"Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. no, i beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."
1 Corinthians 9:26-27
This is from the passage about running the race, and receiving a crown, prize. I love verse 26, cuz it just speaks to my heart and challenges me. So often i think I don't run in the right direction, or with purpose at times. I need to run towards God, and i need to run with fervor, and purpose--not aimlessly. and when fighting temptation and the evil of the world, i need to fight with all that I am and rely on the Holy Spirit. and not fight the air...i need to learn to fight. cuz its something i donnt think that i really know how. We need to give so much more of ourselves to God. and to life. we don't put enough effort forth. our focus is ourselves and what we want, but what we want...is to be lazy and for ppl to fight FOR us.
We have to make an effort, more effort. and im preaching to myself mainly. I don't want to be disqualified for the prize in the end. I want to live this life with all I am, for Jesus. for my prize. He is my strength, my motivation, the one who has and is fighting for me. So run fervantly (i really like that word).
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Psalm 130:6
"My soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning."
Psalm 130:6
So I just realized that, this verse repeats itself.
But i read this, and I just thought to myself, how often does my soul REALLY and i mean really wait on the Lord? watchmen...its their job to watch and to wait...
so we should be waiting on the Lord more than the watchmen do their job, more than they wait for the morning.
Are we waiting on the Lord to answer? to rescue us? to replenish us? to revive us? ....etc.
Wait on the Lord.
Psalm 130:6
So I just realized that, this verse repeats itself.
But i read this, and I just thought to myself, how often does my soul REALLY and i mean really wait on the Lord? watchmen...its their job to watch and to wait...
so we should be waiting on the Lord more than the watchmen do their job, more than they wait for the morning.
Are we waiting on the Lord to answer? to rescue us? to replenish us? to revive us? ....etc.
Wait on the Lord.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Psalm 111:2-3
"The works of the LORD are great,
Studied by all who have pleasure in them.
His work is honorable and glorious,
And His righteousness endures forever."
Psalm 111:2-3
We should be studying the works of God. especially in our own personal lives. We should take more time to be aware and to look and see all that God is doing and has done in our lives. each and every day. cuz HE is always doing something. Evenn when things are tough and hard, that shows He is doing something inside of you and He can even still work through you in those times, which amazes me. I sometimes feel like, when life is hard, and im struggling, I can't be joyful, I can't opposite of this "hardness" in life...which I know that to be a lie..but sometimes you just cant shake it. But jsut cuz life is hard and you have things to work through, you can still shine. which is amazing to me! God's work is honorable and glorious...well said !!
So may our eyes be opened to see all that God is doing and may be thank Him and honor Him for it. Guarantee our hearts and attitude will be encouraged and lifted up!
Studied by all who have pleasure in them.
His work is honorable and glorious,
And His righteousness endures forever."
Psalm 111:2-3
We should be studying the works of God. especially in our own personal lives. We should take more time to be aware and to look and see all that God is doing and has done in our lives. each and every day. cuz HE is always doing something. Evenn when things are tough and hard, that shows He is doing something inside of you and He can even still work through you in those times, which amazes me. I sometimes feel like, when life is hard, and im struggling, I can't be joyful, I can't opposite of this "hardness" in life...which I know that to be a lie..but sometimes you just cant shake it. But jsut cuz life is hard and you have things to work through, you can still shine. which is amazing to me! God's work is honorable and glorious...well said !!
So may our eyes be opened to see all that God is doing and may be thank Him and honor Him for it. Guarantee our hearts and attitude will be encouraged and lifted up!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Emily Byler is the joy of my heart.
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
1 John 4:18
I dont know what to say...except BAM. I am realizing that the majority of my life, is lived in fear....i dunno what else to say.
Some verses just do that to you.
1 John 4:18
I dont know what to say...except BAM. I am realizing that the majority of my life, is lived in fear....i dunno what else to say.
Some verses just do that to you.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
1 Corinthians 6:15, 19-20
"Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself?...
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."
1 Corinthians 6:15a, 19-20
My favorite part of these verses, is "YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN..." I often forget, that I was bought at a price and that I am not my own. All to often I find myself focusing on myself...which i absolutely hate. cuz it affects relationships, and ministry and life in general.
But I love the idea and FACT that our bodies are a member of CHRIST the person. We are united with Him, and one with His spirit. The Holy Spirit. This is something that my mind just can't comprehend, or cant wrap its fingers around (which is pry a good thing). But it is an incredible truth, and I am very thankful for it. Because otherwise, I would have no strength, no abilities in life really...so I am very thankful for God giving me the Holy Spirit. I just need to remember and recoginze Him more in my everyday life, and honor God with my body, becasue it is a temple. With what I say, with what I eat, with what I allow into my mind/stomach/mouth...etc.
It's a huge responsibility, being the home of the same Spirit that comforted Jesus and gave Him strength.
Do we realize this?! Do we LIVE in step with Him? Do we honor Him?
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."
1 Corinthians 6:15a, 19-20
My favorite part of these verses, is "YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN..." I often forget, that I was bought at a price and that I am not my own. All to often I find myself focusing on myself...which i absolutely hate. cuz it affects relationships, and ministry and life in general.
But I love the idea and FACT that our bodies are a member of CHRIST the person. We are united with Him, and one with His spirit. The Holy Spirit. This is something that my mind just can't comprehend, or cant wrap its fingers around (which is pry a good thing). But it is an incredible truth, and I am very thankful for it. Because otherwise, I would have no strength, no abilities in life really...so I am very thankful for God giving me the Holy Spirit. I just need to remember and recoginze Him more in my everyday life, and honor God with my body, becasue it is a temple. With what I say, with what I eat, with what I allow into my mind/stomach/mouth...etc.
