Well, right now, Im back on.......(u think?) lol.....I just got done talkin to my old youth pastor on the net. Nice talkin 2 an old friend in Christ, ya know? Kinda makes you feel like home....Speakin of home, isn't Heaven gonna be great when we are united with out King!!! That day will definetly be off the heezy, fasheezie...lol....okay, maybe im too white....lol....anyways, i thought id update my journal again. Feel free to comment on anything and visit my website. Have a good day in Jesus Christ. Remember that you can always call on Him, He's always waiting patiently with arms wide open!!! Later
Hey everybody. I'm kind of busy right now. I just wanted to let
everyone know how today was going. This morning, Satan tried
to make me fall down HARD, but I didn't. I stood strong.....but
it's not me, but Christ who lives in me. Anways, be in prayer for
me....Thanks a lot. If any of yall have any prayer requests or
testimonies you would like to put on my website, please email me
and visit my website (to get my address, go there). Well, I gotta
go for now....Remember to live everyday to the fullest. Bye
Sorry I haven't added anything in a long time. I've been really busy with my website, school, and lots of other stuff. I can't stay on very long due to some circumstances, but I just wanted to say "God loves each and everyone of you out there - no matter what you've done!!!" I'm signin' out for now though....Peace be with you....lata
-Hebrews 8:12
"For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins I will remember no more."
Diving Deeper:
Thank God this weekend for always forgiving you for everything you have done in your life. Show Him that you love and care. Give Him the best 'Happy Valentine's Day', you know, since He is our first love (Rev. 2:4). Praise God!!!
[Accountability Partners]
"Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another."
- James 5:16a
Did you know that God wants us to have an accountabily partner? It says so in the verse above. It does not say 'If you want to, confess....and pray for one another', but it says plainly to 'Confess..and pray for one another.' He is not giving you options on this one guys. :)
We all need another Christian in our lives to discuss what is going on daily; what we struggle with and our prayer requests we have. God has blessed me with a few Christians like I am describing now.
We (my accountabililt partners and I), pray for each other about different things we individually and personally go through in our every day lives. God encourages me a lot through them. If we as Christians listen to God and obey His commands for our lives, then He will bless us and our lives.
Pray and ask God for a Christ-like friend to come into your life so that you can grow in your relationship with Jesus and also to help you partner stay focused on Him. Believe me, it is AWESOME to grow in Christ and to see someone close to you also do the same.
Diving Deeper:
Read John 15:12...What is Jesus saying to you in this verse? If you love others, let God use you as someone's accountability partner and friend to draw then and yourself in the process closer to Him. Show the love that God has shown to you. Remember that love never fails (1st Corinthians 13:8).
[A Friend To The World]
"Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."
- James 4:4b
You know what?! God is just SO amazing, isn't He!? He spoke to me tonight throught this verse because of things going on in my life concerning this subject. Here lately, I have been trying to make the world proud of me.
I have been trying to get the world's approval when I should really be seeking after God's approval. Sit down and really think hard about how many times we get our focus off of God. I bet it hurts Him a lot when we say one thing and live another.
We tell God that we are so in love with Him. We tell Him we will do anything for Him and then we turn around and right after promising God, we choose the world in it's sin. We get sooo caught up in popularity, friends, and worldy possessions that we lose sight of the One who has blessed us with our very lives. We need to quit bein' a friend of sin and instead, we need to be a soldier for Christ!!!
Diving Deeper:
Read 1 John 2:15-17.....What do these verses say to you about being a friend of the world? Have you been living your life as a friend or enemy of the world? If we love the world, what does verse 15 say about love? What does this passage say about how we can bide forever with God? Are you living righteously for Christ? If you aren't, what do you think God wants you to do about it?!?!
{"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life..."}
-1 Timothy 6:12a
Let God work in your life. Hold on to His Word and eternal life. Let God use you in the ways He has you to go. Fight the good fight. Run the race He has set before you with all your endurance .....with doin that, you will not go astray. Just follow His commands.
[Praying In Vain]
"You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your own pleasures."
- James 4:3
As I was reading God's Word tonight, He really spoke to me throught this specific verse that I had sadly never read before in my life. I know that a lot of the time when I did come to God asking for something, I would ask for my own pleasure and not His will alone.
