Who are we living for?

Jeremiah 26:2 (read it. or the whole chapter if you please! it released this frustration for some reason.)

God is moving. He always is. Lately, I can just see it even more though.
This frustrates me.
Let me explain...

it does not frustrate me that God is moving. That thrills me and comforts me!
what frustrates me...is to see God moving...and people not responding.

I believe God has given me a feeling into what He has felt for millions of years, with the Israelites forsaking Him time and time again. Yet He always had mercy upon them, when they called out to Him.

But what gets me...right..
is how we(i am including myself in here. because i am found guilty as well) choose and TRY to fight for ourselves. for our own lives. for our own reputation. for our own feelings. for our own rights. last time i checked, 1. i dont have any rights. 2. feelings are deceptive. and 3. this life is not about us.

it all comes down to selfishness. and sin.
In the beginning, there was God. Garden of Eden. A place, where Adam was created in God's image. Eve, for his companion. We were created, for the sole purpose to live in intimacy with God. To live in Paradise. For enjoyment. and for Love. Then Sin entered the world. and this is another frustration: Sin is not Satan's fault. Sin is our own fault. Stop blaming Satan. I'm not sticking up for him here, I'm just trying to help people see how wretched we humans actually are. Satan is the tempter...we CHOOSE whether to give in, or to stand our ground. so therefore, sin is the humans fault. we did it (do it) to ourselves.

so i guess basically what im trying to get at. is that it just really frustrates me when i see God moving, and just yearning for us, and all we do...is sit back and life this life for ourselves. yes, some of us claim to love him and have a relationship. but then there is thing called a wall. where we only go so far with him. we're not intimate like we were meant to in the very beginning. so if that's what how our rship was meant to be..WHY ARE WE NOT SEEKING THAT!!!
why are we just so non chalantly caring?!? why are we fighting for ourselves and not for God?!

does it mean anything to you that Jesus, a real man, like you, only perfect and holy, DIED A CRIMINAL DEATH ON A CROSS, for every wrong thing you have thought, acted on....EVERY wrong thing. does that mean anything to you? because if it did, surely you would be fighting for your God! for YOUR SAVIOR! He died, so that we can have that intimacy that we were created for. Yes, we do not deserve Jesus' love and grace...but thats what grace is. something we do not deserve. so why not embrace it? give in to your own selfish thoughts, ways. forget about yourself, becuase its not about you...not everything is about you. something i have learned in the past couple years! it is definately not about me. there is something greater here. so why aren't we seeking like we should be, why arent we fighting like we should be? why arent we surrendering like we should be. all for the Glory of God.

so thats my frustration i suppose. i could just go on and on. but it just hit me last night. people need to realize. people need their eyes opened. we need to not be afraid to scream the name of Jesus. to fight for Jesus. because He has and continues to fight for us. so we owe it to Him.

so i beg you. to pray for boldness. for yourselves and for Jesus followers. to speak in boldness and confidence about this man who died on a cross. about an intimate relationship with an indescribeable God! this is great stuff people! so why are we not all praising Him?! why are we just so mellow. we should be EXCITED. PASSIONATE! we are free. we are spotless. we are made whole. we have the love of the creator. the favor of the creator! this is something and someone worthy to shout about!

this world needs to be shaken. eyes need to be opened. Have Your Way God. You are Holy.Give us boldness. Give us a passion for your name. May the cry of our hearts, be to give you Praise. You alone are worthy Jesus.
not us. but You. may we surrender.




"Children get your hearts right. God's coming for his pure bride" (Leeland)

Realizations

So the last couple days, i've been frustrated. Because I find myself falling into these little holes. Little holes of temptations that are meaningless and pointless. but yet we all fall into them all the time. and we let them take hold of us. like if what we wanted to wear (and this could be cuz im a girl i dunno!)doesnt turn out the way you thought it would look, and therefore nothing else looks good...so it causes you to be upset...DUMB! or you get so caught up in making sure ppl know what they are doing, you know what you are doing, and that people know whats going on...that you let it get to you and therefore causes all the other little things to get to you...and hinders you...DUMB!
i HATE that i fall into those at times. and when I realize that yes, in fact, Jill, you have fallen into that trap, i feel like an idiot. Then I remember and feel like God is telling me, "I am greater" (JEsus talking here!). And He is. I believe that w all of my heart! I try to live that too wit hall that i am. it's just hard sometimes! Especially after being on such a high. But it is our choice. Our choice to have the attitude of Jesus Christ.
So I choose when those times come, when I can choose to stay in the temptation of emotion and frustration...or to go with Glorifying my Jesus and realizing that my confidence is in Him, and that because things are FOR HIM, of course they are goign to go okay! Duh Jill!
I choose to glorify God! I mean seriously!!

