Stronger Together

One of my favorite ways to dig into scripture is writing it down and pulling out key elements from those verses or looking up commentary when I need help understanding what is being said. For my scripture writing, I follow Shannon over at her blog Sweet Blessings.

This month’s topic is on RELATIONSHIPS and there is always so much to learn. As I was doing my Scripture Writing this morning, I read the following verses:

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭4:9-12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I also decided to read some commentary on verse 12 (biblestudytools.com), and with that, it really opened my eyes to unity. 

Sharing More than Just a Religion

Today's the 14th and Easter's the 16th. Wait what! Where did this Lent season go to!? Haha, too fast I tell you!

To be honest, I wasn't planning on writing a post for you all today but since Easter is just a couple days away and God wants everyone to feel His resurrection power, I believe this is a message God has put on my heart to share. It is also a message that I have been hearing a lot over the course of this past week and even though it is simple and somewhat a given, it is still powerful and sometimes taken for granted.

But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

1 Peter 3:14-16

What would your response be if someone asked you: "What is Christianity?" or "What does being a Christian mean?"

Would you quickly respond back that "It is a religion in which we believe in the One and Only God who created the world and everything in it." or would you take the time and advantage of the opportunity to share with them what Christianity REALLY IS? God didn't send His only Son to walk this life alongside of us, just to create another religion, but to create a RELATIONSHIP. 

For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love[,] He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will— to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves.

Ephesians 1:4-6

His Word is not dead, boring, or useless on any other day but Sunday, however it is:

. . . alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

My mom directed me to a sermon from Rev. Canon J. John called Reasons to Believe in Jesus. This message was aired on the Focus on the Family Daily Broadcast show and if you want to check it out (which I encourage you to do), you can find here part 1 and part 2 (both roughly around 30 mins). 

In J. John's message, he brought to attention that all so familiar verse, John 3:16, and emphasized on the little phrase: ". . . that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." Adding to that verse John 17:3:

Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.

We can clearly see that believing in God and becoming a Christian is so much more than going through the motions, going to Church, and praying because it is what we do. It is realizing who God is, what He has done in our lives, how He has transformed us, and so much more! The experience or journey of becoming and being a Christian for each individual is such a unique story that you won't find any two alike! There is no "master formula" that a person can use to make the journey easier or the hardships more tolerable. If there were then, we would never get the opportunity to grow, to see God work in our situation, or to experience His divine presence walking this life with us.

As most of us probably already know, Christmas and Easter are the two major holidays when people get invited to Church and are more likely to say yes than any other time. This is because there is a tradition behind going. Even people that don't really believe or fully walk the walk any other day will go just because it is that "religious" activity they can check off for that year. 

But as Christians we don't want people to come to Church just so they can check off that box, do we? I hope not!

Maybe someone or ones have been heavy on your heart to invite to church this Easter Sunday. If that is the case than that is great! I am not writing to tell you that inviting people to church on Easter is bad, but I want to share that it is the way you share that can make all the difference.

Last week I listened to a message from Pastor Dale Satrum on Going Beyond our Hindrances and in his message he talked about the hinderance of religion. I would recommend that you also listen to this sermon, as he had so many good points that I cannot list them all! 

One of the points he did make was that "when we simply talk about 'church' the world hears religion." How we need to move away from just talking about church or serving somewhere but to engage in spiritual conversations that share how Jesus has worked in my life, in some particular area. That is what people need to hear, for we all long (even if it's deep down) for someone to come lift us up, dust us off, and make the load lighter. We are also all broken or hurting in some area, and nobody would want to live injured if they could be healed, would they? Of course not! Living in Jesus' presence and glory is being FORGIVEN of all wrongs, REDEEMED to our inheritance of everlasting treasure, and to be HEALED mentally and sometimes physically of our earthly hindrances.

I know that it can be scary or sometimes hard to invite/share with others and trust me in the beginning you will have doubts if sharing is really worth it or if they will ever come or listen because the devil doesn't want you to share with them. But also hear me when I say that God will give you the words to say, He will direct the conversation if you just give Him control of it. Let Him work/speak through you and after the conversation, you will feel so much better for taking that step of faith rather than staying in your comfort zone. As Pastor Steve Blair (Church of the Highlands) said in one of his messages, ABANDON SAFE AND LIVE BY FAITH.  

So I encourage you, not only for this Sunday (for everyday for Christians is Easter or Christmas) but for anytime you share, to share with the mindset of IT'S MORE THAN A RELIGION. 