It is really devestating to think that God blesses me with so many things and I end up taking ALL of it for granted. Instead of asking for His will to take place in my life, I pray for myself and my own wants, and in that, I sin.
Do you come to God asking things in vain? When you pray to the One up above, do you ask things for your own wants, desire, and pleasure or do you pray that His holy will will take full effect and reign in your life? It is really important to think about these questions. So, really seek after God in prayer. Ask in His name, NOT your own!!!
Diving Deeper:
Read Matthew 6:21:22. What does Jesus want you to do when you ask Him for something in prayer? Have you been obeying Jesus like it says to in this verse? If not, what is Gos saying that you need to do? In this verse, does it say 'may receive' or 'will receive'? Big difference, huh???
"Give them warning from Me. When I say to a wicked may, 'You will surely die.' and you do no warn him or speak to dissuade the wicked from his evil ways in order to save his life, that man will die for his sin; but I will hold you accountable for his blood. Yet, if you do warn the wicked man, and he do not turn from his wicked ways, he will die for his sin; but you will be saved yourself."
- Ezekiel 3:17b-19
[Live It]
"But be doers of the Word, and not just hearers only decieving yourself."
- James 1:22
Okay Christians, how many times in your life so far, have you either listened to someone preach or speak about God's word and you listen to them, but not act in what he was saying the Bible says to do.
In my case, the answer would be a heck of a WHOLE lot! God speaks to each and every one of us, but how many times do we actually listen and take serious action in what He specifically tells us to say or do.
The verse listed above in James, tells us that we should not just listen to God's word and walk away with nothing, but we should listen to it, act on it, and walk away knowing that God is going to really use us in His will. To me, in this verse, James is saying to live what we believe it we believe it really is the Truth. God is saying. "If you know that I am worth dying for, then won't you live for me?" ANSWER THAT!!!
Diving Deeper:
Read and memorize John 14:15. Jesus says we will do what if we love Him? Are you showing Him that you love Him? In what other ways can you show God that He is your everything; your all???
[Anger]
"Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath."
- James 1:19b
Reading this verse tonight was definetly an eye and heart opener from God above. It is SO awesome to know that He is still alive and that He can still speak to us, our hearts, and our lives!
Today, for some odd reason, I just kept struggling with anger. If someone said something jokingly, I got mad. If someone bearly pushed one of my buttons, I exploded with anger.
I really wanted to serve God, but everytime I turned around I was reacting as the world reacts; off of emotions and feelings. I chose to be angry instead of being content (happy) in all circumstances like it says to in Phillipians 4:11.
I sadly chose sin over obedience. Have you been fighting with anger in your life lately? If so, pray about it. Tell God exactly what is going on. Read about anger in His Word also. Learn from it. Next time you start to get mad, just think: "What Would Jesus Do?". That will answer all your problems!!!
Diving Deeper:
Read over Matthew 5:21-26. What does this passage say that anger might lead to? In what ways can you think of in which you can not get as angry when you are tempted? Pray about it DUDE!
[The Race of Faith]
"Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."
- Hebrews 12:1b
Do you put away the sins that you know are in your life that hinders your relationship with God? I admit that I do not all the time, but I know that I need to. Sometimes I even get stubborn and sin by denying what I did and saying to myself that I was not wrong.
To be honest and to-the-point; that is very ridiculious! God has a race for all of us in each one of our lives, but most of the time, we do not acknowledge what in our life that He has set before us.
Have you been striving to run the race of faith with all of yourself? It is very important that we do give God everything that we possibly can. He gave you everything. but what have you truly given to Him? It is definetly something to think and pray about. Remember that God has a VERY special plan for you. But the question is - Are you willing to let Him work in your life???
Diving Deeper:
Read 2nd Timothy 4:7. Are you going to be able to say this at the end of your life? Is God going to be able to say this about you? Think about it. Ask God to give you a GREAT desire and passion, so that you can give Him the worship He deserves. Run the race of faith!!!
[Saved Only One Time]
"For it is impossible for those who were one enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame."
- Hebrews 6:4-6
There is a HUGE contraversy in different religions over these 3 verse above. For me, God has shown me what this passage means: 'Once Saved, Always Saved.' The world tries to turn this passage above around is so many different ways that it seems ridiculious to me.
