Colossians 1:10-13 NKJV 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might according to His glorious power for all patience, and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
As I read these scriptures and apply them to my personal walk with God, I marvel at Paul, who was suffering in prison as he wrote these beautiful words. His strength and perseverance is amazing! His fire and zeal for the Lord never wavers. The more hardship and punishment that he endured brought his relationship with his Heavenly Father closer. He even went so far in other passages to sing and praise God during his prison stay. In my heart, I believe that Paul actually enjoyed his hardship because he truly respected what his Lord and Savior suffered on his behalf. I think he felt this was the least he could do!
You know, I admire Paul so much! He started as Saul, a jew who persecuted the christians and ended up Paul protector of the Lord's Church. He considered himself least in the kingdom because of the wrong he had done against Christ. You can read a little about his personal journey from Saul to Paul in the book of Acts chapters 7 and 8 and then throughout his writings in the New Testament. Paul may have at one time been against Christ, but he eventually became very important to us today. Paul was chosen by God to see a glimpse into heaven so he could give us a peek of what we could hope for. He also wrote many books in the New Testament sharing with the churches what God wanted them to do to be in proper perspective with Him. And we use them as a pattern for our lives today. If God can change someone like Saul into Paul and turn him from destroyer of the church into protector of the church, then what is God able to do with you and me?
I think we all struggle in our own day to day prisons. Chains of sin, wrongful thinking, struggles with making proper decisions, and how we treat others. When I am hurt, I think of Paul. He did not allow anything to draw him away from the Love of God. And the more Paul did for the Kingdom, the more problems he incurred. In parallel to Paul and his struggles, we will probably never face anything even remotely close to what he had to deal with, but satan is still battling us regardless of how big the situation.
My life goal is to draw closer to God. I'm going to do my best to achieve it, will you? It reminds me of Paul's words that are so fitting: Romans 7:18-25 (New King James Version) 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God-through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. Go on to Romans 8:1,2 - There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Does that mean that we as christians can look forward to death because death to the flesh means life only in the spirit. There will be no more struggles with worldly sin, only love and worship of our Heavenly Savior. These scriptures give me so much comfort to know that as long as we are in flesh, there will be struggles and that is normal. But, on the other side, we will be free at last. Use these words in perspective to your life. Grow a spiritual life with God. Live in the Spirit! God provides that connection if we are willing to accept Him.
The bible says we must hear the word - Romans 10:17, We must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God and that he died, resurrected and is alive awaiting us to accept Him. John 3:16, 8:24, We must repent of our sins (turn away from) Acts 17:30, Confess Christ, Matthew 10:32, be baptized for the forgiveness of sin (washing away, new birth in Christ) Acts 2:38, 22:16, then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of you to guide you on your journey. Be faithful - James 1:12, Revelations 2:10. Through life's struggles always keeping hope and faith in Christ. I John 2- Christ is our advocate (defense attorney) to God the Father, he loves us and died for us. He is pleading our case! Live for Him, he will never cease loving you! BE STRONG IN THE LORD!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Sharing My Favorites
Today I am not writing, I am sharing some of my favorite quotes and scriptures that help me in my life when things get difficult. I hope they comfort you!
"Prayer is essential!" When we pray, we are working with God to determine our future. History was determined by prayer and history can change tomorrow because of prayers today! So please pray!
"You are a stronger person today than you have ever been before. You are smarter and wiser. You are fully prepared to defeat any obstacles in your life. Look back over your life and see how far you have come. You have what it takes and your best days are right out in front of you. Embrace them! And show the world what you're made of!!!!!
"When God is going to do something wonderful He begins with a difficulty, If He is going to do something very wonderful, He begins with a mess."
"Preparation today gives confidence tomorrow. Preparation today gives success tomorrow."
"The world will believe in you and respond to your wishes when you first believe in yourself."
Proverbs 31:30
"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vein, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."
"Every change no matter how tragic, always opens the door to more."
Some important things to remember if you are a positive person:
l. A positive person attracts negative energy like a magnet.
2. Being around negative people can make you physically, mentally, and spiritually sick.
3. When you are a person who has positive energy, you sometimes don't notice that you are absorbing negative energy and being drained emotionally.
4. If you reject what you need, you will have a tendency to want what you can't have or don't need!
5. Since sacrafice is associated with love, loving or being loved, many people will self-sacrafice their own wants and needs until they are completely spent.
6. Learn how to feel your own wants and desires. Your positive desires will begin to open up your life to attract and create everything you want. Only you have the power to make your dreams come true! And with God's help through prayer!
Mark 11:24 - Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Phillippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Proverbs 3:5,6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding: In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Titus 2:7,8 - in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctring, showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say to you!
John 14:6 - Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 8:51 - "Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death." (and that means spiritual death)
Quote: "Stars are the pinholes in the curtains of heaven."
"You are either moving forward or backward."
"Are you living in the past or are you pressing forwards to a positive future?"
I hope these quotes and scriptures encourage you as they do me. I find myself reaching for my journal of encouragement when things are difficult. I always remember that people will let you down, but God never will!
"Prayer is essential!" When we pray, we are working with God to determine our future. History was determined by prayer and history can change tomorrow because of prayers today! So please pray!
"You are a stronger person today than you have ever been before. You are smarter and wiser. You are fully prepared to defeat any obstacles in your life. Look back over your life and see how far you have come. You have what it takes and your best days are right out in front of you. Embrace them! And show the world what you're made of!!!!!
"When God is going to do something wonderful He begins with a difficulty, If He is going to do something very wonderful, He begins with a mess."
"Preparation today gives confidence tomorrow. Preparation today gives success tomorrow."
"The world will believe in you and respond to your wishes when you first believe in yourself."
Proverbs 31:30
"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vein, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."
"Every change no matter how tragic, always opens the door to more."
Some important things to remember if you are a positive person:
l. A positive person attracts negative energy like a magnet.
2. Being around negative people can make you physically, mentally, and spiritually sick.
3. When you are a person who has positive energy, you sometimes don't notice that you are absorbing negative energy and being drained emotionally.
4. If you reject what you need, you will have a tendency to want what you can't have or don't need!
5. Since sacrafice is associated with love, loving or being loved, many people will self-sacrafice their own wants and needs until they are completely spent.
6. Learn how to feel your own wants and desires. Your positive desires will begin to open up your life to attract and create everything you want. Only you have the power to make your dreams come true! And with God's help through prayer!
Mark 11:24 - Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Phillippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Proverbs 3:5,6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding: In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Titus 2:7,8 - in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctring, showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say to you!
John 14:6 - Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 8:51 - "Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death." (and that means spiritual death)
Quote: "Stars are the pinholes in the curtains of heaven."
"You are either moving forward or backward."
"Are you living in the past or are you pressing forwards to a positive future?"
I hope these quotes and scriptures encourage you as they do me. I find myself reaching for my journal of encouragement when things are difficult. I always remember that people will let you down, but God never will!
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