Follow Jesus To The Places You Don't Want To Go

John 21: 18 - 19 [NLT] 

"I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don't want to go." Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, "Follow me."

 The life cycle of a Christian can sometimes be a complicated one that can be described by John 21:18-19. Before truly giving our lives to God we did whatever we wanted, how we wanted, when we wanted -- usually as long as it was not in disagreement with the rules and laws of our community. Our faith was young and many times disobedient. Depending on where we were in our walk of life we might deliberately told God no for the simple fact that we "knew" our plans were in perfect alignment with what we wanted to do with our lives.

But many times God's plans are different from our own. It can be scary and disappointed to find out that God is pulling you in a different direction. However remember, since God knows everything and is king of all creation when his vision for us is in misalignment with that of our own it means that he wants us to do something much greater than we could initially imagine. He changes our plans because he has specifically chosen us for a purpose in advancing his kingdom. If it makes you feel better think of it as an Emergency Special Ops because your skills on a particular subject is exactly what is needed to save a life.

When I read John 21 I had the biggest "OH MY GOODNESS" moment. Verses 18 and 19 were so simple yet brought such a huge revelation. Like I said earlier, the first half of verse 18 describes how life was before becoming a Christian as well as being young in the faith. That was the time period we did what we pleased because there were no restrictions governing our actions. But when we are maturing in our faith that is when God is stretching out his hand with a big smile on his face saying "follow me." You know that your faith has matured when you can give God your hand whether or not you are in agreement with where he wants to take you. That is because your love for Jesus will cause you to go to places you don't want to go.

Take Peter for example. Although he was a follower of Jesus, out of fear he denied to be three times (chapter 18 verses 17, 25, and 27). In the final chapter of John the disciples were fishing. After Jesus died and resurrected they went back to doing what was familiar to them without having any success. And them along came Jesus telling them to do something different and the moment they obeyed they were catching far more fish than they possibly needed. When Peter realized that the man on the shore was Jesus he immediately put on his tunic and jumped out of the boat. The love he felt for Jesus made him do something the other disciples could have categorized as ridiculous or irrational. Not even "the disciple Jesus loved" was moved to exit the boat as Peter did, but remained with the other disciples to pull the net to shore. Getting to Jesus wasn't an urgent matter because they were only about 100 yards from him and knew they could get to him pretty quickly without the burden of getting completely soaking wet like Peter.

I personally feel that the other six disciples didn't follow Peter's actions not because they didn't love Jesus but because it wasn't yet their time for God to do something great in their lives and remove boulders that were in their path to God. God gave Peter a burning desire to meet Jesus at that specific moment because there were some things Peter HAD to deal with.

In the paraphrased words of my pastor, Jesus was taking Peter to his "greatest place of pain." Jesus was bringing Peter back to the moment were he denied to even be associated with the man he just jumped out of a boat for. All tree times Peter denied Jesus he was standing by a charcoal fire (chapter 18 verses 18 and 25) watching Jesus being taken away and mocked. This time Jesus took Peter to a charcoal fire (chapter 21 verse 9) to redeem him. Jesus will lead us back to the very places that causes us the most pain and where we denied him. He brings us back to these places to show us that he is much greater than our past and certainly greater than anything that is blocking us from him.

God has brought me back to my dark places so many times, and being the stubborn person that I am I fought him every single time (which is probably the reason why I had to keep going back). I know how much it sucks to have to remember specific events that you tried so hard to burry in the back of your mind. God knows how difficult it is for us to follow him wholeheartedly when all we can think about is how we hurt him. Just like Jesus did to Peter, God is asking us each and every day if we love him, and for every single time our actions seem to question that. Every time we tell God yes he will always then tell us to care for his people. For us to care for others and show God we truly love him then we must allow him to bring us to the end of ourselves where the most important things is God and what he desires because that is what stretching our hands back and following God looks like.