If you know that there was a time in your life that Jesus came into your heart and changed your whole, entire life and you have a personal relationship with God, then you are saved. The Bible says that nothing we can do or say can take away from us the salvation that Jesus paid on the cross.
If you could lose your salvation, then Jesus would have had to come to earth and die for us many, many various times for each one of us when we lose or lost our salvation. But HE DIDN'T!!! Jesus came to this earth to die for our sins ONCE for ALL. You cannot and will not lose your salvation.
Diving Deeper:
Read Romans 6:10. What does this verse say about Jesus dying? Does this prove anything to you? How has God spoke to you about this passage tonight?
[Spiritual Maturity]
"For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteouness, for he is a babe."
- Hebrews 5:13
I have a serious question for every Christian reading this devotion that God has inspired me to write. Think about the life-changing experience Jesus made in your life when you were saved. Have your really, truly matured in your relationship wiht Christ?
I am not talking about you going to church more or giving more attention to the pastor preaching, but REALLY matured in His Word and also in Him. That right there is a very, very big difference.
So, are you still a baby in Christ, or are you increasing in your close relationship with Him? Is your relationship even close with Him? We all need to seek after God with all we have to give and all we have to offer.
God wants us to grow in 'our' relationship, but if we choose not to help any, then it's just a little hard for God to speak to us and to change our life. Examine you in your relationship with Jesus since you were first saved by His love and grace. The question is: 'Have you grown any???'.
Diving Deeper:
Read John 3:30. What does this verse say we have to do to let God increase in our life? If we grow closer to Him, then we will grow further and further away from ourselves? So, how close are you to yourself?
[Temptation]
"For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted."
- Hebrews 2:18
When you are tempted by the Devil, do you seem to give in to him or do you turn away from it and turn to God like He wants us all to do? I know that I struggle with giving into temptation a WHOLE lot, but when I read and think of this verse, it helps me a lot.
It is so GREAT to know that the One I worship in Heaven can help me because He is alive, and He went through the same situations and circumstances as I have and will have.
God wants to guide us out of every single temptation that Satan throws our way. And that is why He makes a way out or an escape for us. God loves everyone. He loves you so, so, so very much and He just wants to help you with any and every problem you are going through.
It may seem really hard to say 'no' sometimes, but just remember that God knows best. He is just waiting for you to ask for His help.
Diving Deeper:
Study James 1:12. What does James say that we will recieve if we endure temptation? The only way we can endure temptation is through Jesus Christ. Without Him and the guidance that He provides for us, we are helpless. So when you are tempted, don't let your pride take over, but trust and rely on the only One that can help you and give you all the answers.
[Paying Attention]
"We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away."
- Hebrews 2:1
How many times do we as Christians not pay attention (for example) to the pastor when he is preaching a sermon in church? Do you know that if we do not pay attention, it is a sin since it goes against God's Word; more specifically - this verse.
That is why we have to be careful about where we put our focus. We have to keep our heart and eyes on God. God understands that we are sometimes distracted, but He also wants to have a VERY close one-on-one relationship with each and every one of us.
We have to open our lives and everything it them to God so that when He does speak to us, we will be able to hear Him and understand what is is saying or convicting us about.
Do not ever limit God or close the door which He is trying to open for you. He loves you and all He wants to do is to give you the best that no one else can give you. So, quit being stubborn and hard-headed. Let God use you in His will. Pay attention!!!
Diving Deeper:
Read over Proverbs 4:20-21. What are we suppose to give attention to according to this verse? Have you been spending extra time giving attention to this specific subject? Pray that God will speak to you in His word. Pray that you are willing to sacrifice your own personal time to seek after His face in His word.
- Titus 3:8b
Are you living good? I don't mean the world's point of view for the meaning of living good, but God's. This verse above states that if we are Christians, then we should really, truly try to live like Jesus did/would.
Jesus always did things out of love, the goodness, compassion, and the bottom of His heart. He wants us to imitate Him the best that we can. So you we all be careful to maintain good works? I THINK SO!!!
When others look at us, we should not want them to see us and who we are, but the person who lives inside of us; meaning Jesus Christ. We should portray Him in every action, thought, and word that we possibly can. He deserves it!
