Today, I would like to share a wonderful story of what it means to follow God's directions, and how he uses life's circumstances to glorify his name! Jeff and I have been very excited, and are pleased to announce to everyone that we are expecting our third child. If all is correct on dates, I should be due to deliver on April 2, 2009. We wanted to wait to share our good news with our families, because there was other wonderful news that had just come out and we did not want to steal the spotlight. I am currently 6 1/2 weeks pregnant, but everything is going well so far...but it didn't start that way. Here is another amazing story about God's grace in our lives!
About nine months ago, I began having some medical problems that were strange and unexplainable. My feet would go numb for several minutes at a time, I was feeling nauseated, tired, and had symptoms like pregnancy. As a couple of months went by, the symptoms grew quite bothersome and I began to seek medical help. The doctors ran blood tests, but could not explain my symptoms. I had been using an IUD for birth control, Mirena, for several months and had not experienced any adverse side effects. After watching the doctors throw up their hands, and taking a pregnancy test, there was still no answer. I turned to my Lord in prayer and asked him what was wrong with me, and what I should do to receive care for my problem. After praying, the Lord spoke to me and told me that my IUD was causing the problems and I should remove it. Sure enough, I looked for information on the Internet and found out that other women who had Mirena IUD's were having similar problems; there was even a class-action lawsuit pending for adverse side effects that lasted after the IUD was removed. I also read that many women had continued to get pregnant while having the IUD in place, and this was resulting in loss of pregnancy in some cases. All of this, along with the idea that it could be causing my medical problems led Jeff and I to the decision to remove it. I had the doctor remove the IUD, which was not as simple as I had imagined. It took four strong pulls and terrible pain to remove it. The doctor said it could have been implanted in the wall of my uterus. I did not feel very well, but the symptoms started to go away immediately. Score one for Jesus. He knew what the problem was.
So after removal, I began to pray and ask God "what now?" You see, I had a rather rough pregnancy with Krischan that took a toll on my mind and body. To be quite honest, I was afraid to get pregnant again because it might be a repeat experience. So I asked the Lord what kind of birth control I should use. He was very clear in saying "None at all." I talked to Jeff about what the Lord told me and to my great surprise, he was OK with no birth control! Talk about a shock. I thought he didn't want to have more children; but the truth is that I think he was traumatized by the former pregnancy as well. But we obeyed the Lord and began not using any type of birth control. Months passed and nothing happened. With both my other children, I got pregnant on a single night without birth control...now months were passing with nothing happening. I began to pray to the Lord and ask him what would happen. He said, "You are going to have another child." I told my Christian brothers and sisters the decision we had made, and they simply told me to wait on the Lord's timing. Well, our family is scheduled to move from Guam in May 2009, so I really began praying to the Lord about his timing! I got down to the month of June and began to feel a little anxious. I prayed and asked the Lord if perhaps, we should start using birth control because of the upcoming PCS move. The Lord once again clearly told me "NO, just wait and trust me." In June, I surrendered to God's will completely and just trusted him. That is when His answer came to me. He said "This is the month you will become pregnant." And sure enough, I did.
Being excited about what God had said, I decided to take an early pregnancy test. It came back with a very faint positive, but positive nonetheless. We were excited, but the next day, I started to bleed quite a bit. I began feeling very unwell, and I was anxious that I was losing the pregnancy. We went to church the next night, Sunday, and the pastors laid their hands on me, anointed me with oil, and prayed that God would heal my body from the bleeding and guard this pregnancy. The next day, I kept bleeding and it was getting worse, so I went to the ER because I couldn't get an appointment with my doctor. The doctor in the ER talked with me and told me that I was having an early miscarriage and that "these things just happen." He did not test my blood, but did give me a very sensitive pregnancy test, which turned out negative. He made a final diagnosis that the pregnancy would be lost, but told me I could keep trying the next month! I was disappointed, but then the bleeding stopped as quickly as it started. I suddenly began to feel more pregnant than before...but I was told that could be an aftereffect of the miscarriage. I was also told that hormones can stay in my blood for quite some time. But I began to praise God because I believed he was in control of all things, and was trying to accept the miscarriage. I was in my car, listening to worship music, crying...when God said to me "Go get another test...you are still pregnant." He gave me such peace that I did exactly what he said. I bought another test and it had a dark, strong positive. I had hope, so I called the doctor's office and convinced them to give me serial HCG beta blood testing, to see if the hormones were doubling like they should. This would indicate a progressing pregnancy!
I went on a Friday and took the first blood test, but had to wait until Monday for results and an appt. with the doctor. I did another blood test Monday morning before meeting with the doctor. At the time of my appointment, only the first results were available and they showed my hormones were a "very low" number of 27. The doctor didn't have much hope...I could see it in her face, and hear the doubt in her voice. She told me she would call me in the afternoon and tell me the second results. But still, she sent me to the pharmacy to get prenatal vitamins, "just in case it was normal." When I was waiting for my Rx, the phone rang and the doctor wanted to speak to me at the pharmacy! She told me that she had to see a 66% increase over the weekend in my hormones or it was not a progressing pregnancy. I could hear the excitement in her voice when she said "We have your second blood test results, and the numbers are considerably higher than 66%. You are definitely pregnant and progressing." After doing the math, it turned out that it was a 311% increase in two days! Praise the Lord!!! The bleeding has ceased and I have been feeling wonderfully pregnant, although with hardly any troublesome symptoms. This my little miracle baby! I thank the Lord so much getting me through a difficult situation, where I could have been very anxious and depressed. He kept my chin held high, and gave me hope and peace. And I believe that this pregnancy is going to be successful and we will welcome another beautiful child to our family.
I pray that this testimony blesses you today and shows you that no matter what circumstances you are facing, you can call on God and he will help you. He will give you peace that surpasses all understanding and show you his will. We just have to keep our eyes on the Lord, and we can make it through anything!
Praise Him today for his goodness and love! Be blessed in Jesus mighty name!
Sarah
Saturday, August 9, 2008
An Introduction of Myself & Testimony
I want to apologize, first of all, to all of you who are reading out there. Because I sent the link to only friends and family who I know, I neglected to introduce myself to my audience. I figured they already knew me! But this morning, as I was thinking about this blog, I realized that some might be reading it that do not know me, or my background. So let me make an introduction to myself.