When we really realize, and let it sink in, what exactly Jesus did and continues to do for us. The freedom we have in Him. The new creation we are! We don't have to be the same people we were, we don't have to live in the crap that we are full of...when we REALIZE and choose to LIVE in that freedom...WOW! You can't help but want to bring Glory to God.

So my life: is to Glorify God. That is my mission. In all I am. All i say. All i do. All i think. My attitude. EVERYTHING. ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING! is for Him. Because of the freedom He has given me. Incredible...
If only we took the time to remember that every day. Our lives would seriously be changed.

So i challenge you, every morning. Take time to Remember Jesus and the cross. and Realize what it means for you. Accept that love. And Live that Love! Because that is what we are here for. To Glorify God. To give up our lives. Jesus was our example. Are we following Him?!?!

Jesus is worth all that I have and am. and more.



Isaiah 53 Read It.

"Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows. yet we considered him stricken by God. smitten by him and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions. he was crushed for our iniquities the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed...."


insane. amazing. immense. outstanding. something this would cannot grasp. something this world absolutely cannot understand. this is a Love not like the world knows. It should be though. Are we living this love?! Are we giving this Man, the glory and honor He deserves?! Or are we trying to serve ourselves and please ourselves?! Why please ourselves when this Man surrendered Himself for our sins?! SERIOUSLY PEOPLE!!! we need to get over ourselves. we have nothing on this earth. it will all end. so why hold onto things. the only thing we should be holding onto, is Jesus. Is love. It's the only thing that will last! FOREVER!
Life of Love. In community. In communion with the Man who set you free. I cannot think of a better way to live my life.

"

Broken Things

This morning I got up at 6am. Went to the beach, ready to look for some awesome seashells!
The sunrose, it was beautiful. I could do this everyday.

But as i was looking at all the seashells washed up on shore, and there were LOTS! I started picking some up. So many of them, are broken, or chipped. And it got me thinking, the broken ones, we tend to throw back...because we don't want them, because they don't look as nice as the full ones. My favorite shells, are the ones that kinda wrap around each other that your supposed to hear the ocean in...only there arent big enough ones i can find.....for free..lol (im prayin bout this one!) but i love those ones. but they are fragile i think, that the only ones you see, are the small ones and they are all broken....
so we throw them back. because who wants a broken sea shell?! (unless its so unique and one of a kind that u cant throw it back!)

and i was thinking. we do the same w people. broken ppl...we tend to push aside. ignore. walk away from. because we don't want something thats broken. we don't want to fix it, or don't know how to fix it, (or them).
but God LOVES broken people. broken things. Because He is the ultimate fixer! Healer.
So why do we throw back the broken ones?! Why don't we embrace the broken things(ones) like God does?! We have to be willing to get dirty, sandy, for the beauty of the brokenness.
Because let's face it, all we have to do, is look deeper into something broken, and i can promise you, that you will see something beautiful.

There is beauty, found in the broken. In the chipped. In the cracked.

Do you glorify God?

Does your life glorify God?!

When I say life...i of course, mean every part of your life.
God has been speaking to me about glorifying Him lately.
So i ask you, does your life glorify God?!
What you spend your money on, where you go, what you watch, what you listen to, what you read, what you say, what you think, your attitude, how you react, how you interact....are you glorifying God?! are you trying or even wanting to glorify God?!

Because Jesus died on the cross that you can be COMPLETELY free and He deserves our every praise. our ever effort. and we forget that. we don't do ALL that we can...

so i challenge you, like God is challenging me. Live your life, every single part of your life and who you are, so that God can be glorified.

I've been thinking...like normal.
But this is my conclusion.
God's will is being done. Amongst all the questions, all the sadness, all the dysfunction, all the evil, and the pain, and hurt and frustration...God's will is being done!
And I feel so good about that! And I and others are not bound by what is happening around us and in us. We are not bound by it, therefore it does not control us. Because God controls us. There is joy amonst the sadness and frustration, rather than living it, we live in the freedom Jesus bought for us! Tis the greatest thing!

Praise God for Freedom. For Jesus. For His Spirit. For His ways, His control, His faithfulness to those who are faithful to Him. and His love and grace and joy. Ugh. I just love love LOVE living with God in my life! No better way.


11Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; 12if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; 13if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
2 Timothy 2:11-13

God is Enough.

