“I don’t mean that I am exactly what God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal. But I continue trying to reach it and make it mine. That’s what Christ Jesus wants me to do. It is the reason he made me his. Brothers and sisters, I know that I still have a long way to go. But there is one thing I do: I forget what is in the past and try as hard as I can to reach the goal before me. I keep running hard to the finish line to get the prize that is mine because God has called me through Christ Jesus to life up there in heaven.” Philippians 3:12-14
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5, NIV TODAY’S WORD: So many people today are not really enjoying their lives because of the condition of their minds. They constantly dwell […]
via Today’s Word With Joel & Victoria Osteen – Renew Your Mind Daily — Today’s A New Day
FILLED WITH GODLINESS [1 Timothy 4:1-8] May you hold on to the truths of the faith, and to the teaching of Jesus. I pray that He will shield you from the teachings of those who have abandoned the faith, so you will not be deceived. I pray that you will train yourself to be godly […]
I have wondered in the past what Christians meant when they said they are now “free”. Free from what? You are still here on Earth with the rest of us. You haven’t made it to Heaven yet, so you’re in the same boat as the rest of us… Those were the thoughts that I had regularly. I recently had an eye-opening realization to what people meant by saying they were free, and I have to admit, I felt silly for not realizing the meaning sooner. With my past and the old me, I carried around a lot of guilt, anxiety, depression, feelings of worthlessness, insecurity, shame… all of my sins. Every day was a battle. They weighed on me like a ton of bricks all the time. It made my life miserable. That is NOT what God’s plan for me was, and it’s NOT what His plan is for you. He wants us to learn how to give it all to Him. He wants us to trust Him. When we let those negative feelings have a death grip on us, that is doing the exact opposite of what He wants us to do. It’s a sin in itself. When you fully give it all to God and trust Him with your soul, those crippling feelings go away. You don’t have to worry, stress, or over think. God handles you and guides you in every way possible. This world is so full of evil and the devil that if you can learn to live trusting in God and leading a happy lifestyle, you are truly blessed and you have truly found Him and have Him in your heart.
So how do you start giving it all to God? I started in the simplest way possible. Whenever I felt the negativity coming on, I immediately isolated myself and started talking to God in prayer and reading the Bible. I am still a firm believer in praying and asking God to guide you to the message He wants you to have that day before you open your Bible. It has never failed me. I would do those things the minute that the feelings or thoughts crossed my mind. You have to train your mind to focus only on one thing. God. Sit in silence and pay attention to your breathing. Close your eyes and thank God for creating you and making you so beautifully. Ask him to help you defeat these demons that are circling you. He will give you the strength to defeat them. And when you do, they will not overcome you again. I’m not saying you will never feel a tinge of those feelings, but they are not going to override you and the gifts that God has given you anymore.
Take a stand against your demons today and be free. Guilt-free, shame-free, anxiety-free, depression-free, free from everything but the grace of God!
~Psalm 118:5 ESV – Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.
~Galatians 5:13 ESV – For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
~Acts 26:18 ESV – To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
~Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV – For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
~Acts 22:16 ESV – And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
The teaching about the cross seems foolish to those who are lost. But to us who are being saved it is the power of God. As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise. I will confuse the understanding of the intelligent.” Isaiah 29:14 So what does this say about the philosopher, the law expert, or anyone in this world who is skilled in making clever arguments? God has made the wisdom of the world look foolish. This is what God in his wisdom decided: Since the world did not find him through its own wisdom, he used the message that sounds foolish to save those who believe it.