My name is Sarah. I am 25 years (soon to be 26) and I currently live in the U.S. Territory of Guam on Andersen AFB with my husband, Jeff. We have two beautiful children: Mariah (5 yrs. old) and Krischan (2 yrs. old). We currently attend the Andersen Church of God, which is a pentecostal denomination, although we do not yet define our own denominational beliefs. I am currently working at a Christian preschool, teaching 2-5 year olds the Bible. I have recently accepted the position with my church of Clerk, which means I am a secretary/treasurer for my local church body. Jeff and I both teach Children's Church at our service, and Jeff is getting involved with being the webmaster for our church as well. My daughter loves the Lord, and especially loves telling people what she is learning, reciting verses and Bible stories to the adults! (I love it!) and Krischan is busy at the daycare where I teach, making friends, learning colors and to count! We are a busy family, but we love our lives together, and the Lord has truly blessed us with a family that loves to be together and serve God together! God is the glue that holds us together, and He is something that can never be taken away.
Before I met Jeff, I was a single mom for three years. I was not walking with the Lord, although I had confessed Christ as my Savior and been baptized. I was not living in God's commandments, therefore, I was not receiving the abundant life that God had promised. My husband grew up going to church sometimes as a Presbyterian, but stopped going when he left home and moved to Tucson, Arizona. That is where I met my husband and we were married, moved to Guam and received Krischan from the Lord! For the first two years of our marriage, until one year ago, Jeff and I were married but seriously struggling in marriage. We didn't have a lot of common ground. We had been married very quickly after meeting, then went on to move 8000 miles away from the U.S. and then had another child. Life was full of stress, and we came to the brink of divorce. I went back to Tucson while Jeff was deployed to Iraq for 5 months, and I really wasn't sure if I was coming back to Guam. I wanted to return to the life I knew, even if it had been really bad at times. During this trip, God did a miracle and he gave me the revelation that he could give me a new life, a fresh start, and I could walk with him for all the days of my life. All I needed to do was admit my sins to him, believe in his Son Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord, and receive his forgiveness.
That day...I will never forget. I had been convinced of my sinfulness (convicted) by the Holy Spirit that something was terribly wrong in my life, and through two short scriptures (including Psalm 51), my whole life changed. I confessed my sins to God, and I received Christ as my Lord and Savior. A warmth that I cannot explain, except I know it was from God, washed over my body and soul and suddenly I knew everything was going to be just fine. God had forgiven me, and I couldn't explain it at the time, but I knew life was going to get a whole lot better for me! God had given me the faith to believe in his Son Jesus, and I remember one of the first things I said to God, "I don't know HOW you are going to fix this mess I have made with my life, but I trust you to do it, and I know you will." And he HAS. He has helped us get almost completely out of a $18000 debt, he has healed my marriage, given me peace and hope, and he has walked with me faithfully every day since that moment. He has never left me, nor forsaken me. Just as he says in scripture. People might say "How do you know God is walking with you?" There are a couple different answers to that, but one true answer.
The first answer is that I feel God's presence all around me at times, especially when I am suffering and he is comforting me. I feel Him when I worship Him, and I feel his protection around me when I am alone and afraid. But that is just a feeling. You see, believing in God means we have to have FAITH, believing in something we cannot see, hear, feel or touch. But God knows we struggle with that at times, so he allows us to feel Him. The second answer is that I see him working in circumstances, changing things for the better in answer to my prayer. Answered prayer is probably the one thing that has built my faith more than any other. Sometimes, I am not even "praying" out loud, but I am just thinking about something, and suddenly God will change the circumstance and answer my prayer. Before I had even asked. He knows what we need and he gives to us because he loves us. I have seen this in my own life, and as I have, my faith has grown and I have walked in a deeper, closer relationship with my Lord.
The final answer is that God tells us in the Bible that these things are true. The deeper I get into reading scripture, and seeing him work in my life, the more peace I have knowing that I will be with him forever....and be saved. Just like he says in scripture. I believe Him!!!! It has completely changed my whole life, and anyone who DOES know me can be a witness to that. I am not WHO I WAS, but I am WHO I AM because of what Christ has done for me.
I pray today that you all come to know Christ in a deep, meaningful, personal relationship that goes far beyond sitting in church every Sunday, or reading your Bible once in a while. This is a daily intimate walk with the God of the Universe. I believe in God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit as one God, a holy trinity! So when I say I am walking with Jesus, I am walking with the other two as well. They are ONE. I pray that this introduction and testimony would bless you, and that you would allow God to forgive YOUR sins, be reconciled to him and live out the rest of eternity in God's amazing presence and grace!
Peace be with you in Jesus name.
Sarah
My name is Sarah. I am 25 years (soon to be 26) and I currently live in the U.S. Territory of Guam on Andersen AFB with my husband, Jeff. We have two beautiful children: Mariah (5 yrs. old) and Krischan (2 yrs. old). We currently attend the Andersen Church of God, which is a pentecostal denomination, although we do not yet define our own denominational beliefs. I am currently working at a Christian preschool, teaching 2-5 year olds the Bible. I have recently accepted the position with my church of Clerk, which means I am a secretary/treasurer for my local church body. Jeff and I both teach Children's Church at our service, and Jeff is getting involved with being the webmaster for our church as well. My daughter loves the Lord, and especially loves telling people what she is learning, reciting verses and Bible stories to the adults! (I love it!) and Krischan is busy at the daycare where I teach, making friends, learning colors and to count! We are a busy family, but we love our lives together, and the Lord has truly blessed us with a family that loves to be together and serve God together! God is the glue that holds us together, and He is something that can never be taken away.
Before I met Jeff, I was a single mom for three years. I was not walking with the Lord, although I had confessed Christ as my Savior and been baptized. I was not living in God's commandments, therefore, I was not receiving the abundant life that God had promised. My husband grew up going to church sometimes as a Presbyterian, but stopped going when he left home and moved to Tucson, Arizona. That is where I met my husband and we were married, moved to Guam and received Krischan from the Lord! For the first two years of our marriage, until one year ago, Jeff and I were married but seriously struggling in marriage. We didn't have a lot of common ground. We had been married very quickly after meeting, then went on to move 8000 miles away from the U.S. and then had another child. Life was full of stress, and we came to the brink of divorce. I went back to Tucson while Jeff was deployed to Iraq for 5 months, and I really wasn't sure if I was coming back to Guam. I wanted to return to the life I knew, even if it had been really bad at times. During this trip, God did a miracle and he gave me the revelation that he could give me a new life, a fresh start, and I could walk with him for all the days of my life. All I needed to do was admit my sins to him, believe in his Son Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord, and receive his forgiveness.
That day...I will never forget. I had been convinced of my sinfulness (convicted) by the Holy Spirit that something was terribly wrong in my life, and through two short scriptures (including Psalm 51), my whole life changed. I confessed my sins to God, and I received Christ as my Lord and Savior. A warmth that I cannot explain, except I know it was from God, washed over my body and soul and suddenly I knew everything was going to be just fine. God had forgiven me, and I couldn't explain it at the time, but I knew life was going to get a whole lot better for me! God had given me the faith to believe in his Son Jesus, and I remember one of the first things I said to God, "I don't know HOW you are going to fix this mess I have made with my life, but I trust you to do it, and I know you will." And he HAS. He has helped us get almost completely out of a $18000 debt, he has healed my marriage, given me peace and hope, and he has walked with me faithfully every day since that moment. He has never left me, nor forsaken me. Just as he says in scripture. People might say "How do you know God is walking with you?" There are a couple different answers to that, but one true answer.