I want to start off by quoting a line from a song...called Beloved by 10th Avenue North.
the lyric is..
"Love of my life, look deep in my eyes there you will find what you need..."
This is being said as if Jesus were saying it to us. To me. I have everything that I need, in Jesus. His love is all I need, is what should get me through, is what gives me my worth and makes me beautiful, inside and out. His love, His being, is what makes me who I am, is all that I need to get through a day, to love other people, to have confidence, to be friendly, to be interested....everything.
In God's love, in His eyes, we will find what it is we need....
to glorify Him, to live a life of purpose and of love.

God is enough. God(in all He is) is what we need. Is what I need. All I need. and That should be enough. His love, should be enough. Can we say that for our own lives?! Can we tell God in all honesty that He truly is enough for us?! Does our lives, show God and other people, that He is enough?! Do we give in to ourselves or to God?! Do we stay in our little bubble or go out of the bubble (aka comfort zone) and show God that we WANT Him, and that Jesus' love really is enough for us!

I pray mine does. I believe wholeheartedly that my Jesus is more than enough for me! I know it. I believe it. I am doing my best to live it! But once again, I can't do anything w/o Him. The Spirit (my partner) is what empowers me to live a life of devotion and love...(that's a whole other entry). But my Jesus is enough....

Then in my devotions this morning...it talked about Jesus and the rich man.
Mark 10:17-23 (New International Version)
The Rich Young Man 17As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
18"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. 19You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'[a]"
20"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
21Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"

Jesus wasn't enough for the rich man. He enjoyed His "stuff" too much. And what we hold onto, what we WANT...is worthless unless it is wanting more of Jesus, holding onto Jesus.
I know I want so many things in this world...clothes, dvds, new car, food...necessary things and unnessary things...but all of this world and all things that I will not take with me to heaven.
So why do I want them so bad?! Why do I wish I had more money so that I could go shopping or so that I could buy something new, which I really don't need?! It's not gonna get me anywhere. It will only satisfy me for what, a couple weeks?!?!
Why can't we just be content and happy with what God gives us. Why do we always want more of this world, and not more of Jesus?! Or, we want more of both...we can't have more of both.
One or the other.
So really, which do we want more of?! Which are we willing to let go of?!
Is God enough?! Is not buying all the new toys, not spending your money on clothes or cds or dvds all the time worth it for more of Jesus?!

It is for me. It's just time to live that out.
Jesus is calling us to more....yes we lose out on some of this stuff of the world...we need to sacrifice...but look at the sacrifice that Jesus made.....
and look where we will be in the end...face to face....in full glory....Jesus is worth it. Sacrifice is worth it. Uncomfortableness is worth it. Stretch marks in our lives, are way worth it!

Praise God today. Because He chose you. He wants to embrace you with His love. He wants more of you. He wants to bring you to himself. He wants more for you!
Embrace Him. Everything about Him. Because He IS, Enough.


For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21

Response

Tonight I was looking at Tenth Avenue North's website because I bought their cd last weekend, and it is amazing (go check it out) and one of the bandmates wrote a blog today. and in it...he said this...
"To be a Christian to to live a life of response."

the last week or so, I have been questioning myself on if my life speaks God, speaks Jesus, speaks truth, and if I DO what I know I am called to do, if I DO what Jesus did, if I DO whatever the Holy Spirit urges me to, to say.....
because sometimes, okay a lot of times, i don't do a great job.
For those of you who really know me, I'm not the type of person who finds it easy to express my feelings to people, to confront people, to show my love/emotions to people in front of them. its just hard for me. but a lot easier than it used to be.
but i feel called and have a desire to encourage people. i have a desire to have Jesus shining through my life so that people can see I am different.
I just want Jesus to shine in my life.

and i guess I sometimes fear that I am not shining, that I am not acting on what God is teaching me and showing me. and sometimes I respond too late...i always think of things to do or say AFTER the situation is passed...but i just gotta learn to make God even more a part of my day, even more a part of my mind and my thoughts! just have to trust that in that present time, what happened is what God allowed and still made a different positively somehow.
It is still a reponse. I just want my reponse to be right, to be full of God and glorifying God.


But i know that God is forever shining! and I thank Him for that! and I also think that if God is really speaking to you strongly, and you feel really passioniate about something, you can't help but act on it.
So i guess now my prayer is that God just births more passion into my life each day! so that I can act more, and be more obedient, and Shine. and glorify God. So that's God's glory can be known!

I love what he said in that quote because it is so true. It is all a response. A response to what Jesus did on the cross. A response to God's love. A response to choices. A response to love other people, to know what love truly is because of God. A response to act. To allow change, and to respond what God is telling you, what is going on in your life...a response to be obedient....a response on how to live your life because of the Wonder who created you!!

so our life is a response. a response to God and Him in our lives ultimately.

I guess the whole point of this is...I want my life to be a response to God. to make a difference. to Shine for Him. for Him to Shine through all things.