This Weeks Challenge: Allow God to bring you back to your dark places. Not as a way to wallow in your sorrow and pain but as a way to let Jesus illuminate the darkest corners of your heart. Even the smallest amount of light has enough energy to break what we preserve as the deepest darkness. It may take some time but with each encounter with your living God your dark places will get brighter and brighter. You'll notice as time goes on that you will be less emotionally drained and not as hurt as you once were. Remember God's grace, love, and favor is sufficient and in our weakness God can show his power even greater (2 Corinthians 12:9).

4 Signs Your Taking God for Granted

It is so easy for us to take God for granted because sometimes we forget that everything we have came from him. He created everything for a specific purpose and season. God blesses us with so many things daily, that we just sometimes over look what he has done and is continuing to do. Because of who God is and what he is doing it is never a good idea to take anything he does for granted. But in order for us to appreciate God in every way we must first realize when we are taking him for granted.

1. You are no longer giving God thanks.

God is a provider and gives us the things we need for survival. Whether or not we are trusting and being faithful to him he will continue to provide because that is his nature. Because he is always giving us what we need we have come to the point where we expect to receive things. We don't give God thanks because we expect him to give us food, clothing, a place to live, and a job to buy nice things. When we start to feel entitled to what God has we start to live beyond the means of the limitations God has placed over our individual lives. Giving God thanks for all we have humbles us because we acknowledge that we would be in a far worst place if it were not for God's hand in our lives.

2. Your not taking the time to be alone with God.

When you love someone you take the time to show them that love. You buy them things. You change they way you are around them. You do every thing possible to be around that person. But as time goes on if you are not continuing to renew the love you had for that person you may start to distance yourself from them. It's the same way with God. When we first because Christians and encounter God's love it was the most amazing thing ever and we did everything to be in his presence again. But as life continued, hardships became more difficult, and life became busier we start to push God further and further down our daily to do list. The time we spend with him became less to almost non existent. A simple verse on a phone app is what has become sufficient in our minds, but God requires more. Using your phone app in between daily assignments is pleasing to God, but when that becomes your only source it then becomes for of an annoyance. God wants us to center our day around him and not him around our day.

3. You are not giving or sharing what God has given you with others.

Being selfish is a definite sign that you are taking God for granted. God blesses you so then hence you bless other people. You are to use everything God as entrusted you with as a way to bring others into the family of Christ. It is God's nature to give and because we are supposed to be Christ like it should also be in our nature to give. When we are hording the gifts and treasures God has given us then we either do not know who God is or just don't care to do what he asks of us.

4. You have become too familiar with God and no longer find him amazing.

When you are in the Christian faith for a while you can start to think God is boring. There are times when God will not cause the oceans to move because his purpose is not to be entertainment to us. God is always doing little things showing us that he is around and for that we should find him amazing. We should see his beauty and wonder in the diversity of the way birds chirp. Each species has a different sound and for different purposes. We should notice his divine intervention in what were once medical mysteries. He has given some of his knowledge to scientists and doctors over centuries to cure what used to be incurable diseases. The fact that we can see in color should stir something in you. The stimulation you get when you see so many different colors in nature working together to create a beautiful scene. If the everyday things around you don't make see how amazing God is, then pick up a bible (or bible app) and read it. God has documented some of his most miraculous wonders in one place for us.

Where are you directing your frustrations?

For some there comes a point in life where you are just tired with the monotony of certain activities and waking up every day knowing you have to do a particular task. It seems to be a battle to get yourself out of bed and sometimes even out of the house. Well that particular activity for me is my current full time job.

 

Looking back from my undergraduate graduation to now, I feel like I have accomplished absolutely nothing with my life but paying bills and making/revising numerous budgets. This past year has been very interesting to say the least. Spontaneously word vomiting all the emotions I held in for years just to have the other person see me as a disrespectful child and then in turn rebelling against every single person who "caused" me to feel the way I do. Having a relationship be completely severed over an orange -- I know that sounds utterly ridiculous, but was bound to happen after months full of disrespect, disregard, and deception. There were family issues on both sides. Financial issues. Issues with trying to get into a graduate program... This past year was just drama filled.