The first answer is that I feel God's presence all around me at times, especially when I am suffering and he is comforting me. I feel Him when I worship Him, and I feel his protection around me when I am alone and afraid. But that is just a feeling. You see, believing in God means we have to have FAITH, believing in something we cannot see, hear, feel or touch. But God knows we struggle with that at times, so he allows us to feel Him. The second answer is that I see him working in circumstances, changing things for the better in answer to my prayer. Answered prayer is probably the one thing that has built my faith more than any other. Sometimes, I am not even "praying" out loud, but I am just thinking about something, and suddenly God will change the circumstance and answer my prayer. Before I had even asked. He knows what we need and he gives to us because he loves us. I have seen this in my own life, and as I have, my faith has grown and I have walked in a deeper, closer relationship with my Lord.
The final answer is that God tells us in the Bible that these things are true. The deeper I get into reading scripture, and seeing him work in my life, the more peace I have knowing that I will be with him forever....and be saved. Just like he says in scripture. I believe Him!!!! It has completely changed my whole life, and anyone who DOES know me can be a witness to that. I am not WHO I WAS, but I am WHO I AM because of what Christ has done for me.
I pray today that you all come to know Christ in a deep, meaningful, personal relationship that goes far beyond sitting in church every Sunday, or reading your Bible once in a while. This is a daily intimate walk with the God of the Universe. I believe in God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit as one God, a holy trinity! So when I say I am walking with Jesus, I am walking with the other two as well. They are ONE. I pray that this introduction and testimony would bless you, and that you would allow God to forgive YOUR sins, be reconciled to him and live out the rest of eternity in God's amazing presence and grace!
Peace be with you in Jesus name.
Sarah
Friday, August 8, 2008
Jesus is the Light in the Darkness
John 8:12
"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
A few minutes ago, I had another one of those amazing, but simple revelations about God's Word. I realized that the relationship between light and dark can be compared to something that "glows in the dark." I remember as a child (maybe as an adult) getting something that said it glowed in the dark. If you have ever had anything like this, you know that the only way to charge it is to hold it up to a bright light source. As a kid, I would spend several minutes in front of a lamp holding my glow in the dark stars up to it, so they would glow extra bright in the dark. My relationship with Christ is the same way. Jesus said that he was the light of the world. We have to be exposed to a lot of the light to become very bright in a very DARK world. The ways to hold yourself up to the bright light source of Jesus are to read your Bible, study it, meditate on the wisdom found in it, pray, seek to know God personally, and get as close to Jesus (the light) as you can. The closer you get, the more brightly you will shine in this dark and sinful world. You will glow in the dark! Just one more reason to seek out Jesus as our Savior, and continue to grow in our relationship with him. I don't know about you, but I don't want to blend in with this world. I would rather shine brightly with the love of Jesus than to fade into the darkness with the others. I pray that this revelation of God's Word blesses your heart and makes you think about God in a new way! I praise God for his amazing knowledge of everything. I am humbled that he occasionally shares with mere mortals such as myself! It is truly awe-inspiring. Every day there are new revelations of who God is and how much he loves every person!
Proverbs 2:1-6 -
"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as silver and search for it as a hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God."
God bless you mightily today in the name of Jesus!
One more thing...God says:
Romans 10:17 - "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God."
So listen to what God is saying to you through his Holy Word, and he will surely bless you with faith.
In Christ alone,
Sarah
"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
A few minutes ago, I had another one of those amazing, but simple revelations about God's Word. I realized that the relationship between light and dark can be compared to something that "glows in the dark." I remember as a child (maybe as an adult) getting something that said it glowed in the dark. If you have ever had anything like this, you know that the only way to charge it is to hold it up to a bright light source. As a kid, I would spend several minutes in front of a lamp holding my glow in the dark stars up to it, so they would glow extra bright in the dark. My relationship with Christ is the same way. Jesus said that he was the light of the world. We have to be exposed to a lot of the light to become very bright in a very DARK world. The ways to hold yourself up to the bright light source of Jesus are to read your Bible, study it, meditate on the wisdom found in it, pray, seek to know God personally, and get as close to Jesus (the light) as you can. The closer you get, the more brightly you will shine in this dark and sinful world. You will glow in the dark! Just one more reason to seek out Jesus as our Savior, and continue to grow in our relationship with him. I don't know about you, but I don't want to blend in with this world. I would rather shine brightly with the love of Jesus than to fade into the darkness with the others. I pray that this revelation of God's Word blesses your heart and makes you think about God in a new way! I praise God for his amazing knowledge of everything. I am humbled that he occasionally shares with mere mortals such as myself! It is truly awe-inspiring. Every day there are new revelations of who God is and how much he loves every person!
Proverbs 2:1-6 -
"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as silver and search for it as a hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God."
God bless you mightily today in the name of Jesus!
One more thing...God says:
Romans 10:17 - "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God."
So listen to what God is saying to you through his Holy Word, and he will surely bless you with faith.
In Christ alone,
Sarah
Forgive One Another - As Christ Forgives Us!
For the past 29 days, I have been doing a 40-day devotional called A Call to Die by David Nasser. It has been an amazing journey for the past month, and I encourage each and every one of you to try it! It covers many of the major topics about how to live as a Christian, but Nasser is straight to the point. He does not play around! He challenges you to go deeper into your faith and really live out your convictions day-by-day. Today, the morning devotional really hit me hard. It was about forgiving those who have hurt you. Over the past year, the Lord has taught me how to permanently forgive those who have really hurt me. I had raw emotions come to the surface, and many times, would end up bawling like a baby for a day or so. Then the Lord, with his amazing healing touch would heal my heart, and I would suddenly be able to forget the resentment I once harbored. For those of you who may not know, I have led a very troubled life, and I was hurt many, many times deeply along the way. This may be the greatest work besides salvation that God has done in my life. He has shown me how to truly love others unconditionally, and to remember how much he has forgiven me for, so I can forgive others who hurt me deeply.
