Sabbath

I am excited. Today is the last day of March, and my sabbath day and thus far, it's been splendid! There's been no movies or tv shows....just music and cooking (gasp!), a work out, and Jesus!

Tomorrow starts a month long adventure for me, and I haven't been this excited for something that I know is going to be really difficult for what feels like a while! I know that people say your not supposed to tell people when your fasting, but I'm to excited and I want to share my heart. 

    I am going on the Daniel Fast for the month of April. As well, I am doing a squat and plank challenge with 2 of my friends. 

  I do this for many reasons, and one being discipline. And to become healthier. But mostly, to just fall more in love with Jesus, and to give my heart and attention more to Him. I've been distracted really easy, I've been learning to love so much more deeply this past year, and I just want to give that all back to my first love and fall in love all over again! To hear the Holy Spirit more, to follow more, to love even more, to depend on God more, to find all that I am in Him again, to grow in Him, to be more disciplined, to see better, to know Jesus more, to worship Him more....to go deeper. To be more intimate with my Savior who pursues me and my Shepherd who leads me and my Father who loves me! 

For His Name's Sake.

   For the past year and a half psalm 23 has spoken to me more than I ever imagined that oh so common psalm would. But common is not a word that should be used for scripture in the first place, for it is Alive. He restores my soul. He leads me. Not for my sake, but for His names sake, for His glory. 

My life, has nothing to do with me but everything to do with God.

    And I want to maintain that mindset. 

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in all the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

For His Name's Sake

I've been distracted. 

I've been laughing so much I'm sure laughte will be the death of me (not a bad way to go...)

I've been enjoying people. 

I've been moody.

I've been anxious.

I've been overflowing with love.

I've been healing.

I've been tired.

I've fallen in love with Jesus all over again.

I've been forsaking the one thing I have always been real good at.....QUALITY TIME WITH JESUS.

Last night while just having some down time and reading through the book Multiply whilst listening to worship music...my eyes started to tear up, which given a little time, turned into me sobbing. 

   Earlier that morning, psalm 23:3 had come to my mind...

 "He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE."

Then my devotions were on Revelation 4&5 which led me to Philippians 2, about Christ's humility and that one day, every knee will bow and confess that Jesus Christ is LORD! There's been a lot going on in my mind recently, some new struggles, new experiences, and the LORD has been with me in all of it, leading me, guiding me, but last night I just felt like He was telling me that I've forsaken Him. I haven't been spending enough quality time with Him...I have been distracted. I've been praying, I've been including God, but there's just been a lack of quality ALONE time spent together. And that is all me. He has been waiting...oh how patient and faithful He is, but He is also jealous, so at some point...He will gt my attention, and He has!

In the midst of my reading through tear shed eyes, the conviction that I have fallen into the trap like many that I have been living like God is here to give me what I want....when that's not the case at all.

I am here for God, not vice versa. Everything I go through and deal with, is FOR HIS NAMES SAKE, for His Glory.... 

He desires obedience, and He blesses us for obedience, but when we are disobedient, there are consequences. The reminder that I am completely unworthy, and that God has every right to punish me severely for sin....hit me. The reminder that God is a Holy God, and should be feared....hit me. The reminder that in the midst of His mercy and grace and love...He is still a God of justice and must punish sin, hit me. The reminder that I am extremely sinful...hit me. 

I've been undisiciplined and have allowed Fun and Enjoyment with others to over cede my intentional quality time with Christ. And I'm not saying we can't have fun and enjoy others, because we can and should! God uses those times IMMENSELY in my heart and life to enjoy Him more and fall more in love with Him and to learn. What I am saying is...learn balance. Don't let anything over cede your relationship with Christ and that time you need to spend with Him, however that may look! 

Ezekiel 36:16-end

Revelation 4 & 5

"And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Philippians 2:8-11