 

The build up of all these things, one issue after the next, just brought me to the point where I was just overwhelmed. I just wanted to be angry and upset because every time I thought things were getting better something would happen to over shadow that progress. One thing that was constant throughout this past year was my job. It was so easy to transfer the frustration I felt with the way my life was going to my current job situation because everyone who knows the details of my job expected me to be miserable. And as time went on and  I was reaching my one year mark, my attitude about my job slowly changed. I allowed my frustration with life to make me miserable at work.

 

This job was literally holding things together and I slowly started to hate it. Guys really think about where you are directing your frustrations. Besides God, are these the people and relationships that are holding you together. Is your frustration being intertwined with the stress of schoolwork or a job? How about with the stress or disappointments that are associated with being in a family unit? It is so easy to misdirect negative feelings towards people and things, especially when there is a root of bitterness.

 

My bitter root stemmed from feeling stuck at my job because it was so "safe." As long as I followed the rules I still had a job -- which I guess is the theory behind most companies unless there is an unforeseen financial hit. But being safe made me feel comfortable. I got too comfortable living a life where I was no longer being mentally challenged. I got comfortable working a job that I knew wasn't benefiting me professionally, especially as a college graduate. All these thoughts floated around my head for weeks causing me to dislike my job more and more everyday.

 

During this time period God was convicting my heart because I started to loathe the gift he gave. I started to be angry with the prayer he answered. I was taking his love and providing nature for granted. I knew the way I was feeling about work wasn't how God wanted me to feel because it was no longer bringing glory to him. I was no longer thanking him for providing a job I desperately need, but was thanking him the moment 9 o'clock hit so I could leave as soon as I possibly could just to do nothing at home. I was able to see that I was no longer pushing myself to be the best employee I could possibly be. At that point I realized I was no longer the hard working daughter God created me to be and I had to change that.

 

This Weeks Challenge: Identify where and how you are directing your frustrations. Is it in a way that if others where looking into your life they would be able to see God? If not, then how can that change? Google additional scriptures to help you change your attitude and maintain a positive outlook about where you are currently placed. Allow this week to be the starting point of misdirecting love to people and situations that don't deserve it, because in all reality you too are not deserving of love but Christ still gives it to you freely.

Sunset Above Haiti

Hello Children of a BEAUTIFUL God

Last time I wrote, I told you that my grandmother died. I went to Haiti for the funeral and it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. I'm so happy God heard me and gave me the strength to get through the weekend. The night I left Haiti I was able to watch the sunset through the airplane window. It was so beautiful!

When you least expect it, God shows you a glimpse of who He is. His Majesty. His Glory. His Beauty. My mind will never fully comprehend how great He truly is until the day comes when this Earth is no more and I am in His presence along with my Grandmother and the rest of my family. Oh, what a WONDERFUL day that will be!! ♥

-:- PeaceLoveHarmony -:-

Comfort in Death

Hello Wonderful Children of the Most High God.

This isn't the best time for my family because on Friday my Grandmother died. Even though I didn't grow up with her I still love her. She worked so hard in order to send my mother and I to the United States and my Aunt to Guadeloupe. It really sucks that I never really got to know her but I'm happy that I did get to meet her. My tears have been an on-and-off thing and were the worst Sunday morning during Praise and Worship. They were singing I Will Run and the moment they started signing the line "Come, Come, I hear you calling come" I was gone. Tears rushing down my face because God called my Grandmother to leave us and go to him.

I haven't cried since but I know I will be this weekend. Her funeral will be on Saturday, so my mother and I will be traveling to Haiti to get everything situated. I'm not sure how I'm going to handle this weekend but I know that I will get through it.