I want to share something that God showed me (in my mind several months ago) that helps me to remember how to forgive others. I was sitting with my husband at lunch one day and I had a revelation about God's Word. I was told in my mind by God to think of the person that had hurt me the worst in my whole life, the instance that I could not seem to get over. For me, I was abused in childhood and it caused twenty years of depression, pain and attempted suicides. It made me feel worthless all those years, and really messed me up for a long time. The Lord said to me, now imagine yourself dying for that person in their place. He said..."That is what I did for you." When you had hurt me the worst of anyone I could ever imagine, I forgave you, and I did not hold resentment against you. That is how God expects us to forgive others, regardless of what they have done to us. Christ forgives us for more because we hurt him every day with our sinful actions. You see, God is real. God has a heart, the Bible says. By heart...I do not mean a physical heart, although Jesus came in the flesh, I mean a deep center of his being. He knows everything we do, and he sees every single time we hurt him. Sometimes, people do things to us "behind our backs," and we never know they have hurt us. But God always knows what you have done, and he has to face it head on. That is why he sent his Son to save us through his death on the cross!
Colossians 3:13 - "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
Psalm 139:23-24 - "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
In this last verse, we see that God can know our heart, our thoughts, and that he knows if there is "any offensive way" in us. He is omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipresent (everywhere at once) as he is described in Psalm 139. So, when we are pleasing to God, he knows our good thought and good works....but this proves he also knows our evil thoughts, evil intents, evil planning, resentment, hatred, etc. We have to confess these sins to God, and allow him to heal us from them.
I pray today that if you are holding onto any grudge, or hatred, or resentment over people or things that hurt you in the past...turn them over to God today. Confess your sin to him. Ask him to forgive you and show you how to forgive others in light of the grace he has shown you. I pray that if you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, that you would read the Sinner's Prayer on this blog page, and pray to God from your heart to accept Jesus Christ! I pray blessings upon you all today in the name of Jesus, and pray that you will be happy, healthy and safe as you go on forgiving others!
In His amazing forgiving Love,
Sarah
I want to share something that God showed me (in my mind several months ago) that helps me to remember how to forgive others. I was sitting with my husband at lunch one day and I had a revelation about God's Word. I was told in my mind by God to think of the person that had hurt me the worst in my whole life, the instance that I could not seem to get over. For me, I was abused in childhood and it caused twenty years of depression, pain and attempted suicides. It made me feel worthless all those years, and really messed me up for a long time. The Lord said to me, now imagine yourself dying for that person in their place. He said..."That is what I did for you." When you had hurt me the worst of anyone I could ever imagine, I forgave you, and I did not hold resentment against you. That is how God expects us to forgive others, regardless of what they have done to us. Christ forgives us for more because we hurt him every day with our sinful actions. You see, God is real. God has a heart, the Bible says. By heart...I do not mean a physical heart, although Jesus came in the flesh, I mean a deep center of his being. He knows everything we do, and he sees every single time we hurt him. Sometimes, people do things to us "behind our backs," and we never know they have hurt us. But God always knows what you have done, and he has to face it head on. That is why he sent his Son to save us through his death on the cross!
Colossians 3:13 - "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
Psalm 139:23-24 - "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
In this last verse, we see that God can know our heart, our thoughts, and that he knows if there is "any offensive way" in us. He is omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipresent (everywhere at once) as he is described in Psalm 139. So, when we are pleasing to God, he knows our good thought and good works....but this proves he also knows our evil thoughts, evil intents, evil planning, resentment, hatred, etc. We have to confess these sins to God, and allow him to heal us from them.
I pray today that if you are holding onto any grudge, or hatred, or resentment over people or things that hurt you in the past...turn them over to God today. Confess your sin to him. Ask him to forgive you and show you how to forgive others in light of the grace he has shown you. I pray that if you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, that you would read the Sinner's Prayer on this blog page, and pray to God from your heart to accept Jesus Christ! I pray blessings upon you all today in the name of Jesus, and pray that you will be happy, healthy and safe as you go on forgiving others!
In His amazing forgiving Love,
Sarah
Praise the Lord - He fixed my blog!
I was beginning to think that my blogging days were over as quickly as they had started! I have been having trouble today posting anything because every time I tried, it never posted! I am not the most technologically savvy person, so I was beginning to think I was just doing something wrong! Anyway, thank the Lord that he got me back to writing again! I have been sincerely enjoying writing a post about God every morning, and I am thankful to all those who take a moment to read my blog! It is now 1:00 am and I have been messing with this thing for hours...I can be stubborn at times! I will write again tomorrow morning! God bless you all tonight!
Sarah
Sarah
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Trusting in God's Deliverance
Becoming a Christian did not guarantee me an easy life without trials or tribulations. Many people get the wrong idea about what it means to be a follower of Christ. Some Christians even mislead people to think that becoming a Christian means you will never be sick, or you will become rich, or that life will just go smoothly. In fact, God told us the opposite would happen the closer we got to Christ, and the bolder we become about preaching God's Word to the world.
John 15:18 - "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." Jesus goes on to say...
"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom he has given us." (Romans 5:3-5)
Every day, we face new challenges and hardships. Sometimes, it can a coworker who doesn't like us, or an illness we are going through, or a financial difficulty, or a suffering relationship with someone we love. In life, there are twists and turns from our perspective, but nothing happens without God knowing about it first. And God always prepares a way to deliver those who love Him out of these troublesome times.
Psalm 34:18-20 - "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken."
So, although hard times come upon believers in Christ, the Lord promises to deliver us from them all before our bones are crushed. He will continue to deliver us until we are with him in heaven. We can trust in God to bring us comfort and peace in times of trouble.
In the past year, my family has been through troubles with marriage, children, work, and illness. This past year, my son was diagnosed with epilepsy. My husband and I have trusted the Lord to heal my son, and deliver us through countless sleepless nights. We have prayed and the Lord has always been faithful to give us comfort. My son has not had a seizure since November 2007 and we are believing he is healed in the name of Jesus. I have been ill this past year numerous times, but I have always been full of the peace of God through my circumstances, and I keep praising him for his goodness and his deliverance. My son is due to have an MRI this month for his epilepsy. The last one showed white matter in his brain that suggested slow development of his speech and motor skills. He is right on par, and possibly more advanced than his classmates his age, so praise the Lord for bringing him through it!
Daily...life can become a struggle. I challenge you to put your faith and trust in God and see if he won't deliver you through every circumstance! I love you all, and I pray God's peace and blessings upon you in the name of Jesus.
In the peace of Christ,
Sarah
John 15:18 - "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." Jesus goes on to say...
"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom he has given us." (Romans 5:3-5)
Every day, we face new challenges and hardships. Sometimes, it can a coworker who doesn't like us, or an illness we are going through, or a financial difficulty, or a suffering relationship with someone we love. In life, there are twists and turns from our perspective, but nothing happens without God knowing about it first. And God always prepares a way to deliver those who love Him out of these troublesome times.
Psalm 34:18-20 - "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken."