So look at your life this week at school, work, or home. Have you been living in good works for God? Think about it. God loves YOU and He wants nothing more from us that we cannot give. Jesus just wants us to seek Him with ALL we have. Have you been doing so?????
Diving Deeper:
Study over 2 Corinthians 5:7. How does this verse go along with the devotion above? What is Jesus telling you after reading this verse? Pray about seeking God with everything and not the approval of men.
[The Whole Armor of God]
"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil."
- Ephesians 6:11
What can I say Christians??? Tonight, I was just blown away. Isn't is just SO cool that no matter how ignorant we act or how pitiful we get, God never leaves us or gives up on us.I'm so glad that God is a loving God.
Even though I try to imitate Him, I still fell because I am far from perfect. Even though I didn't deserve any chances at all, God still gave me a chance. He blesses me non-stop no matter how many times I do not stay faithful. It's awesome how no matter how disobedient we are, He always is faithful and loving.
God just blew my mind, heart, and soul tonight. I get tempted over and over everyday by Satan. He tries to get me down any and every way that he can. Today, the devil shot a HUGE fiery dart at me at full speed. Instead of putting on my full armor, I had only put on half. I was not prepared for the battle against Satan and sin.
When the temptation hit, I went down instantly. It was sad, how just one hit, and it was a K.O.. If I would have been in that place with God where I was so close to Him that I could feel Him breathe, or if I was meditating on His Word day and night, I wouldn't have got wounded.
But I did, because of my carelessness, ignorance, and sinfulness. I'm glad gives us more than one chance. If not, I would have been out a LONG time ago. Are you having trouble struggling with temptation or sin? Are you trying to fight the spiritual battle by yourself? If so, you might as well forfeit. Because without Jesus ----> you got NOTHING!!~~~~~~
Diving Deeper:
Read Ephesians 6:10-20. Study and take notes over the different kinds of armor that God gives us. Pray to God. Tell Him EXACTLY what is going on in your life. Ask Him to prepare you day, night, and everything in between. And like my good friend Paul says, "Fight the good fight!".
[Deny Christ In Works]
"They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him..."
- Titus 1:16a
Christians, we need to be careful in what we say and do. Other lost people and other believers are watching us, so we need to show that we are followers of Christ.
Don't get me wrong. I am not telling you to seek after man's approval; that would be a sin. I'm just trying to say that we need to live what we believe if we truly believe it's the truth about salvation!
Would you want Jesus to say this verse above aloud to you face-to-face on Judgement Day? Think about it. Have you been being a hearer only and not a doer of the Word also? (James 1:22)
It also says in Matthew that we will know if others are followers of Jesus by their fruits or how they live & act. Are you producing fruit of the living God or fruit of the world? Is your fruit worthy of Jesus coming to earth and shedding His blood for??? (Matthew 3:8)
Examine yourself like Paul says to do. Look at your life. Are you letting Jesus guide you through your every day life or are you letting the world determine your steps? Well guess what?!!??!?! ----------------------------> GOD KNOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Diving Deeper:
Pray tonight and ask God Him for direction in your everyday life to serve Him in everything; thoughts, words, & deeds. Read Ephesians 5:1. After studying the meaning of this verse, how should you live? Does this verse make you want to change the way you go through each and every day??? I pray it does.
[Persecution]
"Yes, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."
- 2 Timothy 3:12
Is this verse in 2 Timothy plain, simple, and to the point or what?!?! This verse stuck out to my eyes and God spoke to me about this specific subject tonight.
When I am usually persecuted from students at school, I seem to get down. But after reading this verse, why should any of us get down in our emotions?
Does this verse say, '...some who desire to live godly...' or '...all who desire to live godly...'? Let me tell you now, if you are truly seeking after living your life sold-out for God, then YES, you will go through some sort of persecution like this verse states.
But the really GREAT news is that when you go through those times in your life, you will never ever have to be lonely. God is always going to be there, right beside you, leading the way.
Even though you may feel down because of the persecution you are going through, just think of Jesus. What did He go through for YOU???
Diving Deeper:
Read John 15:18-25. What does this passage of verses say about persecution? Why does the world hate you if you are persecuted? Remember that God is with you whenever, wherever, anywhere, and everywhere. God is with you everystep of the way (Joshua 1:9). So don't ever be afraid to live what you believe!!!
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