that can encourage you...

"Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ; that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel." I Phillipians 1:27

"For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake" I Phillipians 1:29

" Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." James 1:3-4