So, although hard times come upon believers in Christ, the Lord promises to deliver us from them all before our bones are crushed. He will continue to deliver us until we are with him in heaven. We can trust in God to bring us comfort and peace in times of trouble.
In the past year, my family has been through troubles with marriage, children, work, and illness. This past year, my son was diagnosed with epilepsy. My husband and I have trusted the Lord to heal my son, and deliver us through countless sleepless nights. We have prayed and the Lord has always been faithful to give us comfort. My son has not had a seizure since November 2007 and we are believing he is healed in the name of Jesus. I have been ill this past year numerous times, but I have always been full of the peace of God through my circumstances, and I keep praising him for his goodness and his deliverance. My son is due to have an MRI this month for his epilepsy. The last one showed white matter in his brain that suggested slow development of his speech and motor skills. He is right on par, and possibly more advanced than his classmates his age, so praise the Lord for bringing him through it!
Daily...life can become a struggle. I challenge you to put your faith and trust in God and see if he won't deliver you through every circumstance! I love you all, and I pray God's peace and blessings upon you in the name of Jesus.
In the peace of Christ,
Sarah
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Hearing the Voice of God
Two years ago, if someone had told me that I could hear God's voice leading me each and every day, I would have thought they were crazy. Actually, there was a specific time and place where a Christian told me they heard God, and I laughed and mocked them. My friends and I would joke about her statements to have been told by God what to do in life. But the Bible tells me why I could not hear God as well, and I do hear him now.
John 10:26-28
"but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand."
The simple difference between not hearing God's voice (laughing at those who do in unbelief), and hearing God's voice was simply accepting the Good Sheperd, Jesus Christ, to be my Lord and Savior. However, I did not just wake up one day and be able to clearly hear the Lord inside of me prompting me in one direction or another. I had to learn to discern and listen to his voice above all the other voices that we hear inside of us. His voice becomes clear and begins to stand out above all the rest. The most distinguishing thing about his voice is that when I obey what it tells me, I am blessed continually....and by blessed, I mean I experience a deep peace, joy and fulfillment inside my soul that I am doing the right thing. There is confirmation from the Holy Spirit which lives inside of me that I have heard the voice of God, and that I followed in obedience correctly. Sometimes, if I am full of doubt, God will go beyond the inner voice to speak to me through a church sermon, a friend who calls unexpectedly to help me, or even just through my daily time of reading God's Word. But many times, I simply feel a deep thought that is suddenly (out of nowhere) impressed upon my heart, and I act in faith.
I believe many Christians hear the voice of God and act upon these leadings every day, but there are many more who have not learned, or still doubt that the voice can be heard so clearly! This is how I live my life. I pray, read God's Word, and allow God to give me direction each and every day on how to live. As I have been following the voice of my Lord, I have begun to live in a full measure that I had never experienced before. I wake up ready for each day, knowing it will be filled with goodness and adventure. You see, I have never been a person that loved routine and monotony. But, really, who does? I loved life to be really LIVED, and not just a spectator sport. I spent my days "living" in the party scene, thinking that this was the best life could get. I was sadly mistaken.
John 6:50 says:
"But here is the bread that has come down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
Every day, I make a point of feasting on God's Word, and letting Jesus be my "daily bread." As I live for him, and he lives through me, I experience life everlasting starting now.
When I first accepted Jesus as my Savior, the only prayer I knew was the Lord's Prayer. And I was not even the best at saying it, I had to memorize it. This was the level of communication I had with my Lord. I would pray the Lord's Prayer every day, although I did not even know the full meaning behind it. It is a great place to start for someone who has just met Jesus. It included all the necessary parts of praying to God, but it leads to a more fulfilling relationship. When I had enough faith and understanding, I began talking to God as a friend. I began telling him what was going on in my life (although I learned that he already knows), and he would respond through my daily circumstances to what I had said. If there is no better proof that there is a living God that exists today, this is it. I cannot see the future, nor change the events that are in my path. Trust me, I do not spend all my time trying to make my plans fit my prayers...God does that. It would be incredibly overwhelming for me to even try! I just give my life to God, and let him do the rest. And at times, I won't even be praying, but rather be thinking a lot about something....having told no one, and my questions in my head will be answered by circumstances. You see, God knows all of our thoughts. When we get stuck on a thought in our minds, God hears us meditating on this! He can answer your "prayers" even if you never thought you had prayed.
Psalm 139:1-4
"O Lord you have searched me and know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, you know it completely, O Lord."
God knows everything you do, say, think or feel even better than you know yourself. When you are in a right relationship with God, you are able to pray, think and communicate with God, and he will respond to you in ways that you have never imagined. This builds your faith, and encourages you to grow in a deeper relationship with the only living God of the Universe. Think about that today!!!
I pray that this finds you today in peace and full of joy. I pray that if you know God, you will grow in your ability and discernment of his voice. If you do not know him, perhaps today is the day you will meet your maker.
All praise and honor and glory to God in Jesus' name, Amen.
Sarah
John 10:26-28
"but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand."
The simple difference between not hearing God's voice (laughing at those who do in unbelief), and hearing God's voice was simply accepting the Good Sheperd, Jesus Christ, to be my Lord and Savior. However, I did not just wake up one day and be able to clearly hear the Lord inside of me prompting me in one direction or another. I had to learn to discern and listen to his voice above all the other voices that we hear inside of us. His voice becomes clear and begins to stand out above all the rest. The most distinguishing thing about his voice is that when I obey what it tells me, I am blessed continually....and by blessed, I mean I experience a deep peace, joy and fulfillment inside my soul that I am doing the right thing. There is confirmation from the Holy Spirit which lives inside of me that I have heard the voice of God, and that I followed in obedience correctly. Sometimes, if I am full of doubt, God will go beyond the inner voice to speak to me through a church sermon, a friend who calls unexpectedly to help me, or even just through my daily time of reading God's Word. But many times, I simply feel a deep thought that is suddenly (out of nowhere) impressed upon my heart, and I act in faith.
I believe many Christians hear the voice of God and act upon these leadings every day, but there are many more who have not learned, or still doubt that the voice can be heard so clearly! This is how I live my life. I pray, read God's Word, and allow God to give me direction each and every day on how to live. As I have been following the voice of my Lord, I have begun to live in a full measure that I had never experienced before. I wake up ready for each day, knowing it will be filled with goodness and adventure. You see, I have never been a person that loved routine and monotony. But, really, who does? I loved life to be really LIVED, and not just a spectator sport. I spent my days "living" in the party scene, thinking that this was the best life could get. I was sadly mistaken.
John 6:50 says:
"But here is the bread that has come down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
Every day, I make a point of feasting on God's Word, and letting Jesus be my "daily bread." As I live for him, and he lives through me, I experience life everlasting starting now.