A free image found on Canva, that I edited :)

Have a wonderful and blessed Easter!!

Five Practical Ways to Stay Connected with God

"The one concern of the devil, is to keep saints from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion; he laughs at our toil, he mocks our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray."

Those words above are from a Methodist Minister named Samuel Chadwick and is probably one of his most famous quotes. Chadwick is completely right when he said (in other terms) that the devil doesn't care about what happens "over there," as long as it doesn't interfere with his plans. 

Have you ever heard that other quote that says (in my own words) "Be that kind of person, for when you wake up the devil goes, Oh no! They're up!" I believe that what this quote is also saying, is that when Spirit-filled people wake up to a brand new day, to do God's work, the devil is probably thinking, "Oh man... I'll have to work extra hard today because that God-powered person is going to mess up all my plans!"

Then in my head, "Haha (in an extra mischievous way)... my goal today is to undo all of satan's deadly plans!"

This scene is a never ending battle between the good and evil in our world. I am just so thankful that in the end, I know what side wins! Can I get an AMEN! 

We are not in this world fighting against an enemy who is flesh and blood but against unseen evil spirits (Ephesians 6:12). Because of that, we also can't use physical weapons to arm ourselves; we need spiritual armor from God (Ephesians 6:10-11). 

One of the most profound and beneficial ways to be on guard against those evil spirits is to constantly be in tuned to God. Always having that open line of communication and always looking to the Holy Spirit to lead and direct you. 

  

However, you might ask/say, "How do I always keep a line of communication open with God? It's not like I can sit and pray for 24/7." "How can I make God my FIRST?" "I am really busy in the mornings and can't seem to fit time with God in, although I know it is really important." If any one of these questions relates to you, don't worry, because you are not alone! I struggle with these situations every day and every day it is a growing experience. 

1. It first starts with a DESIRE. You gotta want to spend time with God and want to be filled with His Spirit.
2. Then starts the DISCIPLINE. After you have the desire to get something done, be patience and be willing to put some work into it.
3. Lastly, the steps to walk with God every day will become a DELIGHT! You will be waking up every morning with enthusiasm to greet God first and to include Him on every little moment in your life.    

 Don't give up on something that takes time and effort, because, in the end, you are going to be so glad that you kept with it! 

      1.  Greet God with a "Good morning" when you wake up!

I started doing this consistently about 6 months ago and when I started I have to say that it felt kinda weird. There I was, sitting (or laying) in my bed, looking up to Heaven (in reality my ceiling), and saying "good morning" to an unseen figure. But now, I love it! I enjoy waking up every day and telling God "good morning!" and now I feel "weird" if I don't! 😄

      2.  Get in God's Word EVERY DAY! 

Even if you don't have an hour or even ten minutes (as the result of waking up late...I know I'm guilty🙋), make it a priority to get God's Word inside of you. It can often be difficult to include this time without letting it become rushed, to the point where you don't remember/understand what you've just learned. 
In these situations (when time is limited), you need to find what works best for you. For me on my early school mornings, that come with a 40-minute drive, I turn on a sermon. My favorite to listen to, of course, come from Church of the Highlands😊. I have also recently listened to sermons from Elevation Church and Paster Jon Gray (you can find his sermons on YouTube). 
Convert whatever time you have or whatever situation you are in, as a time to soak in God's truth. Although, remember that God wants your everything. Work towards getting up earlier to have that special, dedicated time with Him before you have to rush out of the house.   

      3.  Retrain yourself not to "clean up" 

God wants you as are. He wants your imperfect self so He can make you as "white as snow."
Because of Jesus' ultimate sacrifice on the cross, we no longer have to worry about not being "good enough" to enjoy God's presence. He welcomes us all into His family (tax collectors, fisherman, Pharisees, hookers, retailers, businessmen, students, government workers, etc....).   
Instead of waiting for that perfect moment when everything in your life is "put neatly in its place," invite God in and He will help you through the process. In fact, the process will go a lot smoother if you do!
So, when things aren't going your way, having a bad day, or maybe you were mean to that kid at school (or a co-worker), go to God, tell Him what happened, and ask Him to help you make things right.