This is just so surreal. It feels like she's still alive but reality will hit like a ton of bricks once the wailing starts and I actually see her. The cry's of grief from Haitians are so passionate that they WILL evoke emotion within you, and I don't know if I'll really be ready for that.

This is a bit different but I wanted to share some of my life with you all and what has been encouraging me all weekend. Gods just been telling me that he's my rock. First in Deuteronomy 32, then in a comment made during church, and again in my devotional Monday. So as encouragement I want to share with you something I posted on facebook yesterday.

The quote comes from Sheri Rose Shepherd's book His Princess- Love Letters from Your King. The title is "My Princess... Don't Ever Compromise" on page 66.

-:- PeaceLoveHarmony -:-

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"Hold on to Me and My power within you, and I promise that you will make it through. When the wicked winds try to blow out the flame of your faith or try to cause you to compromise, stand on My truth...I am your solid Rock, and you can conquer anything in My strength."  

Seems like my theme at the moment is "Lord as Rock." Yeah this moment in time sucks, but I'll get through. When tears want to fall, my Rock will keep me standing. He gave life and when his perfect will is done He will take life. Every step we take and every move we make God knew long before we were ever put into the womb. He knew every single moment leading do our deaths and everyone we would impact. Through hardships and tears HE IS WORTHY of all the praise we can pour out of ourselves. (I feel like I could go on but this status is long enough. I do hope this encourages someone else who is also going through the death of a loved one.)

Never Forget

Joshua 4: 6-7

“We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' Then you can tell them, 'They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the LORD's Covenant went across.' These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.” [NLT]

God doesn't want us to forget where he brought us from. We may or may not know where we would be right now if it wasn't for God's grace. In my case, I would still be living in a third world country possibly without a formal education. I would either be roaming the streets looking for love and entering dangerous relationships or in a loveless marriage. But because of God's love for me and his plan for my life, whatever it may be, I'm here in the United States in my last few years of college interacting with his people. God had the Israelites use stones to build a memorial so that his FUTURE children will ask what they meant. If there is nothing to represent where we were brought from then our kids and those who will be entering the body of Christ won't know and their faith in Christ won't be strengthen completely. I guess that's the power of having and giving our testimonies.

A woman in my life tried showing this to me a while back. I guess at the time I focused too much on the fact that whatever testimony I had wasn't great enough to help anyone so I really thought I had no testimony. Now I realize that it doesn't have to be some huge thing like God delivered you from some huge sin (as the eyes of man would see it), but something that you feel is so minute can be GREAT in God's eyes.

So one of my great testimonies is that God held me TIGHT! He didn't allow me to fall into some sin that I would feel like I could never get out of. He held me so tight that he gave me the mother I have to discipline me as a child. A mother wouldn't have let me run the streets thinking I was a big girl at the age of 7. My testimony is that God brought me out a desperate country to another country where my full potential can be reached, and will be reached through Him, with Him.

Song that popped into my head:

Artist: Hillsong

Song: I Could Sing of Your Love Forever

-:- PeaceLoveHarmony -:-

 

The Two Jesus'

Hello Beautiful Creations of God!! I hope your Resurrection Sunday was wonderful. If not then there is still joy because Jesus rose to give us all hope for salvation.

Today marks Day 1 of my fast in preparation of an event being put on my the members of my campus ministry. The details of the fast are dependent on the ministry. As part of the fast, my Praise Team Director wanted us to share on facebook our devotion of the day. I want to share my post with all of you.

-:- PeaceLoveHarmony -:-

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Initially my devotional scripture was Luke 9:62. But an app on my phone allows me to look up the Hebrew or Greek words for the English translation. So I clicked on “Jesus” and these are the definitions it gave me:

Jesus = “Jehovah is salvation”

1. Jesus, the son of God, the savior of mankind, God incarnate

2. Jesus Barabbas was the captive robber whom the Jews begged Pilate to release instead of Christ

It also tells me that there were several other people who had the name Jesus, but what blew my mind was that the two people that were put up to be judged and thus only one freed by the Jews were both named Jesus. So I looked more into it and Barabbas means “Son of Abba” AKA “Son of the Father.” Now we all know that Jesus was also the son of the father (another crazy coincidence.)

