Jesus became the model for all who would embrace the invitation to invade the impossible in His name. He performed miracles, wonders, and signs, as a man in right relationship with God…not as God. If He performed miracles because He was God, then they would be unattainable for us. But if He did them as a man, I am responsible to pursue His lifestyle. Recapturing this simple truth changes everything and makes possible a full restoration of the ministry of Jesus in His Church.
Set me as a seal upon Your heart
posts about life, love, and knowing god
Of all the different types of pleasures, the most exhilarating, the one that touches the human make-up the deepest, is spiritual pleasure. It’s when God reveals God to the human spirit. It eclipses mental, emotional, and physical pleasures when God reveals God to the human spirit. When a little drop of revelation, if you will, touches our fragile, small-capacity spirit, we say, “Oh, I love that!” and it exhilarates us. We live fascinated.
Revelation through exercising…
I got a revelation about God this morning as I was running: exercising is a lot like pursuing God. Each day that I commit to working out, I find myself that much more excited to do it the next time. As I’ve started running again this past week, I notice that I’m a lot slower than I used to be. However, I’ve made it a point not to force myself to run too quickly yet. And everyday that I get out there and run, I naturally get faster each time because my body is becoming acclimated to it and I have more stamina. Likewise, when I lift weights or do resistance training, I purposely try not to lift too much weight at one time or become discouraged at the amount that I can lift. Over time, as I stay consistent and persevere through the discomfort, my body will naturally want to lift heavier weights or do more reps. However, I’ll never be strong enough to lift more weight if I don’t stay committed to lifting the lighter weight.
America! America! God shed His grace on thee…
Last week we watched the Republican presidential debate on CNN, and today I went and voted. I am praying and fasting for these upcoming elections, and I am asking God to raise up a righteous leader to take the place as our president. This is a pivotal year for America, and I believe it’s wise and just for Christians to be politically involved and stay active in the governmental decisions that affect us. However, as I begin to think more and more about these upcoming elections, I am left with a stark realization that what America truly needs isn’t a better economy or safer borders, but a spiritual awakening. I see today, just like in the book of Samuel, a desire in people to look to mankind to save them, whether that’s through a specific president or an entire government.
Oh The Beauty Of Prayer…
It can turn an awful day into something beautiful.
It can turn a mundane life into something exciting.
It can turn a hopeless future into something hopeful.
It can turn an unbelieving heart into a heart of faith.
One morning spent in His presence can wash away all doubt, cynicism, and worry!
Last month, after realizing that I’d been living these past months in constant anxiety, I knew that something had to change in my day to day living. Immediately, I felt a tug on my heart and knew that God was highlighting the problem: I wasn’t setting aside time everyday to spend in His presence. I made a commitment to get up extra early the next morning and devote some time to being with Him and, I kid you not, I came away refreshed, renewed, and amazed at how quickly He can wash away the emotional junk from your life and give you the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
Anxiety.
How often do we sit down, forget about the next item on our to-do list, and really evaluate our life and priorities? How often do we really make an effort to put into practice all that we read about and know?
For me, I’ve read so much in scripture and books about how we shouldn’t worry or be anxious, and yet I have come to realize that I live with a continual weight of anxiety and restlessness. It may not be noticeable to others, sometimes not even noticeable to me. I may do a good job at covering it up with a smile, but deep down it remains brewing within me. I know this because of how I have been reacting to life circumstances. Oh, I know that I should cast my burdens upon the Lord, but in reality they continue to weigh on me everyday. My life should be consumed with knowing Him, but if I’m honest with myself, it is more often consumed with knowing the future.
I’m really loving the band Royal Tailor. Not only do they produce great music, but they have some great teachings on their website! This video is a lovely acoustic version of their song “Hold Me Together.” Below I also posted a link to something that the lead singer, Tauren, posted on their website about FEAR. Click on the link below to check it out — it’s helped me so much to realize that many of the battles I’ve been facing are founded in fear. He says in his article that “fear comes from misplaced faith. If you have more confidence in the worst of circumstances coming about than in God’s authority over your circumstances, your faith is misplaced.” The areas that we fear are the areas of our lives where we trust God the least. What areas do you have the most fear of? Take them to the Lord in prayer! Fight fear with the truth of God’s word! Meditate on the good things God HAS done in your life, rather than all that He hasn’t done. Commit to becoming more aware of His presence. And always allow HIM to have the final say in your life.
Hello Fear. Winning the Battle of the Mind. Week Two: Debunking lies and the fear they’ve created.
If God is preparing you to make an impact on this world for His kingdom, chances are He will take you though a season of solitude. This is a season when you learn that you can’t lean upon anyone but Him for your confidence and when you gain the strength to stand alone even when no one stands with you.
(via jessbend)
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
(Source: madelinebyline, via jessbend)
And this band…vastly different than the previous band, but I love their music just as much!