      4.  Invite Him along!

Ok so this one might be a little strange for some of you, but hear me out! God loves to hear from you! For us living at home (or who might have families), how would you feel if your family member just said "good morning" to you and then nothing the rest of the day until evening? It would probably leave you with the feeling of being ignored. Well, how do you think God feels when you leave Him at home (or even at Church)? In addition to my "spontaneous" post yesterday, God wants you to invite Him along!
No matter where you are (in the car, in line, on hold, at work, at school, etc) God can be right there with you. If you're struggling He can give you peace and if you are celebrating, He would love to celebrate with you!
Talk to Him as if He is standing right beside you! If you want, you can even write letters to Him to express your feelings. Another avenue could be in your creativity!
Whatever and whenever it is, know that you have a tag along (and "participater") if you let Him!

      5.  End your day with thanksgiving and a re-focus

Last one! Now that you have made it through your day with God at the center, you can't stop at bed time!
Use some time before you go to bed to re-gather your thoughts from the day. Start off with praising God for the things He is and has done/ is doing in your life!
Then, if anything needs to be reconciled, make it a priority to seek God's help and forgiveness. Ask God to help you do better tomorrow, which is a BRAND NEW DAY! Ask Him to go ahead of you and prepare the path that you will take.
Right before you go to sleep, tell God how GREAT He is and seal it with a "goodnight!"😊

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Well, there you go! My five practical ways to stay connected with God throughout the day and every day! Do you have any tips/ways that help you keep God at the center? If you do, I would love to hear them! Please comment below or send me a message!

Our Omnipotent God

I wasn't planning on blogging today, but I feel that God is directing me to share this really powerful message with you all. This is a message that He has been really growing me in and showing me that it is indeed true! I also feel that it is really important and is a really big "influencer" in our Christian walk of faith.

If you believe, work hard and desire God first, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

I said ANYTHING!

God might be calling you to do something extraordinary! Maybe it's something that has been on your heart for a long time. But if you don't take that first step in faith it might never happen.

I was just reminded yesterday, in a message from Pastor Chris (Church of the Highlands), that God WILL call you to do things that require more than you have. This is because God doesn't want you to go off on your own, depend on your own strength, and leave Him behind! He wants to be your guide. Your provider. Your counselor.

Funny enough, I was just listening to a message this morning from Pastor Steven Furtick (over at Elevation Church), about how our relationship with God is "By Invitation Only." In his message, he said (paraphrasing here) that God wants to show up, direct our path, and help out, but He will only step in if an INVITATION is EXTENDED to Him. Meaning that if someone never wanted anything to do with God (😢), He won't just pop into their life (usually, but He can do whatever He wants like He did with Saul!😁) and say "I give you my Word but you don't listen. Straighten up!" 

God gave us all free will and that free will includes being able to decide whether or not you are going to invite God along on your journey called life!

So please, wherever you are, have the DESIRE to INVITE God into your situation. Into your troubles. And also into your times of peace. 

GOD WILL SHOW UP! Maybe not in the way you thought or maybe you don't understand it in that moment, but He WILL BE THERE!

TRUST IN HIM FOR ALL THINGS

INVITE HIM ON ALL JOURNEYS
and

KNOW THAT ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE WITH OUR OMNIPOTENT GOD!!!  

I hope that this encouraged someone tonight and I want you to know that these are NOT my words. In fact, as I was proof-reading this post, I was thinking to myself... WOW, I really needed to hear this! These are God's Words! 

Have a blessed night (or day)!

C O N T I N U I N G with P R A Y E R

Welcome back! I hope that you had a good week and that maybe something fun is planned for the weekend! Because who doesn't LOVE to just chillax and re-collect themselves for the coming week? I know I do!

This weekend I am actually getting together with some other ladies that want to start blogging and so we are throwing a "blog start up party!" It should be really fun and I am looking forward to it! I will make sure to share about it afterward! :D

Speaking about having that time over the weekend to renew ourselves for the coming week, this is the last weekend of the 21 Days of Prayer. :( But don't be alarmed! Even though there won't be a video to watch, you can still continue this rhythm in your everyday life. In fact, I pray that you do. 

Today I am going to share with you two different prayer outlines that God gives us in the Bible and that we can use every day to have that time of renewal and strengthing. 

1. The Lord's Prayer

The first outline that I am going to share with you is the Lord's Prayer. I shared this outline in one of my previous posts called Camel Knees. Please check out that post to learn more in depth about using the Lord's Prayer outline in your prayer time.

Jesus gave this prayer to His followers as not only a standard prayer to pray but as a guideline of WHAT TO PRAY.

He wants to know our hearts and our hearts long to know His.