When I first accepted Jesus as my Savior, the only prayer I knew was the Lord's Prayer. And I was not even the best at saying it, I had to memorize it. This was the level of communication I had with my Lord. I would pray the Lord's Prayer every day, although I did not even know the full meaning behind it. It is a great place to start for someone who has just met Jesus. It included all the necessary parts of praying to God, but it leads to a more fulfilling relationship. When I had enough faith and understanding, I began talking to God as a friend. I began telling him what was going on in my life (although I learned that he already knows), and he would respond through my daily circumstances to what I had said. If there is no better proof that there is a living God that exists today, this is it. I cannot see the future, nor change the events that are in my path. Trust me, I do not spend all my time trying to make my plans fit my prayers...God does that. It would be incredibly overwhelming for me to even try! I just give my life to God, and let him do the rest. And at times, I won't even be praying, but rather be thinking a lot about something....having told no one, and my questions in my head will be answered by circumstances. You see, God knows all of our thoughts. When we get stuck on a thought in our minds, God hears us meditating on this! He can answer your "prayers" even if you never thought you had prayed.
Psalm 139:1-4
"O Lord you have searched me and know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, you know it completely, O Lord."
God knows everything you do, say, think or feel even better than you know yourself. When you are in a right relationship with God, you are able to pray, think and communicate with God, and he will respond to you in ways that you have never imagined. This builds your faith, and encourages you to grow in a deeper relationship with the only living God of the Universe. Think about that today!!!
I pray that this finds you today in peace and full of joy. I pray that if you know God, you will grow in your ability and discernment of his voice. If you do not know him, perhaps today is the day you will meet your maker.
All praise and honor and glory to God in Jesus' name, Amen.
Sarah
Monday, August 4, 2008
A Word about these messages...
As I was talking with someone this afternoon, something became very clear to me. One, I realize that feelings could get hurt by what I am saying...but that is not my intention at all. I am trying to be vague about who says what. However, the mission of this blog is to give a real account of what goes on from day to day in the life of one Christian, as I follow my Lord. There will be questions I have, concerns that come up, passionate feelings both good and bad, and there will be situations that are out of my control. However, these real life situations are the perfect circumstances to apply scripture to, especially when explaining how God is a part of our everyday life. I don't want to write things here that adhere to what others THINK I should write, because if that were the case, I would not be obedient to what the Lord has asked me to do.
As I said to someone today, this is like a public diary of my spiritual walk with God. If I can't be real, I have nothing to share. If you feel offended by what I say, I encourage you to discuss your questions/concerns with me via phone/email/comments, etc. Perhaps, there is a reason why a particular post effects you strongly and it is something that needs discussion. Just know that I am writing to you all in the spirit of love, and I will do my utmost to make sure that I have pure intentions in each and every blog. I have asked some other Christians to faithfully read this blog and keep me accountable to the Word of God.
If you are also walking with my Lord Jesus Christ, I pray that you might consider faithfully providing prayer support for this online blog ministry. Let me know if you are interested in becoming a prayer partner. I love you all, and thank you for your support! May God bless you with the hearing of his Word!
Sarah
As I said to someone today, this is like a public diary of my spiritual walk with God. If I can't be real, I have nothing to share. If you feel offended by what I say, I encourage you to discuss your questions/concerns with me via phone/email/comments, etc. Perhaps, there is a reason why a particular post effects you strongly and it is something that needs discussion. Just know that I am writing to you all in the spirit of love, and I will do my utmost to make sure that I have pure intentions in each and every blog. I have asked some other Christians to faithfully read this blog and keep me accountable to the Word of God.
If you are also walking with my Lord Jesus Christ, I pray that you might consider faithfully providing prayer support for this online blog ministry. Let me know if you are interested in becoming a prayer partner. I love you all, and thank you for your support! May God bless you with the hearing of his Word!
Sarah
God's Present Help in Time of Trouble
I woke up late this morning, as I forgot to set my alarm and I was fortunate to be out of bed before time to go to work. I had 20-25 minutes to get myself and my son, Krischan, ready to go to school/work at the Christian preschool where I teach. Needless to say, it was hectic. As I got into work, I received an unfriendly comment about my being 5 minutes late, and that started my day on the wrong foot. I knew I was wrong to have been late, but it seemed as though there was no grace or compassion for those 5 minutes, after a really stressful morning. Oh well, people say, that is just the way the world works. I would have to agree. The world expects perfection, but hardly delivers anything close to it! People expect others to be perfect and to fit their own mold of what kind of person you should be. The beauty of God is that he is the compassion, grace and mercy we need when others are not willing to extend these things to us. The Bible calls Jesus "The Prince of Peace" and surely he is when we are struggling. Today, the scripture that spoke to me as I was reading my Bible is Psalm 25:16-21:
"Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me! Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you." (TNIV)
Sometimes, we can think the whole world is against us. It can feel as though everyone you turn, there is an enemy ready to point out your many faults and show you how disgraceful you really are. Much of my life, I have felt as though I was strange, different, less than worthy....even worthless at times. But, I found strength, hope, joy and PEACE in the comfort of God's Word. I know that he loves me just the way I am, and even when the whole world is staring me in the face, I know that my father in heaven is looking down on me with great love, compassion and mercy. He doesn't give me what I deserve, praise the Lord, he gives me what he does because he is "slow to anger, abounding in love." So, today, in the midst of my troubles, I will give thanks to the Lord, for he is good and his mercy endureth forever (Psalm 118:1).
I pray that this blog finds you today, whether you be feeling as though the world is closing in on you, or you are full of the joy of God's grace....may it bless you today and always in Jesus' name.
In the spirit of Christ's compassion and mercy, know that today I love you,
Sarah
"Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me! Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you." (TNIV)
Sometimes, we can think the whole world is against us. It can feel as though everyone you turn, there is an enemy ready to point out your many faults and show you how disgraceful you really are. Much of my life, I have felt as though I was strange, different, less than worthy....even worthless at times. But, I found strength, hope, joy and PEACE in the comfort of God's Word. I know that he loves me just the way I am, and even when the whole world is staring me in the face, I know that my father in heaven is looking down on me with great love, compassion and mercy. He doesn't give me what I deserve, praise the Lord, he gives me what he does because he is "slow to anger, abounding in love." So, today, in the midst of my troubles, I will give thanks to the Lord, for he is good and his mercy endureth forever (Psalm 118:1).
I pray that this blog finds you today, whether you be feeling as though the world is closing in on you, or you are full of the joy of God's grace....may it bless you today and always in Jesus' name.