1 Corinthians 1:18-21 ERV
This year is going to be my year. The year that I set aside for me and my own personal growth and journey with God. I will not let the Devil and worldly problems bring me down like they have so successfully in the past. I’ve spent my whole life thus far trying to become the person that I am now, and it only took me hitting rock bottom to do it. I’ve been through so many toxic situations and people that it has skewed my mindset and caused me to spend so many years being bitter, angry, insecure and untrusting. I didn’t realize how bad I had gotten until I let go and started seeing things the way God wanted me to. Now, my mission is simple. Chase God and happiness. Bring as many people as possible to God and happiness. Every day. I will not put myself in situations to feel uncomfortable or unhappy, I will not be around people who bring any less than positive vibes, I will not be around people who take more than they give, I will not let the devil get a hold on my mind, and I will not let the world dictate my happiness. I am in this journey with God and I am going to sit back and enjoy the ride until we make it to the pearly gates. I know that I can’t do this alone, and I also know that I am not the only person who yearns for this so badly. If you want to take a stand on your life and get your life on the path that you truly want, follow me and let’s do it together. One day at a time. We are all in this together and I hope and pray for God to bring us all together and let us help each other through these daily struggles. More love. Less hate.
~Ephesians 4:31-32 – Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
~Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
~Romans 12:2 – Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
~Romans 8:28-31 -And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
~2 Corinthians 4:17-18 – For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
~Proverbs 4:23 – Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
SET AN EXAMPLE [1 Timothy 4:12; 1 Peter 3:2] I pray that you will not let anyone look down on you. May you set an example for others in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. May you understand that God chooses anyone He desires, regardless of their accomplishment, skill or special […]
Oh how knowledgeable I am on the topic of comparing. Most humans probably are, and most women DEFINITELY are. To be honest with you, I can’t remember a time in my life when I wasn’t comparing myself to someone somehow. Even to this day. It seems to be one of the hardest habits to shake, and it’s one habit that can bring you a multitude of negative feelings and emotions if you don’t get a grip on it quickly. The Bible says in Galatians 6:4-5 ESV:
Don’t compare yourself with others. Just look at your own work to see if you have done anything to be proud of. You must accept the responsibilities that are yours.
We were certainly never intended to compare ourselves to anyone. So why do we do it? I think it’s pretty simple. We are always looking for approval. From the day we are born until the day we die, we naturally seek approval. Some of us are worse than others. Either because we like to win too much, we didn’t get enough approval growing up, got too much approval growing up, etc. But where we look for the approval is the problem. Why are we looking to other people for approval? People are not who we need to be accepted by. We are only held accountable to God, and we should seek our approval first and foremost from Him.
Galatians 1:10 ESV: For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
The sooner we realize that we are born with the natural desire for God, the easier all of these hardships become. The easier it becomes to call on Him for the help and things you need and desire. He created us with a built-in yearning for His love. We will always naturally seek approval, acceptance, love, etc. But where it comes from is going to directly determine your level of happiness. I have spent my whole life comparing myself to others and trying to measure up. I have always liked to be the best at everything. If I was in a situation where I felt like I wasn’t, I was miserable the whole time. EVERYTHING was a comparison. Although I still struggle with this problem, it is becoming easier and easier to let go of those feelings. When you can learn to only seek approval and acceptance from God, not only will you be immensely happier, but people will naturally gravitate to you.
If you struggle with this problem, I urge you to start TODAY by taking a stand against comparisons. When you feel yourself start to compare yourself to someone or a situation, catch yourself and remind yourself of Galatians 6:4-5. It is easier said than done, but start with ONE comparison a day and slowly progress until your comparison habit is broken. The ONLY person we should strive every day to be like is Jesus Christ.
Love you all and God bless!
Depend on the Lord. Trust in Him, and He will help you. He will make it as clear as day that you are right. Everyone will see that you are being fair. Trust in the Lord and wait quietly for His help. Don’t be angry when people make evil plans and succeed. Don’t become so angry that you, too, want to do evil. The wicked will be destroyed, but those who call to the Lord for help will get the land He promised. In a short time there will be no more evil people. You can look for them all you want, but they will be gone. Humble people will get the land God promised, and they will enjoy peace.
The Sinner's Journey With Christ 