So now we have two people who are named Jesus and who are the “Son of the Father” but both are completely opposite with completely opposite fathers. What I got is that we have a choice to make everyday. We either choose to kill Jesus Christ, the son of the true and living father, or we choose to kill Jesus Barabbas, the son of the devil. With every negative thought about ourselves and every impure action we are killing Jesus. The devil wants us to keep Barabbas alive so he will attack us in every way possible, even with the use of manipulation. And we can see that in Mark 15:11: “the leading priests stirred up the crowd to demand the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus.” But every time we shoot the devil down and overcome his tactics we are taking Jesus down from the cross.

Phases of Healing

So I've recently come up with the Three Phases of Healing.... and by recently it was like a few hours ago. I was on a networking site and a young woman had a post titled "Unforgotten Trauma." She gave vague descriptions of what happened to her in her past and how the trauma from them is still effecting her now. I responded to her post and in my response I came up with the Three Phases of Healing.

1. Dealing with the Pain

Sometimes it is so easy to throw bad memories into at chest deep in the closet of your heart. No matter how deeply hidden the pain is, it somehow finds a way back up and then is needed to be hidden even deeper. Dealing with the pain doesn't mean "get over it and move on with your life," but it means to no longer hide it from yourself. Let the pain and hurt and sorrow flow out and manifest. If not then you can't move on to the next step because you won't let issues surface and other issues will arise.

 2. Crying over the Pain

Crying.... The action that many people don't like to do, myself included. But a catharsis comes from crying. All your frustration and anger is released from you every time you cry to God. God hears every one of your cry's and knows exactly how many tear drops you shed for each problem and because of each person. Nothing is too complex for God, not even what your going through.

Here's an analogy I heard a few days ago. For every child at the playground in the park there is a parent. The children are running playing while the parents are mingling amongst one another. One child starts crying and his/her parent(s) run right over to see what's going on and comfort the child. But notice that every other parent pays no mind because the child isn't theirs. Now change the story around: the playground is life, we are the children, and God is the parent. We go through the normal motions of life and WILL get hurt, whether from our careless behaviors or from the selfishness of others. And when we get hurt we feel pain, and can choose to bottle up the pain or cry. If we bottle up the pain, God can't really do anything about it. But if we cry God will hear and will instantly run to us to comfort us. We won't feel better right away but will be in the process.

There's just something powerful about crying out to God. They don't have to be huge alligator tears but having a sincere heart and calling on him to get you through your pain is enough.

3. Handing the Pain over to God

That's it. God will deal with the pain. God will deal with those who hurt you. God has your back so there is no need to hold on to it anymore. This is the point when you no longer hate someone or get severely angry or depressed when you hear the person's name. It doesn't mean that the actions of who ever hurt you will no longer have an emotional effect on you, but that it no longer holds you captive. You are free and in being free you can freely serve a well deserving master.

-:- PeaceLoveHarmony -:-

~*Scripture*~
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night you hear my voice, but I find no relief. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. Our ancestors trusted in you, and you rescued them. They cried out to you and were saved. They trusted in you and were never disgraced....... For [God] has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. [God] has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help.

~Psalm 22:1-5 & 24 [NLT]

Trust

Hello beautiful people!

It's been a REALLY LONG time since I've posted anything and I'm sorry about that.

Update: I am pledging the Christian sorority Sigma Phi Lambda. I just got back a few hours ago from our Chapter Retreat. The theme was being content about every thing. Being content with where you are, what God has given you, where God is sending your, etc. It gave me a lot to think about.


In being content with God we must trust him, so yesterday's devotional was about trusting God. So I'm going to share with you what I got from it.