In the spirit of Christ's compassion and mercy, know that today I love you,
Sarah
Sunday, August 3, 2008
A Command for Christians
I had an interesting conversation today with a person of spiritual authority over a group of believers. It was said to me that perhaps it is not always best to talk to people about the gospel during their times of greatest suffering because they are not always receptive. I have not been able to let go of this comment, so I believe that God would like me to speak about it here. This is a message directed to all Christians. We were commanded to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). This is the great commission for believers in Christ to spread the gospel to others. Jesus said "Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28). So, why would we NOT go preach the gospel message to those in the greatest need. God spoke through the prophet Isaiah and said:
"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted: He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn..." (Isaiah 61:1-2)
We are commanded by God to go to those who are suffering and give them the good news of Jesus Christ, and his salvation for us! When people are hurting, that is when they need God the most and they are MOST likely to receive the message of salvation. God sometimes has to completely break down a person's life before they will realize they are nothing without him, turn their hearts to Him, and allow him to heal and restore. I pray today that Christians would not make excuses in their hearts and minds to not preach the gospel EVERYWHERE they go. We should be there to love those who are suffering and mourning. The Bible tells us what is happening in the world today, and what is yet to come. It involves many years of suffering and pain and hardship....things are going to get much worse before Jesus comes to restore everything that was destroyed. It's all in the scripture, and if one discerns the time, he/she can see many examples of the truth of scripture in the circumstances of the world today. The scripture warns believers in Matthew 25 what happens if we do not invest the talents (treasure) that God has given us to multiply it through ministry. He calls this person a "wicked, lazy servant." This is the person that received the gospel message when it was preached to him/her, and received it with joy and was saved (thus Jesus canceled the debt) but this person is not willing to risk anything to share this message with others, or serve others who are in the faith. I believe it is FEAR that causes most of the problem, fear of rejection, fear of persecution, fear of pain and suffering, fear of leaving our comfort zones. The apostles of the early church did not let fear stop them from starting the Christian church, although most of them were martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ.
As Christians, we have moved a distance away from the original Great Commission of Jesus to make disciples of all nations. Scripture states:
"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 10:37-39)
Fellow Christians, we need to remember to put God first in our lives. "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10) Take courage, and begin to preach the gospel to ALL in need fearlessly. If you lack courage, ask God for it and you will receive it. Jesus promised you anything you ask for in his name. He certainly did not want you to be afraid. In final closing thoughts, this is the scripture I leave you with.
(2 Timothy 1:7-8)
"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God..."
In Christ alone,
Sarah
"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted: He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn..." (Isaiah 61:1-2)
We are commanded by God to go to those who are suffering and give them the good news of Jesus Christ, and his salvation for us! When people are hurting, that is when they need God the most and they are MOST likely to receive the message of salvation. God sometimes has to completely break down a person's life before they will realize they are nothing without him, turn their hearts to Him, and allow him to heal and restore. I pray today that Christians would not make excuses in their hearts and minds to not preach the gospel EVERYWHERE they go. We should be there to love those who are suffering and mourning. The Bible tells us what is happening in the world today, and what is yet to come. It involves many years of suffering and pain and hardship....things are going to get much worse before Jesus comes to restore everything that was destroyed. It's all in the scripture, and if one discerns the time, he/she can see many examples of the truth of scripture in the circumstances of the world today. The scripture warns believers in Matthew 25 what happens if we do not invest the talents (treasure) that God has given us to multiply it through ministry. He calls this person a "wicked, lazy servant." This is the person that received the gospel message when it was preached to him/her, and received it with joy and was saved (thus Jesus canceled the debt) but this person is not willing to risk anything to share this message with others, or serve others who are in the faith. I believe it is FEAR that causes most of the problem, fear of rejection, fear of persecution, fear of pain and suffering, fear of leaving our comfort zones. The apostles of the early church did not let fear stop them from starting the Christian church, although most of them were martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ.
As Christians, we have moved a distance away from the original Great Commission of Jesus to make disciples of all nations. Scripture states:
"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 10:37-39)
Fellow Christians, we need to remember to put God first in our lives. "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10) Take courage, and begin to preach the gospel to ALL in need fearlessly. If you lack courage, ask God for it and you will receive it. Jesus promised you anything you ask for in his name. He certainly did not want you to be afraid. In final closing thoughts, this is the scripture I leave you with.
(2 Timothy 1:7-8)
"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God..."
In Christ alone,
Sarah
God - The Mighty Restorer
Throughout scripture, one can see God's ability and desire to restore that which has become diseased, ruined, or destroyed due to our own sinful nature. God never destroys anything without great cause, but he is always willing to rebuild that which was ruined. Sometimes, that ruined thing can simply be our lives. When we sin, we allow the enemy of God, Satan and all helpers to invade our lives and reek havoc! I happen to know what this means on a personal level. There was a time not so long ago when everything I did turned out wrong, and led to further destruction of my life. I never meant to destroy, I was actually thinking that I was making my life better in some crazy way. I would drink all the time, shirk responsibility, date guys who were going nowhere (like me), and totally waste my God-given potential to be anything great at all. I know there are others out there right now who understand this plight. It is a vicious cycle, and it leads to nowhere. I spent years trapped in this dark, smelly pit of life...which many can identity as a life of club-hopping, alcohol, sex, drugs, lying, etc. It is a lifestyle, and it will destroy a person until they have no life left....as in death.
This morning I woke up with this message burning in my heart (as I often do). I want to help those who are suffering and are grasping for a way out of this life, but simply believe nothing could ever change. Plus, they treasure the "good times" they are having with the friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, drugs, etc. The Bible illustrates what happens to a person from a spiritual point of view. God sends the "locusts."
Revelation 9:7 (NIV) says "The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads, they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces."
I believe that God is giving a personal description to the locusts because at times, they are just that...people. They are sent our way to eat, devour and destroy in the most deceiving and cunning way possible, by acting like our friends. I am sure I have encountered locust upon locust in my life. I believe that locusts are the representative symbol of the demonic world's influence on a person, place, or the world. They are here to destroy in any way they can that which has turned away from God....mankind. They are not our friends, although they often try to present themselves that way through the problems mentioned above. They will turn mother against child, child against mother, friend against friend, and husband against wife.
They latch onto areas of our lives where we have become very weak due to our disobedience to God's Word. Because we have fallen so far from the perfect world found in the Garden of Eden, our world is now comfortable with extreme violence, pornography, child abuse, drugs, human trafficking, corruption, wars, weapons....you name the problem, it exists in today's society. Because of our disobedience to what God originally intended for mankind, we have now fallen....FAR. We don't even know the locusts are living among us, eating away our lives, because we can't see "the forest for the trees" anymore. You may think, this is all some crazy Christian girl's OPINION regarding the times, and that biblical scripture is just a crutch for me to feel peace in a horribly degrading world. But, the Bible talks about this happening. There is nothing happening in the world today that God did not foresee and write about, so we could "discern the times." He wanted us to see what was going on around us, and realize that he is coming soon to restore us to a place of perfection once again that we will never again be able to fall away from - Heaven.