It's a huge responsibility, being the home of the same Spirit that comforted Jesus and gave Him strength.
Do we realize this?! Do we LIVE in step with Him? Do we honor Him?
Beginnings
This isn't a part of my daily blog..but I just really felt like sharing this, because its on my heart and today ive been thinking about it a lot.
Beginnings.
In my mind, what I tend to do, is when things get tough, i think/feel like it is the end of the world. But what I think I am learning...or trying to learn i guess...is that it is not the end of the world, in fact, it is a beginning. There are new beginnings everywhere, if we just open our eyes, and allow beginnings to be a part of our lives.
My friend gave me this poem a couple weeks ago, and I absolutely love it, and i have it sitting against my lamp where i do my devotions, so that i see it every morning. and it is somethig that I try to pray everyday. I am not sure what book it is from, so i cant quote it exactly...but this is it.
'Help me to believe in Beginnings.'
O God, help me to believe in beginings and in my beginning again,
no matter how often I have failed before.
Help me to make beginnings:
to begin going out of my weary mind into fresh dreams,
daring to make my own bold tracks in the land of now;
to begin forgiving,
that i may experience mercy;
to begin questioning the unquestionable
that I may know truth;
to begin disciplining
that I may create beauty;
to begin to sacrifice
that I may accomplish justice;
to begin risking
that I may make peace;
to begin loving
that I may realize joy.
Help me to be a beginning for others,
to be a singer to the songless,
a storyteller to the aimless,
a befriender to the friendless;
to become a beginning of hope for the despairing,
of assurance for the doubting,
of reconciliation for the divided;
to become a beginning of freedom for the oppressed,
of comfort for the sorrowing,
of friendship for the forgotten;
to become a beginning of beauty for the forlorn,
of sweetness for the soured,
of gentleness for the angry,
of wholeness forr the broken,
of peace for the frightened and violent of the earth.
Help me to believe in beginnings,
to make a beginning,
to be a beginning,
so that I may not just grow old,
but grow new each day of this wild, amazing life
you call me to live with the passion of Jesus Christ."
Beginnings.
In my mind, what I tend to do, is when things get tough, i think/feel like it is the end of the world. But what I think I am learning...or trying to learn i guess...is that it is not the end of the world, in fact, it is a beginning. There are new beginnings everywhere, if we just open our eyes, and allow beginnings to be a part of our lives.
My friend gave me this poem a couple weeks ago, and I absolutely love it, and i have it sitting against my lamp where i do my devotions, so that i see it every morning. and it is somethig that I try to pray everyday. I am not sure what book it is from, so i cant quote it exactly...but this is it.
'Help me to believe in Beginnings.'
O God, help me to believe in beginings and in my beginning again,
no matter how often I have failed before.
Help me to make beginnings:
to begin going out of my weary mind into fresh dreams,
daring to make my own bold tracks in the land of now;
to begin forgiving,
that i may experience mercy;
to begin questioning the unquestionable
that I may know truth;
to begin disciplining
that I may create beauty;
to begin to sacrifice
that I may accomplish justice;
to begin risking
that I may make peace;
to begin loving
that I may realize joy.
Help me to be a beginning for others,
to be a singer to the songless,
a storyteller to the aimless,
a befriender to the friendless;
to become a beginning of hope for the despairing,
of assurance for the doubting,
of reconciliation for the divided;
to become a beginning of freedom for the oppressed,
of comfort for the sorrowing,
of friendship for the forgotten;
to become a beginning of beauty for the forlorn,
of sweetness for the soured,
of gentleness for the angry,
of wholeness forr the broken,
of peace for the frightened and violent of the earth.
Help me to believe in beginnings,
to make a beginning,
to be a beginning,
so that I may not just grow old,
but grow new each day of this wild, amazing life
you call me to live with the passion of Jesus Christ."
1 Corinthians 4:20
"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power."
1 Corinthians 4:20
I forget a lot of times (cuz i tend to forget the things that matter most...unfortunately), the power in the kingdom of God. Power beyond anything our mind can even comprehend or think of. I often wonder, why do I forget these things?! And what I am realizing, is that it is Satan. Causing me, somehow, to forget, so that I am not living in that power.
We can talk about the kingdom of God all we want...and it mean or do nothing...but when we realize and focus the POWER in the kingdom...in God...thats when life really happens and when Satan and his little minions screech. the battle...
Power. I pray, that I, and you, remember the POWER of God. and not just remember it, and talk about it, but to live it. Cuz living it, is a totally different thing, and something that I feel a lot of us lack. but something that we need to be living in.
1 Corinthians 4:20
I forget a lot of times (cuz i tend to forget the things that matter most...unfortunately), the power in the kingdom of God. Power beyond anything our mind can even comprehend or think of. I often wonder, why do I forget these things?! And what I am realizing, is that it is Satan. Causing me, somehow, to forget, so that I am not living in that power.
We can talk about the kingdom of God all we want...and it mean or do nothing...but when we realize and focus the POWER in the kingdom...in God...thats when life really happens and when Satan and his little minions screech. the battle...
Power. I pray, that I, and you, remember the POWER of God. and not just remember it, and talk about it, but to live it. Cuz living it, is a totally different thing, and something that I feel a lot of us lack. but something that we need to be living in.
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