Scripture: Isaiah 46:4

I will be your God throughout your lifetime - until you hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you. [NLT]

And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you. I have made, and I will bear, even I will carry, and will deliver you. [KJV]

So as I was reading the KJV a few words popped out at me because I have an app on my phone (MySword) that I can get the Hebrew/Greek word and it's meaning. So I used that to better understand the passage and it really made such a great difference.

1. Carry

• transliteration: Cabal (saw-bal')
• to bear, bear a load, drag oneself along

2. Bear

• transliteration: Nasa' (naw-saw')
• to lift, bear up, carry, take
• support, sustain, endure
• to take, take away, carry off, forgive

3. Deliver

• transliteration: Malat (maw-lat')
• to slip away, escape, deliver, save, be delivered
• to let escape
• to give birth to

Using those definitions I reworded the scripture, and half way through writing something came over me and I couldn't stop. It was an emotional feeling and I think God took over for a little while.

Even in your old age I AM GOD! Even with your gray hairs I will bear your burdens - I made you, I will lift you, I will save you, I will deliver you, I will love you, I will hold you, I will forgive you.

What's the Point?
The point is, how many times do we not trust God? He made us. He took us from dirt and put his breath into us. Long before we were even put into the womb he knew us. He knew every step we would take. He knew every mistake we would make. He knew every accomplishment we would have. He took his time on each and every one of us to mold us into the perfect mini ::but our actions stopped us from being a mirror image:: Since God knows everything about us he knows how to get us out of our messes. He knows how to get us through our situation. He knows exactly the right person to place in our life and at what time that connection needs to be made to help us overcome our obstacles. But trusting him with the big things are sometimes easier than with the little, at least in my situation. We can trust God to place food in our bellies or to give us a place to sleep but not trust that the reason he does so is because he loves us.

People in our lives may have skewed what we think love is and ultimately what God is. God is the ultimate love, the ultimate provider, the ultimate friend, the ultimate mate.... God is ABSOLUTE! He is beyond anything we can fathom but yet he cares for us. God doesn't have to do that, but because he is love he does.

The moment that we trust in God's never ending love for us and trust him to be God and do what he promises then we will be content. There will be no need to worry about anything because Daddy and big bro got it with the help of the spirit. Now that doesn't mean that we will always be happy, but he will always provide a joy that we will get out of our situation in one piece. There will never have to be a worry of being shattered and tattered.

-:- PeaceLoveHarmony -:-

God is still Faithful in our lack of Trust

Yes, his anger rose against Israel, for they did not believe God or trust him to care for them. But he commanded the skies to open; he opened the doors of heaven. He rained down manna for them to eat; he gave them bread from heaven. They ate the food of angels! God gave them all they could hold. He released the east wind in the heavens and guided the south wind by his mighty power. He rained the east wind in the heavens and guided the south wind by his mighty power. He rained down meat as thick as dust– birds as plentiful as the sand on the seashore! He caused the birds to fall within their camp and all around their tents. The people ate their fill. He gave them what they craved.
        -Psalm 78: 21c-29 [NLT]

Reflection
As I was reading this passage earlier today I nearly cried. How many times do we KNOW that God can do miraculous things and take us out of all our troubles but just can't seem to TRUST that will do it. God is our wonderful father and maker so of course he would take care of us. Not putting our trust in God makes him angry because after everything that he does we still can't see past our human limitations or the devil's rose-colored glasses and know God is far greater than anything we could possibly think of.

What stood out to me was that even though God was so angry with Israel because they didn't put their trust in him, He still gave them all they needed to survive the wilderness. When they were thirsty He had water pour out of a rock. When they were hungry He opened the skies and had food fall to them. He gave them enough to the point they were full, and yet they still didn't trust God.