The good news this morning is in Joel 2:25, God makes us a promise upon returning to him.
Joel 2:25
"I will make up to you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the creeping locust, the stripping locust, and the gnawing locust, My great army which I sent among you."
God is promising to make things RIGHT! And the return to him is so simple. We believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to pay the price for our sins, and that he rose again. Believe that through him you will be saved and confess it with you mouth, and you WILL BE SAVED. Not only that, but in your obedience to God's Word, he will begin to make your life shine rather than look like decay. The strife, heartache, hardship, addictions, failing marriage, depression, whatever it may be....will begin to melt away. He will fill those areas with security, joy, strength, love, peace, and strong relationships. After all, God is most interested in relationships, therefore he wants all our relationships to be strong with one another. He sent the armies among you (or is doing it right now) because he loves you so much, he does not want to see you be lost and condemned to hell. He is giving it all he's got to get you back! He is not doing it to destroy you, or you would be dead already. All he wants is for you to accept his perfect sacrifice, Jesus, and live according to his Word and commands. He does this not to be overbearing and a tyrant, but because he knows in his infinite wisdom that the Truth leads to Life everlasting! And that life starts now....not when we go to heaven. We can begin to live and walk in the grace of God, with the benefits of being adopted children of God, RIGHT NOW. We have access to all of his riches of grace. These riches include:
"...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against these things, there is no such law." (Galatians 5:21-23)
We also have access through the Spirit of God to healing, wisdom for living, fellowship with other Christians, financial help, security and many other countless benefits. My favorite benefits most of the time are peace and joy. No matter what happens, who gets sick, or what trouble life brings....I have a deep rooted peace that just carries me through, and I have great joy when I see God resolve a problem in my life or heal my body. Ultimately, the BEST benefit to living right is simply God's presence in my life. Sometimes, it manifests physically and I know he is all around me, protecting me, guiding me and loving me, but other times, I get comfort seeing his Word applied to my life. He is still currently restoring unto ME what the locusts have eaten, but he has done an amazing work thus far! I can look forward to an eternity of good works!
A final note...some of you may reject what I am saying because living as a Christian just seems too burdensome to your carefree life. This is what Jesus had to say about that:
(Matthew 11:30) "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
He will empower you through the Holy Spirit to live according to his Word. Just give him a chance, and see what he will do with your life!
Have a wonderful, blessed and victorious day in Jesus!
Sarah
This morning I woke up with this message burning in my heart (as I often do). I want to help those who are suffering and are grasping for a way out of this life, but simply believe nothing could ever change. Plus, they treasure the "good times" they are having with the friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, drugs, etc. The Bible illustrates what happens to a person from a spiritual point of view. God sends the "locusts."
Revelation 9:7 (NIV) says "The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads, they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces."
I believe that God is giving a personal description to the locusts because at times, they are just that...people. They are sent our way to eat, devour and destroy in the most deceiving and cunning way possible, by acting like our friends. I am sure I have encountered locust upon locust in my life. I believe that locusts are the representative symbol of the demonic world's influence on a person, place, or the world. They are here to destroy in any way they can that which has turned away from God....mankind. They are not our friends, although they often try to present themselves that way through the problems mentioned above. They will turn mother against child, child against mother, friend against friend, and husband against wife.
They latch onto areas of our lives where we have become very weak due to our disobedience to God's Word. Because we have fallen so far from the perfect world found in the Garden of Eden, our world is now comfortable with extreme violence, pornography, child abuse, drugs, human trafficking, corruption, wars, weapons....you name the problem, it exists in today's society. Because of our disobedience to what God originally intended for mankind, we have now fallen....FAR. We don't even know the locusts are living among us, eating away our lives, because we can't see "the forest for the trees" anymore. You may think, this is all some crazy Christian girl's OPINION regarding the times, and that biblical scripture is just a crutch for me to feel peace in a horribly degrading world. But, the Bible talks about this happening. There is nothing happening in the world today that God did not foresee and write about, so we could "discern the times." He wanted us to see what was going on around us, and realize that he is coming soon to restore us to a place of perfection once again that we will never again be able to fall away from - Heaven.
The good news this morning is in Joel 2:25, God makes us a promise upon returning to him.
Joel 2:25
"I will make up to you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the creeping locust, the stripping locust, and the gnawing locust, My great army which I sent among you."
God is promising to make things RIGHT! And the return to him is so simple. We believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to pay the price for our sins, and that he rose again. Believe that through him you will be saved and confess it with you mouth, and you WILL BE SAVED. Not only that, but in your obedience to God's Word, he will begin to make your life shine rather than look like decay. The strife, heartache, hardship, addictions, failing marriage, depression, whatever it may be....will begin to melt away. He will fill those areas with security, joy, strength, love, peace, and strong relationships. After all, God is most interested in relationships, therefore he wants all our relationships to be strong with one another. He sent the armies among you (or is doing it right now) because he loves you so much, he does not want to see you be lost and condemned to hell. He is giving it all he's got to get you back! He is not doing it to destroy you, or you would be dead already. All he wants is for you to accept his perfect sacrifice, Jesus, and live according to his Word and commands. He does this not to be overbearing and a tyrant, but because he knows in his infinite wisdom that the Truth leads to Life everlasting! And that life starts now....not when we go to heaven. We can begin to live and walk in the grace of God, with the benefits of being adopted children of God, RIGHT NOW. We have access to all of his riches of grace. These riches include:
"...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against these things, there is no such law." (Galatians 5:21-23)
We also have access through the Spirit of God to healing, wisdom for living, fellowship with other Christians, financial help, security and many other countless benefits. My favorite benefits most of the time are peace and joy. No matter what happens, who gets sick, or what trouble life brings....I have a deep rooted peace that just carries me through, and I have great joy when I see God resolve a problem in my life or heal my body. Ultimately, the BEST benefit to living right is simply God's presence in my life. Sometimes, it manifests physically and I know he is all around me, protecting me, guiding me and loving me, but other times, I get comfort seeing his Word applied to my life. He is still currently restoring unto ME what the locusts have eaten, but he has done an amazing work thus far! I can look forward to an eternity of good works!
A final note...some of you may reject what I am saying because living as a Christian just seems too burdensome to your carefree life. This is what Jesus had to say about that:
(Matthew 11:30) "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
He will empower you through the Holy Spirit to live according to his Word. Just give him a chance, and see what he will do with your life!
Have a wonderful, blessed and victorious day in Jesus!
Sarah
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