This is a great prayer outline to start out with, as it is simple to remember and easy to use.

*The picture above is a sneak preview of my new journal Bible, that I am excited to share with you in an upcoming post!

2. The Tabernacle Prayer

Second, I want to share with you a more in-depth outline for prayer that was formed from the design of the tabernacle. The tabernacle in the Old Testament was basically the Israelite's portable Church; a place where they went to worship and offer sacrifices to God. Even though we do not practice most of the Old Testament's old ways, the truth and principals that are found within its pages still hold true.

Hebrews 9:1-9 recounts in short what the tabernacle was and how it was set up, but if you want to dig deeper, look up Exodus chapters 35-38.

To come into and dwell in the presence of God, there is a protocol that needs to take place, and it always starts with praise and thanksgiving.

The Outer Court

Psalm 100:4 tells us to enter God's gate with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. 

Start your prayer time with praising God's name (just like we have been doing in the 21 Days of Prayer). This gets your mind set on things above and focused on who God is and who we are in Him.

1. The Brazen Altar

The next stop in the tabernacle was the altar where the priests made the sacrifices but because of the ultimate sacrifice that was given on your behalf we no longer have to make the daily sacrifices. I am so thankful for that!

Take time to reflect on this wonderful gift, because it is ONLY through God's Son that we are able to come into God's presence and have a more personal relationship with Him!

2. The Laver

The laver was a bowl of water for cleansing. From their reflection, the priests would see their imperfect selves, but at the same time, they were letting God wash them clean and strip away any negative aspect of their lives that would prohibit them from fully enjoying God's presence. Check out Romans 12:1-2. 

In this moment, also take the time to pray through the Fruits of the Spirit. Ask God to help grow you in certain areas of the fruit that you might be lacking or if there are areas where you feel pretty good, ask God to continue igniting those areas. 

The Holy Place

Now you are able to meet with God more intimately.

3. The Candlestick

The candlestick represents the Holy Spirit and it is the Holy Spirit who fills us with God's Spirit and desires. Ask Him to take out your own desires and replace them with the desires of God's heart.

4. The Table of Shewbread

Bread in the Bible represents God's Word and God will sometimes use His Word to speak to you. Use this time to be still and listen. 

5. The Altar of Incense

The altar of incense was the last step of the priest before he would go into the Holy of Holies. Here he would bring the burning coals from the brazen altar to ignite the incense. This is another time to remember who God is and what He has done for us. Worship in this moment and because this is an intimate time, do whatever your heart calls you to do. Break out that instrument you play, listen/sing worship music, or thank God for who He is by calling upon His various names. 

A few of God's names are:
Jehovah Jireh - The Lord will Provide
Jehovah M'Koddesh - Who makes me holy

Jehovah Rapha - My healer

Jehovah Shalom - The Lord is peace
Jehovah Tsidkenu - My righteousness

Hebrews 12:15-16 also tells us that we can worship God through our services or giving.

Holy of Holies

Directly in God's presence.

6. The Mercy Seat (the Ark)

Because the veil was torn on the day Jesus died on the cross, we are now freely welcomed into God's presence. 
The priest went into the Holy of Holies only once a year to intercede for the Israelite's sins. 
Intercession: to work with God on behalf of other people
Use this time to pray for those who have authority over you and for those around you (1 Timothy 2:1-4):
- pray for our nation's leaders, state leaders, and local leaders
- pray for your family, those close to you, and those that need to see God's love
- pray for your Church, its needs, and the leaders there
- lastly, pray for your own needs 

End your prayer time with more thanksgiving and just enjoy the time that you just spent in God's presence! 

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Click on the picture below to print (or save for later) a summary of the Tabernacle Prayer. 

*This printout was put together by Church of the Highlands
You can also check more resources on prayer here

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Wow! That was a lot of information and if you are reading this then you are totally awesome and I commend you for wanting to grow your relationship with God!! :D

Stay Tuned for next week as I will be sharing some tips/ways that I have found help me to keep God at the center throughout my day and to bring Him into my morning first!

F A S T I N G

Day 12 of the 21 Days of Prayer is here (almost over actually) and one day over the halfway marker! I hope that you have joined with me on this journey (if not, it's not too late! check out my other blog post) and that you have enjoyed soaking in all of God's goodness like I have.