The world is our wilderness and we have to walk through it each and everyday but God is giving us all we need to survive. No matter who hurt us or the guilt we may feel, God loves us so much that he doesn't unleash his total anger because he remembers that we are mortal and our mortality is rooted in sin (Psalm 78:38-39). His love for us runs so deep that he himself died for us. He laid his life and took on our humiliation. He allowed himself to be mutilated. He allowed himself to be spit on and cursed. The pain he felt while on earth is nothing compared to the love that drove him.

Reflection Song
Artist: Flyleaf
Song: Circle

-:- PeaceLoveHarmony -:-

Birthday Prayer

"I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you..." Lord I thank you for this new year of life you have granted me. I thank you for being so wonderful and loving me despite all my failures. You are truly a wonderful maker and I pray my life is a testimony of that! Love you dad!! <3

Jeremiah 1:5 [NLT]

Just As Hate

I am currently in the process of reading 1 John. 1 John 3: 15 really spoke to me.

Hating your brothers and sisters means you are a murderer and being a murderer means you have no eternal life within you. One step further, hate doesn't just mean to have an intense dislike for someone or something, but hate can also include ill feelings no matter how big or small they are.

Any ill feelings toward anyone in the body of Christ, and also those who are living in the world, will lead you to have a sense of superiority. They may be struggling in some aspect of their life but instead of you helping them find their way, you are just there thinking how much better you are for resisting. By not helping you are spiritually killing them because how can they enter God's kingdom if they are constantly living in sin and don't know how to get out?

How can you truly be humble, like Christ was humble, if you think you are better. Though Jesus was perfect and we were born sinners, he is always kind and humble to us and always putting us first. Jesus has made the direct link to us and his father, be we must act as the link between the world and Christ. But in order to be the link we must be like Christ and have no harsh or ill feelings and hatred in our hearts.

-:- PeaceLoveHarmony -:-

Scripture
1 John 3: 15 (NLT)

Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don't have eternal life within them.

God's Laughing

I think God is laughing at me at this very moment! He's showing himself in the little things, especially today. I know he's telling me: "If you find joy in the little things you ask for and I give, how much more joy can you get from obeying me and getting the big things without even asking?" And it's true. All we have to do is stay diligent in our readings and spending time with him. Being in his presence is enough, but he's always topping our expectations, and that is one reason why he is so wonderful.

-:- PeaceLoveHarmony -:-

Scripture
Philippians 4: 6-7 (NLT)

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

He is Jealous

[You are] jealous for me
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of [Your] wind and mercy
When all of a sudden
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
I realize just how beautiful you are
And how great your affections are for me

Artist: Kim Walker
Song: He Loves Us


The first line alone should be enough to have us on the ground. Think about it. He is jealous.... for us? How could someone so mighty be jealous for someone so insignificant? He is wonderful for even creating us let alone loving us when all we do is wrong.

Tonight this verse actually clicked with me, with the help of my Praise Team Director. Because God is jealous for us he doesn't want us to make anything in our lives more important than him. Just as fast as he gave us everything we have he can take them away! The job, house, friends, money, family, education. All of it can be gone before you're done blinking. You and your friends may become distant or your loved ones may die. Everything in your life can come crashing down all at one time and you have no idea why nor what to do next. It's all to show you that no matter how hard you try nothing in life is safe from destruction except for you relationship with him. We're stubborn and sometimes have to learn things the hard way, but I believe that God doesn't allow for what he knows we can't handle. That's the great thing about having an omnipotent father! He knows everything about us even when we have no clue.

God's jealousy show's how much he loves us. His jealousy is holy and pure and nothing like the jealousy mankind has for other's. The jealous nature of God comes from his love for us and the desire he has for us to make the right choice to trust and love him just as he first loved us unconditionally without us doing a thing. God loves us because he is jealous, and is jealous because he loves us.

Because God loves us so much we have to try our best in order to please him by not allowing anything Earthly (Spiritually, or Emotionally) come between us. God should come first in all that we do. I know that it's hard sometimes to put God first in everything but nothing in life is more important than he is. He is so great and all he really wants from us is to let him into our lives and have a special home in our hearts.

My challenge for me and anyone else reading is to let God come first. We always, at least I do, seem to push him back when life gets hectic but it should be the opposite. We need to want him more during those times because without him how do we expect to get through all the stress and frustrations? In whatever way you praise God, do it. Give Him the praise He deserves in your daily lives in all that you do.

-:- PeaceLoveHarmony -:-

Childlike Faith

Last week was my spring break and I spent it at home with my family. My mother told me a story about when I was a child:

During a few of my elementary years I would go home with the niece or cousin of a family friend because my mother was working when I would get out of school. I would spend the afternoon at her house until my mother was ready to pick me up. Out of the blue the girls mother just kicked me out and told me to walk home because she claimed my mother was home. Till this day I still do not know what possessed this woman to kick out a 6 year and make her walk home alone. I don't remember how I felt at the time but I can guess I was very confused because I kind of recall walking back and forth. She had her daughter walk me as far as their street corner, but I still had to walk 5 - 10 minutes in order to get home.

When I got home I told my mother what had happened. She was so concerned for me, but with my oh so innocent eyes I looked up at her and said "I wasn't afraid because God was with me."

This morning I read Psalm 16 and I paused on verse 8:

"I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me."

I just thought about those two sentences and quickly remembered the story my mother told me. That one-sentence I gave my mother many years ago left my heart as I started to get older. I knew that God has always been with me and I knew that to be true at an early age. But then I grew up. I got caught up. Deep down I always felt this but never really acted like it was true. At age 6 I should have been in a ball crying but I wasn't. I knew that I was being watched over. But as I grew up I believed less with my actions and would cry or be afraid when there was no need to be because God was with me. I have a big brother keeping me safe and being protective and I have a father who will do anything for me as long as it is what is needed in my life. I remember that now and am trying to get back to that childlike faith and back it up with me actions.

-:- PeaceLoveHarmony -:-

Passage
Psalm 16 (NLT)

Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge
I said to the Lord, "You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you."
The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!
Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods. I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood or even speak the names of their gods.

Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine
The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!

I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me.
I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave
You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

An Attitude of Christ

This being the first ever entry for Sapfire Letters, I feel like it would be appropriate to start off with the concept of having a Christ-like attitude. Some of us don't know what that really means but Philippians 2 sums it up perfectly. I read this passage this past month and loved it, but I feel as if God was telling me to look deeper into it because it came up during bible study tonight.

Having an attitude of Christ means that we don't just care about ourselves or even just our family and friends. We should care about the people we don't know. Whether it is a stranger you are passing by on your way to the mall, care for and love them. A simple smile of acknowledgment could be the very thing that makes someone's day go from bad to good.

Even though Jesus was God, he thought of God as being greater than himself. And that is how we must think. We are not supposed to feel as though we are better than anyone, in fact verse 3 tells us to think of others as being better than ourselves. That doesn't mean to think you are worthless because we all have value in God's eyes. I think its the way God spoke to Paul as to how we remain humble. If we believe we are better than others then we may soon believe we are too well off to need God in our lives. But that is so far from the truth, because without God we are nothing! Without God we absolutely truly SUCK!!! Just look at the world. Everywhere you turn you hear about another child who was molested, another woman struck or even killed by her husband or boyfriend, or even another young man who was gunned down because he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Humbling ourselves means that we live in obedience with God's plan for us. A slave cannot lead his master, for it is the master who feeds the slave. God is our master and provides all that we need and all he ask for is that we obey him. If we had really known all that God has done for us then in a heartbeat we would fall to our knees. But for the fact that we aren't as humble as we think we are this isn't the case.

Knowing and understanding that God is above us, He will bless us with much more than we have.

-:- PeaceLoveHarmony -:-

Passage
Philippians 2: 1-11 (NLT)

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with eat other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross.
Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.