To be real with you, I'll just say that the first week of this 21 days of Prayer was not as focused as I would have liked it to be. It just seemed like the days were speeding by, and while I told myself I would fit the one hour of prayer in, it didn't quite work out like that.
Thankfully this week has been much better focused and it is amazing how much better I feel after spending time worshiping God and digging into His Word for that hour and how the day runs so much smoother (that is if I do it in the morning :) ).

In this post, I am going to share with you some tidbits of fasting and various resources out there that you can check out for more information. Now don't be scared away from reading the rest of this post! Fasting is not as terrible or scary as it sounds... trust me :)

Why Fast

Fasting goes hand in hand with prayer, as you rarely hear about one without the other. The concept of a fast is to focus on things NOT of this world but on things above; things everlasting (Colossians 3:2). To take away distractions and to show God that you are all dependent on Him. It can also be a way to demonstrate to God and yourself that you are really serious about having a relationship with Him. 

"Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend [tear] your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity."

~ Joel 2:12-13 (NIV)

Fasting has even been a tool in decision making, seeking God's will and fully relying on Him for help during a difficult process. An example is in the book of Esther. Esther was so nervous to go to the king without permission, and she knew that if she didn't include God and rely on Him for strength and courage, she would not be able to go through with her duty.

Fasting is living out your faith; that you are not going to rely on your strength alone but on God's.  

God is our ultimate provider, healer, comforter, and father. Only He can fully satisfy us and make us new. This earth is not our forever home, as there is a place for each one of us in God's family waiting for us in Heaven. We fast now so that when we get to Heaven we can feast! 

"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?"

~ Isaiah 58:6 (ESV)

Types of Fasting

Complete fast: this is when you abstain from food and are on an only liquid diet of water with the option of light juices.

Selective fast: this is when you removed certain foods from your diet. An example could be sweets or meats.
Also in this category is a fast called a Daniel fast. I have been doing some research on this kind of fasting and I found an excellent article that I believe would be beneficial to you if you want to check it out. This article explains how the Daniel fast is not a true Biblical fast, as Daniel (the person in the Bible) used this eating plan as more of an actual diet. I do agree with the author that the "Daniel fast" can set the focus more on what you are eating and not eating, instead of on God. I still believe that the "Daniel fast" is a great alternative for someone who would not be able to go without food due to health concerns or for someone who has never fasted.
*Please follow this subject up with your own research, as God's calling and guidelines for fasting for a particular person could be different from another.

Partial fast: sometimes called the "Jewish fast" and is when you abstain from eating any type of food in the morning and afternoon.

Soul fast: this is a great option if you don't have that much experience with food fasting, have health concerns, or if you feel like some physical things in your life are interfering with your relationship with God.
For example, during this 21 Days of Prayer, I have made the decision to take a break from all social media (except Pinterest because I use it for my quite time sometimes). . . I have to say that for the first couple of days it was kinda hard. I would get on my phone to look at Instagram but then realize it wasn't there. At this point in the social media fast, I don't miss it. Yes, it would be nice to see my friends posts but it is not a necessity and building my relationship with God first and foremost is way more important to me than "getting social."

Things to Remember

"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full."

~ Matthew 6:16-18

These verses point out two very important principals.
First of all, the reason we fast is not to boast or position ourselves over someone else who might not fast. It is not a practice to impress other people, it is a practice to strengthen our relationship with God.
Secondly, I want to point out that doing a fast is not supposed to be or will not be completely easy. It is meant to provide growth and renewal of your faith. In light of this, sometimes it can be hard to put on a joyful attitude when you haven't eaten anything in days and your stomach begins to ache when you see someone carrying a delicious plate of food. Instead of dwelling on what you don't have at the moment, be happy for that person and ask God for the strength to pull through.
I have not yet done a complete fast but I have done a ten day partial fast. I would definitely recommend this type of fast for a first time fast unless God calls you to go a different route.

Resources

Here are some other websites that have excellent information about fasting and other helpful tips. Some of these websites are where I also got my information for this post. 

~ Church of the Highlands        ~ desiringGod        ~ All About God        ~ Cru         

               ~ Food in God's Place,  also on this page           

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During this last half of the 21 Days of Prayer, I invite you to ask God if fasting is a step of spiritual cleansing that you need to take. Whether that is from food, TV, social media, certain activities, or whatever God puts on your heart to do. 

You can always comment below with questions you might have and I will try my best to answer them or to point you in the right direction :)

Thank you so much for reading this post and following along! I hope that this post encouraged you and if it did please share it!